Support Package Contents Thank you for purchasing this NETGEAR product. You can visit www.netgear.com/support to register your product, get help, access the latest downloads and user manuals, and join our community. We recommend that you use only official NETGEAR support resources. Trademarks © NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR and the NETGEAR Logo are trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. Any non‑NETGEAR trademarks are used for reference purposes only.
You can use this diagram to connect your router or follow the detailed instructions in this booklet. 1. Attach and position the antennas. To determine where to attach the antennas, match the labels on the antennas with the labels on the router. 6. Log in to the router. Launch a web browser. NETGEAR genie displays. If you do not see genie, enter www.routerlogin.net in the address field of the web browser. When prompted, enter admin for the user name and password for the password.
Hardware Features Top and Side Panels The LEDs, buttons, and USB ports are shown in the following figure. For more information about the LEDs and buttons on the top panel, see Top Panel LEDs and Buttons on page 2. USB 1 port USB 2 port eSATA port WiFi button WPS button with LED with LED LEDs Rear Panel The rear panel connections and buttons are shown in the following figure.
Top Panel LEDs and Buttons The LEDs on the top of the router light to indicate router activity: LED Description Power LED • Solid white. The router is ready. • Solid amber. The router is starting. • Blinking amber. The firmware is upgrading, or the Reset button was pressed. • Blinking white. The firmware is corrupted. • Off. Power is not supplied to the router. Internet LED • Solid white. The Internet connection is ready. • Solid amber. The router detected an Ethernet cable connection to the modem.
LED Description eSATA LED • Solid white. An eSATA device is connected and is ready. • Blinking white. An eSATA device is plugged in and is trying to connect. • Off. No eSATA device is connected. Ethernet ports 1–4 LEDs The LED color indicates the speed: white for Gigabit Ethernet connections and amber for 100 Mbps or 10 Mbps Ethernet connections. • Solid. A powered-on device is connected to the Ethernet port. • Blinking. The port is sending or receiving traffic. • Off.
Install Your Router Make sure that your Internet service is active before you install your router. ¾¾ To install your router: 1. Attach and position the antennas: a. To determine where to attach the antennas, match the labels on the antennas with the labels on the router. b. Align the antennas with the antenna posts on the router. c. Attach the antennas on the threaded antenna posts. d. Position the antennas for the best WiFi performance.
3. Connect your modem: Router Internet Cable or DSL Ethernet cable Modem a. Plug in, then turn on your modem. b. If you removed the batteries, replace them. c. With the Ethernet cable that came with the router, connect your modem to the yellow Internet port on your router. 4. Add power to the router: Router Internet Cable or DSL Ethernet cable Power adapter Modem a. Connect the power adapter to the router and plug the power adapter into an outlet. b.
5. Check the LEDs. If the Power LED lights solid white and the other LEDs are off, press the LED button on the front panel of the router to turn on the other LEDs. 6. Connect a device.
7. Launch a web browser. The first time that you connect to the router, the genie page displays. Follow the genie steps to connect to the Internet. If the genie page does not display, try the following: • Close and reopen the browser. • Make sure that your computer is connected to one of the Ethernet ports on the router, or that you are connected to your router’s WiFi network. • Make sure that the router is receiving power, and that its Power LED is lit.
WiFi Network Name and Password The preset WiFi network name (SSID) and password (network key) are unique to your router, like a serial number. Because the router automatically uses WiFi security, you don’t need to set it up. The WiFi settings are on the product label. NETGEAR recommends that you use the preset WiFi settings because you can check the product label if you forget them. NETGEAR genie lets you change these settings. If you do so, write down the new WiFi settings and store them in a safe place.
Join the WiFi Network To join the router WiFi network, you can either use the router’s Wi‑Fi Protected Setup (WPS) function or select its WiFi network and type its password. For help with the WPS button on your computer or WiFi device, check the instructions or online help that came with that computer or device. Some older equipment cannot use WPS. ¾¾ To join the network using WPS: 1. Press the WPS button on the router for 3–5 seconds. The WPS LED on the button blinks. 2.
View or Change the Router Settings After you use genie to set up the router, you can log in to the router to view or change its settings. Log In to the Router ¾¾ To log in to the router: 1. Connect a computer or WiFi device to the router. You can connect using a wired connection or a WiFi connection: • To connect using a wired connection, use an Ethernet cable (not included) to connect an Ethernet port on your computer to an Ethernet port on the router.
2. Enter admin for the user name and password for the password. The BASIC Home page displays. 3. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Set Password. The Set Password page displays. 4. Type your old password and type the new password twice. 5. To be able to recover the password, select the Enable Password Recovery check box. NETGEAR recommends that you enable password recovery. 6. Select two security questions and provide answers to them. 7. Click the Apply button. Your changes are saved.
4. Click the Continue button. A page displays requesting the answers to your security questions. 5. Enter the saved answers to your security questions. 6. Click the Continue button. A page displays your recovered password. 7. Click the Login again button. A login window displays. 8. With your recovered password, log in to the router. Find a Forgotten WiFi Security Password The preset WiFi password is on the product label.
Access a USB Device on the Network ReadySHARE lets you access and share a USB storage device connected to the router’s USB ports. (If your USB device uses special drivers, it is not compatible.) ¾¾ To access the USB storage device from a Windows computer: 1. Connect your USB storage device to a USB port on the router. NETGEAR recommends that you use the blue USB 3.0 port on the router to get the best USB device access speed. 2. If your USB storage device uses a power supply, connect it.
¾¾ To access the USB storage device from a Mac: 1. Connect your USB storage device to a USB port on the router. NETGEAR recommends that you use the blue USB 3.0 port on the router to get the best USB device access speed. 2. If your USB storage device uses a power supply, connect it. You must use the power supply when you connect the USB storage device to the router. When you connect the USB storage device to the router’s USB port, it might take up to two minutes before it is ready for sharing.
Back Up with ReadySHARE Vault Your router comes with a free backup software for all the Windows computers in your home. Connect a USB hard disk drive (HDD) to the USB port on your router for centralized, continuous, and automatic backup. Note: The following operating systems support ReadySHARE Vault: Windows XP SP3, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. ¾¾ To back up your Windows computer: 1. Connect a USB HDD to a USB port on the router. 2. Download ReadySHARE Vault from www.netgear.
Print Wirelessly with ReadySHARE Printer You can connect a USB printer to the USB port on the router and print wirelessly. ¾¾ To set up ReadySHARE Printer: 1. Connect the USB printer to a USB port on the router with a USB printer cable. 2. On each computer that will share the printer, do the following: a. Install the current USB printer driver software (available from the printer manufacturer). b. Download the NETGEAR USB Control Center utility from www.netgear.com/readyshare and install it. c.
More Premium Features Your router lets you do the following and more: • • • Play music from a USB storage device with iTunes Server. Set up a secure VPN service connection to your home network. Create a personal FTP server with a custom URL. iTunes Server iTunes server lets you play music from a USB device that is connected to a USB port on your router with iTunes on your Windows or Mac computer or with the Apple Remote app on your iPhone or iPad.
VPN Service VPN service allows remote access to your home network with a secure connection. After you set up VPN service, you can use VPN to access the router’s USB drive and media and to access your Internet service at home. To set up VPN service, follow these highlevel steps: 1. Specify the VPN service. 2. Install OpenVPN software on your computer. 3. Use a VPN tunnel. These steps are explained in detail in the user manual, which is available online at http://downloadcenter.netgear.
Download the NETGEAR genie App The free NETGEAR genie app lets you easily monitor, connect, and control your home network from a Windows or Mac computer, tablet, or smartphone. You can share and stream music or videos, diagnose and repair network issues, set up parental controls, and more: • Access your router and change its settings or diagnose and repair network issues. • Make a printer AirPrint compatible so that you can print from an iPad or iPhone.
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