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HI, I've bought a second hand AC3000 from a friend who used it and had bought it from a friend etc. I suspect that the original purchaser registered it on the Netgear website and passed it on and si...
What you're describing makes me think 2 things.
1. you either didn't factory reset it properly. Push and hold reset while powered on for up to 15 seconds. The lights should change.
2. you're hitting wps at some point after the factory reset. That'll also cause it to setup in mesh mode
It doesn't need to be registered to you to use it.
Simple factory reset it by pushing and holding reset for 7-15 seconds while its powered on. That'll get it back to factory state where you can install it and set your own login password/questions.
Thanks for that but, I've tried the factory reset and then gone to Search for the extender on my network and it can't be seen, it was seen for a little while on my mobile phone network search but then vanished.
I'm pretty sure it's working as all of my network is boosted to full signal when it's on and random signal strengths when switched off. besides this the link status light shows solid white, Max throughput, 2.4HHz and 5GHz and WPS are also lit up solid white which would suggest it's working.
Then, when I do as instructed on page 15 of the manual and go to NETGEAR installation wizard the page informs me 'You are not connected to your extender's WiFi network.' . I'm then posed the question if your extender and network are using the same access name follow these instructions, As instructed I head to another page 'My WiFi' and I end up on an access page requesting email and password.
I'm presuming that this is for the log in details of the previous user as, no mater what I put in it won't allow me access, the only option on the page is something like 'Need help with your password' and when I opt for that it simply brings up two security questions obviously filled in by someone else as they are 'Who was your first employer' and then 'what's your best friends name'.
There are no options to do anything else so no way to get off that page. I phone Netgear help line and spoke to a very friendly Indian gentleman and I asked if it was possible to remove the previous log in data from the previous owner to allow me access. He simply said can you find out the email and password of the person you obtained the extended form, I did ask "would you give someone your email and password?" "he said I guess not" he then asked if I knew someone called Jennifer, so I guess at the moment it remains registered to her.
I would have thought that as you said if I simply return it to factory settings then it should then allow access.
I was wondering if there was some reason as to why my laptop might not be able to see the extender, but then reading the manual there is the capacity for it to be using the same name as my router and therefore it's hidden?
God knows, I'm simply a dabbler so no whizz with this stuff 🤷🏻♀️
Cheers
What you're describing makes me think 2 things.
1. you either didn't factory reset it properly. Push and hold reset while powered on for up to 15 seconds. The lights should change.
2. you're hitting wps at some point after the factory reset. That'll also cause it to setup in mesh mode
Plemans,
It would appear you were correct, I had done a factory reset however it takes that long to restart after the 7 second reset that I'd switch the power back on before it had had chance to reset 🤦♂️. In my defence I could have boiled a kettle and made a coffee and two rounds of toast in the time it takes it to factory reset, the manual mentions nothing about waiting for the lights to come on.
Also in my defence even when the the thing did reignite I still couldn't find it on my network via either of my laptops, it just didn't exist and yet, on my mobile phone, there it was. I therefore registered it via my phone and then strangely it then became visible on my laptop and I could proceed with the set up.
So I'm happily now able to access all of its functions so many thanks.
I do have another question however, now that it's set up and I now know that the manual is not very prescriptive I'm a little confused with one thing (No doubt there'll be more) the client link LED is on permanently. the manual states:
Is this correct as none of my laptops or my phone are connected to the extender which the description gives the impression that one of these should be connected for the light to be permanently on?
Thanks again for your help
Paul