Can't configure AX40 as AP mode

[iaskenazi]

I have spent countless hours trying to configure a new RAX40 as AP mode. I also have a Netgear 7800 and I didnt have any problem doing the same thing. 

I dont know if my unit is defective. Do you have any idea how can I do it. i am using the web configuration interface on a Macbook. I have tried with Dynamic or Fixed IP adresses and none of them work. 

[michaelkenward]

What are you doing and where does it go wrong?

The best way to put a router into AP mode is as a standalone operation. Connect the RAX40 to a PC and nothing else. Set it up in AP mode and then add it to the rest of the network.

And remember to start everything in the right order.

Be sure to restart your network in this sequence:

• Turn off and unplug modem.
• Turn off router and computers.
• Plug in and turn on modem. Wait 2 minutes for it to connect.
• Turn on the router and wait 2 minutes for it connect.
• Turn on the AP
• Turn on computers and rest of network.

[schumaku]

Consumer routers, especially new borns, make bad APs in general. (Just my very personal point on that idea...).

Assuming you have used this process (applicable to all new RAX AX routers, too):

How do I change my Nighthawk router to AP mode after I’ve already run setup?

===

1. Scroll down to Choose IP Address settings on this access point and select Get dynamically from existing router. The other existing router on the network assigns an IP address to this router while this router is in AP mode. 
   Note: The Enable fixed IP settings on this device (not recommended) setting requires advanced network experience. Only use this setting if you want to manually assign a specific IP address to the router while it is in AP mode.
2. Click Apply.

Note: After you click Apply, the AP device will change to a new IP assigned by your existing router. The NETGEAR genie web interface may no longer be available.  ...

So at the point #6 the router is not restarting, or not picking up an address form the DHCP server (checked the router [not the AX40] Attached Devices list/DHCP logs, ...?) , or isn't reachable on the IP address manually configured [have used one in your LAN TCP/IP subnetwork?], ... also try the WAN as well as any LAN port. Who knows...

[schumaku]

...and when connecting at that point (assumeably configured AP mode) to the wireless, with any LAN or the WAN port connected to your primary network, does it get anywhere? E.g. DHCP assigned, LAN access, ...?

[iaskenazi]

I am probably doing some things wrong. ( I am not a network e pert at all but I was doing what a guy that does know a lot told me). 

I have a Cisco Linksys router that assigned the ip to the network and 2 NETGEAR 7800 routers configured as access points.i will tell what I am doing.:

1. Connect the new AX40 to the switch via the yellow port.

2. Reset the ax40. (After trying unsuccessfully to make it work).

3. Once it turned on I connected to the Netgear31 via wifi (the new router default name).

4. The lights turn all green but it doesn’t have internet. 

5. I type router login.net and start accessing the router config. (Create admin password, register etc)

6. after doing all that suddenly  it has internet. 

7. I go to advanced settings: wireless ap, turn on and apply. ( I have tried with and without fixed ip)

8. Once applied the laptop connects to my regular network while the new router is updating the config.

9, I ccnnect to the new network (didn’t change name at all) and it doesn’t have internet. Lights on the router are green. 

10. I tried also the same but connecting to the black port instead of the yellow.

[iaskenazi]

I have an old lap with Ethernet port. 

When you say connect the RAX to a pc and nothing more should the lap be connected to rax via cable or wifi. 

I tried also to do it with that computer but I kept connected the rax to the network via yellow port and connected the lap to one of the black ports. I needed to connect via WiFi anyway so it didn’t do any difference 

[schumaku]

Just a network cable connection to the existing network, and e.g. a wireless device accessing the AX40 wireless for example.

When using the AX40 alone, the system connected (via wireless or the old PC by network cable on a LAN port) should not receive an IP address, as the DHCP server should be disabled.

[michaelkenward]

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@schumaku wrote:

Consumer routers, especially new borns, make bad APs in general. (Just my very personal point on that idea...).

---

You are not alone in thinking that.

I'm curious, why would someone buy an expensive AX router and then use it as an access point?

I chip in only to add that Orbi routers might be an exception to that "rule". They come with very useful wifi features, but gaps in their network support. (USB storage, for example.)

A lot of people put Orbis into AP mode, me included. This is the first time I have seen it mentioned for an AX router.

[iaskenazi]

I used to had a voip system and I have some sonos speakers, so all together there were not working properly. The people that installed me (8 years ago) recommended splitting the network and that’s why I ended buying a linlsys Cisco router to to that. 

Since then I changed the original ap to 2 newer Netgear 7800 routers and I could very easily configured them to work as AP. And changed the name to the same to the same ssid name and password that was originally set up. The configuration of that Linksys is closed so I can’t change the  name or password of the WiFi network or do the things that can be done with the genie or nighthawk app. 

Some months ago i changed to a regular Panasonic phone system and I remodeled a game room that has very poor coverage of the existing 7800mrouter. So i have basically 2 chices, try just to make this new AX40 work as AP mode and leave everything as it is, or take out the Linksys router and redo everything from zero.