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TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender Installation Guide

Updated 

12 days ago

TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender

A Wi-Fi Extender is a great way to provide supplemental Wi-Fi coverage to your Base Station and Cameras within your home or business. The following article will walk you through some tips for the placement and coverage of your extender and serve as an installation guide for getting your new extender up and running. 

Placement and Coverage Tips

When it comes to placement of your TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender, closer to your products or Wi-Fi router is not always the best option. Instead, consider the path that the Wi-Fi signal must travel from the router to the extender, and then to the Base Station or Camera and back. Sometimes it’s better to place the extender in a clear path with fewer obstructions (walls, dense construction, other electronics, etc.) than it is to place it closer to a SimpliSafe® product. You may need to experiment with a couple of different placements after your extender has been set up to find the optimal location for it within your home or business. 

TP-Link Extender Installation Guide

You can set up your TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender using WPS pairing mode with your router, or using the TP-Link Tether App. If you are unsure if your router supports WPS pairing, we recommend using the TP-Link Tether App method.

The back side of a router with an arrow pointing to the WPS (or Pairing) button.

Most modern routers will have a WPS pairing button, however, if your router does not have this button, please skip ahead to the next section of this article for the TP-Link Tether App method of pairing.

First, you will need to ensure that your router has a 2.4GHz network available that meets our system requirements. Indicators that your router may broadcast a 2.4GHz network include Wi-Fi names that do not have a suffix (example, WiFi_Network) or have a 2.4 added to the end of it (WiFi_Network_2.4). If you are unsure if your router is broadcasting a 2.4GHz network, please consult with your router's manual or contact your Internet Service Provider for additional troubleshooting.

Setting Up Your Wi-Fi Extender using WPS Pairing:

  1. Plug the extender into any indoor power outlet - we recommend within 16 feet of the Wi-Fi router. 

  2. Wait for the power button on the front of the extender to light up solid green (This can take up to 1 minute to happen)

  3. Next, press the WPS pairing button on your router, followed by pressing the 🔄(arrows rotating in a circle) button on the front of the Wi-Fi extender. 

    1. Generally, you’ll find the WPS button on the back of the router. On occasion, a pin-like tool (such as a paperclip or SIM card removal tool) may be needed to press the button. 

  4. The LED on the Wi-Fi extender should go from flashing to solid, indicating that the WPS connection was successful. This solid light should turn off within 2 minutes.

NOTE: If the WPS Pairing Method fails, please follow the TP-Link Tether App steps in the section below.

If your router does not support WPS, or if the WPS method fails, the easiest way to set up your new TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender is to use the TP-Link Tether App.

First, download the TP-Link Tether App to your phone or tablet.

Once downloaded, open the app on your phone or tablet and accept the terms and conditions. The app should prompt a pop-up to allow the device access to find and connect to your network. Press “Allow”, then select “I’ve already given Local Network Permission” to proceed.

As a next step, you’ll either need to login with an existing TP-Link account, or create a new one by selecting “Create a TP-Link ID”.  You’ll then receive an email prompting you to activate your account. This can take several minutes to arrive, potentially ending up in your Spam/Junk folder. Once you receive the email, choose “Click to Finish Registration”.

After you activate your account, follow the in-app prompts to set up your TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender. The TP-Link Tether App will walk you through connecting it to your Wi-Fi network and creating a network name and password for the extender network.

Next Steps

Once your TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender has been set up, you’ll need to connect the applicable cameras to that new extender network. We recommend only switching the camera(s) that were previously having trouble connecting to your Wi-Fi network. You do not need to connect your Base Station to the new TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender network. 

Additional Troubleshooting

The most common issue you may encounter is that the TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender light is not turning solid green after 1 minute. We recommend using a known working outlet, specifically one that does not rely on a light switch to provide power. 

You may also encounter issues using the app or setting up the extender during setup. Here are a few things you can keep in mind while troubleshooting during installation.

  • Ensure that your TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender is within 16 feet of your router

  • Turn off data traffic or VPN’s while setting up your extender. 

    • They can interfere with being able to see the extender network

  • When setting up the network, confirm that you are connecting to the TP-Link Extender network

If you run into any other issues with your TP-Link Wi-Fi Extender or need additional assistance setting it up, do not hesitate to contact TP-Link support for help. Their phone number is 1-866-225-8139.

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