Friday, 07 June 2013 20:50

Extend WIFI Range with Another Router

With AP client router mode, it can connect to a wireless network and share the connection to its clients (see picture above). So you can use a router to extend the WIFI range.
 
 
Prerequisite
  • Primary wireless router configure as AP. If you already setup a wireless internet connection in your house, usually your modem is configured as AP mode.
  • Secondary wireless router (TL-WR1043ND or other DD-WRT compatible router) flashing with DD-WRT
 
 
Settings
Please use settings as shown in table below as guideline

 

Primary wireless router

Secondary wireless router

Router

TP-LINK TD-W8961ND

TP-LINK TL-WR1043ND

Virtual Interface

Firmware

Factory

DD-WRT

 

IP

192.168.1.1

192.168.0.1

 

DHCP

Enable

Enable

 

Wireless Mode

AP

Client

AP

SSID

ABC

ABC

123

Channel

6

6

 

Security Mode

WPA2 Personal

WPA2 Personal

WPA2 Personal

Security Key

12345678

12345678

abcdefgh

WPA Algorithms

TKIP

TKIP

TKIP

 
 
Setting up secondary router
  • Wired network connection between secondary router (TL-WR1043ND) and computer
  • Open up a browser and navigate to http://192.168.1.1 which is your router IP
  • Select Setup from the DD-WRT menu and log-in to router
  • Select Basic Setup and enter Local IP address as shown in figure below
  • Click on Save button  without Apply Settings
DD-WRT Basic Setup
 
 
 
  • Select Wireless>Basic Settings as shown in figure below
  • Make sure Wireless Mode is in Client mode, Wireless Channel and SSID follow your primary router
  • Click on Save button  without Apply Settings
DD-WRT Wireless - Basic Settings
 
 
  • Select Wireless>Wireless Security as shown in figure below
  • Make sure Security Mode, WPA Algorithms and WPA Shared Key follow your primary router
  • Click on Save button and Apply Settings button
  • All your settings is take effect after reboot and your router IP address is changed to 192.168.0.1
DD-WRT Wireless - Wireless Security
 
  • Turn on primary router and make sure it is online
  • Make sure your secondary router still wired (not WIFI) to computer as shown in figure below
    Wired secondary router to computer
  • Turn on your computer and secondary router
  • After everything is ready, your computer is able to surf internet without using WIFI
 
Access internet through WIFI
To access internet through WIFI, you must add a Virtual Interface (SSID) to secondary router
  • Select Wireless>Basic Settings and click on Add button as shown in figure below
    DD-WRT Wireless - Add Virtual Interfaces

  • Select AP from the Wireless Mode combo box, and enter a new SSID (here is 123) as shown in figure below
    DD-WRT Wireless - Virtual Interfaces

  • Click on Save button without Apply Settings
  • You  may want to set the wireless security for Virtual Interface (new SSID). Select Wireless>Wireless Security as show in figure below
  • Select whatever Security Mode as you like
    DD-WRT Wireless - Virtual Interfaces Security
  • Click on Save button and Apply Settings button
  • The router will reboot and your secondary WIFI is ready
 
 
 
Read 15845 times Last modified on Sunday, 09 June 2013 01:39
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