.Cannot Connect to WiFi after I Use the Computer to Install WiFi Range Extender

WD Legacy Products My Net Networking Devices
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There are 4 computers in our house connected on a home network. An old friend set up the wireless network for us because I don’t know how. We have dsl Internet service and an AT&T 2Wire router. Only one desktop computer is hard wired into the router. The other 3 get wireless signal. 

Because the AT&T 2Wire router does not have a wps button, I could not connect the new WD My NET WiFi Range Extender by pressing that button on the router and on the range extender. So I connected my laptop computer to the powered up range extender using the ethernet cable provided. When I did, my browser opened up and I linked the range extender to the router using the router’s password. I did not see an opportunity to give the range extender a name, so I let it have the same name as the router (2Wire336). Then, I disconnected the range extender from my laptop computer by unplugging the ethernet cable.

After putting the ethernet cable back in the box, my laptop computer and my house mate’s laptop computer were no longer getting wireless Internet signal. So I turned off the range extender and then turned it back on. This restored wireless signal to my house mate’s laptop computer. In fact, his computer and his Android Tablet were now getting a much stronger signal than they have ever gotten before. That was the point of getting the range extender. His 2 devices were the farthest from the router and always got poor signal in the past.

The other 2 computers in the house were getting excellent signal as well, but my laptop was getting no signal at all. I tried everything I could to restore signal to my laptop computer including restarting it, but nothing helped. The router, 2Wire336, was at the top of its list with maximum signal strength, but it would just not stay connected. An error message said that there was another computer on the network with the same IP address so it COULD NOT connect. Apparently, the range extender took on the IP address of my laptop computer when I used it to set up the range extender. I don’t know how or where to assign it a different IP address.

So I used the reset button on the range extender to restore it to factory settings, I TURNED OFF my laptop computer’s reception of wireless Internet signal and set up the range extender again. The results were almost the same. The other computers in the house got strong wireless signal, but my laptop refused to connect to the 2Wire336 signal. I did not get a error message that said anything about IP addresses this time, but I may not have spent enough time fooling around for that to pop up.

That is my problem. I cannot set up the range extender AND have my laptop computer receive wireless Internet signal. I think the problem is with the IP address and/or the network name. But I don’t know how or where to assign different names to these things. I don’t even know what my laptop computer’s IP address is and I’m not sure where to find that information. Please send me some help.

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Hello and welcome, 

Are you using a static IP for the laptop that is not connecting? You can check if you have a static IP setup for your PC, if you are, just click on the “Obtain an IP address automatically” check box to obtain in automatically. Check the link below for the steps. 

http://windows.microsoft.com/is-is/windows7/change-tcp-ip-settings

By default the My Net extender will use the same wireless name, but you can add “_EXT” Check page 21 of the manual.

http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/UM/ENG/4779-705081.pdf#page=24

1 Like
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Thank you very much for responding to my post! I followed the steps laid out in the link that you provided and found that everything is set to automatically, so I have not been using a static IP address.

I am wondering whether the problem can be related to the type of encryption because of something that I read. That is, should I perhaps switch between WPA and WEP? I’m afraid I don’t know which I am using now, but if you think this is significant, maybe I can find out.

Also, something else that I have read said that I need to perhaps assign an IP address to the extender so that it is in the same IP segment as the router. Is this necessary?

Again, thanks for your help.

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Just a thought, you are naming the extender the same as the router.  This would be a no no.  I would suggest default the extender, and setup again with a different equipment and network name.  If the wifi name is the same, and the securtiy settings are different, you will have nothing but trouble.

in order for multiple wifi tranmistters to be used, with the same ssid, the security settings MUST BE identical so the pc client simply browses for the best signal.  If you use the same ssid with different settings, the client will never attach to any wifi network due to overlapping networks and different security settings.   Basically the the pc wifi becomes confused and gives you the middle finger

if you set the device names the same, it causes probles for routing.  DO NOT DO THIS, use a unique device name to identify the extender.  Imagine a post office trying to deliver mail to you street when all house names/addresses are the same, once again the middle finger.

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Thanks for responding. I decided that I had put too much time and effort into setting up this extender. I sent it back to Amazon just this morning.