If you bought a WiFi range extender for your home or office, but you do not know how to configure it, you are in the right place. We will show you how to configure a WiFi range extender so that you can also use your existing WiFi router remotely. You can install it at home, at your office, at an educational institution or elsewhere.
What's a WiFi range extender?
A WiFi range extender helps you extend the range of your existing WiFi router. Suppose you have a router on the ground floor and you do not get a good WiFi signal on the second floor of the same building. You can use a WiFi range extension to get a better WiFi signal on the second floor.
Before you start:
- You should know that we have used a TP-Link WiFi repeater (specifically, a TP-Link RE 200 WiFi N 300Mbps dual-band AC750 range extender). However, this is a general guide that you can use to configure any WiFi scope extension, as long as you understand the process.
- You must obtain a minimum WiFi signal at the point where you want to install the device.
- Your WiFi range extension must be powered.
- We used a computer to capture screenshots and configure them. However, you can also do the same from the mobile.
- You must leave your WiFi router and range extender on for a smooth connection.
Lily: How to improve the wireless network signal in Windows 10.
How to configure WiFi Range Extender
Follow the steps below to configure the WiFi range extension.
- Give power to your WiFi range extension.
- Connect your computer to the new WiFi network
- Open the extender's website and create a password to log in.
- Choose the source WiFi network
- Set a password for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands
- Set and confirm the new SSID
For starters, make sure to get a minimum WiFi signal from your existing WiFi router. Otherwise, your range extension can not detect the source. After making sure, power up your Wi-Fi range extender and start broadcasting an SSID. You must connect to this SSID from a computer or from a mobile phone.
Once the connection is established, you must open the website corresponding to your reach extender. It differs from one manufacturer to another and you can find the website address in the user manual provided with the scope extension. After opening the site, you must create a password. This password is for the administration panel of your range extender.
Then you can see all WiFi networks detected by your device. You must select the SSID of the existing router and advance.
Here, you must enter the password of your existing WiFi network (source network). In other words, it is the password you use to connect your mobile phone or computer to your existing WiFi router.
If your WiFi router has different passwords for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, you must enter them accordingly.
However, if your Wi-Fi router does not have a bandwidth of 5 GHz, you can only use the 2.4 GHz frequency. After confirming the password, you must set the SSID of your WiFi range extension.
If your device supports the 5 GHz band, you can set a different SSID for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
After configuring it, you can use the WiFi range extender without any problem.
Remarks:
- Most WiFi range extensions have two main modes. They are Point of access and Repeater. This process gave a brief guide on how to use this device as a repeater. However, if you want to convert your wired Internet connection to a wireless connection and use the extension as a router, you can also do it.
- Always use the Maximum coverage or a similar option available in your admin panel. Such an option allows you to get better signal and network quality.
I hope this guide will help you.
Read more: Tips to increase the speed and power of the WiFi signal as well as the coverage area.