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Re: Netgear's 'wireless bridge' DFS CHANNEL blunder

duckware
Prodigy

Netgear's 'wireless bridge' DFS CHANNEL blunder

Many Netgear (DFS capable) routers, when configured as a 'wireless bridge', are UNABLE to connect to another Netgear router/AP operating on a DFS channel!

 

@Dustin_V  @DarrenM  - Please address and fix this problem.  Someone within Netgear is dropping the ball.  According to filed FCC documents, Netgear is getting many DFS capable routers (even AX ones) certified as a DFS Master, but then failing to get the router also certified as a DFS Slave.  Translation: The router in 'router mode' can use DFS channels, but the router in 'wireless bridge' mode can NOT use DFS channels.

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DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator

Re: Netgear's 'wireless bridge' DFS CHANNEL blunder

Hello Duck 

 

I will pass this info on to the engineers. Thanks for bringing this up.

 

DarrenM

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DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator

Re: Netgear's 'wireless bridge' DFS CHANNEL blunder

Hello Duck 

 

I will pass this info on to the engineers. Thanks for bringing this up.

 

DarrenM

Message 2 of 6
duckware
Prodigy

Re: Netgear's 'wireless bridge' DFS CHANNEL blunder

Thanks.  And also pass along the comment that any Netgear router that supports "wireless bridge" (a wifi client, not a router) must be FCC registered as a DFS slave/client -- just as we all expect that any new smartphone will be able to connect to any router (even routers on DFS channels) because the smartphone is FCC registered as a DFS slave/client.

Message 3 of 6
DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator

Re: Netgear's 'wireless bridge' DFS CHANNEL blunder

Hello Duck 

 

Can you tell me what Router models you are seeing this on.

 

DarrenM

Message 4 of 6
duckware
Prodigy

Re: Netgear's 'wireless bridge' DFS CHANNEL blunder

The process is VERY time consuming.  That is something Netgear is far better setup to do than I am.

 

But, here are the steps: Find out recently released Netgear products and use sites on the web to find FCC ID's.  Lookup those IDs on fccid.io and find the model number Netgear assigned to that router.  Search the manual for that model to see if Bridge Mode is there.  If so, go back to FCC docs and look at the DFS test report.  If none, that is a problem.  Is there is a report, if only 'master' that is a problem.  If the router was tested in slave/client mode in the report, then that suggests that DFS channels should work in bridge mode.  BUT then the firmware would need to be tested to make sure bridge mode will connect to a router using DFS channels.

 

Only found the issue because I personally purchased the R6700V3 (DFS router) to use bridge mode, only to find out after purchase that although the router can use DFS in master, it can not use in slave/client mode.

Message 5 of 6
DarrenM
Sr. NETGEAR Moderator

Re: Netgear's 'wireless bridge' DFS CHANNEL blunder

Ok, thanks for the extra info I will pass this on.

 

DarrenM

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