WIFI question

[suityou01]

I have a wifi router in my house, and a lot of non wifi kit in my new office in the garden.

I want to plug a magic box in that will connect to my wifi in the house (the signal is strong enough) and allow me to plug in an ethernet switch.

I was told I needed a range extender, so I bought one today from Maplin. It's a Planet WNAP-1110.

It offers me the following choices :

Wireless Access Point
Client
Repeater
Universal Repeater
Multi SSID
Bridge

I have tried Client, Repeater, Universal Repeater and bridge.

My desktop (in the office) is connected to the WNAP-1110 by ethernet cable, and can connect to the device via 192.168.1.1.

However when I try and set up the box, and then hit the world wide web it doesn't work.

Have I been missold a box and failed to grasp what it is that I really need to purchase, or is this box just crap, or have I bought the right kit and am just too stupid/tired to set it up?

TIA

[wim121]

All you need is a second standard router, set that up as a repeater and you're good to go. Often it's easier to have both routers the same make and model ...

Here is a really easy to follow guide that should work with nearly all routers ....

DIY: Setting up wireless access points as repeaters to extend wireless range | TechRepublic










(you can replace the firmware on both routers, to give you more control over the hardware, but I wouldnt recommend it unless you really need to do it)

Turn Your Old Router into a Range-Boosting Wi-Fi Repeater

[wim121]

However when I try and set up the box, and then hit the world wide web it doesn't work.

Are you sure just one of the routers has DHCP on? Sounds like you might need to check the settings again.

[suityou01]

All you need is a second standard router, set that up as a repeater and you're good to go. Often it's easier to have both routers the same make and model ...

Here is a really easy to follow guide that should work with nearly all routers ....

DIY: Setting up wireless access points as repeaters to extend wireless range | TechRepublic

Thanks Wim but I don't think you got what I was asking. Here is the step in the article that blows it out of the water :

The final step is to locate the routers such that, between the two, your entire building will be covered. Remember, the two routers will need to be able to “see” one another by way of ethernet.

My wifi router is in the house. My ethernet is in the office. I want to connect the two wirelessly.

[VectraMan]

What IP address is assigned to something in the house?

"Client" or "Bridge" sounds like the right thing. You don't want it to be a router, you want it to connect as if they were all connected to the same ethernet switch.

[suityou01]

What IP address is assigned to something in the house?

"Client" or "Bridge" sounds like the right thing. You don't want it to be a router, you want it to connect as if they were all connected to the same ethernet switch.

OK router in house = 192.168.1.1

Newfangled Client/Bridge/Repeater = 192.168.1.50

[Vanilla]

It's the right type of kit however have you established a connection with your primary AP? As you're trying to link 2 wired networks then "Bridge" is the option you want, the repeater options will only work if you are connecting to the extender using wireless kit in your office.

[suityou01]

It's the right type of kit however have you established a connection with your primary AP? As you're trying to link 2 wired networks then "Bridge" is the option you want, the repeater options will only work if you are connecting to the extender using wireless kit in your office.

OK so I set it up in bridge mode. I can ping the bridge, but not past it to the router in the house. Why is it not "Bridging"?

[Vanilla]

Did it detect the SSID of your house AP? Also double check the MAC address that you probably had to put in as part of the bridge configuration.

[suityou01]

Did it detect the SSID of your house AP? Also double check the MAC address that you probably had to put in as part of the bridge configuration.

Yes. Yes. It has a search facility that finds the SSID of the house router, and gets the MAC addy automagically.

Interestingly the status shows it has sent 182 packets (and rising) and yet got nothing back.