NETGEAR Universal WiFi Range Extender WN2000RPT - Manual (Page 5)

Chapter 1. Getting Started | 5
Universal WiFi Range Extender WN2000RPT
How the Range Extender Works
The range extender works like a bridge between a wireless router and a computer or wireless
device outside the wireless router’s range. To do this, the range extender has two main jobs:
1. The range extender connects to a wireless network that is up and running.
When the range extender connects wirelessly to a network, it acts as a network client.
This is similar to how a computer connects to a network.
2. The range extender acts as an access point for computers.
The range extender has its own wireless network called NETGEAR_EXT that wireless
computers can join. In its role as an access point, the range extender performs tasks that
wireless routers do, such as broadcasting its network name (SSID).
The range extender must do each of these jobs so that both ends of the bridge are in place.
Extender
Router
Router
Computer
outside the
router’s range
The Extender is halfway
between the router
and the computer.
Figure 2. Range Extender in a home
When to Use Your Range Extender
NETGEAR recommends that you connect to the range extender only when your home
network connection is poor. Because data traffic routed through the range extender is
inherently slower than traffic routed directly from the network, the computer should stay on
the network if the connection is good enough. NETGEAR recommends that you connect
through the range extender network only when the computer is in a “dead zone” where
connection from the network is very poor or non-existent.