I have a dual band R7800 (AC2600) roouter. I was considering purchasing an EX800 but had a couple of questions that I can't find the answer too. 1. I know if I had a tri band router then one of the 5GHz channels is used for backhaul and then I have full use of the other 5GHz and the 2.4Ghz channels. But since I have a dual band router, how does it work? Is the 5GHz not available to my devices or would that single 5Ghz channel be shared with backhaul and connections to devices? 2. I am pretty sure wired backhaul isn't possible with the EX8000 (which is dissapointing, especially since I have a dual band router), but I have read that a wired connection back to the router is an option in AP mode and that I can configure it to have the same SSID as the router. So how would this differ from a mesh extension with the EX8000 in extender mode. If I had a wireless device connected to the router would it seamlessly move to the EX8000 when I moved away from the router and behave like a mesh network? Thanks.

Thx for sharing your experience. StanP50 wrote: If your router in only dual band, then you'll most likely only want to set it up as an extender not an AP. Generally speaking, if you have gigabit ethernet at the extender's location, you should always set it up as an AP. There is no downside in doing that.

I have recently install and EX8000 into my network, and it has proven to be excellant. I have it pushing wifi in my ground floor studio, while the Nighthawk X6 R8000 router is in my third floor office, the coverage is outstanding all thoughout the house and into the yard. A couple of things I have found which might help. If your router in only dual band, then you'll most liley only want to set it up as an extender not an AP. As an extender you'll only get two bands 2g and 5G wireless to push, the third 5g band is not available, and your only access will be through a wireless connection. I have it configured as an AP to be able to take advantage of all three bands, 2G, 5G-1 and 5G-2, and as such am able to gain access both wireless and wired to the UI via the IP. In doing so I have been able to set all of my streaming connection (FIreTV sticks) to the 5G-2 band, my home plugs, switches, and thermostates on the 2G band and all cell phones onto the 5G-1 band. All bands carry the same SSID names as the bands on the R8000 and therfore have a total mash configurations, Single strength is great and have not seen any dropouts or disconnects so far.

lemmy999 wrote: I have a dual band R7800 (AC2600) roouter. I was considering purchasing an EX800 but had a couple of questions that I can't find the answer too. 1. I know if I had a tri band router then one of the 5GHz channels is used for backhaul and then I have full use of the other 5GHz and the 2.4Ghz channels. But since I have a dual band router, how does it work? Is the 5GHz not available to my devices or would that single 5Ghz channel be shared with backhaul and connections to devices? lemmy999 - Nighthawk Mesh works with dual-band and tri-band routers. The third band from EX8000 will always be dedicated to connect to the router so the extender does not need to cut its bandwidth in half. The router may however have to share the 5GHz between its connected devices and the extender backhaul. Even in this case, the performance should be significantly better than having a shared backhaul. 2. I am pretty sure wired backhaul isn't possible with the EX8000 (which is dissapointing, especially since I have a dual band router), but I have read that a wired connection back to the router is an option in AP mode and that I can configure it to have the same SSID as the router. So how would this differ from a mesh extension with the EX8000 in extender mode. If I had a wireless device connected to the router would it seamlessly move to the EX8000 when I moved away from the router and behave like a mesh network? lemmy999 - In AP mode you can configure to have Same SSID and password as router and enjoy all benefits. Smart Roaming is supported and you also get three bands on your extender WiFi available in AP mode. Thanks.

Thank you for the response. So there is no difference in functionality (regarding smart switching between the router and the EX8000 for my devicesssss) when using the EX8000 in AP mode (same SSID and password as router) with wired backhaul to the router versus using the EX8000 as a mesh extender with wireless backahual?

EX8000 backhaul options | NETGEAR Communities

9 Replies

arunkmony
NETGEAR Employee Retired
Jul 16, 2018
lemmy999 wrote:

I have a dual band R7800 (AC2600) roouter. I was considering purchasing an EX800 but had a couple of questions that I can't find the answer too.

1. I know if I had a tri band router then one of the 5GHz channels is used for backhaul and then I have full use of the other 5GHz and the 2.4Ghz channels. But since I have a dual band router, how does it work? Is the 5GHz not available to my devices or would that single 5Ghz channel be shared with backhaul and connections to devices?

lemmy999 - Nighthawk Mesh works with dual-band and tri-band routers. The third band from EX8000 will always be dedicated to connect to the router so the extender does not need to cut its bandwidth in half. The router may however have to share the 5GHz between its connected devices and the extender backhaul. Even in this case, the performance should be significantly better than having a shared backhaul.

2. I am pretty sure wired backhaul isn't possible with the EX8000 (which is dissapointing, especially since I have a dual band router), but I have read that a wired connection back to the router is an option in AP mode and that I can configure it to have the same SSID as the router. So how would this differ from a mesh extension with the EX8000 in extender mode. If I had a wireless device connected to the router would it seamlessly move to the EX8000 when I moved away from the router and behave like a mesh network?

lemmy999 - In AP mode you can configure to have Same SSID and password as router and enjoy all benefits. Smart Roaming is supported and you also get three bands on your extender WiFi available in AP mode.

Thanks.
- lemmy999
  Guide
  Jul 17, 2018
  Thank you for the response.
  
  So there is no difference in functionality (regarding smart switching between the router and the EX8000 for my devicesssss) when using the EX8000 in AP mode (same SSID and password as router) with wired backhaul to the router versus using the EX8000 as a mesh extender with wireless backahual?
  - arunkmony
    NETGEAR Employee Retired
    Jul 17, 2018
    Yes, it should work fine.
StanP50
Tutor
Aug 15, 2018
I have recently install and EX8000 into my network, and it has proven to be excellant. I have it pushing wifi in my ground floor studio, while the Nighthawk X6 R8000 router is in my third floor office, the coverage is outstanding all thoughout the house and into the yard. A couple of things I have found which might help. If your router in only dual band, then you'll most liley only want to set it up as an extender not an AP. As an extender you'll only get two bands 2g and 5G wireless to push, the third 5g band is not available, and your only access will be through a wireless connection. I have it configured as an AP to be able to take advantage of all three bands, 2G, 5G-1 and 5G-2, and as such am able to gain access both wireless and wired to the UI via the IP.

In doing so I have been able to set all of my streaming connection (FIreTV sticks) to the 5G-2 band, my home plugs, switches, and thermostates on the 2G band and all cell phones onto the 5G-1 band. All bands carry the same SSID names as the bands on the R8000 and therfore have a total mash configurations, Single strength is great and have not seen any dropouts or disconnects so far.
- StephenB
  Guru - Experienced User
  Aug 15, 2018
  Thx for sharing your experience.
  
  StanP50 wrote:
  
  If your router in only dual band, then you'll most likely only want to set it up as an extender not an AP.
  
  Generally speaking, if you have gigabit ethernet at the extender's location, you should always set it up as an AP. There is no downside in doing that.
  - ironmanco
    Tutor
    Oct 08, 2018
    Except if you set it up as an AP then you lose the mesh capability IIRC. In other words, if you have an R8000 and extend it with a EX8000, and you set the EX8000 up in AP mode, then I believe you can't have it mesh between the R8000 and EX8000. I'm looking to do something similar by running multiple EX8000 with a single R8000 all broadcasting the same SSID and able to hand off to each other...AND backhaul to the E8000 via ethernet.

Forum Discussion

EX8000 backhaul options