Question about access points for internet using cat 6 and a 4g router.....

[stoatsngroats]

We have in the loft, a 4g Huawei(?) router, and will soon be connecting the garden room to it using a cat6 Ethernet cable.
This will be terminated with a junction box/RJ45(?j).
I was hoping to add an access point to this to provide a localised WiFi ability, and messed about with an old(ish) Bt Home Hub with no success on setting this up.
Does anyone have any idea of the most effective but cheapest way to do this?
Thanks
SnG

 

[bruce1530]

So you want an access point rather than a router.

You would probably get away with using the BT homehub, as these will bridge (not route) between the wired ethernet and wireless networks. The important thing is to make sure you disable the DHCP server on the router - you don’t want 2 devices on the one network handing out addresses. Assuming you are able to disable that, and it’s not overly locked down.

 

[stoatsngroats]

@bruce1530 thanks.
I think the BT HH may well be locked down somewhat, as it didn’t like the Ipmaddress which I entered.
I did manage disable the DHCP, but was unable to connect directly with my chosen IP address at any stage afterwards. (This was one more than the HUAWEI router IP address .....8.1 and the. 8.2.
I’m a little out of my depth, but it seemed not to work.

 

[Venod]

Have you searched to see if anybody has been successful in using your BT router as an access point? I have just employed 2 old TalkTalk routers as access points, there was a lot of info to be found on how to do it.

 

[PeteXXX]

There's plenty of info around on YouTube, too.

 

[stoatsngroats]

There's plenty of info around on YouTube, too.

Yes, that was one of 2 which I followed to no avail, but maybe I should look at this again.
thanks for the suggestions 😃🤞

 

[stoatsngroats]

Ok, I have attempted this again and it seems my BT hub is not accepting my new IP address, which I have made 1 number different from my 4g router.
I’m not able to login under this IP address.
I have turned off:
DHCP
Firewall
Smart Setup
My 4g router has an address 192.168.8.1
I’m trying to make the BTHH as an access point have the address 192.168.8.2
Does this make sense?
Could I leave the BTHH address as its default, of 192.168.1.254 and then connect via cat6, and work the BTHH as an access point, or doe the 2 in addresses for router and AP have to be close together?
Thanks, in hope!
SnG

 

[figbat]

My access point is 2 away from the router’s address and is assigned as a static IP address. I think you just assign it an address outside of the allocation pool.

If you turn off the wireless on your router, do your devices not see the hub’s wifi?

 

[Venod]

To get my TalkTalk routers to work as wifi access points I have them wired via ethernet with mains adapters.

 

[stoatsngroats]

My access point is 2 away from the router’s address and is assigned as a static IP address. I think you just assign it an address outside of the allocation pool.

If you turn off the wireless on your router, do your devices not see the hub’s wifi?

Thanks for helping @figbat .
I am just trying to setup the access point, as I don’t have an Ethernet connection in the other place just yet, that’ll be next Wednesday!
It seems that the BT hi,e hub won’t accept an alternative IP address from the original, and I’m wondering if this is because it may be ‘locked’.

I’m thinking I will just get a netgear access point, as these appear to be not locked and fully customisable.
👍😀

 

[stoatsngroats]

To get my TalkTalk routers to work as wifi access points I have them wired via ethernet with mains adapters.

Mmm, maybe TT routers are less controlled than Bt ones.
I have a further plan before I spend money on a new AP, but need the Ethernet cable connected up in the other place, mid-next week.
👍😀

 

[Venod]

Mmm, maybe TT routers are less controlled than Bt ones.

What I should have said was they only work as wifi access points when they are connected to the network via cable, they wont work as access points when connected via wifi.

 

[newfhouse]

If you don’t get it working and decide to spend money an an access point, consider buying a mesh system instead. They can usually be connected via Ethernet if they are too far apart for WiFi, but devices roam between nodes seamlessly rather than hanging on to weaker connections. There are plenty of threads here and elsewhere, and they’re pretty cheap these days.