Cisco Aironet 1600 as repeater and non-cisco wi-fi router

[fb_webuser]

Hi all,

i want to configure Cisco Aironet 1600 series as a repeater associated with non-cisco wi-fi router. I would like to ask if is that possible at all, since i have read at some forums that Cisco APs can be associated only with other Cisco APs, and how can i do this? Thanks in advance.

---

Posted by WebUser ????? ????? from Cisco Support Community App

[Scott Fella]

I have never tried it with the 1600's but back in the days I tested it with a 1230 & 1242. All I can say it sometimes worked and sometimes it didn't. You can use a repeater mode as long as you disable aironet ie.

To set up repeaters, you must enable Aironet extensions on both the parent (root) access point and the repeater access points. Aironet extensions, which are enabled by default, improve the access point's ability to understand the capabilities of Cisco Aironet client devices associated with the access point. Disabling Aironet extensions sometimes improves the interoperability between the access point and non-Cisco client devices. Non-Cisco client devices might have difficulty communicating with repeater access points and the root access point to which repeaters are associated.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/access_point/12.4_3g_JA/configuration/guide/s43hot.html

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

[Eduardo Aliaga]

I tried this before with Cisco and it failed. I once could enable it between two different vendors (not Cisco), but only worked with WEP (not with WPA).

About the "repeater" feature

• it's not standard (that's why Cisco acces points fails with repeaters of other vendors, because Cisco needs aironet extensions)
  
• if you make it work it will work without necessary features (like WPA/WPA2)
  
• the wireless bandwidth is cut in half (and less)
  

That's why I recommend never to use "repeaters". It's better if you could use wireless mesh.

Please rate if this helps

[harvisin]

Hello,

The link below might help you out:-

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/access_point/12.4_3g_JA/configuration/guide/s43hot.html