Second router - what product am I after?

Triggaaar · 27 Dec 2011 at 16:44

I'm wanting to extend the range of my router. Although the router is wireless, it also has ethernet connections which are already wired up around the house. So instead of plugging something into my laptop to enable it to see the router I have, I'm thinking I'd like to plug something into one of my wired ethernet sockets, to provide wireless in the immediate vicinity.

Having searched, there seems to be loads of different products available (extenders, adapters, boosters), so any idea what the product I'm thinking of is?

Thanks

whitecrook · 27 Dec 2011 at 16:47

provide wireless in the immediete vicinity? Doesn't your router do that already ?

silversurfer · 27 Dec 2011 at 17:07

A router can be wired and wireless at the same time usually

It is possible to get signal repeater that will connect as a client to the main router and transmit and handle further connections. Most of them dont do that, i got 2x thompson routers that unfortunately wont work together like that afaik

Ryan111 · 27 Dec 2011 at 18:00

You want a wireless access point mate

silversurfer · 27 Dec 2011 at 18:02

^^ wot he said, the edimax works fine

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/search_results.php?sortby=&groupid=&search=wireless+access+point

Triggaaar · 28 Dec 2011 at 01:29

Thank you all.

whitecrook said:
provide wireless in the immediete vicinity? Doesn't your router do that already ?

It provides wireless in its immediate vicinity, but not the immediate vicinity of the ethernet socket that's 50m away.

silversurfer said:
A router can be wired and wireless at the same time usually

Yes, mine is. Wireless works close to my router, and the ethernet ports that are a lot further away also work, but I'd like the option of wireless everywhere.

It is possible to get signal repeater that will connect as a client to the main router and transmit and handle further connections.

That's what I'm after, preferably connecting to the main router via ethernet.

Ryan111 said:
You want a wireless access point mate

Thanks, I'll go check them out.

Triggaaar · 4 Jan 2012 at 00:04

silversurfer said:
^^ wot he said, the edimax works fine

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/search_results.php?sortby=&groupid=&search=wireless+access+point

I'm going to order one of these this week. I've never heard of Edimax or TP-link, any idea if one brand is more reliable than the other? Also, is it worth getting 300Mbps instead of 150, or will something like a dell XPS i7 not be able to utilise the extra speed anyway?

Thanks

Noobaside · 4 Jan 2012 at 12:41

depends if you share large files over your wireless or are using it purely for net 150mbs is fine for time being but 300mbs allows you to be able to share data faster over wireless and brodband speeds are only getting faster. bt is planning 300mbs fttp roll out if youre lucky enough to be in the areas that have it already on trial.

Triggaaar · 4 Jan 2012 at 16:01

Noobaside said:
depends if you share large files over your wireless or are using it purely for net 150mbs is fine for time being but 300mbs allows you to be able to share data faster over wireless and brodband speeds are only getting faster. bt is planning 300mbs fttp roll out if youre lucky enough to be in the areas that have it already on trial.

Thanks for that, very helpful. I'll have it for years and I will transfer files over a home network sometimes, so I'll get the 300.

silversurfer · 4 Jan 2012 at 17:21

Im not sure 300 has better range then a 150 product or just a higher protocol. I'd only say 300 is needed if it meant better signal reliability.

Normal wired lan would be 100 for comparison I think

Triggaaar · 4 Jan 2012 at 20:14

The TP-Link access points are getting good reviews, so I'm all ready to order one and then I stumble across their modem routers, which also work as wireless access points (and they have usb ports which could be handy for me at times). That would give me the option to replace my modem/router if it helped, which might not be a bad idea.

Decisions decisions.

Triggaaar · 9 Jan 2012 at 21:06

Question:

I bought a TP-Link TD-W8960N modem/router, and I've plugged it into my old router (cat5) and it's working as a Wireless Access Point.
The wireless on my original router is also working.

Should I set both routers to the same name and password, so my devices can seamlessly work with the two, as I carry the device between one and the other, or will that cause problems?

Thanks

silversurfer · 9 Jan 2012 at 21:10

A computer can remember the password for both and still switch, so it shouldnt matter.

It should be possible to operate without any cat5 link between the two and still be the same network

Triggaaar · 9 Jan 2012 at 21:26

Thanks for the reply.

silversurfer said:
A computer can remember the password for both and still switch, so it shouldnt matter.

I don't think my iPad will seamlessly switch between the two. It'll still with what it's on as long as it can. Unless using the same name and password tricks it, but I have no idea if that would work.

It should be possible to operate without any cat5 link between the two and still be the same network

The cat5 is hidden, and connects the two routers. If I didn't have that, the routers would have to connect wirelessly, which might be beyond their range, and it's easier for me to use the cat5 which my main PC will share.

pepp77 · 9 Jan 2012 at 21:31

Triggaaar said:
Question:

I bought a TP-Link TD-W8960N modem/router, and I've plugged it into my old router (cat5) and it's working as a Wireless Access Point.
The wireless on my original router is also working.

Should I set both routers to the same name and password, so my devices can seamlessly work with the two, as I carry the device between one and the other, or will that cause problems?

Thanks

You will want the same SSID and password on both, but then set each to a different channel.

This is the stated correct setup and exactly how I set up a customer of mine recently.

Triggaaar · 9 Jan 2012 at 22:38

pepp77 said:
You will want the same SSID and password on both, but then set each to a different channel.

This is the stated correct setup and exactly how I set up a customer of mine recently.

Excellent, thanks. My original box is Auto selecting channel 6. My new box is on auto, but no idea what it's using. So I'll set them to the same number.

Does the device (iPad, Laptop etc) realise it's using one and not the other?
And as it sits between the two (with a bit of signal from each) does it remain connected to one, or constantly switch back and forth without realising?

Thanks again.