Router with Wireless Bridge mode: can it get internet via wireless and repeat it via Wireless (AP) and ethernet?

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Deniii

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Sep 23, 2015
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Here's my situation so you can better understand my question:

I have a WiFi modem provided by my ISP (this one: http://surfboard.com/products/sbg6700-ac/).
Now, there's a section of my house that barely gets any signal (it's a big house).
What I want to do is, place a device right where the signal starts to drop, "catch the wireless internet" and repeat it again to the rest of the house.

The thing is, I need to have internet access in this new location via Ethernet (wired) and WiFI (wireless Access Point), that's why the device that "catches and repeats" needs to "give" internet via both methods.
I was achieving this with a TP-Link TL-WA801ND (http://www.tp-link.com/ph/products/details/cat-12_TL-WA801ND.html) but it works like sh*t, like every TP-Link product and they are the only thing you can get in my country.

So, I thought of importing a device to replace this one.
I have an old Buffalo Airstation router that I got from Japan many years ago and it works great so I decided to try that brand again.
I go to Buffalo's website and I find this:
http://www.buffalotech.com/products/airstation-highpower-n600-gigabit-dual-band-open-source-dd-wrt-wireless-rou

Right at the bottom, among the many features, it says "WIRELESS BRIDGE" and gives a simple explanation about it but doesn't answer my question.

So now I ask the nice community of Tom's Hardware:
Does a wireless bridge captures WiFi internet and repeats it via AP and Ethernet like my TP-Link device does or that requires a special type of device?

Thanks.
 
Solution
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1) Powerline adapter sells as a kit, so you only need to buy 1 single kit.
2) You will plug second powerline adapter into RT-N5S LAN port and not WAN, you also need to set it to be Access Point, doing this creates one large network instead of 2 seperate ones

3) The new generation powerline adapters should be fine for your 1920 wiring as they use both hot and neautral to send the sginals. As long as the individual wires are 14awg or bigger that should be fine.
Using a "powerboard" however will not be fine. These need to be conencted direclty to the wall sockets as anyting else can interfere with the frequency pulses of the signal. The newest generation of powerline adapters can handle going across electircal phases but in your case I...
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boosted1g

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Jun 12, 2013
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First of all) Buffalo wireless G routers were good but pretty much went downhill after that (hey just like linksys).

I would recommend ASUS brand equipment, the quivelant to the buffalo you posted would be the RT-N53.

Now I would not set the second router as a wireless bridge, I would make it an access point.
If you cant run ethernet in attic/crawlspace between the two routers then the next best thing is powerline ethernet adapter.
I would advise getting an av1000 or better, and tplink makes some of the better quality units of those (i know you dont like your tplink router, but that one was a cheap low end router so really a "get what you paid for" thing there, not that everything tplink makes is sh*t.

Reasons to go with powerline:
1) When you repeat a wifi signal with a single radio device you cut the bandwidth in half so if at best you get 75mbps where the second router is, then all devices connected to it will at best get 35mbps.
2) Flexibility, you have to be very selective where you put the repeater but with this you can put it in a more optimal location
3) Because it is not wireless it will have a much more stable connection and perfrom better, not to mention latency wil be reduced which is important for gaming or real-time video/voice applicaitons.
 
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Deniii

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Sep 23, 2015
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Thanks for the reply, boosted1g.

Let me see if I understood you answer correctly:
You suggest I get a router (like the Asus RT-N53) and 2 powerline adapters (like the AV1000).

I plug 1 powerline adapter next to my Arris WiFi modem (the one my ISP gave me) and I connect an ethernet cable from 1 of the LAN port in the Arris to the AV1000.

Then, in another part of the house, I place the RT-N53 somewhere and the other AV1000 near it. After that, I connect another ethernet cable from the second AV1000 to the "Internet" port of the RT-N53 (I say "Internet" port because every brand calls the input port for internet by a different name but I mean to say it's not one of the 4 o whatever ammount of LAN ports)

Then I connect any wired devices to the LAN ports of the RT-N53 and any wireless devices (like a smartphone) to the wireless network of the RT-N53.

Did I get it correctly?
If I did, it does seem more convenient. Speacially for the second resons you gave me. My TP-Link is in crappy location but there is the only place where I can set it so I can capture the signal.

However, I have another question: these powerline adapters, what kind of electrical wiring do they need to work correctly?
My house is rather old (it was built around 1920) and all the wires are rather thin and old as well. You can't put too much pressure on them or everything melts.
Not only that but it also has very few wall sockets so I mostly use what I think is called "powerboards"
(https://2ecffd01e1ab3e9383f0-07db7b9624bbdf022e3b5395236d5cf8.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com/Product-800x800/85198d19-1ab9-4f0f-b922-c46f64a5398b.jpg)
Do powerline adapters work in these conditions? (through a powerboard connected to old wiring)

Thanks.
 
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boosted1g

Titan
Jun 12, 2013
14,846
8
74,965
1) Powerline adapter sells as a kit, so you only need to buy 1 single kit.
2) You will plug second powerline adapter into RT-N5S LAN port and not WAN, you also need to set it to be Access Point, doing this creates one large network instead of 2 seperate ones

3) The new generation powerline adapters should be fine for your 1920 wiring as they use both hot and neautral to send the sginals. As long as the individual wires are 14awg or bigger that should be fine.
Using a "powerboard" however will not be fine. These need to be conencted direclty to the wall sockets as anyting else can interfere with the frequency pulses of the signal. The newest generation of powerline adapters can handle going across electircal phases but in your case I would still try to connect them to the same phase of power.

Best to worst setup:
1) hardwired ethernet between ISP router and ASUS
2) powerline adpaters between ISP router and ASUS
3) Wireless Bridge/repeater Idea you were initially discussing.
 
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Solution
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Deniii

Reputable
Sep 23, 2015
11
0
4,510
Thanks for the reply.

The first option is not possible (hardwired ethernet between modem and router)
I could try the powerline solution.

I checked TP-Link's website and there's a version of the adapter that has passthrough power socket + Wifi
(http://uk.tp-link.com/products/details/cat-18_TL-WPA8630P-KIT.html)

With that one, I figure I could plug the adapter to the wall socket and the powerboard to the adapter.
Would that work?

I would also have WiFi without the need for a router.
Is one of these better than buying a regular adapter + router?
 
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