Re: Unable to change IP address on DGND3700v2 Router

FirstRepeat · ‎2021-01-09

I want to repurpose my DSL router (DGND3700v2) to use it as an access point on my new LAN. I need to change its IP address from 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.1.2 in order to work on the LAN with my new wireless router IP address 192.168.1.1. My laptop is disconnected from the internet and router. After successfully completing a factory reset of the DGND3700v2 router I connected to it usng a CAT5e ethernet cable. In LAN Set Up I disabled DHCP and changed the IP address to 192.168.1.2. Selected APPLY and received a message box which read "192.168.0.1 says Invalide IP address. Please enter again." It doesn't matter whether DHCP is enabled or not I receive the same message.

How do I make the DGND3700v2 router accept this IP address change? I've found two other postings with this same problem but no answer. Help please.

w3wilkes · ‎2021-01-09

I've not been able to set up my DGND3700v1 as an access point, but it does have the ability to be set up as a wireless repeater. This is documented in the manual.

antinode · ‎2021-01-09

> I want to repurpose my DSL router (DGND3700v2) [...]

Firmware version?

> [...] to use it as an access point on my new LAN. [...]

Ok, but that's not a very detailed description of your "my new LAN".

> [...] I need to change its IP address [...]

Sure, but there may be multiple ways to do that. Did you ever try
ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Settings > AP Mode (as the
DGND3700v2 User Manual suggests)?

Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your model number, and look
for Documentation. Get the User Manual (at least). Read. Look for "AP
Mode".

> [...] In LAN Set Up [...]

You mean this?:
ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup : LAN TCP/IP Setup : IP Address

> [...] I disabled DHCP and changed the IP address to 192.168.1.2.
> Selected APPLY and received a message box which read "192.168.0.1 says
> Invalide IP address. Please enter again." [...]

Around here (V1.1.00.26_1.00.26NA), I had no trouble setting the LAN
IP address to "192.168.0.2" or "192.168.1.2".

No trouble, that is, when I changed the DHCP server "Single/Start IP
address" from its default value of ".2" to something less conflicting,
like, say, ".3". When I tried to set the router's LAN IP address to an
address in its DHCP pool, _then_ I got the pop-up box: "Invalid IP
address. Please enter it again."

> [...] It doesn't matter whether DHCP is enabled or not I receive the
> same message.

Yup. More helpful firmware might handle this case differently,
including a more informative error message, but I can see why it might
complain.

If it failed with that error when you followed the documented
procedure to "make the DGND3700v2 function as an access point", then I
might be more sympathetic.

> [...] I've found two other postings with this same problem but no
> answer. [...]

Thanks for the helpful links.

After getting over that hump, I didn't continue on to finish
configuring my DGND3700v2 as a WAP, but what could go wrong?

> I've not been able to set up my DGND3700v1 [...]

Firmware version?

> [...] as an access point, [...]

"not able" is not a useful problem description. It does not say
what you did. It does not say what happened when you did it. As usual,
showing actual actions (commands) with their actual results (error
messages, LED indicators, ...) can be more helpful than vague
descriptions or interpretations.

As I read _its_ User Manual, the DGND3700[v1] lacks the one-step
WAP-mode option, so I'd expect you to need to endure the usual
trial-by-ordeal associated with the ad-hoc any-old-router-as-WAP
configuration scheme:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/2022975

When that fails, you might want to start your own thread for your own
problem, with its different hardware and firmware.

FirstRepeat · ‎2021-01-10

Yes. I know. However it says that Wireless Security must be disabled. I don't want to have a wireless connection whithout security. How do you manage this?

FirstRepeat · ‎2021-01-10

@ antinode

Thanks for taking the time for a detailed response. I had the manual. It has directions for Advanced>Advanced Setup>Wireless Reapeating Function, not ...Wireless Settings>AP Mode. Either way I'll re-read this section more carefully and do what it says. I hadn't thought about setting up wireless repeating and then attempting to change the IP address to make an ethernet connection. I'll post how this turns out. Again thanks for your time and know how.

antinode · ‎2021-01-10

> [...] I don't want to have a wireless connection whithout security.
> How do you manage this? [...]

You don't use that "Wireless Repeating Function (WDS)".

> [...] I had the manual. It has directions for Advanced>Advanced
> Setup>Wireless Reapeating Function, not ...Wireless Settings>AP Mode.
> [...]

The DGND3700v2 User Manual doesn't say much about it. You might get
more from the management web site after you select that mode. For all I
know, it might not work, and you'd need to use the ad-hoc scheme even on
the v2. But, in any case, the "Invalid IP address" problem should be
overcome.

> [...] I'll post how this turns out. [...]

I (at least) would be interested.

FirstRepeat · ‎2021-01-12

@antinode

I'm still working on it. I did another factory reset and followed the maual but did the minimum it would let me get away with. I'm having trouble going the full monty and changing the ssid to be the same as my LAN as the manual suggests. That's "trouble" as in lazy. Plus I don't understand how I can have two routers with the identical ssid's. Anyway, I did change the ip address successfully but then fat fingered a key stroke and bounced myself out of the N600 router. I did switch my LAN to no security to run a test. It couldn't find the N600 and now I can't seem to connect to the N600 to make changes. I'm going to do another factory reset and start over, but I don't have time today. When I'm done I'll give a detailed list of what I tried and what happened. Best. FirstRepeat.

FirstRepeat · ‎2021-01-15

@antinode

Hi,

Success at last! I was able to connect my DGND 3700v2 (N600) firmware V1.1.00.26_1.00.26NA (aka DSL router) to my LAN as an Access Point. I completed the directions from the users manual (which I will describe below) but was not able to connect wirelessly to the LAN. I could connect to the router wirelessly but the DSL router had no connection to the internet. However when I connected a LAN port on the DSL router to a LAN port on my LAN router (another Netgear Router) the DSL router started working as a switch instantly and I had connection to the internet! I can connect to both the 2.4GHz and 5 GHz wifi ports which have different SSID names and different security and access the internet. My goal was to use the old DSL router as an access point with a 2.4GHz wifi connection at a location closer to my new outdoor video camera! It works. The signal from my LAN router was not sufficient at the location where I wanted to place the camera. I also wanted it to be a wired connection so I am not going to sort out why it doesn't seem to work as a wireless repeater.

I'm not happy about having to use outdated WEP security on the 2.4GHz portion of my WiFi network. I may buy a Tp-Link wireless access point so I can use WPA2.

Changed DGND3700v2 router settings as follows:

Completed a Factory Reset by holding down the button on the back of the router for ten seconds.

Connected a LAN port on the router to my laptop with a CAT5e cable.

Signed in with "admin" and "password" as Username and Password respectively.

Changed the password:

>Advanced>Advanced Home>Administration>Set Password and created a new password to replace "password"

>select Apply

Changed the SSIP, channel, Mode, and Security:

Basic>Wireless>Wireless Settings>Wireless Network 2.4GHz(b/g/n)

>Name (SSID): change SSID to match LAN Router SSID

>Channel: changed from "auto" to "11"

>Mode: Set to "Up to 54 Mbps"

>Security Options enabled the WEP radio button

>Security Encryption (WEP)>Encryption Strength: selected 64-bit from the drop down box

>Security Encryption (WEP) Key enabled the Key 1: radio button and entered a ten digit hexadecimal number

>Selected Apply

Set Wireless Repeating Function (WDS)

>Advanced>Advanced Setup>Wireless Repeating Function>checked the box for Enable Wireless Repeating Function (2.4GHz b/g/n) and enabled the Wireless Repeater radio button

>Repeater IP Address entered 192.168.1.250

>Base Station MAC Address entered the MAC for my LAN Router

>Select Apply

Changes to the base station which is my LAN Router and another Netgear product.

Changed the SSIP, channel, Mode, and Security:

Same as Basic>Wireless>Wireless Settings>Wireless Network 2.4GHz(b/g/n) above and set WEP security and used the same WEP key. >select apply

Changed the DHCP server range I think I didn't need to do this, but it was a step I had taken earlier based on a YouTube video and it is a change from the factory settings on the LAN Router.

>ADVANCED>ADVANCED Home>Setup>LAN Setup>Use Router as DHCP Server>Starting IP Address set 192.168.1.20

>Ending IP Address no change left as 192.168.1.254

>Select Apply

Again, Thanks to all who replied to my original post.

antinode · ‎2021-01-15

> Success at last! [...]

Perhaps, for some values of "Success".

> >Security Options enabled the WEP radio button

Why? WEP has been considered insecure/obsolete for years.

> Set Wireless Repeating Function (WDS)

Why? This should not be necessary to use the DGND3700v2 as a WAP.
From this point on, nothing makes much (if any) sense.

Did you choose WEP (in)security solely so that you could use WDS,
which you don't want? WDS uses a wireless link between gizmos, not a
wired link.

> [...] I also wanted it to be a wired connection so I am not going to
> sort out why it doesn't seem to work as a wireless repeater. [...]

At least one of us is thoroughly confused.

> I'm not happy about having to use outdated WEP security on the 2.4GHz
> portion of my WiFi network. [...]

Then don't use it.

> [...] I may buy a Tp-Link wireless access point so I can use WPA2.

You shouldn't need to use WEP on a WAP, even on a DGND3700v2-as-WAP.
WEP (or worse) may be a requirement for WDS, but WDS has nothing to do
with a WAP.

> Changed the DHCP server range [...]

Why? What did you put into the newly-free address range, ".2" -
".19"?

My advice remains to forget WDS, and configure the DGND3700v2 as a
WAP. If the documented "AP Mode" option doesn't work, then I'd follow
the already-suggested procedure at:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/2022975
https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1463500

Your attempt to wedge WDS into this situation seems likely to cause
more trouble than benefit. (WEP, for example.)