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Knowledge document #438

Mesh Repeater cannot establish a Wi-Fi connection

After you set up a Mesh Repeater, it cannot establish a Wi-Fi connection to the FRITZ!Box. If you are using a FRITZ!Repeater as a Mesh Repeater, depending on the model, the signal strength LEDs flash for a while and then switch off, or the Connect LED flashes quickly for a while and then flashes slowly.

Work through the following steps to resolve the problem.

Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box.

1 Installing the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box

  1. Install the latest FRITZ!OS on the FRITZ!Box.

2 Optimizing the FRITZ!Box's Wi-Fi settings

Enabling all Wi-Fi networks

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Wi-Fi Channel" ("Radio Channel") in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Enable the option "Adjust Wi-Fi channel settings".
  4. Enable the Wi-Fi network for the 2.4 and the 5 GHz frequency bands.
  5. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

Adjusting the name of the Wi-Fi network (SSID)

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Wi-Fi Network" ("Radio Network") in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Click "Additional Settings for the Wi-Fi Network" and disable the option "Different names for the Wi-Fi networks on 2.4 and 5 GHz" to use the same name (SSID) for both Wi-Fi networks. Only then can the FRITZ!Box automatically steer your wireless devices to the ideal frequency band ("band steering").
  4. Click "More Information on the Wi-Fi Network" and disable the option "Hide name of the Wi-Fi network". This way, all wireless devices can connect to the FRITZ!Box and the FRITZ!Box can optimally control your wireless devices in the Mesh ("Mesh Wi-Fi Steering").
  5. If you changed the name of the FRITZ!Box's Wi-Fi network (SSID), remove all special characters from the Wi-Fi network name. Since some wireless devices do not support all of the special characters allowed by the FRITZ!Box, only use letters (but not special characters such as ä, ë, ö, ü, á, é, í), numbers, and spaces.
  6. Click "Apply" to save the settings. If the wireless devices were only connected to the 5 GHz Wi-Fi network with a different name, you must then reconfigure the Wi-Fi connection on those devices.

Disabling the MAC address filter

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Security" in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Click "Restrict Access to Wi-Fi".
  4. Enable the option "Allow all new wireless devices".
  5. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

Enabling the WPS function

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Security" in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Click on the "WPS Quick Connection" tab.
  4. Enable the option "Push-button method enabled".
  5. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

Unlocking the buttons

  1. Click "System" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Buttons and LEDs" in the "System" menu.
  3. Click on the "Keylock" tab.
  4. Disable the "Buttons locked" checkbox.
  5. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

3 Reconfiguring the Wi-Fi connection

  1. Reconfigure the Wi-Fi connection between the Mesh Repeater and the FRITZ!Box. Use the appropriate guide for your Mesh Repeater:
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