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Mar 28, 2022

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Help with new router wired connections

I just set up my new router - WAX204 - WiFi 6 AX1800. It replaced an older different brand one. It was super easy. WiFi connections are great but having trouble with wired connections. My Home N...

JeffreyY
Apr 04, 2022
Thank you to everyone for their responses and suggestions and feedback.

My problem is solved, and it was a simple (duh) solution. Apparently when my cable provider & ISP provider was out recently for a different issue (TV problem) he must have inadvertently tugged on a group of network cable plugged into my switch box. I found an old laptop and plugged it into a wall network connection and was surprised it said network cable unplugged. So, on a whim I tried pushing in on the network cable switch box connections that were dark, and guess what? Several of them seemed not quite in all the way and they lit up with green blinking lights! I had looked at the switch box before, but all the connections looked connected and for some reason I didn't check to make sure they were all tight and securely connected.

Thanks again everyone!!

Jeff

schumaku

Guru - Experienced User

Mar 29, 2022

michaelkenward for once, Amazon is right - the WAX204 can indeed be configured as a router. When I have it right, by default it IS a router. Odd if you think about the box does state it's an AP.

JeffreyY

Very correct, the router does mark any wireless devices associated wireless to another AP as "wired" - because that other AP is indeed connected on a wired link.

To add some more confusion, the WAX204 does come with certain isolation features active, being wireless isolation, being certain special default configs for the SSID 2 and 3 in relation to the LAN port access. Consult the fine user manual around P.70...75.

michaelkenward
Guru - Experienced User
Mar 29, 2022
schumaku wrote:

michaelkenward for once, Amazon is right - the WAX204 can indeed be configured as a router. When I have it right, by default it IS a router. Odd if you think about the box does state it's an AP.

That's what I said when I quoted the manual.
- JeffreyY
  Guide
  Mar 29, 2022
  Thanks.
  It is confusing marketing, but it seems to be working as a router. I did have a call with Netgear tech support to confirm.
  
  At this point, it seems all is well except my Fire TV Cube device still cannot connect as a wired connection. With my previous router and since I have owned the cube (2 yrs), it has been a wired connection. It will only connect wirelessly. It states basically that it is unplugged and I need to plug in a cable. Contacted amazon device support and the basic t-shooting was done - the restarts and power cycles. The problem is I can't get into the Network settings when it is not connected with a wired connection. They want me to do a factory reset but I view that as last resort because it will erase everything that will take a bunch of time to redo. But I can at least view the network settings and they all seem like they should be. The Cube connects to an ethernet adaptor which plus into the network cable. Could the Cube or the ethernet adaptor be holding onto the previous IP or something?
  - schumaku
    Guru - Experienced User
    Mar 30, 2022
    Jeff,
    
    With all Ethernet links (check switch and device LEDs) up, I would expect a device like your Fire box would recognize the presence of a wired network, not hiding the wired network controls.
    
    It's odd that only one device connected to the WAX204 should be workable - unless there is an unexpected limitation on the LAN ports of this AP.
    
    Can you temporary bypass the switch and connect the Fire direct to a router LAN port, and look if it does detect the wired connection again?
    
    michaelkenward Nobody diagreed with you, had just added some comments related to your thoughts. As there's is obviously some more more or less smart MAC processing implemented eg. for allowing/denying the interaction of the LAN ports with the three SSIDs, and te Internet than on what we would expect on a consumer router even with the Business tag applied.... Afraid, lack of any test device available, I must Skip this here....