Windows 10: Setting Up a Second Router as a Repeater/Range Extender/Bridge

I am quite a distance from the modem/router (several acres property) and must use a Range Extender/Repeater.

Insider Build 16215 has knocked my WiFi into the next county, it seems and I find I must hard wire my computer to the router or Range Extender if I want Internet. Of course, the Range Extender (NetGear Nighthawk AC1900) is three rooms away from my computer equipment. Sigh . . .

I've had several suggestions over in the Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16215 PC + 15222 Mobile Forum, and thought it would be best to move this particular thread over here where it belongs rather than take up Insider Preview space.

One question I have is, "What is the difference between Range Extender, Repeater, Bridge, Electrical Extender, etc.

I've had suggestions for setting these up, but need to do more research and talking about it.

:)

 

Wifi Adapters and Homegroup in windows 10

Thanks for that. I have tried the forum before but found no similar posts. As i'm not an xfinity customer I cannot post. However, it appears that the comfast repeater cannot be set up in bridge mode. So its creating a second LAN which is in conflict
with my existing LAN.

The Comfast repeaters appear to be only suitable to extending internet access.

I've already given up using a second Billion router to extend my wifi range and will take a look at Internet over power supply.

Thanks for all the assist.

regards

Erick

 

Home WiFi connectivity

In my home I have a router provided by Dish and two daisy chained range extenders. I have my router at one end of my home and three Nest cameras located at the other end of my home. Till the signal gets from my cameras to the router the signal is very week
and the camera signal drops out frequently. Hence the two range extenders are used to keep the signal up to acceptable limits. I have one range extender within about 20 feet of the camera yet the signal bypasses the range extenders and continues to go to the
router. Any ideas on what I can do to make the cameras see the range extenders? My setup is as follows:

1 = Router

2 = TP-Link Model RE355

3 = LINKSYS Model N600 Pro

Cameras are Nest indoor

In a related issue, I have a wireless printer connected to my router. If my laptop, cell phone etc. is connected to the router it prints fine. On the other hand if my laptop or cell phone is connected to 2 or 3 my laptop or cell phone can't
print to the printer because it can't see it. I read something about "Bridging" but I have no idea of what that is or how to do it. Any ideas?

 

Good move, your drag us here, Wynona.

Some of the above phrases are the same, just from different communities, and some are really different.

Range Extender/ repeater is what you have now: new device is taking input from Main router and extend signal further. You can also connect devices to its Ethernet ports...

Bridge is basically the same, but usually describe two devices, that doesn't allow ordinary Wifi users to connect.

Media bridge is usually used to describe wifi device with Ethernet ports, that connects to wifi and is serving devices via Ethernet ports ..

Most of the routers can be set to any mode described above.

Notice "usually" in descriptions above, since different manufacturers use different names for same functionality - this just to confuse intelligent users...

 

How to create a Network Bridge on Windows 10

• Use the Windows key + X to open the Power User menu and select Network Connections, Ethernet, Network and Sharing Center,Change adapter settings
• Select both, the WiFi network adapter that connects to the internet and the Ethernet adapter you want to use in the bridge connection.
• Right-click the selection and click Bridge Connections.

There may be more, working from memory, since I am on HP laptop with 16215, connected by ethernet, and WiFi adapter is not working of course!

 

There is more...
Why not just use repeater / extender mode instead of media bridge mode (without serving original wifi signal) - extender mode basically cuts throughput in half for other users. So if you put another extender in your network (and you already have one), network speed would be 1/4 or 1/3rd of the original one, depending on how they are connected.

Other users will describe this in more professional way...

 

Just bear in mind that any of the above will not improve your speed and connection stability as it is still wireless (between your house and your daughter's). In fact, it may slow you down further. What you are trying to achieve here is just to trick your PC that you are using wired connection as wireless seem to pose some problems with some Insider updates.

 

I have to disagree with you about this one badrobot. I was connected via wireless bridge with second house for years. It is far more stable than individual connections via wifi adapters.

And speed is usually not an issue any more, since wireless can go to several hundred Mbps without any hiccups. ISP is bottleneck here.

 

I'm reading and absorbing, guys. Thanks to you all . . .

 

You have various options, Wynona - you could make comparisons regarding workability, speed and stability afterwards, if you wish.

 

Yes you can disagree. But that doesn't mean I am wrong. YMMV.
EDIT.
But this networking solution is definitely worth a try.

 

Wynona,
You said in the OP of this thread that you have a Range Extender (NetGear Nighthawk AC1900). Doesn't it have Ethernet ports?

 

It's in the wrong part of the house (as it was said in one post) - not sure about it.

 

Of course, I can only speak from my experience... *Smile That second part of your post is important part of it, anyway

 

Yes, she said it was like three rooms away in the OP. May be it can moved closer to her equipment or she can use a really long Ethernet cable temporarily. Of course either of this two options depend on whether the Netgear range extender has any Ethernet ports at all.