Using powerline adapter with WiFi router

Greetings all. Apologies if this question has already been asked.

Mine is a simple question really. I have a TP-Link TL-PA8030PKIT AV1200 Powerline adapter. I use this to connect devices in living room via ethernet cable (TV, freesat box, console).

However, of course my WiFi isn't helped by the fact my main network point is in my bedroom so WiFi coverage is (generally) weak towards the back of the house.

I was wondering if I could connect my Billion BiPAC 7800DXL WiFi router to the powerline adapter to help extend my WiFi coverage in anyway? If so, are there any particular settings I'm looking out for.

It's all Layer 2, connect away!

Just to check:

The BiPAC is your only router and it sits in the bedroom?
The BiPAC is connected to a Powerline adapter in the bedroom?
The other Powerline adapter is in the living room and has three devices plugged into it (no Ethernet ports spare)?

bremen1874 said:

Just to check:

The BiPAC is your only router and it sits in the bedroom?
The BiPAC is connected to a Powerline adapter in the bedroom?
The other Powerline adapter is in the living room and has three devices plugged into it (no Ethernet ports spare)?

Click to expand...

Just to clarify.

I did have the BiPAC in the bedroom but connected my Talk Talk provided one now in anticipation of moving the BiPAC to the living room. The Talk Talk one is a Huwai the one they call 'super router ' lol. It does a decent job tbf. And the Huwai is connected to one of the powerline adapters.

The other powerline adapter is connected downstairs to which it has devices connected but I will create a spare ethernet port in it to connect the BiPAC to.

So just to sum up. The BiPAC is a spare router right now which I wish to connect to the powerline adapter downstairs to help extend my WiFi coverage a little downstairs.

If the BiPAC is spare then you can configure it as an access point. There's a list of steps here I posted in an earlier thread. They should at least give you an idea.

You'll connect one of the BiPAC's LAN ports to your Powerline adapter in the living room. You can us the remaining LAN ports on the BiPAC to connect local wired devices (so you'll actually gain two LAN ports).

bremen1874 said:

If the BiPAC is spare then you can configure it as an access point. There's a list of steps here I posted in an earlier thread. They should at least give you an idea.

You'll connect one of the BiPAC's LAN ports to your Powerline adapter in the living room. You can us the remaining LAN ports on the BiPAC to connect local wired devices (so you'll actually gain two LAN ports).

Click to expand...

I had a look at your thread and followed it. Brilliant thread but as I am a newbie to this stuff need a little more clarification.

1. When you say find out subnet rest of network is using is that the address I type in the browser to access the router's setup page or is it the IP address on my original router?

2. How do I find out limit of network DHCP range and what use will this be in final setup?

3. I type in the same IP address for both routers. I can't find the subnet mask from my original Huwaei router?

Type IPCONFIG at the command prompt and post the following.

IPv4 Address
Subnet Mask
Default Gateway

Login into the active router and find the DHCP section and post the details.

I just replaced the adapter in my living room with a Wifi broadcasting one instead.

ignore

bremen1874 said:

Type IPCONFIG at the command prompt and post the following.

IPv4 Address
Subnet Mask
Default Gateway

Login into the active router and find the DHCP section and post the details.

Click to expand...

I really do ask you to pardon my naivety to this whole subject matter. Just want to clarify. Do I enter these details into the main router which in my case is the one from Talk Talk?

Or do I enter it into fhe router plugged into the adapter and that I am trying to make my access point?

You need to reconfigure the router that you want to use as an access point.

If you can post the information I requested on here I can provide you with some settings that'll work.

Thanking you.

Below are router details on the Huawei which is the original one:
IPv4 Address: 192.168.1.3
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server Settings for Huwaei (MAIN ROUTER):
Start IP address: 192.168.1.2
End IP address: 192.168.1.254
DNS Mode: obtain DNS automatically


Below are router details on the Billion which I want to setup as ACCESS POINT;
IPv4 Address: 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.254

DHCP Server Settings for Billion router (ACCESS POINT):
Start IP Address: 192.168.1.100
End IP Address: 192.168.1.199
Leased Time (Hour): 24

Make sure the two routers aren't connected together.

Connect to the Huawei and check the DHCP settings. Make sure it isn't going to issue 192.168.1.254 as an IP. If necessary adjust the DHCP range so that it finishes at a value lower than 192.168.1.254.

Connect to the Billion and disable the DHCP server. You may loose the connection to the router at this point but don't worry.

Connect the two routers together LAN-to-LAN (ignore the WAN port on the Billion). Both routers will now be on the same network but only the Huawei will be acting as a DHCP server.

You should now be able to connect to either router using its management IP (192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.254).

Configure the Billion wireless to suit your requirements.

bremen1874 said:

Make sure the two routers aren't connected together.

Connect to the Huawei and check the DHCP settings. Make sure it isn't going to issue 192.168.1.254 as an IP. If necessary adjust the DHCP range so that it finishes at a value lower than 192.168.1.254.

Connect to the Billion and disable the DHCP server. You may loose the connection to the router at this point but don't worry.

Connect the two routers together LAN-to-LAN (ignore the WAN port on the Billion). Both routers will now be on the same network but only the Huawei will be acting as a DHCP server.

You should now be able to connect to either router using its management IP (192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.254).

Configure the Billion wireless to suit your requirements.

Click to expand...

Brilliant! This worked! Thank you very much appreciate your time and effort

Just wondering. Is there anyway to make devices automatically connect to a stronger connection?

I.e. when I go to the garden my phone doesn't automatically connect to the access point I have to connect manually.

How devices choose to disconnect/connect to different access points varies a lot, and there's not much you can do about it.

Usual practice is to setup both access points exactly the same (SSID, encryption type, etc.) but on different channels (sticking to a choice 1, 6 or 11 for 2.4GHz) and hoping for the best.

Quickly disabling/enabling the wireless on the phone (or briefly enabling airplane mode) should cause a jump to the strongest access point if it doesn't happen automatically.

There are apps for Android (at least) which allow you to configure policies around minimum signal strength for each of your configured connections. IIRC, one is called WiFi Prioritizer. There are several though.

Thanks guys. Both bremen1874 and ov_sjo your both solutions worked! The app name was right and quite good actually. I think it might eat at my battery a little though as it is constantly running but is brilliant at what it does. I tried altering the settings and it works effectively. My wife has an iPhone so tested the switching on her phone and it is automatically switching to the AP when I go into the back garden giving at least 85% WiFi strength and automatically switches to main router in bedroom when I go into front garden giving at least 90% WiFi strength.

Brilliant! Works on my Samsung too!

Edit: just to clarify I bought 2 powerline adapters. One in the living room which has 3 devices connected to it so I didn't have to compromise there. And the new powerline adapter at the back conservatory which has the Billion router connected acting as an AP and giving me WiFi at the back of the house and garden where I was never able to pick it up.

Many thanks. Case solved!