Here are instructions for connecting the B1300 to your network as an Access Point, meaning:
• There is separate Main Router, which is providing all the DHCP addresses to the clients, performing firewall functions, providing DNS. For this example, I will assume that the LAN IP address of this Main Router is 192.168.25.1, and will be providing DHCP in the space of 192.168.25.X
• The AP we are setting up will eventually have the IP address of 192.168.25.2, but since it is just being set up for the first time, will have the default IP address of 192.168.8.1 (we will configure the new IP address below)
• The B1300 has two ethernet ports marked as LAN (with a ↔ symbol) and a third WAN port (the one closest to the power connector). In this guide, we will only use the two LAN ports. If you wish to reconfigure the WAN port to act as a third LAN port, that it out of scope of this guide, but some instructions will be added to the end of the guide to accomplish this.
• All of the wireless clients that connect to this AP will be on the same LAN as the LAN side of the Main Router, i.e. receive an IP address from the Main Router in the range of 192.168.25.X. As such, all of the wireless clients should be able to connect to all other LAN devices, including those wireless clients connected via the Main Router.
I do not use IPv6 on my network, so I will be ignoring those configuration steps.
Step 1 (boot up B1300): Unbox the B1300, attach the power cable and let it boot up. (Let me know if I need to add more detail.)
Step 2 (connect computer to B1300): Connect a computer with a web browser to the LAN side of the B1300, either by connecting by ethernet (installed in one of the LAN ports of the B1300), or by connecting wirelessly. Since the B1300 is still in its default state, the B1300 will have the LAN IP address of 192.168.8.1, and your computer will be given an IP address 192.168.8.X. (Let me know if you need more detail.)
Step 3 (Access luci interface of B1300): Open up the computer’s web browser and go to address 192.168.8.1 (the B1300), then navigate to the luci interface. If you are using the default GL-Inet firmware, you will need to choose language, time zone and a password, then click on the Advanced settings in the upper right corner. If you get a warning pop-up. Hit OK, then log in again to the luci interface.
Step 4 (Configure IP address of B1300): From the pull-down menu at the top of the page, select Network, then Interfaces. At the top, you will see a LAN Network, as well as one or more WAN Networks. Click on the Edit button associated with the LAN. Make the following changes:
• IPv4 address: Change to 192.168.25.2 (or whatever address you will use to reconnect to this B1300).
• IPv4 gateway: Change to 192.168.25.1 (or whatever address you use for the Main Router).
• Use custom DNS servers: Change to 192.168.25.1 (or whatever address you use for the Main Router).
• Click on the Advanced Settings, and confirm that “Bring up on boot” is checked.
• Click on Physical Settings, and confirm that Bridge interfaces is checked, and that in the Interface list below, the Wireless Networks and the lan Ethernet Adapter are all checked.
• Click on Firewall Settings and confirm that lan is selected.
• Scroll down to DHCP Server, and under the General Setup tab, click the box that says “Ignore Interface” so that there is a check mark in that box. This tells the B1300 not to issue its own set of IP addresses when new devices connect, but instead allows the Main Router (as assigned as your gateway) to serve as the DHCP server.
• Leave all other entries in their default state
• Click Save & Apply
At this point, the B1300 will bring down, then bring back up, its Interfaces, but using its new LAN IP configuration. If you have not before, plug your B1300 into your wired network, i.e. take your ethernet cable from you network and plug it into one of the two LAN ports (with a ↔ symbol). (Make sure not to connect it to the WAN port.) Now reboot the B1300 by unplugging the power cord for a few seconds, then re-plugging the power cord into the B1300.
Now reconnect to the B1300’s luci interface by directing your browser to 192.168.25.2. This can be a little tricky, especially if you are configuring your B1300 over wireless. Make sure your computer is connected to the B1300’s ESSID, not another available wireless network. Also, you may need to refresh your browser page if it is showing a cached version of 192.168.25.2.
Before moving to the next step, confirm that you are connected to the LAN side of your Main Router, either by pinging it, or go to 192.168.25.1 on your browser and confirming that you see the Main Router’s configuration page. Once that is done, check to see if you are connected to the internet by connecting to a few websites.
Troubleshooting:
• Confirm that, if you are configuring your B1300 over wireless, your computer is connected to the B1300’s wireless network.
• Confirm that your B1300 is connected to your wired network via a LAN port, not a WAN port.
• Reboot both the B1300 and your computer, to assure that the newly-configured correct IP addresses are used on both devices.
• Confirm that your computer now has an IP address assigned by the Main Router in the range of 192.168.25.X
Step 5 (Configure wireless): At this point, the main work is done. Your B1300 should be operating as an Access Point. But, while not necessary, you likely want to change the name and security of the wireless network provided by your new AP. From your computer, return to the luci configuration at 192.168.25.2. From the pull-down menu at the top of the page, select Network and then Wifi. You will see the two wireless configurations, one for 802.11bgn, the other for 802.11anac. Click on the Edit button for the first wireless configuration, then make the following changes:
• Scroll down to the Interface Configuration, on the General Setup tab. Change the ESSID to which ever wireless ESSID you want (what people will see when they scan for available wireless networks).
• Confirm that the Mode is Access Point (not Access Point (WDS), unless you plan later to configure WDS, which is out of scope for this guide).
• Click the Wireless Security tab, and configure your key (the password when someone tried to connect to this wireless network).
• Leave all other options unchanged, and click Save.
Go back to the Network->Wifi, then click the Edit button for the second wifi interface. Make the same changes.
Once both wifi interfaces are configured, click Save and Apply. After a minute or two, the newly configured wireless networks should appear, i.e. searching for a wireless network on a computer or other device, the original GL-…. Wireless options should be gone, and the new wireless networks should be available.