Edimax EW-7438RPn Air User manual

EW-7438RPn
User Manual
07-2012 / v1.2

COPYRIGHT
Copyright ©Edimax Technology Co., Ltd. all rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into
any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
magnetic, optical, chemical, manual or otherwise, without the prior written permission from
Edimax Technology Co., Ltd.
Edimax Technology Co., Ltd. makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or
implied, with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any warranties,
merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. Any software described in this manual
is sold or licensed as is. Should the programs prove defective following their purchase, the
buyer (and not this company, its distributor, or its dealer) assumes the entire cost of all
necessary servicing, repair, and any incidental or consequential damages resulting from any
defect in the software. Edimax Technology Co., Ltd. reserves the right to revise this
publication and to make changes from time to time in the contents hereof without the
obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes.
The product you have purchased and the setup screen may appear slightly different from
those shown in this QIG. For more information about this product, please refer to the user
manual on the CD-ROM. The software and specifications are subject to change without
notice. Please visit our website www.edimax.com for updates. All brand and product names
mentioned in this manual are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective
holders.
Edimax Technology Co., Ltd.
Add: No. 3, Wu-Chuan 3rd Rd., Wu-Ku Industrial Park, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Tel: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Notice According to GNU General Public License Version 2
This product includes software that is subject to the GNU General Public License version 2.
The program is free software and distributed without any warranty of the author. We offer,
valid for at least three years, to give you, for a charge no more than the costs of physically
performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the corresponding
source code.

1
Contents
Contents ............................................................................................................. 1
Chapter I: Product Information...................................................................... 2
1-1 Introduction .....................................................................................................2
1-2 Safety Information...........................................................................................3
1-3 Package Contents.............................................................................................4
1-4 Familiarizing Yourself with Your New Wi-Fi Extender..................................5
Chapter II: Extender mode.............................................................................. 8
2-1 Extender Mode Quick Installation Guide........................................................8
2-1-1 Hardware WPS Button Setup.............................................................10
2-1-2 Web browser quick setup ...................................................................14
2-2 Extender Mode Advanced Settings................................................................21
2-2-1 Connecting to the web configuration menu .......................................21
2-2-2 Home..................................................................................................23
2-2-3 WPS Setting .......................................................................................25
2-2-4 Advanced Settings..............................................................................28
2-2-5 MAC Address Filtering......................................................................32
2-2-6 System Settings..................................................................................38
2-3 Resetting the Extender with the Hardware Reset Button..............................46
Chapter III: Appendix.................................................................................... 47
3-1 Configuring TCP/IP on PC............................................................................47
3-1-1 Windows XP IPAddress Setup: .........................................................47
3-1-2 Windows Vista/Windows 7 IP address setup: ....................................48
3-2 Specifications.................................................................................................51
3-3 Glossary.........................................................................................................52
3-4 Technical Support Information......................................................................55

2
Chapter I: Product Information
1-1 Introduction
Thank you for purchasing this universal Wi-Fi extender! The
ultra-compact design with built-in power allows you to install this
extender anywhere, and receive excellent network performance in
extending Wi-Fi signals and wireless coverage.
Other features of this Wi-Fi extender include:
Extend the wireless signal inside your home or office.
Ultra-compact design while maintaining excellent network
performance.
LED signal indicator to easily find the best location placement
for Wi-Fi signal extension and optimal wireless performance.
Hardware WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) button for easy
installation and wireless security.

3
1-2 Safety Information
In order to ensure the safety of users and this device, please follow the
following safety instructions:
1. This Wi-Fi extender is designed for indoor use only. DO NOT expose
this device to direct sunlight, rain, or snow.
2. DO NOT put this device in or near hot or humid places, such as the
kitchen or bathroom. Also, do not leave this Wi-Fi extender in a car
during the summer.
3. Do not allow children to put any small parts of this Wi-Fi extender in
their mouths, as it could cause serious injury or could even be fatal. If
they throw this Wi-Fi extender, it will be damaged. PLEASE KEEP THIS
WI-FI EXTENDER OUT THE REACH OF CHILDREN!
4. This Wi-Fi extender will become hot after a period of use (this is
normal and is not a malfunction). DO NOT put the Wi-Fi extender on
paper, cloth, or other flammable materials after the Wi-Fi extender has
been used for a long time.
5. There are no user-serviceable parts inside the Wi-Fi extender. If you
find that the Wi-Fi extender is not working properly, please contact your
dealer of purchase and ask for help. DO NOT disassemble the Wi-Fi
extender by yourself, warranty will be voided.
6. If the Wi-Fi extender falls into water, DO NOT USE ITAGAIN
UNTILYOU SEND THE DEVICE TO THE DEALER OF PURCHASE
FOR INSPECTION.

4
1-3 Package Contents
Before you start to use this Wi-Fi extender, please check if there’s
anything missing from the package, and contact your dealer of purchase
to claim any missing items:
z1 x Wi-Fi extender
z1 x Ethernet cable
z1 x Access key card
z1 x Quick installation guide
z1 x CD with user manual and multi-language QIG

5
1-4 Familiarizing Yourself with Your New Wi-Fi Extender
Interface Descriptions
Item Item Name Description
A LAN Port 10/100M Ethernet LAN Port with
Auto-MDI/MDI-X. Connects to a computer,
switch or hub for local network sharing.
B Reset / WPS Resets the extender to factory default settings
(clears all settings) or starts the WPS
function. Press this button and hold for 10
seconds to restore all settings to factory
defaults. Press this button for less than 5
seconds to start the WPS function.
C ON/OFF This is the power on/off switch. If you want
to switch off the extender, flip the switch to
OFF.
AB
C

6
LED Definitions
LED Name LED Status Description
Signal
Strength
On Excellent signal reception
(Signal strength 50 – 100%)
Flashing Good signal reception
(Signal strength 25 – 50%)
Flashing
Rapidly Poor signal reception (Signal strength < 25%)
Off No signal detected, disconnected, or
in LED off mode
Wi-Fi Flashing Transferring data
Off Wi-Fi not activated or in LED off
mode
Power
On Device switched on and correctly
powered
Flashing Resetting to factory defaults
Off Device not powered, not correctly
powered, or in LED off mode

7
WPS
On WPS connection established
Flashing WPS in progress (waiting for
another WPS device’s connection)
Flashing
Rapidly WPS error
Off No WPS connection established or
in LED off mode
LAN On LAN port connected
Flashing LAN activity (transferring data)
Off LAN port not connected


8
Chapter II: Extender mode
In extender mode, the Wi-Fi
extender receives a wireless
signal from a root wireless
access point or router. It then
repeats the signal it receives.
This repeated signal can then
be detected and used by
other wireless devices, such
as notebook computers,
smartphones, and tablet
computers.
This extends wireless signal
coverage and helps solve
problems with wireless dead
zones.
This chapter will show you how to quickly install this device with Wi-Fi
Protected Setup, and how to set up the extender with the browser based
user interface.
2-1 Extender Mode Quick Installation Guide
It is recommended that you first set up this extender somewhere close to
the root wireless access point, and then move this extender to another
location for optimal Wi-Fi extension.After installation is complete and
the wireless connection is established, you can then move this extender to
the location you wish to install it.

9
Plug the Wi-Fi extender into a power outlet close to the root wireless
access point and switch it on (1). The extender will automatically
initialize.
In a few seconds, the Power LED ( ) will light up. Approximately 30
seconds later, the Wi-Fi LED ( ) will begin to flash rapidly and
irregularly (2). This indicates initialization is complete. Please do not
proceed to the next step until these conditions are fulfilled.
You can establish a wireless connection via the hardware WPS button or
using the web UI interface.
If your broadband router or access point also has a WPS button, we
recommend using the WPS button to establish a connection. It is faster,
secure, and does not require a computer.
Using WPS button - please go to section 2-1-1
Using web UI - please go to section 2-1-2
(
2
)
(
1
)

10
2-1-1 Hardware WPS Button Setup
1. Press and hold the WPS button on the extender for 2 seconds, until the
WPS LED starts flashing.
2. Press the WPS button on the root wireless access point within 2
minutes to establish a connection. The amount of time the button
should be held down will vary between different routers, some will
work with a quick press, while others may require holding the button
down for 2 seconds or more.
WPS LED
WPS button

W
h
po
i
h
en the ex
t
i
nt, the fo
l
Phase
Phase
Phase
Phase
Phase
DON
E
No
t
dif
f
po
i
ma
y
est
a
we
b
Br
o
t
ender de
t
l
lowing s
e
1
2
3
4
E
t
e: This W
P
f
erent devi
c
i
nt you wis
h
y
be able t
o
a
blish a co
n
b
UI to set
u
o
wser Quic
k
t
ects the
W
e
quence o
f
WPS
L
Blinks
to 7 ti
m
Turns
O
Turn b
a
Turns
O
Turn b
a
W
P
S button p
o
c
es may ha
v
h
to connec
t
o
use its we
b
n
nection. A
l
u
p the devi
c
k
Setup’)
11
W
PS sign
a
f
LED fla
s
L
ED Seq
u
approxi
m
m
es
O
FF
a
ck ON s
o
O
FF
a
ck ON s
o
W
PS LED
o
sition on t
h
v
e different
t
to does no
b
configura
t
l
ternatively
,
c
e (for mor
e
a
l from th
e
s
hes will
o
u
ence
m
ately 5
o
li
d
o
li
d
h
is access
p
WPS butto
n
t have a ha
r
t
ion menu’
s
you can lo
e
details, pl
e
e
root wir
e
o
ccur:
Approx
i
10 to 14
3 secon
d
20 secon
14 secon
Continu
o
p
oint is an
e
n
positions.
r
dware WP
S
s
WPS func
t
g in to this
e
ase refer t
o
e
less acce
s
i
mate Ti
m
seconds
d
s
nd
s
nd
s
o
us
e
xample,
If the acce
S
button, y
o
tion to
extender’s
o
‘2-1-2 W
e
s
s
m
e
s
s
o
u
e
b

W
h
S
tr
(3)
pla
po
w
wi
l
Yo
u
St
e
Fl
a
Fl
a
h
en a WP
S
en
g
th L
ED
Please m
o
ce will b
e
w
er outlet
l
l be reest
a
u
can che
c
e
ady light:
a
shing:
a
shing rap
i
No
t
wi
r
ple
ext
sig
n
No
t
wi
t
the
If
a
the
5
m
wi
l
co
n
re
m
S
connect
i
ED
will al
s
o
ve the e
x
e
the cente
on the w
a
a
blished a
u
c
k the ‘
S
i
g
E
G
i
dly:
P
t
e: If the Si
r
eless signa
l
ase move t
h
ende
r
can r
e
n
al.
t
e: If the
W
t
hout movi
n
WPS sign
a
a
n error occ
u
WPS LED
m
inutes afte
r
l
l automatic
n
nection be
t
m
ain active.
i
on has be
s
o light u
p
x
tende
r
to
r of your
h
a
ll. The w
i
u
tomatic
a
g
na
l
’ LE
D
E
xcellent
G
ood
P
oor
Si
g
gnal LED i
l
range of
y
h
is extende
r
e
ceive a si
g
W
PS LED c
o
n
g on to Ph
a
a
l from the
a
u
rred, the
W
to deactiv
a
r
a WPS co
n
ally deacti
v
t
ween the e
x
12
en succes
p
in orang
e
the locati
h
ouse) an
d
i
reless co
n
a
lly.
D
status to
g
nal LED
s off, it me
a
y
our wireles
r
closer to t
h
g
nal from t
h
o
ntinues to
b
a
se 2, then
t
a
ccess poin
t
W
PS LED
w
a
te and try
a
n
nection h
a
v
ate. This i
s
x
tender an
d
sfully est
a
e
.
on you w
i
d
insert t
h
n
nection
t
see the s
i
a
ns this loc
a
s broadban
d
h
e
b
roadba
n
h
e
b
roadba
n
b
link in tw
o
t
he Wi-Fi e
x
t
. Please re
t
w
ill flash ra
p
a
gain from
s
a
s been esta
b
s
intended b
d
the wirele
s
a
blished,
t
i
sh to use
h
is extend
e
t
o the root
i
gnal rece
p
a
tion is out
d
router or
a
n
d router u
n
n
d router an
d
o
-second in
t
x
tender did
t
urn to step
p
idly. Pleas
s
tep (1).
b
lished, th
e
ehavior. T
h
s
s access p
o
t
he
S
i
g
na
l
it (a goo
d
er
into a
t
access p
o
p
tion leve
l
of the
a
ccess poin
t
n
til the
d
extend its
t
ervals
not detect
(2).
e wait for
e
WPS LE
D
h
e WPS
o
int will
l
d
o
int
l
.
t
,
D

13
The quick installation setup is now done, you can refer to ‘2-2 Extender
mode Advanced Settings’to login to the web UI for other advanced
settings.

14
2-1-2 Web browser quick setup
Before you can connect to the extender and start configuration procedures,
your computer must be able to get an IP address automatically (use
dynamic IP address). If it’s set to use static IP address, or you’re unsure,
please refer to ‘Chapter III: Appendix, 3-1 Configuring TCP/IP on PC’ to
set your computer to use dynamic IP address.
1. Use an Ethernet cable to connect your computer’s Ethernet port and
the Wi-Fi extender’s Ethernet port.
Or connect your computer to the extender through a wireless connection.
Search for the available Wi-Fi networks in the area and connect to
“extender******”, where ****** is a series of numbers and letters. For
example, in the following example, you would connect to
“extender3a8270”.

2. Now you
ways to a
No
t
cli
c
“O
K
No
t
Pl
e
should
be
ccess the
w
t
e: If you a
r
c
k “Connec
t
K
”.
t
e: If you h
e
ase click “
C
e
connect
e
w
eb conf
i
r
e using W
i
t
the netwo
r
ave accide
n
C
ancel”, an
d
15
e
d to the
W
i
guration
i
i
ndows 7 a
n
r
k without
s
n
tally click
e
d
then retu
r
W
i-Fi exte
n
i
nterface:
n
d the follo
w
s
etting it u
p
e
d “OK”, y
o
r
n to ste
p
1.
n
der. The
r
w
ing appea
r
p
”. Please d
o
o
u will see
t
r
e are two
r
s, please
o
not click
t
he followi
n
n
g.

M
e
Op
in
t
M
e
En
t
ad
d
e
thod 1 (
W
en your
w
t
o the ext
e
e
thod 2 (
W
t
er the ex
t
d
ress bar.
htt
p
://ext
e
No
t
on
W
indows
P
w
eb brows
e
e
nder’s w
e
W
indows,
t
ender’s d
e
e
nde
r
3a8
2
t
e: The acc
e
the Wi-Fi e
P
Cs onl
y)
e
r and in
p
e
b config
u
Macinto
s
e
fault IP
a
2
70
e
ss key can
xtender.
16
)
:
p
ut the ac
c
u
ration int
e
s
h, and L
i
a
ddress (1
9
be found
o
c
ess key i
n
e
rface.
i
nux):
9
2.168.2.
2
htt
p
n the acces
s
n
the addr
e
2
) into yo
u
p
://extend
e
s
key card
i
e
ss bar to
u
r browse
r
er
3a8270
i
n the box a
n
log
r
’s
n
d

3.
4.
You will
t
and the d
e
iQ Setup
w
All the d
e
one to w
h
Wi-Fi ne
t
to search
access po
t
hen be p
r
e
fault pas
s
w
ill start
d
e
tected W
i
h
ich you
w
t
work you
again or t
r
int.
r
ompted t
o
s
word is
“
d
etecting
i
-Fi netw
o
w
ish to co
n
wish to c
r
y movin
g
17
o
log in.
T
“
1234”. C
l
available
W
o
rks will
b
n
nect and
onnec
t
to
g
the exte
n
T
he defaul
t
l
ick “OK
”
W
i-Fi net
w
b
e display
e
click “Ne
does not
a
n
der clos
e
t
usernam
e
”
to conti
n
w
orks au
t
e
d in the l
i
xt” to co
n
a
ppear, cl
i
e
r to the r
o
e
is “adm
i
n
ue.
t
omaticall
y
i
st. Select
n
tinue. If t
h
i
ck “Refr
e
o
ot wirele
s
i
n”
y
.
the
h
e
e
sh”
s
s

5.
You will
b
point’s w
i
wireless
a
extender’
one.
For the
w
network i
No
t
in
t
No
t
wi
r
ext
fai
l
Yo
u
for
b
e promp
t
i
reless se
c
a
ccess poi
n
s access
k
w
ireless se
c
n the “
K
e
y
t
e: If you h
t
he informa
t
t
e: The ext
e
r
eless acces
ender faili
n
l
ing to con
n
u
may cho
o
easier acc
e
t
ed to ent
e
c
urity ke
y
.
nt
’s SSID
k
ey. You
m
c
urity ke
y
y
” field.
C
Setup e
x
ave set the
t
ion manua
l
e
nder must
s point. En
t
n
g to conne
c
n
ect wireles
s
o
se to save t
e
ss in the fu
t
18
e
r the ext
e
The defa
u
plus the
l
m
ay keep t
h
y
, input th
e
C
lick “N
E
x
tender ma
n
SSID on y
o
l
ly.
have the sa
m
t
ering an in
c
c
t to the ro
o
s
ly to the I
n
he setup p
a
t
ure. This o
e
nder’s SS
u
lt exten
d
l
ast six ch
a
h
e defaul
t
e
same ke
y
E
XT” to c
o
n
ually
o
ur root AP
m
e Wi-Fi p
c
orrect pas
s
o
t access po
i
n
ternet thro
u
a
ge to your
b
ption is tur
n
ID and th
d
er SSID i
a
racters o
f
t
SSID, o
r
y
as the e
x
o
ntinue.
to be hidde
assword as
s
word will
r
i
nt, or your
u
gh the ext
e
b
rowser bo
o
n
ed on by
d
e access
s the root
f the
r
enter a n
e
x
isting Wi
n, please t
y
the root
r
esult in the
computer
e
nder.
o
kmarks lis
t
d
efault.
e
w
-Fi
y
pe
t
,