HELP! TP-Link TD-W8960N Router into an Access Point

[AirSensei]

Hi guys. My room is too far away from the main router of the house (D-Link DSL-2890AL) so I've decided to use an old router as an access point (TP-Link TD-W8960N). The TP-Link is connected to the main router via ethernet cable to the LAN ports, the IP address has been changed to 192.168.1.2 (the D-Link is 192.168.1.1), and DHCP has been disabled. Yet, when I try to connect to the TP-Link on my MacBook it continuously loads, and when I try to connect on my Galaxy s7 it says "failed to obtain IP address". While my ps4, which is connected to the TP-Link via ethernet is working perfectly. I was sure I'd followed the instructions I found online correctly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

 

[eibgrad]

To be precise, the TP-Link TD-W8960N (according to my research) is actually a dsl modem+router. And I seem to recall (been years ago) that some modem+routers didn't function as expected unless something was connected to the WAN. And given it's only wireless that's effected, I'm wondering if perhaps this is one of those devices, and perhaps it's refusing to bridge the wifi to the LAN unless the WAN has an active connection.

Just a guess.

That's why I'd much prefer to see you using a pure router, not some combo device. The combo devices tend to be more goofy and troublesome when trying to repurpose them.

 

[AirSensei]

Thanks for your response. I read online about others that have used the TP-Link TD-W8960N as an access point so I believe it can be done. The instructions I followed were on the TP-Link website. I'm sure there's just something small I've missed, but I just don't know what.

I also tried with a plain router supplied by the internet provider and was able to connect with my devices once, but then not again. I don't want to use this router though as it's not very good.

 

[bill001g]

It "should" work. You have done all the important steps...especially since it works via ethernet. It is strange because this would mean if the internet was down you could not do file sharing between a wireless device and a ethernet device. Try setting the IP manually on the remote device maybe the tplink is preventing dhcp messages from going between the lan and the wireless.

 

[AirSensei]

It "should" work. You have done all the important steps...especially since it works via ethernet. It is strange because this would mean if the internet was down you could not do file sharing between a wireless device and a ethernet device. Try setting the IP manually on the remote device maybe the tplink is preventing dhcp messages from going between the lan and the wireless.

I've tried manually setting the IP address on my phone to connect multiple times and haven't had any success. I know it should work! There's literally an access point function in the router's settings menu where you can choose "access point" or "bridge".

This is the link for the device https://www.tp-link.com/au/products/details/cat-15_TD-W8960N.html
It even says in the description that it can be used as an access point.

I've tried everything I can think if. Spent 6 hours trying to do it yesterday and 1 so far today. I've even contacted TP-Link with no luck.

 

[Ralston18]

Which LAN Port are you using on the TP-Link TD-W8960N Router?

Wondering if the port is configured to be WAN and not LAN as it should be.

The link you provided indicates the left most port is interchangeable.

You may have tried/done that but I did not note that being specifically mentioned in your posts.

Just a thought....

 

[AirSensei]

Which LAN Port are you using on the TP-Link TD-W8960N Router?

Wondering if the port is configured to be WAN and not LAN as it should be.

The link you provided indicates the left most port is interchangeable.

You may have tried/done that but I did not note that being specifically mentioned in your posts.

Just a thought....

Yeah I thought that too. I've tried both the LAN and the interchangeable LAN/WAN port, as a video I found on TP Link's website said to use the WAN port if the router has an access point function. Neither worked anyway.
I thought I made some progress just before. I reset the TP Link to factory settings and plugged the ethernet cable into the LAN/WAN port. I didn't change any settings as I read somewhere that some routers with access point functions will act as an access point by default. I then successfully connected my phone and had internet access for about 20 seconds. Then my phone said "internet may not be available" and I lost it. After changing the security settings (SSID and password) of the reset router I was no longer able to connect my phone. It would say "unable to obtain IP address". I literally have no idea what to do next...

 

[Ralston18]

Per eibgrad's post:

If you do indeed have DSL there should be a small device somewhere that is connected to the incoming line from your ISP. That small device splits the signal into two paths. One path to the telephones and the second path to the modem or modem router.

Splitters (or filters as they are also called) tend to go bad and need to be replaced.

Example:

https://www.tpg.com.au/support/filter_guide.php

And a bad telephone cable will cause problems as well. Swap out the telephone cables with known working cables.

 

[AirSensei]

Per eibgrad's post:

If you do indeed have DSL there should be a small device somewhere that is connected to the incoming line from your ISP. That small device splits the signal into two paths. One path to the telephones and the second path to the modem or modem router.

Splitters (or filters as they are also called) tend to go bad and need to be replaced.

Example:

https://www.tpg.com.au/support/filter_guide.php

And a bad telephone cable will cause problems as well. Swap out the telephone cables with known working cables.

Cheers for the suggestion, but we don't have a splitter because we don't have a landline phone. So the cable from the wall goes straight into the router, and I don't think the issue is with that cable because we get great wifi from the main router.

Might there be a setting on the main router I need to change so that it allows the TP-Link to act as an access point?

 

[Ralston18]

Is the static IP address assigned to the TP-Link outside of the available DHCP IP address range allowed to the main router? Is the TP-Link's static IP address reserved for it via MAC on main router?

Any restrictions on the number of allowed DHCP devices on the main router?

Ensure that both your Galaxy s7 and PS4 are requesting IP addresses via the main router's IP address and subnet mask.

Main router being the D-Link at 192.168.1.1 and 255.255.255.0 respectively. At least as I understand your network's current configuration.

 

[AirSensei]

Is the static IP address assigned to the TP-Link outside of the available DHCP IP address range allowed to the main router? Is the TP-Link's static IP address reserved for it via MAC on main router?

Any restrictions on the number of allowed DHCP devices on the main router?

Ensure that both your Galaxy s7 and PS4 are requesting IP addresses via the main router's IP address and subnet mask.

Main router being the D-Link at 192.168.1.1 and 255.255.255.0 respectively. At least as I understand your network's current configuration.

Great point. I believe that the DHCP IP address range of the main router (192.168.1.1) is 2-254. I had the TP-Link set to 192.168.1.2. So it was inside the range of the main router. I did try changing the address range from 2-200 and setting the IP of the TP-Link to 192.168.1.240 and it didn't work, so I changed it back.

I'm not familiar with making a reservation via MAC, do you think that will work? I do remember seeing in the main router's settings page that there was a mobile device assigned to 192.168.1.2, but I assumed that the TP-Link being manually assigned that IP would kick that mobile device off to another address.

 

[Ralston18]

I would expect and hope it would work.

No harm in trying. May turn up something else that may help resolve things.

Change the DHCP IP address range to 192.168.1.10 to 192.168.1.20

Or, depending on the number of devices you have, a range wide enough to cover them plus 3 or 4 extra devices.

And if there is a mobile device with a fixed IP, change that device to DHCP unless there is some specific and known reason for that device to have 192.168.1.2

 

[AirSensei]

I would expect and hope it would work.

No harm in trying. May turn up something else that may help resolve things.

Change the DHCP IP address range to 192.168.1.10 to 192.168.1.20

Or, depending on the number of devices you have, a range wide enough to cover them plus 3 or 4 extra devices.

And if there is a mobile device with a fixed IP, change that device to DHCP unless there is some specific and known reason for that device to have 192.168.1.2

OK so I changed the DHCP IP Address Range on the main router to 10-30 and kept the TP Link router on 192.168.1.2. When trying to connect to the TP Link with my phone and laptop the same thing is occurring. Constant loading on the MacBook and "failed to obtain IP address" on the phone. I tried manually setting the phone's static IP address to 192.168.1.11 and it connected but said "internet may not be available". Interestingly, my old HP laptop connected to the TP Link wirelessly and is now streaming YouTube videos with no issue. I'm honestly at a loss.

 

[Ralston18]

What happens if you allow the phone to use DHCP via the router?

No static IP involved.

 

[AirSensei]

What happens if you allow the phone to use DHCP via the router?

No static IP involved.

It says "failed to obtain IP address".

I've also just tried adding a DHCP reservation on the main router for the TP Link IP address 192.168.1.2. To add an IP address it also needs the MAC address, which I got off the bottom of the router. When I click update and save a message pops up saying that the MAC address is invalid.

When I connect to the TP Link with the old HP laptop it connects and then takes about a minute to get internet access. Then it works fine.

 

[Ralston18]

Interesting....

But if it works then so be it.

Wondering about the "minute to get internet access..."

Overall, being of the cynical sort, go with that and let things be.

Perhaps the process will get faster once all of the involved devices get their lookup tables stabilized.