Login to repeater tp link. How to set up a wireless bridge (WDS) between two Wi-Fi routers? We use the router as a “Repeater”

A Wi-Fi repeater (or repeater) is a device whose task is to relay the signal from a wireless router or access point. Used to expand coverage wireless network. Many modern equipment models can operate in different modes:

• access point (AP=Access Point);
• repeater;
• universal repeater;
• wireless network client;
• bridge with access point function.

Operating modes of wireless equipment

If you want to take advantage of the wireless repeater feature today, you need to look for equipment that is referred to in manufacturers' catalogs as:

• Access point (in English terminology Wireless Access Point) ;
• Wireless repeater or wireless signal booster(in English terminology Range Extender) ;

Attention! Routers (i.e. routers) rarely have wireless repeater functionality these days. Some router models can be used as a repeater by installing an alternative DD-WRT firmware. However, on alternative firmware The device may be unstable.

Let's take a low-cost access point as an example. TP-Link TL-WA701ND. But the instructions are also suitable for other models like TL-WA730RE, TL-WA801ND and similar ones.

The device can operate in several modes:

Access Point Mode

Convert your existing wired network to wireless.

Repeater mode

Coverage Expansion existing Wi-Fi networks by relaying a wireless signal.

Wireless Client Mode

The device performs the function wireless adapter to connect wired devices to a wireless network.

Bridge+Access Point mode

Connecting two local networks using a wireless channel.

What is the difference between a repeater and an access point?

A wireless access point connects to the network using a cable and creates a wireless network around itself. And the repeater mode implies both connecting to the network and relaying it exclusively via a radio channel.

Setting up a Wi-Fi repeater

Before setting up the repeater, configure the main router to a specific broadcast channel. If auto channel selection is set on the main router, the repeater will lose connection with it more often:

U different manufacturers The web interfaces of the equipment differ, but the essence of setting up a wireless repeater is the same: in the device settings you need to specify the MAC address (BSSID) of the main access point and its security parameters. We will tell you how to set up network relay using the example of the same budget access point TP-Link TL-WA701ND, which can operate in repeater mode.

Before setting up, place the signal repeater in the area of ​​reliable reception of the wireless network whose coverage you are going to expand. Later, once the relay setup is complete, you can experiment by moving the repeater and observing the quality of the relay.

To connect the repeater with the head router or access point, you need to perform the following steps:

1 Connect the repeater using an Ethernet cable (patch cord) to LAN-port of your existing router or access point:

You cannot connect via a wireless network to an unconfigured repeater, because... it itself does not broadcast the wireless network and does not issue an IP address. An exception may be if your repeater defaults to access points and you will configure it from a device equipped with a Wi-Fi module. But we still recommend using a patch cord.

2 Connect to your main router's network from any computer, as you did before.

Go to the properties of the network adapter on your computer and manually assign an IP address from same address range, to which your new wireless repeater (or access point with repeater function) is configured (). Read the instructions for the device and you will find out exactly what its default IP address is. Often the IP address is also indicated on the bottom of the device:

If we talk about TP-Link equipment, then usually their routers have a default IP address of 192.168.0.1, and access points with a repeater function have IP 192.168.0.254.

Let's say the default IP address for the new extender is 192.168.0.254. This means that to configure it you can temporarily assign network adapter computer IP address 192.168.0.20:

3 Go to the repeater web interface ().

By default, TP-Link equipment has the following credentials:

IP address: 192.168.0.254;
Login: admin;
Password admin.

4 Click EXIT to exit the setup wizard.

5 Go to the section Network. The only setting in this section will open LAN.

As we said above, by default the device uses the IP address 192.168.0.254. If you are using a different address range on your network, set a new IP address from the same range. For example, if your router, whose signal you are going to relay, operates in the 192.168.1.1-192.168.1.254 subnet, change the repeater address to 192.168.1.254 or any free one from the 192.168.1.* subnet.

When setting up a repeater, you need to make sure that:

• The IP address of the signal repeater belongs to the same subnet as the IP address of the main router;
• there is no conflict between the addresses of the router, signal repeater and other devices on the network.

If your network uses addresses in the range 192.168.0.1-254 with a mask of 255.255.255.0, do not change the setting LAN on the repeater.
In this case, continue reading this manual with paragraph 8 with the words “Select mode Repeater(Range Extender)«

In our example, we are using the subnet 192.168.95.0.1-192.168.95.254. Therefore, let's change the IP address from 192.168.0.254 on 192.168.95.254.

If you have changed the access point's IP address, click Save

Then click OK in the following window to reboot the device:

Wait for the reboot to complete:

6 Because Now the repeater will fall into the working range of IP addresses of your existing network, return automatic receipt of parameters in properties network card computer:

7 Log in to the repeater web interface using the new IP address:

(if you did not change the IP address, then go to http://192.168.0.254 again)

8 Select a mode Repeater(Range Extender).

Click the button Save:

After changing the operating mode of the device, you must reboot it again. Click OK to reboot the device:

Wait for the device to boot:

9 Go to section Wireless. This will open the setting Wireless Settings.

Repeater mode has two subtypes: WDS Repeater And Universal Repeater. The easiest way is to use the mode Universal repeater. It will work in most cases. Use WDS repeater only if you know for sure that the root access point supports WDS.

After selecting the operating mode, you must specify the details of the main access point whose signal the repeater should relay. In field Wireless Name of Root AP enter the wireless network name (SSID) of the main access point, and in the field MAC Address of Root AP Enter the MAC address of the main access point.

In the web interface of TP-Link devices there is a button for these purposes Survey.

It is used to search for available wireless networks. By clicking on it, you can select any available wireless network and add it to the repeater with one click on the link Connect. In this case, you do not need to enter either the SSID or the MAC address of the access point (BSSID). These details will be entered automatically.

After pressing the button Survey wait about 10-15 seconds until a window appears with a list of available wireless networks, and then click Connect in the line with your network:

Click Save to save settings:

10 Go to settings Wireless Security.

Select the security mode that is used on the root access point (WPA2-Personal is recommended).

Enter the appropriate security key.

Click Save:

In the pop-up window, click OK:

11 Go to section DHCP. This will open the setting DHCP Settings.

Set the switch DHCP Server to position Disabled and press the button Save:

If you leave the DHCP server enabled, the Internet will not work on devices that will connect to the repeater.

12 Go to section System Tools.

Click the button Reboot:

In the window with a question Are you sure to reboot the Device click the button OK:

Wait for the device to reboot:

13 Disconnect the patch cord from the device’s LAN port.

After rebooting for 1-2 minutes, the device should connect to the root access point (or main router) and start relaying the signal. In this case, the first indicator on the right should light up:

Your devices, such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop, will see the same network as before, only the signal should become several notches stronger. There is no need to do any reconnections on client devices, because The repeater relays a network with the same name and the same security settings.

How to check the repeater operation

Question: Why check? After all, if devices connect to the network, then everything is fine?

Answer: This statement is incorrect. Devices may connect to a more distant access point or router, but the repeater may not function. Therefore, the verification needs to be approached more scrupulously.

Method 1: Try to access the web interface of the access point after disconnecting the patch cord from its LAN port.

Go to page Status. If in the area Wireless you see the SSID of the relayed network and the signal strength of the root access point, and in the area Traffic Statistics— the number of sent and received packets, then the signal repeater functions correctly:

Method 2: Launch the application Wi-Fi Analyzer on Android device ().

You should see two access points with the same SSID running on the same channel:

Using a repeater TP-LINK TL-WA850RE will allow significantly .

This will solve all the problems that arise due to bad signal router, including low speed Internet.

How does a repeater work and when should it be used?

A Wi-Fi repeater is considered a separate device whose task is to strengthen the signal of an already configured network.

This process occurs by connecting the repeater to the router via a web interface or an Ethernet channel.

The amplifier model must match the router. Popular manufacturers, such as others, produce lines of repeaters for the corresponding routers.

The compatibility of devices must be indicated in their technical parameters.

The appearance of the repeater may vary depending on the model and company, but they are all small in size, much smaller than a standard router.

The gadget looks like a regular socket. There are also repeaters that completely replicate the shape of the router.

You can purchase TP-LINK TL-WA850RE, like any other amplifier model, in almost all stores that sell computer equipment and means of communication.

The cost of such a gadget is equal to the price of a budget router.

Fig.1 - appearance TP-LINK TL-WA850RE

It is advisable to use a repeater in the following situations:

• To enhance the signal in office network. TP-LINK TL-WA850RE is able to significantly increase the coverage range even in large rooms;
• For home use. Users often encounter a problem. Uneven signal distribution in an apartment or house can lead to an instant disconnection of the Internet on the device and loss of unsaved data.

As a rule, in order to increase the signal level and, accordingly, the Internet speed, users begin to do a lot of unnecessary and sometimes fruitless work.

Constantly dragging the router around the entire perimeter of the room, buying additional wires, connecting to a more expensive provider tariff - all these actions will not improve the performance of the router.

To solve the problem, it is enough to purchase a small and inexpensive repeater.

The operating principle of the TP-LINK TL-WA850RE gadget is very simple: you connect it to an outlet closer to the router.

Then you configure the connection of two devices. As a result, the house will have a coating that will be several times more powerful.

To create the best signal level, which is simultaneously connected to the antennas of the router and amplifier.

This increases the area for client connections. The principle of signal amplification is shown schematically in the figure below:

Fig. 2 - the principle of interaction between the repeater and router

As you can see, the repeater’s task is to receive a signal from the router and distribute it further indoors, where the router’s usual coverage area no longer works.

Compatibility of TL-WA850RE with routers

TL-WA850RE is a universal type extender. It works with all routers produced by TP-Link.

There are no restrictions on the compatibility of any characteristics of two gadgets.

Thanks to its unique and compact shape, as well as the presence of special slots for connecting cables, the TL-WA850RE can be used not only as an amplifier, but also as an Internet connection for wired devices.

Fig.3 - control panel and connectors in TL-WA850RE

Overview of characteristics and equipment

TL-WA850RE is the most popular amplifier for TP-link. This model can be found in almost every online store.

Let's take a closer look at all the features and characteristics of this gadget.

Amplifier kit. The gadget comes in a branded box from the manufacturer TP-Link.

Before purchasing, first of all, you should pay attention to the box and its distinctive features, because with the growing demand for this extender, fakes began to appear.

The original box is decorated in blue and white colors. The box must contain the following information:

• Manufacturer – TP-Link (The Realizable Choice);
• Description of the structure and operating principle of the repeater;
• Indication of the model, device type (Range Extender) and maximum operating speed (300 Mbps).

The appearance of the official box is shown in the image:

Rice. 4 – amplifier box TL-WA850RE

The gadget includes the following elements:

• The extender itself (white body and blue frame of the button for connecting to the router);
• User's manual for setup (in Russian and English);
• Brochure indicating device parameters;
• Guarantee document;
• A mini-disk with which you can view all the instructions and other documentation for the repeater on your computer;
• Adapter. With its help you can connect your TV, router or router to the repeater.

Rice. 5 – amplifier equipment

Thanks to the unique design of the repeater, the manufacturer managed to remove such a part as the power supply from the package.

The body of the device is designed in such a way that it can be immediately connected to a power outlet, without worrying about constant recharging from external sources.

Rice. 6 – appearance of the extender from TP-Link

The body of the gadget is made of glossy white plastic. Dimensions: height – 11 cm, width – 6.6 cm, thickness – 7.5 cm.

On the front cover of the amplifier there is a panel of buttons and operation indicators. The main element is . With its help, you can connect to the router in one click.

If the amplifier is connected to electrical network, the button will be illuminated in blue.

Rice. 7 - image of the front panel of the gadget

On the bottom panel of the gadget there is a reset button (emergency recovery of the device) and a port for connecting an Ethernet cable.

The repeater works with 802.11b/g/n connection standards. The operating range is 2.4 GHz, and the speed reaches 300 Mbit/s (maximum).

The main component of the repeater is the Qualcomm Atheros AR9341 chipset.

Features and benefits of use

The extender has the following advantages:

• Customizable optimal option connections. Depending on the type of device that creates the network, you can connect to the amplifier using wired connection Ethernet or customize wireless communication thanks to WPS technology;
• Compact case that contains all the necessary ports and indicators without the use of additional power supplies and wires;
• Operation indication. This allows you to quickly determine the connection status and correctly;
• The TL-WA850RE works without problems both in open networks and in coverage that uses encryption, in particular the most common standards WEP and WPA/WPA2.

Rice. 8 – demonstration of TL-WA850RE

Remember! The stability of the repeater directly depends on the quality of the router itself. If problems occur with the network, you should first update the router's firmware or replace it with a new model.

Setting up a repeater

The standard setup procedure will take no more than a few minutes. Typically, users need to set up a connection between the repeater and the router.

To do this, just follow these steps:

• Take the amplifier and plug it into an outlet;
• Wait for the gadget to load. This will take 1-2 minutes. The activation status of the work is shown by light indicators;
• . To do this, simply press the corresponding key, which is located on the front panel of the case;
• Find the key to activate WPS on your router and click on it.

The router will connect to the extender. In turn, strengthen will completely duplicate all the parameters of the existing network, creating a new instance of it.

The parameters of the active network include login, password and channel number. Please note that the repeater has a different IP address from the router.

Thanks to the WPS connection, you don't have to deal with interface settings and wired connections.

This technology can also be used when connecting an amplifier to a TV or game consoles.

The only requirement is that the second device must also support WPS.

Expansion of the existing network will be stopped if at least one of the devices (repeater or) is disconnected from the power supply.

Rice. 9 – schematic setup of connecting the router and repeater

Connecting TP-LINK TL-WA850RE to a router without a WPS key

Some don't support WPS, so you may not find the corresponding key in your router's toolbar.

The developers of the amplifier foresaw a similar situation, so they created the ability to connect two devices via the router’s web interface.

Follow the instructions:

• Plug into a power outlet. This will create an open network with the name of the amplifier. Connecting to it is possible through the settings of your router;
• Using any browser on your computer, enter the address 192.168.0.254 in the address bar. Click Enter. will happen automatic connection to the extender web interface;
• Enter your username and password to gain access. By default these are admin and admin. The main window of the amplifier web interface looks like this:

Rice. 10 – main window of the TL-WA850RE amplifier interface

• Open the WPS tab in the left menu. Repeat all the parameters shown in the figure below. It is not necessary to use a PIN code to access the repeater network. After setting the active WPS status, click on the Add device button and select the router name from the proposed list;

Rice. 11 – WPS setup manually

If you want to use the repeater in several networks at once, you need to create separate operating profiles.

To do this, go to the Profiles tab and add a separate element for each router.

Rice. 12 – setting up multiple profiles

Device testing

Repeater testing results are a comprehensive diagnosis of Internet connection speed on different distances both from the router and from its extender.

The test results are summarized in the diagram shown in Figure 13.

The test showed that the TL-WA850RE copes well with the task of expanding coverage to 30 meters or more.

The speed gradually decreases with increasing range, however, the Internet continues to work without interruption.

Rice. 13 – test results of TL-WA850RE

Bottom line

When faced with the problem of poor network connection, it is better to get a small amplifier TL-WA850RE.

Review of the TP-LINK TL-WA850RE Wi-Fi signal amplifier which allows you to increase your Wi-Fi coverage area

WiFi Booster TP-LINK signal with data transfer rates of up to 300 Mbps, the TL-WA850RE model is designed to expand the coverage area and increase the signal strength of an existing wireless network, as well as to eliminate “dead zones” in homes, apartments, hotels and offices. In general, in fact, the signals of the original network are not amplified in any way, but rather created new network, associated with the first, which allows you to increase the coverage area. TP-LINK TL-WA850RE is made of white glossy plastic, thanks to its compact and convenient body the amplifier is easy to install and carry

02/08/2020 at 15:22 (1 month ago)

Good afternoon. In order to ensure stable signal throughout the three-room apartment in a panel house, I decided to amplify the signal from the budget TL 740N using three 850x repeaters. But already when connecting the first of them, I encountered the following problem: the repeater receives a signal from the router, the indicator on the repeater consistently shows three bars, but:
1) devices fundamentally do not want to connect to the repeater on their own, being in close proximity to it. The connection occurs only after turning off and on wi-fi on the device;
2) but even after connecting to the repeater (which sometimes takes 5-10 minutes!) the network ends up without access to the Internet.
I'm setting up a repeater via a web page. Now I'll try again via WPS...
—
Correction to the previous post: the lack of Internet after connecting to the repeater was due to the router freezing. After reflashing the problem went away, but, alas, the problem of reconnection between the retroslators and the router remained. Having connected to the router, I go to the opposite end of the apartment, where the retroslator is already standing. The phone shows a noticeably weakened signal, but nevertheless stubbornly continues to “hold on” to the router. Switching to the repeater occurs only after restarting wi-fi on the phone. Plus, although the signal is leveled by the retroslator, the speed practically does not increase. If the speed test directly next to the router shows ~20 Mb/s, then in the next room from the repeater I see ~10 Mb/s, or even less, which is not much better than the indicators without signal amplification of 7-8 Mb/s. Tell me, what could be causing such a significant drop in speed?

02/08/2020 at 20:11 (1 month ago)

Having connected to the router, I go to the opposite end of the apartment, where the retroslator is already standing. The phone shows a noticeably weakened signal, but nevertheless stubbornly continues to “hold on” to the router.

An absolutely normal situation. These repeaters cannot create a seamless network. And the decision to reconnect from one point to another is made by the device itself. These settings are set by the manufacturer. Therefore, the device clings to a specific access point until the last moment.

Plus, although the signal is leveled by the retroslator, the speed practically does not increase.

Repeaters almost always cut the speed by half.

Using three repeaters is not the best best idea. It’s better to refuse even one if possible.

Seamless Wi-Fi can only be created using special devices that support certain protocols. You can read the first part of the article.

Most likely, in your case, a Wi-Fi Mesh system is the best and optimal solution.

Good afternoon everyone! Today our portal will tell you about such a Wi-Fi signal repeater as TP-LINK TL-WA850RE. Initially, I would like to note that a Wi-Fi repeater is a special device designed to transmit a Wi-Fi signal over certain distances (depending on the model and range). This is also a good way to strengthen the signal if your original Wi-Fi router is unable to cope and some rooms in the house do not receive wireless Internet.

The essence of the article will be that we will go over the main characteristics of the repeater, its functionality, give a short course in setting it up and talk about possible problems and ways to solve them.

general information

So, we will begin our review with a brief examination of the characteristics of the repeater. Our amplifier was manufactured by TP-Link and belongs to the TP-Link Range Extender line of repeaters. It has several signal transmission standards - 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n (at speeds of 11 Mbit/s, 54 Mbit/s and 300 Mbit/s, respectively). The repeater operates in the 2.4 GHz band.

The repeater is relatively inexpensive (from 1000 to 1750 rubles per piece). Externally, it is a small white plastic box with a large button in the lower right corner of the back side. The button itself is illuminated with blue LEDs, and additional diodes are turned on on the illuminated circle, indicating the signal quality (five bars in total) and its performance.

On the bottom side we have another Reset button and an Ethernet port, which gives us the opportunity to configure our repeater in any mode convenient for us - either through this port or using a wireless signal.

Basic repeater setup

Watch the video instructions for connecting the repeater in the following video:

Let's move on to the instructions for setting up TP-Link TL-WA850RE. We have two ways: either through a wireless connection or through an Ethernet cable.

Let's start with the wireless connection:

1. Let's plug our repeater into a power outlet. Check that the device is within the operating range of the Wi-Fi router.
2. On the back of your router, click on the button labeled WPS.
3. Within 30 seconds after turning on the WPS mode, press the button on the back of the amplifier (there is a lock on it).
4. Wait until the LED next to the RE sign lights up.

It is worth explaining separately why it is needed:

1. If it is constantly on, then your signal booster is already connected to the network and has increased the router's signal coverage area.
2. If it is blinking, it means it is still connecting to the router.
3. If it does not light up at all, then the repeater is not connected to the router.

Now let's talk about connecting via Ethernet, or via cable. Its advantage is that through this operating mode you can use the web interface for more precise settings. To do this, we need the cable included with the amplifier and a laptop or computer.

So, here's a little tour step by step:

1. Plug the repeater into a power outlet, which is not difficult in principle.
2. Using an Ethernet cable, connect your laptop or computer to the repeater.
3. In the address bar of any browser, type tplinkrepeater.net and press Enter. If this doesn't produce any results, go to 192.168.0.254;
4. IN open window Enter the factory login and password - they are indicated on the repeater body in the form of a label. If there is none, then the basic login and password are the word admin;

1. After logging in, you will be prompted for a quick setup. If you don't need it, or if you want to do it later, click Exit. To activate the mode quick setup, select the “Next” button;
2. In the “Region” window, select “Russia” and click “Next”;
3. After you have selected the region, the “Wireless Settings” window will open, where you need to wait a little until a list of all “local” Wi-Fi points appears;
4. In this list, find your local network and check the box next to it, then click “Next”. If your network is not on the list, move your repeater closer to the router or update the list several times by clicking on the “Refresh” button;

1. After you have selected a local network, enter the network name, router password and select what mode it will work in Wi-Fi network(either creating a network with a new SSID, or copying the operating mode of the Wi-Fi router);

1. In the “Complete” section, carefully check the correctness of the data you entered, and then click “Finish”;

1. Wait for the settings to be activated.

1. After this debugging, disconnect the laptop from the repeater and try connecting to Wi-Fi.

The TP-Link TL WA850RE repeater has the ability to operate in two modes - repeater mode and adapter mode, and simultaneously.

Repeater fine tuning

We are gradually moving on to more precise configuration of the access point. Once all the steps above have been completed, you can move on to a more user-friendly setup.

To do this, it is better to open “Wireless Network” - there you can change the network name, password, repeater operating mode, region, network name, MAC address and channel width. Once debugging has been completed, you can safely click “Save”.

If you want to set protection in the form of a password, then go to the “Wireless Protection” tab, and there we select the level, protection version, password and data encryption type. Those who might benefit from MAC address filtering can take advantage of this feature, but most other home setups won't be of much use.

Just like a Wi-Fi router, you can see who has connected to your network. To see this, do the following:

1. Open the repeater's web interface via a direct connection to it (Ethernet cable).
2. Open the “Network” column.
3. In the subsections of the “Network” item, find the line “List of DHCP clients” and open it. The window that opens will display everyone who has connected to the repeater and the data of these users - IP address, MAC address, and how long the user has been connected.

Amplifier problems

Problems with the performance of the repeater are also possible. The chance that this is a marriage is quite low, if not minimal. If the repeater does not want to work, you must make sure of three things:

1. The amplifier is within the coverage area of ​​your Wi-Fi network. It is best if the signal scale has 4-5 values ​​(lit LEDs).
2. Reboot the repeater directly (unplug it and put it back in).
3. Perform a soft reboot (Web interface – “System tools” – “Reboot”).

If none of the points helped restore functionality, cancel the repeater settings. There are two ways here: by pressing the “Reset” button on the case or through the user interface (“System tools” - “Reset settings”).

You can also try updating the software in the “Firmware Update” section, but to do this you need to download the firmware file for the repeater from the TP-Link website to your laptop or PC. If none of the proposed solutions to the problem helped, then contact the service center.

You will find a complete overview and information on setting up and updating the repeater in the following video:

So, what can we say about the TP-Link TL WA850RE repeater? . A repeater will help strengthen the signal and coverage area if your router is equipped with a weak module. The repeater will help increase the network coverage area up to 30 m. It is also effective in rooms with big amount barriers in the form of walls and ceilings.

We hope our article was useful to you! All the best!

Surely you have heard about such a device as a wifi repeater? The word comes from the English “repeater”, which means “repeater”, “repeater” or “amplifier” of a Wi-Fi signal. What is this anyway? The very idea of ​​a wireless network is that the Internet should not be limited to one room, but spread throughout the entire apartment, office or even a garden plot. But the greater the distance from the wireless distribution source, the worse its speed. And one of the devices that provides more stable operation over long distances is a WiFi repeater - a router signal amplifier for a laptop or computer.

How does a wifi router booster work?

The way the WiFi repeater works is very simple. First, we determine in which room the signal on the laptop is weakest or non-existent. This situation can most often arise in two cases:

After we have found out where we need to strengthen the wireless wifi signal, we find the place where the network receives, but not so well - by one or two divisions on the phone. That's where we put the repeater - its operating area is circular, which means it will pick up the signal from wifi router and pass it on.

Models of wifi repeaters

So, we found out that a wifi repeater, which is also called a repeater, serves to repeat the existing signal coming from the access point, and thereby strengthen the signal and increase the range of wifi. It does not carry any other functions, so, apparently, it is in the shadow of a more well-known wireless device - a router, which, by the way, can also. But for the function of extending the reception area, it is simply irreplaceable, both for home and in the office, especially since in most cases it is designed as some kind of charger plugged into an electrical outlet.

WiFi signal repeaters are produced by the same companies as the rest network hardware— Asus, Zyxel, Tenda, D-Link, TP-Link and others. The photo below shows the TP-Link TL-WA850RE repeater model, which the company kindly provided to us.

I will give the main specifications:

How to connect and configure a WiFi signal amplifier for a TP-Link router

There are three ways to connect and configure a TP-Link wifi repeater:

1. Through automatic connection of the repeater via WPS
2. Via WiFi using a smartphone, tablet or laptop
3. Through a computer connected to it via twisted pair

Automatic connection of a TP-Link WiFi repeater to the router using the WPS button

Like most modern network models wireless devices, the TP-Link TL-WA850RE wifi amplifier supports tuning to the signal of an existing access point in automatic mode. To do this, the router must also have such a function - the “WPS” button (“QSS” on TP-LINK devices) is responsible for turning it on.

We press on it and on a similar large button on the amplifier, after which it should pick up wifi and start distributing it.

Setting up a router WiFi signal repeater from a smartphone

I prefer to be in control of the whole process, so I in an automatic way I never use the repeater settings, but do everything manually. In order to configure the amplifier from a phone or tablet, we also click on the central button on the device, turn on WiFi on the smartphone and find in the list of available networks for connection the network called TP-LINK_Extender_7320BA - this is the SSID that is programmed into the device by default.

Let's connect to it.
Immediately after the connection we will be redirected to the authorization page in the admin panel for initial installation— a window will open for entering your login and password. By default in this model it is admin/admin - yours may have others, so look either at the instructions or at the sticker on the bottom of the repeater - it usually contains all the access data.

Setting up a WiFi signal repeater from a computer or laptop via cable

This configuration option can also be implemented in two ways

1. with help installation disk, which comes with the wifi repeater,
2. or via the web interface.

The second one is closer to me, so we’ll take it as the main one in this instruction.

So, if you don’t have a smartphone at hand, then we connect the computer to the repeater directly using a twisted pair cable - the “Ethernet” light on the device will blink.

Here we need to select “Connect via local network" Right-click on it and select “Properties”. Here, as always, we are interested in the “Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Properties” item.

If you already have a local network configured through your router, then write them all down on paper and save them, but for now, set all the checkboxes to “Automatic”:

We save and go to the browser at http://tplinkextender.net, which we also recognized from the magic sticker on the case. The already familiar authorization page will open, where we enter the login and password “admin”.

We get to the admin panel. Everything is very easy here - follow the step-by-step guide, entering the necessary data.
First, select the country, after which the device begins scanning available networks. If your wifi is found, select it. In the same case, if the security settings on the router hide the SSID, then you can check the box “Specify the SSID and MAC address manually.” And click the “Next” button.

In the next step, we need to select the encryption type of your existing network (set in the router admin panel) and enter the password for your Wi-Fi.

Here you can also choose whether the repeater will clone the name of your network (SSID) or whether it will have its own name, which you will set manually. In this case, the local network will remain the same, that is, your main one may be called Network 1, and the second Network 2, but in essence it will be the same thing, and no matter which of them you connect the PC to, it will see other devices, connected to the network.

And finally, in the last step we see our entire configuration, after which we apply it by clicking on the “Finish” button. After rebooting, the wifi repeater will begin distributing the Internet from your router, thereby increasing the wireless signal reception range.

Also after a quick configuration it will become available left menu, in which you can configure the repeater in more detail - change the encryption key, disable the DCHP server on it, manually set the IP address, enable MAC filtering, update the firmware, view statistics, etc.

That's it. Now you can return the network settings on your computer to their original settings and disconnect the cable that connected it to the repeater. By the way, if you noticed, the PC also began to receive the Internet - via a cable from the repeater, that is, it can also work in client mode, receiving the Internet via wifi and distributing it via twisted pair to the computer. Now even in the farthest corner you will have stable reception!

Testing Internet speed via WiFi repeater

Since a new link has appeared in the chain of receiving Internet from the provider to the computer in the form of a WiFi repeater, our review would be incomplete if we did not check whether it reduces the speed. In other words, how different is the speed of information transfer between computers connected through this repeater from the speed when connecting directly to the router.

For the test, we made three measurements using the TP-Link TL-WA850RE repeater inside a local network between a computer and a laptop using the AIDA32 Network Benchmark utility.

1. The first test - this will be the starting point in our experiment - such a “litmus test”. Let's measure the speed inside a local network without a wireless signal amplifier - the computer is connected to the router via twisted pair, the laptop is connected to it, but via WiFi. At the same time, for the purity of the result, there was no radioactivity near the transmitter, such as a mobile phone, TV or anything else, and the laptop was located in close proximity to the signal source.

   
   

   This is what we got.

   

   We note that there is a small amplitude of speed fluctuations; on average, it was at the level of 2200 kV/s (17 Mbit/s).

2. The second test is that the computer remains connected to the router via cable, and the laptop remains connected via WiFi to the repeater, for which we made our own network SSID, so it is impossible to confuse it with a signal from the main source. In this case, the amplifier and laptop were in the same place, that is, next to each other.

   
   

   Result:

   
   

   The speed dropped slightly - to an average of 1600 kV/s (12.5 Mbit/s). Also, the spread between the minimum and maximum values ​​is not particularly different, which is also very good.

3. The third test was to leave the laptop connected via WiFi to the router, and the PC via an amplifier, but connecting them with a patch cord. Thus, we use the second opportunity of this model - to act as a WiFi adapter.

   
   

   We get:

   
   

   Fluctuations between the minimum and maximum values ​​are also insignificant, that is, the connection is quite stable, but the overall speed has become even slightly lower, to 1100 kV/s, or 8.5 Mbit/s.

4. And finally, the fourth test - we connect both the PC and the laptop to the repeater, but the station PC with a cable, and the laptop wirelessly.

   
   

   

   Unstable speed with large fluctuations, average high - at the level of 4800 KB/s = 37.5 Mbit/s.

Conclusions about the operation of wifi repeater

Summarize. As you can see, the presence of one more link inside the local network between two computers in the video wifi repeater still reduces the overall speed, which was not a surprise to us, since the presence of any additional device, be it a repeater, powerline or some other adapter, will affect it. The most interesting thing was to see in which mode these losses would be the least.

As it turned out, the highest average speed was in that scheme (No. 4), when the computers were connected to each other through a repeater, bypassing the router - 4800 Kb/sec compared to 2200 that WiFi gave without a repeater. This is quite logical, since between them there was not that extra “knee” in the chain, in the form of a router, whose role in this case was played by today’s hero. Although the spread between the largest and smallest values ​​is a little annoying - the connection is not stable.

But most of all from this test questions arose to my ASUS router RT-N10U - why does it output only 2 MB per second?? It turns out that in my network it is he who is the weakest link - it’s worth thinking about, as in one famous program, saying “goodbye” to him and looking at another model.

The second place in speed went to scheme No. 2, in which one of the computers was connected to the router using a patch cord, and our repeater distributed a signal to the laptop. Although, as we found out, the router played a disservice to us here, this does not affect the overall picture in any way, since after that we tried to use TP-LINK as an adapter (No. 3), receiving a wireless signal and sharing it on the PC - with this he did the worst job.

Range of wifi amplifier

Regarding the distance to which this model The repeater expanded the signal from the main source and strengthened WiFi. I connected it in the room farthest from the access point in an ordinary “Brezhnev” three-ruble note - it turned out that it directly passed through 3 plasterboard walls at a distance of about 10 meters. I couldn't even get internet in this room. iPad Air, whose wireless module has no complaints - it sees wifi even where it is no longer available on other smartphones. Our Extender from TP-LINK also caught it (two antennas make themselves felt). And without any problems I began to extend it all the way up the staircase. I agree that the initial location of the Point is not very good, but for our experience it was just right.

Numerically, this is expressed as follows. When there was no repeater, in the far corner of the apartment the Internet speed from the router was as follows:

When we connected the amplifier, then by zone wifi signal This is what we got:

Of course, these results are relevant only for my network - they were influenced by both the characteristics of the PC’s network card and wireless module laptop, and router hardware, and even the radiomagnetic environment in the room, which we brought as close as possible to a calm everyday one. But they certainly represent the overall picture, so you can safely use these conclusions in your practice when designing your networks.

Well, the TL-WA850RE coped with its task perfectly, and I can recommend it to my subscribers as a effective way expand your WiFi reception area.

Thank you! Did not help