I just purchased a WN3500RP, and I am at a loss... as basically it doesn't work!
As you would expect I bought it as I wanted to extend my wifi range - especially 5 Ghz, where I get (with direct connection to my router) speeds as fast as with Ethernet (around 50 mMps download) when close to the router, but I can't get 5 Ghz everywhere in the house.
Installed the WM3500RP per the instructions. Tried it both with WPS and manually. Both worked, but the resulting connection is so slow to be unusable.
For initial setup just to get it working I have the unit less than 10 feet away from my router, and my PC nearby as well. Wireless signal on both 2.4 and 5.0 show as green on the WM3500RP. But when I connect to either the 2GEXT or 5GEXT networks, rather than 50 Mbps I get 0.02 Mbps. It is so slow to be totally unusable.
I contacted Netgear support via live chat. They suggested changing the channel on my router. It was on 36, they suggested setting it to 52. This didn't help. and also my PC can't see it when it is on 52.
Just using my router directly I have no issues with speed on channel 36, or 40, etc.
I can't see what I am doing wrong, so at this point I think I will have to give up and return the unit. But thought I'd come here to see if anyone had any other ideas.
Tried some more tests and it just doesn't seem to work with 5 Ghz.
Another test:
- WN3500RP is just outside the room with the router; less than 20 feet away. - 2.4G connection through the WN3500RP works fine. - With my PC right next to the WM3500RP - if I connect to it with 5 Ghz I still get the VERY slow performance; speedtests either don't run or I get 0.02 Mbps. - With the PC right next to the WM3500RP I can connect directly to the router and get 50 Mbps directly from the router.
When I move the WN3500RP further away from the router (so now 30-40 feet away) the 5 Ghz light is sometimes green and sometimes red. Still get poor 5 Ghz performance.
