When you have more than one Netgear extender in your home with the old router, and you want to switch the router to a new one, you should apply reset process first to the extender and then start the Netgear extender setup again. So that the extenders forget the previous data and connects with the new. But if that is not working, then you have to use some of the tips and solutions from the experts.
All the possible reasons and solutions are provided below from our WiFi experts and tech team, so that you can resolve the “Wifi extenders can’t connect to new Wifi router” problem quickly.
These are the obvious reasons that can occur during the extender to new router connection. And after that we will provide solutions for all of them.
It can happen that you have changed your WiFi name or password when you got the new router, your extender doesn’t magically know that.
Some extenders can only handle 2.4GHz, and newer routers default to 5GHz or use combined “smart” bands. If your extender doesn’t see your network at all, it’s probably this.
Routers sometimes block new devices by default. Check if MAC filtering or “Access Control” is turned on.
If you’ve been trying for an hour and nothing works, do the painful thing – reset it. Tiny pinhole button, hold for about 10 seconds.
Old extender firmware + new router firmware = communication issues. Check the manufacturer’s site for a firmware update.
If you’re using the WPS method, it can fail if your new router has WPS disabled (a lot of newer routers do this for security reasons).
Sometimes the extender and router try to use the same IP range. If that happens, they basically argue over who’s in charge.
WPA3 encryption can trip up older extenders that only support WPA2. Besides that, try setting your router to a mixed mode (WPA2/WPA3) and see if it suddenly starts working.
These below given solutions are provided by the WiFi experts and support so try them all without any hesitation.
The “factory reset” advice always feels lazy, but extenders hold onto old SSIDs. Find that tiny reset hole on the extender. Hold the pin in for like 10 seconds until the lights blink. That’s it. Start clean.
Once it’s wiped, log in fresh (usually via something like 192.168.0.1 or the brand’s New extender setup URL). Connect it to your new WiFi network manually.
Extenders does not work well on 5GHz network, especially older ones.
check if your new router has the same SSID for both bands, in this situation the extender might get confused.
to solve this situation try the bands in your router settings — name them differently (like Home_2.4 and Home_5). Then connect the extender only to the 2.4GHz one first. It usually connects instantly after that.
Routers love to merge bands automatically under one name. To resolve the issue, Log into your router (usually 192.168.1.1), look for Smart Connect or Band Steering, and disable it.
After that, try reconnecting the extender. It’ll stop flip-flopping between bands.
Extenders get left behind on updates. Go to the manufacturer’s site, grab the latest firmware, and flash it manually if needed.
In a case like your new router is using WPA3, and your extender only understands WPA2, then they’ll not connect.
You must change that security settings. Access your router’s wireless settings and set the security mode to WPA2/WPA3 mixed or just WPA2 temporarily.
Connect the extender, then you can tweak it later if you really want WPA3-only.
Hopefully, you have found out what is blocking the extenders to connect with the new router and resolved the “Wifi extenders can’t connect to new Wifi router” problem in minutes with the help of the above given solutions.
Tags: Netgear extender setup
Dave Francis is a WiFi network expert and a technical writer dedicated to helping users optimize their home networks. He focuses on providing clear, actionable steps to help readers get the best service out of their devices. With the background in Information-Technology and passion for WiFi devices, he provides practical advice and solutions for setting up and managing Wi-Fi devices. He breaks down technical issues and offers simplified solutions through easy guides and tutorials.
