Universal Dual Band WiFi Range Extender WN2500RP Installation Guide CONNECT WIRED DEVICES WIRELESSLY 2.4 AND 5 GHz WIRELESS EXTENSION EXISTING ROUTER Extended Wireless Range Existing Router Range 5 GHz Wireless 2.
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Hardware Features The LEDs on the front show how the Extender is working. Link Rate. Indicates a 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz wireless connection between the Extender and a router. The appropriate LED lights to indicate the type of connection: • Green is best. • Amber is good. • Red is poor. • Off. Not connected to router. Wireless Device to Extender. This LED is lit when the Extender is connected to a wireless device. WPS. This LED indicates a WPS wireless connection. • Solid green.
The back panel has the following features: Reset factory settings. To reset the Extender to its original factory settings, insert a paper clip into the reset hole and hold it until the Power LED flashes. WPS button. Use this button to connect the Extender to your existing Wi-Fi network. For more information, see Connecting the Extender to an Existing Wi-Fi Network on page 6. Ethernet ports. Use the Ethernet ports on the Extender to connect up to four Ethernet-enabled devices wirelessly to your network.
Getting Started The WiFi Range Extender extends the wireless network to include the area outside the range of your existing Wi-Fi network. Follow these steps to correctly set up the Extender. Placing the Extender and Applying Power 1. Place the Extender an equal distance between your router and the wireless device located outside the range of your router. DO DON’T Tip: If you have to use a different location, move the Extender closer to the device, but still within the wireless range of the router. 2.
Connecting the Extender to an Existing Wi-Fi Network To extend the range of your Wi-Fi network, you need to connect the Extender to your existing Wi-Fi network. You have two options to connect the Extender to your network. Option 1: Connecting with WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) WPS lets you easily join a secure Wi-Fi network without typing the network name and password. The WPS button is a physical button on the Wi-Fi router, gateway, or access point.
Option 1: Connecting with WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) 1. Press the WPS button on back panel of the Extender. The WPS LED on the front should blink. 2. Within 2 minutes, press the WPS button on your wireless router, gateway, or access point. If successful, the WPS LED on your Extender turns solid green, the 2.4 GHz Link Rate LED lights up, and the Extender should be connected to your existing Wi-Fi network. Note: If the 2.
Option 2: Connecting with web browser setup guide 1. Once the Extender is powered on and the Power LED is green, use a wireless network manager on a computer to find and connect to NETGEAR_EXT (SSID) wireless network. Tip: You can use any wireless network manager utility on a computer or tablet to find and connect to the Extender wireless network. After the connection with the computer is established, the Wireless Device to Extender LED turns green.
2. Open a web browser window from the same PC, and the browser should take you directly to the onscreen setup guide. Tip: You can always access the Extender settings again by typing www.mywifiext.net in your browser URL bar.
3. The web browser setup guide walks you through the following steps: • Selecting the Wi-Fi network you would like to extend. • Entering the security password for the existing network. • Choosing the name for your new Extender network. • Connecting your wireless devices to your new Extender network. Extender Configuration Settings If you want to make changes after initial setup, or you wish to run the setup again, you can always access the Extender configuration settings again by typing www.mywifiext.
Extender Performance The Link Rate LED indicates the performance of the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz wireless connection from the Extender to a router. • The best performance is delivered when the Link Rate LED is green. • A workable performance is delivered when the Link Rate LED is amber. A red Link Rate LED indicates a poor connection or no connection. If the Link Rate LED is off, there is no connection between the Extender and the router.
To improve Extender performance: 1. Move the Extender closer to the router or to a different location with a better line of sight. 2. As you move the Extender, check the Link Rate and the Wireless Device to Extender connection LEDs on the front panel until you find a good location.
FastLane™ Technology Fastlane™ Technology offers maximum Wi-Fi performance. It provides high-speed Wi-Fi with a dedicated band connecting the Extender and the wireless device, and a second band connecting the Extender and the router. It is ideal for HD gaming and HD video streaming. To enable FastLane Technology: 1. After you have set up the Extender, switch to FastLane mode by logging in to www.mywifiext.net to access the Extender Settings page. 2.
Four-Port Wi-Fi Adapter Once the Extender is connected to your existing wireless Wi-Fi network, you can use the Ethernet ports on the Extender to connect up to four devices wirelessly to your network. Simply plug the Ethernet cable from your Ethernet-enabled device (connected TV, Blu-ray player, gaming console) to the Ethernet port of the Extender, and enjoy wireless connectivity for up to four devices simultaneously.
When to Use the Extender Wireless Network NETGEAR recommends that you connect to the Extender wireless network only when a PC or wireless device is in a “dead zone” where the network connection to your existing router is very poor or nonexistent. This is because data traffic routed through the Extender wireless network is slower than traffic directly from the original wireless router network.
Wireless SSIDs and Passwords Use the space below to record your new Extender network name (SSID) and Extender security settings, in case you need to add additional wireless devices to your Extender in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions You can find more information about your product in the User Manual available at http://support.netgear.com. 1. NETGEAR Genie keeps asking me for my wireless password, and I am sure I have entered the correct wireless password. What can I do? It is very likely that the Extender is placed at the borderline of the range covered by the router. Follow the instructions in the previous section to resolve this.
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