Step 5: Troubleshoot your Mesh Extender

Before trying the steps below, first check for a service outage, verify your account is in good standing, troubleshoot your Fiber Jack, and troubleshoot your router.

Follow the steps below to learn how to pair the GFiber Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Extender (GE6E220C) and the Google Fiber Mesh Extender (GFEX310) with their respective routers. In most cases, re-pairing or resetting a Mesh Extender will solve any Wi-Fi connectivity issues.

GFiber Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Extender

The Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Extender pairs with the GFiber Wi-Fi 6E Router. Refer to About your GFiber Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Extender and how to set it up for additional information.

If you have a strong connection next to your Wi-Fi 6E Router, but your Mesh Extender is experiencing service issues, first try re-pairing it wirelessly by following the steps below.

Re-pairing your GFiber Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Extender

Step 1: Turn on your Mesh Extender

Place your Mesh Extender a few feet away from the router and plug it into a power outlet. At first, the status light will turn solid white. This may take up to 4 minutes.

Step 2: Pair the Mesh Extender with your router

Press the WPS button on the back of your router. Then, press the WPS button on the bottom of your Mesh Extender (both buttons are circled in the image below).

The WPS lights on both the router and extender will start blinking. Once the router and Mesh Extender have paired successfully, the Mesh Extender status light will turn solid green. This may take up to 4 minutes.

If you’re using the Google Fiber app, press “Continue.” The app will let you know when your Mesh Extender connection is successful.

Step 3: Move your Mesh Extender to its new location

Once the connection has been established, unplug the Mesh Extender and place it in the location that you plan to use it — ideally, about halfway between the router and the area with poor Wi-Fi signal. Plug it in, and turn the power on again. The status light on the front of the Mesh Extender will turn solid green once it’s powered on and connected to the router.

If the status light is blinking red, check out the "Troubleshooting tips" section below.

If you want to run a speed test, stand next to your router or the extender and run a speed test using the Ookla Speed Test App or the Google Fiber app.

Connecting via Ethernet cable

Both of the Mesh Extender’s Ethernet ports can be used to connect devices to your network. To connect the Mesh Extender to the router using an Ethernet cable:

1. Connect a Cat6 (or better) ethernet cable from an Ethernet LAN port on your Wi-Fi 6E Router to the Ethernet port on the back of the Mesh Extender.
2. Plug your Mesh Extender into power using the power supply cord.
3. Wait for the Mesh Extender’s status LED to turn solid green, indicating it has connected (paired) successfully. This may take up to 5 minutes.

Troubleshooting your GFiber Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Extender

If your Mesh Extender is offline, please verify that it is plugged into a power source and is close enough to the router to get a Wi-Fi signal. If your extender needs to be paired to the router, please follow the instructions above or use the Google Fiber app to pair it to your router.

If your Mesh Extender isn’t responding, you can use a pen or an unfolded paper clip to push the Reset button on the base for at least 10 seconds to reset it to factory default settings. The Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Extender will restart and apply the factory default settings. You’ll need to pair it again with the Wi-Fi 6E Router after performing a factory reset.

Light statuses on the Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Extender

Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Extender light status	Cause	Action
Blinking Green	The Mesh Extender is starting up.	No action needed.
Solid White	The Mesh Extender is ready to pair with the Wi-Fi 6E Router.	Make sure the extender is within a few feet of the router. Press the WPS buttons on the bottom of the Mesh Extender and on the back of the router. The lights on both devices will start blinking. The status LED on the Mesh Extender will turn solid green to indicate it has connected (paired) successfully.
Blinking White	The Mesh Extender is pairing with the Wi-Fi 6E Router.	Wait for the process to complete. This can take up to four minutes.
Solid Green	The Mesh Extender is connected (paired) to the Wi-Fi 6E Router.	No action needed.
Solid Red	The Mesh Extender has lost its Wi-Fi connection.	Move the extender closer to the router and try re-pairing it by following the steps above.

 

Google Fiber Mesh Extender with Wi-Fi 6

The Mesh Extender pairs with the Google Fiber Wi-Fi 6 Router and Multi-Gig Router. Refer to Learn about and set up your Mesh Extender with Wi-Fi 6 for additional information.

If you have a strong connection next to your Multi-Gig Router or Wi-Fi 6 Router, but your Mesh Extender is experiencing service issues, first try unplugging your Mesh Extender from the power outlet. If you have a strong connection throughout your home without a Mesh Extender, then you may want to leave it unplugged or return it to GFiber (more extenders does not necessarily equate to a better connection — it all depends on your space).

If you do need a Mesh Extender, try reconnecting it wirelessly by following the steps below.

Re-pairing your Google Fiber Mesh Extender with Wi-Fi 6

Step 1: Turn on your Mesh Extender

 Place your Mesh Extender close to the router, plug it into a power outlet, and press the power button on the back to turn it on. At first, the status light will turn solid yellow.

 

Step 2: Pair the Mesh Extender with your router

 Press the WPS button on the top of your Wi-Fi 6 Router. The light will start blinking blue.

Then, press the yellow WPS button on top of your Mesh Extender. The light will start blinking green. Once the router and Mesh Extender have paired successfully, the Mesh Extender status light will turn solid green or yellow.

 

Step 3: Move your Mesh Extender to its new location

Once the connection has been established, unplug the Mesh Extender and place it in the location that you plan to use it — ideally, about halfway between the router and your devices. Plug it in, and turn the power on again.

The status light on the Mesh Extender will turn solid green, yellow, or red to let you know how strong your Wi-Fi connection is.

• Solid green? The link between the router and the Mesh Extender is great.
• Solid yellow? Your link is OK, but try moving the Mesh Extender closer to the router.
• Solid red? You’re not going to have a strong Wi-Fi connection. We recommend finding another spot for your Mesh Extender that’s closer to the router or has fewer walls in between the Mesh Extender and the router.

If the status light is blinking red, check out the "Troubleshooting tips" section below.

 

Connecting via Ethernet cable

Both of the Mesh Extender Ethernet ports can be used to connect devices to your network. To connect the Mesh Extender to the router using an Ethernet cable:

1. Connect a CAT5e (or better) cable from an Ethernet LAN port on your Multi-Gig Router or Wi-Fi 6 router to the blue Ethernet WAN port on the back of the Mesh Extender.
   
2. Plug your Mesh Extender into power using the power supply cord.
3. Press the power button on the back of the Mesh Extender.
4. When the Mesh Extender’s status LED turns solid green, it has connected (paired) successfully. The LED will automatically turn off after about three minutes.

Troubleshooting your Google Fiber Mesh Extender with Wi-Fi 6

 What does it mean if the status light is blinking red after attempting to connect to my router?

This means your new Mesh Extender could not establish a Wi-Fi connection through WPS. Try the following steps until you’ve established a successful connection:

1. Wait until the red blinking light goes out, then try using WPS again.
2. Turn the Mesh Extender slightly and then try again.
3. Minimize the number of walls between the two devices and then try again.
4. Move the Mesh Extender closer to the Multi-Gig Router or Wi-Fi 6 Router and then try again.

What should I do if the status light is solid red after establishing connection to my router?

You’ll need to reposition your Mesh Extender:

1. Reposition the Mesh Extender so there aren’t large objects like walls, furniture and TV screens between it and your router. Wait up to 2 minutes to allow the Mesh Extender to re-evaluate the link quality.
2. Repeat this until the status light turns solid yellow or green.

What should I do if my Mesh Extender is unresponsive?

If your Mesh Extender isn’t responding, you can use a pen or an unfolded paper clip to push the reset button for:

1. Less than 5 seconds to force it to restart to your default settings.
   or
2. At least 10 seconds to reset it to factory default settings.

Light statuses on the Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender

Mesh Extender Light Statuses	Cause	Action
WPS: Off (No Light) > Solid Yellow Off (No Light) > Solid Yellow > Solid Green (for 3 minutes) > Off (No Light)	Mesh Extender is connected to power.	No action required. The light will stay off indicating the Mesh Extender is operational.
WPS: Solid Yellow	Mesh Extender is waiting to be paired.	Press the WPS button on the top panel of the Mesh Extender. The status LED will start blinking. Press the WPS button on the router within 2 minutes of the previous step. The status LED on the Mesh Extender will turn solid green to indicate it has connected (paired) successfully.
WPS: Blinking Yellow	Mesh Extender is attempting to pair with the router.	No action required.
WPS: Solid Green (for 3 minutes)  > Off (No Light)	Mesh Extender is successfully paired with the router.	No action required.
WPS: Solid Red	Mesh Extender is disconnected or unable to connect with the router. This may also occur if the Wi-Fi is turned off.	Check the Wi-Fi connection. Minimize the distance and the number of walls between the two devices. Press the WPS button on the router and the Mesh Extender.
WPS: Blinking Yellow > Solid Red (15 seconds) > Solid Yellow	Mesh Extender isn't paired with the router.	Press the WPS button on the top panel of the Mesh Extender. The status LED will start blinking. Press the WPS button on the router within 2 minutes of the previous step. The status LED on the Mesh Extender will turn solid green to indicate it has connected (paired) successfully.
WPS: Solid Red > Blinking Yellow > Solid Green (3 minutes) > Off (No Light)	Wi-Fi turned on.	No action required by the customer if the Mesh Extender is already paired with the Multi-Gig Router or Wi-Fi 6 Router.
WPS: Blinking Red > Off (No Light) > Solid Yellow until the device is paired	Factory Reset	To reset Mesh Extender and restore the default settings: Verify the Mesh Extender is ON. Use a pen or an unfolded paperclip to push the Reset button on the Mesh Extender for: Less than 5 seconds to force it to restart to the default settings. --OR-- At least 10 seconds to reset it to factory default settings. Press the WPS button on the top panel of the Mesh Extender. The status LED will start blinking. Press the WPS button on the router within 2 minutes of the previous step. The status LED on the Mesh Extender will turn solid green to indicate it has connected (paired) successfully.
WPS: Off (No Light) > Solid Yellow > Off (No Light) > Solid Yellow > Solid Green (for 3 min) > Off (No Light).	Powercycle the Mesh Extender.	Press the power button to turn it OFF. Unplug it and wait 10 seconds. Plug it back in and turn it ON.
WPS: Off (No Light) > Device Reboot	Firmware update.	No action required.