Wireless Repeaters

howler · 27 Oct 2008 at 16:46

Am i going totally crackers here?!

I have two access points, one of which I want to configure as a reapeater but the only security it will let me configure on it is WEP, surely this cannot be the case?

RobH · 27 Oct 2008 at 17:01

It's quite common for repeters to only function with WEP or no security for some reason. I found this was the case with all the Thomson SpeedTouch routers that support wireless repeating using WDS. It's a bit of a security hole and there is nothing you can really do apart from using wires or getting routers that can repeat using something like WPA.

howler · 27 Oct 2008 at 17:02

gash!

Right will have to buy yet more access points!

Dano · 27 Oct 2008 at 17:06

Yeh the belkin ones I had to setup the other week could only use WEP in WDS mode too

smids · 27 Oct 2008 at 22:41

If you have a linksys, you may be able to flash dd-wrt to it and this will support WPA in repeater mode. I have this exact setup:

Internet > Cable Modem > Linksys WRT54GL (Router - stock firmware), SSID: linksys > Linksys WAP54G (Access Point - dd-wrt v24), SSID: linksys1 > Dell Powerconnect 2716 port gigabit switch > More computers.

The link between the WAP54G and WRT54GL is WPA2 and the WAP54G is configured in repeater bridge mode i.e. it acts like a wireless ethernet bridge (driverless wireless for anything connected to the LAN port on the device) and WiFi repeated upstairs where signal is weak.

Blackbadger · 27 Oct 2008 at 23:27

Some wireless homeplug devices offer wifi repeating as well as the rj45 connections, with full security. It offers far greater range than any n router.

howler · 28 Oct 2008 at 08:53

aren't there any access points that support WPA when being a reapeater straight out of the box, I'm not interested in having to flash firmware etc