Why and When?
Using an old WiFi router as an extender can be a cost-effective solution for extending the range of your wireless network. There are a few reasons why someone might consider doing this.
Firstly, if you have a large home or office with multiple floors, you may find that your wireless signal is weak or non-existent in certain areas. Rather than buying a new extender, you can use an old router that you already have to boost your signal and extend your network's coverage.
Secondly, if you have upgraded to a new router but don't want to get rid of your old one, you can repurpose it as an extender. This is a great way to make use of an old device and save money on buying a new extender.
Lastly, using an old router as an extender can also improve the overall speed and performance of your wireless network. By extending the coverage of your network, you can reduce the number of dead spots and interference areas, which can improve the overall performance of your network.
How?
Step 1
To begin setting up your TP-Link router as a Wi-Fi extender, you'll need to reset the old router and connect it to your computer using an Ethernet cable. Be sure to use the LAN port on the router to connect to your computer. Once connected, open a web browser and enter the default IP address of the router in the address bar. Typically, the default IP address is either 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, but you can easily find this information by searching for your specific router's default configuration or by checking the label on the back of the router.
Step 2
Enter the username and password to access the router's settings. The default username and password are usually "admin" and "admin" respectively. If you have changed the login credentials before, use the ones you set up.
Step 3
It's important to note that your old router and new (main) router may have the same default IP address. In this case, navigate to the Network tab and select the LAN option. From there, you'll need to change the IP address to a different value, such as 192.168.0.210 or any other available IP on the network. After making this change, remember to save your settings.
Once the IP address has been updated, the router will disconnect and reload on the new IP address (in this case, 192.168.0.210). If it doesn't reload automatically, you can enter the new IP address manually in your web browser to access the router's settings.
Step 4
Next, navigate to the DHCP settings and disable the DHCP server. After making this change, be sure to save your settings.
Once you've completed the previous steps, you can proceed to configure your Wireless 2.4GHz and 5GHz settings. This step has to be done so that your Wi-Fi wireless connections are secure.
Step 5
After completing the above steps, connect your old router to the new router using the LAN ports.
Step 6
With the setup complete, you should now be able to connect your devices to the old router's WiFi and LAN port to access the internet.
Avoid this mistake
During the setup process, I made the mistake of attempting to connect my computer to the old router via Wi-Fi instead of using a LAN cable. While I was able to complete steps 1 to 4, I ran into an issue when trying to connect to the old router's Wi-Fi in step 6.
After troubleshooting the problem, we discovered that the issue was with the Ethernet cable itself - it had not been crimped properly. I had mistakenly assumed that the LAN cable was working without testing it, which led to the initial connection issue.
Once we identified the problem using a cable tester, we were able to fix the Ethernet cable and proceed with the setup as planned.
Conclusion
In conclusion, using an old WiFi router as an extender is a cost-effective solution for extending the range of your wireless network. By repurposing an old router that you may already have, you can save money on buying a new extender and also improve the overall performance of your wireless network. However, it's important to note that not all routers are suitable for use as an extender. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily configure your old router as an extender and enjoy better coverage and improved performance for your wireless network.