Edimax EW-7438RPn Air User manual

EW-7438RPn Mini
User Manual
07-2014 / v1.0

CONTENTS
I. Product Information.............................................................................. 1
I-1. Package Contents ..........................................................................................................1
I-2. System Requirements....................................................................................................1
I-3. LED Status ......................................................................................................................1
I-4. Hardware Overview.......................................................................................................3
I-5. Safety Information.........................................................................................................4
II. Installation............................................................................................ 5
II-1. Wi-Fi Extender Mode.....................................................................................................8
II-2. Wi-Fi Adapter/Bridge Mode ........................................................................................13
II-3. Wi-Fi Access Point Mode .............................................................................................17
II-4. WPS Setup....................................................................................................................20
II-5. Reset to Factory Default Settings ................................................................................22
III. Browser Based Configuration Interface.................................................23
III-1. Login.............................................................................................................................23
III-2. Save Settings................................................................................................................25
III-3. Main Menu ..................................................................................................................26
IV. Extender Mode ....................................................................................27
IV-1. Home............................................................................................................................27
IV-2. iQ Setup .......................................................................................................................29
IV-3. WPS Settings ................................................................................................................30
IV-4. Advanced Setting .........................................................................................................31
IV-4-1. WLAN 2.4GHz Security.................................................................................................32
IV-4-2. Time Settings ...............................................................................................................34
IV-4-3. Scheduling Setting .......................................................................................................35
IV-4-4. Administration Utility ..................................................................................................37
IV-4-5. Configuration Tools......................................................................................................38
V. Wi-Fi Adapter/Bridge Mode .................................................................42
V-1. Home............................................................................................................................42
V-2. iQ Setup .......................................................................................................................44
V-3. Wireless Advanced ......................................................................................................45
V-3-1. Time Settings ...............................................................................................................46
V-3-2. Administration Utility ..................................................................................................47
V-3-3. Configuration Tools......................................................................................................48
VI. Access Point Mode ...............................................................................52

VI-1. Home............................................................................................................................52
VI-2. iQ Setup .......................................................................................................................54
VI-3. Basic Settings ...............................................................................................................55
VI-4. WPS Settings ................................................................................................................58
VI-5. Wireless Advanced ......................................................................................................60
VI-5-1. Security ........................................................................................................................62
VI-5-1-1. Disable .........................................................................................................................63
VI-5-1-2. WEP..............................................................................................................................63
VI-5-1-3. WPA pre-shared key ....................................................................................................64
VI-5-1-4. WPA RADIUS ................................................................................................................65
VI-5-2. MAC Filtering ...............................................................................................................66
VI-5-3. Time Settings ...............................................................................................................68
VI-5-4. Scheduling Setting .......................................................................................................69
VI-5-5. Administration Utility ..................................................................................................71
VI-5-6. Configuration Tools......................................................................................................73
VII. EdiRange App.......................................................................................77
VII-1. Login.............................................................................................................................77
VII-2. Main Menu ..................................................................................................................79
VII-3. Parental Control...........................................................................................................80
VII-4. Wi-Fi Scheduling ..........................................................................................................80
VII-5. Admin...........................................................................................................................81
VIII. Appendix........................................................................................82
VIII-1. Configuring your IP address.........................................................................................82
VIII-1-1. How to check that your computer uses a dynamic IP address ...................................83
VIII-1-1-1. Windows XP .................................................................................................................83
VIII-1-1-2. Windows Vista .............................................................................................................85
VIII-1-1-3. Windows 7 ...................................................................................................................87
VII-1-1-4. Windows 8 ...................................................................................................................90
VIII-1-1-5. Mac OS.........................................................................................................................94
VIII-1-2. How to modify the IP address of your computer ........................................................96
VII-1-2-1. Windows XP .................................................................................................................96
VIII-1-2-2. Windows Vista .............................................................................................................98
VII-1-2-3. Windows 7 ...................................................................................................................99
VIII-1-2-4. Windows 8 .................................................................................................................104
VIII-1-2-5. Mac ............................................................................................................................108
VIII-1-3. How to Find Your Network Security Key ...................................................................111
VIII-1-3-1. Windows 7 & Vista.....................................................................................................111
VIII-1-3-2. Mac ............................................................................................................................113
VIII-1-4. How to Find Your Router’s IP Address.......................................................................116
VIII-1-4-1. Windows XP, Vista & 7...............................................................................................116

VIII-1-4-2. Windows 8 .................................................................................................................118
VIII-1-4-3. Mac ............................................................................................................................121
VIII-2. Connecting to a Wi-Fi network..................................................................................123
VIII-3. Troubleshooting.........................................................................................................125
VIII-4. Glossary......................................................................................................................128

1
I. Product Information
I-1. Package Contents
-EW-7438RPn Mini
-CD with multi-language QIG & user manual
-Quick installation guide (QIG)
-Access key card
I-2. System Requirements
-Wi-Fi extender/Wi-Fi bridge mode: Existing 2.4GHz wireless network
-Access point mode: Cable/DSL modem router
-Computer with 2.4GHz 802.11/b/g/n Wi-Fi adapter, and web browser for
software configuration (Internet Explorer 8®or above, Google Chrome®,
Firefox®or Safari®latest version)
-Smartphone setup: iOS 4.3 or Android 4.x and above
I-3. LED Status
LED
Color
Status
Description
Signal
Strength
2.4GHz
Amber
On
Excellent signal
Signal strength: 60 –100%
Slow
Flashing
Good signal
Signal strength: 40 –60%
Quick
Flashing
Poor signal
Signal strength: 0 –40%
Off
No signal detected, disconnected,
or in LED off mode

2
Wi-Fi
Green
Flashing
Transferring data
Off
Wi-Fi not active or in LED off mode
Power
Green
On
Extender is on
Flashing
Resetting to factory default
settings, or system is booting up
Off
Extender is off or in LED off mode
WPS
Green
On
WPS connection established (LED
will remain on for 5 minutes to
indicate a successful connection)
Flashing
WPS in progress (waiting for
another WPS device)
Off
No WPS in progress or in LED off
mode
LAN
Green
On
LAN port connected
Flashing
LAN activity (transferring or
receiving data)
Off
LAN port not connected

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I-4. Hardware Overview
1. LEDs 2. Ethernet Port
3. WPS/Reset Button
3
1
2

4
I-5. Safety Information
In order to ensure the safe operation of the device and its users, please read
and act in accordance with the following safety instructions.
1. The device is designed for indoor use only; do not place it outdoors.
2. Do not place the device in or near hot/humid places, such as a kitchen or
bathroom.
3. Do not pull any connected cable with force; carefully disconnect it from the
EW-7438RPn Mini.
4. Handle the device with care. Accidental damage will void the warranty of
the device.
5. The device contains small parts which are a danger to small children under
3 years old. Please keep the device out of reach of children.
6. Do not place the device on paper, cloth, or other flammable materials. The
device may become hot during use.
7. There are no user-serviceable parts inside the device. If you experience
problems with the device, please contact your dealer of purchase and ask
for help.
8. The device is an electrical device and as such, if it becomes wet for any
reason, do not attempt to touch it without switching the power supply off.
Contact an experienced electrical technician for further help.
9. If you smell burning or see smoke coming from the EW-7438RPn Mini then
unplug the device immediately, as far as it is safely possible to do so. Call
your dealer of purchase for help.
10. This product should work for a long time, and provide round-the-clock
Wi-Fi service.

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II.Installation
The EW-7438RPn Mini has three different operating modes which you can
choose depending on your network requirements. Each mode is described
below:
Wi-Fi Extender
The device connects wirelessly to your existing network
and repeats the wireless signal.
Location: The best location for your extender is roughly
in the middle between your existing wireless
router/access point and the dead zone. The extender
needs to receive a good Wi-Fi signal from your
router/access point.
Wi-Fi Adapter/
Wi-Fi Bridge
The device connects to an Ethernet device such as a
games console or smart TV via Ethernet cable and
provides wireless Internet access for that device.
Location: Within Wi-Fi coverage, close to your wired
network device.
Wi-Fi Access
Point
The device connects to an existing router via Ethernet
cable and provides wireless Internet access for your
network devices.
Location: Connected to your router via Ethernet cable.
1. Plug the EW-7438RPn Mini into a power socket.

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2. The green power LED will flash while the system is booting up. The device
is ready when the green power LED displays on.
3. Use a Wi-Fi device (e.g. computer, tablet, smartphone) to search for a
Wi-Fi network with the SSID EdimaxEXT.Setup ** and connect to it.
If you are using a computer, please disconnect any Ethernet
cables. For mobile devices, iOS 4.3 or Android 4.x or above is
required.
The last two characters of the SSID (Edimaxext.Setup**) will be
unique numbers according to your device e.g.”EdimaxEXT.Setup
c1”. Your unique SSID is displayed on the product label along with
the included access key card.

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4. Open a web browser and if you do not automatically arrive at the “Get
Started” screen shown below, enter the URL http://edimaxext.setup and
click “Get Started” to begin the setup process.
If you cannot access http://edimaxext.setup, please make sure
your computer is set to use a dynamic IP address. For more
information please refer to VIII-1. Configuring your IP address.
5. Select an operating mode for your EW-7438RPn Mini.

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II-1. Wi-Fi Extender Mode
1. Please read the on screen instructions about selecting a good location for
your wireless extender and then click “NEXT” to continue. You can check
your signal strength on the next page.
2. Select your Wi-Fi network from the list.
A hidden SSID is one that is not publically displayed when
scanning for available Wi-Fi networks. Hidden SSID settings are

9
usually available in the configuration options of your router. If
you use a hidden SSID , check the “Connect to a hidden network”
box and enter the information manually.
3. Select whether to use the same SSID (“Duplicate from root AP”) or a
different SSID (“User Defined”) for your extender, and enter your existing
Wi-Fi password. Click “Next” to continue.
For “User Defined” the Wi-Fi extender’s default wireless network
name ( SSID) is your existing router/access point’s SSID + _2EX.
For example if your router’s SSID is “Your SSID” then the
EW-7438RPn Mini ’s SSID will be “Your SSID_2EX”. You can
change the extender’s SSID if you wish.
You can also enable an additional guest Wi-Fi network. A guest
Wi-Fi network is another SSID with a different name and
password. Select “Enable” and enter a guest network name and
password if you wish.

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4. Please wait while the EW-7438RPn Mini tests the connection.
If your Wi-Fi extender fails to connect (below) to your existing
router/access point, click the “BACK” button and ensure you
entered the correct Wi-Fi network password.
If your Wi-Fi extender cannot obtain an IP address (below) from
your existing router/access point then click the “Static IP” button
to assign an IP address to the extender. For more guidance please
refer to the VIII-1. Configuring your IP address.

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5. When the connection test is complete, click “Apply” to restart the
extender.
6. Please wait a moment until the extender is ready.
7. A final congratulations screen will indicate that setup is complete. The
EW-7438RPn Mini is working and ready for use - the amber signal strength
LED should display on or flash depending on your signal strength. To
download the EdiRange app, scan the QR code.

12
Android: iOS:
8. Please close the browser window. You can now connect to the extender’s
new SSID on a wireless device within range such as a computer,
smartphone or tablet.
The password for your Wi-Fi extender’s SSID is the same as for
your router’s SSID.
For more advanced configurations, use the browser based
configuration interface (refer to III. Browser Based
Configuration Interface).

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II-2. Wi-Fi Adapter/Bridge Mode
1. Select your Wi-Fi network from the list and enter the security
key/password.
If the Wi-Fi network you wish to connect to does not appear, try
clicking “Refresh”.
Do not check “Connect to a hidden network” unless you wish to
connect to a hidden SSID instead.
2. Enter the security key/password for your existing Wi-Fi.

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3. Please wait while the EW-7438RPn Mini tests the connection.
If your Wi-Fi extender fails to connect (below) to your existing
router/access point, click the “BACK” button and ensure you
entered the correct Wi-Fi network password.
If your Wi-Fi extender cannot obtain an IP address (below) from
your existing router/access point then click the “Static IP” button
to assign an IP address to the extender. For more guidance please
refer to the VIII-1. Configuring your IP address.

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4.When the connection test is complete, click “Apply” to restart the
extender.
5.Please wait a moment until the EW-7438RPn Mini is ready.

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6. A final congratulations screen will indicate that setup is complete. Please
close the browser window.
7. The EW-7438RPn Mini is working and ready for use as a wireless bridge.
Use an Ethernet cable to connect the EW-7438RPn Mini to the Ethernet
port on your network device.
8.Ensure the EW-7438RPn Mini is on and then use your network device to
connect to your network as usual.