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Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

rpz620
Aspirant

WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

All of my devices can continually access the WN2000RPT device and access the local network as well as the internet. However, after some time, the internet connection drops for the repeater only - I can still access the local network but not the internet.

Is there a timeout or something that would cause it to lose it's connection? Seems that bouncing the repeater works, albeit temporarily.

thanks.
Ryan
Message 1 of 193
rupert1020
Tutor

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

I have the same kind of problem. Check to see if there are duplicate ip or MAC addresses of devices connected to your router and WN2000RPT ?

In my configuration, it does not seem to be a wi-fi link problem between the router and the WN2000RPT but rather some kind of conflict with the addresses the connected devices are getting. Netgear should really look into this problem and release firmware that passes on the MAC addresses properly.
Message 2 of 193
rpz620
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

agree on the need for a fix - it's basically a brick until they fix this.

Is there a simple way to check?

Assuming a reset of the repeater gets fresh IP's for all connected devices therefore leaving no conflicts until hours or days later when other devices come online.
Message 3 of 193
rupert1020
Tutor

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

rpz620 wrote:
agree on the need for a fix - it's basically a brick until they fix this.

Is there a simple way to check?

Assuming a reset of the repeater gets fresh IP's for all connected devices therefore leaving no conflicts until hours or days later when other devices come online.


Actually, it's the router that distributes the IP addresses. The WN2000RPT has an internal DHCP server which can be turned on. I had to turn mine off because it was sending out IP addresses to the attached devices which sometimes created conflicts.

See the FAQ for more information on how to turn the DHCP server on/off
http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/14239

Depending on your router you can check the ip/mac addresses from a web browser. With Netgear routers use 192.168.1.1 by default. I have a WNR3500L with dd-wrt running on it. I upgraded the original firmware on the router thinking it was the source of the problems. Although the drops are much less frequent now with dd-wrt installed, I still suspect the repeater (WN2000RPT) to be causing the drops.
Message 4 of 193
Loudog2
Apprentice

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

Mine has been doing the same. I noticed while watching a movie. The wifi light would go from green to orange to red, then back. I've been trying to figure this out also. It cycles through the lights in about 10 seconds then all is fine again.
Message 5 of 193
Loudog2
Apprentice

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

I just checked the attached devices and it doesn't show the 2000RPT. I am using it a a bridge to my 3700. It does show the devices hard wired into the back though(directv dvr, sony bravia, sony blu-ray), but no 2000RPT.
Message 6 of 193
rupert1020
Tutor

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

it's a mystery ... could someone from Netgear clear-up the question about the duplicate MAC addresses ? I'm not sure if this is normal and / or if it is causing the disconnects. Thank's:confused:
Message 7 of 193

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

I have been having this problem too, but I think I may have resolved it....

The problem i think is that the repeater is configured to get a dynamic IP address from the router's DHCP. Instead of letting it do that, I set it up as a static ip address.

I've been using it now for a few hours and it seems much more reliable.

If you don't know how to do it, follow two steps...
1) Log into your wireless router (not the extender) and reserve an IP address (something high like 196.168.1.252) for the extender . If you are using Netgear, you can configure it in LAN settings section. You may need to get the MAC address from the extender which you can get from it's settings.
2) Log into the wifi extender (the 2000RPT). Undoer IP Address set up select use static IP address.

Let me know if that works for the rest of you!
Message 8 of 193
rupert1020
Tutor

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

I've done that but it didn't seem to help. I have put an old AP (WG102) on the router and am using that until NEtgear comes out with new firmware.
Message 9 of 193
Loudog2
Apprentice

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

Yea!! This is getting annoying. I was watching the football game today and watched it cycle through the wifi lights every 5 min. Meaning it goes from green, to red, to orange and back to green. I can't figure it out. Can a mod maybe chime in here with a solution. I might return it since it hasn't been 30 days yet.
Message 10 of 193
rpz620
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

Trying Charlie's suggestion

Netgear told me it is a hardware problem and offered to swap it out at no cost - however, I think it's a firmware issue. this happens pretty consistently at about 24 hours so there's something more than hardware here especially because a recycle fixes it.
Message 11 of 193
Loudog2
Apprentice

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

At least they are swapping it out. I'm still going back and fourth with tech support through e-mails. This is frustrating since I'm using it throough my home theater. I have to keep bringing it upstairs to the computer to change setting, then bring it back down to see if it works.
Message 12 of 193
rpz620
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

I sent them an email telling them everything I did on the call with them and also explained that any device connected directly to my router does not experience these issues. I told them everything I did to troubleshoot/fix with them - re-flash firmware, hard reset and reconfigure (dozens of times), change channel of router (doesn't make sense to me how this would fix) and others and then said - "what's next to troubleshoot" - from there they told me to send it back.

I did just hard code the IP address for the device on the router - see if that works.
Message 13 of 193
Loudog2
Apprentice

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

I set up a static IP for the device and router. It shows up if nothing is on that is wired to it(back of 2000). But if something is turned on through the 2000 it shows a different IP and doesn't show the static I gave the device/router. Power cycling does help for a bit, then back to signal drops.
Message 14 of 193
jerryv
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

Guys, same issue for me (you are not alone)

Do you have apple devices on the network ?? I have a lot and I have a theory that the apple protocols maybe confusing it ???

I have


Belkin ADSL router (and DHCP server)
Airport extreme as my primary access point
and the WN2000RPT
Message 15 of 193
zahc712
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

I have tried everything in order for my extender to not drop the connection and have failed. I called tech support and they wanted me to pay for the support! I have had the router less than two weeks. I have updated the firmware changed to static ip I have done it all and it will still drop! I. Am returning this and getting another brand. :mad:
Message 16 of 193
Ondart
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

I have the same problem here. This product is completely useless. It disconnects and stays disconnected forever until I reset the WN2000RPT. Once reset, it works for a while and then disconnects from the wireless router, sometimes in 15 min, sometimes in an hour or so.

Status is all green all the time. Devices on the bridge can access each other. Devices on the router can reach each other and the Internet. Devices on the bridge can't reach devices on the router or the Internet. Firmware is up to date.

I was on hold for tech support for 25 min and then got disconnected. What kind of company is this!!! Not happy. I could use some help so I don't have to return the product as defective.
Message 17 of 193
rpz620
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

there is no question it's a firmware issue but Netgear appears to be in denial. They told me to return it for a new one which I did and it has identical problems.

Keep plugging away with them and eventually they will issue a code fix but until then, this thing is a brick for me.

I have tried about a dozen different configurations, flashes, swapped out for a new one, etc and the internet connection drops - i am still able to access the local network but no internet access via the repeater only - I can easily access internet if I connect to the router itself.
Message 18 of 193
Ondart
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

I have resolved this issue. My Netgear WN2000RPT Bridge would disconnect randomly from my DLink DGL-4500 Wireless Router. The lights on the bridge always stayed green when this happened and it would occur about every hour more or less. All wireless and wired devices on the bridge would still be able to ping each other but no internet access was available. All wireless and wired devices on the Netgear router could ping each other and could access the Internet. The connection between the bridge and the router was the problem.

Looking at the router statistics, i was able to tell that the bridge MAC address was registered properly on the router as an active connection but the connection was not functional. I decided to start changing the Wireless Channels, there are 12 channels in the 2.4 GHz band for 802.11N. I started with channel 1 and I was suddenly able to ping a device on the bridge. I began with copying a 100MB file over the bridge to the remote device. Within 5 min, the connection would drop. I kept changing the channel until the bridge stopped disconnecting. I ended up setting the router to "Auto Channel Scan". This also worked so I left it at that. It's been up 24 hours now with heavy traffic over the bridge and no drops.

I found another problem and this is likely the root cause. I have an RF Logitech MX mouse and RF keyboard. Mousing around was intermittently jerky and keys would not consistently function properly when heavy traffic, i.e. copying a 100MB file over the bridge, was performed. I changed the router to each of the 12 channels on the 2.4GHz band with no change. When the traffic was low from the router to the bridge, the keyboard and mouse issues would go away. So i have a conflict on the 2.4 GHz band and the darn Logitech RF devices are not channel configurable unfortunately. I don't want to replace my $180 keyboard/mouse combo so I am not sure what to do about it yet.

Here are a few other things I did during troubleshooting that may also be of some help:
- Turn off DHCP on the Bridge (http://www.mywifiext.net/cgi-bin/hidden_dhcpd.html)
- Configure the Bridge with a Static IP address, i.e. 192.168.0.10.
- Change the wireless range on the Router to something like 192.168.0.100 - 192.168.0.200 for DHCP clients and set the Bridge to use a range of 192.168.0.201 - 192.168.0.254. This will prevent DHCP IP conflicts.
- Hard code devices that you want to have the same IP addresses in the lower range on the router, i.e. 291.168.0.2 - 192.168.0.99 for example.

Anyway, I struggled with all this and these changes resolved my problems. I hope this can help others with the same issue.

Got any ideas about my RF keyboard conflict? Please speak up!

Joe
Message 19 of 193
Ondart
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

I can't seem to edit my previous post. Here are a couple of corrections: In the bulleted items, I meant to say "Turn On" DHCP, not "Turn Off" DHCP. The IP address above "291.168.0.1" is a typo, it should have been "192.168.0.1 Joe
Message 20 of 193
arsenal_fan
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

Thanks for the detailed analysis Ondart. I ended up doing exactly as you said, but I'm not using a Belkin but rather a Netgear router. I set it up the channel for auto and everything seems to be working much smoother.

I was getting intermittent loss of connectivity to the router for 4-6 seconds. Then all of a sudden I couldn't connect to the Internet at all. I reset the bridge and went through the same setup as I had previously done to no avail.

If anyone else is having issues, I would recommend testing different wireless channel settings as Ondart described. It seemed to have been the culprit in my case. I'll keep you guys posted though if I continue to have any issues. Crossing my fingers though! 🙂

Bobby
Message 21 of 193
rpz620
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

I have been reading about this pretty much everywhere - reviews, etc.

There's something up with the firmware - no matter what I do or how I configure the repeater, it drops internet connection yet when I connect directly to the router, internet connection is fine.

anyone solved this with confidence yet? i gather we need a firmware update but short of filing a lawsuit for faulty product release, not sure how to proceed.
Message 22 of 193
Jeepix
Aspirant

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

Mine is doing the same things everyone else is talking about. I tried the auto-channel, hard-setting the channel, dynamic IP (with reservation), hard-setting the IP. It stays running for a little while and then you can't ping it any longer and the computers behind it can't be pinged. Reboot the repeater and all is happy again. I have a separate 54g wireless network on different channels that is working flawlessly.

This thing may work for certain people under certain conditions, but being a 13-year I.T. veteran, I have no idea why thing thing keeps dropping...it's going back to Fry's tomorrow and I'm looking for another product. This is only the second Netgear product I've ever been disappointed with (the other was a home-user router). However, the other products are all SMB products. You have to spend the extra money for the SMB to get a working product? Netgear can't make HOME equipment function properly?
Message 23 of 193
THZ
Novice
Novice

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

For me the same difficulties: the connection gets lost after some time. The light gets red and I have to switch the WN2000RPT off and on again.
This may happen after 1 hour or after 3 or 4 hours. I have no idea why.
It seems that the problem occurs more often than some weeks ago. Very frustrating.
The router is configured with DHCP off, IP is 192.168.1.2, Gateway and DNS Server both 192.168.1.1.
Firmware 1.0.0.2.
Message 24 of 193
bspisak
Novice

Re: WN2000RPT - Internet Access Keeps Dropping

Just wanted to add my voice (of frustration) to the rest of yours. Having the same problem with the extender dropping the connection to the router.

Will try suggestions in this post, but NETGEAR is loosing points on the "Customer Satisfaction brings Return Business" meter every minute this problem persists without a response from them. :mad:
Message 25 of 193
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