How to configure Range Extender via Tether APP

Configuration Guide
Updated 01-06-2022 07:18:54 AM 1480875
This Article Applies to: 

 

1. Login with TP-Link ID (Register first)

Troubleshooting Tips:

  • For first use, if the smartphone has no Internet access, it will fail to log in or create a TP-Link ID. So please make your phone connect to internet at first, then login with your TP-Link account.
  • If you have login to the Tether APP before, but only want to control the Range Extender locally, you can click on “Create a TP-Link ID”, then click on “SKIP” on the top right to bypass the login step.

  • If unable to receive the activation e-mail, please click here to troubleshoot.
  • If you want to connect Range Extender wired to your router, please use Access Point Mode, refer to FAQ2852
  • If all the lights are on but cannot see the extender's Wi-Fi, the extender is possibly using the same Wi-Fi name as the router. Connect to the router's Wi-Fi and follow FAQ2540 to change the SSID.
  • If we’ve already configured with Tether APP but RE/2.4G/5G lights are still off:

1). Confirm router's password is correct;

Forget the router’s Wi-Fi and reconnect: How to remove existing wireless network profile on Android&iPhone

2). Go to Tools>>>Main Network>>>Reselect Main Network or Go to Tools>>>Quick Setup to configure again;

 

2. Add a New Device

 

Troubleshooting Tips:

If the page says "No Device Found", click on the "Add" button on the bottom to continue set up.

 

3. Plug the extender next to the Router and confirm the power light is solid on

 

Troubleshooting Tips:

  • If the power light is flashing, the extender is starting up. Please wait for a few minutes. Try a different power socket if it keeps flashing.
  • If the power light is completely off:

1). Confirm the extender's On/Off button has been pushed in.

2). Try a different working power socket.

3). Hard reset the Range Extender to default settings.

How to reset TP-Link products to factory defaults

4). Contact TP-Link Support for help, if the power light is still off.

 

4. Grant Location Permission for Wi-Fi auto-connect. Then click on "Connect" for Device to Use with Tether.

 

Troubleshooting Tips:

  • If no results for auto connect, please go back to the Wi-Fi settings page of your phone and connect manually. Come back to Tether APP and click on "I'm Connected".
  • If unable to see the extender's default Wi-Fi, please hard reset the extender and check in the available wireless list again. If you have another phone, please double-check if you can find the Range Extender's default Wi-Fi.

          How to reset TP-Link products to factory defaults

  • If you can connect to the extender's default Wi-Fi, but still unable to find the extender, please refer to the troubleshooting below:

What if Tether cannot detect my TP-Link product in the “Device” Page?

If you still have trouble, please collect the phone's IP Address when connected to the extender's Wi-Fi, APP Version, phone's model, and OS, then send them to TP-Link Support for help, please also attach the fail screenshot together.

How to find IP address on your devices?

 

5. Create a local password to manage the extender

 

Troubleshooting Tips:

  • The local password is for logging into the extender in the future, not the Wi-Fi password.

Note:

1). Some old models may need to type in the username and password when first logging in. The default log-in username and password should be "admin". Then we need to change it to a more complex one later.

2). If the Tether APP asks to use underline when creating a password, you may just ignore it and just use Numbers, Uppercase, and lowercase letters.

 

6. Scan for 2.4G host Wi-Fi and type in the correct Wi-Fi password

 

Troubleshooting Tips:

  • If unable to see the host Wi-Fi:

1). Confirm the extender is next to the router;

2). Confirm your other devices are able to see the 2.4G host Wi-Fi;

3). Click on "RESCAN" on the top right one or two more times;

4). Click on “SKIP” on the top right to set up the 5G at first;

5). After the 5G is set up, it’s highly recommended to change the router's 2.4G channel to 1, 6, or 11 and use Tether APP to reconnect the 2.4G;

Go to Tools>>>Main Network>>>Reselect Main Network or Go to Tools>>>Quick Setup to configure again.

7. Scan for 5G host Wi-Fi and type in the correct Wi-Fi password

 

Troubleshooting Tips:

  • If unable to see the 5G host Wi-Fi:

1). Confirm the extender is next to the router;

2). Confirm your other devices are able to see the 5G host Wi-Fi;

3). Click on "RESCAN" on the top right one or two more times;

4). Click on "SKIP" on the top right to finish the setup at first;

5). After set up is finished, it’s highly recommended to change the router's 5G channel to band 1(36-48) and use Tether APP to reconnect the 5G;

Go to Tools>>>Main Network>>>Reselect Main Network or Go to Tools>>>Quick Setup to configure again.

 

8. Check the main network password

 

Troubleshooting Tips:

  • We may need to confirm that it's the correct wireless password for the main router’s Wi-Fi Password.

 

9. Confirm the extender settings

 

Troubleshooting Tips:

  • For most models, there will be an "_EXT" for the extender's Wi-Fi name. If not, it’s recommended to click on the left edit button and change the extender's Wi-Fi name to something different from the router's Wi-Fi name. So that we can find out which network our devices are connected to.

 

10. Applying your settings

Troubleshooting Tips:

  • The extender will reboot to apply the settings. Please wait for the lights to be solid again and check the extender's internet connection.
  • If only the power light is solid on after the reboot:

1). Reboot both the router and the extender, wait for two minutes.

2). While waiting for the reboot, we can also try to forget the router's Wi-Fi and reconnect to check whether the router’s Wi-Fi password is correct.

How to remove existing wireless network profile on Android&iPhone

3). Please try to Upgrade the Range Extender to the latest firmware and reconfigure it.

4). Confirm there are no advanced settings on the router like Mac Filtering, Access Control, etc.

5). Collect router model, a screenshot of the Status page and RE info on "Home" page, Wi-Fi Setting page, and system log after the extender is powered on for 3~5 minutes, then send all the information to TP-Link Support for help.

How to collect System Log (Optional): Go to Tools-> System-> System Log.

  • If all the lights are up but no Internet on the extender's Wi-Fi:

1). Confirm that the router's Wi-Fi has internet access.

2). Test the internet on different devices.

3). Restart the Range Extender and the router.

4). Confirm there are no advanced settings on the router like Mac Filtering, Access Control, etc.

5). Please try to Upgrade the RE to the latest firmware and reconfigure it.

6). Collect router model, a screenshot of the Status page and RE info on "Home" page, Wi-Fi Setting page, and system log after the extender is powered on for 3~5 minutes, then send all the information to TP-Link Support for help.

How to collect System Log (Optional): Go to Tools-> System-> System Log.

Collect router model, a screenshot of the Status page, and system log after the extender is powered on for 3~5 minutes, send that info to TP-Link Support for help.

  • If all the lights are lit up, but the device fails to connect to extender's Wi-Fi:

1). Confirm the extender's SSID is different from the router's.

2). Check the error message when failed to connect. If it says "incorrect password", forget the router's Wi-Fi and reconnect with the same password to test.

3). Try different devices, if other devices can connect without issue, please contact the specific device support for help at first, then send all information to TP-Link Support for help.

4). If multi-devices fail to connect, contact TP-Link Support for help.

  • Note: If the App says "No Host Connection", it's probably because the router's 5G is using the DFS channel, please try to disable Band Steering (Smart Connect) on the router, change 5G channel to Band 1(36, 40, 44, 48).

 

11. Confirm Location

 

Troubleshooting Tips:

 

To get to know more details of each function and configuration please go to​ Download Center to download the manual of your product.

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