Millions of Netgear users are unable to make the most of their extenders. The reason being, their WiFi extender couldn’t get IP address from the router. The most common symptom of the extender’s inability to get an IP address from the router is that you cannot access the mywifiext.net portal even on a device connected to the extender’s network. Walk through the post and learn what can be done so that your extender receives an IP address.
Check the Compatibility First
Although Netgear WiFi range extenders are universal, still there are some router models that do not work well with them. There is a high possibility that your WiFi range extender and the router are incompatible. Thus, you need to check for the extender-router compatibility. If they are not compatible, there will be no benefit of performing any troubleshooting. You need to either replace the router or the extender in that scenario.
Why WiFi Extender Couldn’t Get IP Address?
There are many reasons due to which your WiFi extender denies getting an IP address from the main router despite being compatible. However, the most common reason is the distance through which both devices are separated. Maybe you have kept your extender at more than 10ft away from the main router. Know that this way your devices won’t be able to communicate. Thus, you need to reduce the gap between them. Keep your devices in such a way that their signals neither clash nor struggle to communicate. On the off-chance, it doesn’t work out for you; you are suggested to have a look at the below-given table to understand what might have caused the problem.
| Reason | Description |
|---|---|
| Incomplete Boot Up | If the extender does not boot up properly, there are higher chances that it won’t get an IP from the router. |
| Poor Power Supply | Poor power supply to the extender can also result in the IP-address related issues. |
| IP Address Conflict | There is a high possibility that another device on the router’s network is utilizing the same IP as your extender. |
| Poor Cable Connection | This point applies if you have hardwired your extender and router. If cable connections are improper, then problems are inevitable. |
Hopefully, you have gone through the reasons causing the problem and are now all set to address it. Before getting started, try to perform firmware update for your extender by accessing the myNetgear portal. If you fail to do that, follow the tips given in the next section of the blog.
Fixed: WiFi Extender Couldn’t Get IP Address
- Reboot the Extender: If incomplete boot-up is the reason causing the problem, then you are advised to reboot the range extender. This time you are suggested to let your extender get powered up properly. In order to reboot it, you need to disconnect it from the power socket after removing WiFi clients from its network and wait for 5-10 minutes. Lastly, you can switch on the extender and see if it is able to obtain the IP address from the router or not.
- Check the Wall Socket: In 90% of the cases where the extender gets a poor power supply, damaged wall outlets are the reasons due to which the WiFi extender couldn’t get the IP address. Therefore, you are advised to check the same and get the existing one repaired if possible. In case the socket cannot be repaired, you need to connect your WiFi extender to a socket (perfectly working this time) that lies in the range of the host router.
- Assign Static IP to Extender: This hack is only applicable if you are able to access the extender’s admin portal somehow. Log in to your extender using 192.168.1.250 IP and navigate to its settings. See if you are able to assign a static IP to your range extender. Ensure that it is different from all those IPs assigned to the devices connected to the host router.
- Get the Ethernet Cable Changes: If you have connected your extender and the main router through an Ethernet cable there is a high possibility that the cable is damaged due to which you are facing issues. Thus, check the same and if our assumption turns out to be true, you need to get the cable replaced with a new one.
These were the techniques that if employed can help you fix the IP-related issues with the range extender. We suggest you restart your router too if things don’t go well. Upgrade its firmware to ensure seamless connectivity. Also, the tips mentioned above are written w.r,t, Netgear extender. You can use them in accordance to the WiFi extender you own. Lastly, reset the extender and perform new extender setup if every other hack fails to help you out.
The Final Words
This was all about what to do if WiFi extender couldn’t get IP address from the main router. We are expecting that after taking the help of the points mentioned in the blog, you will be able to resolve the issue and connect your devices properly.