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Forum Discussion
Erik72
Mar 05, 2021Aspirant
Need Support for a WBC502
I need support help setting up my WBC502. I recently purchased this from the NETGEAR store on Amazon, but the neatgear.com/support site claims my S/N was purchased over a year ago, so I cannot get s...
- Mar 12, 2021I gave up & returned the Airbridge, I'll buy the hardware I need from a different company.
plemans
Mar 08, 2021Guru - Experienced User
A couple things.
1. The WBC502 is a point to point system. It can go quite far (up to 9000ft) when used with a pair of them. But when you only have 1, its limited to the same broadcast distances as standard routers. In which 125ft can be quite far. Especially if the routers having to broadcast through an extentior wall. Exterior walls tend to have more materials that block wifi and sometimes that material itself blocks wifi very well. LIke cement board, brick, adobe, foil lined insulation, metal siding, etc. These all do a great job of blocking wifi signals.
2. The WBC502 does have a client bridge mode where it can pick up that signal. It doesn't rebroadcast it like an extender but allows you to use the signal it recieves through its ethernet port. The manual goes over this.
at 125ft, you might be needing a pair of wbc502's and not just 1.
You might find more people that've used the WBC502 in the forum for it. You're currently in the standard extender forum.
Business Wireless - NETGEAR Communities
In terms of the registration, you might be able to get it switched to your name so you can get support. Maybe Christian_R can help with that.
Erik72
Mar 10, 2021Aspirant
Thanks Plemans.
1. I understand it has that mode, but Netgear marketing led me to believe it also had other modes.
2. Again, Netgear marketing led me to believe it would rebroadcast.
I understand that 125 feet might have been a stretch too far, but I cannot get to that point, because I bought a product that does not have the modes that wer advertised to me.
In terms of support, Netgear keeps hanging up on me when I call, they closed the online case without resolving, & I have already wasted 4 hours of my life trying to get support. It would be great if Netgear provided support.
- plemansMar 10, 2021Guru - Experienced User
Erik72 wrote:Thanks Plemans.
1. I understand it has that mode, but Netgear marketing led me to believe it also had other modes.---It does have other modes.
2. Again, Netgear marketing led me to believe it would rebroadcast. ----I attached the marketing for it with the modes described. I didn't seen anything about it acting as a repeater. Maybe I'm wrong. Or maybe its a simple misunderstanding of what you're reading.
I understand that 125 feet might have been a stretch too far, but I cannot get to that point, because I bought a product that does not have the modes that wer advertised to me.-----Again, I think its a misunderstanding of how it operates. Eitherway at 125 ft, you'd more than likely need a point to point system (2 unit). If a single access point could broadcast like that, we wouldn't need point to point systems.
In terms of support, Netgear keeps hanging up on me when I call, they closed the online case without resolving, & I have already wasted 4 hours of my life trying to get support. It would be great if Netgear provided support.-----Support is only free for the first 90 days of purchase. As you've already said, you're outside that window. did you buy a support contract or what do you think support is going to be able to do for you?
- plemansMar 10, 2021Guru - Experienced User
forgot the attachment
- Erik72Mar 10, 2021Aspirant
plemans , you don't work for Netgear, & I'm not going to argue with you. I'm beginning to think that I misunderstood the product's capability, so it looks like it cannot do what I thought it could? Most likely? At this point it doesn't matter if it was misleading marketing (it's named 'Wireless' and described operation is "Outdoor access point - One WBC502 unit"....and I want one wireless outdoor access point.
But I don't know for sure if it can be configured as I need it to operate, because Netgear refused to support.
I purchased on Jan 28th, well within the 90-days still, and have been attempting to get support for a while now.
- plemansMar 10, 2021Guru - Experienced User
In access point mode, it needs to be hardwired into your network.
Did you try contacting a moderator to see if they can help with the registration issue? That's why I linked Christian_R
If it was bought that recently, you also might be within your return window to exchange it. It wouldn't be the first time a company has resold a returned product.