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I manage the IT at a golf club. The wifi suddenly started playing up a few weeks ago, people unable to connect on guest or staff network, i upgraded the R7000 router to an R8000 and set it all up to get the exact same issue.
i have tried changing channels and all sorts of changes but still have the issue.
the router is on V1.0.3.54_1.1.37 firmware. i appreciate there is an update but i have never had great results from router upgrades!
any ideas what could be causing this?
nothing else has changed here, no new devices that i can think of that would cause interference.
> It makes sense to utilize the R7000 in AP mode [...]
Ok.
> The Base router has to be on a non standard IP range as there is a > webcam on 10.0.0.xxx [...]
Or, change the address of the (unspecified) camera. But sure, you can use an R7000-as-wireless-access-point on a "10.0.0.*" subnet.
> 2. connect the potential AP R7000 to laptop with ethernet and login > and switch its IP to 10.0.0.2 - subnet to 255.255.255.0 - Does it have > to be on the same IP range as the base router?
An R7000-as-WAP does need to have a LAN IP address on the main-router LAN, but that can be dealt with as part of the "Enable Access Point Mode" operation; there's no need to do anything about it until then.
> 3. "Use Router as a DHCP Server" is therefore on the same as the Main > router, apart from first IP starting at 3 (ticked and 10.0.0.3 -> > 10.0.0.254) > > 4. Apply and reboot.
The DHCP server in the R7000-as-WAP will be disabled, so there's no reason to configure it before disabling it.
> 5. Wireless setup - set a secure wifi ssid (different to one on the > main router) security to NONE on 2.4ghz only and tick the smart connect > box, guest network ssid turned off.
Eh? You could use the same SSID(s) as used on the main router. According to:
The following router features are not available (grayed out) when the router is in AP mode:
o Guest Network [...]
So, I wouldn't expect any guest-network settings to matter after the mode change.
> [...] is this AP insecure network safe or is there a better way to do > this? [...]
If you configure wirless security settings on the R7000-as-WAP, then you'll have the usual wireless-network security.
> [...] Ideally i would like to replicate the staff and guest networks > with the AP but it doesnt appear to allow this?
A guest network is created by special firewall rules in the main router. When a wireless device connects to the R7000-as-WAP, the main router sees it as a wired connection, which bypasses those special firewall rules. (Which is why the R7000-as-WAP can't have its own guest network, either.)
If you choose "Get dynamically from existing router", then the R7000-as-WAP will get whatever LAN IP address the main router gives it. You should be able to find that address in an "Attached Devices" report on the main router. The management web site of the R7000-as-WAP should be accessible at that IP address. (Names like "routerlogin.net" will take you to the main router, not to any WAP.) When the R7000-as-WAP gets its LAN IP address dynamically from the main router, then it could change from time to time, unless some action is taken on the main router
So you are saying you replace the r7000 router with a r8000 and set the r8000 up exactly like the r7000? That should just work, BUT you said there was an issue with the r7000. Please provide more detail as what was the issue with the r7000 is probably the same with the r8000. Something changed to cause the problem and just getting a new shinny router may not have been the answer.
yes that is exaclt what i did. the 7000 was on the latest firmware, i havent had a chance to upgrade the 8000 yet.
The issue is fairly constant in that devices wont connect to the wifi, either staff or guest networks for a while and then suddenly everything might work fine for a short while on some devices but not others.
I have tried the smart connect option, turned off 5ghz, tried multiple different channel options and then i went to the 8000 and did all the same things.
next move i think is to try a non Netgear router but i pretty much always use Netgear so that would be a shame but its driving me mad it has been working great for several years.
Understand fully. Netgear used to be my go to vendor, but no more. If you want another option I would suggest the Asus RT-AC86U running Merlin firmware which is installs and configures just like Asus firmware, but with fixes.
Ok so latest firmware installed ( V1.0.4.18_10.1.49 ) no difference whatsoever after numerous reboots and removing known networks people all over the building are still having issues connecting to the wifi, sometimes it works nfor a while, mostly it doesnt at all.
I have tried a connection with no security on it and that is similarly unreliable.
Exactly the same issues i had with the R7000 router
I am sure it is an issue at the premises, which was my initial suggestion. The R7000 did an excellent job for a year or so and then this started so i tried the R8000 and it is similarly problematic.
I dont know what i was hoping for from this board but clearly im not going to get anything helpful so i will switch from Netgear to something else, thanks anyway.
@gingerweb wrote: I dont know what i was hoping for from this board ...
Me neither. The information you'll get here is only as good as the information you provide.
And remember this is essentially a user-to-user forum. Not somewhere to get answers to industry grade problems. There are separate products, and forums, for those.
so i will switch from Netgear to something else, thanks anyway.
If it is an issue at the premises you won't fix it by buying a different brand.
Unless, that is, you do the sensible thing and invest in commercial grade equipment rather than domestic toys that cost less than a round at the 19th hole.
ok so making progress with this now. Swapped the Netgear R7000 and R8000 to an Asus RT-AC86U and the interference issues have gone and wifi has returned to normal.
It makes sense to utilize the R7000 in AP mode at a weak spot in the wifi, and it works but i am after some security checks please
The Base router has to be on a non standard IP range as there is a webcam on 10.0.0.xxx so the first job with a new router is to change this to 10.0.0.2.
1. reset R7000 back to factory settings
2. connect the potential AP R7000 to laptop with ethernet and login and switch its IP to 10.0.0.2 - subnet to 255.255.255.0 - Does it have to be on the same IP range as the base router?
3. "Use Router as a DHCP Server" is therefore on the same as the Main router, apart from first IP starting at 3 (ticked and 10.0.0.3 -> 10.0.0.254)
4. Apply and reboot.
5. Wireless setup - set a secure wifi ssid (different to one on the main router) security to NONE on 2.4ghz only and tick the smart connect box, guest network ssid turned off.
6. switch to AP mode and leave ticked - get dynamically from existing router
7. Apply and reboot router, connect the AP to the main router with Ethernet cable.
The new AP ssid works well - I am after some security advice re this setup really - the main Router has a "staff" wifi which is secured and a guest network that is not which i am happy with - is this AP insecure network safe or is there a better way to do this? Ideally i would like to replicate the staff and guest networks with the AP but it doesnt appear to allow this?
> It makes sense to utilize the R7000 in AP mode [...]
Ok.
> The Base router has to be on a non standard IP range as there is a > webcam on 10.0.0.xxx [...]
Or, change the address of the (unspecified) camera. But sure, you can use an R7000-as-wireless-access-point on a "10.0.0.*" subnet.
> 2. connect the potential AP R7000 to laptop with ethernet and login > and switch its IP to 10.0.0.2 - subnet to 255.255.255.0 - Does it have > to be on the same IP range as the base router?
An R7000-as-WAP does need to have a LAN IP address on the main-router LAN, but that can be dealt with as part of the "Enable Access Point Mode" operation; there's no need to do anything about it until then.
> 3. "Use Router as a DHCP Server" is therefore on the same as the Main > router, apart from first IP starting at 3 (ticked and 10.0.0.3 -> > 10.0.0.254) > > 4. Apply and reboot.
The DHCP server in the R7000-as-WAP will be disabled, so there's no reason to configure it before disabling it.
> 5. Wireless setup - set a secure wifi ssid (different to one on the > main router) security to NONE on 2.4ghz only and tick the smart connect > box, guest network ssid turned off.
Eh? You could use the same SSID(s) as used on the main router. According to:
The following router features are not available (grayed out) when the router is in AP mode:
o Guest Network [...]
So, I wouldn't expect any guest-network settings to matter after the mode change.
> [...] is this AP insecure network safe or is there a better way to do > this? [...]
If you configure wirless security settings on the R7000-as-WAP, then you'll have the usual wireless-network security.
> [...] Ideally i would like to replicate the staff and guest networks > with the AP but it doesnt appear to allow this?
A guest network is created by special firewall rules in the main router. When a wireless device connects to the R7000-as-WAP, the main router sees it as a wired connection, which bypasses those special firewall rules. (Which is why the R7000-as-WAP can't have its own guest network, either.)
If you choose "Get dynamically from existing router", then the R7000-as-WAP will get whatever LAN IP address the main router gives it. You should be able to find that address in an "Attached Devices" report on the main router. The management web site of the R7000-as-WAP should be accessible at that IP address. (Names like "routerlogin.net" will take you to the main router, not to any WAP.) When the R7000-as-WAP gets its LAN IP address dynamically from the main router, then it could change from time to time, unless some action is taken on the main router
I havent yet been able to access the two R7000's now they are running as AP's through the new ASUS router. Looking at the attached devices there isnt anything that looks like a router (or two) so i cant see what IP they have been allocated.
Does anyone have any suggestions or is this something i need to take to an ASUS board to figure out?
@gingerweb wrote: Looking at the attached devices there isnt anything that looks like a router (or two) so i cant see what IP they have been allocated.
I don't know where you are looking at these "attached devices" but surely there must be some way of seeing what is on your network.
Doesn't ASUS produce something similar to the various apps and genies that Netgear makes?
You would have thought so but out of the long list nothing is obvious and as i am looking for two AP's it should be easier to see them both but i cant. I will ask ASUS.
> [...] I havent yet been able to access the two R7000's now they are > running as AP's through the new ASUS router. [...]
"access" how? Web browser?
> [...] Looking at the attached devices there isnt anything that looks > like a router (or two) so i cant see what IP they have been allocated.
"Looking at the attached devices" report _where_? The "the ASUS router"? Where, exactly, on that?
> [...] Does anyone have any suggestions [...]
With my weak psychic powers, I don't know at what you're looking, or what you see there.
> [...] out of the long list nothing is obvious and as i am looking for > two AP's it should be easier to see them both but i cant.
I can't see any of this "long list", and I don't know what might or might not be obvious to you. If nothing else, then you should see something like the MAC address on the product label on the R7000 among the MAC addresses (which I'd expect to see in any suitable device report).
If you really can't find your new WAP when it gets a dynamic address from the (DHCP server on the) main router ("Get dynamically from existing router"), then you could choose to give it a static LAN IP address yourself ("Enable fixed IP settings on this device (not recommended)"). In that case, you'd know that address.
If you do that, then you may want to shrink the DHCP pool (on the main router), so that there are some addresses which won't be issued by the DHCP server. I know nothing about your ASUS router, but on a typical Netgear router, the usual default pool range is ".2" - ".254". You could change that to something smaller (like, say, ".2" - ".199"), and then use an address from the non-pool range (".200" - ".254") for any device with a static address, like, say, an R7000-as-WAP.
