There are several methods for dealing with poor Wi-Fi signals in our houses. We may either add routers to additional rooms in our home or put up a Wi-Fi mesh network. Another option to install a Wi-Fi extender in one of our rooms to boost the signal.
However, just like any other piece of gear we wish to employ to make our lives simpler, there may be problems.
That is why our Netgear extender isn’t functioning, and we need to learn how extenders operate, how to set them up, and how to troubleshoot the problem.
How Do Range Extenders Function?
Wi-Fi extenders are useful because they can pick up your wireless network and connect to it wirelessly. The extenders make use of both of your router’s bands, the 2.4 GHz (Gigahertz) band and the 5 GHz band.
This is the frequency of your wireless signal and the frequency that your wireless range extender uses.
Simply said, the extender captures your router’s wireless signal and retransmits it to the region of your home that you wish to be covered. The difference is that it does not employ the same signal; instead, it emits a separate signal.
You won’t receive a significantly stronger signal; instead, you’ll get a wireless signal in a separate section of your house that connects to the internet through your router.
This is how any range extender, including new extenders setup works.
Configuring Your Netgear Extender
Setting up a Wi-Fi extender is straightforward. However, each producer has its own set of procedures. To properly configure Netgear Wi-Fi extenders, we must first do the following steps:
- After plugging in the extender where we desire a stronger signal, we must turn it on by pressing the Power button.
- There will be an SSID (network name) named NETGEAR EXT, and there will be no password on that network.
- Now we need to visit the extender’s settings page, which is similar to a Netgear router’s settings page, and we use the extender’s default IP (Internet Protocol) address to reach the page in the address bar of our browser.
- The correct address is 192.168.1.250, however you may alternatively use mywifiext
- We’ll notice the New Extender Setup once we get there, and we’ll need to alter the credentials we use to enter into the extender.
- The extender will detect your existing wireless network and prompt you to join to it.
- When you connect to it, the extender will start broadcasting the _2GEXT and _5GEXT networks.
- Finally, we must click NEXT to implement the modifications. We now have a working Netgear Wi-Fi extender in our house.
Fixes for Netgear Extender Not Working
Knowing how to properly install hardware in your house is half the battle. It may help to avoid certain bothersome difficulties and problems, such as the new extender Setup not functioning.
So, even if we know how to set it up properly, we need also know how to repair any problems that arise.
- Firmware upgrades
Because outdated firmware is one of the most frequent causes of our Netgear extender Setup not functioning, we need to upgrade it to check whether the issue is resolved. The extender must be hooked into a power outlet.
The next step is the same as the third in the extender setup process. We must use the IP address to access the extender’s settings page, or we may use www.mywifiext.net. If a new firmware update is released, we’ll get a notification.
In such situation, we only need to click on the notification to update the firmware. When we need to accomplish anything the difficult way, we go to the Maintenance area on the left pane.
Firmware Update will appear as we extend the section. We need to click on it, and then on the Device Update page, there will be a Check or Check Online option. Finally, the extender must be reset. After that, our Netgear extender should function normally.
- Reconnecting a Netgear extender
Our Netgear extender sometimes fails to function since it is unplugged from our router. We have a signal, but no internet connectivity. This may be accomplished in two ways: by connecting via ethernet cable or wirelessly.
Using an Ethernet wire, we can link our extender and laptop. After that, go to the extender settings page and input your credentials or the default login and password (admin and password).
Navigate to Setup and choose Wireless Settings. There will be a section under Security settings, where you will need to verify your router’s wireless network password. We may join to the Netgear extender’s network after clicking Apply.
Another option is to do a factory reset. The extender has a Reset button that we must press for at least 30 seconds. After doing a factory reset, all that remains is to repeat the setup procedure. This should get your Netgear extender up and running.
- Find a better solution.
Sometimes Netgear’s extenders are just incompatible with the modem or router you have at home. So it doesn’t matter if you have the greatest Netgear Wi-Fi range extender if the extender’s firmware and your modem or router are incompatible.
The best course of action here would be to purchase a new brand of extender or an alternative solution. A mesh Wi-Fi network arrangement, in our view, might be much superior than putting extenders across the house.
Conclusions
When something doesn’t operate as it should, it’s typically because we set it up incorrectly. That is why we sometimes find our New extender Setup not functioning. But now we know how to do it properly.
If the issue continues, we know how to resolve it by utilizing the extenders settings page and other alternatives. This should do the work, but if you’re still having problems with the extender, it could be time to try a model or brand.