Emerging from old devices: transforming wireless routes into Wi-Fi Access Points

As we will discuss today, the old wireless routers can be converted to access points (APS), which can help increase the area of use for Wi-Fi. In addition, they can even help improve the performance of the 802.11n standard connected to your network.

The wireless router and access point are different.

First, you need to know the difference and connection between the wireless router and the access point. First, the wireless router contains an AP. Therefore, both the wireless router and the AP can provide connections between the client and the Internet so that multiple computers can access the large Internet at the same time. Second, the router has a DHCP server, this DHCP server provides an IP address for each client, which is required for network connection. A router without DHCP is basically an AP. Of course, if a wireless router does not have a built-in AP, it can be regarded as a wired router.

It is understood that only one vro is necessary in most networks. Then, it expands its wireless coverage, and the AP can be inserted into the vro or vswitch. These APs do not seem to be "smart" because they only provide Wi-Fi access, but different routers can also perform network management.

Get more coverage for separate 802.11g clients

After learning about the differences between the two, we need to insert the old wireless router into a new one to serve as another AP. If the location of the old router is very moderate (running through the ethernet cable), it can nearly double the coverage of the new router. Of course, the 802.11n Client Connected to the 802.11g router will not run at 11n speed and performance, but the old router device is providing "free coverage ".

It is recommended that the 802.11g client be connected only to the 802.11g router, because when they connect to the 11n router, the performance of the 11n client will be greatly affected. However, it will still add some coverage, but it is only relative to the old client device.

Performance Conversion

In addition to changing the general settings, you also need to place a wireless router into an AP that does not contain a DHCP server. First, perform some general settings, connect to the old router (do not connect it to the new router), log on to the Web-based configuration utility, and enter its IP address in the Web browser, configure the following content:

IP Address: Change the IP address of the new router. For example, if the IP address of the new router is 192.168.0.1, the old router can be set to 192.168.0.2.

Channel: Change the channel to 3 non-overlapping channels, 1, 6, or 11, and ensure that none of the coexistence or overlapping routers or access points are set to the same channel.

SSID: Generally, all network access points should have the same SSID. Therefore, the AP needs to be changed when the client is roaming, however, you can consider connecting the old 802.11g router to a network with different names, which helps you easily distinguish between g and n.

Security: You must set security encryption, preferably WPA or WPA2, which is the same for all wireless routers and APs.

Find the DHCP settings and disable the DHCP server, usually in the main menu or network tab. There should be a check box or similar server switch and close, select stop, and then confirm to save the changes.

After the configuration is complete, place the old router in the appropriate location. Connect the ethernet cable to the conventional Ethernet port, and do not connect it to the Internet wireless LAN port of the old router.

Conversion completed

Now you can feel more powerful coverage and performance. We have successfully transformed the old router device into a basic AP. Of course, if you have many old router devices, you can also consider other projects.

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