14/07/2010

Thanks for visiting my Netgear repeating guide – The original guide I wrote in 2009 proved to be very popular, but the design had inherent weaknesses including poor security (only WEP was supported) and only half duplex repeating. This new guide addresses those weaknesses and provides a far more advanced, secure and reliable network by utilising Powerline Ethernet as part of the solution. The old guide is available here but I recommend using this one.

You don’t have to use DG834Gs like I have done, this guide will work for any post-2005 Netgear home product. You could even mix and match DG834Gs with DG834PNs and DGN2000s, it works.

Here is my setup at home:

How to get this to work:

This guide gives an example of how to mimic my own home network, but you can add as many extra access points as you like.

Master router

0: Buy some Powerline Ethernet adapters – I use Comtrend 902s for my installs. There are others but I do this for a living and wouldn’t use anything else. I usually have them in stock at a good price .

1: Log in to the Master, this is 192.168.0.1 and also acts as the ADSL or cable modem.

2: Set the SSID to your chosen SSID, and Wifi Channel to 1

3: Select LAN IP Setup > Set IP address to 192.168.0.1 > Tick "Use Router as a DHCP Server" > Starting IP address 192.168.0.11 > Ending IP address 192.168.0.255 > Apply

4: Connect the master Comtrend Powerline adapter to any Ethernet port of the router. The master Comtrend serial number in any pair ends with the letter A.

Access point 1

0: Log in to the access point (via wired connection will be easiest)

1: Set the SSID to your chosen SSID, the same SSID as for the Master, and Wifi Channel to 6

2: Select LAN IP Setup > Set IP address to 192.168.0.2 > UNTICK "Use Router as a DHCP Server" > Apply

3: Connect a slave Comtrend Powerline adapter to any Ethernet port of the router.

Access point 2

0: Log in to the access point (via wired connection will be easiest)

1: Set the SSID to your chosen SSID, the same SSID as for the Master, and Wifi Channel to 11

2: Select LAN IP Setup > Set IP address to 192.168.0.3 > UNTICK "Use Router as a DHCP Server" > Apply

3: Connect a slave Comtrend Powerline adapter to any Ethernet port of the router.

Now:

Power on Master and Powerline adapter

Power on Access point 1 and Powerline adapter

Power on Access point 2 and Powerline adapter

You should now have a wireless network provided by three different APs all under the same SSID – it is presented to your machine as one big network.

Notes:

You don’t have to set the same SSID on all of the access points, but if you do you will see one big network instead of three separate ones.

Try to use non-overlapping channels – IE channel 1, 6, 11 but if these don’t work play with the channel settings until you find the sweet spot.

You can hook up wired or wireless devices to any of the access points or master router; Xbox, printer, PS3, Iphone, PC, whatever, it all works.

You can use whatever encryption methods you like - even different levels of encryption according to access point if you want.

The Comtrend adapters come in pairs but you can add extra adapters to the network with a simple push of a button, the instructions are here.