[tarl_cabot]

Okay, I think I'm making this more complicated than it needs to be...and since I intend to grow beyond what I'm trying to do right now, I sure hope I'm making it more difficult than it's going to get....


In the simplest terms:

I have a Linksys LAN set up right now that works just fine. It will get updated in a month or so, but for now, let's call it static.

The Router/AP is on the other side of the house, with it's WAN port connected to my cable router. One of it's LAN ports is connected to a local PC and another is conn'd to a wireless print server.


On the other side of the house is my living room where my wife and I connect to this LAN with our laptops. The connection isn't all that great, but it works.


In this room is one Replay 5040 currently connected to the world via a phone wire. I want to connect this PVR to the world via the LAN so I can start mucking with all of the cool web toys that are out there (I have another 5040 that will ultimately get conn'd in another room (also with no net wiring, so it'll be wirelessly conn'd to the LAN at some point) and be able to stream, Poopli, etc.


I've been trying to configure the Buffalo with my laptop so that I could simply unplug it from the laptop and plug it into the 5040 and the magic that is networking would have the 5040 "see" the world, through the cable gateway via the Buffalo and the Linksys. The 5040 would now be a new device on my wireless LAN with access to the outside world for its Channel Guides, pull downs from Poopli, etc.


I configured the Buffalo with my wireless LAN SSID, Channel, etc to match he Linksys' values, and assigned it a static IP outside of the range already being DHCP'd by the Linksys (Linksys 192.168.1.1 with DHCP starting at 192.168.1.100; Buffalo 192.168.1.50 with DHCP starting at 192.168.1.51 and a range of 2 IPs). I set the Buffalo's Default Gateway to 192.168.1.1 (Linksys' IP) assuming that if it gated to that, any connections would be routed from there by the Linksys. This seemed reasonable to me.


I appear to be suffering from a lack of reason.


I wanted to check the settings, so I configured my 10B/T LAN card with IP: 192.168.1.104 (within the range of IPs assigned by the Linksys just to keep it in the same ballpark....since I knew there wouldn't be any new DHCP requests while I was mucking about) and Gateway: 192.168.1.50 (the Buffalo's IP). I could, of course, ping 192.168.1.104 (laptop's LAN card) and 192.168.1.50 (Buffalo G54), but I could not ping 192.168.1.100 (Linksys AP). Should THAT have been set as the Gateway on my PC?


I'm sure for those of you who eat and sleep networking, after pulling yourselves up off the floor where you were LOLing about, what I'm missing is painfully clear, but to me, I'm hitting a wall.


I need my PC to be able to see the outside world when wired to the Buffalo so I can assume that once connected in the same manner to my 5040, the same will be true (connectivity). Ideally, since the Buffalo is in the same room as my typical laptop use, my laptop would connect to it via DHCP and then connect to the outside world? If they are on the same SSID, etc., the laptop is going to try and connect to the Buffalo since it is a considerably stronger signal than the Linksys on the other side of the house. Will this be a problem?


If I disable the DHCP server function of the Buffalo, my laptop won't try and get an IP from it, but will my 5040 give me grief? I've seen arguments both pro and con for static IPs on PVRs. It seems more logical to go that route so the 5040 is statically conn'd to the Buffalo, and then the Buffalo is statically conn'd to the Linksys....but I'd like verification of that from someone who knows more about this stuff than I. Also, when I finally have the other 5040 set up with it's own Buffalo, will having static IPs be a good or bad thing for inter-box communication/streaming?


I think I've explained my muddle well enough to be able to get assistance, but if I'm missing some critical detail, feel free to poke fun and let me know what else is needed to be able to pull me from my net-mucking problems. Right now, I can't seem to ping beyond the Ethernet cable...and that's just not quite sufficient.


Thanks,

David (aka tarl_cabot)

 

[Lazlo]

David,

I have almost exactly your setup (main router is Linksys G, with RepalyTVs connected to remote Buffalo). You have a couple of problems.


1. You need to change the firmware on your Linksys to a version that supports WDS bridging so that the Buffalo can properly talk to the Linksys. (But, check me on this, everyone else. Do you need to WDS to *any* connection, or just for streaming?) Linksys doesn't include WDS in their firmware, as it isn't an industry standard at all. I changed to the Sveasoft Satori v4 firmware, which does support WDS. (You will want to put the Linksys into AP mode, as opposed to Client or Ad Hoc.) The user interface is almost exactly the same as the Linksys version, so you'll be comfortable with it. Once you do that, configure the two WDS fields to the other router's wireless MAC. (Be sure to use the wireless one, as each router has three MAC addresses. The Buffalo's is found in the System Information section of the Management menu. The Linksys' is found in the Wireless section of the Status menu.)


2. Turn off DHCP on anything but your Linksys router. Two DHCP servers will muck up the works.


3. Set 192.168.1.1 as the Gateway for everything in your LAN


4. As a last precaution, I'd set all ReplayTVs to static IPs and turn off DHCP even on the Linksys router, unless you really need it for other devices on your network. With only a few things, DHCP is more complicated that necessary, as device IPs can change on you. Finally, even when connected via static IP, if the ReplayTV sees a DHCP server on the network, it may dump it's static IP and take a dynamic one, effectively hosing your IVS connection.


I think that should be it.


Good luck!

 

[tarl_cabot]

So unless the Linksys is set to support WDS, it can't work with another (Buffalo) router? It makes sense, in a way, that one router (#1) doesn't much care for another device (#2) that can assign its own IPs and communicate locally without having to go back to the IP "source" (#1) (vs something that gets an IP and just communicates 1:1 with the router), but I had hoped that my primary router could handle my conn.....that, and I wasn't planning on changing my firmware.


I found after I conn'd my PC back to my wireless LAN that it could not talk to the Buffalo anymore...even though the Buffalo was sitting 2ft away. Another issue with the lack of bridging going on?


I have a pic of what I'm talking about, but I must be missing the "upload/attach" link.....


Anyway, assistance/explanations is/are always welcome.

 

[tarl_cabot]

Turns out the "quck reply" doesn't have an add attachment link....doh. The full reply does...so.....


Don't know if this will "help" any, but I've been mucking about with Visio trying to put together a graphic of my network and what I want to add....there are 3 different views (okay, I've been mucking about for a while). Hopefully one of them will explain what I'm up to, what I want to do, and maybe help you in helping me????


Please take a look (I was going to upload it as a PDF, but I exceeded the allowable size...so instead you'll find 3 JPGs in a ZIP, which had to be resolved down to less than 640x640, but I think you can still see what I'm after...) and let me know if I'm off base here, what I can do, what I should do, etc. to accomplish what I'm after.


Thanks for any help/assistance anyone can provide.


David.

 

landesign.zip 163.6171875k . file

 

[j.m.]

First off, what model Linksys router do you have? If it isn't a WRT54G or WRT54GS, then the Sveasoft firmware (and, thus, WDS) isn't going to run on it. This would significantly affect the design of your network, as without WDS you will be unable to bridge to a Buffalo/Belkin. If it is a WRT54G/GS, then you will be in business once the Sveasoft Alchemy firmware comes out (Satori does not stream very well to a Buffalo).


The most efficient way to setup a WDS mesh is a star configuration (think asterisk here). That is, you have one WDS device in the "middle," which then has one wireless link to each of the other WDS devices. For instance, A in the middle:
Code:

C
  |
E-A-B
  |
  D

You do not need links between C and B or B and D (etc.) for those to communicate with each other (in fact, doing so would create a loop without spannning tree protocol enabled on all devices). They will still be able to communicate through the "center" device A.


The alternative is to string all the devices together in a line. For instance:

A-B-C-D-E


This should work, but it is not as efficient as a star layout.

 

[Ace987]

Quote:

Originally posted by j.m. If it is a WRT54G/GS, then you will be in business once the Sveasoft Alchemy firmware comes out (Satori does not stream very well to a Buffalo).

This is nice to know. I actually found this out not too long ago. It's funny, because streaming from the Buffalo to the Linksys is fine (actually better than my wired 100Mbps line), but going from the Linksys to the Buffalo is a no go. Seems like it skips 9 out of every 10 frames.

 

[tarl_cabot]

THANKS! Actually, my current LInksys is a BEFW11S4 , but I recently purchased, but have not yet installed, a WRT55AG [Dual-Band Wireless A+G Broadband Router] and a WET54GS5 [Wireless-G Ethernet Bridge with 5-port Switch] (I can get a discount on the Linksys stuff so it makes it a tad more competitive to purchase )


So, with this in mind, how would you recommend I set up this equipment to be able to NOW get my Replay online via the Buffalo, and then later get one or more Replays on line from other rooms with their own Buffalo units (or the Linksys bridge?) and maybe improve my laptop wireless conn?


Lots of equipment, but not too much experience getting all this wireless stuff to interconnect/bridge....I can wire the hell out of things, but wireless is still a little "nebulous".....


Assistance, suggestions, step-by-step commands to enter to make things behave ( ) are always welcome.


David.


BTW:

The Buffalo CANNOT work with the Linksys without enabling WDS? And WDS cannot be enabled on the Linksys without Sveasoft firmware loaded on my Linksys...AND, Sveasoft's current software ("Satori"?) does not stream very well to a Buffalo (but the following post indicated the Satori will work from Buffalo to Linksys). Streaming both ways requires Sveasoft's "Alchemy" firmeware? Questions, questions....

 

[tarl_cabot]

Follow-up:

Is there any documentation that helps to hand-hold the novice through the various settings, IP configurations, etc. necessary to hook up all of these different pieces of equipment? Right now, it looks like I have to remove my 11b Linksys and install my 11g Linksys, use Sveasoft's firmware, implement WDS and then, somehow, I configure my Buffalo router as a bridge so it can talk to the modified Linksys.


What I don't know yet is exactly how to configure the Buffalo so that it will allow communication for the ReplayTV box or if my laptops could connect through the Buffalo to get to the Linksys since the connection is always "low" from one side of the house to the other...maybe the Buffalo's connection would be better to the Linksys and I could leverage off of that?? I'm thinking it's not likely since that would be two DHCP's on the same LAN, but I'm not positive.


I also want to add another PC onto the wireless LAN, and later another Replay or two, but for now, I just want to figure out the ReplayTVBuffaloLinksys connectivity, and the details are far from completely clear.....


Anything like Lizardboy's HDD upgrade description (page by page, instructions for each step, hand-holding the average idiot through the process) for completing this wireless upgrade process???


Up until I tried to get these things to talk to each other, I never really knew exactly how ignorant I really was


Someone out there smarter than me WRT to wireless interconnectivity who might know of some nice "ReplayTV Wireless LAN Upgrading For Dummies" documentation? I hate to suck all of the knowledge out of the group, but hey, if you know and can type, I can read....)


Thx for your assistance.....

David.

 

[Ace987]

 Here is a great post by Lazlo I followed to get my Linksys communicating with my Buffalo. The only problem is that the post is meant to get 2 Buffalo's communicating with each other, so it doesn't contain Linksys specific instructions. However, you should be able to do approximately the same thing on the Linksys.... once you upgrade to the Sveasoft firmware on the Linksys.


If you have any problems, just ask, we'll help.


BTW, you'll probably just want to copy the instructions to the a text document as you may lose the internet connection while configuring up the routers/bridges.

 

[glenburg]

i use wrt54g (w/sveasoft) connected to internet w/wired pc's,voip phone,wired print server; and a buffalo wbr2-g54 which handles two replay's plugged into it (wired through wall living room/bedroom)


i use the following with very good streaming out to wireless when i need it


on both set wireless to same channel same encryption; different ssid's

lock to 'g' only both units

lock to speed (either 48 or 54) both units;

on linksys set wds to lan method and specify mac address of bufallo wireless;

on buffalo make sure you have latest firmware flashed that allows wds and set wds on and allow unit to still act as ap and set wds to wireless mac of linksys;

on buffalo set internet (wan) to automatic (it will get nothing); and set lan to be in the network of the linksys; (if using defaults something like 192.168.1.x); turn dhcp and firewall off on the buffalo;


replays are set to statics w/in the same subnet; and specified as statics under the linksys administation page. replay to replay streaming is perfect because it is wired and handled by the buffalo; streaming to either the pc's connected to linksys; or wireless at laptop is fine a medium quality;


i can then connect wireless laptop to either the linksys or the buffalo by specifying the essid i want; streaming is good from buffalo to linksys; better from buffalo right out to wireless on laptop.


this is close to the setup the poster is asking about (provided he had wrt54g) with either satori or alchemy.


i have had no problems with this setup; as an added benefit i can turn on loopback on the linksys and transfer shows from one replay to the other pretty quickly using ivs


as an aside i have never gotten decent results using two linksys wrt's bridged (using scenario above) under satori or alchemy in client mode or wds; i believe the buffalo simply has a better implementation of wds than sveasoft has come up with yet.


hope this helps more than confuses..


with the additional pieces you bought i think those are simply router and client which should work but won't provide the benefit of having the client act as an access point to repeat the signal.


if you pick up a wrt54g or gs i can easily help you get it set up to work if you need the assistance