Hello: I've been using a N300 WiFi Range Extender WN2000RPT for about three years. It is being used to extend the WiFi signal from our wireless router from our ISP. It is also being used to deliver data (via the Ethernet LAN ports) to a home audio receiver, Apple TV, smart TV). Overall, it has worked fine for the later, deliving the data to those home entertainment devices. However, about three-months ago, it simply stopped working as the WiFi-EXT device. Not one of our many iPads, iPhones, or laptops can get Internet access via the N300 now. All our iOS products still automatically lock-on to that Netgear device, and automatically join that network, only to be left with zero WiFi access to the Internet. I've already performed several full-factory resets, to no avail. It'll work for a day on all the wireless goodies, then go back to not working right away. What in the world is going on??? Obviously, it's able to received the WiFi data coming from the primary router from the ISP - as it's able to deliver that content to the devices which are hard-wired to it. It's just not succeeding in extending the WiFi to wireless devices. Can anyone help? I'm about to just trash the thing, and go buy an Apple Airport to use as the ranger extender. Thanks so much!

Hello oliveview Have you tried to adjust the wireless channels on the router to see if the extender can receive a better wifi signal? also have you made sure the extender is up to date with firmware. But if you believe that the extender has a hardware issue you may want to contact netgear support if the WN2000RPT is still under warranty. http://www.netgear.com/support/contact.aspx DarrenM

Thank you very much for the reply. Unfortunately, I'm well out of warranty on the Netgear router. It's over three-years old now. So I'm left to source info around here. Are you suggesting that I change the channel on the Netgear extender? Or are you referring to the router/modem from the ISP? I haven't updated the firmware myself, so unless the Netgear router can do so over the air, on its own, it's likely the same version as when I bought it. However, I've seen numerous threads around here, with people having similar connectivity issues as mine, and often the suggestions are to try going backwards with firmware. Honestly, it's rather confusing. But assuming either changing the channel or updating the firmware might help, is there any idea why the device went from working perfectly, to essentially, not working well at all? Having not fiddled with any settings prior, it seems bizarre that it would develope these issues out of the blue. Thank you again, for your help!

Hello oliveview I do not have a solid answer on why it started acting up but changing channels is a good start to troubleshoot the extender to see if this fixes the issue. The best way to do this is to download a app on your phone we offer one for Android called Netgear wifi analytics or there a couple free ones for apple phones. These apps will help you find the best channel to use for your router and extender in your home. The next thing to try is to update the firmware for the extender which I linked the product page below with the firmware updates. Last thing is to try and factory reset the device you will have to set up the extender again. http://www.netgear.com/support/product/WN2000RPTv1.aspx DarrenM

Sorry, this is becoming even more of a hassle than it already was. How am supposed to update the firmware? The path is not clear. One: I can't mount the disk image for firmware update 1.0.1.24 on any of my Mac computers. So, yeah, that's an issue. Two: When I hardwire my router to one of my computer, and click on the www.mywifiext.net link - it brings up a name and password screen!!! What in the world am I supposed to enter here (what "name" and what "password")? Why? What will that do next? So, in short, I'm dead in the water right now.

Okay, I figured out how to access the extender through my computer. However, I have found that I am ALREADY running the most current firmware (1.1.0.12).So...what should I do?

N300 WiFi Range Extender Stopped Working with iOS Devices...

12 Replies

DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator
Apr 18, 2016
Hello oliveview

Have you tried to adjust the wireless channels on the router to see if the extender can receive a better wifi signal? also have you made sure the extender is up to date with firmware. But if you believe that the extender has a hardware issue you may want to contact netgear support if the WN2000RPT is still under warranty.

http://www.netgear.com/support/contact.aspx

DarrenM
- oliveview
  Tutor
  Apr 20, 2016
  Thank you very much for the reply.
  
  Unfortunately, I'm well out of warranty on the Netgear router. It's over three-years old now. So I'm left to source info around here.
  
  Are you suggesting that I change the channel on the Netgear extender? Or are you referring to the router/modem from the ISP?
  
  I haven't updated the firmware myself, so unless the Netgear router can do so over the air, on its own, it's likely the same version as when I bought it. However, I've seen numerous threads around here, with people having similar connectivity issues as mine, and often the suggestions are to try going backwards with firmware. Honestly, it's rather confusing.
  
  But assuming either changing the channel or updating the firmware might help, is there any idea why the device went from working perfectly, to essentially, not working well at all? Having not fiddled with any settings prior, it seems bizarre that it would develope these issues out of the blue.
  
  Thank you again, for your help!
  - DarrenM
    Sr. NETGEAR Moderator
    Apr 26, 2016
    Hello oliveview
    
    I do not have a solid answer on why it started acting up but changing channels is a good start to troubleshoot the extender to see if this fixes the issue. The best way to do this is to download a app on your phone we offer one for Android called Netgear wifi analytics or there a couple free ones for apple phones. These apps will help you find the best channel to use for your router and extender in your home. The next thing to try is to update the firmware for the extender which I linked the product page below with the firmware updates. Last thing is to try and factory reset the device you will have to set up the extender again.
    
    http://www.netgear.com/support/product/WN2000RPTv1.aspx
    
    DarrenM
oliveview
Tutor
May 15, 2016
Okay, I figured out how to access the extender through my computer. However, I have found that I am ALREADY running the most current firmware (1.1.0.12).
So...what should I do?
- TheEther
  Guru
  May 15, 2016
  Proceed to follow DarrenM's suggestion to change the channel used by the extender for it's Wi-Fi network. You should be able to change it on the extender under Settings -> WiFi. See page 20 in the manual (link).
  - oliveview
    Tutor
    May 15, 2016
    What am I missing? Every single time I direct my web browser to the www.mywifiext.net address (either wirrelessly or via Ethernet) I get the same screen, with the following tabs:
    
    Setup Wizard
    Add WPS Client
    Setup
    Maintenance
    Advanced
    
    Not one of those tabs contains "Settings" nor "WiFi" controls. And in regards to your reference to page 20 in that manual, I also see nothing representing a "Menu" option.
    
    Any ideas why I'm so far off?
    
    Thanks!
oliveview
Tutor
May 19, 2016
Update:

For whatever the reason, and I'm very much knocking on wood here, the router seems to be working better now. As outlined in this thread, I took it off-line over the weekend, and hardwired it into my computer. I intended to check & update the firmware, but found that it was already up to date because that was set to automatically do such from the factory. So, as far as I can possibly tell, I didn't actually do a single thing to the device during its time hooked up to my desktop. So, it's bizarre that the Internet dropping issue seems to have abated. For now...

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N300 WiFi Range Extender Stopped Working with iOS Devices...