Exclamation point on airport icon when connecting to wired base access point

In this configuration both Netgear routers would be performing as routers. You should consider reconfiguring the downstream (WNDR4500) router as a bridge so that only your "main" Netgear router will provide routing functions.

If the firmware does not have a built in WAP mode.. (Could be called wireless bridge or something else as well).

Then the correct method is what we call WAN BYPASS.

Let me assume your main Netgear is on a default IP.. typically 192.168.0.1 (tell us the exact value if you need more help).

Set the WNDR4500 to 192.168.0.254 (LAN side IP). Turn off DHCP server.

Plug ethernet from main netgear to a LAN port not WAN.. hence wan bypass.

Your client devices can now connect to the wireless in the WNDR4500 but all network functions are handled by the main netgear.

Now if the main IP is different then the WNDR4500 has to also follow that IP.. so don't be too literal in what I have explained.

It would also be good to limit the DHCP range in the main router to exclude whatever IP you use for the WNDR4500.. although it is usually very trouble free to simply use the top IP in the range.. 254.

Again if you already have something on that IP you will need to understand what you are doing rather than just follow the instructions parrot fashion.

To be in bridge mode, both NAT & DHCP should be disabled on the router. I can't provide you with the exact steps as I don't have this router and can only provide step-by-step directions for Apple routers. Sorry!

If you don't already have one, I would suggest that you download a copy of the User Manual for this particular router and see what it tells you about configuring it to be a bridge. Also, the Netgear support forum should be able to assist you as well.

The point is, if you using the second router to extend the wireless network of the first ... and they are connected by Ethernet, you have the basis for a roaming type network. The link provides how to do so with AirPort routers, but it may be similar for your Netgear ones as well.

10.0.1.1 is the Apple default.

I am pretty certain that Netgear will not use that..

Let me suggest very strongly.. it is far far better to stick to defaults when it comes to setting up domestic routers. Just because they are tested extensively on those settings.. and strange stuff can happen because of poorly written firmware when you change it.

If you really want to stick to 10.0.1.x network.. (it is supplied by ISP for example with a different default.. which happens) many clients will have issues.. as it is given a Class C subnet mask when Class A is expected.

I have the secondary router getting a static IP from it (on its WAN page) of 10.0.1.10.

This will mean you MUST double NAT..

And you MUST NOT use 10.x.x.x IP on the LAN side. As stated the class issue comes into effect here.

In order to route you must have different IP ranges on the WAN and LAN sides.

BUT double NAT is not good.

Change the WNDR4500 to 10.0.1.254 and turn off its DHCP server.. both on LAN side.. set the WAN back to DHCP.

Plug ethernet from main router to the WNDR4500 LAN port .. not wan.. you do NOT want to route.. just use the WAP and switch in the WNDR4500 router.

This also is the best way to do things when no proper WAP mode is available (Bridge as Tesserax has listed).. And I find the GENIE firmware GUI of the Netgear rather difficult and antiquated.. just plain bad on lots of things. Even if they have a WAP mode.. this method of wan bypass often works better.

You will have to remember the IP.. so that is why it is easier to set to something that is top of the range .. 10.0.1.254 is the last assigned IP in the subnet.. And you can access it then from your browser to set wireless configuration to match the main router.

Are you saying that I should connect the ethernet cable between one of the 4 LAN ports on the primary router to one of the 4 LAN ports on the secondary router instead (not the WAN port of the secondary router)?

Yes.. exactly.

when I've turned off the DHCP on the secondary router, my Apple devices could not get on its wifi. I guess maybe that's because I had done something else wrong in the other steps?

Because you cannot use the same IP range on LAN and WAN..

You must either double NAT.. and the IP on the LAN side should be 192.168.x.x NOT 10.x.x.x although sometimes it works and sometimes NOT.. it can be unreliable. You did use 192.168.1.x which is certainly going to work better in a double NAT setup .. the problem being double NAT should be avoided.

Or you must get rid of the NAT and DHCP and WAN.. ie set the Netgear to WAP mode.. OR full bridge.

I gave the secondary router 10.0.1.10 instead of 10.0.1.254? It needs to have an address on the primary router's network, right? Is .254 different in principle than .10? And, the secondary router should be using addresses that are *not* 10.x, right - mine is using 192.168.1.x now. I may have confused your meaning about LAN and WAN sides; I've been calling them primary and secondary routers.

Ok.. let me try again and spell this out..

You set an IP on the WAN side of WNDR4500..

And you are using it as a NAT router.. That means your main router is NAT router with WAN.. cable modem.. and LAN..

PLUS you have WNDR4500 which is another NAT router and has WAN. 10.0.1.10 and LAN at 192.168.1.x

This is wrong.. this is double NAT and will mean nothing connected to the main router can reach items behind the second router.

What you need to do is turn off routing in the WNDR4500.

There are two methods to do this.

Via the firmware of the WNDR4500 if it is allowed.. PROBLEM.. netgear does NOT allow lots of stuff.

OR

Manually bypassing the WAN port.. which you set back to DHCP.

And setting a LAN port to 10.0.1.254 for example.

Also turning off DHCP server so it cannot interfere with IP which will be handled SOLELY 100% by the main router.

Great.. the Netgear has WAP mode.. Please give it a try.

But the screen on the secondary router's AP mode page seems to be showing it connected to the primary router via it's Internet Port, not one of the other 4

In AP mode.. WAN is joined to LAN.. Apple airports do exactly the same thing in Wireless Extend mode.. (which is actually WAP mode). Since there is no need to route packets the NAT is turned off. With no NAT instead of wasting the WAN port it is simply connected to the LAN.

It would therefore make no difference whatsoever which port you plug the main router into.. WAN or LAN 1, 2, 3, 4 .. all are joined together.

I strongly recommend you use this..

The manual method was purely to overcome the lack of WAP mode.. which you have shown is not necessary.

Or if the WAP mode behaves strangely or poorly.. which they sometimes do.

Let me just try and help you understand one thing. Because this is the same whichever way you do things.. WAP mode or manually using WAN bypass.

how is the secondary router going to know where to pass messages to the outside world?

The secondary router is NOT a router in this setup..

Think of it this way.. your WNDR4500 consists of 3 parts..

1. Router.

2. Ethernet Switch

3. Wireless Access Point.. WAP.

If you buy a switch and plug it into your main router.. it is a dumb transparent device. It will be just like you bought a router with lots of LAN ports. All fully controlled by the main router.. there is no issue where packets go.. everything goes to the main router. Same with the WAP part.. If you buy a stand alone WAP.. then it is a transparent device. All packets are simply passed to the main router..

When you put the WNDR4500 in WAP mode.. you just turned off 1. Router. (or in other terminology you bridged it)

When you wan bypass you do exactly the same thing. You are NOT plugging a second router into the first one.. you are plugging a 4 port switch and a WAP into the main router.. only this time you did not turn off 1. You simply bypassed it.

1) I have not yet moved the cable from the WNDR4500's WAN port to one of it's LAN ports - should I? any reason to?

WAN and LAN are now one and the same thing.. It should make no difference whatsoever.

By convention.. it is commonly done so it is clear which port is connected to the upstream router.. So using WAN port in this case is good way to keep track of everything.

2) right now, the WNDR4500 is getting a random IP address by DHCP from my main router. Any reason I can't give it a reserved address on the main router, so that I always know what address it has, in case I need to administer it?

Exactly right.. setup the reservation in the main router so you always know the WNDR4500 IP.. and it doesn't flop around like a freshly landed fish.

Again it is whatever suits you ..

Some DHCP reservation will not work without the IP being in the range.. and sometimes the reverse..

If you pick 49 or 254 it makes next to no difference.. but one may work and the other not work because of how the Netgear is setup.