Extender soes not show then 5G connection working but I can still connect devices

[skeptocrat40]

I can still seem to connect to the extended range 5Ghz band on my extender but the indicator on the extender is not on.  I do not seem to be able to log into the extender or make any changes.  I have gone through the setup procedure several times but no luck.  What gives?

[DexterJB]

Hi @skeptocrat40,

Welcome to the community!

1. The 5GHz Link Rate LED on the extender is an indicator that the extender is connected to the 5GHz band of your main wireless router.

2. What is the model of your main wireless router?

3. Are you getting an error during the setup?

4. Does the extender appear as a connected device on the router UI?

Regards,

Dexter

Community Team

[skeptocrat40]

1. I realize the 2.4 and 5 Ghz indicators show the active links between my main router and the extender.  Previously, both were lit and I thought nothing of it. Now, only the 2.4 indicator is lit.  Nevertheless, I seem to be able to connect devices to the extender using both bands.  What has changed?  I was away from the house for a few weeks and when I returned all was the same except the change in indicators as mentioned.  Itried reinstalling the extender but cannot access it using the www.mywifext.net address as specified in the user manual.

2. My router is provided by Comcast and it an Arris TG1682G model.

3. I saw no errors when I tried to reinstall things but could not access the web site as mentioned above.

4. The extender seems to be connected to the router  on the 2.4 Ghz band only.  I do not know what connections it might have had in the previous state since I did not have reason to check.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

John Thompson

[DexterJB]

Hi @skeptocrat40,

It would be best to do factory reset on the extender then go through the manual setup and make sure that the extender connects to the 5GHz band of the main router. Page 43 of the user manual linked here may help and the installation guide is here.

Regards,

Dexter

Community Team

[skeptocrat40]

As I mentioned, I cannot log into the extender so the hardware reset will be necessary.  I actually have done that but it does not seem to change things. I am wondering if I have to somehow go through all my devices, including the WiFi router, to eliminate all references to the extender so I can start over.  Sounds like a lot of work given that things actually "sort of" work now.

[DexterJB]

Hi @skeptocrat40,

You can access the UI of your router to check the assigned IP for the extender and access the extender using that IP.

Regards,

Dexter

Community Team

[skeptocrat40]

I found I could finally log onto the extender using the login and password I use to access this community.  I guess Idon't understand the system.

I found that the firmware for the extender needed to be updated.  Once I did that I could delete the old extensions and create new ones.  Things seem to be working now.  I don't really know what happened or exactly how I fixed it, if I did, but all is OK for now.

[StephenB]

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@skeptocrat40 wrote:

I found I could finally log onto the extender using the login and password I use to access this community.  I guess Idon't understand the system.

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Probably you entered those credentials when you set up the extender.

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@skeptocrat40 wrote:

but all is OK for now.

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Great 

[skeptocrat40]

Actually, I set up that account just so I could access this community to figure out what my original problem was.  I had to use a different password to do that.

[StephenB]

Well, you are asked for email/password as part of the set up process, and it would be natural to use your netgear credentials (since those are also used to register the product).

Anyway, it sounds like your problem is resolved.

[skeptocrat40]

I think folks have mised the point I was trying to make.  When I first installed the extender, I created credentials.  When my probelm developed, I asked the community and created an entirely different set of credentials using diffent login and password.  

In any case, here is what I have observed: When I was able to access the extender by way of the new credentials, I discovered that new firmware was required. I had received no notice of this any other way.  I am guessing this firmware issue was at the base of my problems. When I aksed for the firmware to update I got a screen message saying this was under way and not to turn off or unplug the device until this completed.  There was a little circle graphic that moved suggesting progress.  The probelm is it never stopped even after an hour or so.  I got impatient and finally just closed the browser (I could not access the log off feature while the "circle" was active) and unpuged the extender to restart it.

It seems the firmware was updated since when I reaccessed the device through the Netgear site, all was well. I was then able to set up both extended bands and everything works as before.  Obviously several hours are not enough to update firmware or the process does not run to completion as one would expect.

Fast forward to yesterday when my network attached backup storage, a WD My Cloud disk, could no longer be accessed by my computers.  This device could still be accessed directly as a network device and I could still log into it.  Guess what?  A firmware update was required there as well so I started the process. Low and behold, the same messages and "circle" progress graphics were there for this device as well.  Perhaps Western Digital and Neatgear are all part of the same company but it is hidden from simple Internet searches.  In any case (again), the update process never "finished."  Identical behavior as withthe network extender.  Furthermore, after waiting several hours for this to complete, I "violated" the warning and unplugged the disk and powered it up again.  I could still log into the disk and now the dash board showed the firmware was up to date and my computers could now see the disk again and do backups.

Why do these two companies have the same interface behaviors and why does the firmware update process hang up the same way in two totally different products?  Just wondering.  So, the lesson seems to be: do not trust the warning to not power off these devices after the update process acts like it is hung.  Just unplug and start up from scratch.  Not a good way to run a product in my opinion.