Strengthening Wi-Fi signal transmission with a second router - for 5 popular brands

When installing a router, users may encounter that the signal does not cover the required area. To solve this problem, you can use a repeater. Stores specializing in the sale of computer equipment offer a variety of equipment, but to avoid wasting money, you can independently reconfigure an unnecessary router as a Wi-Fi repeater.

You can make a repeater from an unnecessary router

What is a Wi-Fi repeater?

Every user who has access to the Internet has a device such as a router. It is used as an access point to access the network, but it also has many other useful properties. One of these is the Wi-Fi signal repeater function.

For reference! Knowing how to make a Wi-Fi repeater from a router, the user can save money.

Repeater translated from English - repeat. A repeater connected to the network receives the signal from the main router, relaying it to an area that is inaccessible to the main device. Thus, the user receives a Wi-Fi signal to previously inaccessible places. However, there is also a disadvantage to this type of work - the router in relay mode operates at a lower speed.

There are 2 types of repeaters: active and passive. The first type transmits the signal in all directions, while the second type includes antennas that receive and distribute the Internet from the router.

The active type of repeaters is the most popular

How to connect a WiFi signal amplifier TP-Link Extender

There are three ways to connect and configure a TP-Link wifi repeater:

1. Through automatic connection of the repeater via WPS
2. Via WiFi using a smartphone, tablet or laptop
3. Through a computer connected to it via twisted pair

Automatic connection with WPS button

Like most modern models of wireless network devices, the TP-Link TL-WA850RE wifi amplifier supports automatic tuning to the signal of an existing access point.

To do this, the router must also have such a function - the “WPS” button is responsible for turning it on. On older TP-LINK devices it was called “QSS”.

We simultaneously press these keys on the router and amplifier, after which it should pick up wifi and start distributing it.

Setting up a TP-Link repeater from a smartphone

I prefer to keep the whole process under control, so I never use the automatic method of setting up the repeater, but do everything manually. To connect the TP-Link Extender signal amplifier from your phone or tablet:

1. turn on WiFi on your smartphone,
2. press the central button on the device,
3. and on the phone we find in the list of available networks for connection a network called TP-LINK_Extender_7320BA - this is the SSID that is programmed into the device by default.
4. Let's connect to it. In my case, a password is not needed, but if your model requires you to enter an authorization key, it will be indicated on a sticker on the device body.

Immediately after the connection, we will be redirected to the authorization page in the admin panel for the initial installation - a window will open to enter your login and password. By default in this model it is admin/admin - yours may have others, so look either at the instructions or at the sticker on the bottom of the repeater - it usually contains all the access data.

We will find out what is hidden behind this authorization page in the next section, where we will go into the settings from a desktop computer.

Setting up a TP-Link wifi repeater from a computer or laptop via cable

This configuration option can also be implemented in two ways

• using the installation disk that comes with the wifi repeater,
• or via the web interface.

The second one is closer to me, so we’ll take it as the main one in this instruction.

Does the equipment support this mode?

It is impossible to make a Wi-Fi signal repeater from a router of any model, since not all of them are capable of supporting such a function. This possibility is provided by the manufacturer when creating an electronic board and uploading firmware for the equipment. In order to find out whether the router has this capability, you should read the description of the device.

Important! If this mode is important, then you need to check with the seller about its availability at the time of purchase in the store.

Antenna for improvement

Many router models have a removable antenna for signal distribution.
In this case, you can purchase a more powerful antenna at a specialized store. This will not change the actual signal power, since the power fixed by the manufacturer will still be supplied to the antenna. But the new antenna will be a kind of amplifier, it will help increase the special dBi or gain factor. This will help improve the signal if all devices using the wireless network are located in the same place. For example, if you always use a desktop computer. Then the signal will be less susceptible to interference from other devices emitting radio waves.

Connecting the router to a PC

Often, users, when trying to connect a router to the same Wi-Fi network, are faced with a situation where an error occurs between devices that is related to IP addresses. To fix this problem, the user needs to regularly change the IP of the future repeater.

To use the router as a Wi-Fi network repeater, you need to connect it via a “twisted pair cable” to the device. The user can also use a Wi-Fi connection, but it is worth noting that not every device supports this type of setup.

Important! If, to improve the signal of a router, for example, Keenetic or D-Link, it is not possible to buy a separate repeater, and the second router does not have repeater support, you can use the firmware.

For proper operation, IP addresses should be changed regularly

Recommendations

There are several general tips on how to configure a router in different modes, including repeater mode:

• In the Wireless Security – “Security” section, set the protection level to maximum, that is, WPA2.

• After logging into the router for the first time, be sure to change the password to access the settings of the device itself. You should not give an attacker the opportunity to use someone else’s network device for personal purposes.
• The password is created based on the following simple requirements: minimum length - 8 characters; at least one digit - 1,2,3; one capital letter - D, F, G; any special character - $, *, +. The password itself should not contain any personal information about the user.
• If possible, it is better to use a separate device that functions as a repeater. Unfortunately, this is not always convenient; each user himself determines the most convenient option for him.

Setting up a network on the router

Setting up a network on a device, for example, Tenda, Xiaomi, Zyxel or any other, is possible in two ways, each of which differs in its technology. Each of the methods on how to make a Wi-Fi signal amplifier from a router will be described in detail below.

Setting up a network on a computer if you were unable to enter the settings from the router

This method is used only if the user does not have access to the router settings.

Instructions:

1. On your computer, open the Start menu and select Control Panel.
2. Go to “Network and Sharing Center”.
3. Select the “Change adapter settings” tab.
4. Select the network whose settings you want to change and open the menu, then click on the “Properties” tab.
5. Go to the “IP version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” section. It is worth noting that depending on the version of Windows, the name of the section may differ.
6. Open the protocol menu and select “Obtain an IP address automatically” and “Obtain DNS server address automatically.”

Important! If there are other connections, you should configure them in the same way.

If the steps taken do not help, flashing the firmware may help.

Setting up the router in repeater mode

In order to configure the router in repeater mode, it is important to determine the correct IP address for the future repeater. To prevent errors, it is necessary that it matches the subnet of the host device's IP address, since the two routers will work on the same network and they need different IP addresses.

To change the TP-Link IP address, the user must adhere to the following instructions:

1. Go to “Control Panel” and select the “Network” section.
2. Click on the “LAN” item.
3. Change the IP address data and save it.
4. Reboot the router.

After rebooting the relay router, you will need to do the following:

1. Go to the “Wireless Mode” section and select “Wireless Mode Settings”.
2. Enable WDS bridge mode.
3. Click on the “Search” button. After the system generates a list of available networks, select the one that needs to boost the signal.
4. Then set the Wi-Fi settings: specify the encryption type, SSID, password.

Open the settings of the old router

Disconnect your computer from the main router by unplugging the LAN cable and turning off Wi-Fi. Then take your old device and connect it to your computer with a LAN cable. It is not necessary to connect it to the Internet. Turn on the router.

Go to the settings of your old router. To do this, open your browser and enter the address 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 into the search bar.

A menu will appear to request the administrator password. If this does not happen, look at the router’s documentation and find out what default address the manufacturer sets in its settings.

Connect to a Wi-Fi network

As a rule, there are no connection difficulties. The procedure is simple.

So, for example, on a laptop, you need to click on the “Wi-Fi” control icon near the clock and connect to the network by entering the security key.

If the router is correctly configured as a Wi-Fi repeater, there will be no difficulties connecting to the network

Possible problems and solutions

If you failed to connect the router as a repeater the first time and it does not broadcast the network, I suggest doing the following:

• Make sure that you have changed the IP address of the second router and that you do not have an address conflict.
• Check that the channel number is the same on both routers. Try changing it to a different number.
• On the second device, WPS and DHCP modes must be disabled.
• Make sure that the encryption type on the second router is the same as the first, and that you have entered the correct network password.
• Reset the settings of the second router - press the Reset button, which can be pressed with a long sharp object, and hold it for 10-15 seconds.

• If all actions do not lead to the desired result, then perhaps your router models conflict with each other. Try setting up repeater mode with other devices to eliminate this option.

Now you know how to make a repeater from a router - and you know several methods of this operation. Your extra router can make your life a lot easier. Keep an eye on official firmware updates - sometimes they introduce new changes that will make working with your equipment even easier.

How to check the operation of the router in repeater mode

Changes in the operation of the router, such as the Wi-Fi repeater mode, can be noticed immediately: the signal appears in those points where it was previously absent or weak.

For a detailed check, there is the following procedure:

• open the settings section;
• go to the main screen;
• check the status in the wireless networks section - if operation is correct, it will be marked Run.

Important! If the Run value is displayed, this means that the user has successfully configured the auxiliary equipment.

How to install a TP-Link wifi repeater?

The installation diagram for a TP-Link WiFi repeater to boost the signal from the router is very simple.

1. First, we determine in which room the signal on the laptop is weakest or non-existent.
2. After we have found out where we need to strengthen the wireless wifi signal, we find the place where the network receives, but not so well - by one or two divisions on the phone.
3. This is where we put the repeater - its operating area is circular, which means that it will pick up the signal from the wifi router and transmit it further.