I have a signal amplifier/wifi extension(I don't know the name for it) set up and it works just fine with my laptop and such but my iphone (4s) refuses to connect to it, it will only connect to the main router set up. Is there a reason and is there a way to fix it?
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $25/year with no ads, private forums, and more!
iPhone Won't Connect to Wifi Extension
- Thread starter timebourne
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
the 4s only picks up 2.4 Ghz connections, is your extender transmitting on 5 Ghz? can the iphone see the extender or just the router? might wanna tell us the make/model of it to further help you.
(How would I check if it's transmitting at 5 GHz?)
The iPhone can see the extender except whenever I try to connect it just constantly tries to connect and never actually connects. I use Netgear and the extender is also by Netgear it's called the Universal WiFi Range Extender WN2000RPT. I've tried rebooting the extender multiple times and each time it didn't work, however I just tried it again and my iPhone finally connected, which doesn't make any sense because I didn't do anything different. Maybe there's a problem with the extension? I've found multiple times that it gets screwy at timesthere are three icons with lights on the device one with arrows going up and down, another with something that looks like a computer with waves coming off of it, and a third with range bars; sometimes that third icon glows red or orange after staying green for a while as if it can't withstand transmitting for more than a few days. I don't understand why it keeps doing this.
But even so, even when I rebooted the extension yesterday it didn't work. So I'm rather confused about what's going on.
The iPhone can see the extender except whenever I try to connect it just constantly tries to connect and never actually connects. I use Netgear and the extender is also by Netgear it's called the Universal WiFi Range Extender WN2000RPT. I've tried rebooting the extender multiple times and each time it didn't work, however I just tried it again and my iPhone finally connected, which doesn't make any sense because I didn't do anything different. Maybe there's a problem with the extension? I've found multiple times that it gets screwy at timesthere are three icons with lights on the device one with arrows going up and down, another with something that looks like a computer with waves coming off of it, and a third with range bars; sometimes that third icon glows red or orange after staying green for a while as if it can't withstand transmitting for more than a few days. I don't understand why it keeps doing this.
But even so, even when I rebooted the extension yesterday it didn't work. So I'm rather confused about what's going on.
Comment
You can get apps that scan wifi that should tell you which frequency they are operating on. Try inssider for windows? Shows 2.4 Ghz and 5Ghz channels in a graph. It might be transmitting N on the 5ghz, but your iphone shouldn't see it.
Is there an option in the router to change this, might be worth a go. Change to wireless N 2.4ghz, or even put down to G and see if that works.
Sometimes the chipset in the router will just be incompatible with your iphone, its daft but ive had it before where my iphone would go really slow connected to certain access points.
also try the usual just incase.
Change the router channel from "auto" to 11.
- On the iPhone: "Forget this network" and attempt to rejoin.
- Reset the iPhone Network configuration (General -> reset -> reset network).
- Rebooted the iPhone 4S. (Also hard reset).
- Connect to an unprotected network to see if your phone connects to a different router.
Is there an option in the router to change this, might be worth a go. Change to wireless N 2.4ghz, or even put down to G and see if that works.
Sometimes the chipset in the router will just be incompatible with your iphone, its daft but ive had it before where my iphone would go really slow connected to certain access points.
also try the usual just incase.
Change the router channel from "auto" to 11.
- On the iPhone: "Forget this network" and attempt to rejoin.
- Reset the iPhone Network configuration (General -> reset -> reset network).
- Rebooted the iPhone 4S. (Also hard reset).
- Connect to an unprotected network to see if your phone connects to a different router.
Last edited:
Comment
Are there two different network names that distinguish between the two devices?
Comment
Off and on again. I don't know how to get it to stay working.
Is Insider also for Macs? How do you change to wireless N 2.4GHz? Do you do that using Insider? I'm feeling super incompetent haha. How would I change the router channel from "auto" to 11 and do I do that on my computer or on the iphone?
I tried reseting the nextwork config. and it didn't do anything it still connects to only the main router but not the extension.
Yes there is NETGEAR and then the other one is just extend.
I'm beginning to think it's a problem caused by the extension but I wouldn't know how to fix that.
Comment
