Dilemma faced quite often by people using Wireless in their homes or offices is, how they are unable to get a good signal at certain areas in their premises. I’ll try to explain how you can extend the range of your wireless by not using a repeater, but by simple using any 2 wireless routers. The only shortcoming is that the connection between the two devices is through ordinary LAN CAT5/6 cable, and not wireless. But once done, this is a trouble free, cost effective solution that can extend the range of your wireless to a practical 300 feet at least (length of good quality, single LAN wire between 2 points). Wireless solutions to repeating your signal are also there, but that can mean having to compromise on a lower WEP security instead of WPA, and even much lower range if there are many obstacles in the path. Anyway, out of the scope of this article, I’ll head to the main point.
This post assumes that you’re already using a wireless router & are happy with everything, except for the fact that you want to extend its range. Also, you should know how to access the interface of your routers .. so basic understanding of how these things work is necessary.
We’ll call the router, that is connected to the internet, as the primary router. You do not have to touch any settings for the primary router. Good thing in case even if things go wrong, your main settings always remain intact. The second router that is going to connect to the primary router to extend the range, is going to be referred as the secondary router. First, factory reset the secondary router. Connect it using a LAN wire to any computer & open the admin area.
Once in admin area, the only changes you’re going to make is that you have to turn off the DHCP server, and change the IP of the router (for instance if first, you opened using 192.168.0.1) to something that falls inside the IP range of the primary router (e.g. 192.168.2.2, if your primary router range is set to 192.168.2.2 till 192.168.2.199). You can have any SSID/WPA setting on the secondary router that you want. Once this is done, unplug, & using a LAN wire, connect any one of the 4 LAN ports of primary router to any one of the 4 LAN ports on the secondary router. Note that no UPLINK/WAN port of secondary is going to be used. Once this is done, restart the whole setup.
Now you should be able to see both the SSID in their respective areas. Connect to either & you should’ve internet access on either of the routers.
Great post! Just wanted to let you know you have a new subscriber- me!
ApplyCreditCards
May 28th, 2009
hey this is a very interesting article!
KeHoeff
May 28th, 2009
interesting writing skills, though something is very much lacking. i would make suggestions but this comment will, in all probability, be rejected.
hughes
July 5th, 2009
What you wrote helped me alot in how can I go about extending the wifi environment in my house. I have a 1MB DSL connection that I am currently using only in the basement of my house. I have 4 levels in my house and the moment I take my notebook from basement to any of the floors above it, I lose my wifi connection. Well, actually I am able to get really weak signals in some parts of my ground floor and then nothing on any of the floors above it. What you just said about 2 routers does sound very functional but then, we are going to be doing that at the cost of having to see ethernet cables running all over the house. I personally dont have a problem with that either but I am sure other folks in my house wont be too excited about seeing an exposed cable running from the lowest level in the house to one of the upper levels in the house. I am open to suggestions. Also, how does that wireless solution to my problem work? I think you were saying something about wireless repeaters? are they expensive? could u possibly elaborate on that just a little also please….. Thanks a ton.
Waseem
August 5th, 2009
Interesting article . But why not use the repeater as the price of repeater is same as buying a new router, plus there will be no wire involved. I am referring to TPLINK devices.
I bought TPLINK router(TL-WR340GD) for Rs. 1700/- and got a repeater (TL-WA501G) of same brand for Rs.1750/-. Wifi range is great no wires attached.
Iqbal
February 26th, 2010
Thank you for sharing that information with us.
Of course having no wires is a big advantage. But there are a few downsides to it.
a) You’ve to buy a AP from the same brand, for most part, whereas in the case of above method .. ANY router should do .. even an old one that has been useless otherwise.
b) The wireless security is compromised as you cannot use WPA security in repeater mode, & have to settle for the much less secure WEP security.
c) In repeater mode, the bandwidth is cut in half with every repeater node.
d) The range that you can extend (upto 300 feet regardless of physical obstructions) using just 2 routers cannot be achieved using just a single repeater. Having multiple repeaters not only adds to the cost, but also reduces the bandwidth as mentioned earlier.
But all in all, if putting wires is a hassle & one is going for a new setup where adding just a single repeater would suffice, then going for the wireless repeater setup is definitely a considerable option.
admin
February 27th, 2010