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Hi all, I am trying to use two R7500 as AP + bridge (downstairs to upstairs) but it is not working. It simply will not connect. If I put the Ethernet connected AP in router mode, it works, but I do not need, nor want, two networks. There is already a gateway in place where the fiber comes in and that is too far from where I need the bridge. Is this a known problem or is it just me? Any tips? Second minor issue, is it not possible to reboot the router in bridge mode via GUI? In router mode there is a button in Advanced tab -> Advanced Home.
Thanks again! I finally got it up and running. The problem was that the router did not finalize the change from router to AP when I had 5G disabled. When I powercycled it, after waiting for 10 minutes, it started in router mode, which I did not notice. The solution was to login via eth when it failed to start properly and enable 5G and apply. That started 2.4 and finalized the change to AP mode. After that I could disable 5G again. I could probably have enabled 5G before the change and disabled it after but I did not try that.
I have seen the 2.4/5G not properly respond to enable/disable before but I did not put much interest in that. An example is that if I disable one, it actually disable the other one until I reboot the device.
> [...] I am trying to use two R7500 as AP + bridge (downstairs to > upstairs) but it is not working.
What is the actual problem which you are trying to solve this way? (And you can't run an Ethernet cable?)
Does this mean that you're using one R7500 as a wireless access point, with its WAN port connected to the (unspecified) fiber gateway? If so, how, exactly, did you configure this R7500? Can a wireless client connect to it when it's in wireless-access-point mode? To determine that, check the radio channel used by the client against the channel(s) used by the R7500 (and/or by the (unspecified) fiber gateway, if it, too, has wireless capability).
> [...] It simply will not connect. [...]
What won't connect to what, when you do what? I'd start be making sure that the R7500-as-WAP works, and then move on to the other-R7500-as-bridge. But more configuration details will probably be needed to determine what you've done.
Thank you for listening! The problem: I need upstairs Internet access. The issue: two R7500 does not work in combination AP + bridge. Yes, the AP works fine in AP mode. No, I do not connect eth to WAN port, I use LAN port since it is an AP. Yes, I can connect eth to AP. The bridged R7500 will not connect to R7500 AP in AP mode, but it in router mode it works fine. It will, however, connect to any other AP downstairs (too far away, bad bandwith, so I want this to work). Thanks again
Sorry, I missed the first question, no, we have solid concrete walls and ceiling with no cable option. The R7500 is the only (so far) APs that penetrates the thick ceilings with an acceptable speed. I can do this with other brands (I have a few) but with perhaps half the speed. Wireless is the only option and I like the R7500 performance so far.
> [...] No, I do not connect eth to WAN port, I use LAN port since it is > an AP. [...]
There are two ways to arrange that. For a good time, you might want to visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your model number, and look for Documentation. Get the User Manual, and look for "Use the Router as a Wireless Access Point". On the other hand, if the WAP seems to work, then that seems unlikely to be the problem.
> The bridged R7500 will not connect to R7500 AP in AP mode, but it in > router mode it works fine.
Ok.
> It will, however, connect to any other AP downstairs (too far away, > bad bandwith, so I want this to work).
That's "connect to any other AP downstairs" as a bridge?
Sounds like a mystery.
What are the IP addresses of all these devices (or, strictly speaking, of all these devices' interfaces)? In router mode, the router may negotiate its WAN address with the thing that feeds it, but in access-point mode, its LAN interface is on the same LAN as the thing that feeds it, so you need to arrange a non-conflicting IP address for it. I've never set up one of these in bridge mode, so I know nothing, but, as in access-point mode, I'd expect its LAN to be on the same LAN as the thing that feeds it, so I'd at least worry about its LAN IP address.
Thanks again! I finally got it up and running. The problem was that the router did not finalize the change from router to AP when I had 5G disabled. When I powercycled it, after waiting for 10 minutes, it started in router mode, which I did not notice. The solution was to login via eth when it failed to start properly and enable 5G and apply. That started 2.4 and finalized the change to AP mode. After that I could disable 5G again. I could probably have enabled 5G before the change and disabled it after but I did not try that.
I have seen the 2.4/5G not properly respond to enable/disable before but I did not put much interest in that. An example is that if I disable one, it actually disable the other one until I reboot the device.
