Battling to get Netgear Extender to connect

[DeonH]

Hi there and thank you for my help.

My rig:
ADSL Wireless Router: TP-Link TD-W8980
WiFi Range Extender: Netgear Universal WiFi Range Extender WN3000RP

This is my extender from my office I want to try out at home. I had it working for about a month until, I think, I did an upgrade on my router. It is as if the router's range was shortened after the upgrade.

When I have my router, extender and Laptop within 2m from one another, I can successfully setup the rig and everything works. I have changed the IP-address of the extender to a static one. But, when I move the extender about 5m from the router with only one wall in between, I can pickup the extender but have no internet access with excellent strength. When I want to connect either my iPAD or iPhone, I get a message on them saying: "Unable to connect to Isan_Ext". When I click for more info the IP-address is all wrong.

I'm posting here because I believe I will get closer to a solution here than on any of the 2 products' support forums.

I will appreciate your help and advice. Maybe recommend a better wifi extender.

Regards,
Deon

 

[Pada]

What version did you upgrade your TP-Link to? TD-W8980_V1_131012 perhaps?

If you did upgrade to that one, then try changing the Country setting from UK to South Africa again and try boosting the Transmit Power setting (most likely under Advanced) too.

For maximum throughput and security, use AES and not TKIP as the encryption scheme for the WPA2 Personal security.

Lastly, also take note that the orientation of the antennas play a big role in the perceived signal strength. If you have a single storey house, then the antenna's should point vertical or at a very slight angle off from vertical. With the TP-Link one that has 3 antenna's, you'll most likely get the best signal by having the center antenna straight up, and the outer 2 pointing up but angled away from the center one - pretty much like they've pictured it: http://www.tp-link.com/resources/images/products/gallery/TD-W8980(UN_01.jpg

Our neighbour is using a TP-Link WiFi extender and it is working pretty well with our TP-Link TL-WR841N router.

 

[DeonH]

Hi there and thank you very much for your reply.

Your reply underlines my choice to ask here for help rather than on the manufacturers' forums.

I have done as you have suggested and will give it a try within the next couple of minutes. The transmit power is already at 100%.

Thank you once again.
Deon

 

[Dean]

Also helps to ensure that your router is only broadcasting only on pure n-mode wireless (rather than "auto" or ab/g/n or b/g/n or g/n),
and N only runs at full capacity, as Pada says, using WPA2-AES security (note: not TKIP).

With those options and the Transmit Power on 100%, the only cause could be as you say, that the firmware upgrade lowered the signal strength - poor form but you kind of get what you pay for

 

[Pada]

The only problem with that latest firmware version is that you cannot downgrade it due to security measures that they put in.

 

[DeonH]

Hi again.

Yes, I tried to downgrade yesterday and noticed what you have just mentioned.

Some feedback ... I did as you have suggested and everything works beautifully. Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.

Best Regards,

 

[Pada]

Its a pleasure!

Could you just briefly tell us what you changed to get it working again?

 

[DeonH]

Hi Pada.
I did exactly as you have suggested. I changed the security toWPA2-AES as you have suggested. It fixed everything and I am happy again.

Thank you for helping me out.

Best Regards and happy 2014.