Setting up an extended wireless network

CTomlins

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:mad:I wish to extend the coverage of my Thompson TG585 v7 router to another part of my cottage where the signal is blocked by granite walls.
To achieve this I have purchased an NL-HP200SG to plug into the router and an NL-HPW200 wireless extender at the remote location.
I have set them up as per instructions and both my and Grandsons lap top will connect to the wireless extender. When we try and log onto the internet it looks as though it is going too, showing the web address but takes a long time before you get an error message to say connection has failed. The system appears to be working but I suspect I need to change a setting on the laptops or more likely the extender to allow the internet to display. I have gone through the settings but can't see anything appropriate and the documentation isn’t much help.
The guide says that the connection will be secure but when I view my network connections it advises that the wireless connection is unsecure but i am unable to find any way of setting up a password.
If i start the power packet utility and plug the NL-HP200SG into my network connection on my laptop i can see both, which would confirm that i have correctly set them up to see each other.
Any guidance would be much appreciated
 
first thing to try is to boot one of the systems next to the extender then using a command prompt (cmd) use the command "ipconfig".
compare the output for your wifi adapter to that of the other system booted next to your original wifi point.
if they are the same all should be good as to functionality so will need further tests.
 
Thankyou for helping
I have done as you advise and get
a response from the router but the ethernet adapter local area connection device comes back
media state........media disconnected.
Since posting i have connected directly to the NL-HPW200 with a cable,turned of the wifi connection on my pc and have connected to the internet OK. it just doesnt want to connect wirelessly with my Laptop
 
the response from the command ipconfig is not from the router but it does output what details your system is using to connect to the network.
The ones(values) we are interested in are the ip address, default gateway and dns server, depending on how the access point is handling it these may be the same of differ so you need to know before you start config what these should be and if they are correct.
The media state disconnect on the ethernet is normal, it isn't actually plugged in there so not qa problem, the test you did plugging into the wifi AP is helpful as it eliminates problems from the homeplug side of things.
the software for the config of the access point should give you its ip address on the network and many of these can be configured using a browser pointed to that ip address.
its often handy to place the passkey in a text file then you can cut and paste it from there to the APs config page and your Wifi NIC config page so there is less chance of mistakes in typing it in.
 
Follows is the response from ipconfig/all

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Chris>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LENOVO-7AA02785
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : lan

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR8152 PCI-E Fast Ethernet C
ontroller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 88-AE-1D-35-4F-FB

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : lan
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adap
ter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 70-F1-A1-1E-0A-A2
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.64
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 05 August 2012 13:14:26
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 06 August 2012 13:14:26

C:\Documents and Settings\Chris>
 
The "IPConfig" results should be the same whichever wi-fi zone you connect to as that information is "issued" by your router.

When connected to your errant device, try pinging your router:

Open up a CMD prompt and "ping 192.168.1.254"

If you get replies, then that demonstrates that there is a functionind path between PC and router, so you can infer that the "wi-fi" communications are working and the backhaul over the mains is also working.
 
The "IPConfig" results should be the same whichever wi-fi zone you connect to as that information is "issued" by your router.

When connected to your errant device, try pinging your router:

Open up a CMD prompt and "ping 192.168.1.254"

If you get replies, then that demonstrates that there is a functionind path between PC and router, so you can infer that the "wi-fi" communications are working and the backhaul over the mains is also working.

not necessarily, some APs provide NAT and run their own subnet..
if the output above matches on both zones then we can usually assume the AP is not running a separate subnet and the 192.168.1.254 is actually the router address, pinging will probably be ok, it nearly always is when the dhcp negotiation is done successfully.
This is usually encryption issues, next step will be to ensure their is no encryption on the ap via its config and makes sure the nic is not using encryption, test with that config before starting the lock down process.
 
Just spotted this in your IPCONFIG posting....

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

Normally on a bog standard workstation PC, you'd expect that to say "no."

Have you turned on Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) or anything similar.

(IP Routing turned on has effectively turned you PC into a Router.)
 
Thankyou both for your help it has enabled me to finally solve a problem that has been ongoing for the best part of 12 months supposedly being resolved by a friend.
I seem to have sorted my problem, not sure what i have done as i am very much a newbie but both points now are working.
My only possible problem is their reluctance to swap connections when i move closer to the other wifi point as they still pick up a very weak signal which holds them to the current but now distant router. I am not sure if their is a setting that i could change to reduce the coverage of both so that the signal from my router is very much weaker when i am near the wireless extender and vice versa
 
Cheaper kit often doesn't let you dial down the transmit power.

Another technique you can use (if you kit permits you) is to increase the minimum link rate that each AP will support. Say set 48mbps minimum rate of maybe even higher. That will "encourage" the clients to roam rather than hang on to an existing association as the link rate falls as you get further away from the AP.

Also note that it's the client devices that decide if/when to roam - the AP's don't make the decision.
 
Sorry but i seem to have a new problem now!
As i move between points the laptop changes which is fine and the laptop connects to either with a good signal strength but now after a while on the extender the connection it is dropping to the internet when i click on say Google it looks to all purposes that it is going to connect but i get an error message saying it cant connect due to network problems When i check my wireless network connection it is connected with a good signal. if i then move back to the router by turning off the extender i get the same response. Repair doesnt have any effect on either until i have turned both elements of the extender off then i can connect after a few attempts to the router.
Any suggestions please its doing my head in
 

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