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WNDR3400 v2. Configuring this router to be a a wifi extender to my main router, an R7000
I'm not sure if this is the correct Board but--
My primary router is a Nighthawk R7000. Can somebody please tell me in layman terminology, assuming I know nothing about this topic which I don't, how to setup a WNDR3400 as a repeater/entender? There are several tutorials I've found on the net plus the tutorial located on this web site: https://kb.netgear.com/24108/How-do-I-configure-my-Nighthawk-router-as-a-wireless-repeater#. Too many details are left to my imagination.
For instance, just for starters, I currently have the WNDR3400 plugged into a port on the R7000 but can only access the configuration page for the R7000. So, I'm doing something wrong there. Once I can access both configuration pages, assuming that is possible. How do I configure the WNDR to perform as a repeater/extender for the R7000? I would appreciate any guidance on this. Thanks.
=== Note: If you use the wireless repeating function, you need to select either WEP or None as a security option in the Wireless Setup screen. The WEP option displays only if you select the wireless mode Up to 54 Mbps in the Wireless Setup screen. ===
You certainly don't want to operate your R7000 WiFi without any, or just on WEP "security" (then for a mere 54 Mbit/s max link rate - due to the limited processing power on the radio module chip). Using an open source router firmware won't help either, because the limitations are on the radio chips/firmware/drivers.
All that was state of the art when the first generation of these products hit the market almost two decades ago - this changed really fast then. The vendors kept these obsolete feature for legacy reasons.
I need the routers to be connected wirelessly as running a cable between them is not practicable.
Cables (and much more fibers) are the most reliable, future-proof, secure, and fast investment. It's mainly the consumer industry which want to make us believe that all wireless is the way to go. Boah oh 5G mobile, WiFi 6, ... Of course you can head out buying a WiFi Mesh Extender, or an all-new shiny Mesh system. And you will repeat that process about all two or three years again. The more unpractical cable installations are, the less are wireless extensions feasible alternate solutions. If wireless would be the perfect solution - if your router can't cover the dead spot, how should a Mesh system or extender (installed somewhere on the half of the distance) bring performance and reliability? The best Mesh systems operate much more reliable and perform much better when operated on a wired backhaul. Figure. And 20 years later - promised - your cable will continue to work. Already today on Gigabit, tomorrow on MultiGig or 10 Gigabit.
Re: WNDR3400 v2. Configuring this router to be a a wifi extender to my main router, an R7000
Hi @RaymondSte, are you looking to keep the WNDR3400v2 wired to the R7000 and set it up as an AP (access point) or are you looking to have them connected wirelessly?
Re: WNDR3400 v2. Configuring this router to be a a wifi extender to my main router, an R7000
Thank you for your response. I need the routers to be connected wirelessly as running a cable between them is not practicable. The R7000 will be the primary router. The WNDR3400v2 will be the repeater/extender located in another room, upstairs. There are tutorials on the 'net which describe a procedure to accomplish this but, unfortunately, the procedure involves non Netgear routers which is causing me problems in interpolation as router configuration pages differ somewhat in their layouts and terminology.
=== Note: If you use the wireless repeating function, you need to select either WEP or None as a security option in the Wireless Setup screen. The WEP option displays only if you select the wireless mode Up to 54 Mbps in the Wireless Setup screen. ===
You certainly don't want to operate your R7000 WiFi without any, or just on WEP "security" (then for a mere 54 Mbit/s max link rate - due to the limited processing power on the radio module chip). Using an open source router firmware won't help either, because the limitations are on the radio chips/firmware/drivers.
All that was state of the art when the first generation of these products hit the market almost two decades ago - this changed really fast then. The vendors kept these obsolete feature for legacy reasons.
I need the routers to be connected wirelessly as running a cable between them is not practicable.
Cables (and much more fibers) are the most reliable, future-proof, secure, and fast investment. It's mainly the consumer industry which want to make us believe that all wireless is the way to go. Boah oh 5G mobile, WiFi 6, ... Of course you can head out buying a WiFi Mesh Extender, or an all-new shiny Mesh system. And you will repeat that process about all two or three years again. The more unpractical cable installations are, the less are wireless extensions feasible alternate solutions. If wireless would be the perfect solution - if your router can't cover the dead spot, how should a Mesh system or extender (installed somewhere on the half of the distance) bring performance and reliability? The best Mesh systems operate much more reliable and perform much better when operated on a wired backhaul. Figure. And 20 years later - promised - your cable will continue to work. Already today on Gigabit, tomorrow on MultiGig or 10 Gigabit.
Re: WNDR3400 v2. Configuring this router to be a a wifi extender to my main router, an R7000
Thanks for the comprehensive reply. The WEP requirement is a deal killer. The tutorial I was going to use to configure this doesn't even mention WEP which would have caused a lot frustration wondering why the repeater wasn't working. https://www.wikihow.com/Connect-Two-Routers
I was developing a suspicion about the efficacy of wireless when my wife kept complaing that her computer upstairs was running so slow on the Internet despite the fact that she has a Nighthawk X6S right next to her PC upstairs, which is directly above my downstairs PC and its R7000. I drilled a hole in the ceiling and ran an ethernet cable from her box to my router. Problem solved, which affirms what you say. Also, my wifi security camera, right ouside the window and 10 feet above and away from my R7000 keeps giving me an "Unstable Network" message error, won't connect and/or disconnects. So, thanks for clearing things up and saving me a lot of wasted time. At 70 I just don't want to waste time.
