My old Apple WiFi box is getting a little 'long in the tooth', hasn't even been offered for many years! I can only get two bars where I usually sit to operate our Apple TV box. That means the software remote can not connect so I could select anything. Although getting up to change channels does recall the "good old days" of watching the little black and white, often 'snowy' TV images, I have enough real-world irritations already.
So, I sprung for a less expensive and
much newer WiFi router. The aptly named(?!) TP-Link Archer AX3000 6G box seemed to have the best reviews. (I assumed the higher the number [300, 450, etc.] the better!
) Ordered it from Newegg (no shipping fee) and it arrived within two days! I could hardly wait to start the assumed difficult installation process.
A day later, I decided to try to get it set up. I read through the
complete installation booklet; all two pages and reserved the morning
hours for the install... which didn't work, of course. Now I needed to look at some videos from TP-Link Support. Of course, I could not access the web until I reconnected the old Apple hardware and the Ethernet cables to my Mac.
Two vids promised "No problems!". The first, basic vid was only two sections long! Aha! They learned from the Apple method; step one, turn it ON, step two — there is no "step two"! Not so fast young Will Robinson! Actually, the first "step" has 6 distinct actions that include a restart of the cable modem ( a good 4 minute coffee break). The second "step" was five more actions ending with clicking the ubiquitous "Save" button. Naturally, the "Quick" install did not work, either.
The last vid had seven "steps", each with at least four actions and several "if this doesn't work, skip to step X and do not collect $200" actions. They left out the many "count to ten and check your blood pressure" actions.
To make a long story longer, I put everything away for two days. In this "restful" time, I listened and copied all the spoken directions of the two vids for reference. After all, I couldn't watch the vids while not being connected to the Support site!!
This only took a few hours and three pages of text.
Apparently, copying and printing all those instructions convinced the router that I really wanted to have it work, even if it would be surrounded by Apple devices. I also hid the old Apple router for good measure!
I am happy to say that I am now using a new (and apparently slightly better antennaed [is that a wurd?]) WiFi router! I still get three bars at the preferred Apple TV controlling location!
Just to take up some more TS server space, take a look at what was a confusing interface from the router. I stared at the little orange dot on the 'world' icon waiting for it to change to green — it never did/will! BTW, you cannot use the power strength bars on your devices to indicate web access. Once again, those are simply 'power strength' bars!
