Setting up home wifi network with range extender - problems

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
O

Old Grey Grump

Reputable
Apr 21, 2014
5
0
4,510
I have home wifi, consisting of a main wifi router (Virgin Super Hub 2) and a one range extender (TP Link WA750RE). The problem I have is that computers connecting to the wifi network via the main Virgin router and the TP Link range extender can't 'see' each other. I've checked the range extender and it is set to the correct mode i.e. it has the same SSID as the main router and is using the same IP range and subnet mask, and there are no conflicts. I've turned the DHCP server mode off on the extender so only the main router is acting as a DHCP server, and there are no IP conflicts. I've run some ping tests and I can ping the main router from all devices, and connect to it's management console from all devices, but I can't ping devices connected via the extender from devices connected via the main router and vice versa. Also, I can't ping the extender from devices connected via the main router. Internet connectivity is working fine from all devices so those connecting via the extender are working at least to that extent. But as I say, I can't get a local Windows XP network to work at all because I can't get a connection between computers between the main router and the range extender. So any help would be very much appreciated.
 
Solution
B
This may be a issue with the way the super hub supports WDS. WDS is how the extender allows multiple devices to share one encrypted connection to the main router...it is technically a violation to have multiple mac addresses and WDS is the hack they used to get around the restriction. WDS is not a standard so different manufactures do things a little different sometimes.

First verify that the super hub does not have some what is called wireless isolation enabled.

Next try to ping one of the repeater connected devices from a device on the super hub. Quickly issue a ARP -a command and see if you see a ip to mac mapping or if it says incomplete.

What many times happens is the arp packets are not being passed though the router...
Sort by date Sort by votes
B

bill001g

Titan
Aug 9, 2012
28,277
2,741
125,640
This may be a issue with the way the super hub supports WDS. WDS is how the extender allows multiple devices to share one encrypted connection to the main router...it is technically a violation to have multiple mac addresses and WDS is the hack they used to get around the restriction. WDS is not a standard so different manufactures do things a little different sometimes.

First verify that the super hub does not have some what is called wireless isolation enabled.

Next try to ping one of the repeater connected devices from a device on the super hub. Quickly issue a ARP -a command and see if you see a ip to mac mapping or if it says incomplete.

What many times happens is the arp packets are not being passed though the router. Since it is using WDS sometime these requests do not get broadcast to remote devices. How exactly they solve issues like this is one of the variations of WDS and you would have to read the vendor manual and hope to find some options to change.

Worst case I suppose you could try putting in a static arp entry for the IP and put in the routers MAC address and see what happens....again no way to predict because doing that is also a non standard thing to do.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
O

Old Grey Grump

Reputable
Apr 21, 2014
5
0
4,510
Thanks Bill, I was wondering about WDS. I'll give ARP -a a try and see what that shows, and maybe try setting up static IP addresses. I guess if I mess around with too much and things go wrong I can always perform a factory reset.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom