Non CAPsMAN Wireless Modes · Topic 1 of 2

Repeaters and Extenders

Learn how to extend wireless coverage with wired access points, repeaters and WDS, and how the station modes differ when bridging a wireless client.

4 min

In a nutshell

A wired access point is the best way to extend coverage.
A repeater that uses one radio on one channel roughly halves the throughput.
A dual radio repeater uses one radio as a client and the other as an access point.

What it is

A repeater or extender is an extra wireless device that carries the signal to a place the main access point cannot reach.

The best extender is an access point connected by cable. When a cable is not possible, a wireless link between two devices can do the job, at a cost in speed.

This page covers the options that work without CAPsMAN, using the legacy wireless package menus.

How it works

The choice depends on how the extra device connects back to the network.

Wired extender

An extra access point on an Ethernet cable is the preferred design. It uses its own channel, carries the same SSID and security, and loses no speed to the backhaul.

PoE often makes this easy, because one cable brings both power and data.

Wireless repeater

A wireless repeater receives a signal and sends it on. When one radio does both jobs on the same channel, every frame uses the air twice, so the throughput drops to roughly half.

A device with two radios avoids most of this loss. One radio connects to the main access point as a client, and the other radio serves the clients. The two radios should use different channels or bands.

Exam tip

Use a dual band device as a repeater. Connect upstream on one band and serve clients on the other.

WDS

WDS (wireless distribution system) lets access points link to each other at layer 2, so a bridge can span several radio hops. The access points should use the same SSID and the same channel.

/interface wireless set wlan1 mode=ap-bridge wds-mode=dynamic-mesh wds-default-bridge=bridge1
/interface wireless wds print

wds-mode chooses how WDS links are created. Static modes use links you define, and dynamic modes create them as access points find each other.
wds-default-bridge is the bridge that receives the new WDS interfaces.
wds print lists the links.

Why a client cannot simply be bridged

A normal wireless client uses its own MAC address for all traffic. Standard 802.11 allows only that one address, so frames from devices behind the client cannot cross it.

The station modes in RouterOS handle this in different ways.

Mode	How it works
`station`	A plain client. It cannot bridge devices behind it.
`station-wds`	Works with an access point that has WDS enabled, and bridges at layer 2.
`station-pseudobridge`	Translates the MAC addresses so the access point sees a single address. It works with access points from other vendors.
`station-bridge`	A MikroTik method that bridges transparently. The access point must be a MikroTik that supports it.

/interface wireless set wlan1 mode=station-wds ssid=Office
/interface wireless set wlan1 mode=station-pseudobridge ssid=Office

Choose station-wds when you control the access point and can turn WDS on. Choose station-pseudobridge when the access point is not MikroTik and cannot be changed.

Matching the settings

A repeater link only forms when both ends agree on:

the SSID
the band and the channel width
the security settings
the WDS mode, if WDS is used

If the access point uses a security profile, the repeater must use the same one.

Performance and design

Each wireless hop adds delay and uses airtime. A chain of repeaters on one channel loses speed with every hop.

Keep the number of hops low. Use a wired link or a separate backhaul band whenever you can, and keep the backhaul signal strong.

Watch out

A repeater on the same channel as its main access point shares the airtime of that channel. Expect lower throughput and more delay than on a wired extender.

What to remember for the exam

Seven facts cover this topic.

A wired access point is the best way to extend coverage.
A repeater that uses one radio on one channel roughly halves the throughput.
A dual radio repeater uses one radio as a client and the other as an access point.
WDS links access points at layer 2, and wds-default-bridge names the bridge for the WDS interfaces.
A plain station cannot bridge devices behind it.
station-wds needs WDS on the access point, and station-bridge needs a MikroTik access point.
station-pseudobridge works with an access point from another vendor.

Common mistakes

These four errors are common.

Expecting full speed from a one radio repeater. The radio carries each frame twice on the same channel.

Using station for a bridged client. It cannot pass frames from devices behind it.

Mismatched settings. A different SSID, channel width or security profile stops the link forming.

Chaining many repeaters. Each hop adds delay and uses more airtime.

Check yourself

Work through these three questions.

Why does a single radio repeater lose speed?
It receives and sends each frame on the same channel, so every frame uses the air twice. Throughput drops to roughly half.
Which station mode suits an access point from another vendor that you cannot change?
station-pseudobridge suits it, because it translates MAC addresses so the access point sees one address.
What does wds-default-bridge do?
It names the bridge that receives the WDS interfaces. WDS itself links access points at layer 2.

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