How to Set Up a Bargain Router for Maximum Coverage

To maximize a budget router’s reach, run it in Access Point mode, connect it to the main router by Ethernet, and place it high and central.

For the full breakdown, see our best Bargain Router guide.

It underperforms because it’s still acting like a router behind your main router — two DHCP servers on one network, plus radios fighting for the same job. That mode mistake explains more dead zones than any hardware spec.

That one switch is step one in how to set up a bargain router for maximum coverage. The rest is mostly physical: wire it to the main router with a single Ethernet cable, park it in a central, elevated spot, then set channels and security so new and older devices both connect.

Setting Up a Bargain Router in Access Point Mode: The Exact Steps

Access Point mode turns the second router into a wireless hub instead of a second network brain, so it extends your signal without creating double NAT or conflicting address assignments. TP-Link’s setup routine takes about ten minutes.

Connect the two routers with an Ethernet cable and power both on.
On a device connected to that network, open tplinkwifi.net or 192.168.0.1 and log in.
Switch the router’s Operation Mode to Access Point. On current TP-Link firmware this lives under Advanced, and the router reboots after you confirm.
Run the Quick Setup wizard and enter a network name and password. Use the same SSID and passphrase as the main router if you want phones and laptops to roam to whichever box is closer.
Then disable the DHCP server on the second router — TP-Link’s access-point setup instructions are explicit here — so the main router stays the only device handing out IP addresses. Keep the Ethernet cable running LAN port to LAN port.

When the setup worked, every client that joins the second router appears in the main router’s client list. If a device connects but gets no internet, the DHCP server is still on — go back and turn it off.

Where Should the Second Router Sit for the Best Coverage?

Placement changes coverage more than any setting, and the rule is simple: put the access point where the signal can travel farthest — central, elevated, and out in the open. Netgear’s placement guide recommends keeping the router away from walls, cabinets, closets, and large metal objects, as well as interference sources like microwaves, cordless phones, TVs, monitors, and motors.

Raise it. A shelf or the top of a bookcase beats a floor, corner, or cabinet every time.
Point the antennas thoughtfully. TP-Link notes that vertical antennas favor same-floor coverage; for a two-story home, tilting them diagonally to roughly 30 degrees helps the signal reach upstairs and downstairs.
Use Ethernet backhaul when you can. A cable run through a wall or attic gives the access point full-speed data instead of a half-strength wireless hop.

Set expectations by band while you’re at it.