Orbi WiFi 7 RBE973

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

sktn77a
Virtuoso

Using wifi router as an access point

OK, this is an oldie but a goldie!  I have an old Netgear FWAG114 a/b/g wireless router that I'm using as an access point.  I've disabled DHCP (my Netgear WNR2000 is assigning IP addreses) and connected it to the WNR2000 - port 1 on the 2000, WAN port on the FWAG114.  NADA!!!  If I connect it to one of the LAN ports on the FWAG114 it works fine.  The kicker is, I used a setup similar to this with my Netgear FVS338/WAG304 and the FWAG114 for about 5 years and it worked perfectly connected via the WAN port.

 

Any ideas???

 

 

Message 1 of 14

Accepted Solutions
DaneA
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Hi sktn77a,

 

As far as I know, the proper way is to connect the WiFi router configured as Access Point to the LAN port of the main router.  It is because the main router (in your setup, its the WNR2000) is the one that will provide local IP addresses to the wireless clients connected to the SSID of the WiFi router configured as Access Point that is why it should be connected via the LAN port.  

 

 

Regards,

 

DaneA

NETGEAR Community Team

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Message 4 of 14

All Replies
DaneA
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Hi sktn77a,

 

I have also configured WiFi routers to be used as access points and it should be connected to the LAN port of the router not to the WAN port.  

 

 

Regards,

 

DaneA

NETGEAR Community Team

Message 2 of 14
sktn77a
Virtuoso

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Thanks DaneA.  Just wondering why it worked for so long in the old system wired to the WAN port?  I know netgear changed their default IP address from 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.1.1 but not sure if they did anything else that might explain this?

Message 3 of 14
DaneA
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Hi sktn77a,

 

As far as I know, the proper way is to connect the WiFi router configured as Access Point to the LAN port of the main router.  It is because the main router (in your setup, its the WNR2000) is the one that will provide local IP addresses to the wireless clients connected to the SSID of the WiFi router configured as Access Point that is why it should be connected via the LAN port.  

 

 

Regards,

 

DaneA

NETGEAR Community Team

Message 4 of 14
sktn77a
Virtuoso

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Thanks again DaneA:  Yes, I understand what you are saying and it appears to be working in this mode.  In my case, however, I have disabled DHCP so the clients wouldn't be getting their IP addresses from this router, anyway.  I looked at the AP setting recommendations in my WNR2000 (when used as an access point onloy) and it clearly shows connection to the WAN port when this router is used as an access point only.  So I'm befuddled why this setup doesn't work, particularly as it did for about 5 years when my FWAG114 was connected via my FVS338 as a (non-DHCP) access point.

???????

 

 

Message 5 of 14
sktn77a
Virtuoso

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Here is a picture of my other system using an R7000 as a wireless router and a WNR2000 as a remote access point.  The instructions with the WNR2000 say to connect the AP via its WAN port and this setup is working fine.  Both routers' default IP addresses are 192.168.1.x.  

 

Untitled.jpg

 

On my other system, the default IP address of the WRN2000 is 192.168.1.1 but the default IP address of the FWAG114 is 192.168.0.1.  Unlike the above system, I can't access the FWAG114 via the WNR2000 as it doesn't show up under the WNR2000's attached wire devices (even though it is working fine as an access point).

 

Curiouser and curiouser.

 

Anyone else got any ideas???  

 

Message 6 of 14
TheEther
Guru

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Netgear's newer routers that have an AP mode setting repurpose the WAN port to behave like a LAN port.

 

Older routers that don't have an AP mode setting do not repurpose the WAN port, so the router must be connected through a LAN port.

 

If you want to use the FWAG114 as an AP, then you will need to change its IP address to belong to the subnet of the main router.  For example, if the main router is using 192.168.1.1/255.255.255.0, then you can the FWAG114 to use 192.168.1.254 or 192.168.1.2.  Whatever address you use, make sure that cannot be assigned as a DHCP address by the main router.  Otherwise, you risk the possibility of an IP address conflict.

Message 7 of 14
sktn77a
Virtuoso

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Thank Ether.  With my old setup, I'm pretty sure it was on the same subnet (192.168.0.x) and that I had also assigned it a static IP address. Tha t would appear to answer the question.

 

Thanks All

Message 8 of 14
JohnRo
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Hello sktn77a, 

 

We are glad to know that @TheEther 's response answered your question. If your issue is now resolved we encourage you to mark the appropriate reply as the “Accepted Solution” so others can be confident in benefiting from the solution. The Netgear community looks forward to hearing from you and being a helpful resource in the future!

 

Thanks, 

Message 9 of 14
sktn77a
Virtuoso

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Unfortunately, this was not the answer to the question.  I just got an old WNR200v2 off CraigsList which appears to have the same generation hardware/firmware as my FWAG114 (and very different from the WNR2000v3).  The latest firmware upgrade for the WNR2000v2 still has the old Netgear SmartWizard setup GUI in the firmware (like the FWAG114) and not the Netgear Genie (like the WNR200v3).  The WNR200v2 has the default IP address of 192.168.1.1 so this was not the cause of the original problem I am having with the FWAG114 (and now the WNR2000v2).  Like the FWAG114 (and unlike the WNR2000v3) the WNR2000v2 requires the cable from the main router to be connected to the LAN port and not the WAN port, thereby placing some major limitations on its use as an access point.

 

Pity Netgear can't provide a more informed response to basic questions like this on their products.

 

😞

 

 

Message 10 of 14
JohnRo
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Hi sktn77a, 

 

If you want to setup a router to be an AP, it is always a LAN port-to-LAN port connection. What is happening when this is done is the router serves as a wireless switch and works as an AP. If you will use the WAN port, the router will use NAT, therefore you will have a double NAT. It will be a DHCP server behind another DHCP server. No matter where you look at, LAN port to LAN port is what is used if you want a router to be an AP. 

 

Thanks, 

Message 11 of 14
sktn77a
Virtuoso

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Hi Jonh:

 

Please see post 6, above, with the correct configuration for the current Netgear hardware.  DHCP is switched off first on the router that is acting as an access point.

 

 

Message 12 of 14
JohnRo
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Hello sktn77a, 

 

The difference here is the devices you are using, for home devices that had AP mode you can use its WAN port but it is different when using business type devices such as FWAG114 and home devices with older firmware. AP mode is not available back then, so it is configured LAN to LAN. The very basic configuration is configuring the wireless settings of the router (to be configured as AP) change its IP to be the same range as the main router then disable DHCP. Once it is disabled you will now connect an ethernet cable from the LAN port of the main router to the LAN port for the AP configured router. The AP configured router will act as a wireless bridge, basically extends the network of the main router through wireless signals. 

 

Thanks, 

Message 13 of 14
JohnRo
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Using wifi router as an access point

Hi sktn77a, 

 

We’d greatly appreciate hearing your feedback letting us know if the information we provided has helped resolve your issue or if you need further assistance.
If your issue is now resolved we encourage you to mark the appropriate reply as the “Accepted Solution” so others can be confident in benefiting from the solution. The Netgear community looks forward to hearing from you and being a helpful resource in the future!

 

Thanks,

Message 14 of 14
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