can I setup a Netgear MR814 to be a repeater?

C

cyr0n_k0r

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Mar 30, 2001
Messages
5,360
I am getting a ME103 from netgear as my first hop Wifi on my network.
http://www.netgear.com/products/prod_details.php?prodID=176&view=sb

however, its going to be a big house, and to make sure I have adaquite coverage, I want to have another WAP at the oppsite side of the house. Now I already own an MR814v2 and was wondering if I can setup the MR814 to act as a repeater, or something that operates on the same network communication with the ME103 that would allow me to walk all over the house without losing a connection.

keep in mind the ME103 will be the FIRST hop on the network.. so the MR814 has to communicate with the ME103.. not the other way around.
 
It's possible to set up access points in tandem to extend your coverage area, if that's what you're asking. How you would do that I don't know...I own an MR814, but I don't have a second AP to play with. A good guess would be that what you want to do would work, just set up the two AP/Routers with the same WEP keys and such, and they should work it out "automagically."

Also, what you're saying about your new ME103 being the first hop all the time may not necessarily be true if you do set up both pieces of hardware in this manner. Assuming your internet connection is through the MR814, any computers within the MR814's coverage area would not have any need to access the ME103, in effect bypassing it. You would only the benefits of the ME103 if you were on it's side of the house.

edit: Also, the range of your computer's wireless card and the APs is about the same, so if your wireless cards can't make it, you may have range trouble with your APs.

One reason your post may not have been answered originally is that this is a very difficult question, espicially with wireless networks. Compatability, range, and specs vary even within product familes, so there's not really a good answer beyond calling Netgear.
 
the internet wont be going to the MR814.

My network will be setup like this.

Internet > Router > Switch > ME103 WAP

Then on the other side of the house I want the MR814 to talk to the ME103 thus giveing that side of the house connection to the internet and network. There would be no "uplink" cable connected to the MR814.. the wifi would be the routers "uplink"
 
It's not a dificult question at all. RTFM. That will tell you if the device has repeater functionality and how to set it up. I can tell you without knowing that specific router that Router/AP combos are not setup out of the box to do anything other than act as an AP. Most anyway. I think I read a post somewhere that the poster said his router would bridge and there is firmware for linksys devices that add all sorts of functionality. Read the Manual. If you see a section on repeating, highly highly unlikely, then it will. If you don't then it won't, natively anyway. I'd look around for a dedicated AP that mentions Repeating in the data sheet. Once you do have a device that will repeat it is as easy as turning on the repeating function, making the SSID the same as the parent AP, and setting up any security measures you have setup on the parent AP. Understand you'll lose half the available bandwidth right off the top for a repeater, or more accurately for each repeat hop, though most/all budget AP's are limited to one wireless hop anyway,. If I was trying to do what you are, I'd look for an AP that will function as a workgroup bridge. Called client mode many times in the SOHO community when mentioned as an AP function or Wireless ethernet client if it is a dedicated bridging device. That would associate to the parent ap, then uplink the switch on the exising router/AP you have to communicate with the wireless clients in that cell. More efficient even though it uses one extra device instead of a single repeater. Repeaters suck for lack of a better term. Installed hundreds, perhaps thousands of AP's and bridges in close to 100 WLAN and WWAN jobs. Never once did I install a repeater for a customer. Commercial ventures though. Different ballgame for the consumer market.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top