LINKSYS RE6500 AC1200 Max Wi-Fi Range Extender User Guide

: June 5, 2024
: Linksys

Table of Contents

LINKSYS RE6500 AC1200 Max Wi-Fi Range Extender
Product Overview
How to Install the Range Extender
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)
Browser-Based Setup
Special Feature—–Music Streaming
- iOS
Android
How to Access the Settings Interface
Using Range Extender Settings
Using Wi-Fi Protected Setup™
Troubleshooting
Specifications
Environmental
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

LINKSYS RE6500 AC1200 Max Wi-Fi Range Extender

-Fi-Range-Extender-
product

Product Overview

Indicator LED
The light on the top of the range extender gives you information about power, updating, Wi-Fi Protected Setup and signal strength.
Note:
Your antennas might look different from those pictured here.

Power Light	Status/ description
Blinking white	· Booting up.

· Resetting to factory defaults.

· Upgrading firmware.

Solid white Blinking orange

Solid orange

| · Ready to use.
· Ready for setup.

· Disconnected from router.

· Weak connection to router.

Audio Jack Connect the extender to your speakers.
Ethernet Connect wired devices to your wireless network with Ethernet (network) cables. The green lights turn on when an Ethernet device is connected and active on these ports. The lights blink when the extender is sending or receiving data over the Ethernet ports.
Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ Button Use Wi-Fi Protected Setup to automatically and securely add compatible wireless devices to your network. Refer to Using Wi-Fi Protected Setup on page 17.
Power Port Plug in the provided power cable.
Power Switch Only on European versions.
Reset Button—Press and hold until the power light on the top of the range extender blinks to reset to factory defaults. You can also restore the defaults from the Administration > Factory Defaults screen in the extender’s settings interface
Login/Reset Instructions

How to Install the Range Extender

Before starting setup, make sure your router has a working Internet connection.

Does your router have a WPS button?
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is a simple way to connect Wi-Fi devices with Push Button Connect. Routers that support WPS have a button that might be labeled with this symbol:If yes, continue with Wi-Fi Protected Setup below If no (or not sure), continue with browser-based setup, also in this user guide.
Note: The WPS button will not work if you have disabled WPS on your router. If yes, continue with Wi-Fi Protected Setup below

Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)

Connect antennas and power cable Antennas should be upright for best results.
Note: Your antennas might look different from those shown.
Plug the range extender into an electrical outlet close to your router. You can move the range extender to an ideal location later in step 5. After the range extender is plugged in the indicator LED on the top will blink white for up to a minute.
Wait for the indicator LED to blink orange before going to step 4.
Extend your 2.4 GHz networks.
- Press the WPS button on your router. Within the next two minutes complete step 4b.
- Press the WPS button on the back of your range extender. The indicator LED on the top of your range extender will blink white. Watch the indicator LED on the front of your range extender to verify whether the connection was successful. If it turns solid white, the connection was successful. Move to step 5. If it starts to blink orange , the connection failed. You may try again by repeating step 4 or try the browser-based setup, also in this document.
Extend your 5 GHz network. You may skip this step if your router does not have a 5 GHz network or if you don’t want to extend that network.
- Press the WPS button on your router again. Within the next two minutes complete step 5b.
- Press the WPS button on your range extender again. The indicator LED on the top of your range extender will start to blink white. Watch the indicator LED on the front of your range extender to verify whether the connection was successful. If it turns solid white, the connection was successful. If it starts to blink orange before it turns solid white, the connection failed. You may try again by repeating step 5.
Move your range extender to an ideal spot.Unplug your range extender and plug it back in midway between your router and the area without Wi-Fi. Using your mobile device or laptop, be sure you have at least two bars (around 50%) of your router’s Wi-Fi signal at that location. If you don’t have two bars, move the range extender closer to the router.
Check indicator LED for connection quality. It can take up to a minute for the ranger extender to boot up after moving it. During this period you will see the blinking white LED once again. Solid white Ready to use. Solid orange Weak connection to the router. Find an outlet closer to your router. Blinking orange Not connected to the router. Find an outlet closer to your router.
Connect your Wi-Fi devices to the extended network you just created. Select the extended network on your device’s Wi-Fi manager. Extended networks are identified by “_Ext” added to the end of your main network name(s).Your range extender is now set up. Enjoy your extended Wi-Fi coverage. Accessing your range extender settings after WPS Your range extender’s default admin password is “admin”. It is highly recommended that you change this after WPS setup. To change or view range extender settings, first connect to an extended network. In a browser, go to http://extender.linksys.com and enter your admin password.

Browser-Based Setup

Plug in the range extender Connect the antennas and plug in the range extender midway between your router and the area without Wi-Fi. Using your mobile device or laptop, be sure you have at least two bars (around 50%) of your router’s Wi-Fi signal at that location. The setup software will help you find the right place if you have trouble.
Wait for a blinking orange light It could take up to a minute for the light on the top of the range extender to change from blinking white to blinking orange.
If the light doesn’t change color, or if it is solid orange, reset to factory defaults. (See Using Range Extender Settings on page 16..)
Connect to the range extender a computer, phone or tablet, connect to the Wi-Fi network Linksys Extender Setup – XXX.(XXX are the last three digits of your range extender’s MAC address, which can be found on the bottom of the range extender.)
Launch setup Enter http://extender.linksys.com in a browser to complete setup. Follow the on-screen instructions to select your network to extend, customize your extended network name and password, and find the best spot using Spot Finder Technology.

Tips

The range extender is set to Auto Update by default. Auto Update allows the range extender to download and install updates overnight. On the License Agreement page in setup you can deselect Auto Update if you want to manually update your range extender.
After setup use the extender’s settings interface to change any settings. If connected to your range extender go to extender.linksys.com.

Special Feature—–Music Streaming

Stream music through your AC1200 range extender to connected speakers

iOS

Connect iOS device to the same Wi-Fi network as your range extender.
Swipe up from the bottom of your screen.
Tap on Linksys Range Extender.

Android

Connect Galaxy device to the same Wi-Fi network as your range extender.
Select Music app
Choose music file and tap Screen Mirroring icon
Choose Linksys Range Extender.
For other Android devices, stream music with MediaHouse, UPnPlay, ArkMC, BubbleUPnP, Pixel Media, and 2Player 2.0.
Your screen might look different depending on your device model and version of Android.

Windows

Open Windows Media Player
Right-click on a music file and choose Linksys Range Extender

Mac OS X

Open iTunes
Choose speakers
Select Multiple to stream audio simultaneously to more than one range extender.

This list of supported media players is subject to change with the release of new software or mobile apps.

Windows users can stream music with Windows Media Player12.
Mac users can stream music with proprietary software or the SofaPlay app..
Android users can stream music with MediaHouse, UPnPlay, ArkMC, BubbleUPnP, Pixel Media, and 2Player 2.0.
IOS devices including iPhone, iPad or iPod can stream music with proprietary software or other apps such as ArkMC, Smartstor Fusion, Mconnect, and DK UPnP/DLNA.
The extender supports MP3, FLAC, WAV, WMA and AAC file formats, as long as those formats are supported by the device and app doing the streaming.
The 3.5mm stereo port supports earphones and powered speakers.

How to Access the Settings Interface

After setup use the extender’s settings interface to change any settings.If you named your range extender during setup, you can access the settings interface by entering the name in a browser. ExampleIf you named your extender MyExtender, enter http://MyExtender (Windows) or http://MyExtender.local (Mac).Your range extender’s default name is(Windows) or http://RE6500-XXX.local

(Mac OS X or iOS)
Note—XXX are the last 3 digits of your range extender’s MAC address. You can find the MAC address on the bottom of your RE6500. You can also enter your range extender’s IP address in a browser. Find the IP address on your router’s administrative interface.

Using Range Extender Settings

Click Help on the right side of the screen for additional information on the screen’s options. Changes to settings will not be effective until you click Save at the bottom of the screen. You also can click Cancel to clear any changes.

Using Wi-Fi Protected Setup™

Wi-Fi Protected Setup makes it easy to connect your extender to your network, and connect other devices to your network through the range extender.
Wi-Fi Protected Setup light activity

WPS Light Description

Blinking slowly

(up to two minutes)

| WPS connection in progress.
Solid

(10 seconds)

| WPS connection was

successful.

Connecting devices to your network through the range extender
Repeat the instructions for each client device that supports Wi-Fi Protected Setup.

Connecting with the Wi-Fi Protected Setup Button
- Press the Wi-Fi Protected Setup button on the client device.
- Click the Wi-Fi Protected Setup button on the extender’s Wi-Fi Protected Setup screen, OR press and hold the Wi-Fi Protected Setup button on the back of the extender for one second. When the connection is complete, the Wi-Fi Protected Setup light on the extender will be solid for 10 seconds.
- If using the extender’s Wi-Fi Protected Setup screen, be sure to click OK within two minutes or you will have to start over.
Connecting with the client device’s PIN
- Enter the PIN from the client device in the field on the extender’s Wi-Fi Protected Setup screen.
- Click Register on the extender’s Wi-Fi Protected Setup screen. When the connection is complete, the Wi-Fi Protected Setup light on the extender will be solid for 10 seconds.
- Click OK on the extender’s Wi-Fi Protected Setup screen within two minutes or you will have to start over.
Connecting with the extender’s PIN
- On the client device, enter the PIN listed on the extender’s Wi-Fi Protected Setup screen. (It is also listed on the product label on the back of the extender.) When the connection is complete, the Wi-Fi Protected Setup light on the extender will be solid for 10 seconds.
- Click OK on the extender’s Wi-Fi Protected Setup screen within two minutes.

How to Use Site Survey
Site Survey gives a snapshot of all access points and wireless routers within range of the extender.

Log in to the settings interface (see “How to Access the Settings Interface” on page 15). Click the Wireless tab. Click the Site Survey page.

Select—Click the button next to the wireless network name (SSID) in the Select column, and click Connect. For dual-band networks, be sure to connect to both bands, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
SSID—The names of neighboring wireless networks.
GHz—The radio band (in GHz) of the neighboring wireless networks
Signal Strength—The power of the wireless signal received: dot only = 25%, dot + one wave = 50%, dot + two waves = 75%, dot + three waves = 100%. If no waves are displayed, your extender is too far from the upstream access point or the signal is blocked. Try to keep the signal strength between 50% and 100% for optimum performance.
Security—The mode of security in use by the neighboring wireless networks If a network supports Wi-Fi Protected Setup, the Wi-Fi Protected Setup icon is also displayed.

Cross-Band
Cross-Band is the simultaneous use of both bands for high-speed data transfer and uninterrupted streaming and gaming. When in Auto Cross-Band (default), the range extender selects the appropriate band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) when sending data from wireless clients to the Wi-Fi router.

Troubleshooting

Your RE6500 works on 2.4GHz and 5 GHz networks.
You cannot get your range extender connected
Check the position of your router and extender.

For a first-time setup, you may need to place the extender closer to the router. After you’ve set up your extender, you can unplug it and move it to the final location.
To reduce signal obstructions, try alternate locations for the router and extender.
Try repositioning the antennas on the range extender.
Avoid placing the router and extender near metal objects, masonry walls, and reflective surfaces such as glass or mirrors.
Avoid placing the router and extender near other electronics that may cause signal interference.If you’re using Wi-Fi Protected Setup to connect, wait until the Wi-Fi Protected Setup
indicator stops blinking before trying to make the connection again.
Your Wi-Fi coverage isn’t meeting expectations
Reposition the antennas on your range extender. The left antenna extends your network on a horizontal plane, so the ideal position is pointing straight down (parallel to the range extender). The right antenna extends your network on a vertical plane, so the ideal position is straight out (perpendicular to the range extender).
You cannot access your range extender
To access your range extender, you must be connected to your own network. If you currently have wireless Internet access, the problem may be that you have accidentally connected to a different wireless network.
To fix the problem on Windows computers, do the following*:

On your Windows desktop right-click the wireless icon in the system tray.
Click View Available Wireless Networks. A list of available networks will appear.
Click your own network name. and Click Connect. In the example below, the computer was connected to another wireless network named JimsRouter. Your wireless network name, BronzeEagle in this example, is shown selected.
If you are prompted to enter a network key, type your password (Security Key) into the Network key and Confirm network key fields. Click Connect. You should now be able to access the range extender’s settings interface. not depending on your version of Windows, there could be some differences in wording or icons in these steps. To fix the problem on Mac computers, do the following:
In the menu bar across the top of the screen, click the Wi-Fi icon. A list of wireless networks will appear. Linksys Smart Wi-Fi has automatically assigned your network a name.
In the example below, the computer was connected to another wireless network named JimsRouter. The wireless network name of the router, BronzeEagle in this example, is shown selected.
Select the wireless network name of the router you want to connect to.
Type your wireless network password (Security Key) into the Password field. Click OK.

You should now be able to access the range extender’s settings interface.
You have intermittent connection problems
Plug in the range extender midway between your router and the area without Wi- Fi. Be sure you have at least 50% of your router’s Wi-Fi signal at that point on the device you used for setup.

Specifications

Model Name Description
Model Number Standards
Ports
Buttons
LEDs
Cabling Antennas
Wireless Security
Security Key Bits
Linksys RE6500
Dual-band Wireless-AC Range Extender RE6500
IEEE 802.11ac, 802.11a, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.3u
Gigabit Ethernet, Audio, Power
Reset, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Power
(European model only)
Power/Wi-Fi Protected Setup, Ethernet (link, activity)
Cat5e
2 external
Wi-Fi Protected Access™ 2 (WPA2), Wi-Fi Protected Access™ (WPA), WEP
Up to 128-bit encryption
6.06”x4.29”x1.18” (154x109x30 mm)
5.57 oz (158 g)
12VDC/1.0A
FCC, ICES-003, RSS210, CE, Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac), WPA2™, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™
32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C)
-4°F to 140°F (-20°C to 60°C)
10% to 80% non-condensing
5% to 90% non-condensing

Environmental

Dimensions
Weight
Power
Certification
Operating Temp.
Storage Temp.
Operating Humidity
Storage Humidity

Specifications are subject to change without notice. Visit linksys.com/support/RE6500 for award- winning 24/7 technical support BELKIN, LINKSYS and many product names and logos are trademarks of the Belkin group of companies. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Licenses and notices for third-party software used in this product may be viewed here: http://support.linksys.com/en- us/license. Please contact http://support.linksys.com/en- us/ gplcodecenter for questions or GPL source code requests. © 2016 Belkin International, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.