Setting up an access point - help
 

Hi
I have Virgin broadband and am using their supplied router. I have wired distribution of ethernet across the house.

There are one or two rooms furthest from the router that have virtually zero wifi coverage. Those rooms do have a wired ethernet outlet but I would still like wifi there as well.

I have a spare, unused high quality linksys router still sat in a box. I would like to use this to create an access point.

I've read some on line guides about how to do it but could do with some advice please.

1) Firstly is it ok for to just connect the slave router via the wired ethernet socket in the problem room? I'm assuming I don't have to run a new direct cable between the slave and Virgin router?

2) The guides say to give the slave a fixed IP address in the 'range' of the IP address of the Virgin one. Can I give it exactly the same IP address as the Virgin router.

3) Should the operating channel of the slave be set well away from that of the Virgin?

Any other tips welcome.

Thanks very much

Hi

Yes you can just connect it via the network socket already there.

You will need to give it a fixed IP address but definitely don't give it the same address as the Virgin router.

For 802.11b use the channels 1, 6 or 11. Whichever the Virgin router isn't using. Set the SSID(Wifi name) and password the same as the Virgin router.

The other important step is to make sure DHCP is turned off on the access point. Otherwise you'll have 2 devices trying to hand out IP addresses.

You might still find that if walk from near the Virgin router to the furthest rooms your device stays connected to the Virgin router with a very weak signal. They rarely connect to the strongest signal automatically. Of course if you have no coverage in the furthest rooms it should drop the connection to the Virgin router and connect to the access point wifi.

To try and diagnose wifi clashes get "wifi analyser" for android (it's free) - as your neighbours may be clashing.

To set the IP address of your new router - first establish what your current IP address is.

Open up a dos box and type
ipconfig /all

You will see a line for "default gateway" Most likely 192.168.x.1 or 192.168.x.254 simply set the IP of your router to be 192.168.x.2 or 192.168.x.253. You'll need to disconnect from your current network (be easier to disable wifi and connect physically to the new router with a cable).

Don't forget to change the default passwords on all your devices.

If you are looking for seamless integration and a single SSID, hardware wise I love Unifi.

Once you go commercial, you'll never go back.

These are ace:

https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap/

https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/produ...-ubiquiti-uap/

Thanks.

I got fed up of trying to get this to work after about half an hour.

I have sort of solved the issue and got the second router running and giving an excellent wifi signal in the problem rooms. The only downside is that it appears as a second separate network so I have to log into it whenever I go into those rooms.

It's a bit of a faff but I can live with it for now. I'll wait until I have a tech savvy friend come over and then make him work for his beer:lol1:

ahh; that'll be difference between a access point and a wireless repeater. The former is a separate wifi network, the latter is extending an existing one.

Personally not had much success with the latter; needs good kit to get it work well and it can reduce your overall wifi speeds.

I ended up just getting a decent wifi router capable of getting a signal through the whole house (i.e one that has proper external aerials) and disabling the WiFi on the virgin router as the range on these is rather poo in comparison

My home kit is out of date but Apple have always nailed roaming, if they give up the game then I'm getting these https://www.amazon.com/Google-Wifi-s.../dp/B01MAW2294

Trying to use two different pieces of random kit to make a roaming wifi network will never work well, the access points need to talk to each other to get the best results and do the clever stuff.

Use a TP Link mains WiFi extender - it can duplicate the settings of an existing network

It can work very well, although I'll admit it might be tricky to achieve if you're not very well clued-up on networking and routing theory, or if the kit in question doesn't offer the right settings options.

I have WIRED ethernet in most rooms including the problem rooms. The second router is connected into the 'system' via a wired ethernet commection. Does that still make it a 'repeater'?

I tried solving the issue a year back by buying the expensive and well reviewed Linksys router. You still couldn't get a decent signal in these two problem rooms. The main router has to be placed at the front of the house and the two problem rooms are at the very back of the house on the ground and first floor.

I don't think any single router is going to resolve this, there are just too many solid walls and and steel beams to get through.

Thanks

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You don't need any new equipment, just the right settings on the Linksys. Most of the points have been made, but you need to (or your friend needs to):

Make all these the same:
SSID, security, password

Make these different:
Last byte of the IP address (eg x in 192.168.1.x)
Wifi Channel (or set both to automatic)

Turn off:
DHCP on Linksys

Has worked on every router I've tried it on. Presently have two routers connected to the internet and three other access points using spare routers to cover a long weird shaped stone building and outbuildings. Even a video stream is uninterrupted during roaming between the zones.

Thanks John.

I'll try again tomorrow.

I thought the IP address had to be the same and static, perhaps that was where I was going wrong.

Since I have wired ethernet in most of the house including the problem rooms I would have thought my approach is better than a repeater?

It's massively better, with the cable already there it's a no brainer.

This is getting a bit mixed up.

An access point is a separate wireless network. Even if it's connected to the same wired network. It's a separate SSID/login. Even if it has the same SSID name and login password its treated as a separate one by the connecting devices.

You can try using the same SSID, so to the user it appears to be the same WiFi, but underneath it's two Wifi networks with the same name connected to the same wired network, but when I tried that, the devices tend try and stay connected to the weaker signal as you move round the house; usually the device tries to hang on to the weak signal instead of switching, or if it does switch dropping and reconnecting. But if your room has zero (and I do mean zero) wifi signal from the other unit, you shouldn't have this issue.

The point of a repeater/extender is to extend the existing wifi (same SSID, same login/pass etc.) to cover deadspots. It is physically the same wifi, and is treated as such by the connecting devices so you don't get the above issues. Some extenders/repeaters can do it wirelessly, some do via the wired Ethernet. Some wifi routers do have this feature built in, some don't (whereas almost all of them can be configured as a access point).

Somewhat true.

My Apple kit provides management for roaming from access point to access point, it does that by talking to each other via the wired connection, it can do it via the wifi but you lose a lot of bandwidth. Same with commercial kit such as Unifi but they need a management server. I'm sure plenty of other access points work as Apple - Google for instance - but many do not and trying to get it to work across random devices is not going to work.

Comercial versions are very good at working together to pinpoint your location and provide the best connection.

Thanks for clearing that up, I've obviously misunderstood the terminology.

I have very weak and sometimes no signal in the two problem rooms. As a result I might get the problem you mentioned.

The second router I have is a Linksys wrt 1900 ac

http://www.linksys.com/gb/p/P-WRT1900AC/

So would my best bet be to use this as a hard wired extender/repeater? I read somewhere that using a repeater/extender slowed the broadband speed.

Thanks

You can find details of how Linksys handle roaming and a link to the extender here http://www.linksys.com/us/seamless-roaming/

The IP address of the Linksys needs to be different from the IP address of your existing router. By specifying the IP address (outwith a range that your existing router allocates automatically with DHCP) you will have the Linksys on a static IP address.

Main reason for specifying the IP address is so that you can access the Linksys anywhere on the network for managing it and so there are no conflicts. Usually you wouldn't need to put things like gateway IP address or DNS server addresses or subnet mask into a router used like this and if you do, post back for more info or await your friend's visit. Some routers have a repeater mode but it can get confusing working out whether they are trying to be a wired or wireless repeater.

Also it is usually easier to connect your Linksys by one of its LAN sockets to the wall, not the WAN or Internet socket.

Thanks very much guys.

I'll have another go at the weekend and see what happens.