Connect Wifi to WAN?

[mstrom62]

I apologize if this has been answered in a thread somewhere already. I did a bunch of searches and came up snake eyes.

My question is, can the Wifi be programmed to be attached to the WAN and connect to a Hotspot to provide internet access. I'd like to have a backup internet access, and of course ASUS dual WAN sucks. None of the access points I have work through the USB. Buffalo has a router (or they did) that lets you change the Wifi from being an access point, to being an endpoint on the WAN side. I'd like to do the same thing.

I don't even use the Wifi on my router that provides my internet access anyway since it's at the far end of the house in the utility room.

 

[KenZ71]

So you want to use a phone's signal and share that wifi with other devices?

Sure its possible but two issues. 1) you going to suck up a huge amount of cellular bandwidth. Your phone provider ok with that? 2) speed will stink.

If all that is ok then might be easiest to setup the phone as a hotspot and have other devices connect to the hotspot.

 

[mstrom62]

I have a Verizon hotspot. This is only for emergency. Comcast goes down, I want my Wifi on my Router to hook to the Wifi of the hotspot and become a client to it. Essentially using the Wifi as the WAN access of the router. That keeps my network up until my land link is restored.

 

[john9527]

What you are asking about is known as WISP mode (Wireless Internet Service Provider). It's not available in the ASUS (or Merlin) firmware and I'm not aware of anyone coming up with a way to implement it (someone is welcome to correct me here). I think it may be available in DD-WRT if it's a key requirement for you.

 

[CaptainSTX]

I'd like to have a backup internet access, and of course ASUS dual WAN sucks. None of the access points I have work through the USB. Buffalo has a router (or they did) that lets you change the Wifi from being an access point, to being an endpoint on the WAN side. I'd like to do the same thing.

I would experiment a little more with the wireless APs you have. I find it hard to believe that none of them will work when connected using a USB cable to your ASUS router. It isn't necessary that the modem/WiFi Hotspot you have is listed in the pull down list of equipment. I have experimented with two ZTE and one Samsung and they all worked essentially as plug n play. Only the Samsung required that I change one setting on its setup to make it function as an USB modem.