Configuring a MikroTik rb951g-2hnd as a Wi-Fi access point
Configuring a MikroTik rb951g-2hnd as a Wi-Fi access point
Yesterday I attempted to configure the routers as an AP, but it didn’t go as planned. The interface is packed with options, making it hard to decide what to adjust or keep unchanged. We currently have three Wi-Fi devices, all functioning independently so far. Previously, each router operated its own network and ID. Now, I aim to unify them under a single network with identical IDs, enabling seamless access for NAS and Plex across the house.
One router has an IP of 192.168.64.1 (possibly with Wi-Fi enabled but disabled) and another is the main router at 192.168.1.1, connected via DHCP range 2-254. The main router uses a static IP on 192.168.1.2, linked to the gateway 192.168.64.1. It’s set up with DHCP disabled and shares the same SSID as the first router—this seems to work.
I’m uncertain why the AP can’t be accessed through its web interface after reconfiguring. The setup appears to be working only when connected via LAN port 2, where the GUI opens on tplinklogin.net. Once connected directly to AP1, the web GUI disappears.
A TV box and a wired PC connection function properly, suggesting the issue lies elsewhere. There’s a concern about two unknown devices at IPs .126 and .145—possibly the WiFi switches my brother uses. The third device at 192.168.0.1 likely corresponds to AP1, but its web interface remains inaccessible.
On the main router, I see a MikroTik (AP2) with host name MikroTik, and I set it to a fixed IP of 192.168.1.3 under DHCP. However, changing this to static causes internet loss and breaks GUI access. I’m trying to reset AP2 and connect via LAN2, but the router keeps defaulting to 1.26 with DHCP.
I’m unsure what the two devices on .126 and .145 are—maybe they’re control panels for the switches. The firmware update question is also pressing; I’m considering switching to OpenWrt or another system for simplicity, as I’ve used DD-WRT before but haven’t touched router firmware recently.
If it's just a router, you might be surprised by its presence. When it comes to a modem with fiber, coax, or xDSL from your ISP, it’s likely configured in bridge mode and most options are turned off. The DHCP range should not clash with the fixed addresses, which is puzzling since your router permits it. Adjust the DHCP range to something like 10-254 so you can allocate different ports for various devices. From the screenshots, the MAC address assigned to your MikroTik in the static settings on the main router is incorrect, causing it to receive a DHCP value of .26. On the MikroTik itself, features like NAT, DHCP, and firewall should be disabled when you set it up as a wireless bridge. Although I’m not very experienced with MikroTik configurations, there appears to be clear and straightforward guides for setting it up as an access point.
It seems you're dealing with a modem connected via fiber. You've adjusted the DHCP settings and removed static IPs on both main and local networks. On MikroTik, you assigned a static IP through the Internet interface and the same IP on the Local network, turned off DHCP and NAT. Now your desktop is receiving an IP from the main router's DHCP range, but you're still unable to access the web GUI of the access point.
It appears to be around 6.22. I’m unable to verify further since the webGUI isn’t accessible. The setup seems to function correctly.
If your IP remains assigned on both WAN and LAN, the setup isn’t correct. You need to adjust so all five ports act as LAN and use just one IP address. In section 6.22, this is handled through the Master Port option. If you reset everything to defaults, follow these key actions:
- Connect your uplink to ether1 and your computer to ether2.
- Switch the master port of ether3-ether5 from ether2 to ether1 (this is under Interfaces). This keeps ether2’s settings intact for further adjustments.
- Configure your wireless settings on wlan1 as needed.
- Set up a bridge and place both ether1 and wlan1 inside it. If wlan1 already exists in a bridge with ether2, simply swap the ports.
- Transfer the IP > DHCP Client from ether1 to the newly created bridge.
Alternatively, delete the DHCP client and assign a static IP in IP>Addresses to the bridge. If you previously had a bridge and removed ether2, move the IP > DHCP server from the bridge to ether2, and also update 192.168.88.1 to ether2.
Adjust firewall rules (IP > Firewall) so ether1 is treated as LAN—effectively removing default forwarding rules and allowing direct acceptance of traffic.
Remove the Masquerade rule from IP > Firewall > NAT. This enables outbound NAT for wireless and wired connections on ether3-ether5.
You should receive DHCP from 192.168.1.1, be connected, and have access to Mikrotik settings at its assigned IP (either DHCP or static). While connected to either wireless or ether3-ether5, you can follow the steps to finalize:
- Remove IP > Address and IP > DHCP Server from ether2.
- Change ether2’s Master Port to ether1.
- Now ether2 operates similarly to ether3-ether5.
For a clearer view of multiple settings, consider using Safe Mode: https://blog.bravi.org/?p=928
If you haven’t used Winbox yet, it can simplify managing these configurations. For Mikrotik, its complexity stems from its versatility—each device can do many things, and automatic help is limited. The Quick Set feature (available in some versions) can speed up setup, but it’s not flawless and depends on your version.