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> How? If that were true, WiFi range extenders would violate TOS as well.

A WiFi extender just repeats the same network with same security, SSID and access password. It doesn't extend connection to third parties.

Similarly, if I have a large property with a large land, I can spread the network to every part of the land with the equipment of my choosing and no one would say anything unless I allow third parties unfettered permanent access to said network.



Same password, yes. But you can alter the SSID, on WEP at least, last time I checked.


You can always alter the SSID & password and present it as a completely different network (even you can run a different DHCP to make it a subnet effectively). However, when you keep the SSID the same, your devices can roam much easier.

In fact, WiFi has a roaming standard and latest devices can utilize this for mesh-like handoff without a central controller.

Recent laptops and phones handle it relatively well, it seems.


The WiFI extender I used could not change the passphrase.


Mine (a TP-Link RE-200) can do anything you want with it. If you add it to a OneMesh network, these settings are (sensibly) disabled and synced from the root node (the router).


Mine, TP-Link from 2013 could definetely not do this : I assume because it just retransmitted the packets and did not have the horsepower to do a decrypt+recrypt.


Probably. SoC based devices improved explosively in the last 5 years.




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