Am I using my TP Link WiFi extender correctly?

[Aprisa]

Just changed from Sky to Plusnet and lost the booster from Sky.

Bought a couple of TP link extenders which setup fine and I have my PC connected by cable to one of them.

The other is because one of my wireless cameras has a very weak connection so I wanted to help this, and boost connectivity in my workshop in the garden.

Problem is that each booster seems to create a new wireless network with .EXT on the end on the network, so I have Plusnet, Plusnet.EXT and Plusnet .EXT.EXT

This means that the camera will not in effect be on the same network as the others? as the cameras need to all be on the same network to be seen on the same screen what do I need to do?

Thanks

[thebraketester]

You need to change the ssid of the extender so it matches your existing ssid (and pword)

[sgrimshaw]

Which TP Link models do you have

[Corso Marche]

There's likely an app from TP Link you can use to manage and configure them easily.

It's called tpPLC in the region I'm located, and is what I used to configure my extenders.
Might be a different name or slightly different app in the UK, I'm not sure.

[Aprisa]

Thanks guys, after using the app to change the network ssid its now all one big happy one.

[jurbie]

I've also got one of these at the top of my stairs and as with the OP, it set itself up automatically adding the EXT onto the end of the network name. I didn't realise this is creating a new network so apart from the situation which the OP described, are there any other reasons to get it onto the same network?

[xeny]

same network name means client devices should roam better between the two wireless "sources".

[Douglas Quaid]

I have all of my devices going through the tp link extenders which are on a different name to the Virgin router. Nothing at all connects to the router, other than the extenders. I’m not sure whether that is actually sensible or whether I should just repeat the router name and have that as part of the network too.

[Tim Cognito]

xeny said:

same network name means client devices should roam better between the two wireless "sources".

In practice unless you have a mesh network your devices will cling on to the crappiest barely functioning signal rather than switch to a stronger access point. Been there got the t shirt unfortunately.

[Captain Answer]

Douglas Quaid said:

I have all of my devices going through the tp link extenders which are on a different name to the Virgin router. Nothing at all connects to the router, other than the extenders. I’m not sure whether that is actually sensible or whether I should just repeat the router name and have that as part of the network too.

Depends how many units are in connection, Virgin Hub gets a bit twitchy once you're over 20 in my experiance

I have wifi off on mine then a Tenda Router plugged into it doing the WIFI for downstairs and a couple of TP-links around for wired bits upstairs etc

[Actual]

Aprisa said:

Thanks guys, after using the app to change the network ssid its now all one big happy one.

Depending on the TP-Link model you may have separate nodes each competing with the same Wi-Fi SSID and causing your mobile devices a right mare as they try to cling on to a weak signal and ignore a nearer node with a strong signal as you walk around the house.

Alternatively the TP-Link WiFi 6 and 7 ranges work in a mesh where the satellites use a dedicated invisible backhaul Wi-Fi channel back to the router and your mobile devices apparently switch their connection to the satellite with the strongest signal.

In the real world one may not necessarily be better than the other.