NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Solved
Cannot Change Channel on EX6120
I have a NETGEAR EX6120 WIFI extender that I have been using for six months now. By default, both bands use the same channels that my router is using. I have been trying to change the channels of both bands that the extender broadcasts on in order to reduce any possible interference with the channels my router is using. However, in the settings menu of the web GUI, both the channel selection dropdown and the speed selection dropdown are grayed out so they can't be changed. The instruction manual talks about changing the speed selection but not the channel selection. And, in the instruction manual, the picture shows both dropdowns as being grayed out. If I enable FastLane I then have the ability to change the channel but not in the normal dual channel mode. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
By default, both bands use the same channels that my router is using
Exactly. Thats the way it is with most WiFi Range Extender designs: These always operate on the same channel set like the primary router, basically because there is only one radio adapter taking care of two jobs: talk to the main router and listen/send data to your phone or laptop.
5 Replies
By default, both bands use the same channels that my router is using
Exactly. Thats the way it is with most WiFi Range Extender designs: These always operate on the same channel set like the primary router, basically because there is only one radio adapter taking care of two jobs: talk to the main router and listen/send data to your phone or laptop.
Thanks for the reply. That answers my question. That would also explain why I can change the channel when using FastLane - one radio would receive the signal from one band and the other radio would send the signal on the other band, instead of each radio sending and receiving.
You could always hardwire it in and use it in access point mode :)
It'd be a lot fast than working as an extender
You are right, an access point would certainly be the preferred method of extending the Wi-Fi, but for my situation that is not a feasible option. If it were feasible to run an ethernet cable to the extender, I would instead run an ethernet cable directly to the computer that I am using the extender for to supply internet to.
If you're needing slightly more speed or less latency, the triband extenders (EX7300, ex7500, ex8000) have a dedicated backhaul for router----extender. They tend to be faster and have lower latency than the EX6120. And they can be picked up pretty reasonably used.
Or moca adapters. I've used the 2.5g moca adapters and they've been pretty solid.
