Sometimes your WiFi signal can drop on more than the odd occasion or maybe you live in a large house? Either way don’t worry as it’s possible to use a second, spare router to solve the issue. The process is not that complicated and could save you a lot of hassle. This is a short guide on how to set up a router to act as a wireless access point. In effect we are using a second wireless router as a ‘slave’ to your main router and thereby extending your wireless range.
Step 1.
To start you will need to find out a few details regarding the router you are currently using. This includes which channel it is broadcasting on and what type of security it is using.
For this process I will explain the procedure as if you are using a Microsoft Windows PC. The PC should already be connected to your network. You should navigate to the Control Panel and double-click on Network or Network and Internet. If you are still using Windows XP, right-click the network connection you are using to connect to your router (either on Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and then choose Status and then Support. Now you will see a window showing how your network is set up.
If you are using Vista or Windows 7/8, navigate to the Network and Sharing Centre, choose Change adapter settings, and right-click the connection and now choose Status, and then Details. The window that will appear will show your gateway and the computer’s IP address. You need to make a note of this information.
You now need to open a web browser and type the gateway IP address you made a note of in the address bar and press Enter. Now you should see a set up screen for your main router. The router may ask you for a user name and password. Enter these if you know them. If you don’t know them the information should be underneath the router.
Step 2.
You need to now locate the wireless settings and find the details of the router name, the broadcasting channel and the security type. The SSID is the name of your of your wireless network. You need to make a note of all of this information. When you have found the information just ‘log out’. If asked you don’t need to save anything as you haven’t changed anything.
Step 3
Find an old router and reset it to its factory settings. Usually there is a small hole at the back of the router, marked ‘reset’. With the router powered on at the mains, insert a paper clip and hold it in for approximately 10 seconds. This procedure will reset the router to its factory settings.
Step 4
Connect this second router with a network cable to a PC, which is not on your network. You could turn off your main router for a short time whilst you setup this slave router. If you only have access to one PC, then disconnect it from your working network temporarily. Once attached, revisit the information found in Step 1 again with this router, to access the configuration page and make a note of the information.
Step 5
You need to navigate to the Wi-Fi settings page. Enable wireless and change the wireless network name to the same as the primary router and choose a channel that is far from what the primary router is using. It is important to match the security type exactly and enter the exact same password you use for Wi-Fi on your primary router.
Step 6
You now need to make the slave router run alongside the primary one by giving it a fixed IP address. You do this by navigating to the LAN setup page. You now need to give the router an IP address in the same range as the IP addresses given out the main router, but outside of the range that is automatically assigned by DHCP. You need to stop the slave router giving out IP addresses to connected devices-the primary router should still undertake this. You need to disable DHCP by un-ticking it on the configuration page. Now you need to assign a fixed IP address. For example, the main router has an address of 192.168.1.1 and that it’s setup to issue addresses – by DHCP – between 192.168.1.2 and 192.168.1.49. You should go above that range, so give the slave router an IP address of 192.168.1.50. You need to make a note of this information, as you may need it to access this router later.
You need to remember on each configuration page to ‘save settings’ at the bottom of each page as you go along. It is also important to remember that once you have change the router’s IP address you will then have to wait for it to reboot and then access it by typing the new IP address into your browser’s address bar.
Step 7
The best way to connect the two routers together is with a super long network cable. This is usually impractical, however, so the best alternative is to use power-line networking adapters. These adapters work by using the mains power cables to act as network cables. Please remember that these will only work on ring mains, which are all connected to a single consumer unit.
Step 8
Both routers are on your network. It is best to test the network now, so grab your smartphone and check to see the signal strength when you are close to each of the routers and further away. If you have followed these steps and hot no snags along the way, then you should find that you have successfully extended the reach of your wireless network.
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