Ensure the remote wireless connection you want to join has a Link Quality of more than 35/70 quality. You can always find this details before joining to the remote wireless network. Adjust your antenna if need to have the best optimum connection.

If the connection drops too often and you do not want to repeatably join to the remote wireless network manually, you may try to disable the Auto Recovery Function.

Realtime Signal Strength Scanning?

 Auto Recovery  is a feature of the EzSetup to ensure that you are able to connect to EZhotspot Extender's private SSID in the event that EZhotspot Extender fails to join/extends/repeat a remote hotspot or wireless network. By default, it is always enabled after a new power cycle or reboot.

The working principle of the EZhotspot Extender' is that it creates 2 virtual wireless network, the first for joining a remote wireless network and the private SSID for devices to join to it.

When you have specified a remote network (SSID) to join, the EZhotspot Extender gives priority to join the remote network before displaying the private SSID for devices to join. This device may have to check different channels for the best wireless signal and switch channel to join to the remote network. Once successful, the same wireless channel used will also be assigned to the private SSID. That is why sometimes, you might temporarily get disconnected.

If Auto Recovery is disabled, it will keep searching to join with the last saved profile (SSID and wireless key) even if the hotspot, remote wireless access point is no longer in range or the wireless key credentials were incorrect. If that happens, the result is that you will not be able to see the private SSID. Reboot the device in such event.

When you have repeated to a particular remote wireless network, the wireless channel will be locked to that particular remote wireless network and cannot be changed. The EzHotspot Extender works similar to the technology known as Source:wikipedia WDS (Wireless Distribution System).  

WDS is a stable and long established method of wireless repeating and one of its major characteristics is that all repeating access points and including the wireless clients need to operate on the same wireless channel.

A wireless access point bridges the wireless client to the existing ADSL/Cable/Fiber router. The wireless client obtains the networking credentials such as IP address from the ADSL/Cable/Fiber router. All connected devices have the same IP address range as the ADSL/Cable/Fiber router. For example: 192.168.1.X

A wireless router creates a different sub-net to the existing ADSL/Cable/Fiber router. The wireless client obtains the networking credentials such as IP address from the wireless router directly. Connected devices have difference IP range from the ADSL/Cable/Fiber router. For example: 192.168.93.X (default of Ezhotspot V4)

Connecting to a remote wireless with intermittent or poor wireless signal will result in:

• ezWifi Wizard Configuration button constantly appearing
• constant wireless disconnection
• cannot find the ez@xxxxxx SSID
• not able to to connect to the ez@xxxxxx SSID
• prompted incorrect wireless key when joining, even if wireless key is correct
• unable to scan wireless networks

1. Ensure the antenna is positioned correctly to have the optimum coverage. Use [Scan All Network] and before joining, make sure the real-time LINK Quality is good and at least 3 green bars.  
2. Disable the Auto recovery function if you repeatably have to re-login to a hotspot or prompted the ezWifi Wizard Menu.
3. Some public hotspot may have blocked your MAC address. In this case, use the [Change MAC address] to select a random address and rejoin again to try.
4. If the remote network is secured, ensure the correct wireless key is entered noting the UPPER and LOWER case.
5. If you have made some adjustments in the Advanced Dashboard, it may interference with the Ezwizard to perform correctly. In this case, you must perform a SOFT FACTORY reset.

Realtime Signal Strength Scanning?

SOFT FACTORY RESET?

 Scan public hotspots  : 

• can only join to open networks with no encryption key needed.
• a list of duplicated networks (SSIDs) will be shown, and EZhotspot Extender will join to the selected network (SSID) with the best signal strength.
• if connection fails, EZhotspot Extender will try to join to the next network with the same SSID for a period of 30 seconds which still unsuccessful, the ezwizard menu will be prompted again.

 Scan private networks  : 

• can only join to secured networks using WPA/WPA2-PSK encryption key only
• a list of duplicated networks (SSIDs) will be shown, and EZhotspot Extender will join to the selected network (SSID) with the best signal strength.
• if connection fails, EZhotspot Extender will try to join to the next network with the same SSID for a period of 30 seconds which still unsuccessful, the ezwizard menu will be prompted again.

 Scan all networks  : 

• can join to open networks or secured networks using WEP, WPA/WPA-PSK, WPA/WPA2-ENTERPRISE encryption key
• a list of networks (SSIDs) with their signal strength, and EZhotspot Extender will only join to the particular selected network (SSID) by its unique MAC address
• if connection fails, EZhotspot Extender will contiune to try to join to the same network (SSID) for a period of 30 seconds which still unsuccessful, the ezwizard will be prompted again.

 Quick Hotspots  : Deprecated and no longer supported

• joins to embedded popular public hotspots.
• a list of duplicated networks (SSIDs) will be shown, and V4 will join to the selected network (SSID) with the best signal strength.
• if connection fails, EZhotspot Extender will try to join to the next network with the same SSID for a period of 30 seconds which still unsuccessful, the ezwizard menu will be prompted again.

Note: The  Scan Public Hotspots  and  Scan Private Networks  will be deprecated in future firmware. It is strongly recommended to use the  improved  Scan All Newtorks , which offers more possibility to scan and join to different types with real time wireless signal monitoring.

In the case when you are using the ezhotspot at home to connect to your home router, your home router may be currently configured to Auto wireless channel or using channel 12 or 13. Using a device that can connect to the ezhotspot to confirm. See green box in picture below to obtain the current connected channel.

Most home routers offer a feature called Auto Channel Selection. In most time, it creates more issues than improve your wireless network. In a proper wireless setup, only 3 channels are used, which is 1, 6 or 11. These are called non overlapping wireless channels. See below for example, in a hotel, all wireless access points are configured only to these 3 channels. There could be over a hundred of wireless access point but only 1, 6 and 11 are used. 

So, why a proper wireless network will not use the other free available channels? There is a very good article here and you should read about it. https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/why-channels-1-6-11.html

To resolve the issue, we suggest the following:

Go to your home router and manually select 1, 6 or 11, instead of auto wireless channel

Note: If you not familiar about changing anything on your home router. Try searching support in your internet service provider's website or see this guide to find your home router. https://portforward.com/router.htm

Situation:

There is a good wireless signal of 3 green bar or more, but cannot join to the remote open network and ezhotspot keeps returning to the configuration menu.

Troubleshooting:

1. Have you made any configuration changes from the Advanced Dashboard? 

The EzHotspot is factory shipped with best configuration to connect to a hotspot. If adjustments are made in the Advanced Dashboard, it might interfere with the settings to properly connect. In this case, perform a Soft Factory reset to the Ezhotspot.

SOFT FACTORY RESET?

2. If Factory reset still does not work, your Ezhotspot may be blocked by the hotspot operator. Hotspot operators like to sell as many internet vouchers to you as possible and some of these Hotspot operators have out-resourced the internet service to specialized companies who will track possible wireless repeaters and block the MAC Address from connecting. A MAC Address is an unique identification code belonging to a networking element. 

Some hotspot operators will mention it is due to unfair usage while some hotspot will deny to know anything. They are only concerned to block the MAC address of the repeater and that you will purchase more internet vouchers. In this case, change the MAC address of the Ezhotspot.

Change MAC Address

From firmware version 4.48 & newer, the V4 broadcasts 4 SSIDs by default and the V5 broadcasts 8 SSIDs by default. Below, we explain the SSIDs on a specific 2.4Ghz wireless channel, for example:

In the Active mode, the physical interface of the SSID is bind to a specific network and will have certain networking capabilities as allowed by the Ezhotspot.

In the Standby mode, the physical interface of the SSID is not bind to any specific network and will have no networking capabilities. When using a WiFi spectrum analyzer, this will be reflected as Hidden or Unknown Networks.

If joined wirelessly to another remote wireless network, the SSID 2 is enabled as a client interface and will not produce any hidden SSID.

In the networking world, every networking interface needs to be identified by a unique MAC address. Broadcasted SSIDs are considered to be a networking interface and the below explains the MAC addresses assigned by the Ezhotspot:

The above factory pre-configured configuration are recommended and should not be changed in the  Advanced Dashboard . The factory pre-configuration allows the Ezhotspot to concurrently operate and monitor the additional Guest Network and Transparent Repeater securely, without having to make any reset to the normal extender mode when the functions are no longer required.

If you need to change a change MAC address, please click below:

Change Mac Address

 A high gain 8dBi omni-directional outdoor suction cup antenna is supplied in the box.

It has 2 mounting holes to ensure the antenna can always be in a upright position, whether it is on the side of the window or on the top of a camper roof for best perforamnce.

It can be quickly mounted and dismounted without additional brackets and drilling holes.