Refine your configuration – ISP router, Archer C6, and repeater setup.
Refine your configuration – ISP router, Archer C6, and repeater setup.
You’re switching ISPs and now using a VDSL router. Your current network flows like this: phone line → ISP VDSL router (Comtrend) → TP-Link Archer C6 → TP-Link Wireless N router (repeater). You’re planning to use both routers for Wi-Fi coverage.
For optimal performance, you might want to configure both routers for seamless Wi-Fi operation. Consider enabling the TPLink OneMesh repeaters if you need extended range. Regarding channel selection, using a single channel is best; try 6 or 11 for better coexistence. For bandwidth, 20MHz width should suffice unless you have heavy traffic.
Setting all three Wi-Fi SSIDs and passwords to the same network doesn’t inherently cause issues, but it simplifies management. If you disable DHCP on the ISP router, only the Archer C6 would assign IPs, which could help avoid conflicts. Assigning static IPs to devices can improve stability and prevent reconnections.
Check your ISP’s router documentation for exact channel recommendations and DHCP settings. This should help you set up a reliable, efficient network.
I’m certain you need to turn off DHCP on the repeater. You mentioned difficulty accessing it, but have you attempted connecting through an Ethernet cable using a device that isn’t linked to other networks? With several DHCP servers in place, different networks could exist, possibly preventing devices from reaching one another. Smartphones should be able to automatically connect to the strongest available network.
I've turned it off on the Wireless N router (repeater). To reach it, you need to remove it from Archer. Also, consider checking if the recent update helped—though I set it up properly and created a restore file before, it still didn't work. After changing the IP to .0.2, it functioned, but once I left that setting, access stopped. I recently tried connecting my laptop to the repeater and disconnecting from Archer, but the default gateway isn't showing (ipconfig in cmd).
Switching to a different channel on both secondary and primary routers helps minimize network interference. The non-overlapping channels are 1, 6, and 11. You may apply the same SSID and password to both Archer and repeater devices, while keeping the ISP modem/router setup unchanged.
I understand this thread is quite old, but feel free to share your thoughts if anyone else faces similar issues.
Firstly, you won’t be able to reach the repeater, router, or modem when DHCP is turned off because connected devices won’t get an IP address. A simple solution is to give the PC a static IP—like 192.168.0.100—to the same subnet. You can quickly find instructions on your operating system for assigning static IPs.
I’m using a setup similar to yours: an ADSL modem/router, an Archer C6, and another router acting as a Wi-Fi access point. My advice would be to enable bridge mode on the ISP modem/router (such as 10.0.0.138). This turns it into a regular modem, ignoring DHCP settings. Use the Archer C6 as the main router at 192.168.0.1 and connect it via PPPoE (assuming your connection is PPPoE). The router will get its public IP from the ISP. DHCP should only be active on the Archer C6, within its default range (e.g., 192.168.0.100–192.168.0.249).
Set up the wireless router separately and assign it a LAN IP like 192.168.0.2. Of course, DHCP remains disabled.
Keep the same SSID and password across all devices, but ensure they use the same security settings (WPA2-PSK/AES in my case). This way, your gadgets will automatically connect to the nearest access point.