topic Re: Can't get Wireless Access Point to work in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

Can't get Wireless Access Point to work

Bobcat2fix — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 18:12:01 GMT

I recently bought a new TP-link POE switch and EAP225 wireless access point so that I could use wifi in my garden cabin less than 100m away (but out of range of my router's wifi). The cables are all in and hard-wired ethernet works with no problem. The EAP has a green light and I can see the 2.4GHz and 5Ghz in my wifi settings. However, I can't get it to connect to http://tplinkeap.net or show up in the app and all the info I could find is that perhaps my router is not assigning the IP address. I looked at the router network settings but couldn't find the EAP mac address in the list. I thought it might be more plug-and-play than this.

Please can anyone help me (a non-techy person) in getting it working or at least checking that I have things set up correctly in the router to achieve this so I can at leaset rule it out?

I have the cable plugged into POE port on the switch in the house, the cable runs to the cabin where it is plugged straight into the Access point (powered up green light (slow flash/isolated state) and transmitting frequency). The router is connected to the switch from Router Port 1 on the back to a standard port (non-POE) on the switch.

Re: Can't get Wireless Access Point to work

Baldrick1 — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 14:51:29 GMT

@Bobcat2fix Welcome to the Plusnet Community Fora.

Having a quick look at the data sheet for your AP you have certainly gone for the complex 'all bells and whistles' version of an AP, which could be the cause of your problem. To be honest you might have been much better off buying a much simpler/cheaper plug and play AP.

I would start by checking that all 8 cores of your Ethernet cables are properly connected. Have you got another shorter one that you can try in the house? Otherwise a tester is not expensive https://www.amazon.co.uk/Network-Cable-Tester-RJ45-Ethernet/dp/B08RNDBQRX/ref=sr_1_2?crid=MJZZFT6GIDW4&keywords=ethernet%2Bcable%2Btester&qid=1708267406&sprefix=ethernet%2Bcable%2Btester%2Caps%2C274&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Failing that you need to ensure that this device is configured in stand alone mode, I have no idea if this is the default condition. My quick read suggests that you should be able to just plug it in and it work without needing a fancy App, unless you want to play with said bells and whistles...

Re: Can't get Wireless Access Point to work

Anonymous — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 15:28:15 GMT

@Bobcat2fix

A quick and easy thing to try, would be to perform a factory reset on the EAP225, and start again.

It is possible that with your attempts of trying to get it to work, that something has accidentally been set incorrectly,

or perhaps the network settings within the EAP225 were previously manually set, doing a factory reset would force the unit into the default DHCP configuration mode and it 'might' then be able to get it's network configuration from your router's DHCP server ?

Re: Can't get Wireless Access Point to work

Bobcat2fix — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 15:37:07 GMT

Fixed! I did a factory reset deleted all older networks from previous attempts, plugged AP in to switch with a short patch lead in the house and it all started showing and working. For good measure I rewired each plug too as suspect an iffy connection after pulling in and out many times. Working for now thanks everyone for the good advice! Well that’s one whole weekend I won’t get back! 😄