Too little investment for such a high goal:(..

If you do some research from Internet, you will know it is a huge project to deploy such a large scale wireless network for 500 homes and small businesses, let alone sharing a single internet line of 180Mbps at rough topography of about 4Km wide by 4 Km long. The big mobile network companies will all go bankrupt if it is so easy to do that with only 7 CPE210.:(

*how to properly inter-connect a group of CPE210's within the same tower
--The regular way is the best way. Power them individually through the provided PoE adapters or other passive PoE source you have. Connect all the CPE to a single switch.

*what is the minimum distance between each access point in order to mount them on a tower
*I did hear something about a signal noise that may cause the access points to not work properly when installed too closely together or without some kind of metal shield. Does this apply to the CPE210's?
--Yes, it does. But I don't know the smallest distance. You'd better keep them as far as possible from each other. Mount them in different heights is also necessary.
--Also, you should update with the latest firmware, http://www.tp-link.com/en/download/CPE210_V1.html#Firmware. Then set different static channels on different CPE in order to avoid channel interference.

*proper distance setting to cover everyone within a 2Km radius
--Set distance value to 2.5Km.

*maximum distance for an access point mounted as a repeater (range extender) that is facing away from the main Access Point
--No way to do that. Don't try repeating the wireless network, it is not feasible.

*The other five CPE210's are setup as repeaters, each one connected to its own POE separately. Each Repeater is locked to the main Access Point wirelessly. Should these Repeaters be connected with a network cable to each other instead? If so, how would I go about setting them up appropriately? If not, should I/could I connect two at a time by enabling passive POE passthrough? Could that affect each Repeater's network settings?
*Should the Repeaters instead be setup as individual Access Points?
--Why use repeater mode? If these 6 CPE is meant to be installed on the tower and broadcast Wi-Fi, you should just set up all the access points in AP mode and connect them a single switch and then to your gateway router(server). Don't use repeater mode.

*How could they all be setup with the same SSID?
Just set them up with the same SSID through the wireless menu.

*how to extend the coverage with the equipment we have in order to enable more than 254 clients to connect simultaneously.
--What do you mean by this? You are already covering 360 degrees.

*The Access Point is also running the DHCP server. Should I have a separate DHCP server/router in front of the main Access Point instead?
--Yes. Let your gateway/DHCP router(server) to do the DHCP job.

*The seventh CPE210 has been setup 300 meters away as another Repeater atop the school building, facing 180 degrees away from the central office, in order to improve the Wi-Fi signal behind the building. By the way, the school building is a very old construction that has 1 meter thick stone and concrete walls, and concrete and tile ceilings, as well as very small windows.
--You need two CPE atop of this school building. CPE_A in client mode faces to the central tower. CPE_B should be configured in AP mode using a different channel from CPE_A. CPE_B connects to the CPE_A via an Ethernet cable. CPE_B faces 180 degrees away from the central office to transmit the signal to the direction behind the school building. In addition, CPE_A should use lower transmission power since it is only 300 meters away from the central tower. Lower power for small distance can mitigate interference to the AP.
--A wireless router with DHCP disabled should be connected to CPE_A or CPE_B via network cable to a non WAN port in order to improve the Wi-Fi signal inside the building.

*Is it possible to have each Repeater have its own complete network (serving 254 IP addresses each) and be setup as a separate DHCP server in order to reduce the load on the main Access Point, such as in a normal ISP to Access Point setup, therefore enabling more than 254 clients to connect simultaneously?
*Would that create conflicts?
--You misunderstood about the DHCP thing. If you want to assign more than 254 IP address, the correct way is to configure a large DHCP address pool on you DHCP server. For example, if your Antamedia HotSpot server is the DHCP server, you can set the LAN subnet to 192.168.0.0/255.255.0.0, DHCP pool range from 192.168.0.100 to 192.168.254.254.

-- But if you want every CPE to handle DHCP assignment for its own clients, you can also configure the CPEs on the tower in AP router mode. However, AP router mode may not work with your Antamedia HotSpot server's portal web authentication function.

*This setup works but not well since I am observing that clients loose connection all the time, or their equipment (cell phones, tablets, laptops and desktops) hang when trying to get a connection in the first place. Disabling their wireless adapters and re-enabling them mostly fix the problem.
-- In fact I am surprised that your current installation works although not working fine. I say that because I know communication is bidirectional, although the CPE can transmit the signal to over 2Km, most ordinary terminal devices such as laptops and smartphones cannot transmit the signal farther than 200~300 meters, which means they usually cannot talk back to the CPE. Besides, you have only 6 access points, I can tell you that one CPE can only serve about 20 wireless terminal devices. Don't expect about 256 clients for each...

-- Professional ISPs usually install outdoor access points on high buildings, such as on the top of a church. Then customers install a CPE (WISP client router mode) on the house roof to connect to the AP. They don't really broadcast wifi directly for smartphones/laptops.

@radvd I hope his horizontal circular array in order to cover all 360 degrees it's not like the umbrella in video
http://youtu.be/sCfXgtyceYg
And you are not the only one surprised that installation partially works.

@radvd..
Thank you very much for your detailed response (and your infinite patience in order to do so). I went ahead and did the installation very quickly using many defaults in order to just get the connection going. Now I see there are many things wrong with it.
I will use your responses as a guide in order to research further and better the installation, with more time.
I sincerely was also surprised the current installation actually worked because of all the radios so close together and being such a small investment. Since cellphone service is practically non-existent and someone offered them a cellphone sevice repeater instalation for $30K, I believe the community leaders were impressed by someone who told them (and sold them) these brand new CPE210 would allow them to have Wi-Fi access for the entire area at a very low cost. I went along because I read the claims on the literature plus my lack of knowledge and with such vague information that came along with it all I could do is just give it a try.
I have to tell you though, that some newer cell phones are somehow able to connect fine at about 600m (confirmed) :confused:
.. and, I'm giggling now, the array I made atop the 12m tower here does look even worse than "the umbrella in video http://youtu.be/sCfXgtyceYg" pointed out by @danymarc :rolleyes: I should upload a picture of it for a DO NOT DO THIS post but I'm too ashamed to do so.
Once again, thank you very much for your detailed input.
Have a great day.

Thank you for your input as well, @danymarc.
As I already mentioned @radvd, "and, I'm giggling now, the array I made atop the 12m tower here does look even worse than "the umbrella in video http://youtu.be/sCfXgtyceYg " pointed out by @danymarc :rolleyes: I should upload a picture of it for a DO NOT DO THIS post but I'm too ashamed to do so."
Thank you kindly.
Have a nice day.

You where provided with the grear, you are working with what you got.
As you posted on #1 may assist many other individuals with similar set up questions
Yes, post the picture, this is a forum to learn how to and to learn not to

sube

Greetings. Community project working but not 100%. Thank you all for all of your previous input. I could not have managed without it. Sincere thanks.


One main issue I have now is that when customers connect to any of the CPE210s I have setup, their MAC addresses DO NOT show up in Antamedia HotSpot, but instead the Bridge's MAC does.
This is a severe issue since Antamedia HotSpot relies on MAC addresses to match accounts, allow/disallow internet access, and for correct billing.
Basically sometimes I have up to 30 customers that show up as one, utilizing that one customer's internet time and money.


The following is the somewhat modified setup I am currently running:


1. Internet access is hooked up to a Windows 10 desktop PC through NIC1 (WAN) [IP 172.16.1.15; Subnet 255.255.255.224; Gateway 172.16.1.1; DNS1 208.67.222.222; DNS2 208.67.220.220].


2. This PC is configured with Antamedia HotSpot (AHotSpot from now on) as a server of this service.


3. Internet Connection Sharing is disabled in Windows; NAT is being handled by AHotSpot and this software requires all equipment connected to the network to have NAT DISABLED.


4. AHotSpot runs and manages the DHCP server OpenDHCP through NIC2 (LAN) with IP 181.181.8.1; Subnet 255.255.252.0 (Gateway and DNS settings are left blank on NIC2, as required by AHotSpot, since this is the Gateway).


5. A Linksys 8-port Gigabit switch is connected to NIC2. Connected to this switch is the following equipment:
(Note: all of the following equipment is setup using Subnet 255.255.252.0; Gateway 181.181.8.1; DNS1 208.67.222.222; DNS2 208.67.220.220; CPE510 running firmware v1.3.3 Build 20151215 Rel. 5855).
1 x Linksys WRT1900AC router setup as a Bridge with AP with static IP 181.181.8.2; SSID "INET-A"; Open Security. (Customers can connect to this router via WiFi or LAN. It is Open Security because AHotSpot controls access).
1 x TP-Link CPE510 with MAXStream ON, setup as a Bridge as AP with static IP 181.181.8.11; SSID "INET-LINK"; WPA/PSK security.


6. At the top of a tower about 100 meters away there is another CPE510 with MAXStream ON, setup as a Bridge as Client with static IP 181.181.8.12; locked to SSID "INET-LINK"; matching WPA/PSK security.
This CPE510 is aligned within the mandatory horizontal 65° and vertical 35° planes of the CPE510 Bridge as AP and provided for appropriate fresnel zone clearances.


7. Another Linksys 8-port Gigabit switch is connected to the LAN end of the POE for the CPE510 at the tower. Connected to this switch is the following equipment:
5 x TP-Link CPE210 with MAXStream OFF, setup as plain Access Points (no routing), each with static IPs 181.181.8.13 through 181.181.8.17; Open Security; still using Subnet 255.255.252.0; Gateway 181.181.8.1; DNS1 208.67.222.222; DNS2 208.67.220.220; CPE210 running firmware v1.3.3 Build 20151215 Rel. 5855.
As determined previously, they have been setup at different heights and as far away from each other as possible (about 3 meters), in order to cover much of the 360° range.
THIS IS WHERE I have my first issue: How should WDS be setup here in order to allow the Customer's MAC addresses to pass on through AHotSpot and not the Access Point's MAC?


8. At different locations there are other CPE210 equipment, some setup as Clients connected to indoor routers setup as Access Points themselves; other CPE210s are setup as AP Client Routers themselves.
THIS IS ALSO WHERE I believe WDS should be setup appropriately. Additionally, and please tell me why am I wrong, I believe Repeater Mode should be the correct setting for the AP Client Routers in order to allow the same SSID throughout the entire WiFi network AND ALSO to allow for "Roaming", as indicated by a TP-Link engineer within the forum somewhere (sorry, lost track of that thread/post).
Or maybe Repeater mode should be setup at the tower on the 5 CPE210s there. Or simply by setting the exact same SSID at the 5 plain Access Points at the tower the same "Roaming" result can be achieved, but this does not seem right to me.


I really wish one of the TP-Link engineers who created this equipment would contact me and tell me exactly/precisely how this equipment works or is intended to work as; what it can do and what it cannot.


Any and all further kind and prompt input is tremendously appreciated. May life bring you great health and wholesomeness in body, mind and soul.


Be good. Be well.

Last minute specific question: Repeater Mode on the CPE201 can ONLY repeat the WIRELESS signal, or can it "repeat" the wired signal that comes through LAN0 from the CPE510 through the switch?
Please explain.
Thank you.

CDIA wrote

Last minute specific question: Repeater Mode on the CPE201 can ONLY repeat the WIRELESS signal, or can it "repeat" the wired signal that comes through LAN0 from the CPE510 through the switch?
Please explain.
Thank you.

If you connect wire from switch to CPE210, simply set the CPE210 in AP mode.

YXCY wrote

If you connect wire from switch to CPE210, simply set the CPE210 in AP mode.

Understood. Thank you much.