A basic but far flung SOHO network across 2 buildings and large outdoor area. Nighthawk X6S R7960P Primary Router; 1-R6900P (Ethernet-As A Wireless Access Point; SSID Same As Primary); 3-WAC104 (Ethernet-As A Wireless Access Point); Wanting to add another R6900P (Ethernet-As A Wireless Access Point). While antiquated, throughput is great, more than adequate. I CANNOT get the recently acquired R6900P to configure as AP. Never had a problem before configuring the other 4 APs. Following the instructions (P 175 of UM) and other places at NetGear and it simply does not show up. ROUTERLOGIN.NET signs me onto Primary Router. I cannot find the IP of the R6900P to be added. I can't imagine I am restricted in adding an additional AP but don't know for sure. ANY steps toward a resolution will be greatly appreciated.

Change the device name of your second R6900P to R6900P-2. You have two devices on your network with the same name. When configured as an access point and connected to your network, it should show up as R6900P-2 in the connected devices list of your R7960P router.

Thank you for your response and your interest in helping. I don't think I can -or maybe just don't know how- to change #2's-R6900P name when I can't get it connected at all. I reset #2-R6900P before every attempt, just for clarity (in my mistakes!) All the other APs have unique names but the Primary and #1-R6900P use same SSID. Right out of the UM, I patch cable from #2-R6900P YELLOW port to any LAN port other than Yellow on Primary and launch ROUTERLOGIN.NET and (while it's very slow) I am ultimately connected to Primary. Darn. I went in and attempted to see the IP for #2-R6900P; I thought I found it but couldn't even PING it. I honestly think I'm missing something really simple but just don't see it. FYI, I have other (backup) routers I could use and tried 2 of them with the same result. (I'll try those again today; maybe -just maybe- #2-R6900P is not working properly. I really appreciate your taking time to assist me (and others.) As an aside, my best friend was my in-house computer guru and over the years there were only a few things we couldn't figure out and implement together. He died last year. I'd pay someone in the Greater Springfield, MA - Hartford, CT area if I could find someone knowledgeable; I tried a regional consulting/sales group and they were most interested in solving problems by selling upgraded hardware vs solving problems. I can certainly live without #2-R6900P but it would allow me infinitely better outdoor access. Between the metallic oxide in my windows and metallic screens, signals outside were greatly deteriorated. I didn't realize until I tried moving an AP outside the window it had been behind as a test. Thank you again.

FBFeins wrote:Thank you for your response and your interest in helping. I don't think I can -or maybe just don't know how- to change #2's-R6900P name when I can't get it connected at all. I reset #2-R6900P before every attempt, just for clarity (in my mistakes!) All the other APs have unique names but the Primary and #1-R6900P use same SSID. Right out of the UM, I patch cable from #2-R6900P YELLOW port to any LAN port other than Yellow on Primary and launch ROUTERLOGIN.NET and (while it's very slow) I am ultimately connected to Primary. Darn. I went in and attempted to see the IP for #2-R6900P; I thought I found it but couldn't even PING it. I honestly think I'm missing something really simple but just don't see it. FYI, I have other (backup) routers I could use and tried 2 of them with the same result. (I'll try those again today; maybe -just maybe- #2-R6900P is not working properly. I really appreciate your taking time to assist me (and others.) As an aside, my best friend was my in-house computer guru and over the years there were only a few things we couldn't figure out and implement together. He died last year. I'd pay someone in the Greater Springfield, MA - Hartford, CT area if I could find someone knowledgeable; I tried a regional consulting/sales group and they were most interested in solving problems by selling upgraded hardware vs solving problems. I can certainly live without #2-R6900P but it would allow me infinitely better outdoor access. Between the metallic oxide in my windows and metallic screens, signals outside were greatly deteriorated. I didn't realize until I tried moving an AP outside the window it had been behind as a test. Thank you again. Disconnect the #2 R6900P from everything except the power cord. Perform the firmware default (factory) reset and let it boot back up. From there you can access the user interface through the default Wi-Fi SSID or through an Ethernet connection. In one of the setting screens you can see the default name of R6900P. I do not know specifically which screen and I do not have one to use to provide you that much detail. Be patient and look, you will know when you find it. Save the changes and start fresh with the access point configuration. Having the same SSID and password for two somewhat nearby access points is not an issue. Make sure they are not transmitting on the same Wi-Fi channels for either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. When you rename the device, use R6900P-2, don't use the # sign or spaces. When you connect it back to your network, the WAN input connection on R6900P-2 should connect to any of the LAN ports on your network. I am on the West coast.

Thank you; I'll try it later and get back to you (either with more thanks and kudos or my disappointment.) F

Some things just shouldn't be so hard, like configuring computers and components. Failure, 2 more times. I just don't get it. I've followed your instructions and the UM and just can't get it. I pulled power on the existing (and working) R6900P which is in another building. (I'm tempted to just pull Ethernet service from that building temporarily.) Most recently I tried an X4S R7800 (which previously worked; after reset with no attachments except power) and routerlogin.net asked User & Password with no indication if I was accessing primary router or R7800 or primary router. Failure. Access and throughput is adequate with the system that works, I'm really just trying to increase outdoor access. Reluctantly I think I have to accept defeat; I have no idea what the problem is. I'm tempted to take the entire network down, only leaving broadband into Yellow and trying just the primary router and a unit destined to be an access point attached to it. I will have to wait until there is no one else needing service. THANK YOU for your assistance and sticking with me. (I've got 50+ years of rescue training and experience; I stop at all accidents and broken down cars. That's how I pay others' help forward.) Thanks again. J

R6900P As An Access Point; Can't Get It Configured or Even Recognized!

11 Replies

Kitsap
Master
Feb 19, 2025
Change the device name of your second R6900P to R6900P-2. You have two devices on your network with the same name. When configured as an access point and connected to your network, it should show up as R6900P-2 in the connected devices list of your R7960P router.
- FBFeins
  Aspirant
  Feb 19, 2025
  Thank you for your response and your interest in helping. I don't think I can -or maybe just don't know how- to change #2's-R6900P name when I can't get it connected at all. I reset #2-R6900P before every attempt, just for clarity (in my mistakes!)
  
  All the other APs have unique names but the Primary and #1-R6900P use same SSID.
  Right out of the UM, I patch cable from #2-R6900P YELLOW port to any LAN port other than Yellow on Primary and launch ROUTERLOGIN.NET and (while it's very slow) I am ultimately connected to Primary. Darn.
  
  I went in and attempted to see the IP for #2-R6900P; I thought I found it but couldn't even PING it. I honestly think I'm missing something really simple but just don't see it. FYI, I have other (backup) routers I could use and tried 2 of them with the same result. (I'll try those again today; maybe -just maybe- #2-R6900P is not working properly.
  
  I really appreciate your taking time to assist me (and others.)
  
  As an aside, my best friend was my in-house computer guru and over the years there were only a few things we couldn't figure out and implement together. He died last year. I'd pay someone in the Greater Springfield, MA - Hartford, CT area if I could find someone knowledgeable; I tried a regional consulting/sales group and they were most interested in solving problems by selling upgraded hardware vs solving problems. I can certainly live without #2-R6900P but it would allow me infinitely better outdoor access. Between the metallic oxide in my windows and metallic screens, signals outside were greatly deteriorated. I didn't realize until I tried moving an AP outside the window it had been behind as a test. Thank you again.
  - Kitsap
    Master
    Feb 19, 2025
    FBFeins wrote:
    Thank you for your response and your interest in helping. I don't think I can -or maybe just don't know how- to change #2's-R6900P name when I can't get it connected at all. I reset #2-R6900P before every attempt, just for clarity (in my mistakes!)
    
    All the other APs have unique names but the Primary and #1-R6900P use same SSID.
    Right out of the UM, I patch cable from #2-R6900P YELLOW port to any LAN port other than Yellow on Primary and launch ROUTERLOGIN.NET and (while it's very slow) I am ultimately connected to Primary. Darn.
    
    I went in and attempted to see the IP for #2-R6900P; I thought I found it but couldn't even PING it. I honestly think I'm missing something really simple but just don't see it. FYI, I have other (backup) routers I could use and tried 2 of them with the same result. (I'll try those again today; maybe -just maybe- #2-R6900P is not working properly.
    
    I really appreciate your taking time to assist me (and others.)
    
    As an aside, my best friend was my in-house computer guru and over the years there were only a few things we couldn't figure out and implement together. He died last year. I'd pay someone in the Greater Springfield, MA - Hartford, CT area if I could find someone knowledgeable; I tried a regional consulting/sales group and they were most interested in solving problems by selling upgraded hardware vs solving problems. I can certainly live without #2-R6900P but it would allow me infinitely better outdoor access. Between the metallic oxide in my windows and metallic screens, signals outside were greatly deteriorated. I didn't realize until I tried moving an AP outside the window it had been behind as a test. Thank you again.
    Disconnect the #2 R6900P from everything except the power cord. Perform the firmware default (factory) reset and let it boot back up. From there you can access the user interface through the default Wi-Fi SSID or through an Ethernet connection. In one of the setting screens you can see the default name of R6900P. I do not know specifically which screen and I do not have one to use to provide you that much detail. Be patient and look, you will know when you find it. Save the changes and start fresh with the access point configuration.
    
    Having the same SSID and password for two somewhat nearby access points is not an issue. Make sure they are not transmitting on the same Wi-Fi channels for either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. When you rename the device, use R6900P-2, don't use the # sign or spaces. When you connect it back to your network, the WAN input connection on R6900P-2 should connect to any of the LAN ports on your network.
    
    I am on the West coast.

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R6900P As An Access Point; Can't Get It Configured or Even Recognized!