How To Bridge a Router

Your router has a bridge mode that is disabled by default. But what’s great about this feature is that it lets you connect your primary router with another router and enjoy high-speed internet. This way, your existing router serves as the primary internet source, and the secondary router works in the bridge mode. And you can connect different devices like a DVR, smart TV, and gaming consoles to a bridge-enabled router.

This article guides you through the steps to bridge a router. 

What Is Bridge Mode in a Router?

The bridge mode in your router is a networking feature that allows two (or more) routers to coexist without causing interference in the connection. 

When you enable the bridge on a router, it usually results in a mesh network, allowing you to connect to the new network even from a distance. The router with the bridge can join other local networks, and the existing router functions as a switch. 

However, the router on the bridge mode can’t perform NAT (Network Access Translation) processes, and the only way you can connect different devices is via a LAN cable. But it does allow the router to work very smoothly without causing any conflicts with the IP Address. 

So, you can place your bridge-enabled router in your lounge and connect your PS5 or Smart TV to it using an Ethernet cable and enjoy a fast internet connection. 

Benefits of Bridge Mode

Bridge mode comes in handy when you want to extend your WiFi range. The most common use is in commercial spaces and large offices, where just one router isn’t enough. But of course, its benefits aren’t just limited to businesses.

You can also use it to extend your network’s range. 

Let us explain. 

When you’re near your ISP-provided WiFi, you get good reception. However, as you start to move away, the signals get weak, and after a certain distance, the device fails to connect to the router. Your router’s bridge mode can help you solve this problem. Essentially, it helps you extend the range by connecting to a further-away network. 

So to sum it all up, with the bridge mode, you can connect multiple devices, get better reliability and faster speeds, and extend the network coverage. 

How To Bridge a Router

Bridging a router is not too difficult and involves just a few steps. But before you start, make sure you note your primary router’s WiFi settings, including the wireless password, WiFi security mode, the SSID, and the bandwidth it works on (2.4 or 5 GHz). Your secondary router (the one you want to bridge) will connect to this router. 

Once you have those written down, here’s what you need to do:

1. Connect a device to the secondary router (the one you want to bridge) and open a web browser.
2. Type the router’s IP address in the browser’s address bar and press “Enter.” This will open the router’s setup page. 
3. In some cases, you will have to log in to get access to the setup page. The username and password are usually admin and password, respectively, but if that doesn’t work, you can find a sticker at the bottom of the router with the credentials.
4. Once you’re logged in, go to “Advanced” and then to “Advanced Setup.”
5. Choose “Wireless Bridge” and click the box next to “Enable Bridge Mode.”
6. Then, go to “Setup Bridge Mode Wireless Settings.” 
7. Now, choose your WiFi radio frequency. You should always set this to 5 GHz for the 802.11ac mode. 
8. Then, take the primary router settings you noted above, and enter them on the next screen. This includes the SSID, security key, and security mode.
9. Click “Apply.” 
10. Follow the guidelines on the screen. When you see the Advanced Wireless Settings window, click “Apply” again. 

Summary

As you now know, bridging a router has many benefits, the most important one being better internet speed. The process is very easy and only takes a few minutes to implement. And once you follow the steps above, you won’t have any problems bridging your router. 

Frequently Asked Questions