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Re: EX8000 + R8000 setup questions

hbafna
Aspirant

EX8000 + R8000 setup questions

I have a Nighthawk R8000 AC3200 tri-band router. I just got the EX8000 tri band extender. I want to set these up for optimal wifi performance. My router has the following three networks

1. 2GHZ - NW1

2. 5GHZ lower channel - NW2

3. 5GHZ upper channel - NW3

 

I was hoping to setup such that the extender is extending NW1 and NW2 and using NW3 for front and backhaul. Will this give me the best performance?

 

If so how do I set it up this way, as I did not see any option to set the upper channel n/w for front and back haul

Model: EX8000|AC3000 Nighthawk X6S Tri Band WiFi Mesh Extender, R8000|Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Smart WIFI Router
Message 1 of 6

Re: EX8000 + R8000 setup questions

You might get more help, and find earlier questions and answers about your  EX8000, in the appropriate section for your device. That's probably here:

WiFi Range Extenders & Nighthawk Mesh - NETGEAR Communities

Message 2 of 6
plemans
Guru

Re: EX8000 + R8000 setup questions

The EX8000 uses 1x 5ghz band for backhaul. It can't be used for both fronthaul AND backhaul. 

the only way to use all 3 bands as fronthaul is if its hardwired in and running in access point mode. 

 

It also has the option of fall back 2.4ghz backhaul. I usually disable this during setup. 

Easiest way to accomplish what you're trying to do it is using the setup assistant, it asks you which 2.4ghz and 5ghz ssid to connect to. I usually uncheck the 2.4ghz. and then when setting up the 5ghz, you just selct the one you want. 

I attached an image of what it looks like for my EX8000

Message 3 of 6
hbafna
Aspirant

Re: EX8000 + R8000 setup questions

Thank you. But by not selecting the 2.4ghz, it wont also extend it. When I think more about it, I really want the extender to use a dedicated n/w for backhaul. I want this to be the upper channel 5ghz n/w. On looking more into this as well as connecting with support, there is an option to do this via fastlane configuration. However this option just does not show up for me in the Web UI for configuring the extender. Here is the support page link

 

https://mywifiextxt.net/netgear-ex8000-setup/

 


@plemans wrote:

The EX8000 uses 1x 5ghz band for backhaul. It can't be used for both fronthaul AND backhaul. 

the only way to use all 3 bands as fronthaul is if its hardwired in and running in access point mode. 

 

It also has the option of fall back 2.4ghz backhaul. I usually disable this during setup. 

Easiest way to accomplish what you're trying to do it is using the setup assistant, it asks you which 2.4ghz and 5ghz ssid to connect to. I usually uncheck the 2.4ghz. and then when setting up the 5ghz, you just selct the one you want. 

I attached an image of what it looks like for my EX8000


 

Message 4 of 6
plemans
Guru

Re: EX8000 + R8000 setup questions


@hbafna wrote:

Thank you. But by not selecting the 2.4ghz, it wont also extend it. When I think more about it, I really want the extender to use a dedicated n/w for backhaul. I want this to be the upper channel 5ghz n/w. On looking more into this as well as connecting with support, there is an option to do this via fastlane configuration. However this option just does not show up for me in the Web UI for configuring the extender. Here is the support page link

 

 


 


By not selecting the 2.4ghz, it doesn't "not extend it". It just forces the use of the dedicated 5ghz backhaul. I have it setup this way and use the 5ghz and 2.4ghz fine.

Message 5 of 6
hbafna
Aspirant

Re: EX8000 + R8000 setup questions

How? I am not sure i follow. If the extender is not extending the 2.4ghz n/w then you are not using it. The extender is creating its own 2.4ghz n/w whose traffic is going through the 5ghz band between extender and router. So are you not splitting the 5ghz bandwidth for both front and backhaul (between extender and router) to carry the traffic of the 2.4ghz and 5ghz n/ws of extender and devices?

 

I still am unable to see the fatlane/operating mode configuration option in the web GUI. Have spent hours with support and it seems there is a complete disconnect between the support manuals and what the product can actually do.

 

Here is the link to the official setup document: https://mywifiextxt.net/netgear-ex8000-setup/

It has a section on fastlane which is not available.

 

Digging through the threads, other folks have also noticed this, includign some who used to see the option and now it has dissapeared.

https://community.netgear.com/t5/WiFi-Range-Extenders-Nighthawk/EX7700-Fastlane-option-not-available...

Message 6 of 6
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