NETGEAR Range extender question

[beachguy]

Hi to Everyone,

I have NETGEAR WN3000 range extender.  It is installed properly and sends a wireless router signal to a further distance in our house where PC reception is not very good unless an extender is used.  This range extender has 4 green lights labled  WPS, Link Rate, Status and PC to Extender. My question is to be working properly should all 4 green lights be lit all the time.  The reality is sometimes all four are green, sometimes only three are green, and sometimes only two are green. I am thinking all four lights should be green all the time.  Is this correct or not? The extender is halfway between the router and the PC upstairs that receives its signal and that PC does get an internet connection with the range extender. We have three computers all using Windows 7.  Are some of these lights supposed to go off if one or two of the computers using the range extender are shut down?
Thanks,
beachguy

[truenorth]

Here is the explanations as to what your 4 lights indicate"On the front of the unit there are four LED lights, the first of which indicates a wireless connection. The second LED lights up when the extender is connected to a PC, the third LED illuminates when the unit is on and the fourth LED indicates the link rate. The link rate indicates the quality of the connection between the extender and the router with green indicating the best connection, amber a workable one and red a poor one. If the light is off then there is no connection at all between the extender and router."
This is the site from which the above is quoted.
http://www.avforums.com/review/Netgear-Universal-WiFi-Range-Extender-WN3000RP-Review.html
I think you will find the site helpful in order to gain maximum advantage from your extender,truenorth

[beachguy]

Thanks, I will go to the link you posted.
beachguy

[beachguy]

I looked at the link you provided and it gave a thorough explanation as to what each LED light stands for.  It doesn't really  answer my question as to once the extender is properly set up, should all 4 LEd lights be continuously lit and what it means if they are not.  As stated before, sometimes I have all 4 lights on the extender lit up, other times only 3, and at other times only 2 lights are lit.  Is this normal?  The link provided doesn't address this.  Is the router periodically dropping its signal to the extender? If it has 2 lights showing , it can revert back to 4 lights or 3 lights lit on its own at any time, and conversely if it has 4 lights lit it can drop down to 2 or 3 lights lit in what seems to be in a random fashion. Still curious about this situation.

[truenorth]

I think you are asking something that is already answered in the part i quoted. Just stop and think for a moment re each individual light. That ought to point out to you that all the lights indicate singular functions of the unit. ALL those individual functions have different presentation options (for you to see) depending on what they are sensing. So in my opinion if you see that as their function your question is answered in all it's aspects you are wondering about. IE: on/off/colour variances as per the function status." I have all 4 lights on the extender lit up, other times only 3, and at other times only 2 lights are lit.  Is this normal?  " Yes it is normal if the lights NOT lit are reflecting the actual state of whatever they are reporting.That is what they were designed to do. It is up to YOU then as the user to modify something if the resultant presence or lack of of an illuminated light tells you whatever that particular light is telling you  (in that each of the 4 relates to a different aspect of the functioning of the extender). I really don't see where your problem re the lights is given the information provided. truenorth

[beachguy]

I agree with what you are saying.  However, what I am looking for you have addressed when you said, ...."I should modify something."  What are the exact things /areas I could look into to see if something needs an adjustment on our 3 computers.  I know everything should be in sync for this to work properly. They completed the extender's smart wizard program, they all have the same level of security, they are all in a home group network, they all use the same SSID (example X_EXT), they all connect automatically to an address, not manually, they all use the same security pass phrase which does not have to be entered all the time. What else can I check to see if everything is aligned correctly?  I appreciate your feedback.  beachguy.

[truenorth]

http://www.netgear.com/images/WN3000RP_DS_22Mar1118-17219.
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/networking-and-wi-fi/general-networking/netgear-wn3000rp-universal-wi-fi-range-extender-1040140/review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XnnEIBqGV4
I was about to digress on the functioning and factors that can influence the performance of your wifi extender. While i do not own your product i do have some experience with the devices as i have used a competitor's brand. However the combination of the three links above should tell you more than you will ever want to know about your device and extenders in general. You need to realize that when you think of the function of the extender is that it is in the middle between your router/modem and your computer. Think of forward and back. Things that are backward (to the router/modem) can effect what the extender can provide (distance/obstacles/performance of the router/modem/etc).In a nutshell the extender cannot improve on what is occurring backward.Forward the factors affecting the computer's functioning can also be affected by the same elements as the extender itself. But in that case are affected by their (the computers) conditions not by the extenders. IE place your computer beyond or at the limits of the extenders range and you will have no signal or a diminished signal. Those same factors apply to the extender in regards to the router/modem. Also the extender can be affected by settings as to how it recognizes the modem/router.Anyhow read through the articles i have linked and all that and more will be explained and will perhaps make you realize that there are factors under your control that can influence the optimum advantage and performance of your device.truenorth

[beachguy]

Thanks again for your input.  I will review what you have said and also review the new links you have provided.  Thanks,  beachguy.