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Want to connect an Ethernet router to wireless hotspot
Which Netgear devices can be used to connect an Ethernet router to a hotspot via Wi-Fi 802.11ac ?
Denna wrote:
Why is it that some people think that a range extender can't be used as a media bridge in this configuration ? Ethernet clients >>> Router >>> Ethernet port on range extender >>> Wi-Fi connection to hotspotI don't really know. I did state that the principal purpose of an extender is to increase the range of an existing Wi-Fi. The fact that it can also connect a wired device to an existing Wi-Fi network is a secondary benefit. It's this secondary benefit that's being leveraged to achieve your setup.
Is there a problem with NAT or routing ?
An extender doesn't NAT nor route, so no. An extender may be slightly less efficient than a media bridge because it does expend some effort broadcasting its own SSID. With your setup, you would not have any clients connect to the extender's network but it's still going to be active. I can't really quantify the impact but I think it will be negligible.
Could a Netgear EX7300 be used to connect a router to the hotspot via Wi-Fi ?
Sure, although it's probably overkill for your needs.
Could the Fastlane feature be enabled when connecting to the hotspot ?
Fastlane works by dedicating one of the two frequency bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) to connect to an existing Wi-Fi network and the other band to service Wi-Fi clients. If you really plan on using the extender as a media bridge, the extender won't have any Wi-Fi clients, so Fastlane won't be of any benefit.
7 Replies
What kind of hotspot do you have that can do 802.11ac?
What you need is a media bridge. Netgear doesn't have any 802.11ac media bridges. You will have to look at other brands.
While it's not specifically designed for this purpose, a range extender would also work.
- The hotspot is a LG V521. What is the difference between a media bridge, range extender and wireless repeater ?
A media bridge in this context refers to an Ethernet-to-Wi-Fi adapter. It connects an Ethernet-only device to Wi-Fi. They are sometimes marketed as gaming or home theater adapters.
A range extender and wireless repeater are pretty much synonomous these days. Their principal function is to extend the coverage of an existing Wi-Fi network by broadcasting a different SSID on, sometimes, a different channel.
Range extenders usually have one or more Ethernet ports. These can be used to connect an Ethernet-only devices. In this sense a range extender can provide the same function as a media bridge.
Note: Some range extenders can operate in reverse (i.e. connect a Wi-Fi only device to Ethernet) by connecting the Ethernet port back to the router. When functioning in this manner, they are known as Wired Access Points (WAPs) or APs.