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Knowledge document #3502

Connecting the FRITZ!Box with the Mesh Repeater (cascading)

You can cascade several Mesh Repeaters in the Mesh. This type of cascading allows you to extend your home network in a specific direction beyond the Wi-Fi range of a Mesh Repeater.

This means that not only can you connect your FRITZ!Box with the FRITZ!Box (Mesh Master), you can also connect it with an already existing Mesh Repeater. It does not matter whether the Mesh Repeater is another FRITZ!Box, a FRITZ!Repeater, or a FRITZ!Powerline device.

In this guide we show you how to connect your new FRITZ!Box with an already existing Mesh Repeater.

Example of Wi-Fi cascading with FRITZ!Repeater and FRITZ!Box

Requirements / Restrictions

  • The existing Mesh Repeater is connected with the Mesh Master and is marked with the Mesh symbol in the Mesh Overview.

Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box.

1 Determining the ideal arrangement of the Mesh Repeaters

To ensure that the data is transported quickly to the Mesh Master without bottlenecks, arrange the Mesh Repeaters in descending order in the cascade according to their respective performance features. The most powerful Mesh Repeater is connected to the FRITZ!Box and the least powerful Mesh Repeater is used at the end of the cascade.

The most powerful repeaters are tri-band repeaters (for example FRITZ!Repeater 6000, FRITZ!Box 4060). Dual-band repeaters (for example FRITZ!Repeater 2400, FRITZ!Powerline 1260E) are almost as powerful, and the least powerful repeaters are single-band repeaters (for example FRITZ!Repeater 600, FRITZ!Powerline 1240E).

If the Mesh Repeater has a LAN port and your house is wired, we recommend using a network cable to establish the connection. Since connections via network cable, unlike Wi-Fi connections, are not subject to interference, data is always transported with the maximum data rate.

2 Loading the Mesh Repeater's factory settings

To perform the following steps, the FRITZ!Box that you want to configure as the Mesh Repeater must be set to factory settings:

  1. Click "System" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Backup" in the "System" menu.
  3. Click on the "Factory Settings" tab.
  4. Click the "Load Factory Settings" button.
  5. During this process, all of the LEDs flash once. The WLAN LED remains lit as soon as the factory settings have finished loading.

3 Connecting the Mesh Repeater to the Mesh Master via LAN

So that you can access the user interface of the FRITZ!Box and configure it, also follow these steps if you want to connect the Mesh Repeater to the available Mesh Repeater via Wi-Fi later:

  1. Use a network cable to connect a LAN port the FRITZ!Box that you want to configure as a Mesh Repeater to a LAN port on the Mesh Master.

    Important:Do not use the FRITZ!Box's WAN port. This is configured for connecting an external modem and can only be configured as an additional LAN port after the Mesh Repeater has been configured.

4 Adding the Mesh Repeater to the Mesh by button

You must push a button to add the device to the Mesh. It does not matter whether you push the button on the Mesh Master or the Mesh Repeater first. We recommend the following order:

  1. Push and hold down the Connect button on the Mesh Repeater (see table) until the Connect LED flashes. Other LEDs may also flash.
  2. Within 2 minutes: Push and hold down the Connect button on the Mesh Master until the Connect LED (see table) lights up. Other LEDs may also light up.
    FRITZ!Box modelConnect buttonConnect LED
    FRITZ!Box 6690, 5690, 4060 Connect Connect
    FRITZ!Box 7690, 7682, 7590 (AX), 7530 (AX), 7520, 7510, 6890, 6850, 6670, 6660, 5590, 5530, 4050 Connect / WPS Connect / WPS
    FRITZ!Box 6591, 6590 Connect / WPS WLAN / DECT
    FRITZ!Box 7490, 7430, 5491, 5490 WLAN WPS WLAN / Info
    FRITZ!Box 6490, 6430 WLAN WPS WLAN / DECT
    FRITZ!Box 7560, 7362 SL WLAN WLAN / DECT
    FRITZ!Box 7583, 7582, 7581, 7580 WPS WLAN / Info
    FRITZ!Box 6820, 4040, 4020, 3490 WPS WLAN
  3. The process is complete as soon as the Mesh Master marks the Mesh Repeater with the Mesh symbol in the Mesh Overview.

Now the Mesh Repeater is configured as a LAN bridge. You can use the network cable to connect the Mesh Repeater to the available Mesh Repeater.

If you want to connect the Mesh Repeater to the available Mesh Repeater via Wi-Fi, leave the network cable connected to the Mesh Master and continue with the next section.

5 Setting up the Mesh Repeater as a wireless bridge

The following steps are only necessary if you want to use Wi-Fi to connect the Mesh Repeater to the available Mesh Repeater:

  1. Click "Home Network" in the user interface of the Mesh Repeater.
  2. Click "Mesh" in the "Home Network" menu.
  3. Click on the "Mesh Settings" tab.
  4. Enable the option "via Wi-Fi".
  5. In the table, select the Wi-Fi network of the available Mesh Repeater. If several entries are displayed for the Wi-Fi network, use the MAC address to select the appropriate entry.

    Note:You can find the MAC address of the available Mesh Repeater in its user interface under "Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi Network".

  6. Enter the Mesh Master's Wi-Fi network key in the "Network key" field.
  7. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

Now the Mesh Repeater is configured as a wireless bridge. You can remove the network cable to the Mesh Master and use the Mesh Repeater at the desired location. You can find tips on positioning it in the guide Finding the ideal location for the Mesh Repeater.



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