How do I Install Older NETGEAR Router Using a Wireless Device?

This page is about old NETGEAR router from the past. Install your router and connect to the Internet using the Nighthawk app for newer models and Nighthawk routers. For iOS and Android devices, the NETGEAR Nighthawk app is available.

Unless you live in a tiny house or apartment, your single router is unlikely to reach every area of your home. You can do something about it other than grumble about your Netflix session being interrupted, whether it presents as intermittent Wi-Fi or a very poor connection.

You can take the Wi-Fi data signal out of thin air and retransmit it to different parts of the house by converting an outdated router into a Wi-Fi extender.

To Use a Wireless Device to Install Your Older NETGEAR Router:

Step 1: Turn off your cable or DSL modem.

Step 2: Connect the yellow LAN port of your DSL or cable modem to the yellow Internet port of your NETGEAR router with an Ethernet cable.

Step 3: Wait for the LEDs on your DSL or cable modem to turn solid green before turning it on.

Step 4: Wait for the LEDs on your NETGEAR router to turn solid green before turning it on.

Step 5: Open the WiFi connection manager on your wireless device and look for your NETGEAR router's default WiFi network name.

Step 6: The name and password for your WiFi network may be found on a sticker on your router.

Step 7: Join the WiFi network of your router.

Step 8: Open a web browser and go to http://www.routerlogin.com.

Procedure To Take Care When Using an Old Router

It's simple to turn an existing router into a Wi-Fi extender, which captures a strong signal and transmits a new stream of data to previously disconnected locations. While this is a low-cost option, don't expect Wi-Fi miracles.

Nonetheless, it's a cost-effective method to add wireless broadband to your house. As an example of how to accomplish this, we turned a dusty Netgear R7000 802.11ac router into a repeater.

We effortlessly changed the old router into a Wi-Fi extender by using Netgear Genie, a free network-management tool for Netgear routers, to bring Wi-Fi to a guest room in my basement.

Locate a Router That Is Compatible

Whether you have an old router lying around, read the manual to see if it can be turned into an extender or repeater, then follow the instructions carefully. If the router's manufacturer's firmware doesn't allow it to function as a repeater or extender, there is another option.

Check to see if the router supports open-source firmware (like DD-WRT). If that's the case, you might be able to utilize your previous router as an extension. Be wary of routers from the 802.11b and g periods; they won't operate properly since their maximum bandwidth is reduced, resulting in network congestion.

Reset Preferences and Update Firmware

We opened a browser window and entered "www.rouoterlogin.net" to open the login screen after downloading and installing the newest firmware for the R7000 and connected the router to our network with a Cat5 jumper connection.

Other router manufacturers' addresses will be different or will have genuine IP addresses, such as 192.168.1.1.  Needless to say, you should change your password to something safer as soon as possible (and we have a handy guide that walks you through the process).

If you've set a new router password and forgotten it, conduct a hard restart to delete all old data from the machine. This is usually accomplished by pressing and holding the reset button for 20 to 30 seconds, after which the router will restart.

Conclusion 

It's a little complicated, but you'll need to key in a repeater's static IP address next. To indicate that it's part of the LAN's infrastructure rather than a client or printer, I prefer to use 192.168.1.2 (one higher than the base router's IP). To avoid future IP address confusion, I keep a handwritten list of static addresses posted to the router.

We're almost done. Ensure the subnet mask matches the router's — the router uses the subnet mask to identify whether the network segment and client are local or distant. This information is usually displayed on the same screen as the IP address you just established in the router's administration program.