OpenWrt Relayd Repeater Mode Issues On Asus BT8

Introduction: Your OpenWrt Journey with Wireless Repeaters

Ah, the quest for seamless Wi-Fi coverage! We've all been there, trying to extend our network's reach with a trusty wireless repeater. Today, we're diving deep into a specific, and shall we say, quirky scenario involving OpenWrt, the relayd package, and a specific piece of hardware: the Asus ZenWiFi BT8. If you've found yourself scratching your head after a reboot, wondering why your perfectly configured repeater suddenly decides to play hide-and-seek, you're in the right place. This article aims to dissect the problem, explore the steps involved, and hopefully shed some light on how to get your Asus BT8 behaving as expected in repeater mode.

We'll be discussing the common setup steps, the specific issues encountered, and potential workarounds. It’s a journey into the nitty-gritty of network configuration, so grab a cup of your favorite beverage, and let's get started on unraveling this funky behavior.

The Repeater Setup: A Step-by-Step Endeavor

Setting up a wireless repeater with OpenWrt, especially using the relayd package, is a powerful way to extend your network's range without resorting to more complex solutions. The fundamental idea is to configure one of your device's Wi-Fi radios to act as a client (station mode) to your main Access Point (AP), and then use the other radios to broadcast your own APs, effectively bridging the client connection to your local network. This is often done to create a unified network name (SSID) across your home or office, making device roaming smoother. The process typically involves configuring the wireless interfaces, setting up the network bridges, and ensuring the relay daemon is running and configured correctly. For the Asus BT8, which boasts multiple radios (2.4GHz, 5GHz, and even 6GHz in some configurations), this setup can be particularly versatile. The goal is to have one radio sniffing the airwaves, connecting to your main router's Wi-Fi, while the others broadcast your network. This allows devices connected to your Asus BT8 to access the internet via the connection established by the client radio.

When everything is working, you'll see your client radio successfully associated with your main AP, and your local APs broadcasting their SSIDs. Devices will connect to these local APs and get IP addresses from your main router's DHCP server, providing a seemingly seamless extension of your network. The relayd package plays a crucial role here by managing the Layer 2 bridging between the wireless client interface and the LAN interface, ensuring that traffic flows correctly. It's a sophisticated setup that, when done right, offers excellent flexibility and performance. However, as many OpenWrt users know, the devil is often in the details, and sometimes, after a seemingly innocuous event like a reboot, things can go awry. This is precisely the situation we're exploring today, where the setup works initially but falters upon a restart, leading to connectivity issues.

The Enigma: Reboot Woes and Wireless Whims

This is where the real puzzle begins. You've meticulously followed the OpenWrt documentation for relay configuration, perhaps even the specific tutorial for wireless repeater mode on your Asus BT8. Everything seems to be in perfect working order. Your main router's 5GHz network is connected via a client radio (let's call it radio1 in station mode), and your other radios (radio0 for 2.4GHz and radio2 for 6GHz, or perhaps another 5GHz band depending on your device's capabilities) are broadcasting your own APs. You can connect devices to these APs, and they get IP addresses. You can ping your main router, and devices connected to your repeater can access the internet. It’s a beautiful symphony of network engineering. Then, you perform a reboot. It could be a planned reboot after making a minor change, or an unexpected power cycle. And suddenly, the music stops.

This is the core of the reported