WN3000RP-200UKS causes seemingly odd behaviour with WNDR4500 v2

[AndyOxon]

There appears to be an issue connecting Netgear’s WN300RP WiFi Extender to NetGear’s WNDR4500 Wireless Router. If WPS is used to pair the devices, then SSIDs, Passphrases, and IP addresses (and maybe more) appear to get scrambled in the router. If, however I setup the Extender manually via the web-interface, then the extender appears to work for a limited time before it somehow causes the Router to lose LAN IP allocation information and the network must be rebooted.
Does anyone have any ideas about what’s happening, or how to setup a seamless pairing of the two devices?

[DarrenM]

Hello AndyOxon

Do you have some type of modem/router combo that the WNDR4500 is connected it?

DarrenM

[AndyOxon]

Thanks for replying Darren. Of course, the latest Virginmedia Modem/Router (in Modem mode) is installed on WAN. And, both WN300RP & WNDR4500 have up-to-date firmware.

[DarrenM]

Hello AndyOxon

I would double check the modems settings to make sure DHCP is disabled on it.

DarrenM

[AndyOxon]

Thanks again Darren. The Virginmedia SuperHub has recently been replaced. Upon inspection, I found that the installation engineer had left the unit in router-mode, and the different subnets were causing networking issues. However, I have since corrected this problem by putting the SuperHub into Modem-mode. The only settings available now are Hub Password, Remote Access (off), Disable Modem-mode, LED Brightness, and Factory Reset.

There has been 2 SuperHubs since the purchase of the extender. The issue has been present throughout.

My understanding is that if more than one DHCP server is present on a network, it would cause problems with or without the extender attached. But network issues only occur when the extender is paired and in-use. Although unlikely, I will almost certainly triple-check that no other devices are providing DHCP services.

[AndyOxon]

I have retrieved the extender and updated to the latest firmware (feat. new UI) in the hope that the recent updates to both router & extender included a fix for this bug. However, the problem persists.

My router is exactly the same model as my mothers, and in tests the results are the same; after 12-24 hours network access via the extender is broken, and the routers ‘connected devices’ page reports that all MACs belonging to the extended network (02:0F:B5:xx:xx:xx) have no name, IP, or association with my wireless network(s) yet they are present/connected.

In fact, I noted on the routers ‘connected devices’ page that the extender (when seeming working correctly) has two MAC address 1) 02:0F:B5:xx:xx:xx and, 2) A6:2B:8C:xx:xx:xx [the Unique Identifiers (represented here by x’s) are the same for both MACs]. But unlike the first MAC, A6:2B:8C:xx:xx:xx has no name, IP, or association with any of my wireless networks. Is this normal behaviour?

I also wonder if any of the following router settings could be the culprit:

  Disable Port Scan and DoS Protection [Unchecked]
  Disable IGMP Proxying [Checked]
  MTU Size(in bytes) [1500]
  NAT Filtering [Secured]
  Disable SIP ALG {Unchecked]
  Advanced Wireless: use other operation mode [Unchecked]

How do I get this issue elevated? Is there a number or email for Netgear Technical Support?

[DarrenM]

Hello andyOxon

Here is how you contact support.

https://www.netgear.com/support/contact.aspx?cid=wmt_netgear_organic

DarrenM

[schumaku]

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@AndyOxon wrote:

In fact, I noted on the routers ‘connected devices’ page that the extender (when seeming working correctly) has two MAC address 1) 02:0F:B5:xx:xx:xx and, 2) A6:2B:8C:xx:xx:xx [the Unique Identifiers (represented here by x’s) are the same for both MACs]. 

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The same client is represented to the (W)LAN by a mapped MAC address when conncted to the extender ... that's how these extenders work, these are not fully transparent layer 2 bridges. Nohting wrong that far.

@AndyOxon wrote:

But unlike the first MAC, A6:2B:8C:xx:xx:xx has no name, IP, or association with any of my wireless networks. Is this normal behaviour?

As the same client will become visible to the (W)LAN on the router by the mapped MAC address, the same name would be visible (as requested) and another IP address would be assigned _if_ the clients would be associated to the extender WLAN and properly MAC "mapped" only.

Afraid, just information - this won't help to fix the issue Netgear support has to look into, however. 

[AndyOxon]

But wait... Netgear will charge me (or my mother) a premium to notify them of this bug? That's doesn't seem very fair.