NETGEAR AC1200 (Model C6220) is a modem and router in one which works with cable Internet and offers dual-band WiFi. You also have a WiFi extender and you want it to operate with the C6220 so that you can get WiFi in more places.
Before going further, you should know that the C6220 is not built for being used as a wireless extender. What does work more reliably is using the Netgear extender with the C6220 as the main router, or using the C6220 plus wired link to another access point/extender.
Basically, C6220 will remain a main router and extender will be connect to it, either wirelessly or wired. And then you place the extender where coverage is weak.
Steps to Connect Extender with the Netgear AC1200 (Model C6220)
1. Make sure the base network is stable
- First, you need to make sure that your C6220 set up has been done and connected to your ISP, WiFi is working, and devices are connected smoothly. The manual shows LED definitions etc.
- Note down your main router SSID and password of both bands for safety purpose.
- Also, check that firmware is up-to-date of the model C6220, to confirm go to the settings via mywifiext interface.
2. Choose your extender and placement
- Make sure to use an extender which is compatible with the Netgear AC1200 (Model C6220).
- Place if halfway between the router and dead zone. But not so far that the extender itself gets only a weak link.
- After selecting the placement, plug in the extender into a wall socket and wait for power LED to stable.
3. Connect the extender to your router
You have two methods for Netgear extender setup: Wireless and Wired Method.
Wireless method
- For wireless method, you have to press a WPS button on both the router and extender.
- First press the router’s WPS then the extender’s within two minutes.
- Now, wait for the extender’s LED to show a good connectivity.
- If no WPS or prefer manual: connect to the extender’s temporary setup network (open WiFi). Use a browser to navigate to its setup page. Choose ‘Connect to existing WiFi network’. Select your C6220’s SSID, input password.
- Once connected, usually you give the extender a new SSID and set a password. Finish Netgear extender setup and reboot extender.
Wired method
- For wired method, you have to use an Ethernet cable and connect its one end into a LAN port on C6220 and other end into a extender.
- Then configure extender to operate in Access-Point or wired extender mode. This gives strongest possible link back to router.
4. Configure the extender and test
- Once your main router and extender is connected and communicating with each other. You need to walk around the house where signal was weak and check the signal’s strength.
- For main router, login to the dashboard via 192.168.0.1 and check the connected devices.
- For the extender, you need to check throughput. It is basically a link between the extender and router which results is slow speed in the extended zone. If that is happening then you need to move extender closer to the router.
5. Fine-tuning
- If devices keep hopping between router and extender and you get disconnections: you can give both networks the same SSID and password so switching is smoother.
- Alternatively give extender a different SSID, so you can manually pick the stronger network.
- Set both the router’s bandwidth with different names.
- After the Netgear extender setup, you can disable the WPS on router; if you are concerned about security.
- Update extender firmware if available.
6. Potential issues and how to fix
- Extender shows connected to router but devices still slow: Possibly extender too far from router; check link signal.
- Devices still prefer router not extender: Different SSIDs help, or force device to forget the router’s weaker signal.
- Setup page of extender not accessible: Make sure your computer is connected to extender’s network.
Conclusion
In short, you should keep the Netgear AC1200 C6220 as your main modem/router. Use a good extender to expand coverage. Connect extender to the router either wirelessly or wired. Place it well. Check connection. Tune SSIDs and passwords. Watch for weak links and adjust. If your extender supports wired backhaul then go for it because that’s the most stable. If not, placing the extender closer to router helps. And bear in mind: if you were hoping to use the C6220 itself as the extender from a different main router that may not work reliably.
