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How to use R7000 as router only
At our last home, we got out Internet service through a cable modem, which I then routed into a Netgear Nighthawk R7000 wireless router in order to get maximum wi-fi coverage throughout our long, skinny abode. However, I ran my PC's Internet connection directly from the router using an Ethernet cable, and we also had some other hardware (a printer, an external hard drive) networked through that router as well.
At our new apartment, our landlords provide "free Internet," which is to say, they let us use their wi-fi. However, I still want to create a local network so that my wife and I can share our printer and external hard drive while using our PCs. The trouble is, I can't figure out how to configure my R7000 router not to be the source of our Internet. Whenever I turn on both my wi-fi adapter and the router, my PC looks to the router for Internet service, can't find it, and gives up. Meanwhile, even when the router is on, my computer can't seem to find any other device that's plugged into it. I'm running Windows 10 on my PC. Is this a Windows 10 problem or a router problem, and if it's a router problem, how do I configure it to make this problem go away? Why is this happening now when my router worked perfectly with everything before?
> Using the R7000 in bridge mode, which was the first thing I tried,
> didn't allow me to access the Internet.Now that we know what did _not_ happen, what, exactly, _did_ happen
when you tried that?> I acquired a wi-fi adapter that does allow me to access the Internet.
When you do that, and connect to your "landlords' wi-fi", does it
just work, or do you need to log into something to make it work?> I still want to be able to connect to an external hard drive as a
> network drive that both my wife and I can use on separate PCs, an
> operation that requires a router.Actually, that does not require a router. An R7000 configured as a
wireless access point would work, too, but getting that connected to
your "landlords' wi-fi" might still be difficult.
> [...] whenever I turn the R7000 on, I can't access the Internet, even
> though I also have the wi-fi adapter active. Presumably this is either
> because my PC is looking to the R7000 first or because there's some
> setting on the R7000 that's forcing my PC to prioritize it.The R7000 can't coerce your Windows system into anything.
Configuring the R7000 as a WAP might keep Windows from believing that
it's a path to the Internet.I've never tried anything like this, so I know nothing, but I might
look into "Internet Connection Sharing" or (on Windows 10) "Mobile
hotspot". Then, connecting the R7000-as-WAP to the sharing Windows
system might allow multiple devices to share that shared connection.Another possibility would be to find a (cheap) wireless bridge to
give the R7000 its own connection to your "landlords' wi-fi", which
might let the R7000 act as a normal router.
10 Replies
- Greetings,
For reliable internet and connectivity you will need to have a physical connection to the internet source. This is not a router problem or a windows 10 problem. The problem is your understanding and expectation. If you want your own network, you will need your own internet source. This will allow you to connect your devices and control your own network.If anyone would like to answer my question rather than unask it, I'm all ears.
Meanwhile, I'm not quite sure how I managed it, but I did get my PC to locate my external hard drive through the Netgear N7000 router. Unfortunately, the router still interferes with my Internet connection whenever it's turned on. So I can access either the Internet or my external hard drive, but not both. How do I get my computer to look for an Internet connection through my wi-fi adapter and not the N7000 router?
Greetings,
I given you the best practice and reliable solution.
If you want to use your R7000 and connect to your "landlords" wireless, put the R7000 into "Bridge Mode". If you don't know what this is, see page 85 of the user guide.
This is not a reliable way to get itnernet, but will achieve the desired result. The degree of reliability is marginal at best. It will hinge fully on the signal being broadcast from the "landlords" device. I hope it works for you.
.
