You will receive a verification email shortly. Got Wi-Fi dead zones? Using Netgear Genie, a free network-management app for Netgear routers, we easily converted the old router into a Wi-Fi extender to add Wi-Fi to a guest room in my basement. I have a hard wired 5 port ethernet switch. This story, "Turn an old router into a wireless bridge or repeater and boost your home network" was originally published by See the chart below to find out the details for your brand of router. If your router can't install DD-WRT, you can always buy a used one, such as the popular Linksys WRT54G for pretty cheap. I'm hoping it also says, "Welcome home" to my guests. It's time to set up your extender. Once the IP address is changed you will need to disconnect and then reconnect the device and use the new IP address to log into the TG797. Next, click or tap on Enable Wireless Repeating Function and then on Wireless Repeater. The results speak for themselves. If so, chances are that you can indeed use your old router as an extender. Subscribe to access expert insight on business technology - in an ad-free environment. While it costs next to nothing to do this, don't expect Wi-Fi miracles. For me, it took about 15 minutes and four tries to get a good location: about 60 feet from the basement's router, which allowed the R7000 extender to bathe the guest room in Wi-Fi. The TG797 can be used as a WiFi access point with one of its LAN ports connected to smart modem's LAN ports. Only an 802.11n or ac router will do. Make sure that the subnet mask matches the router's – the subnet mask is what the router uses to determine if the network segment and client are local or remote. If the router doesn't support running as a repeater or an extender using the manufacturer's firmware, there's another way. Do a hard reset on your router (check the manual or search for "[router name] hardware reset," then connect your computer to the router's LAN port with an Ethernet cable. Using Speedtest.net as a benchmark, here are our results: I might be far from a superhot connection, and the latency in the extended Wi-Fi is higher than the rest of my home network, but the data speed is good enough for general web browsing, watching movies and even a little gaming. You typically do this by holding the reset button down for 20 or 30 seconds and then the router will restart. My old router is not a dual band router so I'm guessing it can't extend both. NY 10036. Unless you live in a tiny apartment or bungalow, it's rare that a single router can cover an entire home. Needless to say, you should change your password as soon as you can to something more secure (and we have a handy guide that walks you through the process). Melanie Pinola is a freelance writer covering all things tech-related. I like to use 192.168.1.2 (one higher than the base router's address) to denote that it's part of the LAN's infrastructure and not a client or printer. You can check if your new setup is working by going to Status > Wireless. Advanced > Local Network. The router should reboot and, in a couple of minutes, behave like a wireless extender. find out if your router model is supported and download the latest release. Copyright © 2020 IDG Communications, Inc. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Set a Static Address: It's a little tricky, but next, you need to type in a static IP address for the … Start with the 2.4GHz section on top and make sure that the network name and password match the rest of the network to ensure reliable roaming from router to extender. There are a few different scenarios here, but for all of them, you'll need to install the Linux-based DD-WRT to replace the old router's default firmware--and give it not only more options but also enhance its performance. If you want to use your old router to increase the range of your wireless network, choose "Repeater" for the Wireless Mode. Head to DD-WRT to find out if your router model is supported and download the latest release. Change WiFi SSID and password to same as smart modem. ITworld. I was wanting to use the TG797n as a wifi extender. New York, We transformed a dusty Netgear R7000 802.11ac router into a repeater as an example of how to do this trick. This means that even devices that can't reach your main router can get connected through the old router anywhere you put it. Online privacy: Best browsers, settings, and tips, Mozilla sees 'collateral damage' in DOJ antitrust fight with Google, Warning: Multiple Windows 10 retirements ahead, 8 fast fixes for common Chrome OS problems. The R7000 is a dual-band router, so go down to the 5GHz section and repeat the previous set of instructions. If you've set a new password for the router and since forgotten it, go right ahead and perform a hard restart that will wipe all existing data from the system. I recently replaced my Technicolor TG797n v3 modem with a Telstra Smart Modem Gen 2.At the far end of our house the wireless signal is pretty weak. This information can generally be found in the router’s management software, on the same screen as the IP address you just set. We used Netgear's Genie software, which is built into the R7000 router, to change the configuration. Do the math: If you have a 100-Mbps connection and the extender is limited to a peak of 11 or 54 Mbps, you'll likely be wasting most of your bandwidth with an older router. If you have an old router sitting around, check with the manual to make sure the device can be converted into an extender or a repeater, and get specific instructions. It's a little tricky, but next, you need to type in a static IP address for the repeater. Thank you for signing up to Tom's Guide. I've setup 2 different wifi connections in an attempt to keep my own connection private and only allow them to connect to the secondary (guest) wifi connection. A dusty old router can be easily transformed into a wireless network extender to get whole-house Wi-Fi. Rather than complaining to your mate about places you can't listen to Spotify or watch YouTube videos, you can do something about it: turn an old router into an extender that grabs the Wi-Fi data signal out of thin air and retransmits it. Once logged in, go to the Wireless section of the main configuration page. Here's where the instructions differ, depending on what you want to do: For both the bridge and repeater options, next go to Wireless > Wireless Security and enter the security settings of your main router. The setup is working well for me however the wifi coverage is poor in some rooms and I'm looking to use your method to help resolve that issue. After getting and installing the R7000's latest firmware and connecting the router to our network with a Cat5 jumper cable, we opened a browser window and typed, "www.rouoterlogin.net" to open the login screen. Pick a place with an AC outlet that is about halfway between the network's router and the area you want to fill with Wi-Fi. © It's easy to reconfigure an old router into an extender so that the device grabs a strong Wi-Fi signal and sends out a fresh stream of data to previously unconnected areas. I was wanting to combine the TG797n and the ethernet switch so the items current hard connected to the switch (eg Apple TV, Smart TV) are still connected but the wifi range is extended.Can someone step me through how to set this up, including the settings that I need to change on the TG797n?Thanks in advance! The only changes you need make are to the Technicolor router: 1) change the routers gateway IP address from 192.168.254 to 192.168.1.1 . Use Telstra TG797n v3 as wifi range extender, Re: Use Telstra TG797n v3 as wifi range extender, Streaming (Netflix, Stan, Foxtel Now, Binge). Visit our corporate site. If you want to connect wired devices (e.g., your TV or game console) on the old router and have it connected wirelessly to your modem or other router, then choose "Client Bridge" in the Wireless Mode drop-down. If these default passwords don't work, you can generally find the correct ones through the manufacturer's product-support pages or on sites like RouterPasswords.com and Router-Reset.com. Hey Brian, thanks for sharing this really informative guide. When you're done, click on Apply. If you want to use your old router to increase the range of your wireless network, choose "Repeater" for the Wireless Mode. Yes change off LAN IP address has to be done on the TG797 using a device connected to the TG797 via one of the TG797's LAN ports or the TG797's WiFi. Finally, you may have to go into Setup > Basic Setup and change the router's IP address--to be on the same subnet of the primary router if you're creating a bridge, or on a unique subnet if you're in repeater mode. Your Router's Security Stinks: Here's How to Fix It, Where to buy PS5 — latest PlayStation 5 stock updates, Samsung Galaxy S21 release date, price specs and leaks, Best Black Friday deals 2020: The best early sales now, Walmart promises more PS5 consoles are coming — but there’s a catch, http://tplinklogin.net or http://tplinkwifi.net.