Hi , there is an instruction which applies to your case:
http://www.tp-link.com/en/faq-927.html

Hi, no, this doesn't work.
Like I wrote in the beginning, extender WILL NOT connect to the router once I enable MAC filtering on the router even with extender MAC added on the router.

did you find the 2.4G mac address of the extender under wireless statistics on the router? the mac address that you enter on the router probably is not the correct one.

Yes, I added three different MAC addresses

Actually, I added three different MAC addresses - one that is written in extender's settings (in the settings web), another one that is written on the bottom of the extender and another which router detected when the MAC filtering is turned off ("translated MAC" I believe it is called).

that's strange. maybe you can contact support@tp-link.com to get some advice.

I will explain the solution that I found in Spanish to explain correctly. Sorry.

Tuve un problema similar, necesito utilizar el extensor TL-W855RE con un router principal (host) con filtro MAC activado.

El problema son las direcciones MAC, aquí mi caso:

MAC del equipo tplink: 70:4F:57:D2:3F:2C
MAC del SSID tplink: 70:4F:57:D2:3F:2D

Es necesario deshabilitar el filtro MAC en el host, para identificar la dirección MAC que realmente llega al host, y en mi caso encontré el siguiente: 72:4F:56:D2:3F:2C

Ahora lo más extraño, si habilito el filtro MAC nuevamente, luego de configurarlo con la dirección 72:4F:56:D2:3F:2C incluida, no se conecta el repetidor.

Encontré que existe otra dirección que es necesario incluir, y que no aparece por ningún lado, simplemente la adiviné, y fue: 72:4F:56:D2:3F:2D

es decir la siguiente dirección a la que realmente identifiqué antes 72:4F:56:D2:3F:2C)

Entonces, incluyendo en el filtro MAC las dos direcciones 72:4F:56:D2:3F:2C y 72:4F:56:D2:3F:2D) el extensor se conecta al host. Bien rara la programación de este extensor tplink.

Además, para agregar nuevos dispositivos que se conectarán al tplink, es necesario incluir en el host una dirección MAC combinada, los tres primeros valores corresponden a la dirección MAC de tolink y los otros tres valores a los últimos valores de la MAC del dispositivo, ejemplo:

MAC tplink: 72:4F:56:D2:3F:2C
MAC laptop: 9C:AD:97:39:6C:F9

Entonces la dirección 72:4F:56:39:6C:F9 debe incluirse en el router principal (host).

Está bien raro esto, pero parece que así funciona.

Good luck.

@HenryC 

For what's worth, I just fixed this issue in my range extender. 

Three important points you'll need to check to ensure everything is working smoothly. 

 

1.- Configuring my Range Extender via Wifi or Tethering App simply didn't work for me no matter how many times I tried. Using an Ethernet cable to connect directly with the device worked just fine at my first attempt. 

2.- Ensure the Network Authorisation method is set to "WPA2-PSK" as a minimum in your router.

3.- Disable the MAC filtering function in your router temporarily. Next, go check your current DHCP leases and write down both MAC addresses associated to your TP-Link Range Extender. Last, make sure these two addresses are introduced in the MAC address white list in your router. Once this is done, enable the MAC filtering of your router again. The Range Extender should be working fine by now. 

 

Thanks to Henry C for his post in Spanish. It really helped me solve this issue. 

Best of luck everyone.

Best regards from Northern Spain. 
 

 

@jv2 I've determined something interesting. Any device that connects via the TpLink Extender has a new MAC address assigned to it that shows up in the routers DHCP Client Table. This is why i believe that I cannot connect when using MAC filtering.  Sounds convoluted to me but I'm going to fool arounds and see if i can get around this.

 

On the surface it sounds ridiculous that the device would mask the true MAC of a connecting device but it does explain why I cannot connect.

 

I will keep you updated.

I hope this WIll resolve your Problem

 

When MAC Address filtering is enabled in the Main router , your Extender wot be able to provide the Internet to you because, the MAC address given by your extender for each Device is different. In simple Terms, Extender will assing a virtual MAC address to each Device.For getting internet, first you have to find the Virtual MAC Address of each device.

Then you can filter with that MAC Address.

 

For this,

 

Disable MAC address filtering in the MAIN router.

The connect Devices one By one.

After connecting First Device, Goto the Routers Main Web Page and find Which device is connected.

Get the MAC address, and Note it.

Repeat it for all the Devices.

Now Enable Filtering and Provide the Noted MAC address and the Original MAC Address.

 

Ex: For 2 Devices, you have to give Total 4 MAC address in the FIlter.