R8000P WiFi dead

Update- I was about to give up on this altogether and try to get a replacement unit (more on that later) but Netgear, in my opinion, is really horrible about making the process easy (more on this later).

I decided to go back to resetting the router again and letting the router software guide the setup process. By doing so the setup process seemed indicate that this second, AP mode router could not use the same SSID as the primary, or I had to turn off the primary's wireless access. So, I opted to disable the primary's wireless and it worked to get the AP mode router's wireless running. But, this is not how it was advertised.

I initially got this second router for the sole purpose of using it as an AP and oddly, advanced Netgear support instructed me to set up both routers with the same SSID with each of the 3-antennae (wireless: 2.4GHz, 5GHz 1, 5GHz 2) set to a different channel, so they would not conflict with each other. So I did just that-

Primary router:

Wireless Network (2.4GHz b/g/n) channel: 1
Wireless Network (5GHz a/n/ac)5GHz-1: 36
Wireless Network (5GHz a/n/ac)5GHz-2: 149

AP mode router:

Wireless Network (2.4GHz b/g/n) channel: 05
Wireless Network (5GHz a/n/ac)5GHz-1: 40
Wireless Network (5GHz a/n/ac)5GHz-2: 153

This is what Netgear's tier 2 or 3 support told me to do and it was not working. Should it work? I thought that was the point of having an AP- to seamlessly extend WiFi throughout a space. Now WiFi at the far end of the house is strong but not so much here in the kitchen.

Okay, as alluded to above, I was going to try to replace the unit (and I still may do that) but the process is convoluted. My phone and chat/email support have both ended but the hardware warranty is still good through August of 2021. So, I started the process by requesting a case number to get an RMA but then they tell you to call them with the case number. When you do this you end up in a ridiculous loop where you either need to still have phone/chat/email warranty time or you have to pay them premium support $$ to determine that the hardware is defective. What good is the hardware warranty when they are going to charge you be able to use it?! I explained that this did not make sense and that I wanted to speak with a manager... they put me on hold to get a manager and came back saying there was no manager available and I should try back later. Try back later?! I asked what that meant- today? tomorrow? next week? The guy (based in India) said they were all still working from home (I've been WFH since the pandemic began, so can sympathize with this) and that I should try back in an hour. He gave me a new case number. When I just checked this new case number I found that it had already been closed?! This is when I decided to try the setup (above) again.

I'm extremely unhappy with their support and their assinine warranty policy; if I can't get this AP mode functioning properly, I am seriously considering ditching Netgear products after using them for ~18-years!

If you can offer any sage advice regarding AP mode to allow both the primary router and AP mode router to broadcast the same SSID, I'd love to know what ideas you have! TIA