How To Turn Your Dusty Old Router Into A Range Boosting Wi-Fi Repeater?

The internet has started to rule our lives in every aspect these days. Getting a good Wi-Fi signal in all the corners of your home seems next to impossible, and nothing is complete without the internet. Sometimes the most powerful routers also are not able to transmit power.

The walls, distance, or metal objects are hindrances to weaken the signals, thus affecting speed and performance. So, what are the best ways out there to turn your old router into a power-boosting Wi-Fi repeater. This article will help in extending your Wi-Fi signals to even the darkest corners of your house.

The listing below is some of the steps to follow so that you can convert your old router into a range-boosting Wi-Fi repeater.

1. Firstly identify the IP address of your present router along with the channel it is being broadcasted on and its security type. Click on your settings and note down the default gateway address of your primary router.

2. Access your current router by typing in the IP address on your browser.

3. Alternatively, you can enter the address provided by the manufacturer of your router. Enter your user name and password. If you do not know the username and password, it is mostly found on the bottom of the router, or you can find it online too.

4. Next, you need to check your Wi-Fi settings. For this, we need to look up information on your Wi-Fi settings so that you can use it to set up your old router. Find out the router name, channel, and security type from the homepage of your primary router and note it down.

5. Now, completely erase out any stored data from your old router by resetting it. To initiate this process, insert a thin object such as a paper clip in the hole marked reset on the back of your old router. Hold it there for about thirty seconds. On releasing, all the lights should go out and come back again. Your old router is now set back to its factory settings.

6. To get your old router ready to be used, you need to configure it. For this, turn off the primary router or your PC from the network. Try to connect your old router to a computer or laptop that is not connected to the network. Start from step 1 above until you reach the configuration page.

7. The information noted down from the primary router’s settings should be entered into the old router. Ignore any of the setup wizards if it is there. Then go to the settings page of your Wi-Fi and change the network name to the same as your primary router. Choose a channel that is far away from the primary router’s channel. The security type and password should be matched exactly as the primary router. Don’t forget to change the “wireless mode” to “repeater” in the basic settings here.

8. Assign a separate fixed IP address for your old router. For this, go to the LAN setup page and get an IP address in the same range as that assigned to your primary router but at the same time outside the one that is automatically given from the dynamic host communications protocol (DHCP).

9. Give your old router a new address by assigning one just outside the one set by you. For example, if your router has given 192.168.1.2 up to 192.168.1.49, assign the new address 192.168.1.50. Save the settings after the assignment and wait for them to reboot.

10. The best way to connect your primary router and old router is by using a long network cable. But it is not practically possible to connect both these routers using a powerline networking adapter. This will transfer signals using your electrical system. Remember that you should use only one electrical system to the same fuse box.

11. To see if your connections are working, you need to check how good work you have done. If you have a chance to install a wired connection, even better because they are known to provide reliable connections than wireless connections. For this, pick a place that is halfway from the dead spot and your primary router.

Plugin the powerline adapter and attach the router to the adapter by using an ethernet cord. Try connecting to check on the speed of your connections near your primary router as well as your old router. Use any good speed testing sites for this. Move around your old router and see if the speed is being maintained. If all looks ok, then you have been successful in your job!

Remember that the placement of your repeater is quite important to get high performance and proper signals.

Do not put it inside a box or cupboard.
Keep the external antenna straight upward so that the Wi-Fi router can air the signals in all directions.
Do not place it under the table as this will weaken the signals.
Place the router at a position where the router can receive at least 40% of the signal from the primary router.
Place your old router in a centralized location with no obstruction between your primary router and your old router.

Final Words

Wi-Fi technology is used in every home and office today. It lets you enjoy the freedom to use the internet without sitting in one place. Speed performance may sometimes drop due to weak signals or interferences. Placing a physical wired connection in every room may not be possible every time so using your old router as a repeater to boost up your range is always beneficial. Hope this post covers in detail the various aspects of setting up and configuration of your old Wi-Fi routers and modems.