Netgear Extender WPN824EXT User Manual

							RangeMax WiFi Range Extender WPN824EXT User Manual 
Setup and Maintenance 3-9
v1.0, April 2008
•Erase. Sometimes you might want to restore the extender to original default settings. You can 
do so by using the Erase function, which restores all factory settings. After an erase, the 
extender’s user name is admin, the password is password, the LAN IP address is 
192.168.1.250, and the extenders DHCP server is enabled. 
To erase the configuration, click the Erase button. 
Set Password
The Set Password screen allows you to change the default password for the WiFi range extender, 
password, to a more secure password. (For more information about logging in and the default 
settings, see “Logging In” on page 1-5 and “Restoring the Default User Name and Password” on 
page A-4.)
Select Set Password under Maintenance in the main menu. The Set Password screen displays.
Note: To restore the factory default configuration settings when you do not know the 
login password or IP address, you must use the restore factory settings button 
on the rear panel of the extender. See “Restoring the Default User Name and 
Password” on page A-4
Figure 3-7 
						

							RangeMax WiFi Range Extender WPN824EXT User Manual 
3-10 Setup and Maintenance
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:
To change the password, first enter the current password, then enter the new password twice. Click 
Apply.
Firmware Update
The Firmware Update screen allows you to manage firmware updates after you have installed your 
WiFi range extender. Select Firmware Update under Maintenance in the main menu. The 
Firmware Update screen displays.
The following options are available:
•Check for New Version from the Internet. The WiFi range extender checks the NETGEAR 
database for a newer firmware image file and compares it to your currently installed version. 
To force the extender to check for a newer version, click Check.
Tips: 
• An ideal, very secure password should contain no dictionary words from any 
language, and should be a mixture of letters (both upper- and lower-case), 
numbers, and symbols. Your password can be up to 30 characters.
• Before changing the router password, use the router backup utility (see 
“Backup Settings” on page 3-8) to save your configuration settings. If, after 
changing the password, you forget the new password you assigned, you have 
to reset the router back to the factory defaults to be able to log in using the 
default password of password. This means you have to restore all the router 
configuration settings. If you ever have to reset the router back to the factory 
defaults, you can restore your settings from the backup.
Figure 3-8 
						

							RangeMax WiFi Range Extender WPN824EXT User Manual 
Setup and Maintenance 3-11
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– If a new version is found, you are asked about upgrading. Click Ye s to update your 
firmware.
– If no new firmware version is available, the message No New Firmware Version 
Available displays.
•Check for New Version Upon Login. If this option is selected (the default), the extender 
checks the NETGEAR database for a newer firmware image file every time you log in. To 
disable this feature, clear the check box.
•Locate and select the Update file from your hard disk. Use this field, and the Browse and 
Update buttons, to manually check for new firmware.
To manually check and upload new firmware, use the following steps. 
a.Log in to the WiFi range extender.
b.Select Wireless Extender Status under Management in the main menu. When the 
Wireless Extender Status screen displays, note the version number of your extender 
firmware.
c.Go to http://www.NETGEAR.com/support, and select Downloads from the menu bar. 
d.From the Product Selection drop-down list, select WPN824EXT. The Product Support 
page for your extender displays. 
e.Under Downloads, check the most recent firmware version offered against the firmware 
version shown on your Wireless Extender Status screen. 
f.If the version on the NETGEAR website is more recent, click the version number. Then, 
click Right-click and Save to Download, and save the file to a location on your hard disk.
g.Log in again to the WiFi range extender, then select Firmware Update under 
Maintenance in the main menu.
Wa r n i n g :  Do not turn off the extender, shut down the computer, or do anything 
else to the extender while the update is in progress, as indicated by 
the messages that display.
Note: You cannot perform the following steps from a computer connected to the 
extender through a wireless link. You must use a computer connected to the 
extender through an Ethernet cable, and your Web browser must support HTTP 
uploads, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later, or Netscape 
Navigator 4.78 or later. 
						

							RangeMax WiFi Range Extender WPN824EXT User Manual 
3-12 Setup and Maintenance
v1.0, April 2008
h.Click Browse and locate the unzipped firmware image that you downloaded to your PC 
(the file ends in .img or .chk).
i.Once you have selected the file, click Upload to send the software to the extender. The 
upload process takes several minutes. When the software upload process is complete, the 
extender restarts.
j.After the extender has restarted, select Wireless Extender Status under Management in 
the main menu. Check the firmware version to verify that your extender now has the new 
software installed.
Wa r n i n g :  Do not try to go online, turn off the extender, shut down the 
computer, or do anything else to the extender until the extender 
finishes restarting! When the Test light stops blinking, wait a few 
seconds more before using the extender. 
						

							4-1
v1.0, April 2008
Chapter 4
Advanced Settings and Features
This chapter describes the features you can configure or view under Advanced in the main menu of 
your WiFi range extender.
Advanced Wireless Settings
Wireless Repeating Function
The WiFi range extender can be used with wireless access points (APs) to build large bridged 
wireless networks, using the Wireless Repeating Function screen. 
Note: The Advanced Wireless Settings options are described in the context of configuring 
wireless security. See Chapter 2, “Implementing Appropriate Wireless Security.”
Wa r n i n g :  If you use the Wireless Repeating function, be aware that this limits your 
options for wireless security to none or WEP. For more information about 
wireless security, see Chapter 2, “Implementing Appropriate Wireless 
Security.” 
						

							RangeMax WiFi Range Extender WPN824EXT User Manual 
4-2 Advanced Settings and Features
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Select Wireless Repeating Function under Advanced in the main menu. The Wireless Repeating 
Function screen displays.
The RangeMax WiFi Range Extender WPN824EXT supports two modes of the Wireless 
Repeating function:
•Both “Enable Wireless Repeating Function” and “Wireless Repeater” are selected. In 
Wireless Repeater mode, the WiFi range extender sends all traffic from its local wireless or 
wired computers to a remote AP. To configure this mode, you must know the MAC address of 
the remote parent AP. 
•Both “Enable Wireless Repeating Function” and “Wireless Base Station” are selected. In 
Wireless Base Station mode, the WiFi range extender acts as the parent AP, bridging traffic to 
and from the child repeater APs, as well as handling wireless and wired local computers. To 
configure this mode, you must know the MAC addresses of the child repeater APs.
In either of these modes, you can configure whether the extender (or AP) will communicate with 
local wireless computers by selecting or clearing the Disable Wireless Client Association check 
box:
Figure 4-1 
						

							RangeMax WiFi Range Extender WPN824EXT User Manual 
Advanced Settings and Features 4-3
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•“Disable Wireless Client Association” not selected. In addition to performing wireless 
repeating with remote APs, the extender will act as an AP to connect local wireless computers.
•“Disable Wireless Client Association” selected. The extender will communicate wirelessly 
only with other APs whose MAC addresses are listed in this screen. The extender will not 
accept local wireless connections. (Communication with wire-connected LAN devices is not 
disabled.)
The following figure shows a wireless repeating scenario with the WiFi range extender in Wireless 
Base Station mode, and with all APs supporting local wireless clients:
In the scenario shown, the following conditions must be met for all access points including the 
WiFi range extender:
• All AP devices must use the same SSID, wireless channel, authentication mode (if any), and 
encryption mode (see information about WEP in Chapter 2, “Implementing Appropriate 
Wireless Security”).
• All APs must be on the same LAN IP subnet. That is, all the AP LAN IP addresses are in the 
same network.
• All LAN devices (wired and wireless PCs in Figure 4-2) must be configured to operate in the 
same LAN network address range as the APs.
Figure 4-2
Wireless Range Extender WPN824EXT 
InternetPCs
AP2
AP in Repeater modeWireless PC
Associated with AP2
Wireless PC
associated with AP 3 Wireless PC
associated with AP1
ModemAP in Repeater mode
AP3 AP1
in Wireless Base Station mode 
						

							RangeMax WiFi Range Extender WPN824EXT User Manual 
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• If you are using DHCP, the Get Dynamically From ISP Gateway radio button in the Internet 
IP Address section of the Basic Settings screen should be selected for all AP devices in the IP 
Address Source portion.
To set up the repeater configuration shown in Figure 4-2:
1.Configure the operating mode of AP1 (the WiFi range extender in Figure 4-2) as a wireless 
base station with the MAC addresses of AP2 and AP3 in the first two Repeater MAC 
Address fields.
2.Configure the operating mode of AP2 and AP3 as wireless repeater with the MAC address of 
AP1, the WiFi range extender, in the Base Station MAC Address field.
3.Configure AP2 and AP3 to have a static IP address in their Repeater IP Address fields.
4.Verify connectivity across the LANs. 
A computer on any wireless or wired LAN segment of the WiFi range extender should be able 
to connect to the Internet or share files and printers with any other wireless or wired PC or 
server connected to any of the other APs.
In the scenario shown, a WiFi range extender can also be used as one of the “child” APs. 
Configure the WiFi range extender’s Wireless Repeating Function settings as described for AP2 or 
AP3.
Note: If a WiFi range extender is used as a wireless repeater AP as shown in Figure 4-2 
on page 4-3, you might need to change other configuration settings. In particular, 
you should disable the DHCP server function on the wireless repeater APs. 
						

							RangeMax WiFi Range Extender WPN824EXT User Manual 
Advanced Settings and Features 4-5
v1.0, April 2008
NTP Client
The WiFi range extender uses the Network Time Protocol (NTP) to obtain the current time and 
date from one of several Network Time Servers on the Internet, using the NTP Client screen. 
Select NTP Client under Advanced in the main menu. The NTP Client screen displays.
To localize the time for your log entries, you must specify your time zone:
•Enable NTP client. The NTP client is enabled by default. If you do not want the WiFi range 
extender to obtain the current time and date from an NTP server on the Internet, clear the 
Enable NTP client check box and click Apply.
•Time Zone. Select your local time zone. This setting is used for the blocking schedule and for 
time-stamping log entries.
•Automatically Adjust for Daylight Savings Time. Select this check box if your region 
supports daylight savings time. The WiFi range extender automatically adjusts the time at the 
start and end of the daylight savings time period.
Figure 4-3 
						

							RangeMax WiFi Range Extender WPN824EXT User Manual 
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QoS Setup
QoS is an advanced feature that you can use to prioritize some types of traffic ahead of others. The 
WiFi range extender can provide QoS prioritization over the wireless link and on the Internet 
connection. To configure QoS, use the QoS Setup screen. Select QoS Setup under Advanced in 
the main menu. The QoS Setup screen displays:
Figure 4-4