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To repeat or not to repeat...
Actually, this is a quesiton about the AC1200 WAC104, not a Nighthawk router, but does involve one. I'm looking to use said AC1200 as a wireless repeater for my Nighthawk AC1750 R6700v3. Can it work? Some say yes, some say no, some say maybe so. Which is it?! Seems like a yes to me because the interface(s) is somewhat similar to my old WGT624s and I made that work, of course, that's a different product and they both were the same, one as the base and the other as the repeater. Thanks!
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According to the User Manual Nighthawk AC1750 Smart WiFi Router Model R6700v3, there is no configuration for Wireless Repeating Function available top operate as a WiFi base station with a repeater base. In my understanding, this does prohibit using the r6700v3 together with a repeater station.
According to the User Manual 802.11ac Wireless Access Point Model WAC104, the WAC104 can be configured as a Wireless Repeater Base Station (p.58) as a hub, and one or more WAC104 in a WiFi Repeater in spoke config (p.59). For one WAC104 plus n more WAC104, a repeater mode can be configured.
To extend any generic WiFi access point or router, have an eye into the WiFi Range Extenders & WiFi Mesh Range Extenders.
If, as you say, "there is no [AC1750] configuration for Wireless Repeating Function available top operate as a WiFi base station with a repeater base," then that's extremely strange as my forever old WG624s allowed for that set-up. Whoddathunk they'd cripple they're more modern equvalents?!
And, as you say, "the WAC104 can be configured as a Wireless Repeater Base Station as a hub and one or more WAC104 in a WiFi Repeater in spoke config," that sounds about right because, as beforementioned, that's exactly how I set up the WG624s. But, that doesn't help me in my current situation because I have an AC1750 and AC1200.
Welp, then I have a 30- some-odd-dollar paperweight, but hey, at least I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night!
SaidSo wrote:Whoddathunk they'd cripple they're more modern equvalents?!
Two reasons:
- Based on almost 30 years of experience in the CPE home/SOHO/SMB networking world, based on many successes and much more failures of wireless repeating, based on my discovery of poor security on repeater links, based on interoperability experience, based on the performance impact, ...: Because it's a promise they can't hold. The point is that these repeater functions are not really standardized. Repeating works nice with a router or AP and another AP with the same chipset. If the implementation differences isn't to big it might work with the next gen chipset from the same chipmaker. One day you buy a new router - different chipset than the AP, to bit jump in wireless technology, change in repeating security,... no more repeating. That's why they support it on a bunch of WAC104, but no longer on a mixed pack of routers. It's kindof a "dead" feature.
- Not a secret: Wireless extenders are no longer requiring semi-proprietary repeater functionality. And this became a major business.
SaidSo wrote:Welp, then I have a 30- some-odd-dollar paperweight, but hey, at least I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night!
Welp (hey I just learnt a new word, thx!) pleasure, here we go: Install a network cable between your R6700v3 router LAN port and the WAC104, and configure it as a wireless access point. Best investment ever. Even if this seems to require a loong trip to a shop. Having travelled major parts or the US and CAN I can imagine how far such a journey can be.
Regards from tiny Switzerland, and don't shoot the messenger please...
-Kurt
