Help with setup of CPE510 as Access Point and CPE210 as Client
I'm in desperate need of assistance in the initial setup of CPE510 and CPE210. After reading a few other posts I'm hoping I have the right equipment for my needs. My goal is to set up two CPE510 as Access Points on my roof with one pointing east towards my gate and security cameras and the other to the west to security cameras and wifi garage door openers. The two CPE210 will then be positioned one at the east gate and the other at the west. If I understand correctly this is considered a bridge.
My current problem is trying to complete the initial setup of the 1st CPE510. I've tried multiple times to follow the self help video but what I see on my screen in the Network Settings is different from what's on the video. I'm not a tech guy but I have always been able to set up other devices with good instructions. One problem I have is that I DO NOT understand all the lingo of all the technical parts and instructions. Can someone PLEASE help me? Thanks
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@MarcotteMW, CPE510 cannot be linked with CPE210. The former is a device operating in the 5 GHz band only, while the latter is a 2.4 GHz device.
What you can do is to link two CPE210 or two CPE510, but not a CPE510 with a CPE210. To deploy CPEs successfully, you need at least a basic knowledge of IP addresses and WiFi settings.
So, first decide which link should use the CPE 210 (e.g. the link to the garage) and which should use CPE510 (e.g. the link to the gate).
First, set up each pair of the CPEs in your home to avoid having to climb on the roof in case there are problems.
Find four unused IP addresses of your subnet, assign those static IPs to the CPEs. Configure one CPE of a pair to run in AP mode, the other to run in Client mode.
Configure the SSID and security key on the CPEs running in AP mode and perform a WiFi survey on the CPEs running in Client mode. Link them together and mount them on the roofs of your house and the gate/garage.
Then align the antennas (see the Installation Guide on how to do this). Remember to properly ground the CPEs to mitigate against ESD during lightning storms (use outdoor patch cable for the connection to the PoE adapter).
BTW: there is an own subforum here for discussion about CPEs.
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@MarcotteMW, I think there is a mis-understanding here.
First of all, CPEs are devices for directional links over long ranges. The are not meant to communicate with WiFi security cams directly (you could do so, but only on short ranges depending on the coverage of the security cams). So, setup of two CPEs is completely independent from other WiFi gear you want to connect over the directional link.
You will have to connect the CPE #1 (AP mode) via cable with your router/switch of your network and the remote CPE #2 (Client mode) via cable with the security cam.
Second, you are trying to connect wirelessly to a CPE, right? This can't work since in factory settings CPEs are not transmitting a WiFi signal (for historical reasons, in the past one had to select the country before the CPE enables WiFi the first time, not needed anymore, but still WiFi is disabled until you log in for the first time).
This means you have to use an Ethernet cable to connect to the CPE to configure it the first time. To do so, connect your laptop directly with the CPE you want to configure via a patch cable and change the IP of your laptop to 192.168.0.10. Then start a browser and load the web interface using the address http://192.168.0.254/.
I can't tell you how to change the IP on Windows, since I don't use MS products, but the Internet is full of recipes how to change the IP of a Windows laptop. Just search for it on the Internet.
If you log in, the CPE will ask you to set a new password. Choose one and set it. The CPE will then enable the WiFi radio (that's why you can't set up a CPE wirelelssly at first).
You also need to know which IP addresses your network uses. Check your router to find out. Let's assume your network uses the IPs 192.168.1.x, then you would configure an unused IP from this network (e.g. 192.168.1.250 or whatever is unused in your network) for the CPE in the »Network« menu and also set the router's IP (often .1, but you need to check to be sure) as the gateway and DNS server:
Then apply the changes. Since you changed the IP of the CPE, you will have to change the IP of your laptop, too. Change it from 192.168.0.10 to, say, 192.168.1.10, so that you can connect to the CPE again, now by using the address http://192.168.1.250. Log in again and save the settings to store the change permanently.
Next, configure the WiFi radio on the »Wireless« page. Leave »Operation Mode« at »Access Point« for the CPE #1.
Set 802.11n-only WiFI mode.
Set SSID, Security, WPA2 password.
On the same page scroll to »Advanced Wireless Settings« and check the box »Auto« for automatic distance setting:
Apply settings, remember to save them for permanent storage.
Then configure the client CPE's IP settings as shown above, except you now assign 192.168.1.251, same Gateway and DNS as above.
Change »Operation Mode« to »Client«, configure the basic settings as shown above.
Use the WiFi survey button to have the CPE automatically fill in the fields for SSID and check »Lock to AP«.
Set the security settings as with the first CPE and also »Auto« for the distance setting.
That's all for now, your CPEs will establish a wireless link (can last some minutes). You now can connect your remote security cam network with your home network via both CPEs over their LAN ports.
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@MarcotteMW, CPE510 cannot be linked with CPE210. The former is a device operating in the 5 GHz band only, while the latter is a 2.4 GHz device.
What you can do is to link two CPE210 or two CPE510, but not a CPE510 with a CPE210. To deploy CPEs successfully, you need at least a basic knowledge of IP addresses and WiFi settings.
So, first decide which link should use the CPE 210 (e.g. the link to the garage) and which should use CPE510 (e.g. the link to the gate).
First, set up each pair of the CPEs in your home to avoid having to climb on the roof in case there are problems.
Find four unused IP addresses of your subnet, assign those static IPs to the CPEs. Configure one CPE of a pair to run in AP mode, the other to run in Client mode.
Configure the SSID and security key on the CPEs running in AP mode and perform a WiFi survey on the CPEs running in Client mode. Link them together and mount them on the roofs of your house and the gate/garage.
Then align the antennas (see the Installation Guide on how to do this). Remember to properly ground the CPEs to mitigate against ESD during lightning storms (use outdoor patch cable for the connection to the PoE adapter).
BTW: there is an own subforum here for discussion about CPEs.
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@MarcotteMW, I think there is a mis-understanding here.
First of all, CPEs are devices for directional links over long ranges. The are not meant to communicate with WiFi security cams directly (you could do so, but only on short ranges depending on the coverage of the security cams). So, setup of two CPEs is completely independent from other WiFi gear you want to connect over the directional link.
You will have to connect the CPE #1 (AP mode) via cable with your router/switch of your network and the remote CPE #2 (Client mode) via cable with the security cam.
Second, you are trying to connect wirelessly to a CPE, right? This can't work since in factory settings CPEs are not transmitting a WiFi signal (for historical reasons, in the past one had to select the country before the CPE enables WiFi the first time, not needed anymore, but still WiFi is disabled until you log in for the first time).
This means you have to use an Ethernet cable to connect to the CPE to configure it the first time. To do so, connect your laptop directly with the CPE you want to configure via a patch cable and change the IP of your laptop to 192.168.0.10. Then start a browser and load the web interface using the address http://192.168.0.254/.
I can't tell you how to change the IP on Windows, since I don't use MS products, but the Internet is full of recipes how to change the IP of a Windows laptop. Just search for it on the Internet.
If you log in, the CPE will ask you to set a new password. Choose one and set it. The CPE will then enable the WiFi radio (that's why you can't set up a CPE wirelelssly at first).
You also need to know which IP addresses your network uses. Check your router to find out. Let's assume your network uses the IPs 192.168.1.x, then you would configure an unused IP from this network (e.g. 192.168.1.250 or whatever is unused in your network) for the CPE in the »Network« menu and also set the router's IP (often .1, but you need to check to be sure) as the gateway and DNS server:
Then apply the changes. Since you changed the IP of the CPE, you will have to change the IP of your laptop, too. Change it from 192.168.0.10 to, say, 192.168.1.10, so that you can connect to the CPE again, now by using the address http://192.168.1.250. Log in again and save the settings to store the change permanently.
Next, configure the WiFi radio on the »Wireless« page. Leave »Operation Mode« at »Access Point« for the CPE #1.
Set 802.11n-only WiFI mode.
Set SSID, Security, WPA2 password.
On the same page scroll to »Advanced Wireless Settings« and check the box »Auto« for automatic distance setting:
Apply settings, remember to save them for permanent storage.
Then configure the client CPE's IP settings as shown above, except you now assign 192.168.1.251, same Gateway and DNS as above.
Change »Operation Mode« to »Client«, configure the basic settings as shown above.
Use the WiFi survey button to have the CPE automatically fill in the fields for SSID and check »Lock to AP«.
Set the security settings as with the first CPE and also »Auto« for the distance setting.
That's all for now, your CPEs will establish a wireless link (can last some minutes). You now can connect your remote security cam network with your home network via both CPEs over their LAN ports.
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I understand the CPE's have to be set up first of which I've done...to a point. The AP unit is connected to my router via ethernet cable. The client will be connected via ethernet to the POE adapter to supplu power but with no router at the client locations. So I thought? My goal is to simply extend my home wifi 500 ft in one direction and 150 in the opposite direction so my accessories can operate wifi such as my laptop, tv and other devices in my home.
According to TP Link support I need my CPE's to work with my home wifi router that operates on IP 192.168.1.1. Therefore they told me to set the CPE's up at ....1.101, 1.102, etc. Is that incorrect? Again, I'm not too knowledgable on all this (I'm a farmer). If I could comprehend the support tech's better (every call goes to Asia) I would probably do a little better at this. I'm kinda thinking I may be hiring a tech for this.
Thanks again for your feedback.
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MarcotteMW wrote
According to TP Link support I need my CPE's to work with my home wifi router that operates on IP 192.168.1.1. Therefore they told me to set the CPE's up at ....1.101, 1.102, etc. Is that incorrect?
No, that's not incorrect. You can use any IP as long as it is unused by other devices. But since routers often reserve a bunch of IP addresses for the DHCP pool – often from ...1.10 to ...1.240 –, it's best to use IPs in either the low or high range.
As I wrote in my other reply, using a CPE as a repeater/bridge for home office devices most often does not work reliable. CPEs are excellent devices for directional links and directional antennas concentrate RF energy in a relatively small beam width to cover extremly long ranges up to 10 kilometers. They are not performing well if the clients sit behind the CPE because of their antenna design.
You can try it, but others have tried this already and failed (just search the forum for connecting CCTV over CPEs, in most cases it didn't work reliably in repeater mode). I'm setting up wireless networks as my daily work and my company doesn't use nor recommend repeaters, even not indoors, but never ever with devices designed for directional links.
I suggest to buy a cheap $20 Ethernet switch for connecting the security cams with the CPE, this will save you a lot of troubles. You don't need a router at the remote site, a cheap switch will do it. If the CCTVs don't have an Ethernet port, consider use of a cheap omnidirectional AP, whose antennas have a 360º beam width and which can be hooked up to the CPE by cable. This works reliable.
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Hi sorry for the partial Hijack..
more or less same issue but with 2 CPE210 (one as AP the other one as client that then is wired by lan cable to an AC 1200 in AP mode)
the main AP (the CPE210 that send the signal to the client CPE) has an ip 192.168.178.01, while the CLIENT one is 198.168.0.254 (i haven't changed the IP on CPE210 i can access to it with the standard 192.168.0.254) but AC1200 automatically obtained a 192.168.178.xxx ip.
system is not working properly the speed test shows an initial speed of 3,5M (at AC1200), but immediately decrease to 0,1 and then gives me "no connection."
signal on client CP210 is really good, there are some tree leaves between the main and the client, but signal is totally green.
Main CPE (ap) has been hacked to 27db via putty, Client one not yet,
is a problem of ip on the client one or do I need to try to get 27db on it too??
thanks
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