WIFi extension

[PeterQld]

I recently had tpg connect my home to the NBN and since then have had disconnects to Smart TV's in our house. The networks were fine prior to the NBN setup. I have an older wifi extension which I suspect may either need replacing or is just not working with the new modem tpg installed. 

My question is, can you tell me which wifi extension device is best compatible with the TP Link GX220 G2v modem TPG installed. I need brand and model thanks. Searching the internet for an answer to this provides no answers. 

We have a large home of some 350 sq meters. And a number of walls for  the signal to negotiate. 

Thankyou ...  

[david64]

Hi @PeterQld . What is the model of the old router and the wifi extender?

Did the extender connect to the router by cable, or did it pick up the router's wifi and extend it?

What type of NBN connection do you have?

Is the VX220 in same position as old router?

[PeterQld]

HI david64,

The old modem model was TP Link AX1500. The extender is a wavlink. Connects to the TP LInk GX220 G2v modem (the new one) by cable. Obviously the second part of the extender in the other part of the house connects via wifi. 

The NBN connection is fibre to the home. And a 1 meter connection of copper cable from the modem to the NBN junction box in my office. 

The position of all devices has not changed.  

Thankyou .. PeterQld

[david64]

@PeterQld . If your old router is the AX10 model, that should work on the NBN connection.

Changing your connection doesn't affect wifi performance unless the main Wavlink unit was moved from its old position.

If router and wavlink main unit have moved, any possibility to run longer cable from FTTP box back to router's original position?

If not, can the remote unit be repositioned? Does it indicate if the signal strength drops too low?

Is there only a problem with devices connected through the remote wavlink?

[PeterQld]

@david64 

As stated previously, the old modem is an AX1500, so info re AX10 is not useful. 

Also as previously stated, no devices have been moved from where they were. The only thing I can do with them is to position them elsewhere. And that doesn't seem to be the issue. 

Re th wavlink, while the primary box has solid LAN, WiFi and Link lights, showing it is working, the extenion box in the other room has Lan, WiFi and Link lights fluctuating off and on. As I said, it has not been moved. I disconnected it and rebooted it with no change in performance. That is, the lights keep switching on and off every 2 to 3 seconds. 

Now that to me suggests the signal strength is not powered up enough. But as this is a new problem starting around the time the NBN was connected and the modem was upgraded, I wondered if it was the modem or connection somehow.  Or maybe the wavlink is not compatible with the new modem  (the GX220). Hence my question.  

I cannot find out any info on the compatability of these devices. TP Link discusses compatability issues with other model modems, not the GX220. Other articles deal with best extension devices but none of them discuss compatability with th GX220 either. 

Cheers ... 

[david64]

@PeterQld . "AX1500" is an indicator of wifi connect speed. TP-Link makes a model AX10 with a rating of AX1500. This is a recent model. Although, TP-Link might make other AX1500 models.

Is this old one still working? Are you able to reconnect it instead of the new one? See what happens with the lights on the remote extender unit. The remote unit might need to be recalibrated to the main unit.

The router doesn't affect the quality of the wifi connection between the Wavlink units.
With the old router, did you use its built-in wifi or was it disabled? Is wifi enabled on new router or not?

[PeterQld]

Ahh, yes I see re the old modem model. I was wrong. The old model is an Archer 1600v  Ver: 2 

This model was supplied to me by TPG, my ISP, approx 5 years ago.  It operated on WiFi perfectly fine. 

When I upgraded to the fibre to the home, my ISP said the old Archer 1600v modem would have to be replaced with the new one they supplied ie the GX220 G2v model. 

And yes, the WiFi is on in the new unit - one of the first things I did when installed. Also the fact the extender gets intermittent WiFi signal suggests it is turned on I would have thought. 

Due to the nature of the setup with wavlink I have always had to use WiFi. I can't use a cable. So Yes, it was  WiFi with the old modem.  And WiFi has always been enabled with both the old and the new modems!

The problem is with the new modem! It works fine with devices situated close to it. And WiFi is turned on. Or the problem is the Wavlink devices are not working properly. 

To be even more definitive, the problem is the inability of the Wavlink primary unit being able to send a strong enough WiFi signal to the extended unit. Or obtaining a sufficiently strong enough signal from the moden to relay it, ie to allow that to happen. That's why I first asked, do you know if the Wavlink is compatible with the new modem. 

[david64]

@PeterQld . The Archer VR1600 should work fine with the new FTTP. One config change to disable VLAN ID on the EWAN interface definition. What version firmware is it?

It is worthwhile to revert to the VR1600 to check the Wavlink operation.

What is the model number of the Wavlink units? There are several models of extender probably working in different ways. 

I thought they might have functioned like a mesh but they could be 2 unrelated units. The one cabled to the router extending coverage around the router. The other picks up the router's wifi and extends it further away. This remote unit might be looking for the SSID names of the old VR1600. 

Depending on how the Wavlink units work, there might be a better way to use them.

You call the new router GX220. TPG has been using VX220 for a while.now.