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So i've got a ZTE H220N router downstairs (provided by my ISP) which works excellent. However, a few floors upstairs, the signal is pretty weak. So I've got a 300Mbps Wireless N Access Point, the TP-Link 'TL-WA901N(D)'. For as far as I've experienced yet: It works problematicly. However, I can't return it (anymore), so i'm stuck with it and I'm not spending any more money, so that's the hardware to use.

Well, what's problematic: Somehow when I turn this thingy on, TV (Internet TV) downstairs doesn't work anymore, getting no signal. Somehow the second router/repeater interfers with it. And I'm 100% positively sure that it's the TP-Link. Though, Im also sure it can be solved by changing the configuration of the router.

So let's get on-topic.

First question. Router two is connected by a LAN (UTP 6) cable to the main router. The second router will cast wireless signal to all devices. There isn't any wish for an additional configuration, apart from the original one; it doesn't need to work different compared to the main one. So as far as I'm concerned: It should work exactly the same.

So question is: What operation mode should the second router/repeater be on; Client mode, Access Point, Repeater, Universal repeater, Bridge with AP.

Second: What of the other configuration (SSID/Channel/IP/DHCP (on/off)) should be exactly the same // Completely different?

I'm sure that'll solve pretty much it.

Thanks guys!

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Requirement:

Two routers connected by Cat 6 (UTP 6) will need to be in a cross-over configuration as they are same layer device (This isn't always needed with some but is best practice unless you want to be troubleshooting layer 1 issues) so one end of the cable needs to be configured in a T568A configuration and the other in a T568B configuration. Any good tech shop will sell these pre-made as a cross-over cable(You can also get cross-over adapters but they are not advisable for long term usage)

1st and 2nd question:

Modes and SSID are highly dependent on needs.

1st suggestible configuration: as it's the easiest to configure and there isn't weird config issues that leave red marks on your forehead in a keyboard pattern.

Setup the 2nd router in AP mode, assign a static IP on your subnet outside your DHCP server range and let your DHCP server address new connections as they appear on your 2nd router. In this configuration you assign the device a different SSID and effectively have 2 WLAN running on the 1 LAN. This configuration is really easy and very little can go wrong

2nd configuration: Repeater/Bridge mode... you can setup your TP-Link to repeat your first network this will mean that it will broadcast the same SSID and device will switch "Seamlessly" between them. (If the quotation marks could have been bigger they would have been) Now there should be steps provided by your manufacture on how to setup the TP-Link in Repeater/Bridge mode and it will differ slightly from model to model so I did a google search for "tl-wa901n repeater setup" and the one of the first links was just a set of forum posts about how repeater mode wasn't working so I will leave it to you to find the steps

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  • I think i'm going for the 1st configuration, even though It have always been on AP mode. Which might have caused the interferrence with the TV downstairs.. Somehow. Though, I'm pretty sure it's already setup like you've said... Which of the two configurations gives the strongest/fastest connection? I assume the first one? – Sander Schaeffer Sep 12 '13 at 22:01
  • @SanderSchaeffer Both will give the same performance - the only benefit is with the 2nd in which you have a "Seamless network" – 50-3 Sep 12 '13 at 22:10
  • Doesn't repeater mode fully rely on WiFi, not using the Ethernet cable at all, which should give weaker performance? – Sander Schaeffer Sep 12 '13 at 22:14
  • It does so if your 2nd router is to far from the 1st the first option would be more ideal, you could you bridge over ethernet if you didn't want to use the wifi connection – 50-3 Sep 12 '13 at 22:41

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