Client mode with NAT on WL-500b/g

[Technik]

This is the working command sequence for manual IP address assignment (WL-500b was set to AP only mode by web
configurator first).
WARNING - I did not think about any security settings yet so please take this settings as an example only.

brctl delif br0 eth2
ifconfig eth2 down
rmmod wl
echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward
insmod /mnt/usbfs/wl_apsta.o # file path to root of the USB flash disk - not necessary if you copy wl_apsta.o to /tmp folder using FTP
# (see the wl_apsta.o attached)
# reply: Using /mnt/usbfs/wl_apsta.o
ifconfig eth2 AB.CD.EF.GH netmask 255.255.255.0 up # AB.CD.EF.GH = concrete IP address granted by Access Point Administrator
wl ap 0
wl scan
wl scanresults

#reply – must be something like:
# SSID: "AP.Node"
# Mode: Managed RSSI: -71 dBm noise: -98 dBm Channel: 8
# BSSID: 00:01:23:AB:CD:EF Capability: ESS
# Supported Rates: [ 1(b) 2(b) 5.5 11 ]
#
# some other APs can be listed as well

wl join 'AP.Node'
route add default gw CD.EF.GH.IJ eth2 # CD.EF.GH.IJ = gateway address
# udhcpc -i eth2 -s /bin/true # optional - if there's a DHCP server running on wireless network

# NAT activation:
iptables -t nat -P POSTROUTING DROP
iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o eth2 -j MASQUERADE

# ping 216.239.57.99 # test - Google.com



Update 27-Feb-2004: With latest available Firmware patch 1.6.5.3-2 made by Oleg ( http://files.wl500g.info/asus/wl500g...-1.6.5.3-2.trx ) it's not necessary to copy wl_apsta.o to the router anymore. The updated wl.o module is already inside.
This firmware is for WL-500g but it is possible to update WL-500b through Firmware Restoration utility.


Update 08-Jul-2004: With latest available customized firmware 1.7.5.9-2 made by Oleg (see http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=530 ) the client mode configuration is significantly simplified (FYI the first customized firmware revision with this feature was 1.7.5.6-3). You just need to perform these steps:
- reset the router to factory defaults
- update the router with 1.7.5.9-2 firmware, go to web configurator
- set the router SSID to SSID of the AP you wish to connect
- set LAN interface parameters, also set LAN parameters on workstations connected to router's LAN ports
- set WAN interface parameters in accordance to parameters of wireless network provided by AP administrator (note that in client mode the WAN and WLAN functions are exchanged)

- execute the following nvram commands using Telnet (one times only):
nvram set 13_x_ClientMode=1 # (0 = ap, 1 = sta, 2 = wet)
nvram set 13_x_IBSS=1 # execute only if you need IBSS (Ad-hoc) mode (0 = bss, 1 = ibss)
nvram commit # commit settings
reboot # router restart

After the reboot the router should automatically connect to preferred AP. It may take a long time if the signal quality is low.
Use wl assoc command to check the connection status.