Simple question for home network wireless extension

[rallycobra]

Sorry, I have googled for the last hour but I can't get a figure out an answer.

I want to extend my 2.4ghz wireless signal into my garage. I have a Asus RT-AC66U router, and my house is wired for etherent.

I want to plug a device into one of the ethernet ports at that end of the house to extend the wireless signal. I want the SSID and password to remain the same, in effect 'cloning' the network.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/imag...20kit/tplink_tlwpa4220kit_network_diagram.jpg

What is this setup called? Is it an extender, bridge, repeater? I'm lost in the lingo.

Can someone just give me a suggestion on what to buy?

Thank you in Advance!

 

[abailey]

What you need is a wireless AP. You can also use a wireless router in AP mode (you could use the router as an AP if you also wanted a switch to plug in multiple Ethernet connections). Anyway just get a wireless AP and give it the same SSID and password as your wireless router. On the 2.4Ghz band make sure both your devices only use channel 1,6, or 11. When setting them up make sure the two are using different channels. I would try channel 1 and 11 first. Almost all manufacturers that make wireless routers also make wireless AP's. Here is an example:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002YETVXC/?tag=snbforums-20

 

[stevech]

What you need is a wireless AP. You can also use a wireless router in AP mode (you could use the router as an AP if you also wanted a switch to plug in multiple Ethernet connections). Anyway just get a wireless AP and give it the same SSID and password as your wireless router. On the 2.4Ghz band make sure both your devices only use channel 1,6, or 11. When setting them up make sure the two are using different channels. I would try channel 1 and 11 first. Almost all manufacturers that make wireless routers also make wireless AP's. Here is an example:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002YETVXC/?tag=snbforums-20

I use a configure-and-forget ASUS RT-N12 as an AP.
$40 on newegg.com

 

[thiggins]

How To Add an Access Point to a Wireless Router

 

[byonik]

I implemented a similar setup at my mom's house, which was 120ft long and very partitioned on the 2nd floor. She also had a barn around 100 yards away with wireless IP cameras.

We bought three identical routers and set them up as described above. The only suggestion I would add is to ensure that your secondary AP, which will be the one set to Access Point mode under wireless settings, has the same SSID and security settings as the primary AP, but a different IP address. Example: Primary AP [router] = 192.168.1.1, secondary AP = 192.168.1.10 or 192.168.1.100.

You will also need to ensure that your DHCP address range doesn't conflict with the secondary AP's IP address. In my house, I have 192.169.1.1 thru 192.168.1.150 reserved for static IPs, and 151 thru 250 reserved for DHCP-assigned IPs.

 

[IAAI]

I learned from all posts , thank you all

 

[rallycobra]

Thanks for all of the advice in this thread. I'm archiving this thread and am writing myself instructions in case I forget so I can google myself in a few years

I scanned my local area with wifiinfoview and determined channel 1 and 11 were the best for my network.

I went into my primary router and limited the DHCP addresses to stop at 192.168.1.250. While I was in there, I set it to channel 1.

I purchased an Asus RT-N12 for less than $40 on Amazon. I clicked on administration and set it up as an AP with the same SSID and password as my primary network. I locked the IP address 192.168.1.254, and set the wireless channel to 11.

Everything works flawlessly.

 

[rallycobra]

To improve handoff, it is possible to enable roaming assistant on the main router. When the signal drops too low, it disconnnects the device

There is something in the stock firmware to help you with this. It is an option that you set for handing off clients from the base router/AP to a 2nd AP.

>
>Go to Wireless, and then choose Professional.

>
>Under those options, it is called Roaming Assistant. You can adjust the Disconnect client with RSSI lower than -xx dB.

>
>What you need to do is go to the point where you want the hand-off to take place. Using a phone or some other wireless device, download and install some 3rd party Wi-Fi monitoring app, I use several from the Google Play store on my Android phone. What you need to do is note the dB of the Asus AP at this point, and also note the dB of the 2nd AP you want to switch over to. Then, you set the Asus router to disconnect at that exact dB level where your signal is stronger coming from your 2nd access point.

>
>I.E. Let’s say your bathroom is where you want the hand-off to take place. If you check the settings, the bathroom has the Asus AP at 70dB, and you AP is at 40dB: you would set the Asus to hand-off when the signal drops below 70dB (or 71dB to be exact). That way, when the signal drops below a certain amount, if another AP is around, it will hand-off the client to the other AP.

>
>What you are suffering from is persistent AP association (or whatever the exact name is), where the client sticks to the original AP, even if a better connection is available with another AP. Asus knew about this and included the option in their firmware.

>
>Also, make sure your 2nd AP is on another channel than the Asus AP, and the farther apart the signals, the better. I.E set your Asus to channel 1, and set your 2nd AP to channel 10 or 12. (This reduces the bleed chances)