This article explains how to setup access point with wireless router on your home network. All the necessary steps with details and topology diagram is provided in detail.
Step 1
Access points have inbuilt network port as shown in the below screenshot. The network port available on this Wireless access point is also a POE (Power over Ethernet ) port.
Access points have two configuration mode, which is the access point mode and the repeater mode. In an access point mode, the device works as a regular access point and is physically connected to the wireless router or the underlying network.
In a repeater mode, the access point is used as a repeater or wireless booster which is used to relay the signals. In this setup, the Wireless access point is connected to the router using wireless medium.
This article focus on how to setup the access point in ‘access point mode’.
Step 2
The network port on the access point has to be connected to the port on the wireless router. This connection is done using a network cable.
The topology diagram is shown below.
Step 3
Once the physical connection is done, the IP address has to be configured for the access point. Wireless routers have inbuilt DHCP servers. The DHCP servers would provide IP address to users on the network.
When configuring an IP address for the Wireless access point, it is recommended to be configured with static IP address.
This makes it easy to manage the access point as they are managed using the web console using the configured IP address.
The IP address which is configured on the access point has to be exluded from the DHCP scope which is configured on the wireless router. if not done, it can create IP conflict issues.
For example, assume that the DHCP server on the wireless router is configured to lease out IP address in the range 192.168.0.1-192.168.0.100. The IP address to be configured on the access point is configured as 192.168.0.20.
The IP address 192.168.0.20 has to be excluded from the DHCP scope of the wireless router so that it is not provided to any devices on the network and is used only by the access point.
Step 4
The next step is to configure the SSID or the wireless network name for the Wireless access point. It has to be noted that the SSID should be different for the wireless router and the access point.
This is required for differentiation of the devices when the clients attempt to connect.
The security parameter (Encryption protocol and password ) can be the same or different for the wireless router and the access point.
Step 5
Once the above steps are performed, the wireless clients can now connect to the required device (Access point or wireless router).
FAQ
1. My access point supports POE port. The wireless router does not support POE. Would that create any problem.
This would not create any problem. Normal ethernet traffic would work normally.
2. Is there a specific type of access point which needs to be purchased to connect to the wireless router.
No. Any wireless access point would work. The different types of wireless routers can be checked out here.
3. I need to connect the access point. But it has to be in a different room which is far away from the wireless router. What should I do.
There are two options which you can use here. The first option is to setup the access point as a wireless repeater and connect using the wireless medium, provided there is wireless signal.
If the wireless signal is not available, structured cabling can be implemented where you ensure that cabling is used to extend a cable from the wireless router to the room where the access point has to be installed.
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