Wi-Fi Wireless Bridging Explained

Wi-Fi range extenders are a variation on bridging

By
Bradley Mitchell
Bradley Mitchell
Writer
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • University of Illinois
An MIT graduate who brings years of technical experience to articles on SEO, computers, and wireless networking.
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Updated on June 28, 2020
Reviewed by
Jerrick Leger
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Reviewed by Jerrick Leger
Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years' experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses.
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In computer networking, a bridge joins two networks so that the networks can communicate with each other and serve as a single network. As Wi-Fi and other wireless networks expanded in popularity, the need to link these networks with one another and with older wired networks increased. Bridges make internetwork connections possible. This wireless bridging technology consists of hardware as well as network protocol support.

What is wireless bridging?
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Types of Wireless Bridging

Hardware that supports wireless network bridging includes:

  • Wi-Fi to Ethernet bridge: This hardware allows Wi-Fi clients to connect to an Ethernet network. The hardware integrates with Wi-Fi wireless access points and is useful for older computers or devices that don't have Wi-Fi capability.
  • Wi-Fi to Wi-Fi bridge: This bridge joins two Wi-Fi networks, often to increase the coverage area of a Wi-Fi hotspot. Some wireless AP hardware supports bridging in Ethernet as well as Wi-Fi mode.
  • Bluetooth to Wi-Fi bridge: This bridge connects devices that communicate with consumer Bluetooth gadgets and interface with a Wi-Fi home network.

Wi-Fi Bridge Mode

In Wi-Fi networking, bridge mode allows two or more wireless access points to communicate and join their respective local networks. These APs, by default, connect to an Ethernet LAN. Point-to-multipoint AP models support wireless clients while operating in bridge mode, but others can function only point-to-point and disallow any clients from connecting while in bridge-only mode; a network administrator controls this option. Some APs support bridging with other APs only from the same manufacturer or product family.

Changing a configuration option can enable or disable AP bridging capability if it's available. Normally, APs in bridging mode discover one another through Media Access Control addresses that must be set as configuration parameters.

While operating in Wi-Fi bridging mode, wireless APs generate substantial network traffic. Wireless clients connected to these APs usually share the same bandwidth as the bridge devices. As a result, client network performance tends to be lower when the AP is in bridging mode than when it's not.

Wi-Fi Repeater Mode and Wi-Fi Range Extenders

Repeater mode is a variation on bridging in Wi-Fi networking. Rather than connect separate networks in a way that allows devices in each one to communicate with each other, repeater mode extends the wireless signal of one network to longer distances for greater reach.

Consumer products known as wireless range extenders work as Wi-Fi repeaters, expanding the range of a home network to cover dead spots or areas with a weak signal.

Most new broadband routers are designed to work in repeater mode as an option that the administrator controls. Having the flexibility to choose between full support of a second router and Wi-Fi repeater support is appealing to many households as their home networks continue to grow.

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