Connect your main network to a second router for improved performance and coverage.
Connect your main network to a second router for improved performance and coverage.
I’m trying to boost my wireless signal. Right now I have two connections inside the house, but the main one can’t reach the other side. My second router is connected to the first via a LAN cable. I’m wondering if it’s possible to let the second router act like an access point and share the same connection. I want it to function similarly to an external Wi-Fi hotspot, but so far I haven’t found a way to use the LAN link without just amplifying the main signal. My main router is a Fritz!Box 7490 and the second one is an TP Link Archer C7. Thanks for your help.
Other Fritz items could achieve similar results with their Fritz Mesh setup (which performs quite effectively based on firsthand experience). You can add another extender or router (based on how detailed you want it) to reach speeds of 2.4GHz or 5GHz depending on your needs and budget. I installed a 450Mbps extender, which significantly boosted the signal in one room and extended it to another without any wiring. With your existing gear, you might be able to enable AP mode in your TP-link, but it would require a different SSID and password, making the transition less smooth.
It won’t be a seamless process since each device sees it as a single network, and it won’t connect automatically unless you manually link all routers with their own passwords. I’d suggest using a signal extender instead. Generally, if an extender is needed, the network setup must be flawed. However, sometimes there’s no alternative.
I suggest avoiding 'dumb extenders' as well. The Fritz extenders are actually built into the AVM Mesh system, enhancing the network instead of just sending signals. You could also connect them (if you have a wired extender) to turn them into access points, keeping everything unified under the same SSID.