NETGEAR XWNB1601 User manual

Universal WiFi Range Extender -
Powerline PassThru Edition
XWNB1601 Installation Guide

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1
Contents
Package Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Hardware Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
LED Descriptions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Button Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Install the Adapters and Surf the Web with WiFi . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Install NETGEAR genie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Compatible NETGEAR Powerline Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

NETGEAR recommends
that you do not plug a
Powerline device directly
into a powerstrip.
2
Package Contents
Ethernet cables (2)
XAV1601
XAVN2001

3
Hardware Features
Powerline AV 200 Adapter
(XAV1601)
Powerline
LED
Power
LED
Ethernet
LED
Power
LED
Wireless
LED
Powerline
LED
Ethernet
LED
Factory
Reset
button
Ethernet
port
Security
button
On/Off
switch
Powerline 200 WiFi Range Extender
(XAVN2001)
Security
button
Ethernet
port

4
LED Descriptions
The LEDs indicate the status of your Powerline devices.
• When you plug in the Powerline device, the Power LED
lights and turns green.
• The Ethernet LED lights and turns green when you connect
a powered-on Ethernet device to at least one Ethernet port. If the
LED is off, there is no Ethernet connection.
• The Wireless LED lights and turns green when the wireless
radio is on.
• The Powerline LED lights when the Powerline device detects at
least one other compatible Powerline device.
The Pick A Plug feature lets you pick the electrical outlet with the
fastest link rate.
- Green: Link rate > 80 Mbps (Fast)
- Amber: Link rate > 50 and < 80 Mbps (Medium)
- Red: Link rate < 50 Mbps (Slow)

5
Button Descriptions
The buttons on your Powerline devices let you do the following:
• Factory Reset button: Use the Factory Reset button to return your
Powerline device to its default factory settings. Press the Factory
Reset button for 2 seconds, and then release it.
• Power On/Off switch: Use the On/Off switch to turn the device on
and off.
• Security button: The Security button has three functions:
-Secure the Powerline network.
-Create a WiFi access point on the XAVN2001 that has the
same wireless settings as your router or gateway.
-Automatically connect your wireless client to the XAVN2001
WiFi access point.

6
Install the Adapters and Surf the Web with WiFi
1. Secure your Powerline network.
a. Make sure that the Power LED is solid green on each
Powerline device.
b. On the XAV1601 adapter, press its Security button for 2
seconds, and then release the button. The Power LED
blinks green while the adapter is setting up security.
c. Within 2 minutes, go to the XAVN2001 extender and press
its Security button for 2 seconds, and then release the
button.
d. After a few seconds, the security is set and the Power LED
turns solid green.

7
The Powerline devices can communicate over the Powerline
network in a secure way.
2. Plug the XAV1601 into a wall outlet near your router or gateway.
3. Connect the XAV1601 through the LAN port with an Ethernet
cable.

8
If you want to share Internet access across your home, make
sure to connect the XAV1601 to your Internet gateway with an
Ethernet cable.

9
4. Plug the WiFi Range Extender (XAVN2001) into a wall outlet
where you need WiFi coverage.
Note: You can connect an Ethernet-based device (like a game console,
set-top box, or Blu-ray player) to the Internet and the home network with
the additional Ethernet port on the XAVN2001.

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5. Set up WiFi access on your XAVN2001 extender.
You can set up WiFi access on your XAVN2001 extender in one
of three ways:
•Option 1: Use the WPS button on your wireless router or
gateway to clone your existing wireless network.
a. Press and hold the Security button on the XAVN2001
(about 10 seconds) and release it.
The Wireless LED starts to blink.
b. Press the WPS button on the wireless router or
gateway.
When the Wireless LED stops blinking, the cloning is
finalized. The WiFi range extender (XAVN2001)
re-creates a WiFi access point with the same SSID and
password as your router or gateway.
You now have two wireless networks with the same
settings (SSID and password). When you are roaming in
your house, your wireless client (laptop, tablet, or
smartphone) switches from one network (router or
gateway) to the other (XAVN2001), depending on the
signal quality.

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•Option 2: Use NETGEAR genie to manually configure the
wireless settings of your XAVN2001 extender.
a. Install NETGEAR genie. (See Install NETGEAR genie on
page 19.)
b. Temporarily connect your computer directly to the
XAVN2001 through the Ethernet port.
c. Launch NETGEAR genie on your computer and click
Network Map or select it from the menu.

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d. Click the Powerline icon on the Network Map screen.
The Powerline Utility screen displays:
Powerline
icon
XAVN2001
icon
e. On the Powerline Utility screen, right-click the
XAVN2001 icon.

13
f. From the pop-up menu that displays, select Wireless
configuration.
g. Enter the following wireless settings:
• Wireless Network Name (SSID)
• Wireless Security Type
• Passphrase

14
If you want to clone your existing wireless network, enter
the same wireless settings that your router or gateway
uses. When you are roaming in your house, your wireless
client (laptop, tablet, or smartphone) switches from one
network (router or gateway) to the other (XAVN2001),
depending on the signal quality.
If you want to create a new wireless network, enter new
wireless settings. Creating a new wireless network lets
you have a second network in another zone of your
house.
h. Click Apply to save your changes.
i. When you are finished with the wireless settings,
disconnect the Ethernet cable from the XAVN2001.
Note: You can access advanced wireless
settings by right-clicking the device
icon and selecting the IP address on
the pop-up menu. The login and
password are admin and password.

15
•Option 3: Use the web browser setup guide to manually
configure the wireless settings of your XAVN2001 extender.
On your computer or wireless device (tablet, smartphone):
a. Open the software that manages
your wireless network connections,
and connect to the XAVN2001
network.
Tip: The default wireless network name (SSID)
of the XAVN2001 is NETGEAR_EXT.
The default network key (wireless security
password) is printed on the back of the
XAVN2001.

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b. On the same computer or wireless device, open a web
browser window.
The browser takes you directly to the onscreen setup
guide. If it does not, enter one of the following into the
browser address bar:
www.mywifiext.net
www.netgearextender.net
c. When prompted to log in, enter:
• User name: admin
• Password: password
The web browser setup guide helps you configure the
wireless settings of the XAVN2001.

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If you want to clone your existing wireless network, enter
the same wireless settings that your router or gateway
uses.
If you want to create a new wireless network, enter new
wireless settings. Creating a new wireless network lets
you have a second network in another zone of your
house.
Record the new wireless settings here:
Wireless network name (SSID)
Network key (Passphrase)

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6. Connect your wireless client (laptop, tablet, or smartphone) to
the XAVN2001 for Internet access.
•Option 1: Use the WPS button on your wireless client to
automatically connect to the XAVN2001 access point.
a. Press the Security button on the XAVN2001 for 2
seconds and release it.
The Wireless LED starts to blink.
b. Press the WPS button on your wireless client for 2
seconds and release it.
When the Wireless LED stops blinking, your wireless
client is automatically connected to the XAVN2001
access point and you can surf the web.
•Option 2: Manually connect to the XAVN2001 access point.
On your computer or wireless client (tablet, smartphone):
a. Open the software that manages your wireless network
connections.
b. Connect to the XAVN2001 wireless network (SSID).
c. Enter the network key (passphrase).
Your wireless device is now connected to the XAVN2001
access point and you can surf the web.