I have a hAP and have set wlan1 as a station to connect to whatever public internet I have access to. Then I have a virtual AP on it, wlan-VAP, that lets me log into the hAP and also connect all my devices to the WAN without having to log each one into the public WiFi.

I have the master wlan1 set up as client so it will pick the best frequencies to cover the larger distance, since my devices will be near the hAP. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thing making the master the AP and the client/station the virtual wlan will make it hard to connect to the public WiFi.)

The problem is that wlan-VAP does not come up until wlan1 connects to something. I have to be able to connect to the router to set up the client (station) and I don't want to use an Ethernet cable. Is there a way around this?

If there is a way, the please also tell me: how do I disconnect the client without shutting down the radio? I want to be a good citizen and not be connected to the public WiFi longer than necessary, but I don't know how to disconnect without also taking down the virtual AP.

There's no way of disabling the master interface and keeping the virtual ones "hanging" from it. Virtual ones need the master one to be in Running state.

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The problem is that wlan-VAP does not come up until wlan1 connects to something.

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I have the master wlan1 set up as client so it will pick the best frequencies to cover the larger distance, since my devices will be near the hAP. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thing making the master the AP and the client/station the virtual wlan will make it hard to connect to the public WiFi.)

Client will use same frequency as in master interface.

So setting it up AP as master with same frequency your client will use would get around this, you'll be able also to connect wirelessly to manage it, and you'll be able to shutdown the client without shutting down the AP.

Client will use same frequency as in master interface.

So setting it up AP as master with same frequency your client will use would get around this, you'll be able also to connect wirelessly to manage it, and you'll be able to shutdown the client without shutting down the AP.

Sorry if I didn't make it clear, I'm taking this setup on the road and I want to set up the station client quickly to connect to whatever public WiFi is around. It seems too complicated to scan for a network, figure what frequency it is on, then copy the frequencies over to the AP. Besides, this would mean changing the frequencies of the AP while I am connected to it. That can't be good.

I guess I will have to use 1 radio as station client and 1 radio as AP if I want the AP always up while the client goes up and down.

I too wish there was a way to manage the Mikrotik wireless (from phone) to update the "Connect List" or adding security profiles. Unfortunately right now I have to hardwire into the ETH2, change manually. Only after Wlan Master is setup can I access the virtual WLan.

This requires me to have a laptop and ethernet, defeating the purpose of being able to use the mAP as a portable travel router/vpn.