Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

[bobohanlon]

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.

[Les-Gibson]

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)

[bobohanlon]

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?

[Les-Gibson]

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.

[bobohanlon]

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

[bobohanlon]

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

[licquorice]

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.

[Les-Gibson]

@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 ?

[bobohanlon]

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.

[licquorice]

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.