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Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

bobohanlon — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 10:58:56 GMT

Hello, I am trying to connect a TPLink W9960 as a wireless router to my BT Home Hub 4.

I have followed the TPLink documentation and a number of posts on this forum to try and get it to work without success. Here is what I have tried:

Wired directly from LAN1 on the BTHub to WAN/LAN Port 4 on TPLink

On TPLink I have configured it in Wireless Router Mode.

I then configured the network settings like so:

VLAN enabled with an ID =10

PPPoE User name <my_ID>@btinternet.com with my password. (Also tried bthomehub@btbroadband.com with no password). I had previously connected the TPLink as an ADSL connection with the btinternet UID and PW so I know the credentials are correct.

I have restricted the DHCP range from 192.168.1.10 to 192.168.1.30 (I tried disabling DHCP but after I cannot even connect to the wireless network, I need to reset the TPLink to resolve this.).

The Wired connections are good, confirmed when I test but I just cannot access the network.

Any help is really appreciated.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

Les-Gibson — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 12:35:41 GMT

First let's confirm my understanding of your post.

You wish to continue using your BT homehub as your main router and use the TP Link router as an additional Wireless Access Point?

If so, On the TP LInk router:

Factory reset the TP Link
Disable the DHCP server
Set a static IP address in the range of 192.168.1.1 - 192.168.1.63 (no higher)
Connect the two LAN - LAN (Not Lan -Wan)

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

bobohanlon — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 13:23:43 GMT

Hello @Les-Gibson thanks for your reply. Yes I wish to continue using the BT homehub as the main router and use the TP Link router as an additional Wireless Access Point.

I just got this working by doing this:

On the TD-W9960

Basic > Internet > Connection Type = Dynamic IP

On the Home Hub

Advanced Settings > Home Network > Smart Setup

Enable Smart Setup = No

Advanced Settings > Home Network > Devices > TD-W9960

Checked IP address and it was set to 192.168.1.103
Set ‘Always use the IP address' to Yes.

I can access the TPLink Console with 192.168.1.103 and more importantly I can access the the network.

However, I will give your suggestion a try as an alternative. Your instructtions seem pretty straight forward, I assume I still need to configure the D-W9960 in Wireless Router Mode mode?

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

Les-Gibson — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 13:31:48 GMT

It will work like that but there's two things you should be aware of.

Firstly 103 is in the DHCP pool, although the address has been reserved for your TP Link that's not the recommended way to do it as it is taking up a pool address when it doesn't need to.

Secondly, and most importantly, you now have two DHCP servers running on one network which carries the risk of an IP clash. I very very very strongly recommended that you disable one of them. You might get away with having two running for a while but it almost certainly will catch you out when you least expect it.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

bobohanlon — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 13:37:49 GMT

Thanks again Les. I assume I still need to configure the D-W9960 in Wireless Router Mode mode for your suggestion?

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

bobohanlon — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 14:48:51 GMT

Hello again @Les-Gibson

I could not get your suggestion to work in Wireless Router Mode.

First, if I connect LAN to LAN I get an error upon test "LAN or WAN port is properly connected."

That it remediated by going LAN to WAN/LAN.

Then if I switch off DHCP I cannot find any where to set an IP range in the D-W9960.

I have noticed though that when I connect to the BT Hub using Dynamic IP the D-W9960 DHCP IP address pool changes from:

192.168.1.100 - 192.168.1.199

to:

192.168.0.100 - 192.168.0.199

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

licquorice — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 15:51:25 GMT

The idea is to basically turn the TP link into a glorified Ethernet switch with wifi, all other functionality is carried out by the Hub. You don't need to set an IP range on the TP Link as the hub is dealing with DHCP to all devices. You only need to set an IP address for the TP Link itself in order to access the management page.

Use LAN port 1 rather than port 4 to connect the devices together.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

Les-Gibson — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 16:44:16 GMT

@bobohanlon

Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier, couldn't be avoided I'm afraid. I trust that you now have everything up and running ?

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

bobohanlon — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 14:40:55 GMT

Thanks @licquorice . I think I must have something fundamentally wrong because....

I cannot use LAN 1 to LAN 1 because when I test the connection it fails when it checks the WAN/LAN connectivity. If I go LAN to WAN it passes but then fails connecting to the network.

If I disable DHCP and restart the TPLink I then can see the wireless network but after trying to connect it fails, the error is “No IP address” This forces me to reset it as I cannot access the configuration.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

licquorice — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 14:47:42 GMT

Presumably by testing the connection you mean the built in test on the Tp Link. However, you don't want WAN/LAN connectivity, so it doesn't matter if it fails if you use LAN1.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

bobohanlon — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 15:30:10 GMT

Even if I dont "test" per se it never works LAN to LAN or LAN to WAN. I've tried a myriad of configuration combinations the 2 wired connections. My first issue I dont understand is connecting to the WiFi (No available IP) once I have disabled DHCP.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

licquorice — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 15:35:54 GMT

It doesn't really matter what mode you configure it in as you are not using it as a router so try configuring it in DSL modem/router mode to see if that helps.

As I said previously, all the routing functions such as DHCP will be carried out by the hub not the TP Link.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

Les-Gibson — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 16:03:18 GMT

Don't get too wrapped up the with the mode that the TP link is operating in, if it works then it's totally irrelevant.

Start again from scratch, i.e. factory reset the TP Link

All you need to do is to get the TP Link to join the network without it interfering with any of the functions of the main hub. In order to do this you need to make sure that you turn off the DHCP server and allocate it a unique, and preferably static, IP address. Once you've done that you can add it to your home network via a Lan - Lan connection.

That's all there is to it, I know it works because I've run out of fingers and toes on which to count the number of times I've done it 😂

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

licquorice — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 16:09:53 GMT

@Les-Gibson wrote:

That's all there is to it, I know it works because I've run out of fingers and toes on which to count the number of times I've done it 😂

Me too.

I've just dug out my old TP Link 9980 and just set the operating mode to xDSL modem router mode, deleted the WAN interface in the Network tab, disabled DHCP, connected it to the hub LAN to LAN and Robert is your mother's brother.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

bobohanlon — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 09:57:40 GMT

Many many thanks for your patience and help @Les-Gibson @licquorice

So the bit I was missing was to asign the static IP on the Hub and update this in the TPLink. I can now connect my phone to the TPLink network. The issue I have with connecting to wireless seems to be Mac specific and needs some further investigation.

FYI I ran debug on the Mac connection and get "Wi-Fi has the self-assigned IP address 169.254.186.77 and will not be able to connect to the internet", there are some discussions in the Apple forum about issues with Mac and 2.4Ghz wifi, but I'm not sure that is relevant as I use 2.4 and 5Ghz (Not synced) from my HH4 and I can connect to either without issue.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

Les-Gibson — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 10:44:23 GMT

That sounds like a DHCP problem hence no IP address assigned.

It will probably be easier to help if you post the settings for both routers as they are now.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

licquorice — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 12:18:36 GMT

@bobohanlon wrote:

So the bit I was missing was to asign the static IP on the Hub and update this in the TPLink.

You don't need to do anything in the hub, you just either leave the TP Link at its default address of 192.168.1.1 or allocate it another address outside of the DHCP range of the hub.

By using address reservation on the hub, you are now reliant on the hub behaving itself and not allocating that IP address to another device at some point in the future.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

bobohanlon — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 12:31:47 GMT

TpLink:
IP Version: IPv4
IP Address: 192.168.1.106
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
IGMP Snooping: Enable
Snooping Mode: Allow
Second IP: Enable False
DHCP: Enable False

HH4
Hub IP Gateway Address IP Address:192.168.1.254
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
DHCP Server
Enable:Yes
DHCP Network Range: 192.168.1.64 - 192.168.1.253 (Default)

The TPLink has only the IP address changed and DHCP disabled.
The HH4 is pretty much out the box configuration apart from the changes noted in this thread. I have 2 separate Wireless SSIDs one for 2.4Ghz and one for 5Ghz.

Let me know if you need anything else.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

Les-Gibson — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 12:44:12 GMT

192.168.1.106 is in the HH4 DHCP pool, you need to (preferably) set the address on the TP Link to one outside of the pool (i.e. between 192.168.1.1 - 192.168.1.63) or ensure that that 106 is reserved by the HH4 for the TP Link.

You don't mention the gateway address, this should be the HH4 address.

Snooping on the TP Link is irrelevant, it can be on or off as it applies to the WAN side of things.

I would change the IP address on the TP Link as above and ensure that the gateway address is set to 192.168.1.254.

I believe from what I've read there is a DHCP problem with some Apple devices but I can't help you with that as I'm a devout Android man myself.

Re: Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

bobohanlon — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 13:34:59 GMT

106 is reserved for the TPLink. I needed to do this so that the Mac can open the console by connecting to the HH4 Wireless Network. If I change it to 192.168.1.1 I would then need to connect to the TPLink wireless, which doesn't work.

Since disabling the DHCP options in the TPLink I cannot locate anywhere to update the gateway address