User manual
Table Of Contents
- Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band WiFi Router
- Contents
- 1. Hardware Setup
- 2. Connect to the Network and Access the Router
- 3. Specify Your Internet Settings
- 4. Optimize Performance
- 5. Control Access to the Internet
- 6. Tri-Band WiFi Connections
- 7. Share USB Devices Attached to the Router
- 8. Access USB Devices Through the Internet
- 9. Use the Router as a Media Server
- 10. Share a USB Printer
- 11. Network Settings
- Set Up a Default DMZ Server
- Change the Router’s Device Name
- Change the LAN TCP/IP Settings
- Specify the IP Addresses That the Router Assigns
- Disable the DHCP Server Feature in the Router
- Reserve LAN IP Addresses
- Use the WPS Wizard for WiFi Connections
- Specify Basic WiFi Settings
- Change the WiFi Password or Security Level
- Set Up a Guest Network
- Control the Wireless Radios
- Set Up a Wireless Schedule
- Specify WPS Settings
- 12. Manage Your Network
- 13. Use VPN to Access Your Network
- 14. Specify Internet Port Settings
- 15. Troubleshooting
- Sequence to Restart Your Network
- Check Ethernet Cable Connections
- Wireless Settings
- Network Settings
- Standard LED Behavior When the Router is Powered On
- Power LED Is Off or Blinking
- Power LED Stays Amber
- LEDs Never Turn Off
- Internet or Ethernet Port LEDs Are Off
- WiFi LED Is Off
- Cannot Log In to the Router
- Cannot Access the Internet
- Changes Not Saved
- Wireless Connectivity
- Troubleshoot Your Network Using the Ping Utility
- A. Supplemental Information

Specify Internet Port Settings
157
Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band WiFi Router
How the Router Implements the Port Forwarding Rule
The following sequence shows the effects of a port forwarding rule:
1. When you type the URL www.example.com in your browser, the browser sends a web
page request message with the following destination information:
• Destination address. The IP address of www.example.com, which is the address of
your router.
• Destination port number. 80, which is the standard port number for a web server
process.
2. Your router receives the message and finds your port forwarding rule for incoming port 80
traffic.
3. The router changes the destination in the message to IP address 192.168.1.123 and sends
the message to that computer.
4. Your web server at IP address 192.168.1.123 receives the request and sends a reply
message to your router.
5. Your router performs Network Address Translation (NAT) on the source IP address, and
sends the reply through the Internet to the computer or wireless device that sent the web
page request.
Set Up Port Triggering
Port triggering is a dynamic extension of port forwarding that is useful in these cases:
• An application must use port forwarding to more than one local computer (but not
simultaneously).
• An application must open incoming ports that are different from the outgoing port.
With port triggering, the router monitors traffic to the Internet from an outbound “trigger” port
that you specify. For outbound traffic from that port, the router saves the IP address of the
computer that sent the traffic. The router temporarily opens the incoming port or ports that
you specify in your rule, and forwards that incoming traffic to that destination.
Port forwarding creates a static mapping of a port number or range of ports to a single local
computer. Port triggering can dynamically open ports to any computer when needed and
close the ports when they are no longer needed.
Note: If you use applications such as multiplayer gaming, peer-to-peer
connections, real-time communications such as instant messaging, or
remote assistance (a feature in Windows XP), enable Universal Plug
and Play (UPnP). See
Improve Network Connections with Universal
Plug and Play on page 42.