Q/A of TP-Link Range Extender products

This article mainly introduces how to configure and use our TP-Link Range Extender properly. And also we provide the solution or method of trouble-shooting for some common issues.

This article consists of following chapters, please refer to relevant chapters according to the problems you encounter.

Basic configuration of the Range Extender
Problems during the configuration
Problems after the configuration
LED indication related issues
WPS related issues
MAC Filtering related issues
Others

1. Basic configuration of the Range Extender

Q: How to configure Range Extender via WPS method?

A: It’s very convenient to configure Range Extender via WPS and also it’s the best-recommended method to configure Range Extender. There is already a simple explanation about it in the QIG, for more detail information, please refer to FAQ:

How to configure my Range Extender via WPS button to extend an existing wireless network’s coverage?

Q: How to log into the Web GUI of Range Extender?

A: There are 2 methods:

Via domain name
Via IP address

Please refer to the FAQ for more detail information:

How to log into the Web GUI of my Range Extender via IP address or domain name?

Q: How to configure the Range Extender via its Web GUI?

A: For single band Range Extenders:

Ho w to configure my TL-WA850RE via Web GUI to extend an existing wireless network’s coverage?

For dual band Range Extenders:

How to configure my RE200/RE210 via Web GUI to extend an existing wireless network’s coverage?

For Range Extenders which use the new-designed UI:

How to configure my Range Extender (new designed UI) via Web GUI to extend an existing wireless network’s coverage?

Q: How to determine whether we have configured RE successfully or the Range Extender is in a proper location?

A: After the configuration, how do we know whether we have configured it successfully? How do we know it is in a proper location so that the Range Extender can perform the best to extend the range of existing wireless network? Please refer to FAQ:

How to use my Range Extender properly after successful configuration?

2. Problems during the configuration

Q: It fails to log into the web GUI of Range Extender either using the domain name or IP address. It still fails even after a reset.

A：Please refer to FAQ：Why I cannot access wireless N range extender by using the domain name。

3. Problems after the configuration

Q: After the configuration, we can access the Internet via Ethernet cable to the Range Extender and also via Wi-Fi of the main router. But we can’t access the Internet via Wi-Fi of the Range Extender.

A: If we can access the Internet via Ethernet cable to the Range Extender, it proves that there is no problem with the connection between router and Range Extender. Please follow the method/steps to check this issue:

1):Please check whether only one /several devices can’t access the Internet via Wi-Fi of Ranger Extender or all wireless devices can’t.

2): Please reboot the devices or disable/enable the wireless adapter, check whether it helps.

3): If the device can’t obtain IP address automatically, please try to set a static IP.

4): Please check whether the devices are set with a wrong static IP address. If yes, please set “Obtain IP address automatically” or set it with a proper static IP address.

5): Please try to upgrade the driver of the wireless adapter of the device.

Q: Wireless speed or coverage of the extended wireless network is not satisfying.

1): Please locate the Range Extender in a proper position according to the color of the RE LED or the numbers of the signal LED. (There is a detail explanation in the UG/QIG)

2): Besides, wireless interference will also reduce the performance of Range Extender. We can try to change the wireless channel of the router:

How to improve my wireless speed or range?

Q: After the configuration, we can see error “dynamic IP fail” in the Status page of the web GUI or system log. The problem remains even if we turn off the DHCP server of the Range Extender manually.

A: It means the configuration failed. Please reset the Range Extender and follow the guide in the Chapter 1 to reconfigure it.

Q: After the configuration, the Gateway of the PC is the LAN IP address of the Range Extender so this PC can’t access the Internet.

1): In most cases, it’s because we have failed to configure the Range Extender so the PC still uses the IP address from the DHCP server of the Range Extender. Please follow the guide in the Chapter 1 to reconfigure it.

2): If the problem remains even after a reconfiguration or other clients connected to Range Extender don’t have this problem, please disable/enable the wireless adapter to have a try. Moreover, please check whether you have set a static IP address in this adapter. If yes, please change it to “Obtain IP address automatically”.

4. LED indication related issues

Q: How to determine the working status of the Range Extender via the LED lights?

A: Please refer to FAQ：How to determine the working status of my Range Extender via the LED lights?

Q: Signal LED is flashing and also Status page of the web GUI shows no Internet (there is an “x” or “!” between the Router—Internet icon), but the clients connected to Range Extender can access the Internet.

A: This is because the Internet Detection Mechanism of the Range Extender failed to detect the Internet activity thus Range Extender thought there was no Internet access. As in fact we can access the Internet now, please ignore this error indication. Moreover, we have found this issue and it’s expected to fix this issue in the next official firmware.

5. WPS related issues

Q: It always failed though we have tried several times to use WPS button to configure the Range Extender.

A: WPS process is proceeding in the air/wireless situation, so it’ll be influenced a lot by the wireless interference. Please refer to following FAQ for more details:

How to efficiently improve success rate of WPS?

Moreover, we already have a FAQ for detail WPS configuration method:

How to configure my Range Extender via WPS button to extend an existing wireless network’s coverage?

Q: After WPS, main router’s SSID and password will be changed to a long name with a lot of numbers and characters.

A: This problem is caused by a certain rule of WPS protocol. Please reconfigure the SSID and password of the main router:

Why is my main router’s wireless password changed after using WPS to setup the Range Extender?

6. MAC Filtering-related issues.

Q: How to set up MAC Filtering on router to control the devices connected to the Range Extender?

A: Please refer to FAQ:

How to set up Mac Filtering on router to control the devices connected to the Range Extender?

7. Others

Q: Some special characters can’t be used as the SSID or password in Range Extender thus the Range Extender can’t expand the wireless network successfully from the main router which uses these special characters in its SSID or password.

A: It’s suggested to modify the SSID or password of the router using the characters from ASCII Code or the characters which can be input from the physical keyboard. In this way, our Range Extender can expand the wireless network of the main router.

Now our Range Extender only supports ASCII Code and the characters which can be input from the physical keyboard. There are too many special characters and there is no need to support all of them in the web GUI of Range Extender. However, we’ll keep focusing on the feedback from our customers and will consider to support some special characters in later official firmware accordingly.

Q: The MAC address shows in the main router’s web GUI is a little different from what it shows in the Range Extender’s web GUI. So which MAC address should we input in router’s MAC Filtering?

A: We should input the MAC address showed in the Router’s web GUI if we need set MAC Filtering in the main router.