how do i extend a WIFI network with a router PLUS an access point

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how do i extend a WIFI network with a router PLUS an access point

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
how do i extend a WIFI network with a router PLUS an access point
how do i extend a WIFI network with a router PLUS an access point
2015-10-13 20:49:13
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hey there,

i'd like to extend my wifi network by adding a router to capture the wifi signal where it's strongest, then connect that router to an access point by network cable. the access point will then act as an additional wireless access point for clients.

the use case for this is somewhat unusual. i live in a three-floor building, where the bottom floor is rented out by someone else. we all share an internet service but the router is in their bottom-floor unit and is physically inaccessible to me (although i have browser admin access). the wifi signal is strong enough to reach the second floor (our main floor) but is very weak on the third floor (our top floor). i've tried setting up a TL-WA801ND as a repeater (extender) but the results are varied. see THIS POST. in order to be sure the signal is strong on our second floor, i'd like to install a dedicated access point there, connected to my main floor where the signal is strong. since i have nothing to connect the additional access point to, i need to set up a router there connected as a "client" to the wifi network originating from the bottom floor.

i see that the TL-WA801ND can be configured in "client mode", where it connects to a wifi network as a client, and then other clients (pc, laptop) can be connected to it by network cable to join the network.

what i'd like to know is if i can connect an ADDITIONAL access point set to client mode, instead of a laptop or pc, to the first access point via network cable and extend the network to my top floor.
if not, what device would you recommend to handle this routing?
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#1
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Re:how do i extend a WIFI network with a router PLUS an access point
2015-10-14 11:47:00
You have bought WA801ND, right?
In your case, it should be better to connect the main router and WA801ND by powerline devices as below.
Main Router(LAN)---(LAN)PLC1~~~~PLC2(LAN)---(LAN)WA801ND(Wi-Fi)>>>><<<<(Wi-Fi)Wireless Clients

I don't fully understand how you want to add another access point. You may describe as I did above.
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#2
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Re:how do i extend a WIFI network with a router PLUS an access point
2015-10-14 21:48:23

Tony Seaford wrote

You have bought WA801ND, right?
In your case, it should be better to connect the main router and WA801ND by powerline devices as below.
Main Router(LAN)---(LAN)PLC1~~~~PLC2(LAN)---(LAN)WA801ND(Wi-Fi)>>>><<<<(Wi-Fi)Wireless Clients

I don't fully understand how you want to add another access point. You may describe as I did above.


I don't have physical access to the Main Router--it's in someone else's apartment, living below me in the building. Since wiring any devices (powerline or otherwise) to the Main Router isn't possible, I'm thinking of connecting via wifi instead.

Main Router(Wi-Fi)--1st floor>>>><<<<(Wi-Fi)WA801ND--2nd floor(LAN)---(LAN)WA801ND(Wi-Fi)--3rd floor>>>><<<<(Wi-Fi)Wireless Clients--3rd floor

As I said: the wifi signal on the second floor is fairly strong, it's very weak on the 3rd floor, where I'm trying to use wireless clients.
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#3
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Re:how do i extend a WIFI network with a router PLUS an access point
2015-10-14 23:02:31

Tony Seaford wrote

You have bought WA801ND, right?
In your case, it should be better to connect the main router and WA801ND by powerline devices as below.
Main Router(LAN)---(LAN)PLC1~~~~PLC2(LAN)---(LAN)WA801ND(Wi-Fi)>>>><<<<(Wi-Fi)Wireless Clients

I don't fully understand how you want to add another access point. You may describe as I did above.



I don't have physical access to the Main Router, since it's in someone else's apartment below me, so wiring to a powerline (or any other) device is not an option. We're all tenants sharing the same connection and the landlord has given me admin access to the router, however. Because I can't attach anything to the router, I need to start with the wifi signal.

Main Router--first floor-- (Wi-Fi)>>>><<<<(Wi-Fi) WA801ND--second floor-- (LAN)---(LAN) WA801ND--third floor(Wi-Fi)>>>><<<<(Wi-Fi)Wireless Clients

I'm not sure what mode these
WA801ND's should be in, if this configuration is at all possible.
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#4
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Re:how do i extend a WIFI network with a router PLUS an access point
2015-10-15 10:46:31
[COLOR=#333333]Main Router--first floor-- [COLOR=#333333](Wi-Fi)>>>><<<<(Wi-Fi) [COLOR=#333333]WA801ND--second floor-- [COLOR=#333333](LAN)---(LAN) [COLOR=#333333]WA801ND--third floor(Wi-Fi)>>>><<<<(Wi-Fi)Wireless Clients

If so, the first WA801ND should be configured in repeater mode and the second one should be in access point mode.
By the way, although the router is inaccessible, you know its Wi-Fi name and password, right? MAC filtering is disabled?
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#5
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Re:how do i extend a WIFI network with a router PLUS an access point
2015-10-15 21:44:12

Tony Seaford wrote

[COLOR=#333333]Main Router--first floor-- [COLOR=#333333](Wi-Fi)>>>><<<<(Wi-Fi) [COLOR=#333333]WA801ND--second floor-- [COLOR=#333333](LAN)---(LAN) [COLOR=#333333]WA801ND--third floor(Wi-Fi)>>>><<<<(Wi-Fi)Wireless Clients

If so, the first WA801ND should be configured in repeater mode and the second one should be in access point mode.
By the way, although the router is inaccessible, you know its Wi-Fi name and password, right? MAC filtering is disabled?


Yes, WIFI name and password is known and MAC filtering is disabled.
Should the first WA801D be in repeater mode, even though it's connected to the second WA801D by LAN cable rather than WIFI?
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#6
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Re:how do i extend a WIFI network with a router PLUS an access point
2015-10-16 11:11:36
Yes. When the first one works in repeater mode, the second one can connect to it by cable connection.
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#7
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Re:how do i extend a WIFI network with a router PLUS an access point
2015-11-25 19:52:09
Step 1 - Connect to your primary router
Step 2 - Configure the new router
Step 3 - Connect the two routers together
Step 4 - Configure both routers to use the same Wi-Fi network
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#8
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