Purchased a EX8000 Mesh Extender second-hand and cannot put it into AP mode.

---

w0rm3r wrote:

When I click on "username and password help" it asks me recovery challenge questions that the original owner has set up to recover their login info when they set up the device initially. 

---

This means that you have yet to complete the reset process.

There is a bug in Netgear's implementation of password recovery on some devices. You can get locked into a closed loop.

If password recovery is enabled, but you have not set the answers to the questions, it keeps sending you back to the beginning of the process. If you haven't already given the thing your personal answers, they are not in its memory and it has no way of knowing if they are correct.

If the standard factory password (password) does not work, then you will have to factory reset the thing to get back to that. Then either disable password recovery (check the manual for your device) or provide some answers to those questions.

How do I perform a factory reset on my NETGEAR router? | Answer | NETGEAR Support

Believe me, you do  not need to mess around with emails or anything else.

If you really want an industrial strength reset, try this:

• Press reset for 30 seconds
• Keep pressing reset while removing power
• Keep pressing reset for another 30 seconds while apply power

First, try again with the standard reset, but press it for longer.

And note the bit in the Use the Extender in Access Point Mode section of
manual that says:

"If you want to use an Ethernet connection, you must do this before you connect
your extender to your modem router or router."