Setting up Super Wi-Fi booster over ethernet connection to router

[CaptainAvery]

I have a cabin 100 foot down my garden. I have a Cat7 ethernet cable linking my router to the cabin. I am trying to set up a Super Wi-Fi booster (Alexa version) to provide Wi-Fi in the cabin. I have spoken to the experts at Vodafone but they said that while the booster fully supports ethernet backhaul, they do not provide any technical support for this. They will only provide support for using it as a Wi-Fi mesh. 

The ethernet cable works fine, I have tested this by plugging it into a laptop.

I have set the booster up and can see it on the Vodafone Broadband app in the Super Wi-fi map. I set it up first over the Wi-Fi in the house, then moved it to the cabin. I can see it as connected over ethernet in the map. However, I do not get any Wi-Fi signal in the cabin. 

When I first plug the booster in in the cabin, I do see my network appear and can connect to it. However, this drops off after about 30 seconds and the network does not appear again. This happens on both my laptop and my mobile.

Also I have two boosters and have tried both of them, with the same results.

Are there any router settings, or other set-up tweaks that are needed for ethernet backhaul to the boosters?

[CrimsonLiar]

On 5GHz it could be DFS kicking in!  I guess it'd be interesting if you could leave it running for about 10 minutes and then use the WiFi Analyser app (Google play or Apple App store) to check if anything is being broadcast in the cabin.

*I've not seen an extender or mesh device that doesn't handle ethernet backhaul properly, but I'm more than willing for Vodafone to surprise me!

[CaptainAvery]

Thank you for your reply. There seem to be a number of WiFi Analyzer apps on the Apple AppStore is there one that you would recommend using? 

The booster has been set-up on the Ethernet for a day now so I will get the app and test it. 

[CrimsonLiar]

This is the version I've been using for a few years:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vrem.wifianalyzer

It seems solid and uncompromised, however, the advice to scan any such app before using it still stands!

[CaptainAvery]

I have installed the Wi-Fi analyzer app on my tablet, and run it in both my house and the cabin. I can't see the MAC address for the booster appearing in the access points list in the app. 

[CrimsonLiar]

I wouldn't worry about seeing the specific MAC address.  If when you are in the cabin you can see a strong WiFi signal I'd go with that.  If you are not seeing a strong WiFi signal when just a few feet away from the router that's when I'd suggest something is wrong!

[CaptainAvery]

I’m seeing no signal at all. 

I spoke to Vodafone again earlier. They are sending me another booster to set up in the cabin along with the one already there. I think that they expect this to fix the issue, but I have no faith. 

[Parrog]

Was there a resolution to this? I ask as I have the same set up, a cabin down the bottom of the garden connected to my main router via ethernet. I currently use a BT hub and a BT disc on the end of that cable in the cabin, it provides wifi down there perfectly fine.

Im soon to be free of BT who doesn't do FTTP to my house, but city fibre do and Vodafone is one of the providers who can use that and Im thinking Vodafone's hub/boosters can do the same as my current BT set up. Thanks.

[CalSonic]

Did you get this sorted. Same issue here. About to ditch my BT Complete Wifi with 4 MESH hubs. Cannot get my Boosters to work on a hardwired connection in the garage. Very annoying !

[Parrog]

I didn’t go with Vodafone in the end, went with Zen who use fritzbox mesh, extender works with Ethernet fine. Not much help. but I did use an interim TPLink extender, not as seamless in that it creates another wifi network, but it did the job.