TP Link Range Extenders Smart Enough to Avoid Loop?

[Kevlarmpowered]

I just bought two AC1200 range extenders from TP Link. As I was setting up the first one, I set it up to use the same SSID as my primary wireless. That was cool and easy and all was well. I was in the middle of setting up the second one when I began to wonder if these things were smart enough to avoid connecting to each other? Are they smart enough to connect to the primary wireless or are they not smart enough and will they end up connecting to each other creating a network loop which would destroy the fabric of space and time?

 

[Klueless]

Now that is a fun question <lol> and I'm looking forward to hearing the answer (call tech support?)

My guess is the range extenders will simply connect to the strongest signal (whether it's to a router or another extender).

The router and two range extenders are going to make a triangle (let's call it an isosceles triangle for simplicity). Let's say the distance from the router to each range extender is 60' and the distance between the two range extenders is only 20' (an acute isosceles with 60' legs and 20' base).

Let's start with 5 GHz because the range is shorter and the drop off more severe. I'm going to guess that the range extenders would connect to each other because that's the strongest signal.

Now let's change the triangle such that each range extender is only 25' from the router and the two range extenders are 48' apart (an obtuse isosceles with 25' legs and a 48' base). Now each range extender is more likely to connect to the router; shorter distance, stronger signal.

Again, this is just a guess!

Another guess. You could probably set up an extra SSID on the router just for the extenders to connect to. The router and both range extenders might all advertise "5GHz Net" to all your clients but, behind the scenes, the extenders connect to the router's "5GHz Back Haul" SSID (you could either make that SSID invisible or just not share its password.)

Another guess. Only use one band to connect the extender to the router and the other band to/for clients only. For example connect each extender to the router using 2.4 GHz and do not advertise 2.4 for client use. Then let the extenders advertise 5 GHz for client use but do not connect that band to the router.

Confused? Me too but I had fun playing with your question and since i've now "bumped" your post you might get a real answer : -)

 

[Kevlarmpowered]

I tried using the same SSID for all of them and while I can prove it, I don't think it worked. Momentary blackouts lead me to believe that they were talking to each other instead of the main router. So I am currently going to try the hidden SSID for the extenders to connect to and see how that works. In theory that should work better as they will have no choice but to connect to that SSID so they won't have to be checking to see if the other SSID is primary.

 

[Klueless]

So I am currently going to try the hidden SSID for the extenders to connect to and see how that works

Looking forward to hearing how that works out ...

(Doesn't "have" to be hidden, just different and not used by clients.)

 

[Kevlarmpowered]

Throughput was horrible... 8-10mbps vs 36mbps. I'd be better off without the extenders...

 

[L&LD]

Throughput was horrible... 8-10mbps vs 36mbps. I'd be better off without the extenders...

That is what I would have expected too.

 

[Klueless]

Throughput was horrible... 8-10mbps vs 36mbps. I'd be better off without the extenders...

Wow, I feel terrible. So disappointing. I suggested it because I've done similar. With two buildings about 75' apart and get about 75 Mbps.

With many apologies ... and humbling embarrassment - Klueless

 

[Kevlarmpowered]

It sounded like a good idea... but I think these extenders are going back in the box as I get higher speeds without them. I didn't want to splurge on those expensive access points, but maybe I have to.

 

[Klueless]

It sounded like a good idea... but I think these extenders are going back in the box as I get higher speeds without them. I didn't want to splurge on those expensive access points, but maybe I have to.

When you say "access point" I assume "wired". If so then I do believe you can "wire" those cheap extenders thus re-purposing them into a real wired access point.

Why we failed I'm not sure. Maybe when we took them out of "auto-magic" mode we had some conflicts. Channel conflicts? Signal overlap? Maybe tweak/learn with just one extender for a bit?

 

[Kevlarmpowered]

I thought I would circle back to drop my feedback. I've been experimenting with these access points probably too much... But I think I finally figure out my problem. To avoid signal overlap and loop... I basically had to use the control panel to block the other device from connecting. It solved the loop problem but speeds were not idea... So I then decided to run some cables and not make them repeaters but actually access points. After lots of placement and moving them around ... I could never get the speeds I was getting from my main router wifi point... Even when wired.

Then it dawned on me... The to link access points when wired have a Max bandwidth of 100mbps because... The port is 100 mpbs. So while I have a stronger signal... The bandwidth will be less. So now the access points remain dormant and if I'm going to be in the extremities of the living area where signal is weak, I'll enable the radio on them for that time. Otherwise I'll deal with the weaker signal that is faster.