Extending wifi by setting up 2nd access point

jumbone

I have been asked to do something about poor WiFi signal upstairs in a house (big house with full concrete floors and stone walls so any access point would probably struggle) and I would like to know if the following set up would work.

The internet connection is 50 meg WiMax from NWE so I think I'll definitely have to keep whatever modem/router is provided. At present this located at the main TV which is directly below where the antenna is mounted on the outside of the house. This spot is also the point where Cat5e cables going to wallplates in every other room terminate.

The Wifi coverage there extends out into the kitchen and living area and as the cables terminate there, I figure it would be best to connect the cable going to an upstairs wallplate (on the landing if possible) to a LAN port on the modem/router and install another access point upstairs. As the cabling is installed already and as the upstairs signal is basically non-existent due to concrete ceilings and floors I don't think a repeater would be a wise choice.

For the access point, I have chosen the TP-Link TL-WR743ND 150Mbps Wireless Lite N AP/Client Cable Router as it gets decent reviews, is cheap and is ok to look at and also because the power over ethernet feature would be very handy if it works like I think it will (see diagram).

I just need a bit of advice on setting it up, i.e. which mode it should be set in:

• Wireless Client Router
• Wireless AP/Router
• Wireless AP/Repeater
• Wireless AP/Bridge
• Wireless Client

From reading the manual, I gather it should be router mode (wireless ap/router?) but would like that confirmed.

I would also like to check what the story is with the MAC Clone function. The device will most likely never have anything connected by cable to it as it will just be providing wifi for upstairs (anything requiring wired will be connected to one of the wallplates and therefore the modem/router) so as far as I can tell, this should not be enabled?

The amazon reviews mention disabling DHCP and setting the gateway IP in a range other than 192.168.x.x, is this necessary if it is being put in router mode as surely the AP will know that it is sharing a connection from another network and leave assigning IP addresses up to that?

Finally, from what I have read online about the above solution for extending wireless, devices will roam from one access point to the other seamlessly (well maybe with a disconnect reconnect but the same saved network will do?) Does this leave any chance of an IP conflict or will everything be assigned by the downstairs router?

degsie

http://www.tp-link.com/en/article/?faqid=417 any help?

truedoom

should be set as repeater. or bridge.