Connect detached networks by VigorAP in WDS-Bridge mode

Bridge-WDS is one of the VigorAP operation modes which bridge the LAN networks and accept wireless client at the same time. A VigorAP could connect to multiple VigorAP in the same mode to extend wireless coverage and bridging the network on their LAN ports when a wired connection is not available.

Some VigorAPs have Mesh network feature which replaces the WDS mode. However, they can establish the WDS connection in AP mode. Here is an example of a WDS connection with a VigorAP in WDS mode and another VigorAP(with Mesh feature) in AP mode. This article introduces how to set up a bridge-WDS connection between a VigorAP(without Mesh) and another VigorAP(with Mesh).

VigorAP-1 Setup (Bridge-WDS Mode)

1. Set Operation Mode to "AP Bridge-WDS"
   
2. Go to LAN >> General Setup,
1. Disable "DHCP Client" and set a static LAN IP address.
2. Make sure two VigorAP are using an IP address in the same subnet.
3. Here we suppose there's a DHCP server on the network, so we disable the DHCP server on VigorAP.
4. Click OK to apply the LAN setting.
   
3. Go to Wireless LAN (5GHz) >> General Setup, select mode, and channel. Keep the settings in mind because the peer VigorAP requires the same setup.
   
4. Go to Wireless LAN (5GHz) >> Security to select security mode. Keep the settings in mind as well.
   
5. Go to Wireless LAN (5GHz) >> AP Discovery, click Scan to search the nearby access points. Find VigorAP-2's SSID and add it to WDS settings.
   
6. In Wireless LAN (5GHz) >> General Setup page, the MAC address selected in the previous step is put into Peer MAC address automatically. Select the security mode for WDS connection (AES is recommended) and type the security key. Remember the settings here because peer VigorAP needs to set up the same.
   

VigorAP-2 Setup (with Mesh feature)

1. Setup Operation Mode to "AP". Since later models with mesh features didn't use the term "WDS-Bridge" in Operation Mode anymore, the corresponding feature will require to configure the WDS settings in Wireless LAN >> General Setup page under AP mode.
   
2. Go to LAN >> General Setup,
1. Disable DHCP client and set a static LAN IP address.
2. Make sure the two VigorAP are in the same IP subnet and disable the DHCP server.
3. Click OK to apply the LAN setting.
   
3. Go to Wireless LAN (5GHz) >> General Setup, select mode and channel which matches the AP-1 configuration.
   
4. Go to Wireless LAN (5GHz) >> Security, select security mode which matches the AP-1 configuration.
   
5. Go to Wireless LAN (5GHz) >> AP Discovery, click Scan to search the nearby access points and find VigorAP-1 wireless SSID.
   
6. On Wireless LAN (5GHz) >> General Setup page, the MAC which we select in the previous step will be put into Peer MAC address. Select security mode and type the security key which matches the AP-1 configuration.
   

Verify the Connection

1. After setup, we could check the peer AP status at Wireless LAN (5GHz) >> WDS AP Status.
   
2. Connect to both VigorAP's SSID, confirm the client could access the Internet from either of them and ping to each other.