Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
Hi there,
There are a lot of threads about using multiple EAX80s to make a mesh network in a large home, and all seem to say "don't do that! They'll connect to themselves, that's the problem!" But if you use Fastlane, you can configure your EAX80 extenders to only connect to 2.4 GHz bands and output 5 GHz bands. Boom, now they can't connect to each other.
However, I still am struggling with setup for multiple EAX80s. I have tried customer support, and they just tell me to spend more money on Orbi. No thanks.
I'd *love* to get a multiple EAX80 setup and working and then share how to do this with everyone. If anyone has had success with this, please share! I think the issue may be with the router not assigning them different IP addresses, thinking they are the same device; I have not seen two such devices show up in my router settings yet (also a Nighthawk router).
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
See attached screenshot of only one device despite two on the network. After turning the second one off for a while, it is now defaulting back to 192.168.1.250 IP address, while the other is stable at 192.168.1.9 (as can be seen in the screenshot).
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
Problem with extenders is that they aren't a full mesh system like orbi with a router controlling the system.
so they can end up connected to each other if they're to close to each other or if the router's signal isn't always stable (when it drops the extenders can search/find each other)
If you're in one of those circumstances, having 1 with its own unique ssid can increase stability because they won't end up connecting to each other.
Its why we/I usually recommend people use a full mesh system like orbi if they're needing more than 1 extender.
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
I'm sorry, but can you please reread my original post? The entire point was that this "connecting to each other" problem can be solved and misrepresents the issue. And no, it has nothing to do with unique SSIDs.
If you want the name of the SSID to resolve the issue, you need *all* extender networks to have their own unique SSIDs to make it matter. Not just one. If you have internal documentation you can update, you should update this to give more accurate support answers in the future.
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
Thanks for the clarification. The use of the word "we" earlier threw me off. But still, the point remains: the entire purpose of this post is that I feel Netgear - and the community - isn't giving accurate info here. I'm just trying to help as well. If I eventually switch to a full mesh network, given Netgear's support model, there's a 0% chance I get a Netgear product. So, this info/answer to my question helps keep me a Netgear customer, and hopefully others.
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
So to get back on track, I change all extenders to be unique SSIDs. This doesn't help my router detect two different connected devices. And I never had the issue of extenders connecting to each other. Now what?
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
Both devices have been checked for firmware updates and are fully up to date. I can confirm version number on both if needed.
Interestingly, both are providing internet access now. One is still on the default 250 ip, and one isn't. However, my router (also Netgear) only shows one device (not the one on the 250 ip).
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
If you log into the first extender, does it show the 2nd extender connected to it?
And if you log into the 2nd one, whats it showing for its connection status back?
Verson number does help just because many times the app or browser will show it current when it isn't. Sometimes this happens if the update was new and wasn't pushed out to the automatic update server yet or if a device is to far behind.
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
Extender #1 (192.168.1.9):
Firmware Version:V1.0.1.62_1.0.1
Does not show extender #2 in device list.
Connection status is confusing (see screenshot), as it says no connection on 5Ghz wifi extension, but both wireless and wired connections are connecting to the internet fine.
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
A couple things.
1. What router do you have? is it the RAX120?
2. I'd disable fastlane. Its a great concept but poor in implementation. Reason why is because 2.4ghz is slow. Even 5ghz when running in extender mode (the speed reduction it takes) is still much faster than 2.4ghz. Using it as your backhaul slows the extenders to a rediculous amount.
3. They're both connecting, they just both aren't showing in the app/browser as connected? But both work?
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
> What router do you have? is it the RAX120? Netgear Nighthawk X6S
> I'd disable fastlane. Its a great concept but poor in implementation. Reason why is because 2.4ghz is slow. Even 5ghz when running in extender mode (the speed reduction it takes) is still much faster than 2.4ghz. Using it as your backhaul slows the extenders to a rediculous amount. Again, not to be rude, but please read my original post; fastlane is the entire point of this post. It prevents the need for separate SSIDs, as it *completely removes the possibility of EAX extender devices from connecting to each other.*
Also, your comment is technically incorrect. Why? Because it depends on how far away your extenders are from your router. 2.4 GHz has longer range. Thus, if extenders are far enough away, 2.4 GHz is faster than 5 GHz due to range. This is the case for my extenders (router on first floor, one extender in basement, one on second floor).
Lastly, it doesn't really matter for my use case. I only have 150 MBPS down from my ISP. 2.4 GHz can handle this speed just fine.Case in point, running wireless speed tests anywhere in my house - connected to my router or an extender - shows equal speeds everywhere (~100 MBPS).
> They're both connecting, they just both aren't showing in the app/browser as connected? But both work? Correct. I'll screenshot my router device list here.
> What router do you have? is it the RAX120? Netgear Nighthawk X6S
> I'd disable fastlane. Its a great concept but poor in implementation. Reason why is because 2.4ghz is slow. Even 5ghz when running in extender mode (the speed reduction it takes) is still much faster than 2.4ghz. Using it as your backhaul slows the extenders to a rediculous amount. Again, not to be rude, but please read my original post; fastlane is the entire point of this post. It prevents the need for separate SSIDs, as it *completely removes the possibility of EAX extender devices from connecting to each other.*
Also, your comment is technically incorrect. Why? Because it depends on how far away your extenders are from your router. 2.4 GHz has longer range. Thus, if extenders are far enough away, 2.4 GHz is faster than 5 GHz due to range.----This zone of a very small zone and by that time the speeds of both are reduced to a crawl. Whats the point of having a $250 extender (x2) if you've reduced the speeds that much. You'd have been better off to pay someone to fish ethernet through and use a cheap dual band access point at that rate. This is the case for my extenders (router on first floor, one extender in basement, one on second floor).
Lastly, it doesn't really matter for my use case. I only have 150 MBPS down from my ISP. 2.4 GHz can handle this speed just fine.Case in point, running wireless speed tests anywhere in my house - connected to my router or an extender - shows equal speeds everywhere (~100 MBPS).----did you try it running it in standard mode? and test both bands? With AX the 5ghz speed should still be plenty fast. And 2.4ghz is more sensitive to interference.
> They're both connecting, they just both aren't showing in the app/browser as connected? But both work? Correct. I'll screenshot my router device list here.---I trust that you're correct in this. Just confirming its working.
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
> ---This zone of a very small zone and by that time the speeds of both are reduced to a crawl. Whats the point of having a $250 extender (x2) if you've reduced the speeds that much. You'd have been better off to pay someone to fish ethernet through and use a cheap dual band access point at that rate. What? You can get someone to fish ethernet through your walls for $250? Please, refer them to me. I'd love to do this. Now, for the rest of us where this is just not true (I live in $eattle for what it's worth), what I am saying holds very well and true.
> ---did you try it running it in standard mode? and test both bands? With AX the 5ghz speed should still be plenty fast. And 2.4ghz is more sensitive to interference. Lol, yes. 5GHz doesn't improve the speeds even 1 MBPS. FWIW, I am comparing 5 GHz on my first floor with the round-about 2.4 GHz on other floors, *and I get almost identical speeds.* The first floor 5 GHz band from my router doesn't increase speeds by even 1 MBPS.
I really feel like we're off-topic here though; 2.4 vs 5 GHz isn't the point of my post (although I think it's important to start accurately informing the community about this).
Re: Multiple EAX80s - Fastlane to Prevent Connection Issues
I suddenly couldn't login to my community 2 days in the past. My different devices inclusive of roommates join best. About an hour ago my internet commenced running all of the sudden as you can read.
