How to configure TL-WA501G/TL-WA601G as a

repeater(range extender/range expander)

Suitable for: TL-WA501G/TL-WA601G
TL-WA501G and TL-WA601G can be configured as a repeater. The repeater extends
the range of the wireless network by relaying the wireless signal of the remote Access
Point or Wireless Router.
NOTE: In the following sections, TL-WA501G/TL-WA601G is represented as
REPEATER, and the wireless device to be repeated is represented as main AP.

To configure the access point as a wireless repeater, please connect your computer to
the REPEATERs LAN port via an Ethernet cable (wireless connection isnt
recommended to use for configuration). Then you need to perform five procedures:
1. Assign a static IP address for your computer.
2. Change the REPEATERs IP address to fit your main APs network.
3. Change your computers IP address to fit your main APs network.
4. Configure repeater mode on the REPEATER.
5. Wireless Security settings.
NOTE: Procedure 2 and 3 are required because we need make sure that both the
computer and the REPEATER are in the same subnet with your main AP. Otherwise,
there should be communication problems among them.
1. Assign a static IP address for your computer

The DHCP server is disabled on the REPEATER by default, so we need assign a static IP
address for your computer manually. Please click here to see how to do this.
You need to configure your computers IP address in the same subnet with the
REPEATER. By factory default, the IP address of the REPEATER is 192.168.1.1, so
you should assign an IP address like 192.168.1.x (x can be any number from 2254) to your computer.
2. Change the REPEATERs IP address to fit your main APs network
The default IP address of TP-LINK AP is 192.168.1.1. If your main APs IP address is
192.168.0.1, we need to change the IP address to match the main APs LAN, so we
need change it to 192.168.0.x (x can be any one from 2-254).
Step 1
Open the web browser. Please type the IP address of the REPEATER in the address bar.
The default IP address is 192.168.1.1, and then press [Enter].

When the login window appears, please type the username and password both
admin in the boxes.

Step 2
On the left side page, please go to Network->LAN. You can change the IP address in
the box. Here we take 192.168.0.10 for example. The Gateway should be the LAN
IP address of your main AP. Then please click Save to save the changes.

3. Change your computers IP address to match your main APs Network

Because we used the 192.168.1.x on the computer to configure the REPEATER, and
now we need to change it again to match your main APs network. Since the main APs
IP address is in the 192.168.0.x subnet, we should change the computers IP address
to fit 192.168.0.x, and here we can take 192.168.0.2. So we can communicate
perfectly with both the REPEATER and the main AP
Again, you can refer here about how to assign an IP address to your computer.
4. Configure repeater mode on the REPEATER
NOTE: Before proceeding, please make sure your main APs wireless function is
working properly.
Step 1
Open the web browser. Please type the REPEATERs new IP address in the address bar,
and then press [Enter].
When the login window appears again, please type the username and password both
admin in the boxes.
Step 2
Please go to Wireless->Wireless Mode.
If your main AP supports WDS function, please choose Repeater:

If your main AP does not support WDS, please choose Universal Repeater:

NOTE: If you are not sure about whether the main AP supports WDS, please consult
its manufacturer.
Step 3
Click Survey button on the bottom of Wireless Mode page. Then the AP List page
appears.
Please find SSID of your main AP, and click the Connect in the corresponding row.

Step 4
After Step 3, it turns you back to Wireless Mode page. The MAC address of your
main AP or wireless should be automatically filled in the MAC of AP box. Please click
the Save button to save the settings.
NOTE: If there is no security set on your main AP, please ignore the following
instructions, and all the basic settings are finished here.
5. Configure Wireless Security Settings
At repeater mode, the repeater can only support WEP encryption. So you must make
sure the security type on your main AP is WEP.
Please go to Wireless->Wireless Security. Please do the same WEP settings with
your main AP. Then click Save to save the security settings.

Till here, all the configurations have been completely finished. If there are still
problems, please contact us.
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