How the repeater mode actually works? Will it disable my current wifi router?

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How the repeater mode actually works? Will it disable my current wifi router?

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
How the repeater mode actually works? Will it disable my current wifi router?
How the repeater mode actually works? Will it disable my current wifi router?
2020-04-16 14:06:04
Model: TL-WA901ND  
Hardware Version: V5
Firmware Version:

Hello!

 

A quick and basic question: How my new TL-WA901ND in repeater mode actually work? Will it disable my current wifi router? or, Will both (my current wifi router and my new Tp-link) devices will be working as access points providing wifi?

 

If both work, given that the SSID name can't be changed in the TL-WA901ND in repeater mode, how the "switching networks" works?

 

Thanks!

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Re:How the repeater mode actually works? Will it disable my current wifi router?
2020-04-16 17:29:23

@Oraugle 

 

In repeater mode it acutally work with your router to extend the wireless signal further than it would go normally.  What will happen is devices will connect to the AP that they are closest too or has the strongest signal.

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Re:How the repeater mode actually works? Will it disable my current wifi router?
2020-04-16 17:36:34

@Carl Thanks for the quick response.

 

Now, I'm encountering the following issue:

 

It was working all good, but now I started to get a "wrong password" on mobiles and a mac computer, on a windows computer is OK., I'm 200% the network password i'm entering is the right one. I have seen this is happening to other users. Any ideas what may be causing this?

 

Thanks

Carl wrote

@Oraugle 

 

In repeater mode it acutally work with your router to extend the wireless signal further than it would go normally.  What will happen is devices will connect to the AP that they are closest too or has the strongest signal.

 

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Re:How the repeater mode actually works? Will it disable my current wifi router?
2020-04-16 17:54:28

@Oraugle 

 

Apple devices typically like the higher channels in the specturm like channel 11.  try changing the rotuer's channel to 11 and see if that resolves the issue. 

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Re:How the repeater mode actually works? Will it disable my current wifi router?
2020-04-16 18:12:29

 

Carl wrote

@Oraugle 

 

Apple devices typically like the higher channels in the specturm like channel 11.  try changing the rotuer's channel to 11 and see if that resolves the issue. 

@Carl Thanks for the reply., I just did the following:

 

Upgrade firmware to latest version on the tp-link site

Entered the configuration, I could not find where to change channels, but I did see it was already in channel 11 (picture below)

Reboot and it was OK., some minutes later, it went back to the same result: can connect to the network due to wrong password, it seems it works few minutes, but then it goes back to the same issue. It happens in 1 iphone, 2 androids and a mac

 

Any other thing to try?

 

 

 

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Re:How the repeater mode actually works? Will it disable my current wifi router?
2020-04-17 18:29:40

@Oraugle 

 

One thing to further test before we send this up to the Engineers is go under Wireless.  This is where you would change the channel manually.  Then disable (uncheck) WMM.  Save Reboot and test.  

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Re:How the repeater mode actually works? Will it disable my current wifi router?
2020-04-18 10:59:58

 

Carl wrote

@Oraugle 

 

One thing to further test before we send this up to the Engineers is go under Wireless.  This is where you would change the channel manually.  Then disable (uncheck) WMM.  Save Reboot and test.  

@Carl Thanks for the reply., so here is what I've done:

 

  • Disabled the WMM on the TPLink
  • Still can't see where to change the channel., see the picture #1 below with current settings
  • Reboot
  • Tried with two computers now (pc/mac), they both connect to the furthest router even if it has a poor signal level, instead of connecting to tp-link repeater which is next to me, full signal. See a picture #2 below for reference (internet router MAC address ends in 83:9D, TPLink router MAC address ends in 21:5C)
  • I moved away from the furthest router even more, and the computers can't connect to the repeater. They ask for the network password. Another example with different sw wifi analyzer in picture#3 below

 

I am assuming that, if I'm far away from the home router, devices will connect to the TP-link and, I would be to able doublecheck that with the MAC address of the repeater.

 

Many thanks in advance., looking forward to hearing from you. Don't hesitate in contacting me if you want me to troubleshoot more.

 

Picture#1: Setting options when trying to change the channel

 

 

Picture#2 Trying to connect to repeater: It always try to connect to 9D, even though the 5C (repeater) is closer. You can see also the bandwidth, channels, etc.

 

 

Picture#3 When moving further away,  (signal for home router 42% - the signal for repeater 82%) it should try to connect to the repeater, it tries but I get the wrong network password You can see additional info, maybe that gives you hints

 

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Re:How the repeater mode actually works? Will it disable my current wifi router?
2020-04-20 15:59:18

@Oraugle 

 

My applogies, I wasn't even thinking about the repeater mode.  In repeater mode the AP will get its channel settings from the router. The only way to change the channel is to change it on the router.  As for why the devices are not connecting to the AP even though it is closer.  It could be how the device establishes and that it is could ignoring the other "Closer" device.  Another concern is if you are between the two units, the router and the AP some devices have a hardtime determining which to connect to.  In cases such as this we usually ask customers to give the extender a unique name.  I do not see right now that the 901 acting as an RE can do that.  I have asked for it to be tested and will get back to you if that is possible.  

 

 

In the mean time see if this works.  On one of the PCs forget the network.  Move close to the extender, but not inbetween it and the router.  Connect to the network and see if you connect to the 901.  If so move closer to the router and see if the connect switches and then vice versa.  

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