NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.

Forum Discussion

Denna's avatar
Denna
Aspirant
Nov 24, 2016
Solved

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 ?

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.