TP-Link & Netgear: shared WiFi

[sometimewoodworker]

Maybe the landlords router doesn't have the permissions enabled that allow third-party network extending.

AFIK there is no setting that prohibits extending. I haven’t seen that setting but would be interested to know if it exists.

[tamada]

Maybe the landlords router doesn't have the permissions enabled that allow third-party network extending.

AFIK there is no setting that prohibits extending. I haven’t seen that setting but would be interested to know if it exists.

Maybe not in most domestic hardware but I have been on some clients remote site networks that use commercial grade stuff and if we are grafting on our own ad-hoc stuff for a specific project, we needed their IT staff to enable settings on their hardware OTA. On some sites we could connect to their wifi but the internet wasn't available until we raised a ticket with their IT. These are on 'intelligent' routers that retail for $800 and up, bloody amazing what they can do, automatic channel hopping to avoid congestion with registered users and even identifying third-party 'interference' networks and channel shifting around them. I also had a client do the same recently in Myanmar to stop the 100 of staff in an adjacent labor camp latching on to our wifi when one bright chap set up an extender in his tent. That wasn't an expensive commercial router but a high-end retail one that had all sorts of security options.

Back to the OP, seeing that he can't even connect, I suspect the password maybe isn't what the landlord thinks it is?

[sometimewoodworker]

Maybe the landlords router doesn't have the permissions enabled that allow third-party network extending.

AFIK there is no setting that prohibits extending. I haven’t seen that setting but would be interested to know if it exists.

Maybe not in most domestic hardware but I have been on some clients remote site networks that use commercial grade stuff and if we are grafting on our own ad-hoc stuff for a specific project, we needed their IT staff to enable settings on their hardware OTA. On some sites we could connect to their wifi but the internet wasn't available until we raised a ticket with their IT. These are on 'intelligent' routers that retail for $800 and up, bloody amazing what they can do, automatic channel hopping to avoid congestion with registered users and even identifying third-party 'interference' networks and channel shifting around them. I also had a client do the same recently in Myanmar to stop the 100 of staff in an adjacent labor camp latching on to our wifi when one bright chap set up an extender in his tent. That wasn't an expensive commercial router but a high-end retail one that had all sorts of security options.

Back to the OP, seeing that he can't even connect, I suspect the password maybe isn't what the landlord thinks it is?

I don’t think that the question of being able to connect a different device has been answered yet.

The other point is that the router may have been reset so going back to its default hard coded password and hence why the landlords password has failed.

Interesting about the router thanks, though I suspect that most places here will be using domestic grade equipment and on the medium to low end. I’d be interested to know the model of the router that has those features. For sure none of the Airport routers the ZTE F670 nor the TP-link Archer C7 that I’m running has that (or if they do it’s well hidden).

I’m leaning towards an incorrect password or a 5GHz network, as if the extender is the model I mentioned it only does 2.4GHz.

There is always the possibility that the modem is going bad.

We just had to get our TOT ONU swapped out as it was randomly refusing its wifi password, and disconnecting one or more LAN connections, extremely frustrating as the technicians are over worked so took about 2 weeks to attend. On the upside we now have a dual band wifi from it so a total of 3 X 2.4GHz and 3 X 5GHz Probably a little overkill

[sometimewoodworker]

Yes, it's a TL-WA850RE.

Yes.

2.4 GHz.

No.

Next step.

Delete the memorised network from your device and check that you can re-login, you will have to enter the password on the device (if you don’t have to enter the password then you did not delete the network from your device)

Assuming that you do that step and can reconnect to the landlords network then the password question is answered.

This then suggests that the extender could be faulty so to check that you need to try it on a totally different network.

[fredwilliams]

sometimewoodworker,

When I plug my TP-Link in and press the WPS button on it, while the light is still flashing, it finds:

A. virginmediaNUMBER_EXT (and shows it as 'connected' with full bars)

B. and a 5G with my landlords regular name (which shows no bars)

A. and B. both disappear when the WPS light stops flashing on my TP-Link.

[sometimewoodworker]

sometimewoodworker,

When I plug my TP-Link in and press the WPS button on it, while the light is still flashing, it finds:

A. virginmediaNUMBER_EXT (and shows it as 'connected' with full bars)

B. and a 5G with my landlords regular name (which shows no bars)

A. and B. both disappear when the WPS light stops flashing on my TP-Link.

As far as I can see the extender is 2.4 GHz only so cannot connect to a 5GHz network (it is not 5G that’s something completely different and not deployed yet)

“ virginmediaNUMBER_EXT ” should probably not be your landlords router, it would commonly be an extender.

Have you followed the setup WPS proceedure? You need to press both WPS buttons as shown in the video.

[fredwilliams]

sometimewoodworker, the Network Band on regular WiFi properties says 2.4 GHz, and the _EXT is my TP-Link.

I tried several times (yesterday) to get the router and the TP-Link to "sync" by pressing the WPS buttons, but I ran into that issue of the _EXT wanting a password (it's supposed to be the same as the router, but it didn't work).

I'll try again in the morn', and keep you posted!

[tamada]

^^ The sexy, intelligent routers were made by Aruba. I googled up the specs when we were having issues with android machines logging in that was eventually solved by a firmware rollback by the IT gods. The manufacturers claim to address the more robust and dynamic wi-fi broadcast requirements of airports, malls and in our case, offshore installations where blind spots and dead zones can be auto-detected and channels, power and directivity can be tweaked on-the-fly. If I find the spec sheet for the ones I worked with, I'll post a link.

[sometimewoodworker]

sometimewoodworker, the Network Band on regular WiFi properties says 2.4 GHz, and the _EXT is my TP-Link.

I tried several times (yesterday) to get the router and the TP-Link to "sync" by pressing the WPS buttons, but I ran into that issue of the _EXT wanting a password (it's supposed to be the same as the router, but it didn't work).

I'll try again in the morn', and keep you posted!

OK the WPS setup is not working. You will have to try one of the other 2 methods of getting connected.

If you have a smart phone the Tether app may be best otherwise use the browser setup.

[fredwilliams]

Hi, sometimewoodworker.

The printed instructions for the range extender are slightly different to the Web instructions (press router WPS first/second, press TP-Link WPS second/first).

I tried it in both directions, but the RE light on TP-Link doesn't stop blinking. I waited approx. 30 seconds each time.

Any ideas, please?

The router is a True Gigatex Fiber, by the way.

[sometimewoodworker]

Hi, sometimewoodworker.

The printed instructions for the range extender are slightly different to the Web instructions (press router WPS first/second, press TP-Link WPS second/first).

I tried it in both directions, but the RE light on TP-Link doesn't stop blinking. I waited approx. 30 seconds each time.

Any ideas, please?

The router is a True Gigatex Fiber, by the way.

As I said

OK the WPS setup is not working. You will have to try one of the other 2 methods of getting connected.

If you have a smart phone the Tether app may be best otherwise use the browser setup.

[fredwilliams]

Thank you very much for your kind support, sometimewoodworker.

I now have a speedtest Ping 19, Download 70.71, and Upload 66.18

It took a ton of fiddling around with a modem router which my landlord HAD made me aware of, and a WiFi router which he HADN'T...

...oh, and the addition of my ethernet cable.

The manually-observed connection times between devices AND peripherals - none guaranteed to actually connect - can be as long as 3 mins a piece. It was like a domino-jigsaw!

Watford is not quite Finsbury Park "Norf", but I do do owe you a pint, my friend.

[sometimewoodworker]

So you were trying to connect to a different device than the router that you were pressing the WPS button on?

So that was why it never connected?

[fredwilliams]

So you were trying to connect to a different device than the router that you were pressing the WPS button on?

So that was why it never connected?

I was never a techie, LOL.

[sometimewoodworker]

So you were trying to connect to a different device than the router that you were pressing the WPS button on?

So that was why it never connected?

I was never a techie, LOL.

Well if you are not given all the information you can’t be responsible for the failure.

[fredwilliams]

Hey, sometimewoodworker.

I was hooked up with an ethernet cable for most of the day.

It was mega-fast at first, but I noticed my connection steadily deteriorating as the day wore on, to the extent that I unplugged it (the ethernet cable) just to see what would happen... and it worked!

Do hands-free wireless connections work better than ethernet cables in T'land?

[sometimewoodworker]

Hey, sometimewoodworker.

I was hooked up with an ethernet cable for most of the day.

It was mega-fast at first, but I noticed my connection steadily deteriorating as the day wore on, to the extent that I unplugged it (the ethernet cable) just to see what would happen... and it worked!

Do hands-free wireless connections work better than ethernet cables in T'land?

Only if the Ethernet has problems with too many devices (though that would have to be a large number) and it is downstream of the wifi router or if the Ethernet side is developing problems. This is a rough mostly non technical explanation .

FWIW while my ONU (fibre modem) was falling I got speeds varying from 0.23Mbps to 79Mbps within 5 minutes of each test.

[fredwilliams]

My ethernet cable is only connecting my TP-Link with my laptop. Nothing else on it.

Hey, absent from the printed and online instructions; do I unplug / switch off TP-Link or leave it on when it's not in use, please?