Hello. I have been asked several times in the comments about how you can connect two routers via Wi-Fi in wireless bridge mode (WDS). More precisely, one router will work for itself as usual, and the second will connect to it via wireless network, take the Internet and distribute it as another network. This method allows you to amplify the signal of the wireless network.

For example, you already have one router installed at home, but it is not enough and the network does not catch it throughout the house. To strengthen the Wi-Fi network, of course, there are special devices - WiFi repeaters. Which simply catch the signal from the router and distribute it further. But almost all modern routers can work in this mode, that is, they can act as a Wi-Fi repeater.

If you have not yet understood what and how I will configure, then I found an excellent picture on the official TP-Link website that clearly shows the scheme of such a connection.

To be honest, I don’t know how things are with routers from such companies as: Asus, D-Link, Tenda, Linksys, etc. I will show you how to set up a wireless bridge (WDS) on a router from TP Link. Now I work through a router here on it and experimented. But for example, setting the same in repeater mode will not be different. Checked. In any case, my instructions should come in handy.

Here is another comment that was left a few days ago, we will respond to it today.

If you have a main router for example from TP-Link and you want to install another router as a repeater, then I advise you to buy a device from the same company, in our case TP-Link. Devices of the same company work better and more stable.

We use the TP-Link router as a "Repeater"

So on our main router, you only need to change the channel.

Setting up the main router

Go to the router settings and go to the tab Wireless. Opposite the parameter Channel set the channel number, for example 6 (the same channel will need to be set on the router, which we will configure as a repeater). Save settings by pressing the button Save.

Setting up the repeater router

At the time of setup, the router (which will work as a repeater) must be connected to the computer via a cable.

We go into the settings of the router. To do this, in the browser we type the address 192.168.0.1 , or 192.168.1.1 (address can be seen at the bottom of the router).

Then you will be prompted to enter a username and password to access the router settings. If you have not changed them, then usually the default is admin and admin (You can also see the bottom of the device).

I wrote more about WPS in the article, you can read it. We need to disable this feature.

To do this, go to the tab WPS and click on the button “Disable WPS”.

Reboot your router. To do this, you can click on the link click here which will appear on the page after changing the settings.

After the reboot, the page with the router settings should open again.

Change the IP address of the TP-Link router

Go to the tab network – LAN. In field IP address change the last number of the IP address to a number 2 . For example, I had the address 192.168.0.1, and I changed it to 192.168.0.2 . To save the settings, press the button Save.

The router itself will reboot, it will ask you to enter your login and password again to access the settings, and you will be taken to the settings page. Please note that the IP address in the browser will be different.

Setting up a wireless bridge (WDS) on a TP-Link router

Go to the tab Wireless.

Near Wireless Network Name specify the name of the new wireless network that our new so-called "Repeater" will distribute. And near region indicate your region.

Against Channel I advise you to change the channel to digital 6 (better set to 1 so that the channels do not match. Try this and that).

Attention! If when installing the same channels (for example, 6) on the main router and on the “repeater” router, the Internet does not work, then set channel 1 (or another) on the second router. Try this and that.

To enable bridge mode (WDS), check the box next to Enable WDS Bridging.

Well, it remains only to start the search WiFi routers. To do this, click on the button “Survey”.

A page will open with a list of wireless networks (can be only one network). Select the network (main router) and press the button next to it Connect.

You will see that the fields SSID (to be bridged) And BSSID (to be bridged) will be filled. If the password for the Wi-Fi network is set on the main router, then in the field key type specify the type of encryption, and in the field Password enter the password to access the wireless network of the main router.

Click the button Save and reboot your router.

Everything must work. On the home page router settings, you can see the connection status. If it says opposite Run, then this means that the router has connected to the main router and should distribute the Internet.

Possible problems when setting up a wireless bridge (WDS)

If on the main page of the router settings in the status for a long time it says Scan..., then this means that our repeater router cannot connect to the main router.

Only when configuring the main router, you need to specify the MAC address of the secondary router. And when configuring the secondary, specify the MAC address of the main one. MAC address router can be viewed from the bottom of the device.

Afterword

Perhaps a little confusing article turned out, but I tried to put everything on the shelves. In fact, setting up a wireless bridge on a router is not difficult.

To be honest, I had an HTC phone as the main router, it has the ability to work as a router. So here's mine TP Link TL-MR3220, which I set up as a “Repeater” connected to the phone via Wi-Fi and distributed the wireless network further. And everything worked great. But it's not very important point because the settings are the same.

I just wanted to make sure that everything works, and it's not very good to write unverified information.

There will be questions, ask! Good luck!

TP-LINK is known as a manufacturer of functional yet affordable and easy-to-configure types of communication devices. Among the popular types of products offered by this market brand are repeaters, as well as routers with the corresponding function. What are the main features of both types of devices? How are they configured?

What is a repeater?

A repeater is a device that allows you to amplify the Wi-Fi signal from your router. The need for its use arises if the power of the router is not enough to ensure the functioning of the wireless network within the area of ​​​​the room or office. The functionality of the repeater, in principle, corresponds to that which characterizes the operation of the router. That is, when connecting to a wireless network through a repeater, the user has the right to expect the same performance from the network infrastructure as if the connection was made directly to the router.

It can be noted that as an alternative to using the devices in question, it may be possible to use the router itself, for example TP-LINK, in repeater mode. Consider how the device in question functions as an independent element of the infrastructure, as well as how to use the router in the appropriate mode.

What are the main features of TP-LINK repeaters?

First of all, it is worth noting that TP-LINK produces, among other things, repeaters, as part of a very large model range. If we talk specifically about devices of the type in question, then a typical solution that combines the features that are characteristic of most modern repeaters from TP-LINK can be called the TL-WA850RE device. In particular, this product has the following main advantages:

• the TP-LINK TL-WA850RE repeater is capable of operating in the radio signal amplification mode, so that the wireless network can be expanded to a large area;
• the device has small dimensions, thanks to which it can be installed even if there is not much free space in the user's room or office;
• if necessary, wired devices can also be connected to the router via the Ethernet port.

The device in question can quickly connect to Wi-Fi routers that have the WPS function, provided that the routers have the appropriate button. If such a connection was made once, then reconfiguration of the TP-LINK repeater is generally not required.

If we talk about the possibilities of communication using the Ethernet port, then such solutions as game consoles, SMART TVs, as well as various multimedia devices can be connected to the device. In this case, the device connected to the cable can, using the resources of the repeater, also be part of the wireless infrastructure.

The TP-LINK repeater in this modification is equipped with a fairly large number of LED indicators, through which you can, first of all, determine the location of the device. It is recommended to install the repeater in a location where at least 3 corresponding blue LEDs will be lit.

If necessary, the TP-LINK TL-WA850RE repeater can be used as a communication device through a special mobile application. This solution allows you to connect from your phone or tablet to a wireless network, and also allows you to control various options of the repeater.

Let us now consider how the TP-LINK repeater is configured.

Repeater Setup: Network Connection Settings

Before connecting the device in question to the router, attention should be paid to correctly configuring the second device. So, you will need to specify the following information in its parameters:

• IP address;
• the name of the network to which it connects;
• encryption type;
• password.

After the necessary settings have been made, you need to proceed to the next step in setting up the connection between the repeater and the router. It is noteworthy that it involves temporarily connecting the first device to the computer via cable - just the same using the Ethernet port. At the same time, while the TP-LINK repeater interacts with the PC, the router must be turned off.

Setting up the repeater via PC

In order to configure the device in question, you need to use the web interface for managing device options - through a browser. Having opened it, you need to select the Network function. After that, you need to check if the IP address of the repeater is in the same segment as the IP address of the router. That is, the first 3 groups of numbers in the IP address must match exactly. If at least 1 differs, you must enter the correct IP address in the repeater settings, which belongs to the corresponding segment. Then you need to save the settings by clicking on Save.

After that, you need to select the Quick Setup option in the web interface. After - click on Next, then - on Wireless. Then you need to select the Range Extender option and set the Operation Mode parameter for it. The next step is to search for a router on the network using the Search function. The connection must be made based on the network name that was defined for the router in the previous step. After selecting this option, click Save.

Setting up network protection: the nuances

Next, you need to configure, determining the optimal parameters in accordance with which the repeater, WiFi should work. TP-LINK allows, in particular, to set the level. To do this, select the Wireless option, after - Wireless Security. Then you should set the WPA2-PSK parameter, as well as the After method, enter the password corresponding to what is specified in the router settings. Then click Save.

Thus, the main task of the user when configuring the repeater is to enter the same settings into the device in question and into the router to which it connects.

Repeater setup: testing

After the configuration of the corresponding device has been completed, it is necessary to check how correctly the wireless network will function. To do this, select the System Tools option, then Diagnostic. After that, you must enter in the IP address field the address that is set for the router. Then you need to click on Start in order to start the testing mechanism.

TP-LINK router as a repeater

At the beginning of the article, we noted that an alternative to using a repeater in its absence or if it is necessary to build a wireless network infrastructure on an even larger scale can be to use a router in repeater mode. In particular, many of those devices that are produced by the TP-LINK brand have this function. Among such solutions is the TL-WA901N device. Consider then, TP-LINK as a repeater in the appropriate modification.

It can be noted that the router in this modification has the following capabilities:

• data transfer within a Wi-Fi network at a speed of up to 300 Mbps;
• ensuring the functioning of the wireless infrastructure in the modes of a router, WDS - that is, a repeater, a bridge;
• quick setup of data transfer with encryption;

In addition, the device supports PoE technology - up to 30 meters, so that the router can be installed in hard-to-reach areas.

Now in more detail about using the "repeater" function of the TP-LINK router in the TL-WA901N modification. First of all, you need to carry out through a computer.

Router as a repeater: setup using a PC

To solve this problem, you need to connect to a PC using network cable RJ-45. After entering the "Control Panel" Windows, select the option "Network and Internet", then - "Network and Access Control Center". In the corresponding interface, you must select the option that allows you to change the settings of the adapter. Then right-click and select "Connect via local network”, then - “Properties”. In the interface that opens, you need to set the optimal connection parameters: the adapter's IP address, as well as the subnet mask.

The next step is to use the router management web interface, similar to what we used to configure the repeater. You need to open a browser and enter the IP address of the router in the address bar (usually it is indicated on the bottom of the router case). On the page that opens, you need to enter your username and password - in the general case, this is the word admin.

Directly in the control panel of the router, you must select the option "Wireless network", then - "Network settings". After - specify the correct options on the page that opens. The main thing here is to reflect that the router will be used as a universal or regular repeater (the second option must be selected if the WDS mode is activated). After that, you need to click on the search button, and in the list that opens, select the router that you want to relay. Then click on "Connect". After - save the settings.

The router should reboot.

Router as a repeater: setting up network security

Next setup step TP-LINK router in repeater mode, to define the security settings for the wireless network. To solve this problem, you must select the "Connection security" option. It must reflect the parameters that are fully consistent with those installed in the router to which the custom device is connected. This is a very important nuance, because if the settings are different, then the relay will not function correctly.

After that, you need to reboot the device and check how the router functions as a repeater. To do this, go to the "Status" tab in the router management menu.

Router or repeater?

How to setup TP Link router as a repeater, we studied using the example of one of the popular modifications of routers, however, the problem is solved in a similar way on other common devices of the TP-LINK line. The scheme we have considered can therefore be considered sufficiently unified. To configure different devices in order to use them in repeater mode, very similar software interfaces are used (apart from the nuance that they may differ in design language).

Both options for deploying the wireless network infrastructure can be considered equivalent in terms of ensuring the stability of its operation. In principle, it doesn’t matter if the original repeater is used or if a router is used in this (but it is desirable that both devices are released by the same brand - TP-LINK) quality. The repeater, from the point of view of ensuring the functioning of the network, may not be enough on the required scale, so it can be supplemented by a router that supports the function of a repeater with a similar level of stability and network service performance. Both devices can be interchanged because they actually perform the same function. In addition, according to similar principles, a setting adapted to the functionality of both TP-LINK devices is carried out. The repeater mode of the original device and the router are activated and work within the same algorithm.

The most important thing in setting up both types of devices is to keep the addressing parameters of the devices synchronized, as well as those related to ensuring the security of data exchange. The solution to this problem is facilitated, again, by the fact that similar software interfaces are used to configure both the router and the repeater.

Summary

So, we looked at how to set up a TP-LINK repeater as an independent device, as well as use a router manufactured by this brand as a repeater. Both methods of deploying a wireless network infrastructure allow you to increase the Wi-Fi signal coverage area and ensure the connection to it of devices located at a considerable distance from the router or having insufficient sensitivity to the signal level from it.

02/08/2020 at 15:22 (1 month ago)

Good afternoon. In order to provide a stable signal throughout the three-room apartment in a panel house, I decided to amplify the signal from the budget TL 740N using 850x repeaters in the amount of three pieces. But already when connecting the first of them, I ran into the following problem: the repeater receives a signal from the router, the indicator on the repeater steadily shows three divisions, but:
1) devices fundamentally do not want to connect to the repeater on their own, being in close proximity to it. Connection occurs only after turning off and on wi-fi on the device;
2) but even after connecting to the repeater (which sometimes takes 5-10 minutes!) the network ended up without access to the Internet.
I configure the repeater through a web page. Now I'll try again through WPS ...
—
Correction to the previous post: the lack of Internet after connecting to the repeater was due to the freezing of the router. After the flashing, the problem went away, but, alas, the problem of reconnecting between the retro-translators and the router remained. Having connected to the router, I go to the opposite end of the apartment, where there is already a retro-translator. The phone shows a noticeably weakened signal, but nevertheless stubbornly continues to “hold on” to the router. Switching to the repeater occurs only after restarting wi-fi on the phone. Plus, although the signal is leveled by the retro-translator, the speed practically does not increase. If right next to the router the speedtest shows ~ 20 mb / s, then in the next room from the repeater I see ~ 10 mb / s, or even less, which is not much better than 7-8 mb / s without signal amplification. Could you tell me what could be the reason for such a significant drop in speed?

02/08/2020 at 20:11 (1 month ago)

Having connected to the router, I go to the opposite end of the apartment, where there is already a retro-translator. The phone shows a noticeably weakened signal, but nevertheless stubbornly continues to “hold on” to the router.

Absolutely normal situation. These repeaters will not create a seamless network. And the decision to reconnect from one point to another is made by the device itself. These settings are set by the manufacturer. Therefore, the device clings to a specific access point until the last.

Plus, although the signal is leveled by the retro-translator, the speed practically does not increase.

Repeaters almost always cut the speed in half.

Using three repeaters is not the best idea. Even one is better to refuse, if possible.

Seamless Wi-Fi can only be created using special devices that support certain protocols. You can read the first part of the article.

Most likely, in your case, a Wi-Fi Mesh system is the best and optimal solution.

A Wi-Fi repeater (or repeater) is a device whose task is to relay a signal from wireless router or access points. It is used to expand the coverage of a wireless network. Many modern models of equipment can operate in different modes:

• access point (AP=Access Point);
• repeater;
• universal repeater;
• wireless network client;
• bridge with hotspot function.

Operating modes of wireless equipment

If you want to use the wireless repeater function today, you need to look for equipment that is referred to in the manufacturers' catalogs as:

• Access point (in English terminology Wireless Access Point) ;
• Wireless repeater or wireless signal booster(in English terminology Range Extender) ;

Attention! Routers (i.e. routers) rarely have wireless repeater functionality these days. Some router models can be used as a repeater by installing alternative DD-WRT firmware. However, on alternative firmware, the device may be unstable.

Take an inexpensive access point as an example TP Link TL-WA701ND. But the instruction is also suitable for other models like TL-WA730RE, TL-WA801ND and similar.

The device can operate in several modes:

Access point mode

Convert your existing wired network to wireless.

Repeater mode

Expanding the coverage of an existing Wi-Fi network by relaying a wireless signal.

Wireless client mode

The device functions as a wireless adapter to connect wired devices to a wireless network.

Bridge+AP mode

Connecting two local networks using a wireless channel.

What is the difference between a repeater and an access point

A wireless access point connects to a network with a cable and creates a wireless network around it. And the repeater mode implies both connecting to the network and retransmitting it exclusively via the radio channel.

Wi-Fi repeater setup

Before setting up the repeater, set the main router to a specific broadcast channel. If auto channel selection is set on the main router, the repeater will lose communication with it more often:

Different manufacturers have different equipment web interfaces, but the essence of setting up a wireless repeater is the same: in the device settings, you need to specify the MAC address (BSSID) of the main access point and its security settings. We will tell you how to set up network relaying using the example of the same budget access point TP-Link TL-WA701ND, which can work in repeater mode.

Before setting up, place the signal repeater in the zone of reliable reception of the wireless network whose coverage you are going to expand. Later, when the relay setup is done, you can experiment by moving the repeater and observing the quality of the relay.

To connect the repeater to the head router or access point, you need to do the following:

1 Connect the repeater with an Ethernet cable (patch cord) in LAN-port of your existing router or access point:

You cannot connect to an unconfigured repeater via a wireless network, because it itself does not broadcast a wireless network and does not issue IP addresses. An exception may be if your repeater is set to access points and you will configure it from a device equipped with a Wi-Fi module. But we still recommend using a patch cord.

2 Connect to your main router's network from any computer, as you did before.

Go to the properties of the network adapter on the computer and manually assign an IP address from the same address range, which your new wireless repeater (or access point with repeater function) is set to (). Read the instructions for the device and you will find out exactly what its default IP address is. Often the IP address is also indicated on the bottom of the device:

If we talk about TP-Link equipment, then usually their routers have a default IP address of 192.168.0.1, and access points with a repeater function have an IP of 192.168.0.254.

Let's say the new repeater has an IP address of 192.168.0.254 by default. So to configure it, you can temporarily assign network adapter computer IP address 192.168.0.20:

3 Go to the web interface of the repeater ().

By default, TP-Link equipment has credentials:

IP address: 192.168.0.254;
Login: admin;
Password admin.

4 Press EXIT to exit the setup wizard.

5 Go to the section network. The only setting in this section will be opened LAN.

As we said above, by default the device uses the IP address 192.168.0.254. If you are using a different address range on your network, set a new IP address from the same range. For example, if your router, the signal of which you are going to relay, operates on the 192.168.1.1-192.168.1.254 subnet, change the repeater address to 192.168.1.254 or any free one from the 192.168.1.* subnet.

When setting up a repeater, make sure that:

• The IP address of the signal repeater belongs to the same subnet as the IP address of the main router;
• there is no conflict between the addresses of the router, signal repeater and other devices on the network.

If your network uses addresses in the range 192.168.0.1-254 with a mask of 255.255.255.0, do not change the setting LAN on the repeater.
In this case, continue reading this manual with paragraph 8 with the words "Select a mode Repeater(Range Extender)«

In our example, we use the subnet 192.168.95.0.1-192.168.95.254. So let's change the IP address from 192.168.0.254 on the 192.168.95.254.

If you have changed the IP address of the access point, click Save

Then click OK in the next window to reboot the device:

Wait for the reboot to finish:

6 Because now the repeater will fall into the working range of IP addresses of your existing network, return the automatic receipt of parameters in the properties of the computer's network card:

7 Log in to the web interface of the repeater using the new IP address:

(if you did not change the IP address, then visit http://192.168.0.254 again)

8 Select a mode Repeater(Range Extender).

Click the button Save:

After changing the operating mode of the device, you need to reboot it again. Click OK to reboot the device:

Wait for the device to load:

9 Go to the section Wireless. This will open the setting. Wireless Settings.

The repeater mode has two subspecies: WDS Repeater And Universal Repeater. The easiest way is to use the Universal repeater. It will fit in most cases. Use WDS-repeater only if you know for sure that the root access point supports WDS.

After selecting the operating mode, you must specify the details of the main access point, whose signal should be relayed by the repeater. In field Wireless Name of Root AP enter the wireless network name (SSID) of the main access point, and in the field, the field MAC Address of Root AP enter the MAC address of the main access point.

There is a button in the web interface of TP-Link devices for this purpose. Survey (Search).

It is used to search for available wireless networks. By clicking on it, you can select any available wireless network and add it to the repeater with one click on the link Connect. In this case, you do not need to enter either the SSID or the MAC address of the access point (BSSID). These details will be filled in automatically.

After pressing the button Survey wait about 10-15 seconds until a window appears with a list of available wireless networks, and then click Connect in line with your network:

Click Save to save settings:

10 Go to setting Wireless Security.

Select the security mode that is used on the root access point (WPA2-Personal is recommended).

Enter the appropriate security key.

Click Save:

In the pop-up window, click OK:

11 Go to the section DHCP. This will open the setting. DHCP Settings.

Set the switch DHCP Server into position Disabled and press the button Save:

If you leave the DHCP server enabled, the Internet will not work on devices that will connect to the repeater.

12 Go to the section System Tools.

Click the button Reboot:

In the question window Are you sure to reboot the Device press the button OK:

Wait for the device to reboot:

13 Disconnect the patch cord from the device's LAN port.

After rebooting within 1-2 minutes, the device should connect to the root access point (or main router) and start relaying the signal. At the same time, the first indicator on the right should light up on the device:

Your devices, such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop, will see the same network as before, only the signal should become stronger by a few divisions. There is no need to do any reconnections on client devices, because the repeater relays the network with the same name and the same security settings.

How to check the operation of the repeater

Question: Why check? After all, if the devices are connected to the network, then everything is in order?

Answer: This statement is false. Devices may connect to a more remote access point or router, and the repeater may not function. Therefore, the verification should be approached more scrupulously.

Method 1. Try to access the web interface of the access point after disconnecting the patch cord from its LAN port.

Go to page Status. If in the area Wireless you see the SSID of the relayed network and the signal strength of the root access point, and in the area traffic statistics- the number of packets sent and received, then the signal repeater is functioning correctly:

Method 2: Launch the application WiFi Analyzer on Android device ().

You should see two APs with the same SSID running on the same channel:

This article will show you how to use the TP-Link TL-WA855RE wireless signal amplifier to increase the range of your home wireless WiFi networks.

The easiest way to connect is to simply plug the TP-Link TL-WA855RE wireless signal amplifier into a 220V outlet, then press the button on the front side, and then press the wps button on your home modem, and then on the TP-Link TL wireless signal amplifier -WA855RE the indicator will blink, and when it lights up steadily, the network will be duplicated and strengthened. But this method does not always work, so this article will show detailed manual settings.

Note: in order to connect to TP-Link TL-WA855RE, for its subsequent reconfiguration, you need to install with it network connection over the local network. When setting up the repeater, Windows 7 was used with Google browser Chrome. Please note that to enter the TP-Link TL-WA855RE settings, the ip-address " 192.168.0.254 ", or " tplinkrepeater.net.»

Step 1

After connecting the wireless signal amplifier to network card computer, open the browser and enter 192.168.0.254 in the address bar and press Enter, as shown in Figure 1. Next, in the window that opens, enter admin in small letters in both fields and click the Login button, as in Figure 2.

Figure 1 - Entering the settings of the wireless signal amplifier Figure 2 - Entering the settings of the TP-Link TL-WA855RE wireless signal amplifier

Step 2

Now let's go directly to the settings. The TP-Link TL-WA855RE Wireless Signal Amplifier offers us the opportunity quick setup, to do this, select the top tab "Quick Setup", select the region "Belarus" and the modem specify the time zone, then click "Next".

Figure 3 - Setting up the TP-Link TL-WA855RE wireless signal amplifier

After clicking on "Next", the TP-Link TL-WA855R Wireless Signal Extender will scan for available wireless networks and then display all available on the screen.

Figure 4 - Scanning process
Figure 5 - List of available wireless networks

Step 3

Now you need to select your network that you want to expand and enter a password. The password must be exactly the same as for the Wi-Fi network itself that you want to strengthen. After entering the password, press the "Next" button.

Figure 6 - Connecting the TL-WA855RE wireless signal amplifier to the network

In the next window, you can set the name of the new access point, but it's better to leave everything by default and then there will be no confusion.

Figure 7 - Connecting the TL-WA855RE wireless signal amplifier to the network

If you entered the correct password and everything went well, then you will see such a window in which you need to click "Save", after which the settings will be saved.

Figure 8 - Saving settings
Figure 9 - Saving settings

Now we see that the setup was successful and it remains only to agree that we did everything right, for this you need to put a bird in the "I am connected ..." field and click the "Finish" button.

Figure 10 - Saving settings

Now you can use Wi-Fi in those places in your house where you used to be weak signal.

Note: The TP-Link TL-WA855RE Wireless Signal Amplifier should be placed where your wireless network signal begins to fade.