Using an additional router

[zebidee88]

Quite some time ago there was a thread about using a second router to increase wifi coverage. I have tried to find it but am not able to do so, it may have been Keith French that posted a guide on how to do it. If it was you Keith, could you please repost your guide, if it was another person, apologies for the mistake could you please post it. 

I have to have the hub within sight of the TV for iPlayer to work, and there are quite a few places where the wifi signal is too weak. Due to two house extensions we have three ring mains so powerline adaptors don't work very well. I have a 633 "spare"

Thank you in anticipation.

[zebidee88]

Sorry for the delay I have been a bit busy.

I set the routers up as described and "went live", I logged in with the iPad and had a very strong signal all around the house which is very good indeed. However when I tried with the laptop it said connected to xxxx (2.4) no internet, I then went to xxx-2 (5.0) and got the same, connected but no internet, very strange. 

I have gone back to just the hub at the moment so that I can use the laptop.

[KeithFrench]

HI @zebidee88 

Your complaining iPhone is covered by my sticky on that subject:-

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Fibre/Weak-Security-Warning-on-Applie-IOS-and-Windows-10-or-11/m... 

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

Do let the Community know how things are going, we often have customers asking about using a second router for wifi coverage so your experience may help others 🙂

Thanks  

Karl. 

[zebidee88]

The software version of the 633 is V2.00t I will give it until tomorrow afternoon to make sure it is running O.K. 

My iPad is complaining that it is WPA/WPA2 (TKIP) rather than WPA2 (AES) or WPA3

[zebidee88]

Thanks for coming back, there are transfers going on today, I will plug in the 633 this evening and see what software it has, it will probably need to be updated.

All the routers have the same network names and password as due to previous problems I had to keep swapping them around to prove a problem was not due to internal equipment and was a provider problem.

[KeithFrench]

OK, then this is what you need to do (assuming the Sagemcom is basically close to the default configuration). Do not use the HG635, as the firmware is not as good in respect of WiFi options as the newer HG633.

• Without connecting it up to the Sagemcom, log into the HG633 & check its firmware (needs to be 2.00). If not, connect it to the broadband & wait for it to update - normally about 24 hours.
• Now in the HG633 change its IP address to 192.168.1.2 (unless that is used by anything else). Make sure that the address used is outside of those handed out by the Sagemcom's DHCP server IP address range. This is done from:-

            Home Network > LAN Interface > LAN Interface Settings

• Disable the DHCP server from:-

           Home Network > LAN Interface > DHCP Server

• Edit the WiFi configuration to set the SSIDs (Network Names) to be the same as the Sagemcom.
• Use a WiFi analyser to look at channel usage & set the HG633 to suitable channels that will not conflict with the Sagemcom or neighbours. At this point you should get WiFi optimisation disabled on the Sagemcom, if it is not already done.
• In the WiFi config from V2.00 on the HG633 enable band steering.

Now connect the two routers via their LAN Ethernet ports.

[zebidee88]

The master socket is at the front of the house and the hub at the back connected by a long cable, so I could move the hub to the front of the house and connect it to the master socket with a short cable. The existing long cable could then be used for connecting to the 633. If there is a chance of improving things I would give anything a try. I am part of an emergency response group moving COVID vaccine and need a decent connection away from the noisy tv in the back room.

[KeithFrench]

I'm sorry, but no TalkTalk routers can act as repeaters. Connecting the second router to the Sagemcom's WiFi is impossible because none of them can act as a Wi-Fi client, only an AP. So the connection between the two will only be possible over Ethernet & by the sounds of that, a long Cat 6E cable would be required in your case. There is another way, but you would need a TalkTalk product that is not yet for sale. 

Let me know what you want to do.

[zebidee88]

My main router is a Hub a Sagecom Fast 5364 (with an orange background as opposed to the more recent black). I also have an HG633. and an HG635. The Wi-Fi coverage in my house is patchy. I thought I remembered (perhaps wrongly) that it was suggested that a second router could be used to extend/improve the Wi-Fi coverage, not as a router but as a means of enlarging the area of coverage, perhaps joined by a cable acting as a repeater.  Because we have extended, we have more than one ring main which means powerline adaptors do not work very well, Devolo Wi-Fi repeaters are not happy either.

[KeithFrench]

I don't really have a guide as such these days for it. Which is your other router connected to your broadband and do you want to connect the HG633 LAN to LAN so that everything uses the 192.168.1.0 IP network? Then I'll tell you how to set it all up.