WiFi extender question

gam3r · 14 Oct 2012 at 10:27

I recently set up a router in repeater mode to boost the signal upstairs in the house. However my tablets and laptops don't seem to want to connect to the AP with the strongest signal.

Should this be automatic? The repeater broadcasts the same ssid but I can tell what each device is connected to through the Mac address. Sometimes when the signal is weak on and stronger on another it my tablets/phones/laptops don't always pick the stronger one.

tomw92 · 14 Oct 2012 at 13:05

Have you got the repeater on a different channel? I may be wrong but I think it needs to be on a separate channel.

ChrisD. · 14 Oct 2012 at 13:33

They need to be on different channels. If not, your device won't know about the new AP, it will just try to connect to the one it connected to first. Ideally one should be on channel 1 and the other on channel 6 so that the frequency ranges don't overlap (can also use 1 and 11, or 6 and 11).

gam3r · 14 Oct 2012 at 13:42

MilanoChris said:
They need to be on different channels. If not, your device won't know about the new AP, it will just try to connect to the one it connected to first. Ideally one should be on channel 1 and the other on channel 6 so that the frequency ranges don't overlap (can also use 1 and 11, or 6 and 11).

Both are on channel 1. I tried to change the repeater channel but that option doesn't seem to be there in repeater mode?

ChrisD. · 14 Oct 2012 at 13:47

Try changing the original to channel 6. Saying that, I've never used an access point such as the one in your situation so I don't know if it auto-detects anything.