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How to Extend Your Wi-Fi Network With an Old Router

(http://lifehacker.com/how-to-extend-your-wi-fi-network-with-
an-old-router-915783308)
Adam Dachis (http://adachis.kinja.com) 533,589 16
Filed to: ROUTER (/TAG/ROUTER) 7/30/13 8:00am (http://lifehacker.com/how-to-extend-your-wi-fi-network-with-an-old-r
(http://adachis.kinja.com)

EXPAND

1 (http://lifehacker.com/4-ethernet-cables-hooked-up-this-guy-is-a-power-user-973212813)

When you upgrade to a faster, better router, don’t toss your old one. Whether through stock or custom
firmware, you can likely turn it into a repeater that can carry your Wi-Fi’s signal to the dark corners of
your home.

We used to have a smaller selection of Wi-Fi routers and technologies. Most of us used 802.11g
routers for a tolerable 54mbps connection. Then 802.11n came along and gave us wireless networks a
much-needed speed boost, but with some limitations. This year an even faster standard proliferated
—802.11ac (http://lifehacker.com/5988340/what-is-80211ac-and-will-it-make-my-wi+fi-faster)—
bringing wireless speeds a heck of a lot closer to what we can expect from a standard wired
connection. By now, you probably have an old router lying around that you can use to boost your
signal. Unfortunately, if you just upgraded, that router probably offers slower speeds than your new
one. While you can’t make it magically provide faster transfer rates, it can give you a signal where you
couldn’t get one before. That said, if you need speed you might need to consider an alternative signal-
boosting route. We’ll take a look at the DIY methods in this post, but also suggest a few other options
at the end for those of you who need something better than old hardware.

(http://lifehacker.com/5988340/what-is-80211ac-and-will-it-make-my-wi+fi-
faster)
What Is 802.11ac and Will It Make My Wi-Fi Faster? (http://lifehacker.com/5988340/what-is-
80211ac-and-will-it-make-my-wi+fi-faster)What Is 802.11ac and Will It Make My Wi-Fi Faster?
(http://lifehacker.com/5988340/what-is-80211ac-and-will-it-make-my-wi+fi-faster)What Is 802.11ac
and Will It Make My Wi-Fi Faster? (http://lifehacker.com/5988340/what-is-80211ac-and-will-it-
make-my-wi+fi-faster)
Dear Lifehacker, My wireless router is slow as dirt, and I've been looking for a new one.…
Read more (http://lifehacker.com/5988340/what-is-80211ac-and-will-it-make-my-wi+fi-faster)

What You’ll Need

When creating a range-boosting Wi-Fi repeater, what you need will vary. Some routers have repeater
functionality built in. Others need custom firmware to get the job done. Take a look at this list before
you get started, but pay careful attention to what you’ve got because you may not need everything on
it.
 An old router: “Old” means a router not in use anymore, not one that’s eligible for retirement
·
benefits. In fact, the newer your “old” router is, the better it will work because it will come closer
(or match) the network speeds provided by your new one. Basically, you need a router that you
can repurpose into a repeater and that means one you don’t need to run your network anymore.

· Custom firmware: You may or may not actually need custom firmware to create a range-
boosting Wi-Fi repeater out of your “old” router. Check your router’s admin page to find out if
you can turn it into a repeater already. If not, you’ll want to look at DD-WRT (http://dd-
KINJA
wrt.com/site/support/router-database)
MENU (/)
LOG IN yourSIGN
to check if it supports UP Some prefer
router.
OpenWRT (http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/start) and Tomato (http://tomato.groov.pl/?
RECOMMENDED BY ADAM DACHIS
page_id=164) (HTTP://ADACHIS.KINJA.C…
because DD-WRT’s development died down quite a bit over the past couple of
Welcomeyears, but it nevertheless
to Lifehacker's offers
Fifth Annual Evilthe most straightforward option for creating a wireless repeater.
Week
(http://lifehacker.com/welcome-to-lifehackers-
Nevertheless, we'll discuss Tomato and OpenWRT in brief later on.
fifth-annual-evil-week-1647621043)
How to Boost Your Phishing Detection Skills and
· AEmail
Avoid Scams or pen: If all goes well, you won’t need either of these things. If not, you may need to
paperclip
(http://lifehacker.com/5873050/how-to-boost-
reset your router. Mistakes can happen when messing around with router settings and, in this
your-phishing-scam-detection-skills)
case, you can accidentally make your old router’s admin section inaccessible. In case that
How tohappens,
Upgradehave
to thea Latest
pen oriPhone for Free
paperclip handy to hit the reset button so you can quickly recover from
(http://lifehacker.com/5636975/how-to-upgrade-
any issues.
to-the-latest-iphone-for-free)

See Which iPhone 6 Size is Best for You with

These Printable Cutouts
(http://lifehacker.com/see-which-iphone-6-size-
As you can see, you don’t need much to get started. If your router’s stock firmware already has a Wi-Fi
is-best-for-you-with-these-prin-1632649966)
repeating function, move on to the next section. If not, skip it and head to the custom firmware
50 Waysthat
section to Liven Up Your Labor Day
follows.
(http://lifehacker.com/50-ways-to-liven-up-your-
labor-day-1223058028)
Turn Your Router into a Repeater with Stock Firmware
Acknowledge the "Reverse Gap" to Be Happier
withEXPAND
Your Life
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gap-to-be-happier-with-your-l-1624456145)
Chain Restaurants, Ranked
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1621009287)
Here's the 4K IMAX Camera That's Going to
Make 3D Movies Awesome Again
(http://gizmodo.com/heres-the-4k-imax-camera-
thats-going-to-make-3d-movies-1588929194)

How I Went Completely Paperless in Two Days

(http://lifehacker.com/5973033/how-i-turned-
three-years-of-paper-into-a-highly-organized-
2 (/i-need-to-learn-network-and-configure-router-please-you-1275758741)
searchable-document-database-in-two-days)
A number of modern routers offer repeater functionality out of the box. While we can’t provide
instructions forImportant
The Three Most every single router
Things on the market, we can give you a basic guide to enabling this
Lifehacker
Taught Me
feature (Also,
and Pranks)
setting it up. Before we get started, here’s a list of brands we know of that offer repeater
(http://lifehacker.com/the-three-most-important-
functionality on some routers:
things-lifehacker-taught-me-a-1562907065)
· Your
Turn Linksys
Bike (official documentation
into a Safe-at-Night (http://kb.linksys.com/Linksys/ukp.aspx?
TRON-Cycle
with EL Wire (http://lifehacker.com/turn-your-
pid=80&vw=1&articleid=4200))
bike-into-a-safe-at-night-tron-cycle-with-el-
1561959495)

· Belkin
SofaPlay Streams Media
(official from Your Mac (http://www.belkin.com/us/support-article?rnId=37)
documentation to Your for
TV viabridging)
Drag and Drop
(http://lifehacker.com/sofaplay-streams-media-
from-your-mac-to-your-tv-via-dra-1557166068)
Turn Two Gas Cans into a Serious Speaker Set
· Apple (official documentation (http://support.apple.com/kb/PH5104))
(http://lifehacker.com/turn-two-gas-cans-into-a-
serious-speaker-set-1562046768)
Shreddies Underwear Filter Out the Unpleasant
Smell of Your Farts
Once you’ve verified you have a router with this functionality built-in, follow these steps:
(http://afterhours.lifehacker.com/shreddies-
underwear-filter-out-the-unpleasant-smell-of-
1. Make note of both your new and old router’s MAC addresses. You can often find it on the bottom
1561934341)
of your router or in your router’s status section. (It looks like 00:00:00:00:00:00.) You’ll need
both addresses to create a bridge.

2. Plug in and turn on your old router, then connect to its admin page. You can find the URL to this
page in your router’s manual. (Most have a URL like http://192.168.1.1 (http://192.168.1.1).)

3. Enter the admin username and password if requested. You’ll find the defaults in the router’s
manual, too.

4. Locate the repeater settings on your router’s admin page. Some routers distinguish between
repeating a wireless signal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_repeater)—simply extending
the one your primary router provides—and wirelessly bridging a network gap
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_bridge)—not extending the signal but allowing you to
connect computers and other devices via ethernet to the secondary router to gain a connection.
While a little confusing on its own, some manufacturers make things even worse by
misappropriating the term “Wireless Bridge Mode” as a method for actually repeating the signal
(Apple sort of does this, for starters). If you have a Linksys router, its admin software will
 differentiate. Other companies may not, so look into their documentation to see if you can
bridge the two together and still have the secondary (old) router broadcast an extended Wi-Fi
signal. Once you’ve figured this all out, head over to the appropriate page to change the settings.

5. You’ll either have a drop-down menu to select your router’s mode or a Wireless Repeater
checkbox. Your router should default to AP (access point) mode, so change it to Wireless
Repeater or just tick the Wireless Repeater box. (As previously noted, in some cases you’ll need
to create a bridge.)

6. Upon enabling Wireless Repeater mode, you’ll need to enter the MAC address of your new
router that you noted earlier. Do this and click Apply, Save, or whatever your router’s
manufacturer named the button that applies your new settings.

7. If creating a bridge, you may need to repeat these steps on your new router.

Obviously this process gets a little convoluted due to how some manufacturers chose to label certain
features. To quickly summarize, you only need to enable Wireless Repeater mode, enter the MAC
address of the new/primary router, and save your settings to boost your signal. It’s all pretty easy once
you know where to look.

Turn Your Router into a Repeater with Custom Firmware

 EXPAND

Not all routers support repeating a wireless signal out of the box. As a result, you need to utilize
custom firmware. Check DD-WRT’s router database (http://dd-wrt.com/site/support/router-
database) to make sure it supports your router and follow these steps to get the job done:

1. Install the DD-WRT custom firmware on your router. For the most part, you just need to find a
compatible version on one of the aforementioned sites and upload it to your router the same way
you would with an official firmware update. Some firmware packages require a few extra steps,
however, so make sure you read the instructions that come with your specific custom firmware.
If you don’t, you risk bricking your router. If you need more help, we have an in-depth DD-WRT
guide (http://lifehacker.com/how-to-supercharge-your-router-with-dd-wrt-508138224) to walk
you through the process.

2. With DD-WRT installed, load up the admin page (likely at http://192.168.1.1

(http://192.168.1.1) or your router’s default address, as specific in its manual).

3. Select Basic Settings (if necessary) and locate the Wireless Mode drop-down menu. Select
"Repeater" from the list (or "Repeater Bridge" if you know what you're doing and plan to repeat
the signal and create a network bridge). Change the Wireless Network Name (SSID) to the exact
same SSID as your primary router. Click Save.
4. The page will reload and you'll see the Virtual Interfaces section at the bottom. Click the Add
button underneath. Enter a new and different SSID (e.g. Router Repeater)—not one already in
use—and click Save.

5. Visit the Wireless Security sub-tab and you'll see the two interfaces you just saw in the last tab:
the hardware interface and the virtual one you just created. In the physical section, fill out the
exact same settings as your primary router. You need to use the same security method, the same
password—all of it. Do the exact same thing for the virtual interface.

6. Click the Setup tab up top, then the Basic Setup sub-tab if not selected by default. Scroll down to
the Network Setup section. Change your local IP address to something other than the local IP
address of your primary router. For example, if your primary router's local IP address is
192.168.1.1, make your old router's (the repeater's) 192.168.2.1 (or something along those lines).
Basically, change that third number to something else that you'll remember. When finished, hit
the Save button at the bottom of the page.

7. Click the Security tab and then the Firewall section if not already selected by default. Disable the
SPI Firewall and uncheck all the boxes in Block WAN Requests if they don't get disabled
automatically.

8. Click Save, then click Apply Settings. Once it finishes rebooting, you can connect to it and enjoy
the benefits of a repeated signal.

(http://lifehacker.com/how-to-supercharge-your-router-with-dd-wrt-508138224)
How to Supercharge Your Router with DD-WRT (http://lifehacker.com/how-to-supercharge-your-
router-with-dd-wrt-508138224)How to Supercharge Your Router with DD-WRT
(http://lifehacker.com/how-to-supercharge-your-router-with-dd-wrt-508138224)How to
Supercharge Your Router with DD-WRT (http://lifehacker.com/how-to-supercharge-your-router-
with-dd-wrt-508138224)
Few routers utilize their full potential out of the box because their firmware limits their…
Read more (http://lifehacker.com/how-to-supercharge-your-router-with-dd-wrt-508138224)
Although a fairly in-depth process, setting up a repeater shouldn’t take more than 5-10 minutes if you
have all your information read. But what about using something other than DD-WRT? Our friends
over at How-To Geek have a guide on creating a repeater with Tomato
(http://www.howtogeek.com/104007/how-to-extend-your-wireless-network-with-tomato-powered-
routers/), but it’s more of a workaround as Tomato doesn’t support this functionality explicitly.
OpenWRT seems to have a similar, simpler option but we don’t have a compatible router to test it
with. Nevertheless, if you want to give it a try instead of using Tomato or DD-WRT this video
demonstrates the process (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rbsh2zxPnk).

When Old Hardware Won’t Do

EXPAND

Sometimes you need faster speeds or your old hardware just doesn’t work very well anymore. In those
cases, you can pick up some wireless-repeating tools without breaking the bank. Here are a few
options that work well when you need to carry your wireless signal farther but can’t implement a DIY
solution:

· TP-Link Wireless N150 (http://lifehacker.com/5947106/tp+link-wireless-n150-mini-pocket-

router-is-a-great-cheap-alternative-to-the-airport-express): About the size of an Airport
Express, it provides 802.11n speeds, works in all kinds of modes (including repeater mode), and
fits in a shirt pocket.

· Satechi Wireless Multifunction Router (http://lifehacker.com/5985075/satechi-wireless-

multifunction-mini-router-solves-many-wireless-internet-needs-with-a-tiny-footprint): Same
802.11n speeds, same repeating options, smaller size.
 ASUS RT-AC66U (http://www.amazon.co%6D/gp/product/B008ABOJKS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?
·
ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004DEJ6XG&linkCode=as2&tag=life
hackeramzn--20): If you need 802.11ac speeds and have a long range to cover, this router might
even handle the task on its own. If not, you can pick up another and put it into a built-in bridge
mode that automatically repeats the signal.

(http://lifehacker.com/5985075/satechi-wireless-multifunction-mini-router-
solves-many-wireless-internet-needs-with-a-tiny-footprint)
Satechi Wireless Multifunction Mini Router Solves Many Wireless Internet Needs with a Tiny
Footprint (http://lifehacker.com/5985075/satechi-wireless-multifunction-mini-router-solves-many-
wireless-internet-needs-with-a-tiny-footprint)Satechi Wireless Multifunction Mini Router Solves
Many Wireless Internet Needs with a Tiny Footprint (http://lifehacker.com/5985075/satechi-
wireless-multifunction-mini-router-solves-many-wireless-internet-needs-with-a-tiny-
footprint)Satechi Wireless Multifunction Mini Router Solves
(http://lifehacker.com/5985075/satechi-wireless-multifunction-mini-router-solves-many-wireless-
internet-needs-with-a-tiny-footprint)
We love our pocket routers, because they're great for both travel and home use. The
Satechi…
Read more (http://lifehacker.com/5985075/satechi-wireless-multifunction-mini-router-solves-many-wireless-
internet-needs-with-a-tiny-footprint)

(http://lifehacker.com/5947106/tp+link-wireless-n150-mini-pocket-router-is-a-
great-cheap-alternative-to-the-airport-express)
TP-Link Wireless N150 Mini Pocket Router Is a Great, Super-Cheap Alternative to the Airport
Express (http://lifehacker.com/5947106/tp+link-wireless-n150-mini-pocket-router-is-a-great-cheap-
alternative-to-the-airport-express)TP-Link Wireless N150 Mini Pocket Router Is a Great, Super-
Cheap Alternative to the Airport Express (http://lifehacker.com/5947106/tp+link-wireless-n150-
mini-pocket-router-is-a-great-cheap-alternative-to-the-airport-express)TP-Link Wireless N150 Mini
Pocket Router Is a Grea (http://lifehacker.com/5947106/tp+link-wireless-n150-mini-pocket-router-
is-a-great-cheap-alternative-to-the-airport-express)
The Apple Airport Express, back when it was a cube you plugged into the wall, made for a
great…
Read more (http://lifehacker.com/5947106/tp+link-wireless-n150-mini-pocket-router-is-a-great-cheap-
alternative-to-the-airport-express)
Obviously you’ll save a lot more money if you stick with 802.11n, but if you need to buy new hardware
for repeating a signal these options will do the trick. If you need more than just a repeater, check out
our Top 10 Ways to Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal (http://lifehacker.com/5931743/top-10-ways-to-boost-
your-home-wi+fi) for additional options.

(http://lifehacker.com/5931743/top-10-ways-to-boost-your-home-wi+fi)
Top 10 Ways to Boost Your Home Wi-Fi (http://lifehacker.com/5931743/top-10-ways-to-boost-your-
home-wi+fi)Top 10 Ways to Boost Your Home Wi-Fi (http://lifehacker.com/5931743/top-10-ways-to-
boost-your-home-wi+fi)Top 10 Ways to Boost Your Home Wi-Fi (http://lifehacker.com/5931743/top-
10-ways-to-boost-your-home-wi+fi)
Wi-Fi is one of the most useful and important parts of using a computer, and yet it's also
one …
Read more (http://lifehacker.com/5931743/top-10-ways-to-boost-your-home-wi+fi)

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atomicrabbit (http://atomicrabbit.kinja.com) Adam Dachis

7/30/13 9:05am (http://lifehacker.com/correct-me-if-im-wrong-but-doesnt-setting-up-a-wireless-963304706)
(http://atomicrabbit.kinja.com)
Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't setting up a Wireless Repeater significantly cut your wifi
speed?

When I bought my house, I had wired the entire house (ran at least 1 wire to each room) with
cat6. I had my router set up in the basement with all patch panel, switch, ATA, etc). I noticed
the wifi signal was weak from the top floor (at the time I was running a Buffalo WHR-HP-G54
running tomato because it has much better QoS than DD-WRT). So later on I upgraded to an
ASUS RT-N16. I then re-purposed the Buffalo router as a secondary router to extend the wifi
signal. At first I was reading up about setting it up as a Wireless Repeater, but all the forum
posts I read said that the wifi signal would be significantly slower (half the speed).
Then I did some reading on how to extend the wifi with another wired router. Since my whole
house was wired anyway I just connected the Buffalo router to the ethernet in the spare room
on my 2nd floor and installed DD-WRT. All it required for setup was:

1. Set the router IP to something other than the main router (192.168.1.2 in my case)
2. Set the Conntection Type to Disabled
3. Disable DHCP (because the main router will handle this)
4. Setup the wifi with the same SSID and password as the main router, but different channel
than the main router.

The result is when you move around the house, it will automatically switch/connect to the
router with the best signal and no drop in speed since both routers are wired.

Obviously this requires that you have a wired connection to the area you want to put the second
router and isn't the case most of the time. I prefer wired over wireless EVERYTIME unless I
absolutely need it (e.g. mobile devices without wired connections, or laptops). Everything else
in my house is wired:

- I have 2 Smart TVs that have Wireless capabilities but they're both wired because WiFi is still
too unreliable when streaming media from my media pc or netflix/hulu/etc.
- I have 2 desktops and a media server. One of them is an iMac with WiFi capabilities but I have
it wired.

My opinion is if it's capable of being hardwired and it's stationary or not moving often, use
ethernet. That goes for laptops that sit on a desk all day too. It's much more reliable anyway.

Additionally, since the 2nd router was using DD-WRT, I looked into how to set up a guest wifi
(tomato doesn't support guest wifi). It was a little more time consuming, but having a wifi
connection for guests only is very useful.

7 Reply

Johan R (http://atticuscr.kinja.com) atomicrabbit

7/30/13 10:24am (http://lifehacker.com/afaik-when-working-as-repeater-the-speed-will-be-half-964403137)
(http://atticuscr.kinja.com)
AFAIK, When working as Repeater, the Speed will be half of what's supposed to be, and if you
do a Repeater of a Repeater, the connection will be 1/4 of the original connection
1 Reply

atomicrabbit (http://atomicrabbit.kinja.com) Johan R

7/30/13 11:33am (http://lifehacker.com/yeah-that-sounds-similar-to-what-i-read-as-well-thanks-965376584)
(http://atomicrabbit.kinja.com)
yeah that sounds similar to what I read as well. Thanks for confirming.
Reply

Joe B (http://joebetsill.kinja.com) atomicrabbit

7/30/13 11:56am (http://lifehacker.com/i-had-a-similar-issue-except-my-house-isnt-wired-up-965694996)
(http://joebetsill.kinja.com)
 I had a similar issue, except my house *isn't* wired up. I've had great success with running the
internet over the coax cable, which is in nearly every room, using this: http://goo.gl/NQ7fmo
(http://goo.gl/NQ7fmo) Not the cheapest option, I suppose, but setup was very simple and the
speeds are fine for video streaming, which is all I really do.

I tried making the SSID the same, and met spectacular failure, which is mildly annoying. I
might try again— maybe I can figure it out. I didn't ensure they were on different channels;
maybe that's the ticket.
Reply

atomicrabbit (http://atomicrabbit.kinja.com) Joe B

7/30/13 12:35pm (http://lifehacker.com/yeah-you-need-to-make-sure-theyre-on-different-channels-9662536
(http://atomicrabbit.kinja.com)
Yeah you need to make sure they're on different channels. If they're on the same channel, they'll
interfere with each other. My main router is using channel 11 and my second router is using
channel 1.

Read this: http://www.howtogeek.com/104469/how-to-...

(http://www.howtogeek.com/104469/how-to-extend-your-wi-fi-network-with-simple-access-
points/)

There's a section just on channel selection for multiple routers near the end of the article.
Reply

Show more replies in this thread (http://lifehacker.com/correct-me-if-im-wrong-but-doesnt-setting-up-a-wireless-

963304706)

jedi4life (http://jedi4life.kinja.com) Adam Dachis

7/30/13 8:11am (http://lifehacker.com/if-its-in-wireless-repeater-mode-can-i-still-use-the-u-962589815)
(http://jedi4life.kinja.com)
if it's in wireless repeater mode, can i still use the unused LAN ports on the back to plug in
wired devices like a bluray player, smart tv, xbox, etc..? or does the IP assigning not work
anymore?

Reply

MightyPez (http://mightypez.kinja.com) jedi4life

7/30/13 8:27am (http://lifehacker.com/typically-yes-every-router-i-have-had-that-was-setup-962802256)
(http://mightypez.kinja.com)
Typically, yes. Every router I have had that was setup in repeater mode left the wired switching
intact.
Reply

TheBroox (http://thebroox.kinja.com) jedi4life

7/30/13 8:59am (http://lifehacker.com/most-likely-but-if-it-doesnt-this-little-guy-works-gre-963227384)
(http://thebroox.kinja.com)
 Most likely, but if it doesn't this little guy works great for exactly what you described.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005KN1YV6/ref=oh_details_o01_s01_i00?
ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=lifehackeramzn-20&ascsubtag=
[type|comment[postId|963227384[asin|B005KN1YV6[authorId|5784367220164859825)

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[postId|963227384[asin|B005KN1YV6[authorId|5784367220164859825[referrer|www.google.gr[type|mod-
title)

Reply

Show more replies in this thread (http://lifehacker.com/if-its-in-wireless-repeater-mode-can-i-still-use-the-u-962589815)

EClaus (http://eclaus.kinja.com) Adam Dachis

7/30/13 8:40am (http://lifehacker.com/will-doing-this-allow-for-more-wireless-devices-on-the-962978778)
(http://eclaus.kinja.com)
Will doing this allow for more wireless devices on the network? I am having an issue were I hit
10 wireless devices and not everyone can be on wifi.

Reply

TigerSaint (http://tigersaint.kinja.com) EClaus

7/30/13 8:48am (http://lifehacker.com/thats-very-odd-as-long-as-you-have-available-ips-to-p-963086769)
(http://tigersaint.kinja.com)
That's very odd. As long as you have available IPs to provide to all the devices, you should be
able to add as many as you want. You may need to check the IP pool on your DHCP server
(probably your router)
Reply

cjyoda78 (http://cjyoda78.kinja.com) EClaus

7/30/13 8:54am (http://lifehacker.com/some-old-routers-had-a-small-limit-of-max-connections-963157858)
(http://cjyoda78.kinja.com)
Some old routers had a small limit of max connections...but usually that could be upped in the
firmware. it wasn't a hardware limitation. unless for some reason your your router doesn't have
enough IP's from weird DHCP settings
Reply
 Cody Brown (http://xrkund.kinja.com) EClaus
7/30/13 9:07am (http://lifehacker.com/ive-had-problems-if-my-router-was-set-to-a-saturated-fr-963339702)
(http://xrkund.kinja.com)
I've had problems if my router was set to a saturated frequency. Switching frequency channels
solved my issues.
1 Reply

Blackb (http://blackberry212.kinja.com) EClaus

7/30/13 10:21am (http://lifehacker.com/on-a-busy-wireless-network-switch-your-preamble-from-s-9643547
(http://blackberry212.kinja.com)
On a Busy wireless network, switch your preamble from short to long to ensure service
Reply

Jon (http://bwearmp.kinja.com) Adam Dachis

7/30/13 8:39am (http://lifehacker.com/can-the-two-routers-connect-via-wi-fi-or-ethernet-to-se-962955717)
(http://bwearmp.kinja.com)
Can the two routers connect via Wi-Fi or Ethernet to set this up?

The topology diagram above appears to show the two connected via Wi-Fi but I'd like to hard-
wire the connection between the main router and the repeater if it improve speeds for devices
using the repeater's signal.

Thanks for the guide!

Reply

MightyPez (http://mightypez.kinja.com) Jon

7/30/13 8:44am (http://lifehacker.com/depends-on-what-youre-using-to-bridge-via-wifi-the-rou-963020576)
(http://mightypez.kinja.com)
Depends on what you're using. To bridge via wifi the router would need to be capable of wireless
distribution services (WDS). I haven't checked stock router firmwares in a while, but most of
them didn't have this capability. DD-WRT and Tomato include this in their bundles.

With that said, WDS can be tricky. The few times I used it the speeds were very poor and the
connection was very susceptible to timeouts.
Reply

Jon (http://bwearmp.kinja.com) MightyPez

7/30/13 9:08am (http://lifehacker.com/i-would-prefer-to-bridge-them-via-a-wired-connection-w-963355006)
(http://bwearmp.kinja.com)
I would prefer to bridge them via a wired connection, which sounds like is easier and preferable
if I am understanding your post correctly.

Thanks!
Reply

MightyPez (http://mightypez.kinja.com) Jon

7/30/13 9:13am (http://lifehacker.com/wired-is-by-far-the-best-way-to-go-963420561)
(http://mightypez.kinja.com)
 Wired is, by far, the best way to go.
Reply

deV14nt (http://dev14nt.kinja.com) Jon

7/30/13 6:21pm (http://lifehacker.com/in-that-case-its-called-a-wireless-access-point-wap-or-970230305)
(http://dev14nt.kinja.com)
In that case it's called a Wireless Access Point (WAP or AP).

Here is the dd-wrt doc for general setup, though they also have guides for specific hardware:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php... (http://www.dd-
wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Access_Point)

At work I have 2 ASUS RT-n16's setup as access points this way. They share the same SSID and
subnet so connecting is seamless throughout the building and printers and fileshares are
accessible from anywhere. Router is 192.168.1.1 and handles DHCP. APs are static IPs .1.2 and
.1.3 with DHCP off. Devices start at .1.100. Works well. I hope to setup a guest SSID for store
customers soon that will work on both APs as well, but on a different subnet with access only
through to the internet.
Reply

Show more replies in this thread (http://lifehacker.com/can-the-two-routers-connect-via-wi-fi-or-ethernet-to-se-962955717)

JBRonin (http://jbronin.kinja.com) Adam Dachis

7/30/13 10:43pm (http://lifehacker.com/is-it-possible-to-hard-wire-a-repeater-to-a-pc-directly-972374467)
(http://jbronin.kinja.com)
Is it possible to hard wire a repeater to a PC directly? I've wanted to connect my old router to
my new Comcast wireless/cable box, since the Wi-Fi dongle for my PC works like crap, but I
didn't find anything like this. Maybe I'll try this guide and jerry rig it.

Reply

bobkoure (http://bobkoure.kinja.com) JBRonin

8/02/13 8:11am (http://lifehacker.com/you-can-do-this-dd-wrt-calls-it-bridge-mode-or-wired-1001154396)
(http://bobkoure.kinja.com)
You can do this (DD-WRT calls it 'bridge mode" or "wired bridge mode"). You can then connect
anything to this bridge with ethernet. If you have some kind of device that the mfgr sells a
"wireless module" for - but that also has an ethernet port, you can do this and potentially save
some $$. If you have multiple devices you need to 'bridge" (say a few devices in your home
entertainment stack) it becomes a no-brainer.
Reply

Joz Jonlin (http://15400483-244e-4390-971e-882662268961.ki…

7/30/13 11:53am (http://lifehacker.com/i-have-an-old-tp-link-router-with-repeater-funct
(http://15400483-244e-4390-971e-882662268961.kinja.com)
I have an old TP-Link router with repeater functionality baked right in. It works great as a
repeater.
I also have a DLink DIR-505 which can do this, and it's wireless N. The 505L is a nice little
upgrade from the 505, and you can get it for around $35 on Amazon. With Prime and free
shipping, it's a great option for getting as a repeater. It's about the same size as the TP-Link
Wireless N150, pictured above. The ease of use of the DLink can't be overstated. It's an amazing
little product you can put in your go bag and take with you everywhere.

One note, while you can clone the network SSID, I prefer, and recommend, to use the option of
creating your own SSID instead of merging the SSID of your repeater. This gives you the
advantage of knowing which wireless network you're on. If your device accidentally tags the
weaker, or slower SSID, it might take you a while to figure that out. Having your own SSID
means you can connect and know you're on the faster network, based on your location. Here's
thee 505L
 EXPAND

Reply

chivenation (http://chivenation.kinja.com) Adam Dachis

7/30/13 5:05pm (http://lifehacker.com/repeating-has-serious-issues-with-wpa2-encryption-on-ne-969514153)
(http://chivenation.kinja.com)
Repeating has serious issues with WPA2 encryption on Netgear Routers. If they're not the same
model/generation, it's not worth your time. Even then, some versions only let you run in WEP
encryption mode.

Apple Airports on the other hand are simple to set up as repeaters, that's actually the only brand
I can recommend for such.
 Get an AP that supports repeating/rebroadcast to put the coverage where you want.
You'd think that the manufacturers would design this functionality natively, but apparently not.

It's easier to run a wire to the other router(s) and put it into bridge mode. (same SSID, different
channel, no routing enabled) Your network will be seamless and your computers/smartphones
will thank you for that.

Reply

Budsygus (http://budsygus.kinja.com) Adam Dachis

7/30/13 2:26pm (http://lifehacker.com/this-or-similar-articles-have-been-posted-here-several-967801329)
(http://budsygus.kinja.com)
This or similar articles have been posted here several times before. And I love it. Seriously,
people need to know what their routers can do for them. I set up a linksys router with DD-WRT
and it was awesome the amount of junk it could do. I used maybe 5% of its potential and even
that was more than enough for my needs. If enough people buy exclusively DD-WRT
compatible routers then other companies will take notice. I've never needed an extender as I
don't live in a place big enough for it to be worthwhile, but I used my parents' router as a Wifi
client to help them avoid buying an $80 wireless adapter for their Sony TV. Schweet. Keep these
articles coming, Lifehacker.

Reply

MightyPez (http://mightypez.kinja.com) Adam Dachis

7/30/13 8:04am (http://lifehacker.com/this-is-basically-what-i-did-with-my-home-network-2-ne-962495226)
(http://mightypez.kinja.com)
This is basically what I did with my home network. 2 Netgear 3500l's running Tomato with the
boost option turned on on opposite sides of the house. One covers the back yard and the other
covers the front including the detached garage. Gave them the same SSID and WPA2 security
settings with non-overlapping channels.

Reply

SpartanGA (http://spartanga.kinja.com) Adam Dachis

7/30/13 8:57am (http://lifehacker.com/dumb-question-but-how-do-you-connect-to-the-old-router-963209218)
(http://spartanga.kinja.com)
Dumb question, but how do you connect to the old router for the initial setup and DDWRT
conversion etc? e.g. just hardwire it into one computer (without true internet access) and set it
up completely before placing it elsewhere in the home?

Reply

MightyPez (http://mightypez.kinja.com) SpartanGA

7/30/13 9:01am (http://lifehacker.com/yes-download-the-files-you-need-for-setup-and-follow-t-963256271)
(http://mightypez.kinja.com)
Yes. Download the files you need for setup and follow the instructions carefully. Always use
ethernet for this because wifi is unreliable when you're flashing firmware.
Reply
 SpartanGA (http://spartanga.kinja.com) MightyPez
7/30/13 11:28am (http://lifehacker.com/thanks-i-got-it-after-much-trial-error-965313827)
(http://spartanga.kinja.com)
thanks. I got it after much trial/error.
Reply

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