r6400v2 can't access router after factory reset

[DangerousDan]

I've been using this router as an access point. It suddenly disappeared from the network. Power cycling was no help so I did a factory reset. Before the reset, I have always been able to connect to the router login page using its IP address. Since the reset it  insists on being connected to the internet through the WAN port (meaningless for an AP). Attempting to connect just redirects to their web site which says "use the app"

Using the app, with the WAN port connected to the LAN, I can connect. It then says "looks like your behind another router" and offers to config as an access point and prompts for SSID's and passwords. In also, apparently, gets and IP for the wifi ports from DHCP that is NOT 192.168.1.1 (like it should be after a factory reset.)

Once the new wifi's are set up, the factory SSID's are disabled.

So, the next step would be to reconnect to the device to the LAN and navigate to its new ip. This just redirects to the web site and says "Use the app"

This is a catch-22. The router is effectively bricked since there is no way to use it or reconfigure it. I really long for the old days when hardware companies just made hardware. Now they seem to believe that the need to be nurse-maids who hold your hand when crossing, wipe your butt when you make a mess and are generally so addled that you couldn't possible configure anything as complicated as a router without their interference.

Since I've had this for a few years, I don't expect them to do anything for me. I can't even install dd-wrt because that requires logging in to load new firmware.

If I were to ever consider buying Netgear routers in the future, I  hope that someone would cart me to a psychiatrist to have my head examined.

If anyone knows a way to escape this catch-22, I would be eternally grateful.

[plemans]

When you get to the point where it says "use the app" scroll down to the bottom. There's a link basically saying "i don't have a compatible smartphone". Click that. It'll take you to being able to install it using the gui. I do it all the time as I get annoyed using the app for setup

[DangerousDan]

Thanks, I'll try again

[DangerousDan]

I started over. Reset device, got nighthawk app. It went through all the initial steps including a firmware update and started configuring. Then it stopped and said "router not found).

If I try www.routerlogin.com I just get to netgear's page, not to the router. It says:

Below that it says:

• If you are using NETGEAR Business products (any WAC or WAX access points or Orbi Pro), please visit APLogin
• If you’d still like to use routerlogin.com or routerlogin.net, visit the Router login page cannot be displayed.
• If you are using a VPN connection or a customize IP range, type your Gateway IP address on the browser to access your router. The default gateway IP for your router is 192.168.1.1.

Doing a network scan, there is no device on 192.168.1.1

There is a device on 192.168.1.180 but browsers will no open anything at that IP.

I can't find anything on Netgear's pages that says "i don't have a compatible smartphone".

So at this point I still have no clue.

In the past all I needed to do was reset, go to 192.168.1.1, login and set my configs. I don't understand how or when that introduced this new procedure that assumes that:

a) you are connected to a modem

b) that you intend to use the device as a router

c) that you actually have an internet connection and that you are not in the middle of some desert just wanting to set up a small LAN with some wifi access to a local file server).

d) that you really want someone wiping your nose (which might be ok if it worked) but they clearly have a very limited use case in mind and seem to have precluded any others.

If there is no solution I will just have to send this device to the landfill. Without the 192.168.1.1 login, I can't even switch to DD-WRT because that required loading a firmware file manually.

I'm stuck and hope that someone can help.

Thank you

[plemans]

1. what modem/gateway is the router connected to? 

2. first you said you didn't want the app and then you said you're using the app. Which is it? Are you going through setup using the app or the browser setup? 

3. If you're connecting it to a device that has its own router functions, try 10.0.0.1

[DangerousDan]

1 - I have a fiber modem feeding an opnSense firewall/router. That is connected to a cat6 backbone to which are connected 7 access points and about 50 IP devices. I have been using this box as one of the access points until it mysteriously stopped working. This was the reason that I did the factory reset, but having done so I can no longer configure it the way I used to.

2 - App or no app. Well, out of desperation I have tried both. Since I couldn't get tot eh config login through the browser I figured I might as well try the app to see if it would help. So far, it has not helped.

3 - I'll try the 10.0.0.1, but I need to dig out another computer and set up a separate LAN on 10.0.0.xxx to do that.

[DangerousDan]

no router detected on the 10.0.0.xxx subnet

[cjmckenz]

Luckily I pulled my version of this router out of a local dumpster which is where it belongs. Let me tell you how to get it to be not-stupid.

First do a full reset. Disconnect it from the internet and just hook it up to your laptop. Pull down the IP from DHCP and then disagree to both.

Then go to "Let me choose" and "Access Point mode".

Say you are willing to "disable your wifi" and just type in any random thing for the 2.4 and 5ghz

In the next page you'll want to set your password. They have a stupid password restriction like they're babysitting you so just press F12 and type this into the console

checkData = function() { return true }

That will bypass all their stupid checks Including the one where you're supposed to tell them the first netgear product you bought as a security question ... like anyone remembers.

Now that you're still totally disconnected it will reboot and allow you to do traditional configuration.

What the heck netgear ... I should put this back INTO the dumpster I found it in.