1. Netgear WiFi Extender WN2500RP, WN3000RP Compatibility Test By Netgear WWQA: KW Goh, Ray Lok, Galen Gong Date: 31 Mar 2014

2. Background 1. Feb 2014 RMA data in OBIEE shows WN2500RP/3500RP are in the top warranty return and Cumm Fail rate list 2. Customers complaints in Amazon in regard to Netgear WiFi Extender 2

3. Customer Complaints in Amazon (1/3) Compatibility Problem 3

4. Wrong Buy as Router/Repeater, and Wrong Use 4 Customer Complaints in Amazon (2/3)

5. Stability Problem 5 Customer Complaints in Amazon (3/3)

6. Objective  To simulate Netgear WiFi Extender incorporating in other various brands of routers  To experiment the security setting compatibility, in which the incompatibility could be the main root cause leading to high RMA rate 6

7. Test Equipment: Wireless Router: 1.TP-Link: WDR4310 2.TP-Link: WR847N 3.D-Link:DIR-810L 4.FAST:FW300R 5.Linksys:EA6300 6.Belkin:N750DB 7.Buffalo:AC1750 8.Netgear:R6200 Internet Line, Cables, Laptop DUT: Netgear WiFi Extender: 1.WN2500RP 2.WN3000RP 7 Testing Setup Initiative

8. Hardware Configuration The extender acts as a bridge between a wireless router and a computer or wireless device outside the wireless router’s range. 8

9. 9 NTGRDUT firmware WN2500RP (V1.0.0.30_1.0.58 ) WN3000RP V1H2 (V1.0.1.36_1.1.47) FreqBand2.4G5G2.4G Brand Security Model NoWEPWPA- PSK WPA2- PSK WPA/W PA2- PSK (AES) NoWEPWPA- PSK WPA2- PSK WPA/WP A2-PSK (AES) NoWEPWPA- PSK WPA2- PSK WPA/WP A2-PSK (AES) (TKIP) TP LinkWDR4310PPPFPPPPFPPPPFP TP LinkWR847NPPPFPPPPFPPPPFP DlinkDIR-810LPPPFPFPPFFPPFFP FASTFW300RPPPFPPPPFPoorPPPFP LinksysEA6300PPNA PPP PoorPPNA P BelkinN750DBPPNA PPP PPP P BuffaloAC1750PNA PP PoorPNA P NTGRR6200PPPNAPP PPPP P Compatibility Test Result Matrix (P: Pass, F: Fail)

10.  In some cases, the LED light indicator for 2.4G in WN2500RP is lit on, but LED for 5G is unlit, thus the router is virtually operating in both dual band  The Extender in other brands like FAST, Linksys and Buffalo Router, 5G signal is not stable.  Some routers in other brand do not equip with WPS function, in which NTGR Extender is not able to connect with those by means of WPS setup method  NTGR Extender is not supporting WPA2-PSK(TKIP). In case, customers already used this security model, NTGR extender would not be compatible with those  The FW featured in both WN2500RP/WN3000RP Extender perform poor connectivity with other routers in WPA2-PSK.  While swapping Extender to other routers, WN2500RP/WN3000RP needs to reset before connecting successfully, otherwise the extender remains disconnected or consecutively re-connection in need Findings 10

11. According to this compatibility test outcome, Netgear Extender WN2500/WN3000RP can operate validly with different brand of routers at 2.4G/5G with existing common security models. Since Netgear Extender is not featured with WPA2-PSKTKIP and WN2500RP 5G’s compatibility is comparatively poor when incorporating in other branded routers with use of WPA/WPA2- PSK AES security model. Summary 11

12.  WN2500RP/WN3000RP do not support WPA2-PSK TKIP security model  The existing FW is not sufficiently detecting the router’s WiFi signal’s bands and security models  Some other routers do not support WPS function, hence customer cannot use WPS easy setup method(The selling point of NTGR ) to link up our Extender to other routers  The customers could possibly misuse the model WN****RP as a Repeater function or even a Router, this could lead to the failed linkage between NTGR extender and customers’ routers The Possible Root Causes Toward Customer Claims 12

13. Action Plan Firmware updating a) Add WPA2-PSK TKIP security support for both 2.4G and 5G b) Improve the connectivity coverage on existing WiFi signal band and security models c) Logically the extender linking to other routers without reset Explicit illustration on product usage Maybe need to highlight at giftbox that Netgear WiFi Extender is not a router or repeater, it can be used to extender your existing Router WiFi signal range only by wireless method. 13

14. Appendix A: WN2500RP GUI 14

15. 15 Appendix B: WN3000RP GUI

16. Extend Linksys Router, 5G pool link 16 Appendix C: Extend Linksys Router, 5G Poor Link

17. 17 Appendix D: Linksys Router Security Model

18. 18 Appendix E: FAST Router Security Model