Cannot see extender

[JerryHas]

Hi all

I have just purchased a Nighthawk X4S AC2200 Model 7500. I have set it up, connected it to my router wirelessly and have 5 blue lights showing. The problem is none of my devices are showing it as an available network so I cannot connect to it and therefore still have very low signal strength in the room next door to the nighthawk. I am not too savvy with all this technology being old and clapped out, could anyone tell me where I am going wrong PLEASE. Thank you.

[plemans]

What router are you connecting it to? 

What firmware is on the extender? 

Did you set it up using wps or the installation assistant? 

Are you using the "one wifi" feature? Its the mesh mode that uses the same ssid as the router. 

[schumaku]

In my understanding, the EX7500 does (like all Netgear Mesh extenders) duplicate the wireless name and security settings from the network where it's connected to. There won't be an additional network visible - not under a different name.

The lack of a more powerful signal is a little bit strange. Is the initial / default network name (before installation) like NETGEAR_EXT still on air?

If you have an Android mobile at hand, there are some nice apps like "WiFi Analyzer" or Netgear's "WiFi Analytics" which allow to make multiple BSSID (wireless radio MACs) visible in a tree expandable by a "v" along with the network name.  

[JerryHas]

Hi Thanks for your help

The original network is still visible and that is the one I am using currently, it is SKYD499D, but the signal strength is still only 3MBPS, 2 rooms away it is 37MBPS, the extender is in the room in between and my phone shown 33MBPS in that room. No improvement at all with extender and it is showing 5 blue lights.

Unfortunately I have an Apple phone.

Thank you.

[JerryHas]

Sorry not very good at this tecno stuff!

Connecting to a SKY Q router

Firmware, ??? Lost me

Used WPS

Ha Ha.......not a clue. Sorry.

Thank you.

[plemans]

What actual skyq router is it? 

If you used wps to setup the extender, its default setup uses the mesh function. that's where the ssid for the extender is the same as the ssid for the router. In that mode, the device itself (phone, tablet, etc) is what roams between the router/extender.

Some devices you can change the roaming aggressiveness. You can try manipulating this a bit. 

How to change WiFi Roaming Aggressiveness or Sensitivity in Windows 10 (thewindowsclub.com)

[schumaku]

@JerryHas you are doing good - convinced with he help from some communit members you can figure out! Some alternate proposals or tests here:

Check the Sky router for the presence of the extender in the connected devices and/or DHCP table for the IP address assigned by the router. Now you should be able to access the extender using a Web browser using just the IP address, and login there.

Alternet approach would be to factory reset the exender, and reinstall from scratch using the Netgear Installation Assistant as shown in complete manual on p.13.

Here the reference to the documentation -> Nighthawk X4S AC2200 Tri-Band WiFi Range Extender User Manual 

[JerryHas]

Hi again

I really appreciate your help......... but, I factory reset the extender, The one blue light flashed for a while then went solid as it should according to the book. The problem starts here, the book then says "open the wifi connection manager on your device and connect to NETGEAR_EXT, fine except it isnt there, still just the SKYD499D which means I have no way to connect. Wierd, but I appreciate your efforts, thank you.

[plemans]

Potentially you didn't hold reset long enough. Hold for 7-15 seconds whiles its powered on. 

Or you could simply hardwire a laptop/pc into the EX7500 for setup and changes.