Routers to use with Wireless ISP

[unmesh]

If someone has free WiFi in their building but wants to create their own WLAN for their apartment, what choices do they have in routers other than travel routers whose LANs are designed for say hotel rooms?

The only thing I can think of is two routers, one router in wireless client bridge mode hooked up with a cable to any wireless router with suitable WLAN characteristics.

I'm wondering if there is a "better" solution that I've missed.

Thanks

 

[eibgrad]

What you want is a router capable of repeater (unbridged) mode (aka, client mode + AP mode), where the WAN is virtualized over a wireless client. I don't know of any OEM products off-hand, but there are routers that support third-party firmware w/ these capabilities (e.g., dd-wrt). But you still have to be careful in your selection of router. Client mode can be a bit sketchy depending on the hardware.

That said, I think using a wireless ethernet bridge (whether from a reconfigured router or standalone, dedicated device) patched to the WAN of the primary router *is* the best solution, if only because it will work w/ *any* router. There are NO compatibility issues. As such, you never have to compromise on your choice of primary router. And if perhaps you get access to a wired ISP down the road, you don't have to change anything on the primary router. For any AIO solution, that's never going to be the case.

That's not to say that having an AIO solution doesn't have its own conveniences and charm, but for me, I'd be far more inclined to go w/ the multiple device solution, esp. since I have plenty of existing devices that can be configured as a wireless ethernet bridge.

 

[L&LD]

An RT-AC56U or better, in Media Bridge mode, with a LAN port connected to the WAN port of an RT-AC68U or better is what I would pursue.