Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Setting up a WLAN using Linksys (DD-WRT) on OPT1 - stuck for 3 days!

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
    24 Posts 7 Posters 4.4k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • P Offline
      phil.davis
      last edited by

      Plug a client directly into OPT1 and see if it gets DHCP. If it does, then pfSense is not the problem, if it doesn't then do some Diagnostics->Packet Capture on OPT1 to see if the DHCP request from the client is received, and the response that should go back to the client.

      As the Greek philosopher Isosceles used to say, "There are 3 sides to every triangle."
      If I helped you, then help someone else - buy someone a gift from the INF catalog http://secure.inf.org/gifts/usd/

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • JailerJ Offline
        Jailer
        last edited by

        c. I set 'advanced routing' in dd-wrt to be 'Router'

        I'm no ddwrt expert but I'm guessing this is your problem. Disable the routing functions on the Linksys 1900AC router and assign it a static IP outside the DHCP range that you set in pfSense WLAN.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • P Offline
          P3R
          last edited by

          @Jailer:

          c. I set 'advanced routing' in dd-wrt to be 'Router'

          I'm no ddwrt expert but I'm guessing this is your problem.

          Unless major changes have been made that isn't the problem.

          "Router" is what I use on every DD-WRT that I use as access points behind my pfSenses. In DD-WRT what shouldn't be used is "Gateway", as that would assume the WAN port to be conncted to an ISP and doing NAT (not that it matters too much when only connecting the LAN ports…).

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • stephenw10S Offline
            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
            last edited by

            Yeah, router mode sounds wrong but between that and gateway mode it's definitely preferable. Is there not an 'access point' mode?

            This would seem to imply not: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Access_Point

            If you are able to pull a dhcp lease from pfSense on a client connected to one of the 1900AC LAN ports but not the wifi then it's still doing something between those interfaces. Routing probably. They need to be bridged.

            Steve

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • P Offline
              P3R
              last edited by

              @cs1212:

              e. On a physical level, from what I understand it has to be a LAN-LAN connection not (Linksys WAN port -> pfSense igb3). so, I have LAN-LAN connected.

              If you tick the "Assign WAN Port to Switch" option in Setup, Basic Setup, WAN Port, it can also be used as a LAN port.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • P Offline
                P3R
                last edited by

                @stephenw10:

                Yeah, router mode sounds wrong but between that and gateway mode it's definitely preferable. Is there not an 'access point' mode?

                No, there's no AP mode.

                This is from the online help: "If the router is hosting your Internet connection, select Gateway mode. If another router exists on your network, select Router mode.".

                In router mode with WAN disabled, DD-WRT is simply a single network router. There's nothing wrong with that.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • P Offline
                  P3R
                  last edited by

                  @cs1212:

                  I have enabled DHCP on WLAN (OPT1), but It is not handing out IP's ..

                  You should have your DD-WRT Setup, Basic Setup, Network Address Server Settings (DHCP), DHCP Type set to "DHCP Forwarder" and pointing to the pfSense interface (192.168.1.1 if I'm not wrong). Is that what you have?

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • stephenw10S Offline
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    It's been a while since I used dd-wrt but on most soho routers like that the wifi is bridged to the LAN switch so they appear as a single layer2. If the wifi clients are broadcasting dhcp requests I would expect them to hit the pfSense dhcp server on opt1. If they don't then dd-wrt is filtering between the interfaces or routing between them. Something is getting in the way of that traffic.

                    That's assuming a client connected to on the of the other LAN ports on the 1900AC is getting a lease correctly.

                    Steve

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • C Offline
                      cs1212
                      last edited by

                      thanks. I plugged a laptop straight into OPT1 - laptop is not getting IP.
                      in firewall rules, for WLAN I have  have an ALLOW all from WLAN net to *
                      DHCP is enabled on OPT1

                      **I've done a packet capture, I see

                      17:26:12.518827 IP 0.0.0.0.68 > 255.255.255.255.67: UDP, length 300

                      coming in, so it looks like the laptop is requesting an IP. it has to be my FW rules ?**
                      any ideas?

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • P Offline
                        P3R
                        last edited by

                        @stephenw10:

                        It's been a while since I used dd-wrt but on most soho routers like that the wifi is bridged to the LAN switch so they appear as a single layer2. If the wifi clients are broadcasting dhcp requests I would expect them to hit the pfSense dhcp server on opt1.

                        That's the way it is in DD-WRT by default also.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • P Offline
                          P3R
                          last edited by

                          @cs1212:

                          thanks. I plugged a laptop straight into OPT1 - laptop is not getting IP.
                          in firewall rules, for WLAN I have  have an ALLOW all from WLAN net to *
                          DHCP is enabled on OPT1

                          I've now seen you mention igb3, OPT1 and WLAN. I'm assuming they are all referring to the same interface, but are they really?

                          If yes, please stick with calling it only a single name.

                          Remember that what is obvious to you isn't to us as we don't see the screens you're looking at.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • C Offline
                            cs1212
                            last edited by

                            Yes, you are correct and right..  OPT1=WLAN=igb3

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • C Offline
                              cs1212
                              last edited by

                              @cs1212:

                              thanks. I plugged a laptop straight into OPT1 - laptop is not getting IP.
                              in firewall rules, for WLAN I have  have an ALLOW all from WLAN net to *
                              DHCP is enabled on OPT1

                              **I've done a packet capture, I see

                              17:50:25.377638 IP 0.0.0.0.68 > 255.255.255.255.67: UDP, length 300
                              17:50:28.379503 IP 0.0.0.0.68 > 255.255.255.255.67: UDP, length 300
                              17:50:36.382661 IP 0.0.0.0.68 > 255.255.255.255.67: UDP, length 300
                              17:50:42.340831 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:42.342599 ARP, Request who-has 192.168.0.124 tell 169.254.104.103, length 46
                              17:50:42.981205 ARP, Request who-has 192.168.0.124 tell 169.254.104.103, length 46
                              17:50:43.090581 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:43.855037 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:43.979626 ARP, Request who-has 192.168.0.124 tell 169.254.104.103, length 46
                              17:50:44.620016 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:45.383867 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:46.148302 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:46.913263 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:47.677125 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:48.441553 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:49.206350 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:49.970376 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:50.734795 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:50:51.749021 IP 0.0.0.0.68 > 255.255.255.255.67: UDP, length 300
                              17:51:24.775043 IP 0.0.0.0.68 > 255.255.255.255.67: UDP, length 300
                              17:51:28.799771 IP 0.0.0.0.68 > 255.255.255.255.67: UDP, length 300
                              17:51:36.802889 IP 0.0.0.0.68 > 255.255.255.255.67: UDP, length 300
                              17:51:52.824513 IP 0.0.0.0.68 > 255.255.255.255.67: UDP, length 300
                              17:52:03.351494 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:52:03.352968 ARP, Request who-has 192.168.0.124 tell 169.254.104.103, length 46
                              17:52:03.978400 ARP, Request who-has 192.168.0.124 tell 169.254.104.103, length 46
                              17:52:04.103399 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:52:04.867804 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:52:04.976828 ARP, Request who-has 192.168.0.124 tell 169.254.104.103, length 46
                              17:52:05.632833 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:52:06.396647 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:52:07.161077 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:52:07.926051 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:52:08.689911 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:52:09.454331 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:52:10.219321 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:52:10.983167 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50
                              17:52:11.747574 IP 169.254.104.103.137 > 169.254.255.255.137: UDP, length 50**
                              any ideas?

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • D Offline
                                doktornotor Banned
                                last edited by

                                How about reading the docs?

                                https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Access_Point

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • C Offline
                                  cs1212
                                  last edited by

                                  @doktornotor:

                                  How about reading the docs?

                                  https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Access_Point

                                  Not helpful for the OPT1 DHCP problem

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • P Offline
                                    P3R
                                    last edited by

                                    Post screenshots of your DHCP configuration and firewall rules for the WLAN interface in pfSense.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • C Offline
                                      cs1212
                                      last edited by

                                      @P3R:

                                      Post screenshots of your DHCP configuration and firewall rules for the WLAN interface in pfSense.

                                      Here's a few .. v weird.

                                      FYI - DHCP on LAN works OK:

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • D Offline
                                        doktornotor Banned
                                        last edited by

                                        There's no need for the DHCP rule you put there in the first place. Also, there's DHCP log and there's firewall log. Look there.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • C Offline
                                          cs1212
                                          last edited by

                                          I decided to REBOOT pfSense and ALL fixed.
                                          also removed the 0.0.0.0 FW rule and still works.
                                          So.. sometimes its a simple Reboot.
                                          thanks to everyone who helped.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • D Offline
                                            doktornotor Banned
                                            last edited by

                                            Hmmmm, the mighty Redmond method…  ;D :D

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.