Router as a Repeater

[joechimp]

Did a search here and came up with nothing so I thought I would ask the question.

I have an old router that I want to use as a repeater. I spend time in a building that offers free wifi but there are times that I have to open a window to connect. The signal is  weak at that spot.

I thought that if I set up a repeater at the window I could connect to that with my laptop and be in different spots other than right next to the window. Especially with it open and winter coming.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

[muungwana]

what question are you asking?

Go to the configuration page of the router and see if it has an option to set it up as a repeater.

You can also check the model of the router online to see if it has the capability to be a repeater.

[T6]

is it a laptop or a desktop, the machine that gets low signal?

if it is a desktop you can change the antenna to another bigger and better

if it is a laptop, then you can do what muungwana mentions

[joechimp]

what question are you asking?

Go to the configuration page of the router and see if it has an option to set it up as a repeater.

You can also check the model of the router online to see if it has the capability to be a repeater.

The question is how to configure the old router as a repeater?

The router I have is an old buffalo router which from there manual it says it is capable of being used as a repeater.  So the answer to your questions are yes and yes

Thank you

[joechimp]

is it a laptop or a desktop, the machine that gets low signal?

if it is a desktop you can change the antenna to another bigger and better

if it is a laptop, then you can do what muungwana mentions

It is a laptop.

I have done the configurations that I thought were correct but I can't access the internet. It connects to my router/access point but not to the main router that I am trying to bridge too.

I don't have physical access to the main router in the building but I do have the pertinent info of it.

It's probably a simple thing but it is just that I have not attempted it before.

Thank you

[YouCanToo]

what question are you asking?

Go to the configuration page of the router and see if it has an option to set it up as a repeater.

You can also check the model of the router online to see if it has the capability to be a repeater.

The question is how to configure the old router as a repeater?

The router I have is an old buffalo router which from there manual it says it is capable of being used as a repeater.  So the answer to your questions are yes and yes

Thank you

To tell you exactly how to do that would require more information that an old buffalo router IE: a model number  But in general there should be a setting in the online user configuration page of the router that will do the trick. On my linksys there is a box I have to check and it also asks for ssid of the network, and of course a reboot of the router/repeater.

Also remember that by using a repeater it (the network) will be a tad bit slower than if you were not using the repeater.  This is a price that you pay for using the repeater mode.

[joechimp]

Thank you YouCanToo.

The model # is WHR-G125 "Buffalo  Airstation".

I did go to the page but I must have missed that. I will look again.

Thank you for your help.

[moniac]

Is the old router capable and set to use the same authentication type the main router uses and has the correct key phrase?

[YouCanToo]

I looked at the manual for the Buffalo Router in question and could not find anything that tells how to set it up to be used as a repeater. A search on the web shows a lot of people installing the DD-WRT firmware to handle the job.  Their instructions to do so can be found here http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Universal_Wireless_Repeater

Hope it helps out.

[joechimp]

Is the old router capable and set to use the same authentication type the main router uses and has the correct key phrase?

Yes, and thank you.

[joechimp]

I looked at the manual for the Buffalo Router in question and could not find anything that tells how to set it up to be used as a repeater. A search on the web shows a lot of people installing the DD-WRT firmware to handle the job.  Their instructions to do so can be found here http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Universal_Wireless_Repeater

Hope it helps out.

I read about the DD-WRT. I was going to ask you about that. Thank you for bringing it up. I will give that a shot.
I will get this right sooner or later.

[The Chief]

I looked at the manual for the Buffalo Router in question and could not find anything that tells how to set it up to be used as a repeater. A search on the web shows a lot of people installing the DD-WRT firmware to handle the job.  Their instructions to do so can be found here http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Universal_Wireless_Repeater

Hope it helps out.

I read about the DD-WRT. I was going to ask you about that. Thank you for bringing it up. I will give that a shot.
I will get this right sooner or later.

Are you sure the problem isn't on the router you don't have access to?  Perhaps it is not allowing a 'repeater' to connect to the internet.

[joechimp]

Are you sure the problem isn't on the router you don't have access to?  Perhaps it is not allowing a 'repeater' to connect to the internet.

 I guess that is a possibility, but I know of 3 other repeaters already in use in other parts of the building. Maybe they are proprietary.

Thank you.

[YouCanToo]

Are you sure the problem isn't on the router you don't have access to?  Perhaps it is not allowing a 'repeater' to connect to the internet.

 I guess that is a possibility, but I know of 3 other repeaters already in use in other parts of the building. Maybe they are proprietary.

Thank you.

Shouldn't matter in the least, if you can connect to the router, you should be able to setup a repeater!  The router that you are using must have the necessary firmware to repeat the signal that is received. Since I do not have access to a Buffalo router, I can not tell you if their firmware is setup for a repeater, but I do know that there is firmware (DD-WRT) that can do it, and it is simply a few clicks from the setup page.

[joechimp]

I haven't had the chance to use the DD-WRT as yet. I am going to try to get to it today. It looks like that should be the easiest solution.

Thanks again for all your help.