This topic

Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

jonnybar — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 17:02:10 GMT

Hi, so the house I've moved into has a shed at the bottom of a long garden. Cat 6 cable has already been run, and an rj45 connector is there plus a wireless access point.

My internet router is plumbed in at the lounge. The house connection for the cat 6 that has been run to the shed is in another room next to where the old internet router was placed, on the other side of the house!! I've placed a whole home disc in this room and connected an ethernet cable from it to the shed cat 6 port.

Now when I go down to the shed all three lights are on the wireless access point and I can connect to it, but there is no internet connection..

Can someone tell me if 1. This is possible, 2. Have I done something wrong?

I've also tried the exact same process but used power line adaptors instead of the discs

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 17:12:05 GMT

Which BT Home Hub are you using for your broadband connection, as some of them did not co-operate when a device was moved from one location to another, unless the Ethernet connection was disconnected for a couple of minutes. Something to do with its internal routing.

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

jonnybar — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 17:15:23 GMT

I've been using the whole home WiFi for years, my internet provider is virgin, so it's connected to the virgin hub, latest model

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 17:20:07 GMT

As this forum is for BT Broadband customers, you need to post on the Virgin Customer Forum, to see if anyone is using those BT branded devices.

https://community.virginmedia.com/

There is no specific help here for those devices.

It would be best to give the WHW product helpdesk a call on 0808 100 6116 ( Mon to Fri 9am to 5.30pm and Sat 9am to 2pm) or drop them an email to: btconnectedhome@bt.com and they'll be able to help.

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

gg30340 — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 20:08:27 GMT

There are a few posters on this forum who have purchased the BT Whole Home Mesh equipment, which is not exclusively for use by BT Broadband customers with the BT hub, and they use a non BT router who may be able to answer your question.

Unfortunately I am not one of them so can not help but as stated someone might be able to.

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

jonnybar — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 20:21:28 GMT

The fact that it's being used with virgin broadband, definitely isn't the problem, it's been working perfectly well this way for years and still is, I'm just not sure what network conflicts I'm causing trying to achieve what I am

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

licquorice — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:17:02 GMT

I'm not sure that the Ethernet port on the white discs can be used as an 'output' and are possibly confined to being used purely as an 'input'.

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

jonnybar — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:18:41 GMT

They can definitely be used as an output, I have had things connected via ethernet already

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

licquorice — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:20:21 GMT

Ok, next thing to try is to connect the AP directly to the router to verify whether it is a problem with the AP or the Cat6 cable to the shed.

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

jonnybar — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:22:31 GMT

Ruled that out already. Connected it all up in the house, no problem connecting to the ap. But no internet

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

chrisjp — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:23:21 GMT

I use the ethernet port on one of my Wholehome white disks as an output, providing broadband to a TV and a satellite box via an ethernet switch. This works just fine, so it's difficult to understand why the OP's connection doesn't work. The only difference I can see is the distance between the white disk and the ethernet connected units, but this shouldn't adversely affect the connection, assuming a decent ethernet cable.
One thing the OP could try would be to get a new Cat5e or 6 ethernet cable and try that to see if it works

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

gg30340 — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:25:13 GMT

Have plugged a "short" Ethernet cable into the disk that you are using to see if you are getting a connection to that disk before connecting the shed cable to it?

Have you checked the cable from the house to the shed is wired/working correctly using a Network Cable Tester?

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

jonnybar — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:25:42 GMT

I have connected it all up indoors, to rule out the long run of cat 6. Had the ap directly connected to a disc in the house

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

licquorice — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:27:34 GMT

Ok, have you tried a factory reset of the AP?

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

jonnybar — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:28:50 GMT

Yup

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

licquorice — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:42:55 GMT

Out of ideas now I'm afraid

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

gg30340 — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:56:41 GMT

I may have missed it if you have but have you connected the WAP to your router directly with a known good Ethernet cable and made a connection to the WAP without involving any discs?

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

jonnybar — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 22:00:48 GMT

Sorry, I should have already said this, but yes I have, tried to rule out all the factors first

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

gg30340 — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 22:11:12 GMT

I am still not clear, have you checked the disc that you are using to connect the shed is actually working when you connect an Ethernet cable to it. ie have you plugged a laptop into a known working Ethernet cable connected to the disc and made an Internet connection?

If that works and you say the AP apparently works the only thing left is the Cat6 cable.

Re: Plugging wireless access point into whole home disc

jonnybar — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 22:22:22 GMT

Yes the discs all work and the ethernet point works with other devices. I think it's definitely some kind of networking clash....not sure if a wireless access point can be connected via a disc