Can two wireless APs be used to connect to the same L2 network? How?
I have a small home network (10-20 devices), both ethernet and 802.11ac. The current situation is:
- DHCP server is standalone 192.168.189.1/24, it is also a NAT router.
- WiFi AP 192.168.189.2/24
- ethernet and wifi are bridged in the WiFi AP. So it's all the same L3 network.
Works well. I would like to extend this with a second WiFi AP, 192.168.189.3/24, and keep the same ESSID. 802.11r would be nice.
Things I've tried/considered
- Bridge the second AP to the ethernet network. WiFi no longer works reliably. I think it's because the mac (of the client) now "belongs" to both APs, and L2 does not know where to send the packets -- to AP1 or AP2? I may be wrong about the reasons, but it does not indeed work reliably.
- Use WDS. It is too complex, since my APs are connected over the wire; I don't need a wireless repeater.
What would be a simple/typical way to "add" a second AP? Ideally, I would like to retain the current L3 configuration (the same /24, working broadcast, no routing inside, etc).
I am on OpenWRT, devices Turris Omnia (AP 1) and Turris Mox (AP 2). The answer may not be OpenWRT-specific, I think I may adjust it if I understand how it would work.
