NETGEAR EX6420-100PES User manual

Quick Start
AC1900 WiFi Mesh Extender
Essentials Edition
Model EX6420

2
Getting started
Your extender boosts your router’s WiFi signal and enhances the
signal quality over long distances.
Extender
Boosts the WiFi range and
sends a stronger signal in
hard-to-reach areas
WiFi router
Sometimes your router
doesn’t provide the
WiFi coverage that you
need

3
Meet your extender
Before you install your extender, learn about its LEDs, buttons, and
port.
Client Arrow LED
Access Point/
Extender switch
Power On/Off
button
Factory Reset
button
WPS button
Router Link LED
Router Arrow LED
Client Link LED
Power LED
WPS LED
Ethernet port
(on bottom panel)

4
LED Description
Router Link
LED
WiFi connection from the router to the extender:
• Solid green. Best connection.
• Solid amber. Good connection.
• Solid red. Poor connection.
• Off. No connection.
Client Link
LED
WiFi connection from your computer or mobile device to
the extender:
• Solid green. Best connection.
• Solid amber. Good connection.
• Solid red. Poor connection.
• Off. No connection.
Power LED • Solid amber. The extender is booting.
• Solid green. The extender is powered on.
• Off. The extender is powered off.
WPS LED • Solid green. WiFi security is enabled (WPA or WPA2).
• Blinking green. A WPS connection is being established.
• Off. WiFi security isn’t enabled.
No arrow LEDs are lit. The extender is in a good location.
Client Arrow LED blinks. Move the WiFi-enabled computer or
mobile device closer to the extender.
Router Arrow LED blinks. Move the extender closer to the
router.

5
You can use your extender in extender mode or in access point
mode.
In extender mode, your extender repeats the signals from your
WiFi router. After initial setup, the best location for the extender is
about halfway between your router and the area with a poor WiFi
signal. The extender must be within the range of your WiFi router
network.
In access point mode, your extender creates a new WiFi hotspot by
using a wired Ethernet connection.

6
Install the extender in extender mode
1. Set the Access Point/Extender switch to Extender .
2. For initial setup, place your extender in the same room as your
WiFi router.
3. Plug the extender into an electrical outlet.
Wait for the Power LED to light green. This might take up
to 2 minutes. If the Power LED doesn’t light, press the Power
On/Off button on the extender.
Continue with installation, using one of these methods:
• To connect your extender using WPS, see the following
section.
Note: WPS doesn’t support WEP network security. If you use
WEP security, you must use the NETGEAR installation assistant.
• To connect your extender using the NETGEAR installation
assistant, see Connect the extender to your WiFi network using
the NETGEAR installation assistant on page 9.

7
Connect the extender to your WiFi network
using WPS
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) lets you join a secure WiFi network
without selecting the network name and entering the password.
1. Press the WPS button on the extender until the WPS LED
blinks green.
2. Within two minutes, press the WPS button on your router.
The WPS LED on the extender lights solid green, the Router
Link LED lights, and the extender connects to your WiFi
network.
If the Router Link LED doesn’t light, try again. If it still doesn’t
light, see Connect the extender to your WiFi network using the
NETGEAR installation assistant on page 9.
Note: If your router supports the 5 GHz band and your
extender didn’t connect to that band, repeat the WPS process.
3. Unplug the extender and move it to a new location that is
about halfway between your router and the area with a poor
router WiFi signal.
The extender must be within the range of your WiFi router
network.

8
4. Plug the extender into an electrical outlet and wait for the
Power LED to light green.
5. Use the Router Link LED to nd a spot where the
extender-to-router connection is optimal.
6. If the Router Link LED doesn’t light amber or green, plug the
extender into an outlet closer to the router and try again.
Keep moving the extender to outlets closer to the router until
the Router Link LED lights amber or green.
7. Connect your WiFi-enabled computer or mobile device to the
WiFi network.
Your extender uses the same WiFi name as your router, based on
the WiFi band that it connects to rst.
Dual-band router
WiFi names
Extender connects to
this network rst
Extender WiFi name for
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
MyWiFiExample
MyWiFiExample-5G
MyWiFiExample MyWiFiExample
MyWiFiExample
MyWiFiExample-5G
MyWiFiExample-5G MyWiFiExample-5G

9
Connect the extender to your WiFi network
using the NETGEAR installation assistant
The installation assistant guides you through the steps to connect
your extender to your WiFi network.
1. Connect your WiFi-enabled computer or mobile device to the
extender using a WiFi or wired Ethernet or connection:
• WiFi. On your WiFi-enabled computer or mobile device,
join the the extender WiFi network NETGEAR_EXT.
Note: NETGEAR_EXT is the extender’s default WiFi
network.
• Ethernet. Use an Ethernet cable to connect the Ethernet
port on the extender to an Ethernet port on your WiFi-
enabled computer.
When your WiFi-enabled computer or mobile device connects,
the Client Link LED lights.
2. Launch a web browser and visit www.mywiext.net.
The NETGEAR installation assistant displays.
3. Follow the prompts to connect your extender to your WiFi
network.

10
The Router Link LED lights when the extender connects to
the router WiFi network.
4. Unplug the extender and move it to a new location about
halfway between your router and the area with a poor WiFi
signal.
The extender must be within the range of your WiFi router
network.
5. Plug the extender into an electrical outlet and wait for the
Power LED to light green.
6. Use the Router Link LED to nd a spot where the
extender-to-router connection is optimal.
7. If the Router Link LED doesn’t light amber or green, plug the
extender into an outlet closer to the router and try again.
Keep moving the extender to outlets closer to the router until
the Router Link LED lights amber or green.