my N600 DGND3700 was replaced 6 months ago by a newer Nighthawk AC1900; the 2 units have different SSID's & passwords yet i can still connect to the AC1900 from iPhone & iPad using the old N600 password & SSID - only discovered this when a guest arrived who had the old login on an iPhone, so tried it on my iPad & it connects perfectly ??????? ( old N600 is in a box in garage)

SOLVEDturns out the old DGND3700 SSID and password were saved into my TP-Link 8610 ethernet/wifi powerline device when i used the WPS button process for setting it up long ago - so the netgear info registered into the TP-Link device 2.4GHz channel - it was then possible to log into that device which was ethernet connected to the new Netgear D7000 DSL router. I recently ditched Netgear & DSL in favor of a new ATT Internet AIR setup - the old netgear login still worked via the TP-Link; .... finally i used the TP-Link tpPLC software to discover the old netgear info was still there ... reset the ssid's & passwords - old Netgear ghost is now gone forever (p.s., the ATT AIR device is amazing - 100Mbps downloads vs the old ATT DSL that never bested 2.4Mbps)

old password & SSID for disconnected N600 connects on new AC1900

7 Replies

emoze-2
Aspirant
Feb 10, 2024
SOLVED
turns out the old DGND3700 SSID and password were saved into my TP-Link 8610 ethernet/wifi powerline device when i used the WPS button process for setting it up long ago - so the netgear info registered into the TP-Link device 2.4GHz channel - it was then possible to log into that device which was ethernet connected to the new Netgear D7000 DSL router. I recently ditched Netgear & DSL in favor of a new ATT Internet AIR setup - the old netgear login still worked via the TP-Link; .... finally i used the TP-Link tpPLC software to discover the old netgear info was still there ... reset the ssid's & passwords - old Netgear ghost is now gone forever

(p.s., the ATT AIR device is amazing - 100Mbps downloads vs the old ATT DSL that never bested 2.4Mbps)
- michaelkenward
  Guru - Experienced User
  Feb 10, 2024
  emoze-2 wrote:
  
  (p.s., the ATT AIR device is amazing - 100Mbps downloads vs the old ATT DSL that never bested 2.4Mbps)
  
  The DGND3700 is an ADSL modem router from 2011. VDSL can do much better. When my ISP isn't messing me around, I can get a bit over 70 Mbps
michaelkenward
Guru - Experienced User
Nov 01, 2023
emoze-2 wrote:

my N600 DGND3700 was replaced 6 months ago by a newer Nighthawk AC1900

What is the new router?

AC1900 is not a reliable guide to model number. Many devices come with an AC tag, but it is essentially a label that Netgear, and other brands, attach to hardware to describe wifi speeds.

Look at the label on the device for the model number.

What modem/gateway/ONT – make and model number – connects your network to the Internet? These can be modem/routers, which complicates matters.

the 2 units have different SSID's & passwords yet i can still connect to the AC1900 from iPhone & iPad using the old N600 password & SSID - only discovered this when a guest arrived who had the old login on an iPhone, so tried it on my iPad & it connects perfectly ??????? ( old N600 is in a box in garage)

Are you saying that the guest connected to the wifi with the old SSID and password?

You can change the SSID and password to whatever you like. (Within reason.) Your new router can have the same SSID and password if you set it up like that. This is a pretty common, and highly advised, strategy because then you don't have to rebuild the wifi connections to your wifi clients.
- emoze-2
  Aspirant
  Nov 01, 2023
  yes - the guest connected to the new AC1900 R7000 wifi with the old N600 SSID and password
  
  WHY does the new router with a different SSID & password allow the old disconnected unit's SSID & password to access it ??????
  
  the new router has a different SSID & password - so there is no reason to change it
  
  i can do the same " old log-in" with my iPad - WHY ?????
  - michaelkenward
    Guru - Experienced User
    Nov 01, 2023
    emoze-2 wrote:
    
    i can do the same " old log-in" with my iPad - WHY ?????
    
    There are plenty of things going on there. Troubleshooting is a case of ruling out possibilities.
    
    You could start by answering the other questions I posed.
    
    Let's start with this one.
    
    "What modem/gateway/ONT – make and model number – connects your network to the Internet? These can be modem/routers, which complicates matters."
    
    yes - the guest connected to the new AC1900 R7000 wifi with the old N600 SSID and password
    
    Interesting that you managed to find one of those. The R7000 dates back to 2014. What firmware do you have installed on it?
    
    Did you set it up? Or did someone do it for you? If so, and they had any sense, they would have put the same SSID and password on the new router.

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old password & SSID for disconnected N600 connects on new AC1900