Netgear range extenders came in as a boon to turn internet dead zones into high-speed WiFi zones. After installing a range extender in the house, one can relax and enjoy binge-watching his/her favorite series on Netflix or playing a multiplayer online game. But, what scares every user the most is the red light on Netgear extender which indicates that something is wrong.
There are multiple occasions when the extender flashes the color red. However, the frequent reason behind this problem is the outdated firmware of the extender. Therefore, the first thing you need to do to troubleshoot the Netgear extender red light issue is to perform a firmware update. You can update the extender’s firmware by accessing the http:192.168.1.250 address. In case you don’t know how the next section will help you out.
How to Update Firmware to Fix Extender Red Light?
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First of all, get hold of a computer and access 192.168.1.250 via an internet browser.
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Once you find yourself on the extender’s admin page, input the password.
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Are you on the Netgear Genie setup wizard? If yes, select Settings.
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Locate the Firmware Update option and click it.
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If a firmware update is available, follow the on-screen prompts to complete the process.
In this way, you will be able to update the firmware of your Netgear range extender. What happened? Are you still seeing the red light on Netgear extender? If yes, then it is recommended that you give a shot at the hacks mentioned in the next section.
How to Resolve Red Light on Netgear Extender?
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Let Your Extender Rest
If an outdated firmware of the extender is the first reason causing the red light to show up, then technical glitches are second. Even after being caused due to unknown reasons, you can fix them. All you need to do is give some rest to the extender. For this, you have to restart it.
Restarting the extender will give enough time for technical glitches to get settled. However, you need to ensure that there is a decent gap between the switching off and on of your range extender. Else, technical glitches stay and so does the red light on Netgear extender.
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Change the Power Source
There is also a possibility that you are seeing the red light on your WiFi device because of the lack of the proper power supply. Are you sure that your range extender is getting a stable supply of power? Well, we have a feeling that it is not.
Why don’t you have a look at the wall socket used for powering up the extender? Is it working fine? In case it is not, then you should not waste more time changing the power source. On the off chance issue persists; consider making use of a UPS.
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Swap the Connection Source
Chances are that the connection source between your Netgear extender and the main router is pulling you into the mess of the red light problem. Thus, you should make some tweaks to the source of the connection.
It means if you’ve connected your devices using a wireless source, replace it with a wired one and vice-versa. However, make sure that the cable used for connecting the devices is intact and that the distance between your devices is safe. In other words, they must not be sticking to each other.
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Reset the Extender
If the red light on Netgear extender is still adamant to leave your side, then it is a sign that the extender has fallen a victim to some serious functionality defect. Therefore, you have to do away with it instantly. FYI, performing a Netgear WiFi extender reset is the ultimate hack to fix all the major and minor problems related to the device. Thus, waste no more time executing the process.
You can either access the web-based management console of the extender to reset it or perform a factory default reset using the button with the same label on the extender. The moment your extender resets, reconfigure it using the Nighthawk app, the WPS method, or the web-based management console. The choice is all yours.
Summing Up
The red light on Netgear extender can trouble you on countless occasions. But, if you are aware of the correct reason behind the problem, resolving it will be like a cakewalk. We hope that you’ve successfully fixed the extender red light issue. However, avoid overburdening your extender as it can also become a potential cause behind the issue you just resolved if kept ignored.