Setting up Billion 3100SN wifi range extender

[zeridine]

sorry for the long post but omfg it shouldnt be this difficult to set up. Granted I dont know much about wireless networks, but i cant get this thing working. Can anyone please help with this setup or suggest some informative tips how to fix this setup?:

MTN 3g uncapped lite via e367 dongle, connected to a Billion 7402NX router, connected wired to desktop pc (this works), shared internet to any wireless device used to work (samsung galaxy s2/ laptop) - doesnt work anymore after my fiddling. I bought a Billion 3100SN range extender to get better reception upstairs, and/or to be able to "connect game consoles" since i dont want to pull network cables around the house (but it seems like the xbox also wont be having any of my wireless network mess).

so basically i connected the 3100sn wired to the 7402nx router to be able to access them from the desktop; assigned two different SSIDs to the two devices like 'router' and 'accesspoint' (i read somewhere you should make both SSIDs the same if you put the 3100 in repeater mode - that was a f-up of note, so i wont be doing that again); checked that i have the latest firmware - but could only get for the 3100sn, and updated that; set the 3100 to repeater mode which apparently = bridge+access point; changed both devices to run on europe channel 6 (?), Set up WDS MAC addresses with WPA2 - AES passwords on both devices.

nothing wireless works with both devices on, or even just the router on... what am i doing wrong? I thought about just getting someone with the know how to come to my house to fix the network. Would people like nerds on site be a good idea, as this will probably be fixable in 5 minutes - i know i'm doing something very basic wrong? I also popped by incredible connection today to find out more about "incredibles on site" but I seem to know more about wireless networking than the guy that would come out on site - that unsettles me (apparently "wireless b/g is better than wireless n since the g is for gigabytes")

[zeridine]

ok. i've reset everything again, and got my wireless network running again. but i still cant connect to the network via the 3100sn, devices just hang trying to obtain an IP address. I've read something about DHCP not being done on the access point but only on the router, which in all honesty confuses me a bit. How do I do this? It seems i know just enough to make a mess of a network. ;_;

on a side note: is it a problem that i changed the regulation domain to north america & signal channel to auto and not assigned to a specific channel?

[simm_card]

How is the 3100sn connected to router via wifi or cable?

Where is it located, same area as other devices that can't see the router?

Could be that the wireless hop is too far to connect?

[zeridine]

the infernal 3100sn is not connected via cable to the 7402nx - only while trying to change settings. the distance inst too far, placement will be either 4m north from the router or 3m upwards (just depends where i want to place it when i get it working). either needs to bounce through 1 wall to the north or 1 wall and the concrete slab/floor for upstairs.

[ianst1024]

I generally dont give up when it comes to solving pc related issues but extenders have just never given me joy. Whoever said setting up an extender was easy probably hasn't done it before. I'd be curious to see the resolution here. And most of the time you follow the manual to the letter.

[zeridine]

yup. I'm guessing I'll have to get someone out to set this up properly. Does anyone know of any skilled techies in Centurion/Midrand area? or should i try nerds on site? I really dont mind paying someone, as long as i can get this beautiful white ornament that is the 3100sn set up.

[simm_card]

Difficult to say... I'v done various installation and extenders are always a nightmare. Nowadays, like yesterday, I installed Billion homeplugs in a 3 storey house took 15 minutes but it cost the client R4k.

I'd just pull a cable in your case.

Call someone. Nerds on Site or Dial a Nerd.

[DeathOnSight]

Hi zeridine,

I've had some difficulty setting this thing up as well. I eventually got it right though.its settings on your router and the ap ofcourse.i have a billion 7300w router so the settings my differ slightly but i assume they follow the same guide lines.

settings on my router are as follows in [Advanced wireless settings]=

WLAN Service : Enabled
Time Schedule : always on / time slot1
Mode : 802.11b + g + n
ESSID : (your standard ssid,eg deathonsight)
Hide ESSID : disabled (NB Very important that this is set so that any device can see this SSID)
Regulation Domain : Europe
Channel ID : Channel 1(2.414 GHZ) (works best for my config)
Channel Width : 20/40MHZ
Tx PowerLevel : 100
WPS Service : Disabled (make sure to disable this one on router)
WPS State : unconfigured (mine is grey'd out)
WMM : Disabled
WDS Service : Enabled (on a side note,once this is enabled,you can add a MAC address below.I've added my AP,lets say its MAC is 00:10:00:10:AB for ref)

-----------------------------------------------
[Security settings]=
Security Mode : WPA/WPA2-PSK
WPA Algorithms : AES
WPA Shared Key (note its called "Pass Phrase" on the AP): (your password for devices to connect,keep it easy to enter on devices as you will have to do this on every device you wish to connect)
Group Key Renewal: 3600 (this is the default setting I left in place)

------------------------------------------------

On the AP,these are the settings i have in place:

[Basic Wireless Settings]=
Wireless Service : Enable
Wireless Mode : 11b+g+n mixed mode
SSID1 : (different ssid to my router eg deathonsight1)
Multiple SSID Service : Disabled
Client Isolation : unticked
Hide SSID : Disable
Country Region : Europe(Channel:1-13)
Channel (Frequency) : Channel 1 (the same as my router)
Channel BandWidth : 20/40
BSSID : 00:10:00:10:AB (this is your AP MAC,you cant change it,but I've added it so we don't get confused)

I had to update my firmware to the latest version available to get the following settings,yours might already have it if its new,if not then you will have to update the firmware,my firmware version is :
1.06k-c (Sep 6 2010)

WDS Mode : Lazy Mode

--------------------------------------------------
[Wireless Security/Encryption Settings]=
SSID choice : deathonsight1 (different SSID to router)
Security Mode : WPA/WPA2-PSK mix mode
WPA Algorithms : TKIP/AES mix mode
Pass Phrase (note its called "WPA Shared Key" on my router) : (you can make this the exact same as the routers one)
Key Renewal Interval : 3600 sec (same as default)

now this is where it gets tricky.....
You have to set the following up exactly as i have it with the exception being that you'll have different MAC addresses.

------------------------------------------------------------
[Wireless MAC Address Filter Table (The maximum item is 64)]=
Rule :Allow

Choose to "Add a new MAC address (Ex:the format is "00:11:22:33:55:66")"
Add your AP's MAC address,then click apply.
Add your routers MAC Address,then click apply.
So you should have the following

1. 00:10:00:10:AB (AP mac add added to the table)
2. 00:10:00:10:CD (router mac added to the table)

---------------------------------------------------
[Advanced Wireless Settings]=
Tx Power : 100
Tx Burst : Enable
WMM Capable : Enable
APSD Capable : Disable
IGMP Snooping Service : Enable

----------------------------------------------------
[Wi-Fi Protected Setup]=
Disable this completely
WPS Service : Disabled

----------------------------------------------------

Then lastly i've changed the LAN setup on the ap from defaults but i doubt you'd have to,it just made my life easier

----------------------------------------------------
[Local Area Network (LAN) Settings]=
IP Address: 192.168.1.45 (default is 192.168.1.253, if you change it,I suggest you write it down so that if you forget it,you still
have a paper copy)
Subnet Mask : 255:255:255:0
LAN2 : Disable
UPNP : Disable

The reason why i've changed the LAN settings on the AP is because on my router,I have DHCP enabled,and set a static IP address for the AP to 192.168.1.45

[DeathOnSight]

Oh I forgot to add the following,

You'll have to add the MAC addresses of the devices you want to use to the AP's MAC filter before any of the will connect.
example of this would be
MAC ADDRESS TABLE

1. 00:10:00:10:AB (AP mac add added to the table)
2. 00:10:00:10:CD (router mac added to the table)
3. 00:10:00:10:EF (XBOX mac added to the table)
4. 00:10:00:80:CF (Cellphone mac added to the table)

And so on...

The main thing is to allow the MAC filtering,adding the AP(Access Point)'s own MAC first,then the routers MAC(i dont know why its like this,i honestly don't know why,but I believe it works,if anybody could explain why,that would be great)
Also you have to disable WPS on your router as WDS and WPS conflict and wont work if they are both on(this is something i read on the interwebz,so if im wrong here,please excuse me)
Have WDS set on the router,and add the AP to MAC Address list on your router

Sorry for the long post,I hope this setup works for you,as its currently working for myself.
Goodluck

[DeathOnSight]

Crap,it added the same post twice LOL
but since this is here,let me add that i used the ethernet cable provided to set up the AP,once everything was setup as i have it above,i unplugged the AP completely restarted my router and then plugged ther AP in again.I checked on my routers ARP table to see if the AP's MAC was showing up,which it was.Its abit of a slep to set up,some trial and error,but you will get it right.I sat for 8 hours trying to figure it out

[zeridine]

Hi zeridine,

I've had some difficulty setting this thing up as well. I eventually got it right though.its settings on your router and the ap ofcourse.i have a billion 7300w router so the settings my differ slightly but i assume they follow the same guide lines.

I cannot begin to tell you how awesome your post was. It seems my problem was with not putting the AP's MAC first on the AP client table. everything works now. thank you.

[Krypt0n1te]

Hi DeathOnSight

AWESOME info, bookmarked it for further reference if needs be.

Please have a quick look at the following thread. I want to try and avoid later issues by doing things right from the start.

Thanks.

Link