WAP2000 as a Repeater with PoE only

[Raimondas Mazeika]

Hi there,

I am not sure if this topic was touched before, but I coulnd't find any specific information regarding this.

Our customer setup requires an outdoor WAP (the main WAP) and two wireless signal repeters (that will be WAP2000). The repeaters will be powered over the Ethernet only and will be connected to the same switch as the main WAP (unknown vendor). My question is:

Will a WAP2000 work smoothly as a repeater when it's powered over Ethernet only and connected to the same switch as the main WAP is?

The question might sound odd, but during my previous installations, I noticed that WAP2000 connected this way was sort of 'lost' in deciding to repeat a signal or work as an independent wireless access point. The problem was immediately removed once the repeater was disconnected from the switch and powered from an outlet. I am not sure whether it was wrong addressing setup or something else that was needed to check/uncheck. To avoid such problems in my future installations, could you advise me please?

Thanks.

[Tom Watts · Accepted solution]

Hi Raimondas, if you're repeating while wired in, it will make a network loop. The repeated signal is "1 wire" while being hardware in to the LAN is another wire. If you plan to repeat devices they can't have multiple LAN connections be it wired or wireless.

-Tom
Please mark answered for helpful posts

[Clayton Sill · Accepted solution]

Hey Raimondas,

     To add on to Tom's information, you could try doing a admin shutdown on the port that you are plugging the WAP2000 into. That should stop the traffic for passing through were the network loop is being created but keep PoE working through the port. I've heard this works but never really fully tested it myself.

Hope that helps!

Thanks,

Clayton Sill

[Raimondas Mazeika]

Guys, thank you for your quick responses.

Tom, are you saying that, in order to use WAP2000 as a wireless repeater, it cannot be powered over the Ethernet straight from the switch? I see an alternative to use PoE injector only, without connecting the WAP2000 to a switch.

Clayton, well spotted. Unfortunately, it's a low-end switch, thus it might not have the feature to shut down ports individually. But I will definitely check this option. Is it possible to shut down the port on the WAP2000 end?

Thanks again!

[Clayton Sill]

Hello Raimondas,

     Yeah if you have a dummy switch or something that doesn't have those options then it sounds like the PoE injector would be the way to go then. I do not remember though it has been a while since I have worked with the WAP2000. There may actually be a admin shutdown for the WAP2000 but not 100% sure. If the option is there then I would check under Setup and Advance Settings.

Thanks,

Clayton Sill