My EX6100v2 Advertises _2GEXT but not _5GEXT. Whyizzat, do you suppose?

[GilDawson]

• Hardware Version: EX6100v2
• Firmware Version: V1.0.1.98

On the three of my Macs that are in range of both my Telco DSL modem-router and my Netgear Range Extender, the WiFi drop-down shows three SSIDs, but I expected four.  The three it shows are:

• FFFF9999               - The Telco modem's 2G signal
• FFFF9999_5G        - The Telco modem's 5G signal
• FFFF9999_2GEXT - The Netgear Range Extender's 2G signal

I expected to see FFFF9999_5GEXT - The Netgear Range Extender's 5G signal - but it is not there.   I suppose that's because of some configuration error on my part, but where?

The status.htm on my Netgear Range Extender's pseudo-website shows Green top and bottom in the cartoon.  The 2.4GHz graphic on top has five things connected to it, but the 5GHz graphic on the bottom says "No Connection".  I suppose that means that no device has conected to it.

The parameters displayed below the graphic all look reasonable to me.

What might I have overlooked?

--Gil

[plemans · Accepted solution]

Photos have to be approved by a moderator so I can't see anything you posted for photoes (yet). 

you can click on "choose file" and add them that route. 

One thing to keep in mind is that the ex6100v2 is a mesh extender. meaning it uses the same ssid as the primary router. 

so if you set it up as a mesh device, you should only actually see 2x networks. the routers 2.4ghz and its 5ghz.

the extender can replicate those. 

https://kb.netgear.com/000044732/How-do-I-enable-or-disable-One-WiFi-Name-on-my-Nighthawk-Mesh-WiFi-...

[plemans · Accepted solution]

Photos have to be approved by a moderator so I can't see anything you posted for photoes (yet). 

you can click on "choose file" and add them that route. 

One thing to keep in mind is that the ex6100v2 is a mesh extender. meaning it uses the same ssid as the primary router. 

so if you set it up as a mesh device, you should only actually see 2x networks. the routers 2.4ghz and its 5ghz.

the extender can replicate those. 

https://kb.netgear.com/000044732/How-do-I-enable-or-disable-One-WiFi-Name-on-my-Nighthawk-Mesh-WiFi-...

[GilDawson]

Thanks, plemans.  I had wondered what that radio button did.  I had not understood what "mesh" meant.  Now I get the idea.

My original question has become moot.  I tried moving my computers around and, sure enough, the missing 4th SSID does appear in a few places, just not most.

I'll switch to mesh mode.  If I understand you correctly, we'll get just the two SSIDs on our computers and Netgear will sort out for us who's getting which signal.

Thank you for your suggestion.

--Gil

[plemans]

It could be because 5ghz is much easier blocked thatn 2.4ghz. 

2.4ghz broadcasts further and through more materials. but its slow. 

5ghz is much faster but can't penetrate objects/walls as well. 

Maybe its something in the walls blocking the signal so it appears in some places and not others.