WAN or LAN port to connect an Access Point (AP) router to a main router?

[rhimbo]

Hello folks,

I have two Synology RT2600ac Wi-Fi routers. One is my main router which is connected via its WAN port to my cable modem.
The second one is configured in Access Point (AP) mode and is connected to the main router via a Cat6 Ethernet cable.

I was just playing around today because I realized I could not answer the following questions for myself.
Should the AP router be connected to the main router via its WAN port or via one of the LAN ports?

I noticed that it seems to work either way. But this might be because the device is smart enough to to some internal redirection of traffic to the appropriate port.
But what is the right way to connect an AP router to a main router via Ethernet cable?

Thanks...!

 

[Tech9]

From the User Manual:

Wireless AP (Access Point)
Under this mode (also known as the Bridge mode), your Synology Router bridges all network interfaces (LAN, wireless LAN, and WAN) and therefore has five LAN ports (LAN 1-4 and WAN) available to wired clients.

So, any port. They all do the same thing.

https://content.etilize.com/User-Manual/1037615828.pdf

 

[rhimbo]

From the User Manual:

Wireless AP (Access Point)
Under this mode (also known as the Bridge mode), your Synology Router bridges all network interfaces (LAN, wireless LAN, and WAN) and therefore has five LAN ports (LAN 1-4 and WAN) available to wired clients.

So, any port. They all do the same thing.

https://content.etilize.com/User-Manual/1037615828.pdf

Thanks for your reply. Actually this part of the manual is precisely where I was reading and where I was confused.
I didn't want to play with my configuration as I didn't want the other working adults in my home to kill me if their network connection went down.


I guess that you first have to do the "start configuration" and specify that you want the router to operate in "Wireless AP" mode. Then you can use any of the WAN or LAN ports. But this made me wonder what are the different protocols (if any) used between devices in the different configuration scenarios:

1. Wireless AP mode (but hard-wired) router talks to main router
2. Main router talks to cable modem
3. Router function in my cable modem talks to a router at my cable company

Just curious and trying to learn about the protocol details.

 

[Tech9]

Protocols? They are many. Technologies? Ethernet on your LAN and to the ISP modem, DOCSIS to your ISP.

Ethernet - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

DOCSIS - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[rhimbo]

Protocols? They are many. Technologies? Ethernet on your LAN and to the ISP modem, DOCSIS to your ISP.

Ethernet - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

DOCSIS - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I meant the protocol for negotiating router-to-router connections. Routers exist in a tree structure. So my router must connect to a router at the premises of my internet service provider (in my case my cable company). I think the DOCSIS protocol sits below what the router-to-router negotiation (hand shake) protocol. Similarly, any hand shake between switches sits above DOCSIS, right?

I'm also thinking that there must be a different protocol (or different parameterization) between these two cases:
1. router hand shake with another router (parent router)
2. router in Wireless AP mode (or wired AP mode) talking to the primary router.

I don't see any other way that the router I set as as AP router would tell the primary router its function (or desired function) when they connect or hand shake.

If I'm completely off base please tell me. I tried searching for this information, but perhaps I'm using the wrong terminology because I don't see anything that seems related.

Thanks,

 

[Tech9]

You can start with some easier to understand basics:

How do computer networks work?

A simple explanation of computer networks, including Ethernet, TCP/IP, and OSI.

www.explainthatstuff.com

 

[rhimbo]

Wow... That wasn't patronizing at all....

 

[Tech9]

1. router hand shake with another router (parent router)
2. router in Wireless AP mode (or wired AP mode) talking to the primary router.

1. Your router is a client device to your ISP. We use routers to secure our networks and to serve more than one clients.
2. Your AP is a client device to your router. A router in AP Mode is not a router. It turns into a LAN switch + LAN-WLAN bridge.

 

[L&LD]

Please, don't take attempts at helping as patronizing (or other).

Simply state the level of instruction that you need instead.