Using second router for wifi

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Lizard1977

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#153847 9-Oct-2014 16:53

I have a FritzBox 7390, but the wifi range/coverage has finally got to me and I want to use a second router to provide the wifi connectivity. I used to do this with my old Linksys modem/router, using a TP-Link wifi router. There was a small setup process which I think had something to do with setting up one of the ethernet ports as a WAN. I've tried googling, but I'm not quite sure what terms to search for to get the right results.

Can anyone point me to the instructions I need to follow to disable the wifi on the Fritzbox, and then to connect the TP-Link to the Fritzbox to handle the wifi side of things?

Thanks

timmmay

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#1150839 9-Oct-2014 17:07

Disabling WiFi should be easy, just mess about in the Fritz menu. Connect one of the LAN 1-4 ports to the LAN ports on the other router. Then you have to disable some services like DCHP and such, assign static IP, etc. Useful guide here which will give you the general idea.

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Lizard1977

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#1152287 12-Oct-2014 17:09

Thanks. I'm now wondering whether I could just use the TP-Link router on its own, without the FritzBox. Do you know if that's possible? It's the TP-Link WR1043ND model. I think it might work if I flash it with Gargoyle, but I don't know anything about that.

timmmay

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#1152310 12-Oct-2014 18:01

Suggest staying with the FritzBox, it's supported by Snap! You may be able to get something else working, and various people have posted instructions, but it's your problem if anything goes wrong.

Lizard1977

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#1153010 13-Oct-2014 16:50

I had a play around with this last night, but wasn't able to get anywhere. As it was getting late, and I was already tired, I decided to park it until I was more awake.

I followed this set of instructions from the link you provided:

"Short Version

Do a hard reset on the second router.

If you want to connect two routers with an ethernet cable, so that all devices connected to either of them can communicate with each other, plug an ethernet cable into the LAN (Not WAN) port of each router, set the IP to the second router to the same LAN IP address as the first router PLUS ONE (eg. 192.168.1.2), disable dhcp on the second router, and set it to a different channel as the first."

The trouble is that after doing the hard reset on the TP-Link, and plugging it in to the Fritzbox, I wasn't able to access the TP-Link's setup page to change the IP address. I figure once I can do that, then I can disable wifi on the Fritzbox, enable it on the TP-Link and disable DHCP, then it should be good to go.

Have I missed a crucial step? Does it make any difference that I'm on UFB? (I don't think it does...)

timmmay

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#1153018 13-Oct-2014 17:02

Plus the TPLink into your computer and set your computer to DCHP if it's not already. Log into the TP and change everything you need changed. Plug your computer back into the main router/switch and plug the TP into the main router too.

Lizard1977

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#1156562 17-Oct-2014 09:23

Managed to get this working last night, and everything seems to be fine. However, one of our four PCs (all connecting via wifi) wasn't able to connect to the new TP-Link wifi. I tried everything I could think of (rebooting the router, rebooting the PC, disabling/enabling the network adaptor) short of physically removing and reinstalling the wireless adaptor card, and it still stubbornly refused to connect to the new wifi. All our other devices (iPhones, iPads, laptops, desktops) connected fine. So in the end, I re-enabled the wifi on the Fritzbox, which the errant PC was able to connect to. So everything is online now, which is great, but I have two wifi networks running, which seems like a bad idea. Is it actually a bad idea? And if it is, any suggestions on what else I can do to get the last PC on to the TP-Link wifi group?

timmmay

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#1156565 17-Oct-2014 09:28

Two WiFi networks are ok, not ideal but ok. Put them on channels on opposite ends of the spectrum, maybe 1 and 12, but use a WiFI analyser on your phone to work out what's free.

Sometimes devices just don't like a certain access point, and no matter what you do it won't connect.

Lizard1977

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#1156581 17-Oct-2014 09:43

Thanks. I'll make sure they're kept on separate channels.

The one PC that won't connect puzzles me though. It used to work with this particular router when I was using it over a year ago, so it has definitely worked in the past. For some reason, it's not working now. The card in question is an Intel Centrino N2200, if that means anything.

timmmay

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#1156584 17-Oct-2014 09:45

You could swap cards between machines, see if it's the card or the computer. I put all my fixed PCs onto ethernet cables, it's simpler, faster, and more reliable.

Lizard1977

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#1156585 17-Oct-2014 09:46

Thanks. I would love to have the PCs wired, but not currently practical at our house. One day, perhaps... :)

yitz

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#1156596 17-Oct-2014 09:48

You sure the TP-Link is broadcasting 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz simultaneously as the Centrino N2200 seems the only non-5 GHz device.
Alternate possibility is your TP-Link is broadcasting channel 12-14 which the Centrino N2200 is set not to scan as part of its regulatory setting.

Lizard1977

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#1156621 17-Oct-2014 10:07

Will check when I get home.