Wireless Bridging Overview

Wireless Bridging is usually used to extend network coverage to locations physical cabling cannot conveniently reach.

As of July 2005, NETGEAR access points supporting WDS are WG302, WAG302, WG602v2, WG602v3 and ME103. WDS is supported between any of them, except the ME103, which can only WDS to another ME103. (The Wi-Fi Alliance do not certify WDS, so there is no guarantee that one model of access point can do WDS to a different model of access point.)

· Technical Support does not provide free help setting up WDS between NETGEAR access points and non-NETGEAR equipment.

· It is not possible to create wireless bridge between NETGEAR wireless routers and NETGEAR wirelessaccess points.

Here are two scenarios that are referred to as "wireless bridging".

Scenario 1: WDS (Wireless Distribution System)

In IEEE 802.11 terminology, a wireless distribution system interconnects Basic Service Sets (BSS). Each BSS consists of the access point and the wireless and wired devices it connects. In the following diagram, WDS connects BSS #1 and BSS #2.

The WDS is created by wireless bridging or repeating on the access points. Each access point can bridge or repeat to one or multiple other access points. The maximum number of bridge or repeater can be created by an access point varies depend on the access point models.

Previously, an access point in bridging mode can only communicate to the other access points it is bridging to; while access point in repeating mode can also accept connection from wireless clients. Therefore, the above example can only be supported by wireless repeating previously. However, newer access points now also support wireless client connection even in bridging mode so the distinction between bridging and repeating has became blurrier. One thing to keep in mind, when an access point is in bridging mode and also accept wireless connection, it greatly reduces its throughput.

For instructions on configuring wireless bridging and repeating, read the product manuals or Configuring WirelessRepeating.

Scenario 2: Wireless Ethernet Bridge

In this scenario wired devices are bridged to a wireless router. The reason for doing this would be either it is not feasible to physically wire the router to the wired clients or the wired clients do not support a particular wireless adapter (e.g. a gaming station).

The NETGEAR products supporting wireless Ethernet bridge are WGE101 and WGE111.

As mentioned above, this configuration, where a wireless router is connected to a wireless access point, will not work.