Modem/Router with Wireless Router Setup

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Modem/Router with Wireless Router Setup - Help Needed

Kyudos

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#101656 5-May-2012 13:25

Firstly, I'll say I don't really know the first thing about networking - what I know I've picked up from 15 years in computing and from Google - so any help will have to be in baby steps, please!

Secondly, my setup:

I'm with Slingshot.
I have a WinXP desktop that was wired to a D-Link DSL-526B Modem/Router.
I have recently bought a Win7 laptop with a wireless adapter, so I thought I'd be frugal and just get a wireless router (an all in-one-wireless-router-modem would leave me with a spare, see?).
Anyway, I bought a TP-LINK TL-WR1043ND wireless router.

I plugged my modem into my router and my desktop into the router port, and everything looks good, I still have internet access, wirelss signal is good etc.

However, using the internet over the wireless from the laptop is painfully slow.

e.g. from desktop:

tracert www.slingshot.co.nz
Tracing route to www.slingshot.co.nz [119.224.141.132]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 1 ms   1 ms    1 ms 192.168.0.1
2 1 ms    1 ms   1 ms 192.168.1.1
3 29 ms    28 ms    28 ms cpiak1-l9-G-internet.tranzpeer.net [202.180.81.32]
4 29 ms    28 ms    28 ms vlan93-cpcak3-e1.tranzpeer.net [202.180.76.68]
5 29 ms    28 ms    29 ms 119.224.141.132

But from laptop:

tracert www.slingshot.co.nz
Tracing route to www.slingshot.co.nz [119.224.141.132]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 91 ms   206 ms    96 ms 192.168.0.1
2 93 ms    97 ms   207 ms 192.168.1.1
3 96 ms    95 ms   207 ms cpiak1-l9-G-internet.tranzpeer.net [202.180.81.32]
4 134 ms    96 ms   207 ms vlan93-cpcak3-e1.tranzpeer.net [202.180.76.68]
5 134 ms   207 ms    97 ms 119.224.141.132

So something is wrong!

I may be doing too much NATing or something - but since I'm a novice I don't really know what I should or shouldn't be doing or where! I THINK I need to put the modem into bridging mode, but I can't get that to work. I put it into bridge mode, turning off the PPPoA on the modem, but I can't get the PPPoE on the wireless router to connect - so if I try for bridging mode, I lose my internet connection.

Any suggestions as to the best way to set-up this kit will be gratefully received. (Ultimately, I want to be able to use the network to share files between the desktop and laptop, share the internet connection and share the desktop printer/scanner with the laptop).

Cheers

EDIT:
More Googling reveals I may have to use the "PPP IP Extension" mode of the modem to do some sort of halfbridging, but this doesn't seem to help any (cause I'm probably doing it wrong!)

OR

I need to turn my wireless router into an access point only, and do everything else on the modem, but I don't know how to do that either...

Ragnor

8222 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#620188 5-May-2012 17:51

For half bridge/ip extension:

1: In the D-Link modem set connection type to PPPoA
2: Just below that check/enable: PPP IP Extension
3: Save and reboot modem
4: While it's rebooting ensure all your other PC's are plugged into the TP Link lan ports
5: Make sure network cable from D-Link to TP Link is from the LAN port on the D-Link modem to the WAN port on the TP Link router.
5: Login to the TP Link admin and check the WAN connection, it should be set to obtain automatically/by dhcp and should pickup the right settings from the D-Link once the D-Link is connected to the internet.

Here's an old post that explains it in more detail, different hardware but same concept:
http://www.ben.geek.nz/2006/11/adsl-routing-solution-in-detail/

Kyudos

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#620259 5-May-2012 20:13

Thanks, that has allowed me to get the half-bridge configured properly - well, I think it has. However, I'm seeing no improvement in wireless internet access speed from the laptop.

Is there any easy way to run some diagnostics to see where the problem lies? Unfortunately, I don't have any other wireless devices to test with.

Perhaps I should try plugging the laptop directly into the modem, that would tell me if its a wireless problem at least.

I'm starting to regret my frugality now...

Oldhat

180 posts

Master Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#620299 5-May-2012 23:53

The high latency on the first hop from the laptop would suggest wireless interference.

Access the router to check the current channel and change to another one. Default channels are 1, 6 and 11 when using 40mhz which is generally better for throughput.

kyhwana2

2566 posts

Uber Geek

#620304 6-May-2012 00:15

Wireless tends to be a bit crap. Check to see how many wifi APs there are on the same channel/close to you.

If the wired connection is fine but wireless is crap, you can blame the ether. You need to check your signal strength/etc and AP placement.

DrStrangelove

368 posts

Ultimate Geek

#620311 6-May-2012 01:27

One can also install inSSIDer which is a freeware WiFi network analyser for Microsoft Windows.

It'll get you a good idea of who's in your network area.

Kyudos

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#620343 6-May-2012 09:52

Thanks all for your help - I managed to get comparable performance on the laptop and desktop by disabling Wireless N and switching to Wireless G only. My boradband isn't N-Fast anyway, so it'll do for now.

Kyudos

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#627028 17-May-2012 19:43

I think perhaps I spoke too soon - everything seemed to be ok, but now I can't get wireless devices to maintain a connection (my Kindle or the laptop). Signal strength is excellent, but the connection keeps dropping.

Is there any way to find out what the problem is, other than randomly changing router settings to see if anything helps?

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

Ragnor

8222 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#627154 18-May-2012 02:18

Give Inssider a run, might help you figure out the problem
http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/

DrStrangelove

368 posts

Ultimate Geek

#627968 20-May-2012 16:36

Check your IP addressing. I use IP 172.16.0.0 myself as it promotes better IP awareness and control.

Check WiFi Access Points (AP) and Service Set Identifier (SSID) under your control and that you have only one active to start with as your primary SSID (while testing)

There are some compatibility issues with 'some' WiFi client adapters.
Variants of Intel WiFi client adapters spring to mind.

In testing, only set channel width to 20MHz and a fixed (preferably free) channel of either 1,5,9,13 (we don't all live in a America and run 802.11b), otherwise we'd be talking about setting 22MHz width channels ...ooohh maybe 10 years ago.
ha ha ha, all my routers support channel 13, but only a few of my clients do... I blame America.

However, use 1,6,11 if any of your WiFi cards only support Country:US just for compatibility.

My Alienware notebook has a US only WiFi card in it and running a 2.412GHz 40MHz 1+5 channel without any problems, but best to get things up and running before one embarks on changes.

Set the WiFi signal to 802.11n only (for testing), where normally one would have it set as 2.4GHz mix mode/auto (802.11/b,g,n) to cover older devices in ones network.

As a lot of devices (most notably mobile phones) use only single stream 802.11n WiFi, some will be impacted by 40MHz channels and act in an adverse matter.

20MHz is also considered neighbour friendly in a constrained network.

Set security as WPA2 Personal and AES at both ends.

Most Windows 7 built-in 802.11n WiFi adapter settings have old 802.11g settings enabled like Afterburner and etc. Disable them.

I'd stick with a long WiFi preamble headers at both ends to start with as some devices have problems with short WiFi preamble headers.
I've noted the TP-Link devices I've played with have short preamble set by default.

I'd test any new WiFi connection no more than five metres from the AP to start with.
This 'should' give an indicated 300Mbps connection speed if both router and notebook/pc have 300Mbps WiFi adapters with dual antennas. Three wires embedded in a notebook monitor ,if you're one of the lucky ones with built-in 450Mbps capability.

Turn off any 802.11g WiFi adapters under your control.

Now sit back and enjoy perfect WiFi access in your 300Mbps 2.4GHz 20MHz 802.11n test setup.

Oh, you can't see, but I had a hand behind my back with my fingers crossed.