How to extend your network with a Wireless Bridge

Let’s face it: Cables are a pain. But sometimes stringing lengths of cable is the only way to network wired devices — Internet TVs, Blu-ray drives, media players, game consoles — in far-flung parts of the house.

Or is it? A wireless bridge receives a signal from your wireless router and sends it out to wired devices, thereby extending your wireless network. The D-Link® Xtreme N® Duo Wireless Bridge/Access Point (DAP-1522) is designed for precisely this purpose. This device makes it easy to expand network coverage to the far corners of your space without sacrificing wireless convenience. Here’s how to do it.

1. Position the bridge
Place the wireless bridge within range of your wireless router’s signal, and also within a cable’s length of your wired devices.

2. Connect the bridge to your network
If your router supports Wi-Fi Protected Setup, or WPS, setup is easy. Simply press the WPS buttons on your bridge and router to link them wirelessly. The DAP-1522 supports WPS, as do most D-Link routers.

Look for the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) logo on your router to make sure it supports this preferred security standard. Otherwise, you’ll need to connect the bridge to your PC via Ethernet to configure your bridge. On your PC, open a web browser and enter http://dlinkap or http://192.168.0.50 to load the bridge’s web configuration screen.

Next, on the bridge’s web configuration screen, use the setup tool to connect the bridge to your wireless network. The tool lists the active SSIDs it can find. Pick your network’s identifier, enter the password, and select Finish to reboot the bridge. Now you can disconnect the Ethernet cable between the bridge and your PC.

3. Plug in network devices 
Now that your bridge is connected to your network, connect your wired devices directly to the bridge via Ethernet. That’s is! Your wireless bridge will automatically connect any attached devices to your primary network over Wi-Fi.

Wireless bridges, like the DAP-1522, make it easy to connect wired devices, like your Internet-connected TVs and game consoles, to your network wirelessly so you can keep your living room free from the mess of cables.