Can Tenda AC1200 Dual Band Router replace Mac mini Wi-Fi and connect to a previous wireless router via Wi-Fi?

H AND J wrote:

Maybe didn't make it clear: Wanted to replace internal Wi-Fi with an external router. Faster, less interference. No going wired, period. FiOS router does NOT have any external antennas. So trying to replace slower radios with faster radios in routers. Make sense to me.

Thank You for your time, James

It seems you’re looking for support setting up your Wi-Fi network, and potentially a configuration with two routers, one Verizon FiOS router and one router added from Tenda.

Unfortunately for the purposes of this discussion, there are apparently ~36 different “AC1200” offerings from Tenda, including at least one a router and extender. I didn’t review the ~eight pages of “AC1200” products.

This discussion is going to be mostly about details of the FiOS and Tenda devices and configurations.

Not Apple gear, and not Mac.

With the seeming intention to use a wired connection (or even Wi-Fi), the Mac is unrelated to the rest of the network setup here. It’s another client of the local Wi-Fi network.

You’ll best want to discuss this with FiOS or Tenda support, or maybe in a forum that targets residential Wi-Fi network setup and troubleshooting. Or some local entity that helps set up and can maybe also manage and troubleshoot the network should issues arise.

Continuing the discussion of setting up your network here, I’d be skeptical about running two IP routers in a configuration. Multiple routers is certainly quite possible, but it’s a somewhat more advanced configuration. You’re probably not looking to learn more about IP subnet routing and designated routes.

For a simpler network setup, running the FiOS router in whatever Verizon calls “bridged” mode would be more common, or reconfiguring FiOS into an optical network terminal (ONT) if Verizon offers that. That would offload gateway, NAT, routing, firewall, and other functions to the Tenda box. This assumes the particular Tenda box is a router.

If you’re trying to use the Tenda box as an extender for the FiOS (as at least one of the other AC1200 boxes is listed as an extender), that’s entirely between Tenda and Verizon and what they support.

More generally, I don’t usually try to run mixed-vendor extenders or mesh networks, preferring to use either a bridge or ONT or modem or whatever box from the ISP (with the key detail being bridging), with the preferred vendor gear for the rest of the network.

If existing Wi-Fi coverage is problematic and Verizon offers a FiOS extender, I’d look to use that.

The numbers of antennas visible is as often for marketing as for communications, as internal antennae can work just fine.

As for hardware, I would not look at installing any Wi-Fi gear below Wi-Fi 6 or preferably Wi-Fi 6E hardware with WPA3 authentication support. Wi-Fi clients I needed, sure. But Wi-Fi routers, access points, mesh below Wi-Fi 6E, no.

But again, this seems most;y,like a question about setting up or extending or bridging that FiOS connection.

With all due respect, your post really doesn't make any sense.

But given the last line where you said: "For example: Tenda router to FIOS router, ie, a bridge?" ... if you mean can you use the Tenda router as your WiFi access point instead of the FiOS router, yes, you could. You would need to do the following:

• Disable WiFi on the FiOS router (disable all bands - 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz, whatever the FiOS router supports)
• Connect the WAN port of the Tenda router to one of the LAN ports on the FiOS router via an ethernet cable.
• Set up the Tenda router as a bridge; this will disable its function as a router and allow it to pass through LAN IP addresses assigned by the FiOS router (there needs to be only ONE device handing out LAN IP addresses and in this scenario it needs to be the FiOS router not the Tenda router)
• Enable WiFi on the Tenda router and set up your WiFi networks(s) on it

WiFi-to-WiFi Tx/Rx speeds between your locally connected devices *may* improve if the Tenda actually supports faster WiFi speeds than your FiOS router ... but understand that for internet access you will still be limited by whatever speed(s) the FiOS router supports on its ethernet LAN side as well as your FiOS service level.

H AND J wrote:

Tenda FH1201. Yes, Apple Gear, ie. Mac mini. Can have a router on the Mac mini?

Configuring a Mac as a IP router is possible, but involved. Also not necessary. I would not recommend it.

Saying that an external router is going to be better than the built-in Wi-Fi of the Mac mini. Have two other router: AirPort Extreme or a NetGear (54 Mbps) WGR614 v6. The Mac mini is the window to the Internet!

Rocket science, brain surgery?

The Mac mini is a Wi-Fi station / client.

The FiOS box is likely configured as the gateway to the internet.

A device configured as a router typically needs a second link (wired or wireless) to be useful, too.

Give Verizon more money for FiOS extender? Nope! Have enough routers to choke a horse. If external antennas are NG? Why do some routers have external antennas jacks? Just Hype I Guess. Even some desktop computers have external antenna jacks.

Ideally, the Tenda FH1201 would be attached to the FiOS router. WAN port on Tenda and LAN port on FiOS router.

The FiOS device will be configured as a bridge, not as a router.

Or you’ll need to set up the Wi-Fi devices as access points, or mesh.

And you’ll need to set up DHCP and other functions, if your access points can’t also manage that while in access point mode. This all assuming the gear even supports access point operations.

You will want one router with one NAT and one firewall, and all of that usually in the same box. Otherwise, you’ll be learning subnetting and routing details.

As for the Mac mini, have two choices: AirPort Extreme or NetGear WGR614, either one has to be better than the built-in Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi routers or Wi-Fi access points or mesh boxes do not replace Wi-Fi clients / stations / nodes.

To get faster Wi-Fi, you’ll need better signal coverage which usually means better placement of access points or mesh, and using 5 GHz and 6 GHz connections, using a gigabit wired connection, or maybe using an external Wi-Fi client device via USB or Thunderbolt..

Yeah, don't have the funds for Wi-Fi 6/6E, just a hack.

Wired backhaul and access points would be your choice to improve coverage. One router. Running your Wi-Fi network devices as access points means your wireless client gear can wander among access points without renegotiating network access.

Whether any of your Wi-Fi gear supports wired bridging (when configured as either routing or access point), check your gear specs and documentation. This if you don’t have a viable path for an end-to-end wired Ethernet connection.

On your present path, you’ll be learning much about the gear, about routing, and related functions. Maybe also about ZeroTier or other software-defined network approaches, depending on how much you want to invest in learning about networking.

The Apple gear here is entirely ancillary to getting this network working; it is all just another Wi-Fi client / station.

For information on the Tenda gear, check with Tenda.