WiFi Extender Question

[Woody70]

Can someone tell me if I install a wifi extender for my wifi cameras can I change the IP of my router and then change the extender IP to what my router was and have my cameras work without having to take them down and reinstall then all over for the extender.
Thank you for any help.

 

[TonyR]

Can someone tell me if I install a wifi extender for my wifi cameras can I change the IP of my router and then change the extender IP to what my router was and have my cameras work without having to take them down and reinstall then all over for the extender.
Thank you for any help.

I'm not a big fan of extenders but a few I've set up for others in the past required only that the user look for the SSID (the name of the wireless signal) being broadcast or repeated by the extender and log into it, generally with a password that has been previously set up.

This is so consumers won't be asked to monkey with IP addresses, etc. as that can lead to glazed over eyes and more issues.

 

[Woody70]

Thank you for your reply. I was just trying to put an extender for one of my wireless cameras that has a weak signal without having to climb up and take it down and connect it to ethernet cable and go through the whole process again to make it wireless.

 

[TonyR]

I've had great success using a more powerful and sensitive wireless radio at the camera end, plugged into the cam's Ethernet port and disabling the cam's built-in wireless.

The idea is to use the camera's wired (Ethernet/RJ-45) port and NOT the camera's built-in wireless, and instead use a TP-LINK TL-WR802N Nano Router configured in "client" mode. You have power near the camera so this device would be placed near the camera or inside, powered up with it's included 5VDC adapter and an Ethernet cable run to the camera.

With your PC you log into the TP-LINK and set it up to use "client" mode, have it survey to locate the SSID (broadcast name) of your home's Wi-Fi, put in your home's Wi-Fi password and save it.

Once it reboots you move it over to the camera's RJ-45 port and it will access your home's Wi-Fi via the camera's Ethernet port and NOT the camera's wireless. I have used this TP-LINK device to allow a dozen or more devices (laser printers, cameras, older xBoxes) that do not have wireless to connect to Wi-Fi with their Ethernet port.

Here's the instructions ==>> How to Configure the Client Mode on TL-WR802N/TL-WR810N

 

[mattp]

I have struggled with getting wifi throughout our 100 year old home (double ship lapped walls). I have tried extenders with no good results. I have tried powerline ethernet adapter, but it's slow especially if you have equipment on different poles in the breaker box. The best I've found and am using currently is a wifi mesh that has a dedicated 5g channel for what they call backhaul. Basically that antennae and band is used for the nodes/router to send and receive data between nodes/router. So far it's fast and pretty reliable. Yeah every 3 to 6 months or so I have to reboot the router and extenders, but that's better than any of the other solutions I've tried.
I don't know other solutions for this but I'm using an Asus setup. Here's a link to their explanation:

[AiMesh] What is Dedicated Wireless Backhaul(DWB)? How does it work? | Official Support | ASUS Global

 

[Woody70]

I've had great success using a more powerful and sensitive wireless radio at the camera end, plugged into the cam's Ethernet port and disabling the cam's built-in wireless.

The idea is to use the camera's wired (Ethernet/RJ-45) port and NOT the camera's built-in wireless, and instead use a TP-LINK TL-WR802N Nano Router configured in "client" mode. You have power near the camera so this device would be placed near the camera or inside, powered up with it's included 5VDC adapter and an Ethernet cable run to the camera.

With your PC you log into the TP-LINK and set it up to use "client" mode, have it survey to locate the SSID (broadcast name) of your home's Wi-Fi, put in your home's Wi-Fi password and save it.

Once it reboots you move it over to the camera's RJ-45 port and it will access your home's Wi-Fi via the camera's Ethernet port and NOT the camera's wireless. I have used this TP-LINK device to allow a dozen or more devices (laser printers, cameras, older xBoxes) that do not have wireless to connect to Wi-Fi with their Ethernet port.

Here's the instructions ==>> How to Configure the Client Mode on TL-WR802N/TL-WR810N

View attachment 141130

Thank You I will give that a look.

 

[Woody70]

I have struggled with getting wifi throughout our 100 year old home (double ship lapped walls). I have tried extenders with no good results. I have tried powerline ethernet adapter, but it's slow especially if you have equipment on different poles in the breaker box. The best I've found and am using currently is a wifi mesh that has a dedicated 5g channel for what they call backhaul. Basically that antennae and band is used for the nodes/router to send and receive data between nodes/router. So far it's fast and pretty reliable. Yeah every 3 to 6 months or so I have to reboot the router and extenders, but that's better than any of the other solutions I've tried.
I don't know other solutions for this but I'm using an Asus setup. Here's a link to their explanation:

[AiMesh] What is Dedicated Wireless Backhaul(DWB)? How does it work? | Official Support | ASUS Global

Thank you for your reply, I WILL CHECK THAT OUT.

 

[mattp]

Thank you for your reply, I WILL CHECK THAT OUT.

It's expensive. The most expensive I've tried yet. But it works.
If you just have this one problem spot, you may get away with an extender or a couple of powerline adapters. Check both outlets are on the same pole first though, if you try the powerline adapters.

 

[TonyR]

If hardwired (#1 choice) or powerline adapter (#2 choice) are not options and one is considering the wireless method, until you address the issue that the camera's built-in wireless has lower transmitter power and lower receiver sensitivity as compared to an Ethernet-to-wireless device like I mentioned in my post #4, there likely will be connectivity issues with the cam....IMO.

 

[Woody70]

I can't afford something like this but thank you for the suggestion. I can't believe I have to go through all this just to put an extender or something for one stinking camera. I have four cameras and only one with
low signal, and that's all I want to do is that one single camera.

 

[TonyR]

I can't afford something like this but thank you for the suggestion.

Can you afford $30 ?

 

[Woody70]

Yes but can you have that outdoors? It would have to be.

 

[TonyR]

Yes but can you have that outdoors? It would have to be.

No, but keep in mind the device could be connected via Ethernet cable up to 300 ft. away from the camera and it also needs power.

 

[Woody70]

Let me ask you another question. When you first get a wireless cam and have to connect it to your router through the ethernet cable to install it, could this work the same way through wireless?

 

[TonyR]

Let me ask you another question. When you first get a wireless cam and have to connect it to your router through the ethernet cable to install it, could this work the same way through wireless?

Yes and no...below is a simplification:

• You plug the TP-LINK device into your PC and configure as per the directions I linked above.
• Then you move the device to the Ethernet port of the cam.
• The device will be on your wireless but the cam is on Ethernet to the device.

 

[Woody70]

Thank you.

 

[tech_junkie]

Can someone tell me if I install a wifi extender for my wifi cameras can I change the IP of my router and then change the extender IP to what my router was and have my cameras work without having to take them down and reinstall then all over for the extender.
Thank you for any help.

anytime you change anything in the network stack is going to cause them to be not logged in until you manually log them in back into the network.
That is why I always suggest an access point per camera. even using cheap $35 routers this way, besides that, a lot of WIFI access points can't handle many of these cameras simultaneously connected to them plus their regular load of portable/wifi devices.

Problem with range extenders is the delay time they induce in networking.

 

[Woody70]

Thank you for the info.