NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Solved
Message "Unable to connect to this network"
Hello, I am slowly losing the will to live. I have been trying to get this device back into use. I bought it a couple of years ago, used it for a while before unplugging it. Today, I decided to r...
- The k you for all your help
teagueqc wrote:
Is the wizard the bit about going to the website? If so, yes, I have tried it, but it doesn't resemble what the user manual leads you to expect. Instead of a login request, you simply get a message telling you you're not connected to your netgear extension. Which is, of course, the very problem I'm trying to sort out. And no, I'm afraid I don't have an ethernet cable!
Factory reset the extender. push and hold reset for 7-15 seconds while powered on. This will set the extender back to factory. Then connection your device to the extender via wireless. IF you're on the extenders wireless, it won't be connected back to the router.
Thank you. I really appreciate the trouble you're going to in order to help me. May I ask one question, please? I'm not sure I understand the last two sentences of your most recent message: "Then connection your device to the extender via wireless. IF you're on the extenders wireless, it won't be connected back to the router." Do you mean I need to connect the device to the extender before connecting the extender to the router? I understand how to do the factory reset, and have already tried it. Maybe it's what I do next that I'm getting wrong. Here's exactly what I've been doing: (i) factory reset while the extender is plugged in; (2) leave the extender plugged in and wait for it to reboot; (3) when the lights are green, press the WPS button to make the WPS light flash; (4) while the WPS light on the extender is flashing, press the WPS button on the router for a second or two, then release it; (5) wait for all relevant lights on the extender and router to show green, then go to my device (laptop) and click on the internet icon to display available networks; (6) among the networks I can see my router's network name and also my router's network name with _EXT after it; (7) I click on the extender network, click on "connect" and am then asked to enter the network key (this I assume to be the network password, not the admin key, although I've tried both!). I then get a message saying "Unable to connect to this network". When I first try to connect, in addition to being asked to enter the network key, I also get a message saying that if I want to I can connect by pressing "the button on the router". Unhelpfully, it doesn't specify which button, but I assume it must mean the WPS one. I've tried that, too, but nothing happens - I don't even get an error message. I'm sorry about all this detail, but I thought it might help you to identify where I'm going wrong if you knew exactly what I've been doing. Thank you again for your efforts to help this utterly stupid, non-technical person!
So wps doesn't always work properly because manufacturer's code it differently. so it can sometimes connect the extender to the router but then devices can't connect to the extender. Or vice versa.
so by factory resetting, you're getting back to stock. Netgear has an installation wizard you can use to install extenders for situations like this. Here's a video walk through.
Thank you very much! It has worked. I followed the instructions and have established a connection. It is barely any better than the unextended signal, but that's because I'm using the device in an outbuilding that is at the limit of the router's range. However, I've ordered a more up-to-date Nighthawk device, which I hope may make a bigger difference. Anyway, thank you again for all your help. You have successfully enabled me to overcome the frustrating problem of establishing a connection with the extender. Can't ask for more than that!
glad to hear you got it working as it should!