More of a home technology post and how to this time. Repeaters are not necessarily something you’d really consider in a business setting unless you’ve got a small shop with just one or two users somewhere and just need to extend your WIFI range or something and don’t want to spend a lot of money with cable to do it.
For home use just to get your Wi-Fi out into your yard or into that one dead spot in your house, a wireless repeater is a pretty decent way to do it. I’d never had good luck with them until I came across this one on Amazon. It’s the JCG JWA-N8002 WIFI Repeater.
It actually has a lot more functions that just working as a repeater which I will definitely be putting guides up for.
Note: This repeater is an older model. It works on B+G+N. They make another model that works with N+AC but I can’t find them for sale. Also note that the one pictured doesn’t have the US plug, but the two I’ve bought so far do. I think the N80002 is the US/Canadian model and the U25 is for the European market.
The great thing about this repeater is, usually you can find them on Amazon for like $14. The sad thing is, they go really fast! One complaint I saw was the instructions are hard to decipher so I’m posting instructions here.
Setting Up The JWA-N8002 As A Repeater
Step 1: Figure out a good place for the repeater. You need an empty wall outlet. It also needs to be where it can get signal from your WiFi router. Don’t plug it in somewhere in the dead spot. Put it between the dead area and your router. A good place is where you get about two bars of signal from your router.
Step 2: Once you’ve figured out a spot, get your laptop, or tablet. Plug the repeater into the wall and wait a few minutes. They take a moment to turn on.
Step 3: Connect your computer to the repeater. The default network the repeater is set to is JWA-N8002. The password is 12345678. This is printed on the device as well.
Note: Alexis points out below that the password might be different. Alexis’ password was ‘uquququq’
Step 4: Open your web browser. I prefer Firefox these days, but I have used Chrome. If you use Internet Explorer, you may need to use “Compatibility View”. Browse to http://192.168.10.1 enter the username admin, and the password is also admin.
Step 5: The basic set up wizard should already be set to “Repeater”. If it isn’t select it. Leave the “Auto Copy From Router” checked. Mine did not have the “Auto. Configure Lan IP Address” checked. I think if you don’t have a DHCP Server on your router you might need to check that. Next, click the “Site Survey Button”. Don’t change anything else on this screen.
Step 6: Check out which wireless networks it found. Make sure you can see yours and it has at least two bars of signal. If it doesn’t you might want to move it. It might be good with just one. Here’s what mine looked like.
Step 7: Select your Wifi Network and enter your password in the “Pre-Shared Key” box. You may need to select “Passphrase” from the drop down menu.
Step 8: Hit save and apply.
If you entered everything correctly the repeater will reboot and you’ll see a new wireless network called “yournetwork-ext” and you can connect to it using the same password as your regular one.
You should be able to connect to your Wi-Fi in any dead spots.
13 replies on “Extending Your WI-FI With a Repeater”
I bought JWA-N8002 2 days ago but i didn’t know how tho set it up. Now i am doing it and the credit goes to http://workendtech.com/ .Thank you so much for this information.
Step 3: Connect your computer to the repeater. The default network the repeater is set to is JWA-N8002. The password is 12345678. This is printed on the device as well.
The password to mine Amazon JWA was “uquququq”, hope that helps.
I have a MGC Routher install, but I am not able to connect to my second computer due to low signal. Should I get a repeater between rooms of my home?
A repeater can definitely help. Especially if it’s a big home. Before going that route you might check and see if other wifi devices have issues connecting.
Here it is nearly 2 years after you posted this info and another person, me, gets to setup his adapter, after many tries, thanks to you. Glad you took the time to do it. And yes, the instructions are not clear enough, missing steps. Thank you very much!
Yeah, I think they have about forty versions of this repeater and one instruction booklet. I’ve had the same one in my garage since before I posted this article and it works pretty well though, so for the price it’s not a bad piece of equipment.
How do you bring back factory default settings?
There’s a reset button on the repeater. Unplug it, hold it down, and plug it back in while it boots up. You may need to apply the 30/30/30 method which is hold it down while plugged in, unplug it, keep it held down 30 seconds, then plug it in while keeping it held down 30 seconds. With this repeater I found an extension cord REALLY helps configure it.
I have set up my repeater but have still found some dead spots. How easy is it to move the repeater and would I have to set it all up again.
With these it’s actually pretty easy. Just unplug it, and plug it in somewhere else. I have mine in my garage. When I wrote the guide, I did that in the house and took the screenshots then moved it out there the following day.
Mine sits out there in 107 degree weather all summer and below freezing all winter and I haven’t had a problem, deals with power outages pretty well too, so unplug all you want. I did have a problem with an old loose electrical outlet (the outlet was probably fifty plus years old) making mine factory reset but I think as long as you aren’t instantly power cycling it off and on again in the space of a few seconds it will be fine.
Mine was working few months, and then stop. I can see it when I searching, but there is no internet.
My repeater worked for several months and then stopped. I can see it when I search for it on the phone, but there is no internet in it. I can’t log in as admin, because I can not even open page 192.168.10.1. I tried normal Reset, and factory reset (30/30/30 seconds), but it did not help me. Do you have any idea what to do?
Problem resolved.
how did you resolve your problem? i have the same issue with mine