How to set up a wireless bridge (WDS) between two Wi-Fi routers? We use the router as a “Repeater”. Using the example of a router from TP-Link

No matter how good modern routers are, every user can encounter a situation with insufficient coverage area. There are several solutions to this problem, and one of the simplest in terms of installation and configuration is the use of special network devices. In English they are usually called "Range Extender", which is sometimes translated as "amplifier". From the point of view of operation, this is a completely understandable name, but in fact, the signals of the original network are not amplified in any way, but a new network is created, connected to the first and to another location of the antennas, which allows increasing the area of ​​reliable reception of clients. So in this article we will use the term “repeater” as it is more accurate.

On the pages of our resource we have already seen reviews of devices of this class, and today we will look at the TL-WA850RE model from one of the largest manufacturers of network equipment - TP-Link.

Delivery set, appearance and technical characteristics

The device is supplied in a standard cardboard box. It is decorated in light colors and looks stylish. The packaging provides information about the device, including a photograph, use cases, and technical specifications.

The delivery set includes a network patch cord, a quick installation guide in Russian and English, a warranty card, and a mini-CD with an electronic version of the documentation.

As you have already noticed, there is no external power supply in the equipment list. The fact is that the device is made in a rare version of the case, which is directly inserted into a power outlet.

It’s probably impossible to say unequivocally that this simplifies installation. On the one hand, this option has fewer components and connectors. On the other hand, the relatively large case of the model may be more difficult to place than a compact switching power supply.

External dimensions are approximately 110x65x75 mm. The body is made of white glossy plastic. On the front panel there is a circle of indicators, in the center of which the WPS button is placed. At the bottom there is a 10/100 Mbps wired network port for connecting clients and a hidden reset button.

All indicators have a blue glow and are quite bright, which is especially noticeable at night. Given that the repeater is difficult to hide or deploy in any way, this feature may be perceived negatively. There are a total of four status LEDs (connection to the main router, own Wi-Fi network, wired port, power) and a five-segment signal strength indicator from the router. The latter will be useful in determining the optimal location for the repeater.

During operation, our copy emitted a barely noticeable “squeak”, familiar from low-quality switching power supplies. This did not affect work in any way. Let's hope this is an isolated case.

The device supports wireless networks of 802.11b/g/n standards in the 2.4 GHz band at speeds up to 300 Mbit/s. In this case, networks can be open and also use WEP or WPA/WPA2. According to information from the manufacturer, the system is based on the Qualcomm Atheros AR9341 chip. Checking the broadcasts of multicast streams showed that the device supports them, but the stability of operation depends significantly on the main router and provider. In any case, multicast and Wi-Fi are not the most successful combination of technologies. The wired port can be used to connect additional clients, such as TVs, media players, game consoles. If necessary, you can use the switch to work with several devices at once. According to the manufacturer, the model's power consumption is about 3 W. Since no drivers are required for operation, the compatibility list includes all existing operating systems, including mobile ones.

The device was tested with firmware 3.14.4 Build 130313 Rel.63007n.

Settings and features

The easiest way to enable the repeater to work is to use WPS technology: plug the device into a power outlet, wait until it boots up, then activate WPS on the router and press the button on the repeater. The device connects to the network existing on the router, creates its own with the same parameters (channel number, network name and password will be the same), and receives its own IP address from the router. So the user does not even need to log into the web interface or enter any passwords. There is no doubt that this is a very significant plus for novice users.

If for some reason you cannot or do not want to use WPS on the router, then there is a second scenario: turn on the device, connect by cable or to an open network with a distinctive name, and access the web configuration interface. For the latter, you can use the address http://tplinkextender.net/, but note that the manufacturer forgot or was unable to occupy the “external” version of this domain, so it hosts a site unrelated to TP-Link. Through the web interface, you can quickly set up a connection to an existing network using the assistant. Note that it provides the ability to select a name other than the main network (SSID). Oddly enough, there is no such option in the full settings menu.

As a result, all clients who previously worked with the original router will be able to work within the range of the repeater without reconfiguration. You can also use the port for wired connection of devices, which is located on the repeater. And the repeater itself can be reinstalled in another outlet within the coverage area of ​​the main router.

The model's web interface is presented only in English. However, most users, in our opinion, will not need it. The status page provides information about the current state of the device: firmware version, main network parameters (name, MAC address, signal level), local MAC and IP addresses, network parameters (name, channel number, mode, maximum speed, MAC -address), packet statistics and operating time.

In the WPS section, you configure the connection of clients to the repeater’s own access point. Note that there is support for an option with a PIN code, and there is protection against code selection.

In the case of mobile use, when work is required as part of different networks, it makes sense to use pre-programmed profiles. Each of them contains a name, SSID, MAC and password. After this, you can quickly switch them through the web interface. In this same situation, the ability to set a fixed IP address for the repeater may be useful. Although in most cases DHCP will be sufficient.

Perhaps the most interesting group of settings in the interface is “Wireless”. It runs to six whole pages. The first contains the name and MAC address of the main network, as well as the choice of region and channel width. The last setting, however, does not seem to affect the operation of the repeater, which creates its own network in the same mode as that selected on the main router. Let us remind you that since there is only one radio block, the channel numbers of the original and new networks must coincide.

The second page allows you to specify the network security mode. In addition, it is possible to install a MAC address filter for wireless clients connected to the repeater. Additional Wi-Fi options include setting the power level, enabling WMM, GI, and wireless client isolation.

A separate page provides a list of connected devices indicating the amount of received and transmitted data. And another one allows you to view the device’s reception and transmission speeds in a graphical form. The only pity is that the data is reset if you leave the page, and the graphs are not visible in all browsers.

The built-in DHCP server may be useful in some configurations. In it you can specify the range of IP addresses that are issued to clients and parameters such as lease time, default router addresses and DNS servers.

The composition of the “System” group is traditional for this class of devices: updating the firmware, working with the configuration, rebooting, changing the administrator password. There is also an event log with local storage. Interestingly, the time indicated in it is almost correct (there is no zone setting); apparently, the device is capable of setting it independently via the Internet.

Testing

To test the maximum capabilities of the model's wireless module, we used a Netgear WNDR3800 router and an ASUS USB-N53 adapter. Both devices support connection speeds of 300 Mbps. The test server was connected to the router with a cable, and the client worked in the following configurations: via a USB adapter to the router, via a cable and TL-WA850RE to the router, via a USB adapter and TL-WA850RE to the router. The first group evaluates the speed of the USB adapter itself, the second - the work of the client through a repeater via cable, and the third - the work of the client through a repeater via Wi-Fi. The distance between the router and wireless devices was about five meters. The USB adapter was placed no further than one meter from the repeater. The direction is relative to the client.

The results show that, in general, the repeater copes well with its responsibilities. When the client operates via cable, a speed of about 60-70 Mbit/s is provided. This should be enough to broadcast high-definition video. Connecting via Wi-Fi expectedly reduces the speed by about half, since there are twice as many streams on the air.

Another configuration was used as a profile scenario in testing. The ZyXEL NBG-460N router provided access to the Internet and was installed near one of the walls of a wooden house. Under these conditions, it was possible to use Internet access inside the house and near this wall, but on the street on the opposite side the signal was already very weak. Therefore, we connected a repeater at the other end of the house at a distance of about 10 meters from the router. For convenience, a network was created on it with a name different from the main one.

To measure speed, we used the www.speedtest.net service with a fixed nearest server. The clients were Apple iPhone 4S and LG Optimus G smartphones. Note that in terms of latency, in all tests we obtained values ​​of 5–15 ms, so these figures are not shown in the graphs. The maximum reception and transmission speed was selected after several starts and rounded to whole Mbit/s.

Three in the house and five on the street from the repeater side were selected as control points: near the router (at a distance of about 2 meters), at an equal distance between devices (about 4 meters each to the router and repeater), near the repeater (1.5 meters ), outdoors at distances of 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 meters from the repeater. Connecting smartphones to the router at a distance of more than 10 meters from the wall on the “inconvenient” side was already unstable due to a significant decrease in the signal level.

The results show that the TL-WA850RE successfully copes with the task of expanding the coverage area of ​​a wireless network, providing reliable reception at distances of up to 30 meters or more. Of course, the speed decreases with increasing range, but even devices that are relatively weak in terms of Wi-Fi, such as smartphones, can work well through a repeater.

conclusions

The TP-Link TL-WA850RE wireless repeater is a rather interesting device for those users who need to increase their wireless network coverage area.

The most attractive aspect of the model is its ease of installation. The user may not even know the source network password for the installation. It is enough to use WPS technology to connect to the router, and all clients will be able to work with the new network without reconfiguration, since both the name and password will be saved.

If we talk about performance, then in tests the model showed good results in this class. Don't forget that Wi-Fi uses a shared medium, and any solutions when working on the same channel will reduce the speed.

TP-Link TL-WA850RE will be useful in cases where the router has a not very powerful wireless module and you need to ensure operation at a considerable distance from it. Or if the configuration of the room has clearly defined “complex” zones. In addition, it can be used as an adapter to connect TVs or media players to Wi-Fi.

We also note the unusual design of the device, good compatibility with routers from other manufacturers and stable firmware operation. It’s a pity that they didn’t implement the mode of operation as an access point.

The average retail price of TP-Link TL-WA850RE in Moscow, current at the time you read this article, is $25().

Purpose of the “repeater” mode in Wi-Fi access points

In Wi-Fi access points, the “repeater” (repeater) mode is used to expand the Wi-Fi coverage area.

For example, a router is installed in an apartment, but in the back room a laptop, phone or tablet has a weak signal level. You can, of course, connect a more powerful Wi-Fi adapter to your laptop, but what to do with your phone and tablet? In this case, an access point that supports the repeater operating mode will help us. A TP-Link access point will connect via Wi-Fi to your router (for example TL-WR1043ND) and transmit the signal further than a phone, tablet or other client device can.

With the help of a TP-Link repeater you can strengthen the Wi-Fi signal for your Wi-Fi devices.

Repeater mode is supported by TP-Link TL-WA500G, TL-WA501G, TL-WA5110G, TL-WA5210G, TL-WA701ND, TL-WA801ND, TL-WA901ND, TL-WA730RE, TL-WA830RE wireless access points.

Connecting a TP-Link access point

The TP-Link access point is connected to a computer or laptop using a twisted pair cable. Power is connected to the access point using a power supply or via a POE injector (depending on the model). After setting up the access point, the cable from the computer to the access point can be disconnected.

Setting up a network card on a computer or laptop

Open “Start” → “Control Panel” → “Network and Sharing Center”.

Select “Change adapter settings”.

Right-click on “Local Area Connection” and left-click on “Properties”.

Select “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and click “Properties”.

In the window that opens, select “Use the following IP address” and specify the IP address 192.168.1.21 , Subnet mask 255.255.255.0 and click “OK”.

Setting up an access point in Wi-Fi repeater mode

Open the Internet Explorer browser (or any other) and enter the address 192.168.1.254 (default IP address)

Attention! The proxy server should not be specified in the browser settings

In the next window, enter your username admin password admin.

Open the menu Wireless→ Wireless Settings and in the field Operation Mode: choose Universal Repeater(or Range Extender) .

If you are using a router with WDS mode enabled, then select the mode Repeater.

Press the button Survey and in the window that appears, click Connect opposite the point to which we will connect.

After this, save the settings by pressing the button Save, click click here to reboot the device.

In the next window, click the button Reboot and wait until the device reboots.

Now you need to configure your security settings. Go to the menu Wireless→ Wireless Security and select the encryption type and password that is used on the router to which our TP-Link repeater is connected. In our case, WPA2-PSK encryption was used.

Be careful! If your router uses WEP encryption, then in the fields Type, WEP Key Format, WEP Key, Key Type The settings must be specified exactly the same as on the router to which the access point will connect. Otherwise, the TP-Link repeater will not be able to connect to the router.

You can understand that the repeater cannot connect to the router in the menu Status. If in Wireless - Channel When the page is refreshed, the channel number constantly changes, then the repeater cannot connect to the router due to incorrectly specified security parameters.

After configuring the security settings, save the settings with the button Save and reboot.

We check that the repeater is connected to the router. Go to the menu Status and look at the connection parameters. In field Name (SSID): the router to which the access point is connected should appear, the channel number Channel, MAC Address and other parameters. In field Traffic Statistics data packets must “run”.

Connecting equipment to a Wi-Fi network

You can connect a Wi-Fi enabled smartphone, tablet or laptop to the Wi-Fi network.

To connect a laptop to a Wi-Fi network, in the lower right corner of the screen we find the Wi-Fi connection management icon. Select our Wi-Fi network from the list and click the “Connect” button.

Enter the password to connect to the Wi-Fi network, which was set in the router settings.

After this, the laptop will connect to the Wi-Fi network.

Checking the connection of devices to the Wi-Fi repeater

After connecting any wireless device (laptop, phone, tablet) to the Wi-Fi network, check that the device is connected to the repeater and not to the router. To do this, open the menu on the access point Wireless→ Wireless Statistics and we see the devices connected to the TP-Link repeater.

If the MAC address of your device is not in the list, and the Internet works on it, then the device has connected to the router, since at this point the router’s signal is better than the repeater’s signal. Place the access point far from the router and connect next to it. If the device still cannot connect to the access point, check that the access point is connected to the router and that its encryption type and password are set correctly in the security settings.

Restoring a TP-Link access point to factory settings

If you cannot enter the settings of the Tp-Link access point or have forgotten your login password, the Reset button on the back of the device will help you restore the factory settings and password.

Press and hold the Reset button for about 8-10 seconds.

Hello. I have already been asked several times in the comments about how to connect two routers via Wi-Fi in wireless bridge mode (WDS). More precisely, one router will work as usual, and the second will connect to it via a wireless network, take the Internet and distribute it as another network. This method allows you to strengthen the wireless network signal.

For example, you already have one router installed at home, but it is not enough and the network does not reach the entire house. To strengthen the Wi-Fi network, of course, there are special devices - Wi-Fi repeaters. Which simply catch the signal from the router and distribute it further. But almost all modern routers can operate in this mode, that is, they can act as a Wi-Fi repeater.

If you have not yet understood what and how I will configure, then I found an excellent picture on the official TP-Link website that clearly shows the diagram of such a connection.

Honestly, I don’t know how things are with this in routers from such companies as: Asus, D-Link, Tenda, Linksys, etc. I will show you how to set up a wireless bridge (WDS) on a router from TP-Link. Now I’m working through a router and experimenting with it. But for example, setting up the same thing in repeater mode will be no different. I checked. In any case, my instructions should come in handy.

Here is another comment that was left a few days ago, and we will be responding to it today.

If you have a main router, for example, from TP-Link and you want to install another router as a repeater, then I advise you to buy a device from the same company, in our case TP-Link. Devices from one company work better and more stable.

We use a TP-Link router as a “Repeater”

This means that on our main router we only need to change the channel.

Setting up the main router

Go to your router settings and go to the tab Wireless. Opposite the parameter Channel set the channel number, for example 6 (the same channel will need to be installed on the router, which we will configure as a repeater). Save settings by pressing the button "Save".

Setting up the “Repeater” router

At the time of setup, the router (which will work as a repeater) needs to be connected to the computer via cable.

Go to the router settings. To do this, type the address in the browser 192.168.0.1 , or 192.168.1.1 (the address can be found at the bottom of the router).

Then you will be asked to enter your login and password to access the router settings. If you haven't changed them, then usually the default is admin and admin (you can also look at the bottom of the device).

I wrote more about WPS in the article, you can read it. We need to disable this function.

To do this, go to the tab WPS and click on the button “Disable WPS”.

Reboot your router. To do this you can click on the link “click here” which will appear on the page after changing the settings.

After the reboot, the router settings page should open again.

Changing the IP address of the TP-Link router

Go to the tab Network – LAN. In field IP Address change the last number of the IP address to a digit 2 . For example, I had the address 192.168.0.1, and I changed it to 192.168.0.2 . To save the settings, click the button "Save".

The router will reboot itself, ask you to enter your login and password again to access the settings, and you will be taken to the settings page. Please note that the IP address in the browser will be different.

Setting up a wireless bridge (WDS) on a TP-Link router

Go to the tab Wireless.

Near Wireless Network Name indicate the name of the new wireless network that our new so-called “Repeater” will distribute. And near Region indicate your region.

Against Channel I advise you to change the channel to digital 6 (or better yet, set it to 1 so that the channels do not coincide. Try this and that).

Attention! If, when installing the same channels (for example 6) on the main router and on the “repeater” router, the Internet does not work, then install channel 1 (or another) on the second router. Try this and that.

To enable operation in bridge mode (WDS), check the box next to Enable WDS Bridging.

Well, all that remains is to start searching for Wi-Fi routers. To do this, click on the button "Survey".

A page will open with a list of wireless networks (there may be only one network). Select the network (main router) and click the button opposite it "Connect".

You will see that the fields SSID (to be bridged) And BSSID (to be bridged) will be filled. If a password for the Wi-Fi network is set on the main router, then in the field Key type specify the encryption type, and in the field Password Enter the password to access the main router's wireless network.

Click the button "Save" and reboot the router.

Everything should work. On the main router settings page you can see the connection status. If it says opposite Run, this means that the router has connected to the main router and should distribute the Internet.

Possible problems when setting up a wireless bridge (WDS)

If on the main page of the router settings the status says for a long time Scan…, this means that our repeater router cannot connect to the main router.

Only when setting up the main router, you need to specify the MAC address of the secondary router. And when setting up a secondary one, specify the MAC address of the main one. The MAC address of the router can be found at the bottom of the device.

Afterword

Perhaps the article turned out to be a little confusing, but I tried to sort everything out. In fact, setting up a wireless bridge on a router is not difficult.

To be honest, I had an HTC phone as my main router; it has the ability to work as a router. So here's mine TP-Link TL-MR3220, which I configured as a “Repeater”, connected to the phone via Wi-Fi and distributed the wireless network further. And everything worked great. But this is not a very important point, since the settings are the same.

I just wanted to make sure that everything worked, and it’s not very good to write unverified information.

If you have any questions, ask! Best wishes!

A regular router, even if it is very fashionable, modern and decorated with four formidable antennas, has a limited coverage radius.
And if there are obstacles in the way of its signal in the form of walls with metal reinforcement, then the coverage area of ​​our device is reduced very significantly.

For an ordinary city apartment, the coverage of one router is usually quite sufficient. But a private house with two or three floors has many “dead zones” where our Wi-Fi devices are confusedly looking for the network, and having found it, they cannot firmly cling to it.

And there are places in the house where the laptop still works this way and that, but the smartphone no longer sees the home wireless network and switches to 3G.
Not to mention the areas in the yard and various buildings on its territory.

In order for the Internet to “catch” everywhere, it is necessary to increase the coverage area of ​​the main router.
We will not talk here about amplifying the router itself with high-power antennas or other miracle amplifiers.
If the router is located far away or behind serious obstacles, then all of them are ineffective.

This problem can be solved in two ways.
Or stretch a special “wire” and install an “access point”, that is, another router that will be connected to the main device with a twisted pair cable.
He will receive a signal from it, distributing the Internet to all devices around him.

Or, what we will talk about today, put the so-called repeater or wifi repeater.
His task is to pave wireless bridge from the main router to the point where you want to get good coverage.
This is the simplest method that does not require additional installation work, any drilling or hammering...

But our repeater must “see” the main router, that is, be within its coverage area in order to efficiently relay (repeat) the signal.
If it is too far away, then you will, of course, get the Internet, but you will lose speed, that is, quality.
If we can lay the cable even in a deep basement, where there is no WIFI network from the main router at all, then this trick will not work with a repeater.

But our repeater can be moved to any place where there is at least some signal from the main router and... a 220V socket.
You just need to check with your smartphone how good the signal is where you plan to install the repeater.
To do this, you need to not only see the Wi-Fi bars on your phone, but also download some video and see if it works at all.
Or measure your speed, if you know how.
Everything is working? It’s great to put our repeater here.
All that remains is to configure it.

We will look at routers as an example Tp-Link And ASUS, as the most common in our market.

How to set up an ASUS repeater

So, we need to connect the Asus router via wifi network to the main router in repeater mode.
We connect to it via a cable with an RJ45 connector.
This is the cord that usually comes with the router. We connect one end of it to the computer, and the other to one of four identical ports in the router.
As it shown on the picture

We connect with a cable to one of the four LAN ports (yellow)

If you access the router from a laptop, then turn off the wi-fi network on it so that there is no conflict with the main router.

After that, enter the router address in the address bar of your browser: 192.168.1.1 .
If you can’t access this address, try the address 192.168.0.1 .
If after this you cannot access the router, then you need to restore the factory settings (see the instructions for the router).

After connecting, enter your login admin and password admin.

If the initial setup of the router has already been done, then you will see something like this:

The main window of the Asus router. To select the repeater mode, you must click on the button circled in red

Next we need to switch to repeater mode.
This stage also occurs during the initial setup of the router, which we do not show. There we also select repeater mode.
After selecting, press the button Save to go to the settings for this feature.

Select Repeater Mode...

In the next step, all wi-fi networks that the router has found within its range will open to you.
You need to select the network you want to connect to. That is, the network of your main router.
At the same time, we evaluate the signal strength so that it is not too weak. Otherwise there will be speed losses.

By choosing a network, we can evaluate the signal level from the donor router. If you have a choice about which network to connect to, then you can clearly see the best one here

After selecting the network, click on it and enter the password for the main router. The one you connect your phones and smartphones with.
Press the button Connection

Enter the network key (Wi-Fi password) to connect to the main router

The next step asks you to enter network name Repeater (Repeater) and indicate which one will be password on the wifi network in the new device (at least eight characters).

We name the repeater network that your phone will see and come up with a wifi password

The connection occurs, and after Network configured, you can once again see the entered data: network name, password, encryption type and the received internal IP address.

At the setup stage - brief instructions on how to connect to a new network via Wi-Fi

Click Complete and the main window of the router opens for us already in Repeater mode, the so-called Network map.
If you compare the Repeater menu with the menu of the main router of the same or similar model, you will notice that they are significantly cut down.

You are connected!

Now all your phones, tablets, laptops and other wifi devices need to be connected to the repeater.
After that, when they are outside the coverage area of ​​your main router or its network is weak, access to the Internet will go through the stronger Wi-Fi repeater network.

How to set up a TP-LINK repeater

Setting up a TP-LINK router in repeater mode is more cumbersome than ASUS, so you need to carefully follow all the steps so that “it works and doesn’t fall off.”

First of all, you need to get to the main router and set the channel (frequency) on which it will work with the repeater and all your devices.

By default, the router itself selects the channel, that is, the frequency for communication with your phones, tablets, laptops and other equipment.
This scheme is not suitable for us to configure the repeater.

In this case, there is no need to connect a cable to the main router, since we are connected to it via a Wi-Fi network.
You can also do this operation from a desktop computer, if you have one.

If your "main" router is also TP-LINK, then you need to go to it by entering the IP address in the address bar of the browser 192.168.0.1 , or tplinkwifi.net.

Enter your login and password. (Default admin)
Let's go to the menu.
There we find the line Channel and install, for example 6 . Any one is possible, but choosing some middle one will be more rational.
Be sure to click Save at the end.

Selecting a channel on the main router

Now we connect via the cable that comes with the router to our future repeater. We insert one end of the cable into the laptop (network card), and the other into one of the LAN connectors (see example above for the Asus router).

After the laptop and router have seen each other, type in the following in the address bar of the browser:
192.168.0.1 or //tplinkwifi.net, the same way you logged into the main router when you installed the channel.
Enter your login admin and password admin

Tp-Link router login window

If everything worked out with logging into the router, then its menu will open.
In it you need to select the item Net and sub-clause LAN.
Here we need to do an important operation - set the IP address for our repeater. He must be on the same subnet with the main router, but have a different address from it so that there is no conflict.

If the IP address of your main router was 192.168.0.1 (you visited it when you changed the channel), then we will assign it to the repeater 192.168.0.2 .
If the main router has some other address, for example, 192.168.1.1, then we assign 192.168.1.2 to the repeater.
If the main one is 192.168.3.1, then the repeater is 192.168.3.2.
And so on...
Click Save and confirm our strong desire to change the IP address when the router asks us again.

Changing the IP address for the internal network

We confirm our intentions. After this, the router goes to reboot

It reboots and the login window opens again, where we enter the login and password to log into the router.
If you look at the address bar, you will notice that there is already a new address there, which we just changed.
Using this address, you will be able to log into the repeater in the future to adjust any settings (for example, change the password for the Wi-Fi network).

In the next step, go to the menu WPS and disable this function, since it will interfere with our further setup.
The router does not reboot here.

Disable WPS - we don't need it

Now let's go to the menu Setting up wireless mode and there we set the same channel as on the main router.
After that we put the bird Enable WDS and press Save.

Set the channel number as on the main router and enable repeater (bridge) mode

After this, new fields and buttons open in the settings. We find the button Search and press it.

Click “Search” to find our network to which we will connect

There is a search for all wifi networks that our custom router-repeater sees.
Among all this abundance, if you live in a city apartment, of course, select our network and click Connect.

The list of networks in a city apartment can be quite large. And the network we need will not always be first on the list. Find it and click “Connect”

In the next step, you need to enter the password for the router to which we are connecting.
We also write the name of our new wi-fi network in the very top field.

Entering a password to connect to the main router

After this, you can check the correct connection in the menu State, where opposite WDS status there must be a sacred word Installed.

Checking the “bridge” mode - repeater

If everything is fine, and you should be fine if you follow all the steps sequentially, move on to the security settings of the new wireless network to set your favorite password.
Don't forget to click "Save" at the bottom of the page.

Setting a password for a new Wi-Fi network

And the last thing that must be done is disable DHCP.

Choose DHCP - DHCP Settings - Disable
Click Save and the router goes to reboot.

Disable DHCP, otherwise the repeater will not work stably

All. After this, you can connect to our repeater via Wi-Fi or cable, inserting it into one of the LAN ports (usually there are four of them in the router).

See how simple it is! And someone didn’t believe it, said that he couldn’t...

The article will talk about one interesting device - TP-Link TL WA850RE. Reviews about this device allow you to find out how well it works and what its performance is. What is this technique? We are talking about a repeater, which is also known as a repeater and repeater. It is necessary in order to increase the range of the existing wireless network. Next - details about the device.

Equipment

The device is sold in a white-green box. It shows the repeater itself, its characteristics and connection methods.

The envelope that comes with the kit contains a disk with all the descriptions and special software, there is also an instruction manual for the TP-Link TL WA850RE and documentation for the device. In general, such a set is unnecessary, since the process of setting up the repeater does not even take a minute. It also includes a gray network cable.

Reasons for use

Repeaters are used quite often. A popular reason for buying a repeater is a router that is not of high quality, whose signal is not enough for distant rooms or other floors. The TP-Link TL WA850RE repeater, reviews of which are given later in the article, will solve this situation with ease and without any problems. Of course, you can change the router settings, try to use a more powerful device, but nothing will give such a result as installing a repeater. The cost of the device is small, but the benefits from it are enormous.

The essence of the work

How exactly does a repeater function? When a router is installed that sends a signal over a short distance, a repeater is used. The device must be activated in a place where the network is still stable. The latter should be configured. A second access point will be created, which is a copy of the first. When you move to a place where the signal is weak, the networks will be automatically reconnected. If you wish, you can create a point with a different name and password, which the TP-Link TL WA850RE repeater will distribute. How to set up and how to use is described below.

Appearance

The design of the repeater is quite simple, with notes of minimalism. All lines are smooth, the body is white. The device does not resemble a rectangular “brick”.

The device is made of glossy plastic. The TP-Link TL WA850RE repeater, which has quite good reviews, is small and compact in size.

On the front surface you can see a button, around which there is a ring of various inductors. They are responsible for power supply, connection via a network cable, enabling repeater mode and working with an access point. There is also an indicator installed that displays signal reception from the router. It is best to place the repeater where at least three lights are on. Then the connection will be excellent and stable.

There is an electric plug, which many consumers note in reviews.

In general, the design is not bad and most owners like it. Reviews testify to this. The TP-Link TL WA850RE wireless repeater will easily fit into any interior.

Filling

The repeater runs on a controller from Atheros. It is this that gives the right to operate in b/g/n type networks. 32 MB of memory available for use. The maximum network speed is 100 Mbit per second.

You cannot work with external antennas, since there are none, but there are two installed inside.

Setting up the TP-LINK TL-WA850RE repeater

How to configure TP-Link TL WA850RE? When carrying out the process of optimizing a repeater, it is necessary to choose its location correctly. The device must be installed where the Internet speed will be stable without loss or distortion. You also need to think about its localization in such a way that the received signal can cover all the necessary places in the house or apartment.

Setting up the repeater is quick, literally in a couple of minutes. Just plug it in, find the WPS button on the router and press it. After this, you should find a large key on the repeater with a picture of a lock on it. How can you tell if the device is working? The special RE code indicator will light up. The repeater will connect to the router in a second and start working.

In order to understand the signal level supplied by the router, you can pay attention to the built-in indicators. If there are at least three divisions, then the network is of high quality. For the most stable and convenient operation, the router needs to show at least two “sticks”.

When working with a repeater, the consumer does not even notice the device. The only noticeable indicator is a stronger Internet signal, which in certain places did not even appear before.

When you turn off the device from the power supply and move it, you do not have to configure the device again. All this is confirmed by reviews. The TP-Link TL WA850RE signal amplifier remembers all the networks to which the owner connected it.

At the bottom, consumers may notice a special port required for networking. It is suitable for interacting with a computer or TV that does not have the ability to connect to a wireless network.

Connecting devices

Connecting to a repeater is quite easy. You just need to click on the appropriate button and everything will start functioning.

But there are other connection methods (without the WPS key). Each device has its own control panel. This is what you will need to get a stable connection if the router does not have the specified button.

To open the control menu of this repeater, you will need to connect to it. This can be done either via cable or via a wireless network. Immediately after this, the access point (factory) will appear, without a password. Even if the repeater has already been used (the settings have been saved), you will still be able to enter the panel only when connected.

Next, you need to enter the address tplinkrepeater.net in your browser. To log into your account, you should refer to the instructions or look at the data on the official website. As a rule, they are standard and the same: admin.

Entering repeater settings

After entering the control menu, you need to pay attention to the main page. It will indicate all the data about the repeater and its condition. If the repeater is configured, the owner will see the corresponding information.

If the router does not have a WPS key, then the settings should be made through this menu. You need to find the “Instant Options Wizard” item. This is where you can access the quick setup of the TP-Link TL WA850RE. You need to go to the appropriate tab and click “Next”. You should also select your region there. The repeater will quickly find all the networks that are nearby and you need to find yours among them. Then click “Next”.

Connecting a TP-LINK repeater to a Wi-Fi network

After searching for your network, you need to provide a password for it. You are allowed to make a clone of this point, you can also rename it. Then you need to click on the “Next” button.

You should review all available settings, if they are correct, you must click “Finish”. After this, the repeater will reboot. Then it will turn on already connected to the network.

Resetting the repeater settings

Sometimes there is a need to reset the device settings. Many problems with TP-Link TL WA850RE could be the cause. This is done in two different ways. The first is the easiest - just press the required button on the repeater. Just turn it on, take a knitting needle or some other sharp object at hand and click on the RESET button. After this, the owner will see that the indicators light up. The extender will reboot and the reset process will be completed.

This manipulation is also easy to do through the control panel. Just go to the “System Tools”, “Factory Settings” menu. There will be a “Restore” button there. A reboot will occur.

If the Internet does not work

Sometimes reviews of the TP-Link TL WA850RE describe a problem that there are problems with the signal. Often the repeater does not see the network; it happens that the connection occurs, but there is no access to the Internet. This problem is quite easy to solve in several ways.

You need to install the repeater closer to the router. As a rule, the problem is in the wrong location if a weak signal occurs. If the problem is with the network itself, then you need to reset the settings. Exactly how this is done is described a little higher. Next, you should reboot the device again and try to connect to the router.

If problems occur when making settings via WPS (for example, the router does not see the TP-Link TL WA850RE), then you should use the control panel. This process is also described above. You can also update the firmware as an experiment. Sometimes this solves the problem.

Another way is to change the wireless network channel.

Repeater availability

This repeater can be purchased for a small amount - 1150 rubles. The cost is justified for such a device. This explains the popularity of the described repeater.

Testing

In the article we will also look at how the device works in practice. It is possible that additional shortcomings will be identified that are not mentioned in the reviews. The TP-Link TL WA850RE performs well in testing. But more on that later. The supplied network, its stability and speed are also described below. All data was obtained when working with a router from Zyxel. Its maximum speed is 150 Mbit per second. The repeater and device are compatible. A computer and laptop work with the network.

To obtain more accurate data, it is necessary to change the operating conditions of the repeater. The three most relevant ones have been selected.

• Operation in one room.
• Working at a distance of 20 meters from the router, there is an obstacle in the form of one brick wall. In this case, the signal is lost by about half.
• Outdoor use. The parent point is installed at a distance of 30 meters, between it and the repeater there are two brick walls. The signal is lost almost 100%.

Being in the same room, the repeater and router operate at the same level, producing an excellent signal without failures or interference. At a small distance from each other, they can interact with additional equipment (TV) that is connected via the LAN port. The video works perfectly even in streaming mode and from a flash drive. When operating with 50% signal loss, the picture freezes. The problem can be solved only by connecting the SmartTV to the Internet. Then there will be no interference.

The last, third point is of interest. How did the repeater cope in such a situation? We get stable and fast Internet, even if it was previously lost on the laptop. If, when working directly with a router, the data transfer speed was no more than 10 Mbit, then with a repeater this figure increases to 35.

It should be noted that in all cases the level of network access does not change. The only difference is the quality and its loss. It changes upward in three situations. The repeater coped well with all conditions.

Unfortunately, due to the fact that it is not possible to function in conjunction with external antennas, the repeater does not provide a wide area in which to work with it. Ideally, it covers only one room. If an obstacle appears in the form of a brick wall, the signal is reduced to a level of 80 dB, two - 50 dB. If there is a need to work with wireless access points, then you need to take this nuance into account.

Summing up the testing, it should be noted that in all the presented cases the quality of the signal and communication in general has clearly improved. That is why we can say with confidence that the repeater copes with its duties with a bang.