MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Bought a TP-Link one a couple of weeks back, and after a few days of it working okay-ish, it's thrown its hand in. I've tried resetting and starting again but this time when running through the setup it has killed the homehub router and I've had to go round resetting all our devices, re-entering passwords, the lot. It's like the TP Link thing got into the router and reset that. No idea how that's even possible. With the router back up and running, the TP Link thing still doesn't work, and it won't let me into the admin page to see what's what. Utter, utter shite basically.
Anyone got any recommendations for one I can simply plug in, connect to, and forget about?
Has the router assigned the range extender a new IP address and if so are you using the old IP address to while trying to log on?
Some options are discussed here:
[url= http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/31576-the-best-way-to-get-whole-house-wireless-coverage ]The Best Way To Get Whole House Wireless Coverage [/url]
I don't know what it's done. Ever time I connect the extender it kills the router.
We changed to Virgin and got their dual band router - it has done a great job of extending the range and we can get wifi pretty much everywhere in the house and garden - before then we got probably 50% coverage in the house and none outside.
I assume there are aftermarket routers around that can do a similar/better job.
Make sure the range extender isnt trying to allocate IP addresses as well as the router (i.e. DHCP off).
A homeplug set up with a wifi unit works well, but isnt the cheapest method.
ID be interested in one of these
http://www.morgancomputers.co.uk/?page=product_detail&product=13661
I've been using one of [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00C6XH6EW/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ]THESE [/url] for a while & it just works.
I really should get another as the signal drops off a bit in my garage at the end of the garden.
Make sure the range extender isnt trying to allocate IP addresses as well as the router (i.e. DHCP off).
+1 - sounds like your TP-Link isn't in extender mode (if it's like mine it can be switched between several operation modes)
This may help:
http://www.tp-link.us/article/?faqid=357
Also make sure its own IP address doesn't conflict with anything.
(TP-Link are generally pretty good)
I appreciate the replies, but the TP Link thing won't let me in to change any settings. It just resets the router. I can't access it either by Wi-Fi or plugged in to the laptop. It's just crap. If it needs all those various settings changed, don't advertise it as plug and play.
Which TP-Link is it? Model?
You should be able to connect to it via ethernet (or maybe USB) [i]without[/i] connecting it to the rest of the network.
..and then just type something like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.100 in the browser address bar to edit settings. TBH though it's a bit rubbish you cant do wireless set up on everything these days.
I'm at a loss to understand how the TP link resets the router. It's supposed to be a slave.
I'm guessing the router (stupidly) flips out due to an address conflict. Seems odd though.
Me too Jambalaya.
Router still makes all the right noises that it's working, but I have to reset the router and forget the network on all our stuff then reconnect and sign in again.
It's a TL-WA370RE
When I try going to the TP Link http admin page, it just times out. That's both Wi-Fi abd Ethernet cable to the laptop.
Anyone got any recommendations for one I can simply plug in, connect to, and forget about?
The problem you have is that not all routers will support extenders, so performance may well be flaky. You are much better off getting hardware that def supports being extended - I know Apple Airport Extreme/Express def work and I have used them to solve coverage issues for clients.
I went the same route for our house: used a non-wireless router for BB connection and then used two Airport Extreme units connected with Cat 5 at either end of the house. Works 100%.
Simply saying 'I fitted a [insert whatever] router and not it covers the whole house' means nothing as not all houses are the same - an older house will be harder to cover than a newer one basically.
I used to use Netgear routers and could never acheive decent cover over the whole house even using a powerline extender.
When I try going to the TP Link http admin page, it just times out.
Sounds like it is at a different IP address now and you are attempting to connect to nothing.
TL-WA370RE
Not [url= http://www.tp-link.us/products/details/?categoryid=1247&model=TL-WA730RE ]TL-WA730RE[/url] ?
features Range Extender Button that allows users to setup the wireless connection with the unsecured network simply by pressing the "Range Extender" button for about 3 seconds.
So, your existing wifi, is it unsecured?
the device also comes with a CD with an Easy Setup Assistant that leads you through the setup process step-by-step, and even helps with wireless network settings and security configurations, which is convenient to the users, especially for novice users.
maybe try this 'easy setup assistant CD?'
If it is that one then the bit you want is in the User Guide:
If you cannot access the web-based configuration page, you can choose the two methods listed below based on your need:• To reconfigure the TL-WA730RE, please refer to T1 in Troubleshooting to reset the product.
• To change only some certain settings of the TL-WA730RE, please refer to T3 in Troubleshooting to assign a static IP address 192.168.0.100 for your computer.
Funnily enough I just got a BT range extender wotsit through the post today, seems to work fine. I would have gone for one of those via the electric circuit thingammies as I've seen good write ups of them, but sadly the electrics are one two different circuits across where I need to get the wifi to go.
Home Wi-Fi is secured.
I've tried the easy setup CD. It's while trying to get the extender to connect to the router during the CD setup that the router is killed. I've tried using the wireless method of connection mentioned in the user guide (that's what I had the initial success with) but it just doesn't work. All the status lights say it is, but it isn't. And either way, I can't get into the extender admin settings as the page times out.
It's an old house I'm trying to sort out. Very long, and the BT line goes in at one end, so the router only really transmits in that end of the house.
What's this BT range extender you mention honeybadgerx?
Oh, and the reset button on the extender doesn't work. It's basically a heap of junk. I'm not interested in ways of making it work, because it simply doesn't. I'm after an easier alternative.
I know with my TL range extender, I needed to first connect the range extender to my laptop over ethernet and set it up - and then it worked fine. I have a secured wireless network and this was the only way it could be done.
In this case you need to turn off the wireless part of the laptop, enable the ethernet port, allocate and address from the wireless range to the laptop and then follow the instructions that came with the range extender.
The BT one I got is just a booster for original signal (I have issues with ~1m thick stone walls!), but they do one which plugs into a socket near your wifi hub (and still lets you use it as an electric socket as well), then transmits your broadband through the wiring in your house, with another socket thing you plug in where you need signal (I think that one has a wifi transmitter in it). You can effectively do the whole thing 'wired' i.e. from hub to socket with cable, then via electrics, then from socket to your computer with a cable.
Hope that makes sense? It's meant to be better than the boosters as you don;t lose capacity (i think they can reduce it by ~50%), but as I'm on two different circuits and my broadband is pants anyway I had to go for the booster.
Have a look on the BT store web page (at work so can't post a link) and there's a decent guide on there that suggests what you need.
It's an old house I'm trying to sort out. Very long, and the BT line goes in at one end, so the router only really transmits in that end of the house.
I'd give long consideration to a similar system to mine, so a router at each end of the house (in reality, one where the line comes in and the other half way down the house) with a cable connection (either with an external cable or via powerline thingies). That way you will get a solid signal everywhere. Airport extremes can be bought off ebay for £50 and are dead easy to set up plus they give you the option of network printers/drives.
Just so you are aware, a range extender (any type) can only transmit the strength of signal it receives from the router. So if you put an extender in a location where it gets a 20% signal you will only be able to transfer data through the extender at 20% of the full signal rate.
Got an old house and a homeplug set up. Works well. Link the router to the mains using a standard plug, or one with pass through power if you are short of sockets, and plug in a wifi plug at other end of house. If necessary add another in a different socket half way along. I have used Solwise for the plugs and they have been fine. Similar system worked in a friends house where he was becoming thoroughly frustrated by range extenders. 2 plugs cost around 50ukp if I remember