Solved Connect router wirelessly to main router

[spongebot64]

Recently I bought a TP-Link WR841N router and, unaware of what it needed, there had to be an ethernet cable coming from the main router (BT Homehub 3) for it to work. Is there any way I can connect these two wirelessly? I don't mind whatever way I connect it to my PC.

 

[ibshaw]

Why do you need the additional TP-Link router - is the BT hub not a combined N modem/ router ? A bit more detail of your setup would help understand what you're trying to achieve...

 

[spongebot64]

Basically, all I want is a semi-wireless connection between my desktop and the router - my desktop connecting to what I've got (which should have been an access point) and then connecting wirelessly to the BT Hub. All I want to know is that is this possible, or will I have to take this back (which I'm more annoyed of frankly)?

 

[Slartybart]

Is this your BT Homehub 3?
New BT Home Hub 3 - BT Shop

If it is then you already have a wireless router and don't need the TP-Link WR841N.

If you're using the TP-Link WR841N as an repeater/extender then that's different.

ibshaw asked a very good question. I'm not sure that your answer cleared things up though.

You can have a wired connection and / or a wireless connection. I don't know what a semi-wireless connection is.

You currently connect to the BT Homehub wired?

my desktop connecting to what I've got (which should have been an access point)
​

You want to connect to to the BT Homehub wirelessly?

then connecting wirelessly to the BT Hub
​

AS far as I can tell, you can do that without the TP-Link WR841N. It depends on more information about the BT Homehub 3. It alwso depends on the distance between the BT Homehub 3 and your machine.

You have a desktop and the BT Homehub 3 is near enough to the PC, then a wired connection will give you superior throughput.

BT Homehub 3 references:
http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/32813/~/bt-home-hub-3
.

 

[spongebot64]

Basically, can I turn the TP-Link router into something like an acccess point or a repeater? I'm sorry for the vague answers, it's just that I've been following online guides (carefully), resulting in no success.

I know I can connect wirelessly from the desktop to the BT Hub in the first place, but the connection is rubbish thnaks to the only place I can put my desktop. As for wired, it offers a better connection, though it poses the disadvantage of running throughout the house.

So, it lead me to get something that can connect semi-wirelessly (a term that I've coined in this instance); connect an ethernet cable from the desktop to the TP-Link router (which now I know should have been an access point in this case), and let the connection from there be wireless.

 

[Barman58]

Don't mean to But into the thread, but the system you are looking for is available, I use it personally to connect my Ethernet only Media devices, (TV/STB/BD-Surround System), in the living room, wirelessly from my router. I have tested it with laptops, and PCs also

Whether you can achieve this with a Router that is designed to distribute a wired service from a Wired one, will depend on the router

The unit I uses is quite cheap and works for me

Edimax CV-7428nS - N300 Universal Wi-Fi Bridge for Smart TV, Blu-ray and Gaming

Check the normal sources such as eBay for prices

 

[spongebot64]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll keep that in mind if I have to return the router. But for now, on what I'm trying to achieve.

 

[Slartybart]

If the wireless connection to the BT Homehub is "rubbish" then it will still be rubbish with the other wireless router. You did mention location, so you might get better throughput with the TP-Link WR841N as a repeater.

Here's something that might work better for you - probably around the same cost as the TP-Link WR841N router.

A neighbor of mine had them in his house and they worked well. I spoke with a tech at a big box store and he suggested that a powerline adapter might meet my needs (nope, I have a completly different requirement), so I set up a repeater.

Note that you lose half the signal in repeater mode.

Once you settle on the means, I or another member can help you get it up and running.

 

[spongebot64]

When I mean the connection is rubbish, it's not due to the BT Hub - it's where my desktop is located that's giving me problems. And don't suggest that I move it because I can't move it anywhere else.

But now, after some time with the DD-WRT flashed onto the router, it's now able to pick up my BT Hub's signal wirelessly. However the down/upload speed has taken a hit: Down - 75/76Mbps > 18Mbps; Up 18Mbps > 7Mbps.

 

[Slartybart]

Have you considered moving the desktop?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Cool, a firmware update helped get the two taliking.

The troughput is as to be expected in repeater mode, that's why I suggested the powerline adapter as an alternative.

TP-Link refers to repeater as WDS bridging (see page 34 -37) in http://www.tp-link.com/resources/document/TL-WR841N_V9_User_Guide_1910010905.pdf

 

[spongebot64]

Yeah, I think I'll get a powerline adapter. Now should I get a 500Mbps one, or would 200Mbps do?

 

[Slartybart]

That's your call spongebot... it depends on the service plan you have with your provider. If you have a screaming connection, then go with the high end powerline. If you have a lower tier plan, go with the low end powerline.


It's mega bits, not mega bytes right?
So divide by 8 (500 Mb = 62 MB) add in some transmisson overhead (~10% takes you down to ~56 MB) and that's with optimal settings - real world results will be lower. How much lower depends on a number of factors.

As an example, I have two devices, a laptop and a tablet. They both have N wireless cards and both "talk" to the same router. The laptop gets 26-72 Mbps and the tablet gets a consistent 150 Mbps. Big difference! I mention this only becasue I can't figure out the numbers on my laptop - other than it's a crappy card. I've set, reset, upgraded, updated, reset.... those exercises were over about 6 months to a year and I did get a good improvement, but still not the rated speeds.

I guess what I'm saying is talk with the tech people in the store, get the best piece of equipment for the lowest price (not the lowest price equipment though). Sales people will sell you anything - the technical people work with it.

I'm sorry that I can't recommend a brand or model, I can tell you that my neighbor had Monster powerline adapters.

You'll still need ethernet cables from your PC to one powerline adaper and another cable for the powerline adapter that connects to the BT Homehub.

Bill
.

on a good day.

 

[spongebot64]

Well my connection, at best, is around 75 megabits/s which, divided by 8, equals 9.375 megabyte/s. It all comes from the fibre optic connection I have.

But yeah, I'll talk to the tech people at the store that I bought my router (which should have been different in the first place). Thanks.

 

[spongebot64]

Well, here are my results from using the powerline (specifically the TP Link PA4010):

 

[Slartybart]

Looks good, glad I was able to help. Those numbers look pretty good (faster than 95% of GB)

Thanks for marking the thread solved too.

Bill
.