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Forum Discussion
Solved
Problems with AP mode
I am having major problems trying to set up my router in AP mode. Using an R8000 in conjunction with a Juniper SRX240 router
I was previously using the R8000 for home use, but my network traffi...
> The documentation is really lousy [...]
Complaints about "The documentation" might benefit from some
description of which "The documentation" is being discussed, too.
> [...] Documentation should be very specific [...]
Agreed. Just like complaints about "The documentation".
> [...] I am only connected with a laptiop to the router - no other
> connections to the R8000. [...]
Ok. That's a reasonable way to configure an R8000 as a wireless
access point. (Up to a point.)
> [...] I should have the option of getting an IP dynamically or setting
one myself - this makes sense. Unfortunately in my firmware, V
1.0.4.18_10.1.49 I don't have that option. the only option I have is
ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless AP then to turn on AP mode.
I haven't touched an R8000, so I know nothing, but, on other models
(like, for example, my D7000 (V1.0.1.64_1.0.1), and an R7000
(V1.0.7.12)), checking the box at "Enable Access Point Mode" reveals the
"Choose IP Address settings on this access point" choices, as described.
Scrolling down doesn't help on yours?
> [...] When I check that box, it says that it will take about 2 minutes
> for the router to reboot, but at that point I lose all access to the
> router.
Around here, the default choice is "Get dynamically from existing
router", and that works only if the router-as-WAP can talk to a DHCP
server on your network, which it can't do if it's not connected to your
network.
> [...] I cannot connect to the router by cable plugged into one of the
> regular ports or the internet port using a browser and going to
> routerlogin.com, routerlogin.net, [...]
Those names work only if the R8000 is acting as a router (and DNS
server), and should fail if the R8000 is acting as a WAP.
> [...] 192.168.1.1, or 10.0.0.1. [...]
Similarly, if the R8000-as-WAP is getting its LAN IP address
"dynamically from existing router", it would need to be connected to
"existing router", and neither of those addresses is very likely to be
the address it would get if it were. (And, if it's not, then it will
have no LAN IP address, only frustration.)
> [...] I have no idea where the router is.
It won't "Get [its LAN IP address] dynamically from existing router",
until it's connected to "existing router" (DHCP server).
> [...] Assuming that it is working in AP mode, I try to connect it to
> the SRX240 using an ethernet cable from the internet port as the
> documentation says, but it does not work.
What, exactly, "does not work". If you're trying to get your web
browser to talk to the R8000-as-WAP, then you'd need to know its
address, and, so far, only the main router (DHCP server) knows what that
is. If the main router offers some kind of Attached Devices or DHCP
Clients report, then that should show the R8000-as-WAP, and the address
shown there should lead to the R8000 managment web site.
> [...] I have also tried to set up the router in router mode to a fixed
> IP at 192.168.1.252, then switching it to AP mode, [...]
"in router mode", the R8000 has two IP addresses, WAN/Internet and
LAN. As usual, showing actual actions with their actual results (error
messages, LED indicators, ...) can be more helpful than vague
descriptions or interpretations.
Given the existence (supposed for you, actual for me) of that "Choose
IP Address settings on this access point" choice, I'd guess that a
manually set router-mode LAN IP address would not survive the change to
WAP mode. I'd guess that you'd get either the default ("Get dynamically
from existing router"), or else whatever you specified for "Use fixed IP
Address (not recommended)" when it provided places for user-specified
values for:
IP Address
IP Subnet Mask
Gateway IP Address
Primary DNS
Secondary DNS
So, if your R8000 really doesn't ask you to "Choose IP Address
settings on this access point", then I'd assume that it's defaulted to
"Get dynamically from existing router", and I'd ask the "existing
router" (DHCP server) where the R8000-as-WAP might be.
> I would think that I should still be able to access some setup page
> where I could change the IP or the SSID, but I have had no luck so
> far.
You should, but finding the R8000-as-WAP may be a little less
straightforward than you might expect. But, aside from the missing
"Choose" choice, it should all make sense if you look at things from the
point of view of the R8000.
> The documentation is really lousy [...]
Complaints about "The documentation" might benefit from some
description of which "The documentation" is being discussed, too.
> [...] Documentation should be very specific [...]
Agreed. Just like complaints about "The documentation".
> [...] I am only connected with a laptiop to the router - no other
> connections to the R8000. [...]
Ok. That's a reasonable way to configure an R8000 as a wireless
access point. (Up to a point.)
> [...] I should have the option of getting an IP dynamically or setting
one myself - this makes sense. Unfortunately in my firmware, V
1.0.4.18_10.1.49 I don't have that option. the only option I have is
ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless AP then to turn on AP mode.
I haven't touched an R8000, so I know nothing, but, on other models
(like, for example, my D7000 (V1.0.1.64_1.0.1), and an R7000
(V1.0.7.12)), checking the box at "Enable Access Point Mode" reveals the
"Choose IP Address settings on this access point" choices, as described.
Scrolling down doesn't help on yours?
> [...] When I check that box, it says that it will take about 2 minutes
> for the router to reboot, but at that point I lose all access to the
> router.
Around here, the default choice is "Get dynamically from existing
router", and that works only if the router-as-WAP can talk to a DHCP
server on your network, which it can't do if it's not connected to your
network.
> [...] I cannot connect to the router by cable plugged into one of the
> regular ports or the internet port using a browser and going to
> routerlogin.com, routerlogin.net, [...]
Those names work only if the R8000 is acting as a router (and DNS
server), and should fail if the R8000 is acting as a WAP.
> [...] 192.168.1.1, or 10.0.0.1. [...]
Similarly, if the R8000-as-WAP is getting its LAN IP address
"dynamically from existing router", it would need to be connected to
"existing router", and neither of those addresses is very likely to be
the address it would get if it were. (And, if it's not, then it will
have no LAN IP address, only frustration.)
> [...] I have no idea where the router is.
It won't "Get [its LAN IP address] dynamically from existing router",
until it's connected to "existing router" (DHCP server).
> [...] Assuming that it is working in AP mode, I try to connect it to
> the SRX240 using an ethernet cable from the internet port as the
> documentation says, but it does not work.
What, exactly, "does not work". If you're trying to get your web
browser to talk to the R8000-as-WAP, then you'd need to know its
address, and, so far, only the main router (DHCP server) knows what that
is. If the main router offers some kind of Attached Devices or DHCP
Clients report, then that should show the R8000-as-WAP, and the address
shown there should lead to the R8000 managment web site.
> [...] I have also tried to set up the router in router mode to a fixed
> IP at 192.168.1.252, then switching it to AP mode, [...]
"in router mode", the R8000 has two IP addresses, WAN/Internet and
LAN. As usual, showing actual actions with their actual results (error
messages, LED indicators, ...) can be more helpful than vague
descriptions or interpretations.
Given the existence (supposed for you, actual for me) of that "Choose
IP Address settings on this access point" choice, I'd guess that a
manually set router-mode LAN IP address would not survive the change to
WAP mode. I'd guess that you'd get either the default ("Get dynamically
from existing router"), or else whatever you specified for "Use fixed IP
Address (not recommended)" when it provided places for user-specified
values for:
IP Address
IP Subnet Mask
Gateway IP Address
Primary DNS
Secondary DNS
So, if your R8000 really doesn't ask you to "Choose IP Address
settings on this access point", then I'd assume that it's defaulted to
"Get dynamically from existing router", and I'd ask the "existing
router" (DHCP server) where the R8000-as-WAP might be.
> I would think that I should still be able to access some setup page
> where I could change the IP or the SSID, but I have had no luck so
> far.
You should, but finding the R8000-as-WAP may be a little less
straightforward than you might expect. But, aside from the missing
"Choose" choice, it should all make sense if you look at things from the
point of view of the R8000.
First of all. thank you for being willing to help me. I DO appreciate the help. Not trying to be an a**hole but sometimes I get that way.
I will try to answer your questions from this post.
> Complaints about "The documentation" might benefit from some
>description of which "The documentation" is being discussed, too.
I was referring to the Netgear documentation provided with the router, and the FAQs online. I fully understand that the documentation is geared toward the "average" user out there who is not trying to do the types of things that I am trying to do, but in general I find Netgear's documentation to be extremely vague and unhelpful.
> Around here, the default choice is "Get dynamically from existing
>router", and that works only if the router-as-WAP can talk to a DHCP
>server on your network, which it can't do if it's not connected to your
>network.
Yes, I now see that option and have tried it.
> What, exactly, "does not work". If you're trying to get your web
>browser to talk to the R8000-as-WAP, then you'd need to know its
>address, and, so far, only the main router (DHCP server) knows what that
>is. If the main router offers some kind of Attached Devices or DHCP
>Clients report, then that should show the R8000-as-WAP, and the address
>shown there should lead to the R8000 managment web site.
When i put the the R8000 into AP mode, it is assigned an appropriate IP address by the SRX240 router. After that, attempts to access that IP address gets me nowhere. The address is 192.168.1.10. I have connected to the device with a laptop and an ethernet cable both to the WAN port, and also to one of the other 4 ports on the device. There is no response from the device at 192.168.1.10. I have tried connecting to the device using a browser, and I have tried to ping the device. Once it has been assigned an IP in AP mode, I do not seem to be able to make any connection to the device.
The device does broadcast 3 SSIDs: NETGEAR18, NETGEAR18-5G-1, and NETGEAR18-5G-2. I can "connect", meaning the handshake and password check establish a connection, and the device is sitting out there at 192.168.1.37. Attempts to ping that address or connect to that address using a browser time out.
> "in router mode", the R8000 has two IP addresses, WAN/Internet and
>LAN. As usual, showing actual actions with their actual results (error
>messages, LED indicators, ...) can be more helpful than vague
>descriptions or interpretations.
Hopefully the above has cleared up this point...
> Given the existence (supposed for you, actual for me) of that "Choose
>IP Address settings on this access point" choice, I'd guess that a
>manually set router-mode LAN IP address would not survive the change to
>WAP mode. I'd guess that you'd get either the default ("Get dynamically
>from existing router"), or else whatever you specified for "Use fixed IP
>Address (not recommended)" when it provided places for user-specified
>values for:
> IP Address
> IP Subnet Mask
> Gateway IP Address
> Primary DNS
> Secondary DNS
I have tried this option as well. I put in 192.168.1.252 as the IP, 255.255.255.0 as teh subnet mask, 192.168.1.1 as the gateway, 208.67.222.222 as primary dns, and 8.8.8.8 as secondary DNS. When I hit "apply" the device did not go to 192.168.1.252, but requested an IP from the existing router. It is now sitting at 192.168.1.10. Strange behaviour, would you not agree? This is why I believe that Netgear says that this option is (not recommended) because they know it does not work.