I have a wireless network set up with a Vigor 2862ac router, which works well, but we need to extend the signal reach.

I have a Vigor AP 903 which I have set up as a range extender (can't use as access point as there is no cabling where the 903 needs to be located, so my understanding is that I have only one option which is to use it in range extender mode), but clients connecting to it by both ethernet or wireless are unable to access internet. They receive an IP address correctly, but can't get any further.

The 903 connects successfully to the 2862 and I can see it within the 2862 to configure.

I've set the WDS settings on the 2862 for both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz SSIDs. Channels, security settings match as I believe they should in order for it to work. I've also tried extending only the 2.4GHz network and clearing all WDS settings.

I'm guessing there is something I've missed, but I can't work out what?

More fundamentally - does the AP 903 have the capability to work as a range extender when it's not connected to a router via ethernet?

I'm no expert, having just bought an Vigor AP903 and a Vigor AP802, in order to form a mesh network, that will then be wired to my Vigor 2860n. In my case, the AP903 will be a wired Mesh-root, but I have been playing around with various other configurations to ensure I understand how these things work. (I've got a long way to go )

I would make the following comments...

The AP903's "Quick Start Wizard" lets you select the following modes: "Access Point","Mesh Root","Mesh node" and "Range Extender". (the AP802 is very similar, but with there's no "Mesh root" option).

More fundamentally - does the AP 903 have the capability to work as a range extender when it's not connected to a router via ethernet?

If you select the "Range Extender" mode in the aforementioned wizard, it draws a helpful diagram showing exactly that configuration, so I would say the answer is "Yes".

However...

I found (using the AP802), that I could not get it to work as "Universal Repeater", but I could, as a "WDS Bridge" (which isn't actually an option, but seems to be triggered by the inclusion of the Peer MAC parameters at each end).

(See: https://serverfault.com/questions/466670/what-is-difference-between-wireless-universal-repeater-and-wireless-distribut which is how I understand the difference).

(There is a Draytek support article describing configuration WDS mode here: https://www.draytek.com/support/knowledge-base/5020 )

Which mode do you think you're actually using?

Do you still have access to the Vigor AP903 gui, via the 2862 (as opposed to directly connecting to the Vigor AP903's wi-fi?)

Also, have you enabled Syslog? ... all kinds of info being spat out there.... (my favourite being "ERROR!!! EXIT!!!" :? )

Let me know how you get on, 'cos I've got multiple issues to resolve, and it might help!

Just a thought...

Where are the clients of the AP903 getting an IP address from? ... the AP903 itself, or elsewhere?

Hi

I'm having the same issue with a 2862ac and 902AP - Have set the AP as universal repeater, wireless clients authenticate and get IP Address, but no outbound internet access.

Have you been able to sort this?

Rob

RobHall wrote:
I'm having the same issue with a 2862ac and 902AP - Have set the AP as universal repeater, wireless clients authenticate and get IP Address, but no outbound internet access

Well I don't know how the OP is getting on, but I had a quick play with my 2860n and AP903 in "Universal Repeater Mode". In a nutshell, I got the same results as you (and the OP)...

I used the following guides: https://www.draytek.com/support/knowledge-base/5785 and https://www.draytek.co.uk/support/guides/kb-wireless-lan-universal-repeater

I could see the AP903 connected as a STAtion to the Vigor 2860n. I could access the AP903 wirelessly and I could connect to it as a client. The client could ping everything on the local subnet, but no further. One thing I noticed - when looking in the ARP cache of a PC I was using for debugging - the MAC address of the client was the same as the MAC address of the AP903, as displayed on the 2860n under Station List :?: :?:

I tried a 'tracert 8.8.8.8' on the attached client and got another odd result. The first hop was the AP903 and the second hop was the 2860n. Nothing else responded.
It's almost as though the AP903 was acting as a NAT router, rather than a Wireless Repeater.

Since I don't want it to work in this mode anyway, that's as far as I'm going with this experiment

I came across a useful little overview of different Wireless Bridging & Repeating modes - and which Draytek products support what.

https://www.draytek.co.uk/information/our-technology/wireless-bridge-repeater-wds#universal-repeater