Extending wifi using old router

[RobTi]

Hi I wonder if anyone can help nephew is looking to extend his wireless signal into his room as at the moment there is none.

He has Virgin super hub in another part of the house and has a wired lan coming from it to a 5 port switch, can I add an old plus net router for just wifi and if so what settings should be used ?

Thanks

[DDY]

Hi I wonder if anyone can help nephew is looking to extend his wireless signal into his room as at the moment there is none.

He has Virgin super hub in another part of the house and has a wired lan coming from it to a 5 port switch, can I add an old plus net router for just wifi and if so what settings should be used ?

Thanks

Does the wired network reach your nephew's room?

If it does, simply:

Plug in the spare router directly into a computer (that's not connected to another router) and log in to its web interface, 192.168.1.1 or whatever. Change the spare router's IP address to something that isn't the IP address of the main router, keeping the: A, B and C part of the address the same - AAA.BBB.CCC.DDD, D part needs to be between 0 and 255.

e.g.

Main router: 192.168.1.1
Change the spare router to: 192.168.1.2

Log back in to the web interface using the spare router's new IP address;

- Disable NAT
- Disable firewall
- Disable DHCP
- Change wireless settings:
-> SSID (wireless name) to the exact SSID the main wireless router
-> Password exactly as the main wireless router

Then relocate the spare router in or somewhere close to your nephew's room, plug it in to the regular wired network. Reconnect the computer from earlier.

That's it, wireless devices will automatically connect to the spare router - now working as a wireless access point.

[RobTi]

Thanks for the reply, yes he has a wired Ethernet from super hub to switch in his room with the pc and Xbox connected, so I was hoping to connect into the switch and do as you say with the settings

[Rob_B]

I don't know if that router can do it but if not then something like the to link wr702 can be had for about a tenner.

[DDY]

Most routers are capable of turning in to a WiFi AP, some aren't but they're in the minority.

I recall PlusNet use a Technicolor something which has this setting hidden behind an 'advanced options' menu that's not obviously placed.

[coak333]

Best way is making the router into a Network Access Point, I've found that some routers will shut out access to it once this is done so make sure you have changed the name and passcode before activating. Look for instructions online to do this for your model, then ensure you connect the ethernet cable to one of the outgoing ports.

[scaryjim]

If you've got the nasty Technicolor plusnet router then I'd advise against this - I tried to do the same thing and it's a real pain in the rear to set up - I never actually got it working properly. If it's some other router then it should work but will take some messing with. Alternatively, just buy a cheap wireless access point, which will definitely do the job and will be *much* simpler to set up and manage.

[Millennium]

I did this with ddwrt on a specific revision of a dlink router dir-615

there was fortunately a walkthrough and it took a couple of attempts to get the correct (newest I found) ddwrt firmware upload the router

I would echo what scaryjim said - try a retail option. I happened to have bought a dir-615 by accident some years ago.
Also I have a plusnet technicolor router here and I don't recall seeing an appropriate setting. It's broadcom, actually sjim, and it's not bad I thought

[scaryjim]

It works fine if you just plug it in and let it do the ADSL routing (I'd actually got that one because plusnet messed up my FTTC install so ran an expedited ADSL order to get me on line ASAP). And it's got quite a few nice options for controlling your network if you dig around the menus a bit (although they're not intuitive at all).

Once we got on FTTC my stepson wasn't getting wireless in his room so I planned to use the old technicolor router in the spare room (via powerline adapters) to add extra ethernet ports for my printer and server, and provide a second wireless network for guests (and him). I eventually found all the options, disabled the DHCP server, set it to a static IP with the appropriate gateway and everything, set the wireless up, then connected it to the home network and everyone lost internet. For some reason all traffic was being routed through the technicolor, despite the fact that I'd disabled all of the routing options on it, had changed the IP address appropriately; done everything you're meant to do to make things like that work. So I gave up, bought a second set of powerline adapters, and gave my stepson a wired connection in his room

[Millennium]

yes it's surprisingly difficult to get this done with something that would still include all the required hardware from an end user perspective

the config options I think are not built into the devices firmwares edit: maybe it wasn't a tested use case by Technicolor's people I'm glad you had a proper go

you may wish to try exactly what I did (lol) though I'm pleased to know someone actually got their power-line adapters working! lol

[scaryjim]

Well, I used to have a really old d-link ADSL modem/router that at one point was being used as a switch & wireless bridge to a Windows box that was running internet connection sharing over a wireless card to distribute Cable broadband to the upstairs. And that worked pretty much flawlessly, despite being a far more complicated setup!

I bought the Tenda 200mbps sets (two thereof) and they worked flawlessly - one plugged in by the router, two in other rooms, and I had wired networking everywhere I needed it.

[Dareos]

-> SSID (wireless name) to the exact SSID the main wireless router
-> Password exactly as the main wireless router

I wouldnt do this, I would give it a separate SSID, mainly because then you know what you are connecting to. Also the access point might be an old b and g system against the shubs N, helps differentiate. I would also make sure that the channel it was broadcasting on was at least 5 channels away from the shubs channel.

[DDY]

-> SSID (wireless name) to the exact SSID the main wireless router
-> Password exactly as the main wireless router

I wouldnt do this, I would give it a separate SSID, mainly because then you know what you are connecting to. Also the access point might be an old b and g system against the shubs N, helps differentiate. I would also make sure that the channel it was broadcasting on was at least 5 channels away from the shubs channel.

The reason I would suggest using the same SSID and password it so that device can switch between the access points seamlessly. It also avoids the need of entering different passwords for each SSID on new devices.

I don't disagree about performance differences about mixing G and N APs, but it's also worth considering that it a strong G AP signal may be preferable to a weak N AP signal in terms of performance.

Finally, I would only suggest changing channels if the router's automatic channel selection is causing problems, it doesn't hurt to have channels apart from each other, but I've never had problems with my own APs overlapping myself.

[Dareos]

Its a superhub thats why im suggesting giving it a dedicated channel, most of the problems I encounter at work are based on the wifi channel being set to auto

I absolutely agree with you regarding the strong/weak G/N. Its different in every situation, and for most wifi devices a strong signal is preferrable to a weak one, regardless of b/g/n/ac

I have however run into several problems where devices (and i believe its down to the device, not the access point) wont give up a weaker connection for a stronger one with the same SSID.

This isnt always a bad thing tbh, if you have 2 access points with the same SSID, the first with a strong signal and the second with a weak one, but the 2nd has an internet connection and for some reason the first has become disconnected, then connecting to the stronger one is pointless. If you can at least determine which is which then troubleshooting becomes much easier.

It is all down to personal preference though

[guido123]

run cat 5 between them and match the password ssid - runs perfectly with a couple of linksys routers

[gamesaregood]

The other option to running cat5 cable between them would be a pair of homeplugs but personally would purchase a wireless extender kit (using homeplug tech) which will extend your wireless and not just create another access point on the network with the same name.

Keep in mind some devices will not change between wireless networks of the same SSD and password and like to keep attached to the first one it connects to even if its a lower signal.