User Manual Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7850 September 2019 202-12026-01 NETGEAR, Inc. 350 E.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Support Thank you for purchasing this NETGEAR product. You can visit https://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. Compliance and Conformity For regulatory compliance information including the EU Declaration of Conformity, visit https://www.netgear.com/about/regulatory/.
Contents Chapter 1 Hardware Setup Unpack Your Router...........................................................................10 LEDs and Buttons on the Top Panel.................................................11 Rear Panel............................................................................................13 Label.....................................................................................................14 Position your router..............................................................
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Change the MTU size.........................................................................41 Chapter 4 Optimize Performance Use Dynamic QoS to optimize Internet traffic management........44 Enable Dynamic QoS.....................................................................44 Enable or disable the automatic QoS database update...........45 Manually update the Dynamic QoS database............................
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Chapter 7 Use Dynamic DNS to Access USB Storage Devices Through the Internet Set up and manage Dynamic DNS...................................................75 Set up FTP access through the Internet...........................................75 Your personal FTP server...................................................................76 Set up your personal FTP server..................................................76 Set up a new Dynamic DNS account................
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set up the router in bridge mode..................................................107 Set up a bridge for a port group or VLAN tag group..................108 Set up a bridge for a port group...............................................109 Set up a bridge for a VLAN tag group......................................110 Manage custom static routes..........................................................111 Set up a static route.........................................
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Install OpenVPN Software on an iOS Device...........................139 Install OpenVPN Software on an Android Device...................139 Use a VPN Tunnel on Your Windows Computer..........................140 Use VPN to Access the Router’s USB Device and Media............142 Use VPN to Access Your Internet Service at Home......................142 Set Up VPN Client Internet Access in the Router.....................143 Block VPN Client Internet Access in the Router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Troubleshoot 404 Error Message When Trying to Log In to Plex Account..............................................................................................164 Chapter 14 Supplemental Information Factory Settings................................................................................166 Technical Specifications..................................................................
1 Hardware Setup This chapter contains the following sections: • • • • • • • Unpack Your Router LEDs and Buttons on the Top Panel Rear Panel Label Position your router Extend the Antennas Cable Your Router For more information about the topics covered in this manual, visit the support website at netgear.com/support.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Unpack Your Router Your package contains the router, power adapter, and an Ethernet cable. Figure 1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router LEDs and Buttons on the Top Panel The status LEDs, WiFi On/Off button, and WPS button are located on the top panel of the router. Figure 2. Router LEDs and buttons The following table describes the LEDs and buttons on the top of the router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Table 1. LED descriptions LED Description Power • Solid amber. The router is starting. • Blinking amber. The firmware is upgrading, or the Reset button was pressed. • Solid white. The router is ready. • Blinking white. The router is not ready, the firmware is upgrading, or the Reset button was pressed. • Off. Power is not supplied to the router. Internet • Solid white. The Internet connection is ready. • Solid amber.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Table 1. LED descriptions (Continued) LED Description WiFi On/Off button with LED Pressing this button for two seconds turns the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi radios on and off. If this LED is lit, the WiFi radios are on. If this LED is off, the WiFi radios are turned off and you cannot use WiFi to connect to the router. WPS button with LED This button lets you use WPS to join the WiFi network without typing the WiFi password.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • DC power connector. Connect the power adapter that came in the product package to the DC power connector. • Power On/Off button. Press the Power On/Off button to provide power to the router. Label The label on the router shows the login information, WiFi Network Name (SSID), network key (Password), serial number, and MAC address. Figure 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • - Microwaves - Computers - Base of a cordless phone - 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz cordless phones Place the router away from large metal surfaces, large glass surfaces, insulated walls, and items such as these: - Solid metal door - Aluminum studs - Fish tanks - Mirrors - Brick - Concrete The following factors might limit the range of your WiFi: • The thickness and number of walls the WiFi signal passes through can limit the range.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Extend the Antennas Position the antennas for the best WiFi performance. To extend the antennas: Position all of the antennas vertically as shown. Cable Your Router Power on your router and connect it to a modem. 90° 90° Figure 5.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To cable your router: 1. Unplug your modem’s power, leaving the modem connected to the wall jack for your Internet service. If your modem uses a battery backup, remove the battery. 2. Plug in and turn on your modem. If your modem uses a battery backup, put the battery back in. 3. Connect your modem to the Internet port of your router with the Ethernet cable that came with your router. 4.
2 Connect to Network and Access the Router You can connect to the router’s WiFi networks or use a wired Ethernet connection. This chapter explains the ways you can connect and how to access the router and log in.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Connect to the network You can connect to the router’s network through a wired or WiFi connection. If you set up your computer to use a static IP address, change the settings so that it uses Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). Connect to the network using a wired connection You can connect your computer to the router using an Ethernet cable and join the router’s local area network (LAN). To connect your computer to the router with an Ethernet cable: 1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Within two minutes, on your WPS-enabled device, press its WPS button or follow its instructions for WPS connections. Your WPS-enabled device connects to the WiFi network. Types of logins Separate types of logins serve different purposes. It is important that you understand the differences so that you know which login to use when. Several types of logins are associated with the router: • ISP login.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router When your Internet service starts, your Internet service provider (ISP) typically gives you all the information needed to connect to the Internet.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • If the computer is set to a static or fixed IP address (this setting is uncommon), change it to obtain an IP address automatically from the router. 6. If the router does not connect to the Internet, do the following: a. Review your settings. Make sure that you selected the correct options and typed everything correctly. b. Contact your ISP to verify that you are using the correct configuration information. c. Read You cannot access the Internet on page 159.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Install and manage your router with the Nighthawk app With the Nighthawk app, you can easily install and manage your router. The app automatically updates the router to the latest firmware, allows you to personalize your WiFi network, and even helps register your router with NETGEAR. The Nighthawk app is available for iOS and Android mobile devices. To install your router using the Nighthawk app: 1. To download the app, visit Nighthawk-app.com. 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The page refreshes with the language that you selected.
3 Specify Your Internet Settings Usually, the quickest way to set up the router to use your Internet connection is to allow your router to detect the Internet connection automatically when you first access the router web interface. You can also customize and manually specify your Internet settings.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use the Internet Setup Wizard You can use the Setup Wizard to detect your Internet settings and automatically set up your router. The Setup Wizard is not the same as the pages that display the first time you connect to your router to set it up. To use the Setup Wizard: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select Internet. The Internet Setup page displays. 5. In the Does your Internet connection require a login? section, leave the No radio button selected. 6.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 12. Click the Test button to test your Internet connection. If the NETGEAR website does not display within one minute, see You cannot access the Internet on page 159. Specify an Internet connection that uses a login To view or change the basic Internet setup: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Get Dynamically from ISP. Your ISP uses DHCP to assign your IP address. Your ISP automatically assigns these addresses. • Use Static IP Address. Enter the IP address, IP subnet mask, and the gateway IP address that your ISP assigned. The gateway is the ISP router to which your router connects. 13. Select a Domain Name Server (DNS) Address radio button: • Get Automatically from ISP. Your ISP uses DHCP to assign your DNS servers.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6. The IPv6 page displays. 5. From the Internet Connection Type menu, select the IPv6 connection type: • If you are not sure, select Auto Detect so that the router detects the IPv6 type that is in use. • If your Internet connection does not use PPPoe or DHCP, or is not fixed, but is IPv6, select Auto Config. Your Internet service provider (ISP) can provide this information. 6. Click the Apply button.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The router automatically detects the information in the following fields: • Router’s IPv6 Address on WAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired for the router’s WAN (or Internet) interface. The number after the slash (/) is the length of the prefix, which is also indicated by the underline (_) under the IPv6 address. If no address is acquired, the field displays Not Available. • Router’s IPv6 Address on LAN.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use auto detect for an IPv6 Internet connection To set up an IPv6 Internet connection through autodetection: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router If you do not specify an ID here, the router generates one automatically from its MAC address. 8. Select an IPv6 Filtering radio button: • Secured. In secured mode, which is the default mode, the router inspects both TCP and UDP packets. • Open. In open mode, the router inspects UDP packets only. 9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Auto. Your router uses any remote relay router that is available on the Internet. This is the default setting. • Static IP Address. Enter the static IPv4 address of the remote relay router. Your IPv6 ISP usually provides this address. 7. Select an IP Address Assignment radio button: • Use DHCP Server. This method passes more information to LAN devices but some IPv6 systems might not support the DHCPv6 client function. • Auto Config. This is the default setting.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router With a 6rd tunnel configuration, the router follows the RFC5969 standard, supporting two ways to establish a 6rd tunnel IPv6 WAN connection: • Auto Detect mode. In IPv6 Auto Detect mode, when the router receives option 212 from the DHCPv4 option, autodetect selects the IPv6 as 6rd tunnel setting. The router uses the 6rd option information to establish the 6rd connection. • Manual mode. Select 6rd Tunnel.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 7. Select an IP Address Assignment radio button: • Use DHCP Server. This method passes more information to LAN devices but some IPv6 systems might not support the DHCPv6 client function. • Auto Config. This is the default setting. This setting specifies how the router assigns IPv6 addresses to the devices on your home network (the LAN). 8.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. From the Internet Connection Type menu, select Pass Through. The page adjusts, but no additional fields display. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Set up an IPv6 fixed Internet connection To set up a fixed IPv6 Internet connection: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Use DHCP Server. This method passes more information to LAN devices but some IPv6 systems might not support the DHCPv6 client function. • Auto Config. This is the default setting. This setting specifies how the router assigns IPv6 addresses to the devices on your home network (the LAN). 8. In the IPv6 Address/Prefix Length fields, specify the static IPv6 address and prefix length of the router’s LAN interface.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The router automatically detects the information in the following fields: • Router’s IPv6 Address on WAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired for the router’s WAN (or Internet) interface. The number after the slash (/) is the length of the prefix, which is also indicated by the underline (_) under the IPv6 address. If no address is acquired, the field displays Not Available. • Router’s IPv6 Address on LAN.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set up an IPv6 PPPoE Internet connection To set up a PPPoE IPv6 Internet connection: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Note: The default setting of the Connection Mode menu is Always On to provide a steady IPv6 connection. The router never terminates the connection. If the connection is terminated, for example, when the modem is turned off, the router attempts to reestablish the connection immediately after the PPPoE connection becomes available again. 9. Select an IP Address Assignment radio button: • Use DHCP Server.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > WAN Setup. The WAN Setup page displays. 5. In the MTU Size field, enter a value from 64 to 1500. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
4 Optimize Performance You can set up the router to optimize performance for applications such as Internet gaming, high-definition video streaming, and VoIP communication. By default, the router uses Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service (WMM QoS).
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use Dynamic QoS to optimize Internet traffic management Dynamic Quality of Service (QoS) helps improve your router’s Internet traffic management capabilities through better application and device identification, bandwidth allocation, and traffic prioritization techniques. Dynamic QoS resolves traffic congestion when the Internet bandwidth is limited and different demands compete for bandwidth.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • I want to define my Internet Bandwidth. If you know what your download and upload speed are, select this radio button and enter your download and upload speeds in the fields. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Enable or disable the automatic QoS database update The router uses a QoS database of the most popular applications and services to implement dynamic QoS. By default, the router automatically updates this database.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To manually update the Dynamic QoS database: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select Dynamic QoS.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > UPnP. The UPnP page displays. 5. Select the Turn UPnP On check box. By default, this check box is selected. UPnP for automatic device configuration can be enabled or disabled. If the Turn UPnP On check box is cleared, the router does not allow any device to automatically control router resources, such as port forwarding. 6. Type the advertisement period in minutes.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router not require QoS are assigned to the best effort category, which receives a lower priority than voice and video. Note: We recommend that you do not disable the WMM settings. If you disable the WMM settings for 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, the maximum link rate your router can reach is 54 Mbps. To disable the WMM settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
5 Control Access to the Internet The router comes with a built-in firewall that helps protect your home network from unwanted intrusions from the Internet.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Enable Circle With Disney Circle with Disney is a parental control technology that helps you monitor your children’s devices that are connected to your network. You can enable Circle using your router web interface or you can enable Circle using the Circle app.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Enable Circle With Disney on your router You can enable Circle using the router web interface, but you must use the Circle app to finish setting up your Circle account. Before enabling Circle, make sure that your router is running the latest firmware and that your router is in router mode. Your router must be in router mode to work with Circle. You can't enable Circle if your router is in access point (AP) mode or bridge mode. To enable Circle with Disney: 1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router A code is sent to the cell phone number that you provided. 13. Enter the code that was sent to your cell phone. The Circle app verifies the code. 14. Tap the AWESOME button. 15. Select a subscription plan and follow the onscreen instructions to set up your preferences. Circle with Disney is enabled on your NETGEAR router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Security > Access Control. The Access Control page displays. 5. Select the Turn on Access Control check box.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use keywords to block Internet sites You can use keywords to block certain Internet sites from your network. You can use blocking all the time or based on a schedule. To block Internet sites: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Control Access to the Internet 55 User Manual
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Block services from the Internet You can block Internet services on your network based on the type of service. You can block the services all the time or based on a schedule. To block services: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Only This IP Address. Block services for a single computer. • IP Address Range. Block services for a range of computers with consecutive IP addresses on your network. • All lP Addresses. Block services for all computers on your network. 10. Click the Add button. Your settings are saved. Delete keywords from the blocked list To delete keywords from the list: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To specify a trusted computer: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Security > Block Sites.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Select the Turn on Access Control radio button. 6. Click the View list of allowed devices not currently connected to the network link. The list displays. 7. Select the check box for a device. 8. Use the Add button, Edit button, and Remove from the list button as needed. 9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Schedule when to block Internet sites and services When you schedule blocking, the same schedule is used to block sites and to block services.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 7. If you live in a region that observes daylight saving time, select the Automatically adjust for daylight savings time check box. 8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Set up security event email notifications The router can email you its logs of router activity. The log records router activity and security events such as attempts to access blocked sites or services. To set up email notifications: 1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 9. If your outgoing email server requires authentication, select the My Mail Server requires authentication check box, and do the following: a. In the User Name field, type the user name for the outgoing email server. b. In the Password field, type the password for the outgoing email server. 10. To send alerts when someone attempts to visit a blocked site, select the Send Alerts Immediately check box.
6 Share USB Storage Devices Attached to the Router This chapter describes how to access and manage storage devices attached to your router. ReadySHARE lets you access and share USB storage devices connected to the router. (If your storage device uses special drivers, it is not compatible.) Note: The USB ports on the router can be used only to connect USB storage devices like flash drives or hard drives. Do not connect computers, USB modems, CD drives, or DVD drives to the router USB port.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router USB device requirements The router works with most USB-compliant external flash and hard drives. For the most up-to-date list of USB devices that the router supports, visit kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18985/~/readyshare-usb-drives-compatibility-list. Some USB external hard drives and flash drives require you to load the drivers onto the computer before the computer can access the USB storage device. Such USB storage devices do not work with the router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Access a storage device connected to the router from a Windows-based computer To access the USB storage device from a Windows-based computer: 1. Connect a USB storage device to a USB port on your router. 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.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. Right-click the USB device and select Map network drive. The Map Network Drive window opens. 7. Select the drive letter to map to the new network folder. 8. Click the Finish button. The USB storage device is mapped to the drive letter that you specified. 9. To connect to the USB storage device as a different user, select the Connect using different credentials check box, click the Finish button, and do the following: a. Type the user name and password. b.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. Click the Connect button. A window automatically opens and displays the files and folders on the USB storage device. Back up Windows-based computers with ReadySHARE Vault Your router comes with free backup software for all the Windows-based computers in your home. Connect a USB hard disk drive (HDD) to the router for centralized, continuous, and automatic backup. The following operating systems support ReadySHARE Vault: • Windows 10 • Windows 8.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Note: The following instructions might be different depending on the macOS your computer is using. For more instructions about backing up your computer with Time Machine, see the Apple support site. Set up a USB hard drive on a Mac We recommend that you use a new USB HDD or format your old USB HDD to do the Time Machine backup for the first time. Use a blank partition to prevent some issues during backup using Time Machine.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Prepare to back up a large amount of data Before you back up a large amount of data with Time Machine, we recommend that you follow this procedure. To prepare to back up a large amount of data: 1. Upgrade the operating system of the Mac computer. 2. Verify and repair the backup disk and the local disk. 3. Verify and repair the permissions on the local disk. 4. Set Energy Saver: a. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences. The System Preferences page displays.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 3. If your USB HDD uses a power supply, connect it. You must use the power supply when you connect the USB HDD to the router. When you connect the USB HDD to the router’s port, it might take up to two minutes before it is ready for sharing. By default, the USB HDD is available to all computers on your local area network (LAN). 4. On a Mac computer that is connected to the network, launch Finder and select Go > Connect to Server. The Connect to Server window opens.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Enable FTP access within your network File Transfer Protocol (FTP) lets you download (receive) and upload (send) large files faster. To enable FTP access within your network: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The USB Storage (Advanced Settings) page displays. 5. Scroll down to the Available Networks Folder section to view the following settings: • Share Name. If only one USB device is connected, the default share name is USB_Storage. You can click the name or you can type it in the address field of your web browser. If Not Shared is shown, the default share was deleted and no other share for the root folder exists. • Read Access and Write Access.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. Click the Create Network Folder button. The Add Folder window opens. If this window does not open, your web browser might be blocking pop-ups. If it is, change the browser settings to allow pop-ups. 7. From the USB Device menu, select the USB drive. Note: We recommend that you do not attach more than one drive to one USB port (for example, through a USB hub). 8. Click the Browse button and in the Folder field, select the folder. 9.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > USB Storage > ReadySHARE. The USB Storage (Advanced Settings) page displays. 5. In the Available Network Folders section, select the USB storage device. 6. Click the Edit button. The Edit Network Folder window opens. 7. Change the settings in the fields as needed. 8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
7 Use Dynamic DNS to Access USB Storage Devices Through the Internet With Dynamic DNS, you can use the Internet to access USB devices attached to the router’s USB ports when you’re not home.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set up and manage Dynamic DNS Internet service providers (ISPs) assign numbers called IP addresses to identify each Internet account. Most ISPs use dynamically assigned IP addresses. This means that the IP address can change at any time. You can use the IP address to access your network remotely, but most people don’t know what their IP addresses are or when this number changes.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 8. Click the Edit button. The Edit page displays. 9. In the Read Access menu, select admin. 10. In the Write Access menu, select admin. 11. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Your personal FTP server With your customized free URL, you can use FTP to access your network when you aren’t home through Dynamic DNS. To set up your FTP server, you must register for a NETGEAR Dynamic DNS (DDNS) service account and specify the account settings.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. On a remote computer with Internet access, you can use FTP to access your router using ftp://yourname.mynetgear.com. Set up a new Dynamic DNS account To set up Dynamic DNS and register for a free NETGEAR account: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To set up Dynamic DNS if you already created an account: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To change your settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Dynamic DNS.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Remotely access a USB device using ReadyCLOUD NETGEAR ReadyCLOUD for routers lets you remotely access files stored on a USB storage device that is connected to the router. Before you can use ReadyCLOUD, you must create a ReadyCLOUD account and register your router. A ReadyCLOUD app is also available for Windows computers, Android mobile devices, and iOS mobile devices.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi 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. By default, the USB storage device is available to all computers on your local area network (LAN). 3. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 4. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 5. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
8 Share a USB Printer The ReadySHARE Printer utility lets you share a USB printer that is connected to a USB port on your router. You can share this USB printer among the Windows-based and Mac computers on your network. For more information about the features available in the NETGEAR USB Control Center, see the ReadySHARE Printer User Manual, which is available at http://downloadcenter.netgear.com.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Install the printer driver and cable the printer Some USB printer manufacturers (for example, HP and Lexmark) request that you do not connect the USB cable until the installation software prompts you to do so. To install the driver and cable the printer: 1. On each computer on your network that shares the USB printer, install the driver software for the USB printer. If you cannot locate the printer driver, contact the printer manufacturer. 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select a language from the menu and click the OK button. The NETGEAR USB Control Center opens. Some firewall software, such as Comodo, blocks the NETGEAR USB Control Center from accessing the USB printer. If you do not see the USB printer displayed on the page, you can disable the firewall temporarily to allow the utility to work. 5. Select the printer and click the Connect button. The printer status changes to Manually connected by Mycomputer.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The status changes to Available. Now any computers on the network can use the printer. 6. To exit the utility, select System > Exit.
9 Manage Network Settings The router comes ready for WiFi, Ethernet, and USB connections. You can customize the router’s network settings. We recommend that you install the router and connect it to the Internet before you change its network settings.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router View or change the WAN settings You can view or configure wide area network (WAN) settings for the Internet port. You can set up a DMZ (demilitarized zone) server, change the maximum transmit unit (MTU) size, and enable the router to respond to a ping to its WAN (Internet) port. To view or change the WAN settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Set up a default DMZ server The default DMZ server feature is helpful when you are using some online games and videoconferencing applications that are incompatible with Network Address Translation (NAT). The router is programmed to recognize some of these applications and to work correctly with them, but other applications might not function well.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Your settings are saved. Change the Router’s Device Name The router’s default device name is based on its model number. This device name displays in the file manager when you browse your network. To change the router’s device name: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To change the LAN TCP/IP settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router If you changed the LAN IP address of the router, you are disconnected when this change takes effect. 9. To reconnect, close your browser, relaunch it, and log in to the router. Specify the IP addresses that the router assigns By default, the router acts as a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. The router assigns IP, DNS server, and default gateway addresses to all computers connected to the LAN.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Your settings are saved. The router delivers the following address information to any LAN device that requests a DHCP address: • An IP address from the range that you define • Subnet mask • Gateway IP address (the router’s LAN IP address) • DNS server IP address (the router’s LAN IP address) Disable the DHCP server feature in the router By default, the router acts as a DHCP server.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Manage reserved LAN IP addresses When you specify a reserved IP address for a computer on the LAN, that computer always receives the same IP address each time it accesses the router’s DHCP server. Assign reserved IP addresses to computers or servers that require permanent IP settings. Reserve an IP address To reserve an IP address: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Edit a reserved IP address To edit a reserved address entry: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Select the radio button next to the reserved address that you want to delete. 6. Click the Delete button. The address is removed. Use the WPS Wizard for WiFi connections The WPS Wizard helps you add a WPS-enabled device to your WiFi network without typing the WiFi password. To use the WPS Wizard: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Specify Basic WiFi Settings The router comes with preset security. This means that the WiFi network name (SSID), network key (password), and security option (encryption protocol) are preset in the factory. You can find the preset SSID and password on the router label. Note: The preset SSID and password are uniquely generated for every device to protect and maximize your WiFi security.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The name can be up to 32 characters long and it is case-sensitive. The default SSID is randomly generated and is on the router label. If you change the name, make sure to write down the new name and keep it in a safe place. 8. To change the WiFi channel, select a number from the Channel menu. In some regions, not all channels are available. Do not change the channel unless you experience interference (shown by lost connections or slow data transfers).
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select Wireless. The Wireless Settings page displays. 5. In the Wireless Network (2.4 GHz b/g/n) section, select a WiFi mode from the Mode menu: • Up to 54 Mbps. This mode allows 802.11n, 802.11g, and 802.11b devices to join the network but limits 802.11n devices to functioning at up to 54 Mbps. • Up to 217 Mbps. This mode allows for reduced interference with neighboring WiFi networks. This mode allows 802.11n, 802.11g, and 802.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Change the WiFi password or the WiFi security The WiFi password is different from the admin password that you use to log in to the router. Your router comes with preset WPA2 or WPA security. We recommend that you use the preset security, but you can change the settings. Do not disable the preset security. To change the WiFi password or the WiFi security: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK [AES]. This type of security enables WiFi devices that support either WPA or WPA2 to join the router’s WiFi network. However, WPA-PSK [TKIP] is less secure than WPA2-PSK [AES] and limits the speed of WiFi devices to 54 Mbps. • WPA/WPA2 Enterprise. This type of security requires that your WiFi network can access a RADIUS server. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Set up a guest WiFi network A guest network allows visitors to use the Internet without using your WiFi security password or with a different WiFi password. By default, the guest WiFi network is disabled. You can enable and configure the guest WiFi network for each WiFi band. The router simultaneously supports the 2.4 GHz band for 802.11n, 802.11g, and 802.11b devices and the 5 GHz band for 802.11ax, 802.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Configure the following settings to set up a 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz-1, or 5GHz-2 guest WiFi network: • Enable Guest Network. By default, the guest WiFi network is disabled. To enable the guest WiFi network for the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz-1, or 5GHz-2 WiFi band, select the Enable Guest Network check box. • Enable SSID Broadcast. By default, the router broadcasts the SSID of the WiFi band so that WiFi stations can detect the WiFi name (SSID) in their scanned network lists.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Your settings are saved. 8. Make sure that you can reconnect over WiFi to the network with its new security settings. If you cannot connect over WiFi, check the following: • If your computer or mobile device is already connected to another WiFi network in your area, disconnect it from that WiFi network and connect it to the WiFi network that the router provides.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To enable or disable the WiFi radios: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Click the Add a new period button. The page adjusts. 6. Use the menus, radio buttons, and check boxes to set up a period during which you want to turn off the WiFi signal. 7. Click the Apply button. The Wireless Settings page displays. 8. Select the Turn off wireless signal by schedule check box to activate the schedule. 9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router By default, the Keep Existing Wireless Settings check box is selected. We recommend that you leave this check box selected. If you clear this check box, the next time a new WiFi client uses WPS to connect to the router, the router WiFi settings change to an automatically generated random SSID and security key. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Note: To avoid interference with other routers or gateways in your network, we recommend that you use different WiFi settings on each router. You can also turn off the WiFi radio on the other router or gateway and use this router only for WiFi client access. 8. Click the Apply button. The IP address of the router changes, and you are disconnected. 9. To reconnect, close and restart your browser and type http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 5. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Router/ AP / Bridge Mode. The Router / AP / Bridge Mode page displays. 6. Select Bridge Mode. The page adjusts. 7. Click the setup bridge mode wireless settings button. The Wireless Settings window opens. 8.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set up a bridge for a port group If the devices that are connected to the router’s Ethernet LAN port or WiFi network include an IPTV device, your ISP might require you to set up a bridge for a port group for the router’s Internet interface. A bridge with a port group prevents packets that are sent between the IPTV device and the router’s Internet port from being processed through the router’s network address translation (NAT) service.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set up a bridge for a VLAN tag group If the devices that are connected to the router’s Ethernet LAN ports or WiFi network include an IPTV device, your ISP might require you to set up a bridge for a VLAN tag group for the router’s Internet interface. If you are subscribed to IPTV service, the router might require VLAN tags to distinguish between the Internet traffic and the IPTV traffic.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 9. Select the check box for a wired LAN port or WiFi port. If your device is connected to an Ethernet port on the router, select the LAN port check box that corresponds to the Ethernet port on the router to which the device is connected. If your device is connected to your router’s WiFi network, select the WiFi check box that corresponds to the router’s WiFi network to which the device is connected. You must select at least one LAN port or WiFi port.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • A metric value of 1 works because the ISDN router is on the LAN. • The Private check box is selected only as a precautionary security measure in case RIP is activated. Set up a static route To set up a static route: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router This value represents the number of routers between your network and the destination. Usually, a setting of 2 or 3 works, but if this is a direct connection, set it to 1. 10. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. The static route is added to the table on the Static Routes page. Edit a static route To edit a static route: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Static Routes. The Static Routes page displays. 5. In the table, select the radio button for the route. 6. Click the Delete button. The route is removed from the table.
10 Manage Your Router This chapter describes the router settings for administering and maintaining your router and home network.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Update the router firmware You can log in to the router and check if new firmware is available, or you can manually load a specific firmware version to your router. Check for new firmware and update the router The router firmware (routing software) is stored in flash memory. You might see a message at the top of the router pages when new firmware is available.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router When the upload is complete, your router restarts. The update process typically takes about one minute. Read the new firmware release notes to find out if you must reconfigure the router after updating. Manually upload firmware to the router If you want to upload a specific firmware version, or your router fails to update its firmware automatically, follow these instructions.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Change the admin password The admin password is the one you specified the first time you logged in. You can change this password. Note: The ideal password contains no dictionary words from any language and contains uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. It can be up to 30 characters. To change the password for the admin user name: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Set Password. The Set Password page displays. 5. Select the Enable Password Recovery check box. 6. Select two security questions and provide answers to them. 7.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 9. With your recovered password, log in to the router. View information about the router and the Internet and WiFi settings You can view router information, the Internet port status, and WiFi settings. To view information about the router and the Internet, modem, and WiFi settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Display the statistics of the Internet port To display the statistics of the Internet port: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. To change the polling frequency, enter a time in seconds in the Poll Interval field and click the Set Interval button. To stop the polling entirely, click the Stop button. Check the Internet connection status To check the Internet connection status: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. To release (stop) the Internet connection, click the Release button. 7. To renew (restart) the Internet connection, click the Renew button. 8. To exit the screen, click the Close Window button. View and manage logs of router activity The logs are a detailed record of the websites you accessed or attempted to access and many other router actions. Up to 256 entries are stored in the log. To view and manage logs: 1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router You must set up email notifications in order to receive the logs. The router to emails the logs to the address that you specified when you set up email notifications. For more information, see Set up security event email notifications on page 60. 9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. View devices currently on the network You can view all computers and devices that are currently connected to your network. To view devices on the network: 1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To monitor Internet traffic: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Traffic Meter.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 10. Click the Apply button. The Internet Traffic Statistics section helps you to monitor the data traffic. 11. To update the Traffic Statistics section, click the Refresh button. 12. To display more information about the data traffic on your router and to change the poll interval, click the Traffic Status button. Manage the router configuration file The configuration settings of the router are stored within the router in a configuration file.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To erase the settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Backup Settings.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The file is uploaded to the router and the router restarts. WARNING: Do not interrupt the restoration process. Remote access You can access your router over the Internet to view or change its settings. You must know the router’s WAN IP address to use this feature. Note: Be sure to change the password for the user name admin to a secure password.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Only This Computer. Allow access from a single IP address on the Internet. Enter the IP address to be allowed access. • IP Address Range. Allow access from a range of IP addresses on the Internet. Enter a beginning IP address and an ending IP address to define the allowed range. • Everyone. Allow access from any IP address on the Internet. 7. Specify the port number for accessing the router web interface.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Disable LED blinking or turn off LEDs The LEDs on the top panel of the router indicate activities and behavior. You can disable LED blinking for network communications, or turn off all LEDs except the Power LED. To disable LED blinking or turn off the LEDs: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Administration > NTP Settings. The NTP Settings page displays. 5. Select your time zone from the menu. 6. If you live in a region that observes daylight saving time, select the Automatically adjust for daylight savings time check box. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router WARNING: To avoid the risk of corrupting the firmware, do not interrupt the reset. For example, if you are connected to the router web interface, do not close the browser, click a link, or load a new page. Do not turn off the router. Wait until the router finishes restarting. Erase the settings CAUTION: This process erases all settings that you configured in the router. To erase the settings: 1.
11 Use VPN to Access Your Network You can use OpenVPN software to remotely access your router using virtual private networking (VPN). This chapter explains how to set up and use VPN access.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set Up a VPN Connection A virtual private network (VPN) lets you use the Internet to securely access your network when you aren’t home. This type of VPN access is called a client-to-gateway tunnel. The computer is the client, and the router is the gateway. To use the VPN feature, you must log in to the router and enable VPN, and you must install and run VPN client software on the computer. VPN uses DDNS or a static IP address to connect with your router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. To change the service type, scroll down and select the TCP radio button. 7. To change the port, scroll down to the Service Port field, and type the port number that you want to use. 8. Click the Apply button. Your changes are saved. VPN is enabled in the router, but you must install and set up OpenVPN software on your computer before you can use a VPN connection.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 9. In the Windows Installer section of the page, double-click the openVPN-install-xxx.exe link. 10. Download and install the Open VPN software on your computer, click the openVPN-install-xxx.exe file. 11. Click the Next button. 12. Read the License Agreement and click the I Agree button. 13. Leave the check boxes selected as shown, and click the Next button.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 14. To specify the destination folder, click the Browse button and select a destination folder. 15. Click the Install button. The window displays the progress of the installation and then displays the final installation page. 16. Click the Finish button. 17. Unzip the configuration files that you downloaded and copy them to the folder where the VPN client is installed on your device.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router c. Select the local area connection and change its name (not its device name) to NETGEAR-VPN. If you do not change the VPN interface name, the VPN tunnel connection will fail. For more information about using OpenVPN on your Windows computer, visit https://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/documentation/howto.html#quick.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Install OpenVPN Software on an iOS Device You must install this software on each iOS device that you plan to use for VPN connections to your router. To install VPN client software on an iOS device: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To install VPN client software on an Android device: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router established, you cannot access your home router or your home network with the OpenVPN software. The default LAN IP address scheme for the router is 192.x.x.x. The most common IP schemes are 192.x.x.x, 172.x.x.x, and 10.x.x.x. If you experience a conflict, change the IP scheme either for your home network or for the network with the client VPN computer. For information about changing these settings, see Change the LAN TCP/IP settings on page 89.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use VPN to Access the Router’s USB Device and Media To access a USB device and download files from your Windows-based computer using VPN: 1. On your Windows-based computer, open the Windows file manager and select Network. Note: See your computer’s documentation for information about how to display the network resources. The network resources display. The ReadySHARE icon displays in the Computer section. 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set Up VPN Client Internet Access in the Router By default, the router is set up to allow VPN connections only to your home network, but you can change the settings to allow Internet access. Accessing the Internet remotely through a VPN might be slower than accessing the Internet directly. To allow VPN clients to use your home Internet service: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To allow VPN clients to access only your home network: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. When the VPN connection is established, launch your Internet browser.
12 Manage Port Forwarding and Port Triggering You can use port forwarding and port triggering to set up rules for Internet traffic. You need networking knowledge to set up these features.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Manage Port Forwarding to a Local Server If your home network includes a server, you can allow certain types of incoming traffic to reach the server. For example, you might want to make a local web server, FTP server, or game server visible and available to the Internet. The router can forward incoming traffic with specific protocols to computers on your local network.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 11. Click the Add button. The service displays in the menu. Add a Custom Port Forwarding Service The router lists default services and applications that you can use in port forwarding rules. If the service or application is not predefined, you can add a port forwarding rule with a custom service or application. To add a custom service: 1. Find out which port number or range of numbers the application uses.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router You can enter a port range and fixed ports in one rule, for example, external (30–50, 78, 100–102), internal (40–60, 99, 200–202). With this rule, external ports 30–50 are forwarded to internal ports 40–60. 12. In the Internal IP address field, type the IP address or select the radio button for an attached device listed in the table. 13. Click the Apply button. The service is now in the list on the Port Forwarding/Port Triggering page.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Delete a Port Forwarding Entry To delete a port forwarding entry: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 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.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Add a Port Triggering Service To add a port triggering service: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Enable Port Triggering To enable port triggering: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router also allow incoming traffic on port 113 to reach the originating computer.” The following sequence shows the effects of this port triggering rule: 1. You open an IRC client program to start a chat session on your computer. 2. Your IRC client composes a request message to an IRC server using a destination port number of 6667, the standard port number for an IRC server process. Your computer then sends this request message to your router. 3.
13 Troubleshooting This chapter provides information to help you diagnose and solve problems you might experience with your router. If you do not find the solution here, check the NETGEAR support site at netgear.com/support for product and contact information.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Quick tips This section describes tips for troubleshooting some common problems. Sequence to restart your network If you must restart your network, follow this sequence: 1. Turn off and unplug the modem. 2. Turn off the router. 3. Plug in the modem and turn it on. Wait two minutes. 4. Turn on the router and wait two minutes.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Some Internet service providers require you to use the MAC address of the computer initially registered on the account, but this is an unusual situation. You can view the MAC address on the Attached Devices page of the router web interface. Troubleshoot with the LEDs By default, the router uses standard LED settings. Standard LED behavior when the router is powered on After you turn on power to the router, verify that the following sequence of events occurs: 1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router If all LEDs are still lit one minute after power-up, do the following: • Cycle the power to see if the router recovers. • Press and hold the Reset button to return the router to its factory settings. If the error persists, a hardware problem might be the cause. Contact Technical Support at netgear.com/support.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Try quitting the browser and launching it again. • Make sure that Java, JavaScript, or ActiveX is enabled in your browser. If you are using Internet Explorer, click the Refresh button to be sure that the Java applet is loaded. • Make sure that the IP address of your computer or mobile device is in the same subnet as the router. If you are using the recommended addressing scheme, the IP address of your computer or mobile device is in the range of 192.168.1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 3. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 4. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 5. Click the ADVANCED tab. The ADVANCED Home page displays. 6. Check to see that an IP address is shown for the Internet port. If 0.0.0.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router If your computer obtains its information from the router by DHCP, reboot the computer and verify the gateway address. • You might be running login software that is no longer needed. If your ISP provided a program to log you in to the Internet, you no longer need to run that software after installing your router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Troubleshoot WiFi connectivity If you are experiencing trouble connecting over WiFi to the router, try to isolate the problem: • Does the WiFi device or computer that you are using find your WiFi network? If not, check the WiFi LED on the router. If it is off, you can press the WiFi On/Off button on the router to turn the router WiFi radios back on.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To ping the router from a Windows-based computer: 1. From the Windows toolbar, click the Start button and select Run. 2. In the field provided, type ping followed by the IP address of the router, as in this example: ping www.routerlogin.net 3. Click the OK button.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 3. If you do not receive replies, check the following: • Check to see that IP address of your router is listed as the default gateway for your computer. If DHCP assigns the IP configuration of your computers, this information is not visible in your computer Network Control Panel. Verify that the IP address of the router is listed as the default gateway.
14 Supplemental Information This chapter includes technical information about your router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Factory Settings You can return the router to its factory settings. Use the end of a paper clip or a similar object to press and hold the Reset button on the back of the router for at least seven seconds. The router resets and returns to the factory configuration settings shown in the following table. Table 2. Factory default settings Feature Router login Internet connection Local network (LAN) Default setting User login URL www.routerlogin.com or www.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Table 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Technical Specifications Table 3. Router specifications Feature Description Data and routing protocols TCP/IP, RIP-1, RIP-2, DHCP, PPPoE, PPTP, Bigpond, Dynamic DNS, UPnP, and SMB Power adapter • North America: 120V, 60 Hz, input • UK, Australia: 240V, 50 Hz, input • Europe: 230V, 50 Hz, input • All regions (output): 19V/3.16A DC output Dimensions 11.63 x 8.92 x 2.14 in (295.5 x 226.8 x 54.5 mm) Weight 2.43 lbs (1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Table 3. Router specifications (Continued) Feature Description Operating frequency range AC3000 WiFi3 • Band 1: 450 Mbps at 2.4GHz • Band 2: 1300 Mbps at 5GHz • Band 3: 1300 Mbps at 5GHz 802.11 security WPA2-PSK and WPA/WPA2 2 Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual throughput can vary.
