Edimax EW-7478AC User manual

EW-7478AC
User Manual
03-2016 / v1.0

CONTENTS
I. Product Information............................................................................1
I-1. Package Contents ..........................................................................................................1
I-2. System Requirements ....................................................................................................1
I-3. LED Status ......................................................................................................................2
I-4. Switch.............................................................................................................................3
I-5. WPS Setup......................................................................................................................5
I-6. WPS Button with Wireless Scheduling ..........................................................................5
I-7. Reset to Factory Default Settings ..................................................................................6
I-8. Safety Information .........................................................................................................7
II. Installation .........................................................................................8
II-1. Wi-Fi Extender Mode ...................................................................................................12
II-2. Access Point Mode.......................................................................................................19
II-3. Wi-Fi Bridge Mode .......................................................................................................23
III. Browser Based Configuration Interface...............................................29
III-1. Login.............................................................................................................................29
III-2. Save Settings ................................................................................................................31
III-3. Main Menu ..................................................................................................................32
III-3-1. Status ...........................................................................................................................33
III-3-2. Setup Wizard................................................................................................................34
III-3-3. LAN...............................................................................................................................36
III-3-4. 2.4GHz Wireless & 5GHz Wireless...............................................................................37
III-3-4-1. Basic.............................................................................................................................37
III-3-4-1-1. Disable..........................................................................................................................40
III-3-4-1-2. WEP..............................................................................................................................41
III-3-4-1-3. WPA Pre-Shared Key....................................................................................................42
III-3-4-1-4. WPA Radius..................................................................................................................43
III-3-4-2. Guest............................................................................................................................44
III-3-4-3. WPS..............................................................................................................................46
III-3-4-4. Access Control..............................................................................................................47
III-3-4-5. Schedule.......................................................................................................................49
III-3-5. Advanced .....................................................................................................................51
III-3-5-1. 2.4GHz Wireless...........................................................................................................51
III-3-5-2. 5GHz Wireless..............................................................................................................53
III-3-6. Administration .............................................................................................................55
III-3-6-1. Wireless .......................................................................................................................55
III-3-6-2. Time Zone ....................................................................................................................56
III-3-6-3. Password......................................................................................................................57

III-3-6-4. Backup/Restore ...........................................................................................................58
III-3-6-5. Upgrade .......................................................................................................................59
III-3-6-6. Restart..........................................................................................................................60
IV. EdiRange App ...................................................................................61
IV-1. Login.............................................................................................................................61
IV-2. Main Menu ..................................................................................................................63
IV-3. Parental Control...........................................................................................................64
IV -4. Wi-Fi Scheduling ..........................................................................................................64
IV -5. Admin...........................................................................................................................65
V. Appendix..........................................................................................66
V-1. Configuring your IP address.........................................................................................66
V-1-1. How to check that your computer uses a dynamic IP address ...................................67
V-1-1-1. Windows XP .................................................................................................................67
V-1-1-2. Windows Vista.............................................................................................................69
V-1-1-3. Windows 7 ...................................................................................................................71
VII-1-1-4. Windows 8 ...................................................................................................................74
V-1-1-5. Mac OS.........................................................................................................................78
V-1-2. How to modify the IP address of your computer ........................................................80
VII-1-2-1. Windows XP ...............................................................................................................80
V-1-2-2. Windows Vista...........................................................................................................82
VII-1-2-3. Windows 7 .................................................................................................................83
V-1-2-4. Windows 8 .................................................................................................................88
V-1-2-5. Mac ............................................................................................................................92
V-1-3. How to Find Your Network Security Key .....................................................................95
V-1-3-1. Windows 7 & Vista.......................................................................................................95
V-1-3-2. Mac ..............................................................................................................................97
V-1-4. How to Find Your Router’s IP Address.......................................................................100
V-1-4-1. Windows XP, Vista & 7...............................................................................................100
V-1-4-2. Windows 8 .................................................................................................................102
V-1-4-3. Mac ............................................................................................................................105
V-2. Connecting to a Wi-Fi network ..................................................................................107
V-3. Troubleshooting.........................................................................................................109
V-4. Glossary......................................................................................................................112

I. Product Information
I-1. Package Contents
-EW-7478AC
-CD with multi-language QIG & user manual
-Quick installation guide (QIG)
-Access key card
-Antenna x 2
I-2. System Requirements
-Wi-Fi extender/Wi-Fi bridge mode: Existing 2.4GHz and/or 5GHz wireless
network
-Access point mode: Cable/DSL modem router
-Computer with 802.11/b/g/n/a/ac Wi-Fi adapter, and web browser for
software configuration (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera
or Safari latest version)
-Smartphone setup: iOS 6 or Android 4.x and above

I-3. LED Status
All LEDs are disabled in green mode. The best signal strength is
60 –80% since above 80% is likely too close to your router for the
extender to be effective.
LED
Color
Status
Description
Signal 5GHz
Blue
On
Excellent location.
Signal strength: 60 –80%
Slow
Flashing
Good location.
Signal strength: 40 –60% & 80 -
100%
Quick
Flashing
Poor location.
Signal strength: Below 40%
Off
No signal detected.
Signal 2.4GHz
Blue
On
Excellent location.
Signal strength: 60 –80%
Slow
Flashing
Good location.
Signal strength: 40 –60% & 80 -
100%
Quick
Flashing
Poor location.
Signal strength: Below 40%
Off
No signal detected.
Cross Band
Green
On
Cross band enabled.
Off
Cross band disabled.
Power
Green
On
Extender is on.
Flashing
Resetting to factory default
settings, or system is booting up.
Off
Extender is off.

WPS
Green
On
WPS connection established (LED
will remain on for 30 seconds to
indicate a successful connection).
Flashing
WPS in progress (waiting for
another WPS device).
Off
No WPS in progress.
LAN
Green
On
LAN port connected.
Flashing
LAN activity (transferring or
receiving data).
Off
LAN port not connected.
I-4. Switch
The EW-7478AC includes a hardware
switch on the underside of the device
which can switch between normal, green
mode and sleep mode as shown in the
table below. “Wi-Fi power” refers to the
strength of the extender’s wireless radio
signal (Tx).
If you are using the extender in a small or medium sized space, you may not
need the full power of the wireless radio. Try it, and determine if you still have
sufficient Wi-Fi coverage using green mode. If so, you can save some energy.
Mode
Switch Position
Description
Normal
Top
100% Wi-Fi power
Green Mode
Middle
50% Wi-Fi power

Sleep Mode
Bottom
Wi-Fi & LEDs off
Tx power can also be adjusted using the web-based U.I.
(Administration  Wireless). Set the switch to “Normal”
before adjusting the Tx value in the web-based U.I.

I-5. WPS Setup
If your wireless router/access point supports WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)
then you can use this method to setup your wireless extender.
1. Press the WPS button on your wireless
router/access point to activate its WPS.
Please check the instructions for your
wireless router/access point for how
long you need to hold down its WPS
button.
2. Within two minutes, press and hold the
WPS button on the wireless extender for
two seconds. The extender’s green WPS
LED should flash to indicate that WPS is in
progress.
3. The devices will establish a connection. The extender’s green WPS LED
should display on for 30 seconds to indicate a successful connection.
I-6. WPS Button with Wireless Scheduling
When wireless scheduling is in operation so that one Wi-Fi frequency is active
and one Wi-Fi frequency is off, the WPS button’s primary function is to
activate the Wi-Fi frequency that is off.
E.g. when 2.4GHz Wi-Fi is active and 5GHz Wi-Fi is off, press the WPS button
once to activate/wake the 5GHz network.
Following this, the WPS button functions normally as described above in WPS
Setup and can be pressed to activate WPS.

I-7. Reset to Factory Default Settings
If you experience problems with your extender
or if you want to change the extender to a
different operating mode, you can reset the
device back to its factory settings. This resets all
settings back to default.
1. Press and hold the WPS button for at least
10 seconds and release when the green
power LED is flashing.
2.Wait for the extender to restart. The
extender is ready for setup when the green
power LED displays on.

I-8. 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-7478AC.
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-7478AC then unplug
the device immediately, as far as it is safely possible to do so. Call your
dealer of purchase for help.

II. Installation
The EW-7478AC has three different operating modes:
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 Bridge
(Wi-Fi
Adapter)
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-7478AC into a power socket.

2. The green power LED will flash while the extender is starting up. The
device is ready when the green power LED displays on.
3. Use a Wi-Fi device to connect to the SSID “EdimaxEXT.Setup **”. The last
two ** characters are unique according to your device.
If you are using a computer, please disconnect any Ethernet
cables.
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 Appendix.
5. To use a different operating mode, click “Change to a Different Mode”. Or
select “Yes, I need a Range Extender” to continue setup as a Wi-Fi
extender.

6. Follow the on-screen instructions for your selected mode to complete
setup. You can configure the product for 2.4 GHz and/or 5GHz Wi-Fi. Refer
to the appropriate chapter for each mode below if you need more help.
7. After setup, you can download the EdiRange app by scanning the QR code
shown below. The EdiRange app allows you to control functions such as
Wi-Fi scheduling and guest network when using range extender mode.
For more advanced configurations, use the browser based
configuration interface at http://edimaxext.setup

II-1. Wi-Fi Extender Mode
1. Please ensure your EW-7478AC is within Wi-Fi range of your existing
wireless router. Click “Next” to continue.
2. Select whether to use the 5GHz wireless frequency, 2.4GHz wireless
frequency or both. If you are not sure, select both and then click “Next”.

3. Select whether to enable Cross Band technology. This can help to
maintain your router’s maximum speed capacity as the Wi-Fi signal is
extended.
4. Select the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) which you wish to connect to for the
specified frequency and click “Next” to continue.
If the Wi-Fi network you wish to connect to does not appear, try
clicking “Refresh”.
To connect to a hidden SSID, check the “Setup extender manually”
box and enter the details manually on the next page, as shown
below.

5. Enter your existing wireless network’s security key/password in the
“Security Key” field and click “Next” to continue.
Device SSID will be the SSID of your extender’s Wi-Fi. If using
cross-band technology this will be 5GHz Wi-Fi for your router’s
2.4GHz signal and vice versa.
6. Wait a moment while the EW-7478AC tests the wireless connection.

7. Select “Obtain an IP address automatically” or “Use the following IP
address” for your EW-7478AC. If you are using a static IP, enter the IP
address, subnet mask and default gateway. Click “Next” to proceed to the
next step.
“Obtain an IP address automatically” is the recommended setting
for most users. The IP address will be displayed in brackets.
8. If you selected to use both 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless frequencies in step
2, then repeat steps 4 –7 for the 5GHz wireless frequency.

9. A summary of your configuration will be displayed, as shown below.
Check that all of the details are correct and then click “Next” to proceed.
The device will use the same wireless password/security key as
the existing wireless network.
If you wish to backup the EW-7478AC’s settings, click “Backup this
configuration” to save your current configuration to a .txt file.
10. Please wait a moment until the EW-7478AC is ready.

11. A final congratulations screen will indicate that setup is complete. You
can now connect to the device’s new SSID(s) which are shown on the
screen then close the browser window.