Add Wi-Fi to Ethernet ?

GordonR on 26/12/2015 - 17:19

At home, I have Telstra Cable connected to a Telstra Modem which does double duty in providing a wifi network and also powering four Ethernet ports, which currently have TVs and/or computers connected to them.

I'd like to have better wifi in a couple of rooms at the back of the house, so I want to buy some gizmo that

  • connects to an Ethernet port
  • creates a wifi network (that does not interfere with the existing one)
  • allows the TV/computer that was previously connected to the Ethernet port to remain wired

I went to Officeworks, but there was a confusing array of extenders, routers, bridges, access points etc. and from the outsides of the boxes and the schematic diagrams, I couldn't see anything that seemed to do all that I wanted.

Any suggestions?

Internet

Comments

  • ausmechkeyboards on 26/12/2015 - 17:30
    +1

    Any wireless router will do what you want. You just plug the ethernet port to the router, which has it's own wireless network and additional ethernet ports.

  • sraymond on 26/12/2015 - 21:03
    +2

    I just did similar. But I disabled the wireless on the old modem before connecting the new one.

    http://computers.mwave.com.au/search?w=AB52055+-+ASUS+RT-AC6…

    You can get pretty close instructions for setting this up from a guy called Luca on this page about halfway down.
    http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1999829

    My wireless is much better around the entire house now. Plus my tv and other media boxes are still all wired to the same network.

    • Apple96 on 26/12/2015 - 22:26

      The dual ones suck at wifi, its basically (in my opinion) a cable modem with the cheapest wifi router they could find. But after going seperate, my wifi has been a lot better and faster

  • abc boy on 26/12/2015 - 23:50

    I just did this for two weeks.
    I bought a pair of TP-Link powerline adapter. one is called wifi router and one is called extender.
    the WiFi router is connected to one of the LAN port on my existing modem router. (a cat5/6 cable is included in the package.)
    configuring the new WiFi router took me half day. (I am a old dog. ^_^ )
    I live in a townhouse. so the extender is plugged in one of power points upstairs. I keep my modem router unchanged. now I have two WiFi network and the new WiFi network covers up/downstairs.( the new WIFI network is just for our mobile devices.)
    you can buy more extender if your house is too big. the powerline router supports up to seven extenders.

  • Davo1111 on 27/12/2015 - 03:17

    Any wireless router will do that.

  • morbo1980 on 27/12/2015 - 08:00

    You want a wifi access point. They are designed to do exactly what you're asking.

    You can also do it with a wifi router/modem but you need to make sure you disable the DHCP server on it otherwise it will interfere with the cable modem which already has a DHCP server set up to provide correct network details to all your devices on your network.

    On the new wifi access point set the SSID/network name, encryption type and password (but make the channel different) to the exact same details as the Telstra modem and your wifi devices will automatically roam between the cable modem at the front on the house and the new access point at the back. If you make them different then for example your phone will attempt to hold onto the cable modem wifi if you still have weak signal at the back of the house even though the new access point is closer. You would have to manually switch between the two networks.

    An Apple Airport Express is perfect for what you're trying to do and if you have an iPhone/iPad it's simple to set up. Plug an Ethernet cable in, tun the Airport setup app on your phone and you'll be good to go. As a bonus you can plug a set of speakers in to the airport express to get multi room audio.

    If you don't already have an Ethernet cable running to the back of the house then you can get a set of Ethernet over power adapters like someone else mentioned above. Plug one in near the cable modem with an Ethernet cable and plug the other one in at the back of the house and run Ethernet from it to the new access point. Some EoP adapters are available with a wifi access point built in so you don't need a separate access point.

    • GordonR on 27/12/2015 - 19:33

      Thanks for your reply (and everyone else).

      The Airport Express has two Ethernet ports, so I presume I connect the WAN port to the Ethernet port in the wall, and then plug the TV into the LAN port? Then the TV still has wired connection and the Airport Express creates a second Wifi network for the back half of the house for other devices etc.

      I've seen a few slick devices that just plug in to a power point and create a wifi network, but with just one Ethernet port, which I assume must be connected to the one in the wall, thereby "using up" that port.

      Others are fully blown routers with five ports, one for Ethernet in (from the router) and then four out (to TV and other devices).

      Some have only four Ethernet ports that all look the same, so I can't see which one is used to connect to the router and which for further devices.

  • Davo1111 on 27/12/2015 - 14:03

    I should detail what to do.

    • buy any wireless router (The cheapest ones will be G instead of N or AC wifi, and have 10/100 ethernet over 10/100/100 [gigabit] intenet)
    • Start it up (unplugged) set up a wireless network (with security), disable DHCP
    • Choose a wireless network name different from the other one
    • Plug "extenstion" ethernet cable into port 1, then the rest of the devices into 2-4
  • Vortex99 on 03/01/2016 - 01:12

    on eBay you can search for a tp-link 703n with English firmware.. About $35 delivered from China. Small box fits in the palm of your hand and powered by usb.
    Because it has custom firmware you can use it as an access point or use it to connect a hard wired device to your wireless network eg: TV or Bluray
    I use one in the garage to connect a an old pc to my home wireless. They are also handy in hotel rooms as a in room wifi hotspot!
    The English version is the tplink mr 3020 which retails for a bit more..

    If you need extra Ethernet ports, a 5 port gigabit switch is only $20 at a computer shop like Umart or MSY.

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