Hi. I've been working on this issue for days and have finally given up. Hopefully someone here has some suggestions as I'm getting ready to break stuff!
Okay, here’s what I have…..
• Verizon Fios • Verizon 9100EM router • Netgear WN2000RPT wifi range extender (x3). I bought three of these to act as bridges in various parts of the house
Connected and working:
• Router is working o Plugged into the router are a blue ray player and Directv home network switch o I can correct wirelessly to the router (network 3HK9F) via my laptop o I have a TV connected wirelessly to the router via a wireless adapter o One of my Netgear extenders is connected wirelessly to the router, and has the network name 3HK9F_EXT Plugged into the extender are a TV and Blue Ray player which are both functioning okay
So, basically, anything connected wirelessly or via an Ethernet cable to the main router (3HK9F) or the extender (3HK9F_EXT) work fine.
Not working:
• I cannot seem to connect a second Netgear extender to the network. I have tried both spare units, without success. When I first got the extenders (3 weeks ago+/-), I was able to have two connected without any problems. However, I unplugged a bunch of things when I was moving TV’s and things around and have been unable to connect the second unit since. • I have reset everything multiple times without success. • When I turn on one of the spare extenders it will show-up in my list of available wifi connections. It shows up as NETGEAR_EXT. I can connect to it and have excellent signal strength. • When I open a browser, it automatically takes me to the smart wizard (www.mywifiext.net). There, it shows me all available networks and asks me to select one. I select 3HK9F, which is the main signal. It then prompts me for a network key, and asks me to confirm security settings. • I am then prompted to accept the proposed network name, which comes up automatically as 3HK9F_EXT. I usually change this to 3HK9F_EXT2 or something similar, as I already have a 3HK9F_EXT set-up and working. Now, when I had the second extended working previously, I’m pretty sure it provided me with a network name of 3HK9F_EXT2 automatically, i.e. it recognized there was already a 3HK9F_EXT out there and created an alternative name. • So, I enter the network name of 3HK9F_EXT2, confirm the security settings (this auto populates and says something about matching the existing network setting), and it runs a 2-minute set-up. • Once the set-up is complete, as prompts me to connect to the new network (3HK9F_EXT2), then click a box that says “I have connected to the internet” or something along those lines. • When I try to connect to 3HK9F_EXT2 it always connects, but shows as having “limited of no connectivity”. I have excellent signal strength, but no connection. It’s weird. • Sometimes it will even show as “connected”, but when I open a browser I get the dreaded internet not available page. • When I check the status of the connection, it says something about network failed to create an IP address. If I run the repair option, it always fails saying it was unable to create an IP. • I’ve reset the extender(s) multiple times and gone through this set-up a variety of different ways, i.e. disabling the security option, changing the network name (3HK9F_EXT3, 3HK9F_EXT99, etc.), using different network keys, all with the same result, i.e. full signal but limited or no connectivity.
I took a different approach this morning. I plugged my Linksys Wireless G router into the Verzon router to see what would happen. When I did, the Linksys LED showing internet illuminated, as did the corresponding LED in the Verizon router showing a plugged connection. I was able to view the Linskys network wirelessly (chez grant & wojo), and was able to connect via my laptop. Again though, despite having excellent signal strength, I got the “limited or no connectivity” status. For giggles, I unplugged the Ethernet cable from the Linksys and put it straight into the laptop and was able to achieve a full connection, thus proving the signal from the router was fine.
I then updated the firmware on one of the extenders. Didn't make any difference as I was still able to connect but not get to the internet.
I did make the following observations which may be relative:
• I noticed that the extender I was trying to install was being assigned the same IP address by the router as the extender that already works. I thought this was odd, and I’m pretty sure two wireless devices trying to access the same router with the same IP address would cause a conflict. • So, I went into my router settings and tried to set-up a static IP for the new extender, using the MAC address and a slightly different IP (only changed one digit). I then went into the extender set-up and entered the revised IP address. Still couldn’t connect. • I also noticed when setting up the extender that the gateway IP and DNS were auto-filled with all 0’s. That can’t be right. I found the gateway IP and DNS on the router set-up page and entered into the extender set-up but it didn’t make any difference. • I also tried setting up the extender with no security to see what would happen. Everything seemed to run smoothly, and I got a “connected” status very quickly when connecting my laptop to the extender. However, I was not able to connect to the internet. • I have to believe this is just a setting, login, or security issue somewhere. Why the router is assigning the same IP address to a new device is weird, but I checked the router settings and everything that relates to the DHCP server is active and looks to be fine. • Out of frustration I reset everything back to factory defaults and ran through a set up once more this morning with no different result.
So, all this has pretty much driven me nuts. I figure it has to be something simple, and based on my experiment this morning with the Linksys I have to believe the issue is with the Verizon 9100EM router, i.e. it’s getting signal to these devices but there’s something (perhaps a security setting) that’s stopping it from connecting fully. I read something about MAC addresses which was somewhat relevant.
It seems to me that for some reason the devices I’m trying to connect to the network are being blocked by the router. The message of “router was unable to assign an IP address” when connecting wirelessly also must have something to do with it.
Anyway, think that’s all the details. Thanks for giving it a look, at this point I’d welcome any suggestions as I’ve run out of ideas.
I spent a week dealing with this same issue. I finally got an 0800 number for support. They were great! The mistake I was making was in the screen where you are asked for your existing network security key. There is a box labelled pass-phrase with a blue 'generate' box to the right of it. I was putting my routers WEP key into that box. The correct place is the #1 box beneath that (there are four in the list) the pass phrase box should be blank. Something like this from memory.....
Blah blah cant remember exact wording Enter your routers pass-phrase or key
Since my original post I disabled all security (router and bridges) and was able to connect everything okay. Once connected, I enabled security again and it shut everything down. That was a big step as it was clear after that everything was working okay, and it was a security issue. I'm currently running unsecured with no problems, but I think what your suggesting will work.
I bought this too and I'm going to return it and NEVER buy anything from NETGEAR again.
I had a netgear router and was sold this extender on the basis that it would be the easiest set up. I've spent the last hour trying to make this work and I couldn't get it to work on any of the PCs I've tried.
Set up is not easy (unless you are some kind of network engineer I suppose).
And to complete the picture NETGEAR's support is pathetic.
1) you have to enter your information to get a number 2) once connected to a live person, it took her 10 mins to get my info, my reg number and transfer me to an 'expert' engineer. 3) this expert took my information again....and transferred me back to the main recording.
Niice - I typically don't complain but i'm so irritated, I HAD to put something on this forum so people knew not to buy from this company.
I found it very easy to install by simply switching it on and going in to my routers maintenance page http://routerlogin.com and clicking on Add New WPS then scanning for the WN2000RPT and pressing the WPS button on the front of the Access Point. However the range is very poor so I to will be requesting a refund from MapLins tomorrow morning.
If anyone knows how to up the range on this thing that would be great because I love NetGear routers etc.
I have worked out the best area to overlap the signals but all I get from just over 10ft away in a more or less direct line is a red LED. I've moved it closer to get green but my router signals that distance anyway on its own.
Whats the difference between an Access Point/Extender and a Repeater..?
Worked perfectly for two months now I have the same problem....followed all the steps multiple times but it refuses to connect in the last step. Did the same thing yesterday and it connected but this morning it had lost the connection again. So.....I repeated the entire process four separate times. I keep getting a message to move it closer. I had the damn thing sitting on the router. So should I open up the router and shove it in?
This is so frustrating I am beginning to believe the long list of users who, as a result of the frustration with this product, are swearing off Netgear forever.
