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Tutorial Using the Wi-Fi extender, the right way ✔ for MAX speed

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Sachb

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Router (Main)) (1).png


As you can see from the picture above, there are two ways to use the extender:
1) Directly connecting the clients through the Wi-Fi Extender itself. (Top)
2) Using a 2nd Router/AP that will be connected to the extender via an Ethernet cable and then to the clients. (Bottom)

This is the scenario when wiring is not an option from the main Router to the Wifi Extender/Router.
Wifi Extenders when used as in the 1) method will give you a problem of retransmission,
which means when you connect your mobile, any other wireless devices to the extender, the speed will usually be lesser than that of the main router. To solve this we use another AP/Router connecting it to the Wi-Fi extender while Disabling the radios (2.4Ghz/5Ghz) on the Wi-Fi extender in the same room.

Note: Using the same channel as the Main router causes the speed to fall, if the main router's channel is set between (Channel 36-48) use Upper band channels on the 2nd Router/AP (Channel 149-165),
If using (Channel 149-165) on the Main router, use Lower band channels on the 2nd Router/AP (Channel 36-48)


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Instructions:

Step 1) Log in to the web interface of the Extender
Step 2) FInd the main router's SSID and connect to it, (Preferably 5Ghz)
Step 3) Using an Ethernet cable connect one end of the cable in the Wifi Extender, and then another end to the Router's/AP WAN (internet) port
Step 4) Once the router is successfully connected, you'll be able to see the web interface of both the Main router and extender through the Router/AP
Step 5) Disable the radios 2.4Ghz/5Ghz (SSIDs) on the Wifi Extender so that it doesn't broadcast it's own SSID.This is necessary to avoid interference and achieve max speed.
Step 6) Please read the Note above

Since I'm using the D-Link 1860 Wi-fi extender, this is one example of how you can optimize the Wifi speed of the extender. Always place the extender where the wifi signals of the main router are weak but make sure to check that the indicator of the Wi-fi states that the signal is strong enough.
On most TP-Link wifi extenders, it's either Blue or Red, Blue = strong signal, Red = Weak signal, but on the DAP-1860 which has 3 bars, gives a more accurate picture of the Signal, 3 bars meaning the strongest, 1 bar meaning the weakest, that's why D-Link DAP 1860 is one of the best Plugin type wifi extenders which unfortunately got discontinued.

Best plug-in type Wi-fi extenders:
The best plug-in type Wi-fi extender is the AC2600, but the WIfi 6 at the time of writing this tutorial only comes as AX1800, which means at most 1200 Mbps on 5 GHz is achievable which is slower than AC2600 class Wifi 5 extenders which can do 1733 Mbps @ 5 GHz provided you have a matching specced router.

Hope this helps!!!

Feel free to share your thoughts below
 
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I'm very confused by your post.

The base concept is fine, i.e. avoiding retransmission of packets by the extender in the same channel, which doubles airtime use. But:

1) An extender must be set to the same channel(s) as the root router, or it won't be able to communicate.

2) I don't understand Step 5. If you disable radios on the extender, you break the link to the root router.

This information applies to routers without a second 5 GHz radio. You can avoid retransmission by using tri-radio router and extender (or two tri-radio routers, one in bridge mode). The second 5 GHz radio provides a dedicated backhaul. While there is a retransmission, it is on a separate radio. Ideally, the extender 2.4 and low-band 5 GHz radios should be set to different control channels than the root router, to minimize airtime contention.
 
I don’t understand step 5 of the instructions.

Step 5) Disable the radios on the Wifi Extender.

If you disable all of the radios, you won’t have a connection to the main router.
Does the DAP-1860 have more than one radio per band?
 
I'm very confused by your post.

The base concept is fine, i.e. avoiding retransmission of packets by the extender in the same channel, which doubles airtime use. But:

1) An extender must be set to the same channel(s) as the root router, or it won't be able to communicate.

2) I don't understand Step 5. If you disable radios on the extender, you break the link to the root router.

This information applies to routers without a second 5 GHz radio. You can avoid retransmission by using tri-radio router and extender (or two tri-radio routers, one in bridge mode). The second 5 GHz radio provides a dedicated backhaul. While there is a retransmission, it is on a separate radio. Ideally, the extender 2.4 and low-band 5 GHz radios should be set to different control channels than the root router, to minimize airtime contention.
The extender just connects to the router.

What I meant to say is that the SSID on both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz on the WiFi extenders can be disabled and only the ethernet port should be used. The WiFi extender's port should be connected to a good WiFi router.

This is to avoid having 6 SSIDs in total. When you have 2 routers 4 SSIDs is more than enough.
In simple this is to avoid WiFi extender to broadcast SSID.

The 2nd router shouldn't collide with the first router so we change the channel of the second router depending on the channel set on first router.

For eg if you have you main router set to 48 then the 2nd router should be set to anything in 149-165 range
 
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What I meant to say is that the SSID on both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz on the WiFi extenders can be disabled and only the ethernet port should be used.
That makes sense. I suggest you edit your post.

Also, what you are suggesting does not address a "half duplex" problem. Wi-Fi by its nature is half duplex. What you suggest solves retransmission on the same radio, which can double airtime and therefore cut throughput in half.
 
Feel free to share your thoughts below

The use you describe is wireless bridge to another router. Your D-Link device is not an extender anymore. Not every extender* can be configured as wireless bridge only and you need more hardware to achieve the final goal - the second router*. Straight talk - this forum is full of guides mostly based on personal beliefs what is better and created by people with below average networking skills and technology knowledge. Please, before you decide to create your next one, make sure you understand what problem it targets. Not very clear for you what the problem is. It's not half-duplex in this case.

* - this makes the thread title incorrect.
 
That makes sense. I suggest you edit your post.

Also, what you are suggesting does not address a "half duplex" problem. Wi-Fi by its nature is half duplex. What you suggest solves retransmission on the same radio, which can double airtime and therefore cut throughput in half.
Will do the needful.

I'm interested in the Netgear EAX80 WiFi extender, just wanna know if there is an emulator so that I can test it before buying.

Hope it let's me disable the SSID the same way I did on DAP 1860.

Btw, I found the problem which was on my Asus AC86U. The speed falling from 600 - 250 Mbps was due to DFS channel, and the Asus 86U doesn't include channels 149-165 which is sad. It is an EU version.
This is the reason why I didn't go for the Asus AX series (WiFi 6 ) eventhough the Asus sales rep pushed me towards getting the Asus. He literally had "Asus Expert" written on his T-Shirt.

Netgear RAX80 which I recently bought has all the channels starting from 36-165 and DFS channels too.
 
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I don’t understand step 5 of the instructions.

Step 5) Disable the radios on the Wifi Extender.

If you disable all of the radios, you won’t have a connection to the main router.
Does the DAP-1860 have more than one radio per band?
No the DAP 1860 has 1x 2.4Ghz radio and 1x 5Ghz radio which can be disabled (SSID) and to make it work like in bridge mode.

It's cheaper than buying mesh routers which is an overkill for a 2 BHK single storey apartment. Tri-band is where the main thing is but it's expensive.

Someone suggested the Deco M5, very little does he know that the M5 is a 1300 class mesh router which means much lower speeds than the current WiFi extender that I have DAP-1860, but for being unbiased towards tp-link I informed him even if I considered the latest M9 Deco TP-link, it is still a 2200 class mesh router, which is again slower than my WiFi extender.
 
Straight talk - this forum is full of guides mostly based on personal beliefs what is better and created by people with below average networking skills and technology knowledge
Straight talk- That's pretty harsh. The inaccuracies in the post had already been pointed out and corrected.
 
Straight talk- That's pretty harsh.

I know. There is more incorrect details. Like channels 149-165 - only 149-161 can be bonded to 80MHz wide, 165 is 20MHz only. The example setup is using specific Wi-Fi extender model and requires additional hardware. Doesn't apply to Wi-Fi extenders in general. It does make sense* only when re-using existing equipment. This type of 4x4 extenders are >$100/piece. To achieve the goal 2x are needed - one in wireless bridge and one in access point mode. For $200 or less 4x4 routers are available. If the link speed is at maximum 1733Mbps rate, common 2-stream clients still get close to max speed, even using the same radio. @Sachb already has one AC86U router. Another AC86U can do 2167Mbps link speed, 1024QAM.

* - it doesn't make sense at all, if the place is 2-bedroom apartment. Wi-Fi pollution only to get better speedtest numbers.
 
by people with below average networking skills and technology knowledge.
yep, that sounds like me.
This Forum and Members have taught me how to get out of most of the networking issues I seem to create.
 
Step 5) Disable the radios 2.4Ghz/5Ghz (SSIDs) on the Wifi Extender so that it doesn't broadcast it's own SSID.This is necessary to avoid interference and achieve max speed.

Disabling the SSID doesn't eliminate the problem - it just suppresses the broadcast, the SSID is still there, and clients can find it.
 
Disabling the SSID doesn't eliminate the problem - it just suppresses the broadcast, the SSID is still there, and clients can find it.
What? How? If you're disabling the SSID it's not broadcasting it then how would clients find it?
 
How? Easily.
 
I know. There is more incorrect details. Like channels 149-165 - only 149-161 can be bonded to 80MHz wide, 165 is 20MHz only. The example setup is using specific Wi-Fi extender model and requires additional hardware. Doesn't apply to Wi-Fi extenders in general. It does make sense* only when re-using existing equipment. This type of 4x4 extenders are >$100/piece. To achieve the goal 2x are needed - one in wireless bridge and one in access point mode. For $200 or less 4x4 routers are available. If the link speed is at maximum 1733Mbps rate, common 2-stream clients still get close to max speed, even using the same radio. @Sachb already has one AC86U router. Another AC86U can do 2167Mbps link speed, 1024QAM.

* - it doesn't make sense at all, if the place is 2-bedroom apartment. Wi-Fi pollution only to get better speedtest numbers.
You think speed test is the only reason I've done this marvelous setup at my home?

I've done this setup for my USB attached to the main router, so that I can perform backups without me having to leave the room with the most throughput.

Can $200 buy you a Tri-Band router (New)?
 
All the 3 brands from Netgear, D-Link, TP-link let you disable the SSID so that you can use the Extenders in bridge mode, which means using the ethernet port to a AP/Router. Look below:

Netgear Extender: Source

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D-Link Extender:

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TP-LINK Extender: Source


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