How To Setup TP Link Extender. If you want Internet access at your home or workplace, you’ll almost certainly have to set up a network of some sort. For example, you may utilize the same network connection for all of your devices, ranging from laptop computers to mobile phones to printers and scanners. A router, a unit that connects to your cable modem or satellite modem and distributes Internet services across the region, both wirelessly and via Ethernet cables, is the most common method of accomplishing this goal. Many service providers merge the router and modem into a single box, although this will make no difference to users.
Wireless Range – Theory and Practice
The fact that radio waves, which are used by WiFi networks to communicate, propagate very well through open air but are much less effective when asked to propagate through solid objects, such as walls or doors, is a problem that frequently arises during the installation of wireless networks and is one of the most common issues that arises. Radio waves are able to get through such obstructions, but the effort required to do so consumes a sizeable portion of their power. You could discover, for instance, that a piece of wireless gear has a nominal range of 600 feet. This is just one example. And if you put that equipment outside, in beautiful weather, in a huge wide field, with nothing in between the two network components, you would discover that they would operate very well even if they were 600 feet away. This is because there would be nothing to interfere with the signal.
Now try doing the same thing inside a house that is packed with walls, freezers, entrances, and staircases. It’s possible that your network won’t be able to reach anything that’s just 60 feet away, which is merely 10 percent of the nominal range. An annoying issue that might have a variety of root causes, weak WiFi can be especially difficult to deal with. You could have a router that simply does not broadcast with enough strength to reach all of the nooks and crannies of your home, or there might be obstructions in the path of the signal. Both of these things might be the cause of the problem. In general, obstacles are things like walls or floors that are unusually thick, but other common household items can and do create signal issues as well. I once wasted about four hours trying to figure out why a wireless router wasn’t able to reach quite nearby rooms in my home before realizing that I was asking the signal to go directly through a home gym setup, which consisted of approximately 500 pounds of cast iron directly in the signal path. After realizing this, the wireless router was able to reach the rooms in my home.
If you have a big house or office, or if you are seeking to expand your Internet connection to a facility in the backyard such as a shed, garage, or patio area, then a wireless network extender could be the solution that you need. TP-Link is a firm that specializes in networking and manufactures a wide range of networking equipment, including whole-home wireless routers, range extenders, modems, and switches, among other things. For the sake of this piece, we will be focusing on their assortment of range extenders. However, mastering home networking may be something of a challenge, despite the fact that range extenders are typically not costly and perform quite well. In this post, you will learn how range extenders operate, why you might need one (or more), and how to set up TP Link extender model. In addition, you will learn why you might need a range extender.
How do Range Extenders work?
Wireless network extenders function by receiving and rebroadcasting WiFi signals from your wireless router in order to increase signal strength in regions that were previously physically prohibited. There are two sorts of extenders: antenna-based extenders, which add another broadcasting node to your network; and power-line extenders, which use your home’s electrical system as a wired network to send wireless signals across (or through) barriers.
As an example, consider this common housing layout: The router may be found in the living room. The layout shows areas with a strong signal, a good signal, a weak signal, and no signal. (Note that this is a simplified example; in real life, a house this size could be covered by one router, but I don’t want to fill up your screen with a large house floorplan.)
Also Read: How To Connect Hotspot With Laptop
How To Setup TP Link extender?
To begin, connect the TP-Link extender to your computer using an Ethernet wire. This is so that we can program the wifi settings into it and connect it.
- Connect your TP-Link extension to a power outlet.
- Use an Ethernet wire to connect it to your computer.
- Navigate to http://tplinkrepeater.net using your computer’s browser. If that fails, try http://192.168.0.254. A TP-Link web page should display.
- Choose Quick Setup and then Next.
- Next, select your area.
- Allow the TP-Link extender to search for available wireless networks. It might take a minute or two, depending on how many networks are nearby.
- Select Next after selecting your wireless network from the list.
- When asked, enter the wifi password.
- If you want a single bigger wireless network, choose ‘Copy from the main router,’ otherwise choose ‘Customize.’
- Next should be selected.
- In the last window, review the network settings and click Finish if everything is in order.
The TP-Link extender will reboot and, hopefully, enable internet connectivity. First, test it with an Ethernet cable, then without it using wifi. Depending on the type of your TP-Link extender, there may be a light on the front that indicates whether or not it is connected to the network. Keep an eye on this to ensure it can sustain a connection.
Configure TP-Link extender with WPS button
You can also use the WPS button on your router to configure everything. WPS stands for WiFi Protected Setup, and it allows you to automatically and safely configure networks. The button is a physical button that is usually located on the back of a router and is labeled WPS.
Some TP-Link extenders include WPS buttons that can be used to configure them.
- Connect the TP-Link extender to a power outlet near your wireless router.
- On the back of the router, press the WPS button. A WPS LED should begin to blink. If it does not, press it again.
- On the TP-Link extender, press the WPS button. The WPS light should also blink here. If it doesn’t, press it again.
WPS eliminates the need to manually configure the settings on your TP-Link extender. By pressing the WPS button, you tell the router that you want it to connect to a device that has also enabled WiFi Protected Setup. To add a little security, there is a two-minute window in which the router will accept connections.
WPS can be hit or miss, which is why I didn’t recommend using it first. If it fails to detect the wireless network, restart both devices and try again. If that doesn’t work, try configuring it manually as described above.
Following the basic procedure for configuring your TP-Link extender, you should have a fast connection from every room in the house. If you’re not getting the desired results, try putting the extender in different places until you find the one that works best.
Need assistance with other WiFi-related issues? TechJunkie has tutorials on how to connect to WiFi without a password, how to tell if someone is stealing your WiFi service, how to block someone from using your WiFi, connecting to WiFi with a Kindle Fire, finding the best outdoor WiFi antennas, and diagnosing and fixing problems where your WiFi works but your Internet doesn’t.
Follow Us On Our Social Media Platforms
