WiFi repeater

S

schurtek

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2007
Messages
702
Reaction score
9
Location
127.0.0.1
I have a client who has a double story house. The router is downstairs to one end of the house. Of course, upstairs at the other end has ZERO signal. So being a D-Link fan, I supplied him with a D-LInk AP that does 300N and can be setup as a repeater. Guess what? It work for a few days then fails. Then you have to reset it to factory defaults and start again. This continues non-stop and is a hassel. Since the supplier keeps testing it and finds it not faulty in the 30 minutes that it runs the test they refuse to replace or refund. So I tossed it in the bin.

What other brands actually do work in repeater mode? I am looking at the Edimax EW7438RPN which appears to just plug into the wall and repeat your WiFi. It seems to be it's only function.

http://www.edimax.com/au/produce_detail.php?pd_id=404&pl1_id=1&pl2_id=99

Any advice people? :confused:
 
schurtek said:
I have a client who has a double story house. The router is downstairs to one end of the house. Of course, upstairs at the other end has ZERO signal. So being a D-Link fan, I supplied him with a D-LInk AP that does 300N and can be setup as a repeater. Guess what? It work for a few days then fails. Then you have to reset it to factory defaults and start again. This continues non-stop and is a hassel. Since the supplier keeps testing it and finds it not faulty in the 30 minutes that it runs the test they refuse to replace or refund. So I tossed it in the bin.

What other brands actually do work in repeater mode? I am looking at the Edimax EW7438RPN which appears to just plug into the wall and repeat your WiFi. It seems to be it's only function.

http://www.edimax.com/au/produce_detail.php?pd_id=404&pl1_id=1&pl2_id=99

Any advice people? :confused:
Click to expand...

Another option which I've used with success is the Cisco Linksys RE1000. It is much more elegant looking, but I find the D-Link is able to repeat a 'weaker' signal. I assume that's due to the D-Link having external antennae whereas the Linksys is internal.

I use the D-Link DAP-1360 for this purpose.

The best way to to do things, in all honestly though, is to run a CAT6 cable from one end of the house, through the ceiling, down to an access point on the other end. Assuming that isn't an option at all?
 
I hit my head to the wall many times setting up these "repeaters". Big headache. They all work for while, then start losing signal. and if you want to keep your network with "security protection" much worse.

All my problems came to an end running a cable to the repeater and setting it as AP.

If running a cable is not an option, you can always use powerline ethernet.
 
power over ethernet is a viable option?

edit:ah just saw that webtailor suggested it:)
 
I second the "running a cable" option. Do it over the protestations of the customer shouting about how they don't understand how "wireless" has so many wires involved...! Wires are also much cheaper and more reliable.

Since installing Cat5e and some Ubiquiti APs and scrapping the very marginal Netgear wireless repeater, my in-laws have not complained about poor wifi since, and the various desktop PCs are hardwired back to the router. People expect unreasonable performance from wireless technologies; a few cables and additional APs usually get customers back to where they expect wifi to be in performance terms.

In very congested residential areas (e.g. clusters and the like) 2.4GHz wifi is getting increasingly unusuable. A dual band AP is usually the way to go if their end use toys support 5GHz.

PoE switches can reduce the cable clutter a bit (removing the need for Fat Plugs on the APs, or a whole load of PoE injectors near your switch). Ubiquiti make some quite nice ones for not too much money (ToughSwitch).

Powerline Ethernet may be an option to bridge your two APs together, but depending on the building's wiring, this may be a non-starter.

I was quite annoyed to note that the Netgear range extender couldn't be turned into an AP with its connectivity via one of the 4 10/100 ports on the back (rather than as a wifi repeater) - they were only for end user devices.
 
Last edited:
I'll always go cable over repeaters for distance,you can stash away the cabling in roofs and conduits and the UniFi APs actually look quite fashionable and work quite well
 
Thanks for all the feedback.

Cable is not an option, and if I have to use EOP devices then it's gonna have to come out of my pocket, which I want to avoid.

I just want to know what devices to stear clear of.

Very upset with DLink as remember the old 2100AP was so stable and reliable as a repeater... surely they should have gotten better at this with time?
 
Hi,

POE= Power Over Ethernet. It makes use of a CAT5 to send data and power over the same cable. Useful for VoIP and IP Cameras. Also for some Wireless AP that accept POE.

Powerline Ethernet= Technology that makes use of existing power connections to send and receive data (replacing a CAT5 when cable is not an option).

Here you can get an "affordable" Powerline Ethernet adaptor:

http://www.scoopdistribution.co.za/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=1355

Remember that you will need two devices (one from the router side and the other one by your Wireless Access Point). Also the prices on that website are EXCLUDING VAT.
 
webtailor said:
Hi,

POE= Power Over Ethernet. It makes use of a CAT5 to send data and power over the same cable. Useful for VoIP and IP Cameras. Also for some Wireless AP that accept POE.

Powerline Ethernet= Technology that makes use of existing power connections to send and receive data (replacing a CAT5 when cable is not an option).

Here you can get an "affordable" Powerline Ethernet adaptor:

http://www.scoopdistribution.co.za/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=1355

Remember that you will need two devices (one from the router side and the other one by your Wireless Access Point). Also the prices on that website are EXCLUDING VAT.
Click to expand...

EOP = Ethernet over Power... a term refering to Powerline Ethernet adaptors. Been doing networking since 1997, I knows my acronyms... :D
 
schurtek said:
SSID = nameofssid
WPA2-PSK = passwordgoeshere
IP = an.address.in.range

What else is there to setup? :confused:
Click to expand...

Settings vary, but you should try setting it as a static LAN connection, with the DHCP range from, say, x.x.x.100 - x.x.x.255.

So if router/modem is 10.0.0.2, set the AP/repeater as 10.0.0.3 (static IP address), DHCP enabled as above assigning x.x.x.100 - x.x.x.255, gateway = 10.0.0.2.

Hope that makes sense?
 
let me try this again....

the router is 10.0.0.2
the ssid is ebs
the ssid wpa code is warnerbeach

I have set the repeater to 10.0.0.1
the ssid to ebs
the ssid wpa code to warnerbeach
there is nowhere to put in a gateway

the dlink works fine for about a week, then it fails. have to reset it to factory defaults and reconfigure to get working again. agents say that it needed latest firmware, did this, still doesn't work for long. they say that i must just keep resetting it. client lives 20+ km from me, so it means a weekly trip to keep doing this while the client is getting annoyed. I need a repeater that actually works. not an access point, a repeater. cables are not an option, client does not want any cables visible in or outside the house. he has stone clad
 
schurtek said:
let me try this again....

the router is 10.0.0.2
the ssid is ebs
the ssid wpa code is warnerbeach

I have set the repeater to 10.0.0.1
the ssid to ebs
the ssid wpa code to warnerbeach
there is nowhere to put in a gateway

the dlink works fine for about a week, then it fails. have to reset it to factory defaults and reconfigure to get working again. agents say that it needed latest firmware, did this, still doesn't work for long. they say that i must just keep resetting it. client lives 20+ km from me, so it means a weekly trip to keep doing this while the client is getting annoyed. I need a repeater that actually works. not an access point, a repeater. cables are not an option, client does not want any cables visible in or outside the house. he has stone clad
Click to expand...

Log in to the repeater and start with the LAN settings on the left. Once you've set them like I explained, go onto the wireless settings on the left. Don't use the wizard. Enter the basic details and do the site survey.
 
PostmanPot said:
Log in to the repeater and start with the LAN settings on the left. Once you've set them like I explained, go onto the wireless settings on the left. Don't use the wizard. Enter the basic details and do the site survey.
Click to expand...

Clearly my posts are not being read... I am now ignoring this thread.
 
With that kind of attitude, I'm not sure why I even bother, or why anyone else would.

Your repeater is not faulty, only your basic networking skills.

k8VSmI6.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X