I use my Vigor 2820Vn as my main router and I have connected a wireless Access Point to extend the range of my home network - a TP-Link TL-WA701ND, which us set up in universal repeater mode.

I can access internet through the AP, but CANNOT access file sharing or itunes libraries from other computers connected to the Vigor. However I can see computers connected to the AP from computers behind the Vigor.

I have tried all sorts of alternative settings on the AP as recommended by TP-Link support without success and they say that it must be a setting on the Vigor that is stopping me from seeing anything connected to it.

I have tried activating the Vigor bridge and repeater modes using the MAC address of the AP and still no success. I have also tried it with WDS and still no luck.

All computers connected behind the Vigor can see each other and file sharing is not a problem.

Are there other settings I should check or try?

Many thanks,
Max

Hi Max

I hope you found an answer to your question; I am hoping you can solve mine! I have a Vigor 2820n and two TL-WA701NDs which I bought to deal with dead spots at home. I have tried setting them up as repeaters (with WDS) and universal - all with no success. They appear to work, for a short while, then they pull the whole wireless environment down (devices can't even connect to the Vigor) - it stays down until I switch off both the TP-Link boxes.

I'd be really keen to see your settings - assuming all works well for you. Even without file sharing or itunes libraries would be good!

Hope to hear from you.

Thanks
Mike.

You could try one more thing first (if not already), when you use an AP in repeater mode the MAC address is generally incremented by 1 - so for instance with my vigor 2820n I have the WDS screen set up with....

Wireless LAN/WDS
Mode: repeater - security: pre-shared - pre-shared key: WPA2
Repeater: enabled and MAC address of AP repeater (....0c 0c 10)
Access Point functions: enabled

I use MAC security for the 2820n AP so in the access control for Wireless I have the MAC of the repeater plus one (....0c 0c 11).

On the AP (Edimax EW-7416APNv2)
mode: Univeral Repeater
MAIN ESSID: same as SSID for 2820n
Channel number: same as 2820n
Security: WPA with same key as in 2820n pre-shared
MAC security: enabled with local client macs

That works for me

Also running firmware:

Model Name : Vigor2820n
Firmware Version : 3.3.7_232201
Build Date/Time : Oct 27 2011 11:20:43
ADSL Firmware Version : 232201_A Hardware: AnnexA

Not currently on the Draytek UK site (as of 19/11/2011) but available on Global Draytek site: http://www.draytek.com

@gmegson: Thanks for the reply. I hadn't got the latest firmware, so tahnks again for the tip; got it now.

My setup works fine with root ap and one repeater; but the whole wireless network dies when I add the second repeater. Weird.

Mike.

Two wireless repeaters breaking things makes sense if the APs are in universal repeater mode and you've got all of them with the same SSID - when set up like that, the APs will just connect to each other and everything falls over. The AP800 kinda gets around that by linking to a MAC address but for multiple AP setups you're better off using WDS.

Thanks Voodle, but they are in Repeater/WDS mode rather than Universal Repeater.

I've also tried daisy chaining them, that is repeater 1 is both the repeater for the Vogor root AP and the AP for repeater 2. The result was the same.

Mike.