Access Point Advice

[DanH23]

Looking for some advice before I purchase a router to be used as an access point.

I'm running a length of cat6 cable to an outbuilding where I want to have both a wired and wireless connection.

I have seen the following on Amazon which is discounted and has both gigabit ethernet ports and dual band WiFi. It can also be used as an AP.

Would this work for what I need and would I still have the use of the ethernet ports even if in access point mode?

I read online about needing to have it set up so that it isn't doing anything with NAT and DHCP. Would there be a few settings that I needed to change before using?

Deal: TP-Link AC1200 Wireless Dual Band Full Gigabit Wi-Fi Router, Wi-Fi Speed Up to 867 Mbps/5 GHz + 300 Mbps/2.4 GHz, 4+1 Gigabit Ports, Dual-Core CPU, Parental Control, Easy setup (Archer C6 V3.2) Amazon product

 

[oneman]

Yes, it will work as an AP, its in the menu when you set it up. When in AP mode it will disable DHCP, NAT and any other routing functions.

It has 4+1 ethernet though in reality you won't use the WAN port leaving you with 4 ports, one will connect to your existing router leaving you with 3 spare ports.

 

[DanH23]

Yes, it will work as an AP, its in the menu when you set it up. When in AP mode it will disable DHCP, NAT and any other routing functions.

It has 4+1 ethernet though in reality you won't use the WAN port leaving you with 4 ports, one will connect to your existing router leaving you with 3 spare ports.

Would I not connect from a LAN port on my router to the WAN port on the router that I will use as an access point, or will I need to go LAN port to LAN port?

 

[leasty]

You use one of the LAN ports for the uplink connection. It's basically operating as a network switch plus AP and the WAN interface isn't used. I have one of these as an AP and it works fine - been running about 18 months and no unscheduled re-boots needed. I would recommend upgrading to the latest firmware though as it fixes some wireless issues. Ignore the fact that the firmware is a beta version and that is has a "Confidential" as a watermark on the web interface (it may not still say that - I haven't checked if it is now fully released).

 

[mickevh]

Attached to the "Using Two Routers Together" FAQ pinned in this forum is a block diagram illustrating what is (conceptually) inside a SOHO router and how it's all internally joined together.

A (proper) IP router is a device that is used to join separate networks together. In the SOHO use case means your internal network is joined to the rest of the world via your ISP. Thusly routers sit at the "edge" of a network not in the "middle" bossing it.

In a SOHO router, the routing boundary (division between the "internal" and "external" networks) is between the WAN/Internet port and everything else - LAN ports and Wi-Fi.

If you connect a second router by it's WAN/Internet port, you will have created a second routing boundary which will divide your internal network in two. Technically, that is possible, but it won't quite work how you think it's going to, so unless you have a use case that requires it, it's best not to in the typical SOHO use case.

Connecting the second router using a LAN port means you avoid creating a second routing boundary and your network continues to function as a single "flat" network with everything on the same IP subnet (as it's known in the jargon.)

Some of the SOHO routers that have an "AP Mode" will turn the WAN/Internet port into an additional LAN port. Whether yours does or not, you'd have to check the manual. If so, then you can continue to use it. But check the manual to be sure. If you are unsure, or it doesn't say, best connect using a LAN port. Though you could experiment if you are confident enough in interpreting how your network has configured itself after you set it up.....

A tell tale if you have partitioned your internal network into two is that the IP addresses of devices connected to the second router are using a different range to the first. IE, either the address ranges will be radically different, (169.254.something or 10. something or 172.16. something) or if they are all 192.168.X.Y, the "X" will differ. If it's functioning as a single flat network, the "X" will be the same for everything - Y should be unique for each device.

 

[oneman]

Would I not connect from a LAN port on my router to the WAN port on the router that I will use as an access point, or will I need to go LAN port to LAN port?

You would only use the WAN port if you want the routing functions which you don't. So use a LAN port.