Hi guys!

I have been testing MT and Hotspot Manager for a planed Hotspot/hotzone implementation.
I have a working testbed for a wired test workstation connected to the MT LAN port using dhcp-pool with RADIUS aaa (Hotspot Manager).

Can a wireless AP connected to a 10/100 LAN port of an MT router using dhcp-pool hotspot setup work?
(as opposed to using a wireless PRISM based NIC) 'coz I can put my Pentium 4 on top of the mast!

Configuration:
internet-->(onboard LAN)mikrotik router(PCI NIC)--->wireless AP(w/ POE)-->wireless client

I would like to install the wireless AP outdoors and let the MT/Hotspot Manager do RADIUS aaa for wireless clients.

You could use a tower-mountable router, such as routerboard, or a low power consumption Pentium M, or put a PC-style router at the base of the tower and run cables to the antennas at the top (good at 2.4, not so good at 5GHz)

Regards

You could use a tower-mountable router, such as routerboard, or a low power consumption Pentium M,

I want to make use of old PC motherboards so I dont have to spend for the smaller board footprints.

put a PC-style router at the base of the tower and run cables to the antennas at the top (good at 2.4, not so good at 5GHz)

I have tested a 9m low-loss cable from DLink but it just sucks the life out of my APs power. too much loss from a 20mW device.

Yes, you can do want you planed. Simple connext the ap to your wired routers ethernet port, and client can use your hotspot service. You can connect a switch to the MT ethernet port, and sevweral aps that receives clients. You should leave aps open, and whan clients connect to them, get the temp dhcp ip, and can login - same as you seen in wired mode.
To manage your ap-s set an other ip to your ethernet port, and (eg: 192.168.0.0/24 the temp dhcp, 192.168.1.0/24 the loged in dhcp, and 10.0.0.0/24 for aps, so 10.0.0.1/24 for ethernet) set aps ip from the same ranfge, and set the routers ip as defg for them. So your clients wont be able to see your aps, but you can manage them. This way you dont have to put the pc into a box. At the other hand a prism based pci card is about the same price as a cheaper ap. Yes, you wont be able to controll wireless clients traffic, but it is a hotspot, not a subsrciber internet line, so its not so important for you .

mip,

Thanks for the information. I was affraid that if i use dhcp-pool, wireless clients will not be able to connect to the AP by the time it switches to the real address pool from the temp IP range. I guess I have to try it.

I was able to try enabled-address and wireless cilents successfullly authenticated from the MT router. Wireless clients get IP from MT DHCP and APs IP are set statically. The setup seems to work fine, at the same time being able to manage the APs in the same IP range.

What I need to know is which setup is better. Feedback from our experienced friends would be nice!

Thanks a lot

Robert

hello Sirs,

i really enjoyed this thread but what if am using mikrotik AP, what will happen to the IP address of the wireless interface ..... do think it is wise with mikrotik AP?

thanks

try to explain your problem, cause I dont realy understand.

but what if am using mikrotik AP, what will happen to the IP address of the wireless interface

If you will be using dhcp-pool to will have 2 address pools, 1 temporary and 1 for the real pool. The temporary IP address from the temp-pool will be replaced by an IP from the real-pool. It doesnt matter if you are using an MT router AP or an other AP connected via ether-port as explained on the reply above.

As for the choice between a stock AP or "MT router AP" it would depend on the type of application you have. If you have any specific application problems may you can explain it a little further and may MIP can help.

This is my first experience with mikrotik radios though i have quite a tangible knowlegde ablout it routing features and capabilities....also with other brands of wireless radios.

My case scenario is the same.....as that of infomate but i want to use MT AP in this case.i would have set it up directly on the AP ((RB/B2I) MikroTik 5GHz Access Point Package with Directional Antenna) but because i want to have multiple wireless cards on it and i wont like to degrade the performance.

So in this case,the MT AP has ip addresses on the wireless interface and on the ethernet interface. how will i go with the configuration on the radio both ethernet and the wireless not forgeting that it is going to be conncted to MT box that has Hotspot config on the ethernet port .

I will appreciate your assistance.