Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900 User Manual May 2016 202-11667-01 350 East Plumeria Drive San Jose, CA 95134 USA
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Support 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. Conformity For the current EU Declaration of Conformity, visit http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11621. Compliance For regulatory compliance information, visit http://www.netgear.
Contents Chapter 1 Hardware Setup Unpack Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Extend the Antennas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Top View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Chapter 4 Optimize Performance Use Dynamic QoS to Prioritize Bandwidth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Enable Dynamic QoS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Enable Dynamic QoS Using the genie App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 View Bandwidth Utilization By Device and Application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Edit a Network Folder on a USB Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Safely Remove a USB Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Chapter 8 Access USB Devices Through the Internet Access USB Devices Through the Internet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Set Up FTP Access Through the Internet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set Up a Wireless Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Specify WPS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Use the Router as a Wireless Access Point. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Chapter 12 Manage Your Network Update the Router Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Application Example: Port Triggering for Internet Relay Chat . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Chapter 15 Troubleshooting Quick Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Sequence to Restart Your Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Check Ethernet Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Wireless Settings.
1. 1 Hardware Setup The Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router with six high-performance antennas and three network bands—one 2.4 GHz band and two 5 GHz bands delivers combined WiFi connection speeds of up to 3000 Mbps WiFi: • 450 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band (802.11n) • 1300 Mbps on 5 GHz band 1 (802.11ac) • 1300 Mbps on 5 GHz band 2 (802.11ac) Nighthawk X6 is ideal for homes with a number of WiFi-connected devices and provides double the bandwidth of typical dual-band routers.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Unpack Your Router Your package contains the following items. AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Ethernet cable Power adapter Figure 1. Package contents Extend the Antennas Position the antennas for the best WiFi performance. To extend the antennas: Position all of the antennas vertically as shown.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Top View The status LEDs and buttons are located on the top of the router. LEDs WiFi On/Off LED and button WPS LED and button Figure 2. Router LEDs and buttons Table 1. LED and button 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 firmware is corrupted. Off. Power is not supplied to the router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Table 1. LED and button descriptions (continued) LED Description USB 3.0 port • • • Solid white. A USB device is connected and is ready. Blinking. A USB device is plugged in and is trying to connect. Off. No USB device is connected, or someone clicked the Safely Remove Hardware button and it is now safe to remove the attached USB device. • • Solid white. The guest WiFi radio is operating. Off. The guest WiFi radio is off.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Turn the LEDs On or Off Using the LED On/Off Switch To turn the LEDs on or off using the LED On/Off switch: Slide the LED On/Off switch on the rear panel to the On or Off position. LED On/Off switch The Power LED stays lit even if the LED On/Off switch is in the Off position. Position Your Router The router lets you access your network anywhere within the operating range of your wireless network.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router - Solid metal doors - Aluminum studs - Fish tanks - Mirrors - Brick - Concrete Cable Your Router The following image shows how to cable your router: Internet Power adapter Modem Router Computer Ethernet cable Computer Figure 4. Router cabling 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.
2. Connect to the Network and Access the Router 2 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). 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 Label The label on the router shows the login information, WiFi network name and network key (password), MAC address, and serial number. Figure 5. Router label Types of Logins Separate types of logins serve different purposes. It is important that you understand the difference so that you know which login to use when. Types of logins: • ISP login. The login that your ISP gave you logs you in to your Internet service.
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 • Make sure that the computer is connected to one of the four LAN Ethernet ports or wirelessly to the router. • Make sure that the router is receiving power and that its Power LED is lit white. • Close and reopen the browser or clear the browser cache. • Browse to http://www.routerlogin.net. • 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.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. In the upper right corner, select a language from the list. 5. When prompted, click the OK button to confirm this change. The screen refreshes with the language that you selected.
3. Specify Your Internet Settings 3 Usually, the quickest way to set up the router to use your Internet connection is to allow genie to detect the Internet connection when you first access the router with an Internet browser. You can also customize or 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 genie screens 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 wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Manually Set Up the Internet Connection You can view or change the router’s Internet connection settings. Specify an Internet Connection That Does Not Use a Login To specify the Internet connection settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. If your Internet connection requires an account name or host name, type it in the Account Name (If Required) field. 7. If your Internet connection requires a domain name, type it in the Domain Name (If Required) field. For the other sections in this screen, the default settings usually work, but you can change them. 8. Select an Internet IP Address radio button: • Get Dynamically from ISP. Your ISP uses DHCP to assign your IP address.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select Internet. 5. For the Does your Internet connection require a login? setting, select the Yes radio button. The screen adjusts. 6. In the Internet Service Provider list, select the encapsulation method: PPPoE, L2TP, or PPTP. 7. In the Login field, enter the login name your ISP gave you.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 12. Select an Internet IP Address radio button: • 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, the 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.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The Basic Settings screen displays. 5. In the Internet Connection Type list, 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. For more information about IPv6 Internet connection, see the following sections.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6. The Basic Settings screen displays. 5. In the Internet Connection Type list, select Auto Detect. The router automatically detects the information in the following fields: • Connection Type. This field indicates the connection type that is detected. • Router’s IPv6 Address on WAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired for the router’s WAN (or Internet) interface.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use Auto Config for an IPv6 Internet Connection To set up an IPv6 Internet connection through auto configuration: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Most people can leave this field blank, but if your ISP gave you a specific host name, enter it here. 7. (Optional) In the DHCP Domain Name (If Required) field, enter a domain name. You can type the domain name of your IPv6 ISP. Do not enter the domain name for the IPv4 ISP here. For example, if your ISP’s mail server is mail.xxx.yyy.zzz, type xxx.yyy.zzz as the domain name. If your ISP provided a domain name, type it in this field.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. In the Internet Connection Type list, select 6to4 Tunnel. The router automatically detects the information in the Router’s IPv6 Address on LAN field. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired for the router’s LAN 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. 6.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set Up an IPv6 Pass Through Internet Connection In pass-through mode, the router works as a Layer 2 Ethernet switch with two ports (LAN and WAN Ethernet ports) for IPv6 packets. The router does not process any IPv6 header packets. To set up a pass-through IPv6 Internet connection: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. In the Internet Connection Type list, select Fixed. 6. Configure the fixed IPv6 addresses for the WAN connection: • IPv6 Address/Prefix Length. The IPv6 address and prefix length of the router WAN interface. • Default IPv6 Gateway. The IPv6 address of the default IPv6 gateway for the router’s WAN interface. • Primary DNS Server. The primary DNS server that resolves IPv6 domain name records for the router. • Secondary DNS Server.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Set Up an IPv6 DHCP Internet Connection To set up an IPv6 Internet connection with a DHCP server: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router which is also indicated by the underline (_) under the IPv6 address. If no address is acquired, the field displays Not Available. 6. (Optional) In the User Class (If Required) field, enter a host name. Most people can leave this field blank, but if your ISP gave you a specific host name, enter it here. 7. (Optional) In the Domain Name (If Required) field, enter a domain name. You can type the domain name of your IPv6 ISP.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. In the Internet Connection Type list, select PPPoE. 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.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • 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). 10. (Optional) Select the Use This Interface ID check box and specify the interface ID to be used for the IPv6 address of the router’s LAN interface. If you do not specify an ID here, the router generates one automatically from its MAC address. 11. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > WAN Setup. 5. In the MTU Size field, enter a value from 64 to 1500. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Table 2. Common MTU sizes (continued) MTU Application 1400 Maximum size for AOL DSL. 576 Typical value to connect to dial-up ISPs. Enable the Bridge or Add a VLAN Tag Group Some devices, such as an IPTV, cannot work behind a router’s network address translation (NAT) or firewall.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Note: You must select at least one Wired Ports or Wireless check box. You can select more than one check box. 8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Add VLAN Tag Groups You can add VLAN tag groups to the bridge and assign VLAN IDs and priority values to each VLAN tag group.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • If your device is connected to an Ethernet port on the router, select a Wired Ports check box that corresponds to the Ethernet port on the router that the device is connected to. • If your device is connected to your router’s WiFi network, select a Wireless check box that corresponds to the router’s WiFi network that the device is connected to. Note: You must select at least one Wired Ports or Wireless check box. You can select more than one check box. 12.
4. Optimize Performance 4 You can set up the router to optimize performance for applications such as multiplayer gaming, peer-to-peer connections, or real-time communications such as instant messaging or remote assistance (a feature in Windows XP). By default, the router uses Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service (WMM QoS).
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use Dynamic QoS to Prioritize Bandwidth Dynamic Quality of Service (QoS) prioritizes your WiFi bandwidth by application and device. If your Internet bandwidth is limited, Dynamic QoS resolves Internet traffic congestion by using better application and device identification, bandwidth allocation, and traffic prioritization techniques. If you like gaming and streaming videos, you can benefit from enabling Dynamic QoS.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select Dynamic QoS. 5. Select the Enable Dynamic QoS check box. 6. Specify your Internet bandwidth. You can use Speedtest to detect your Internet bandwidth or you can enter your Internet bandwidth manually. NETGEAR recommends that you use Speedtest. To use Speedtest to detect your Internet bandwidth: a.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Note: The genie app for smartphones and tablets currently does not support Dynamic QoS. To enable Dynamic QoS using the Desktop genie app: 1. On your computer, open the app that you use to manage your WiFi connections. 2. Locate your router’s WiFi network and join it. 3. Click the genie app icon on your desktop or in the Windows taskbar. The Home screen displays. 4. Select Network Map.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router View Bandwidth Utilization By Device and Application You can view how much bandwidth is utilized by each device or application that is connected to the router’s network. To view bandwidth utilization by device and application: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Type http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 9. To view the bandwidth utilized by the applications used by each device, in the Device Name column, click a device icon. A list of applications used by the device and their Internet download and upload speed displays: View Bandwidth Utilization By Device and Application Using the genie App You can view how much bandwidth is utilized by each device or application that is connected to the router’s network using the genie app.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Right-click the router image and select Dynamic QoS. The Dynamic QoS screen displays. 6. Make sure that Dynamic QoS is enabled and click the Close button. If Dynamic QoS is not enabled, see Enable Dynamic QoS Using the genie App on page 43. 7. On the network map, right-click the router image again and select Statistics. The Bandwidth Utilization screen displays. 8.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select Dynamic QoS. The Dynamic QoS screen displays. 5. Make sure that the Enable Dynamic QoS check box is selected. If you did not enable Dynamic QoS yet, see Enable Dynamic QoS on page 42. 6. Click the Click here to see bandwidth utilization by device and application link.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select Dynamic QoS. If you are using Dynamic QoS, the Enable Dynamic QoS check box is selected. 5. Select or clear the Automatically update performance optimization database check box. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select Dynamic QoS. The Dynamic QoS screen displays. If you are using Dynamic QoS, the Enable Dynamic QoS check box is selected. 5. Click the Update Now button. The router checks for the newest version of the database and downloads it. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The advertisement period specifies how often the router broadcasts its UPnP information. This value can range from 1 to 1440 minutes. The default period is 30 minutes. Shorter durations ensure that control points receive current device status at the expense of more network traffic. Longer durations can compromise the freshness of the device status but can significantly reduce network traffic. 7. Type the advertisement time to live in hops.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The QoS Setup screen displays. 5. Clear the Enable WMM (Wi-Fi multimedia) settings (2.4 GHz b/g/n) check box. 6. Clear the Enable WMM (Wi-Fi multimedia) settings (5 GHz b/g/n) check box. 7. Clear the Enable WMM (Wi-Fi multimedia) settings Second Radio (5 GHz b/g/n) check box. 8. Click the Apply button. Your changes are saved.
5. Control Access to the Internet 5 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 Set Up Parental Controls The first time that you select Parental Controls from the BASIC Home screen, your browser goes to the Parental Controls website, where you can learn more about Parental Controls. To set up Parental Controls, you must download the genie app. To set up Live Parental Controls: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Type http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Because Live Parental Controls uses free OpenDNS accounts, you are prompted to log in or create a free account. 9. Select the radio button that applies to you: • If you already created an OpenDNS account, leave the Yes radio button selected. • If you did not yet create an OpenDNS account, select the No radio button. If you are creating an account, the following screen displays: a. Complete the fields. b. Click the Next button.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router After you log on or create your account, the filtering level screen displays: 10. Select a radio button for a filtering level that you want and click the Next button.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 11. Click the Take me to the status screen button. Parental Controls are now set up for the router. 12. To enable Parental Controls, click the Enable Live Parental Controls button. Allow or Block Access to Your Network You can use access control to block or allow access to your network. To set up access control: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Security > Access Control. 5. Select the Turn on Access Control check box. You must select this check box before you can specify an access rule and use the Allow and Block buttons. When this check box is cleared, all devices are allowed to connect, even if a device is in the blocked list. 6. Select an access rule: • Allow all new devices to connect. With this setting, if you add a new device, it can access your network.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To manage devices that are allowed or blocked: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 7. Use the Add button, Edit button, and Remove from the list button as needed. 8. Click the Apply button. Your changes take effect. 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 wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. In the Type keyword or domain name here field, enter a keyword or domain that you want to block. For example: • Specify XXX to block http://www.badstuff.com/xxx.html. • Specify .com if you want to allow only sites with domain suffixes such as .edu or .gov. • Enter a period (.) to block all Internet browsing access. 7. Click the Add Keyword button. The keyword is added to the keyword list. The keyword list supports up to 32 entries. 8.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To block services: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The settings for this service automatically display in the fields. 8. To add a service or application that is not the list, select User Defined. a. If you know that the application uses either TCP or UDP, select the appropriate protocol; otherwise, select TCP/UDP (both). b. Enter the starting port and ending port numbers. If the service uses a single port number, enter that number in both fields.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Security > Schedule. 5. Specify when to block keywords and services: • Days to Block. Select the check box for each day that you want to block the keywords or select the Every Day check box, which automatically selects the check boxes for all days. • Time of Day to Block. Select a start and end time in 24-hour format, or select All Day for 24-hour blocking. 6. Select your time zone from the list. 7.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Security > Block Sites. The Block Sites screen displays. 5. Scroll down and select the Allow trusted IP address to visit blocked sites check box. 6. In the Trusted IP Address field, enter the IP address of the trusted computer. 7. Click the Apply button. Your changes are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Select the Turn E-mail Notification On check box. 6. In the Your Outgoing Mail Server field, enter the name of your ISP outgoing (SMTP) mail server (such as mail.myISP.com). You might be able to find this information in the configuration screen of your email program. If you leave this field blank, log and alert messages are not sent. 7. In the Send to This E-mail Address field, type the email address to which logs and alerts are to be sent.
6. Tri-Band WiFi Connections 6 This chapter explains how the router manages WiFi connections for its WiFi bands and how you can control the relevant router settings.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Tri-Band WiFi Tri-band WiFi delivers 3.0 Gbps combined WiFi speeds through three dedicated WiFi bands—a 2.4 GHz band, plus two 5 GHz bands. This additional 5 GHz WiFi band allows you to double the WiFi bandwidth for dual-band devices. FASTEST 5 GHz 1 1300 Mbps FASTER 5 GHz 2 1300 Mbps FAST 2.4 GHz 450 Mbps Figure 7.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router iPhone 5S with support for only single-stream 802.11n can achieve a maximum WiFi speed of only 150 Mbps. As more devices connect and begin downloading, the bandwidth is shared among them as well. The following example of shared bandwidth shows a dual-band router in which the GHz WiFi band has a fast 640 Mbps capacity.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router having two lanes in the wider road instead of one. The router automatically uses Smart Connect to allocate the fastest devices to the fast lane. 5 GHz WiFi Band 5 GHz Faster iPhone 150 Mbps ÷ 3 iPad 300 Mbps ÷ 3 iPhone 150 Mbps ÷ 3 Internet 5 GHz Fastest Nighthawk X6 Total bandwidth: 1500 Mbps (150 + 300 + 150)÷ 3 + (1300 + 1300) ÷ 2 Greater than 2x the performance of other routers MacBook Pro 300 Mbps ÷ 2 MacBook Pro 1300 Mbps ÷ 2 Figure 9.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router For example, if three mobile devices are connected to one 5 GHz band, the fourth device is automatically connected to the other 5 GHz band. Internet Printer Desktop computer IP camera Fast 2.4 WiFi band Up to 450 Mbps Legacy devices iPad iPhone Phone Faster 5 GHz WiFi Band 1 Up to 1.3 Gbps Dual-band wireless devices Fastest 5 GHz WiFi Band 2 Up to 1.3 Gbps MacBook Pro MacBook Air Dual-band AC wireless devices Figure 10.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Smart Connect Smart Connect balances your 5 GHz WiFi connections into two different radio bands: the 5 GHz radio 1 band and the 5 GHz radio 2 band. The router uses Smart Connect to choose the best radio band for your device to give you the best WiFi performance. 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select Wireless. 5. Select or clear the Smart Connect – One Wireless Network Name (SSID) for both 5 GHz radios check box. Selecting this check box turns on Smart Connect and clearing this check box turns off Smart Connect. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Beamforming Beamforming means that your router actively tracks clients and directs Wifi to the client, rather than just blasting it out in all directions. This means better WiFi range and performance for your wireless devices. The router uses explicit and implicit beamforming to improve WiFi performance. Explicit beamforming requires the client to support beamforming. Typically 802.11ac clients support beamforming.
7. Share USB Devices Attached to the Router 7 This chapter describes how to access and configure USB storage devices attached to your router. The USB port on the router can be used only to connect USB storage devices like flash drives or hard drives or a printer. 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 http://kbserver.netgear.com/readyshare. Some USB external hard drives and flash drives require you to load the drivers onto the computer before the computer can access the USB device. Such USB devices do not work with the router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router When you connect the USB device to the router USB port, it might take up to two minutes before it is ready for sharing. By default, the USB device is available to all computers on your local area network (LAN). To access the USB device from a Mac: 1. Connect your USB storage device to the USB port on the router. If your USB device uses a power supply, you must use it when you connect the USB device to the router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router If your USB device uses a power supply, you must use it when you connect the USB device to the router. When you connect the USB device to the router’s USB port, it might take up to two minutes before it is ready for sharing. By default, the USB drive is available to all computers on your local area network (LAN). 2. Select Start > Run. 3. Enter \\readyshare in the dialog box. 4. Click the OK button. A screen automatically opens and displays the USB Storage device.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The Map Network Drive screen displays: 6. Select the drive letter to map to the network folder. 7. Click the Finish button. The USB device is mapped to the drive letter that you specified. 8. 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. Click the OK button.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Use the dashboard or the Backup tab to set up and run your backup. Back Up Mac Computers with Time Machine You can use Time Machine to back up your Mac computers onto a USB hard drive that is connected to one of the router’s USB ports. You can access the connected USB hard drive from your Mac with a wired or wireless connection to your router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router a. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences. The System Preferences screen displays. b. Select Energy Saver. The Energy Saver screen displays. c. Click the Power Adapter tab. d. Select the Wake for Wi-Fi network access check box. e. Click the back arrow to save the changes and exit the screen. 5. Modify your security settings: a. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences. The System Preferences screen displays. b. Select Security & Privacy.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. Click the Connect button. A list of connected devices displays. This list includes the name admin when you log in as admin. 7. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences. The System Preferences screen displays. 8. Select Time Machine. The Time Machine screen displays. 9. Click the Select Backup Disk button and select your USB device from the list. 10. Click the Use for Backup button.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Select ADVANCED > USB Storage > Advanced Settings. 6. Specify access to the USB storage device: • Network Device Name. This is the name used to access the USB device connected to the router. The default is readyshare. • Workgroup. If you are using a Windows workgroup rather than a domain, the workgroup name is displayed here. The name works only in an operating system that supports NetBIOS, such as Microsoft Windows. • Access Method.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To set up FTP access: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4.
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 drive is available to all computers on your local area network (LAN). 2. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 3. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Add a Network Folder on a USB Device You can add network folders on the USB storage device. To add a network folder: 1. Connect your USB storage device to the USB port on the router. If your USB device uses a power supply, you must use it when you connect the USB 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.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 8. Click the Browse button. The Browser for Folder screen displays a list of folder. 9. Select the folder and click the OK button. 10. In the Share Name field, type the name of the share. 11. In the Read Access list and the Write Access list, select the settings that you want. The user name (account name) for All–no password is guest. The password for admin is the same one that is used to log in to the router. By default, it is password. 12. Click the Apply button.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To remove a USB disk drive safely: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4.
8. Access USB Devices Through the Internet 8 With Dynamic DNS, you can use the Internet to access a USB hard drive attached to the router’s USB port router when you’re not home. This chapter includes the following sections: • Access USB Devices Through the Internet • Dynamic DNS • Your Personal FTP Server • Set Up Your Personal FTP Server For information about how to connect the USB device and specify its settings, see Chapter 7, Share USB Devices Attached to the Router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Access USB Devices Through the Internet You can access USB devices through the Internet when you’re not home. To access USB devices from a remote computer: 1. Launch a web browser on a computer that is not on your home network. 2. Connect to your home router: • To connect with Dynamic DNS, type the DNS name. To use a Dynamic DNS account, you must enter the account information in the Dynamic DNS screen. See Dynamic DNS on page 92.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > USB Storage > Advanced Settings. 5. Select the FTP (via Internet) check box. 6. Click the Apply button. Your changes are saved. 7. To limit access to the admin user, click the Edit button. 8. In the Read Access list, select admin. 9. In the Write Access list, select admin. 10. Click the Apply button. Your changes are saved.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Access USB Devices Through the Internet with FTP You must first set up FTP through Internet access as described in Set Up FTP Access Through the Internet on page 90. To access a USB device with FTP from a remote computer: 1. To download, launch an Internet browser. 2. To upload, use an FTP client such as filezilla. 3. Type ftp:// and the Internet port IP address in the address field of the browser. For example, type ftp://10.1.65.4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Your Personal FTP Server With your customized free URL, you can use FTP to access your network through Dynamic DNS when you aren’t home. To set up your FTP server, you must register for a free NETGEAR Dynamic DNS (DDNS) service account and specify the account settings. See Set Up a New Dynamic DNS Account on page 93. FTP Directory: FTP://‘custom name’.mynetgear.com FTP Directory: FTP://‘custom name’.mynetgear.com FTP Directory: FTP://‘custom name’.mynetgear.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Settings > Dynamic DNS. 5. Select the Use a Dynamic DNS Service check box. 6. In the Service Provider list, select NETGEAR. 7. Select the No radio button. 8. In the Host Name field, type the name that you want to use for your URL. The host name is sometimes called the domain name. Your free URL includes the host name that you specify and ends with mynetgear.com. For example, specify MyName.mynetgear.com. 9.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Dynamic DNS. 5. Select the Use a Dynamic DNS Service check box. 6. In the Service Provider list, select one of the following: • NETGEAR • NoIP.com • www.DynDNS.org 7. Select the Yes radio button. The screen adjusts and displays the Show Status, Cancel, and Apply buttons. 8.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Change the Dynamic DNS Settings To change your settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4.
9. Use the Router as a Media Server 9 The router comes set up to work as a ReadyDLNA media server. You can set up the router to play music from iTunes Server and media from TiVo.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Specify ReadyDLNA Media Server Settings By default, the router acts as a ReadyDLNA media server, which lets you view movies and photos on DLNA/UPnP AV-compliant media players, such as Xbox360, Playstation, and NETGEAR media players. To specify media server settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Play Music from a USB Device with iTunes Server iTunes Server lets you play music with your Windows or Mac iTunes app from a USB device that is connected to the router USB port. You can also use the Apple Remote app from an iPhone or iPad to play music on any AirPlay devices, such as Apple TV or AirPlay-supported receivers. Figure 14. Play music on a USB device with iTunes Supported music file formats are MP3, AAC, and FLAC.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. d. Select ADVANCED > USB Storage > Media Server. e. Select the Enable iTunes Media Server (Music Only) check box and click the Apply button. f. Enter the passcode and click the Allow Control button. Your changes take effect. On your iPhone or iPad, the ReadySHARE music library displays in the Remote app.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > USB Storage > Media Server. The Media Server Settings screen displays. 5. Make sure that the Enable TiVo support check box is selected. 6. If you changed the settings, click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. To play videos: 1. On the TiVo, select TiVo Central > My Shows. 2. Go to the bottom of the list tand select the R7900.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To play music or view photos: 1. On the TiVo, select TiVo Central > Music, Photos, & Showcases. 2. Select an item to play or watch. To copy TiVo files to a computer: Use the TiVo Desktop accessory, available at https://www3.tivo.com/store/accessories-software.do.
10. 10 Share a USB Printer The ReadySHARE Printer utility lets you share a USB printer that is connected to the USB port on your router. You can share this USB printer among the Windows and Mac computers on your network.
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 find the printer driver, contact the printer manufacturer. 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To install the utility: 1. If necessary, unzip the ReadySHARE Printer utility setup file. 2. Double-click the ReadySHARE Printer utility setup file that you downloaded. 3. Follow the wizard instructions to install NETGEAR USB Control Center.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select a language from the list and click the OK button. Some firewall software, such as Comodo, blocks NETGEAR USB Control Center from accessing the USB printer. If you do not see the USB printer displayed in the screen, 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. Now, only your computer that can use the printer. 6.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To print and release the printer to any computer on the network: 1. To print your document, use the print feature in your application. The NETGEAR USB Control Center automatically connects your computer to the USB printer and prints the document. If another computer is already connected to the printer, your print job goes into a queue to wait to be printed. 2. If your document does not print, use the NETGEAR USB Control Center to check the status.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use the Scan Feature of a Multifunction USB Printer If your USB printer supports scanning, you can also use the USB printer for scanning. For example, the USB printer displayed in the Windows Printers and Faxes window is ready for print jobs. To use the scan feature of a multifunction USB printer: 1. Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon 2. Make sure that the printer status shows as Available. Share a USB Printer 108 .
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 3. Click the Network Scanner button. The scanner screen displays so that you can use the USB printer for scanning. Change NETGEAR USB Control Center Settings You can stop the NETGEAR USB Control Center from starting automatically when you log in to Windows. You can also change the language and specify the time-out to release the printer connection. To turn off automatic NETGEAR USB Control Center startup: 1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 2. Select Tools > Configuration. 3. Clear the Automatically execute when logging on Windows check box. 4. Click the OK button. Your change is saved. To change the language: 1. Select Tools > Configuration. 2. In the Language list, select a language. 3. Click the OK button. The next time NETGEAR USB Control Center starts, the language changes. To specify the time-out: 1. Select Tools > Configuration. 2. In the Timeout field, type the number of minutes.
11. 11 Network Settings The router comes ready for WiFi, Ethernet, and USB connections. You can customize the router’s network settings. NETGEAR recommends that you install the router and connect it to the Internet before you change its network settings.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Disable LED Blinking or Turn Off LEDs The router LEDs on the top panel indicate router 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 wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > WAN Setup. The following settings display: • Disable Port Scan and DoS Protection. DoS protection protects your LAN against denial of service attacks such as Syn flood, Smurf Attack, Ping of Death, and many others.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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 Change the Router’s Device Name The router’s device name is R7900. This device name displays in file manager when you browse your network. To change the router’s device name: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup. 5. In the IP Address field, type the IP address. 6. In the IP Subnet Mask field, type the subnet mask of the router.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • RIP-2. This format carries more information. Both RIP-2B and RIP-2M send the routing data in RIP-2 format. RIP-2B uses subnet broadcasting. RIP-2M uses multicasting. 8. Click the Apply button. Your changes are saved. 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.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup. 5. Make sure that the Use Router as DHCP Server check box is selected. 6. Specify the range of IP addresses that the router assigns: a. In the Starting IP Address field, type the lowest number in the range. This IP address must be in the same subnet as the router. b. In the Ending IP Address field, type the number at the end of the range of IP addresses. This IP address must be in the same subnet as the router. 7.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To disable the DHCP server feature in the router: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. In the IP Address field, type the IP address to assign to the computer or server. Choose an IP address from the router’s LAN subnet, such as 192.168.1.x. 7. Type the MAC address of the computer or server. Tip: If the computer is already on your network, you can copy its MAC address from the Attached Devices screen and paste it here. 8. Click the Apply button. The reserved address is entered into the table.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup. The LAN Setup screen displays. 5. Select the radio button next to the reserved address. 6. Click the Delete button. The address is removed.
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 wireless security. NETGEAR recommends that you do not change your preset security settings.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select Wireless. You can specify the settings for the 2.4 GHz band and for the 5 GHz bands. If you enabled Smart Connect, both 5 GHz WiFi bands must use the same WiFi settings. If you want to use different settings for each 5 GHz WiFi band, you must first disable Smart Connect (see Enable or Disable Smart Connect on page 72). 5. In the Region list, select your region. In some locations, you cannot change this setting. 6.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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). If this happens, experiment with different channels to see which is the best. When you use multiple access points, it is better if adjacent access points use different channels to reduce interference.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select Wireless. 5. For the 2.4 GHz WiFi band, in the Wireless Network (2.4 GHz b/gn/n) section, select a setting from the Mode list. Up to 450 Mbps is the default setting. The other settings are Up to 217 Mbps and Up to 54 Mbps. 6. For the first 5 GHz WiFi band, in the 5GHz-1 section, select a setting from the Mode list. Up to 1300 Mbps is the default setting, which allows 802.11ac and 802.11a wireless devices to join the network.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Change the WiFi Password or Security Level Your router comes with preset WPA2 or WPA security. The password that you enter to connect to your network is unique to your router and is on the router label. NETGEAR recommends that you use the preset security, but you can change the settings. NETGEAR recommends that you do not disable security. To change the WPA settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To set up a guest network: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select Guest Network. 5.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Enable SSID Broadcast. If this check box is selected, the wireless access point broadcasts its name (SSID) to all wireless stations. Stations with no SSID can adopt the correct SSID for connections to this access point. • Allow guest to see each other and access my local network. If this check box is selected, anyone who connects to this SSID can access your local network, not just your Internet connection. 7. Give the guest network a name.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Enable or Disable the Wireless Radios If you used the WiFi On/Off button to turn off the wireless radios, you can’t log in to the router to turn them back on. You must press the WiFi On/Off button again for two seconds to turn the wireless radios back on. To enable or disable the wireless radios: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router If you turned off both wireless radios, the WiFi On/Off LED and the WPS LED turn off. If you turned on the wireless radios, the WiFi On/Off LED and the WPS LED light. Set Up a Wireless Schedule You can turn off the wireless signal from your router at times when you do not need a wireless connection. For example, you might turn it off for the weekend if you leave town. To set up the wireless schedule: 1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Your settings are saved. Specify WPS Settings Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) lets you join the WiFi network without typing the WiFi password. To specify WPS Settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. (Optional) Select or clear the Enable Router’s PIN check box. The PIN function might temporarily be disabled when the router detects suspicious attempts to break into the router’s wireless network by using the router’s PIN through WPS. You can manually enable the PIN function by selecting the Enable Router’s PIN check box. 6. (Optional) Select or clear the Keep Existing Wireless Settings check boxes.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless AP. 6. Select the Enable AP Mode check box. The new SSID and password for the router while it is in AP mode displays: 7. Scroll down and select an IP address setting: • Get dynamically from existing router. The other router on the network assigns an IP address to this router while this router is in AP mode. • Enable fixed IP settings on this device (not recommended).
12. Manage Your Network 12 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 The router firmware (routing software) is stored in flash memory. You might see a message at the top of the genie screens when new firmware is available. You can respond to that message to update the firmware or you can check to see if new firmware is available, and to update your product. To check for new firmware and update your router: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Note: Be sure to change the password for the user name admin to a secure password. 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. See Change the admin Password on page 135. To set the password for the user name admin: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Recover the admin Password NETGEAR recommends that you enable password recovery if you change the password for the router user name admin. Then you can recover the password if it is forgotten. This recovery process is supported in Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome browsers but not in the Safari browser. To set up password recovery: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 7. Click the Login again button. A login screen displays. 8. With your recovered password, log in to the router. View Router Status To view router status and usage information: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Display Internet Port Statistics To display Internet port statistics: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router - Up Time. The time elapsed since this port acquired the link. - Poll Interval. The interval at which the statistics are updated in this screen. 7. 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.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • DHCP Server. The IP address for the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server that provides the TCP/IP configuration for all the computers that are connected to the router. • DNS Server. The IP address of the Domain Name Service server that provides translation of network names to IP addresses. • Lease Obtained. The date and time when the lease was obtained. • Lease Expires. The date and time that the lease expires. 6.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Logs. The Logs screen shows the following information: • Action. The action that occurred, such as whether Internet access was blocked or allowed. • Source IP. The IP address of the initiating device for this log entry. • Target address. The name or IP address of the website or news group visited or to which access was attempted. • Date and time. The date and time the log entry was recorded. 5.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To monitor Internet traffic: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Select the Connection time control radio button and enter the allowed hours in the Monthly limit field. 7. If your ISP charges for extra data volume when you make a new connection, enter the extra data volume in MB in the Round up data volume for each connection by field. 8. In the Traffic Counter section, set the traffic counter to begin at a specific time and date. To start the traffic counter immediately, click the Restart Counter Now button. 9.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • A metric value of 1 works because the ISDN router is on the LAN. • The Private checkbox 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 wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 12. Type a number from 1 through 15 as the metric value. 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. 13. Click the Apply button. The static route is added. Edit a Static Route To edit a static route: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Static Routes. The Static Routes screen displays. 5. In the table, select the radio button for the route. 6. Click the Delete button. The route is removed from the table. View Devices Currently on the Network You can view all computers or devices that are currently connected to your network.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • SSID. The SSID of the WiFi network that the device is connected to. • IP Address. The IP address that the router assigned to this device when it joined the network. This number can change if a device is disconnected and rejoins the network. • MAC Address. The unique MAC address for each device does not change. The MAC address is typically shown on the product label. • Device Name. If the device name is known, it is shown here. 5.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. If you are prompted to specify a location on your computer to save your settings to, specify a location on your computer and click the Save button. A copy of the current settings is saved on your computer. Restore Configuration Settings To restore configuration settings that you backed up: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Backup Settings. The Backup Settings screen displays. 5. Click the Erase button. The factory default settings are restored. The user name is admin, the password is password, and the LAN IP address is 192.168.1.1. DHCP is enabled.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Remote Management. 5. Select the Turn Remote Management On check box. 6. In the Allow Remote Access By section, specify the external IP addresses to be allowed to access the router’s remote management. Note: For enhanced security, restrict access to as few external IP addresses as practical Select one of the following: • Only This Computer. Allow access from a single IP address on the Internet.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Remotely Access Your Router Using the genie App The genie app allows you to remotely access your router to manage and change its key settings using the genie app that is installed on a computer or mobile device. Before you can use the remote access feature, you need to update your router to the latest firmware and download the latest genie app for your computer or mobile device.
13. Use VPN to Access Your Network 13 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. Secure remote access Open VPN Client Internet Figure 15. VPN provides a secure tunnel between your home network and a remote computer This type of VPN access is called a client-to-gateway tunnel. The computer is the client, and the router is the gateway.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Specify VPN Service in the Router You must specify the VPN service settings in the router before you can use a VPN connection. To specify the VPN service: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. To install the Open VPN software on your computer, click the openVPN-install-xxx.exe file. 5. Click the Next button. 6. Read the License Agreement and click the I Agree button. 7. Leave the check boxes selected as shown, and click the Next button. 8. To specify the destination folder, click the Browse button and select a destination folder. 9. Click the Install button.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The screen displays the progress of the installation and then displays the final installation screen. 10. Click the Finish button. 11. Unzip the configuration files that you downloaded and copy them to the folder where the VPN client is installed on your device. For a client device with Windows 64-bit system, the VPN client is installed at C:\Program files\OpenVPN\config\ by default. 12.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To open a VPN tunnel: 1. Launch the OpenVPN application with administrator privileges. The OpenVPN icon displays in the Windows taskbar. Tip: You can create a shortcut to the VPN program, then use the shortcut to access the settings and select the run as administrator check box. Then every time you use this shortcut, OpenVPN automatically runs with administrator privileges. 2. Right-click the OpenVPN icon. A menu displays: 3. Select Connect.
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: 1. In Windows file manager, select the Network folder. The network resources display. The ReadySHARE icon is in the Computer section and the remote R7900 icon is in the Media Devices section (if DLNA is enabled in the router). 2. If the icons do not display, click the Refresh button to update the screen.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VPN Service. The VPN screen displays. 5. Select the Enable VPN Service radio button. 6.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router The BASIC Home screen displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VPN Service. The VNP screen displays. 5. Select the Enable VPN Service radio button. 6. Scroll down to the Clients will use this VPN connection to access section, and select the Home Network only radio button. This is the default setting. The VPN connection is only to your home network, not to the Internet service for your home network. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 8.
14. Specify Internet Port Settings 14 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 Set Up 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 9. In the Server IP Address field, enter the IP address of the computer that will provide the service. 10. Click the Add button. The service displays in the list. Add a Custom Port Forwarding Service To add a custom service: 1. Find out which port number or range of numbers the application uses. You can usually find this information by contacting the publisher of the application or user groups or news groups. 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router In the field, you can enter the port, port range, or both. If you enter more than one value in the field, separate each value with a comma. For example, 30, 50–60. 11. Specify the internal ports by one of these methods: • Leave the Use the same port range for Internal port check box selected. • Clear the Use the same port range for Internal port check box and type the internal port range in the Internal Port Range field.
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 wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
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 wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router 10. In the Triggering Port field, enter the number of the outbound traffic port that will open the inbound ports. 11. In the Connection Type, Starting Port, and Ending Port fields, enter the inbound connection information. 12. Click the Apply button. The service is now in the Portmap table. You must enable port triggering before the router uses port triggering. See Enable Port Triggering on page 169. Enable Port Triggering To enable port triggering: 1.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router This value controls how long the inbound ports stay open when the router detects no activity. This value is required because the router cannot detect when the application terminates. Application Example: Port Triggering for Internet Relay Chat Some application servers, such as FTP and IRC servers, send replies to multiple port numbers. Using port triggering, you can tell the router to open more incoming ports when a particular outgoing port starts a session.
15. 15 Troubleshooting This chapter provides information to help you diagnose and solve problems you might have with your router. If you do not find the solution here, check the NETGEAR support site at http://support.netgear.com 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 When you need to 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. Check Ethernet Cable Connections If your device does not power on, make sure that the Ethernet cables are securely plugged in.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Troubleshoot with the LEDs By default, the router is set with standard LED settings. If you disabled blinking for the LEDs or turned off all LEDs except the Power LED, you must return the LEDs to their standard settings for troubleshooting. For information about controlling the LED settings, see Position Your Router on page 12.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router If the error persists, a hardware problem might be the cause. Contact technical support at www.netgear.com/support. LEDs Never Turn Off When the router is turned on, the LEDs light for about 10 seconds and then turn off. If all the LEDs stay on, this indicates a fault within the router. If all LEDs are still lit one minute after power-up, do the following: • Cycle the power to see if the router recovers.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • If your computer’s IP address is shown as 169.254.x.x, this is because recent versions of Windows and Mac OS generate and assign an IP address if the computer cannot reach a DHCP server. These autogenerated addresses are in the range of 169.254.x.x. If your IP address is in this range, check the connection from the computer to the router, and reboot your computer.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router If your router cannot obtain an IP address from the ISP, you might need to force your cable or DSL modem to recognize your new router by restarting your network. For more information, see Sequence to Restart Your Network on page 172. If your router is still unable to obtain an IP address from the ISP, the problem might be one of the following: • Your Internet service provider (ISP) might require a login program.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router To troubleshoot a PPPoE connection: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of the web browser. A login screen displays. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home screen displays. 4.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router • You might be running login software that is no longer needed. If your ISP provided a program to log you in to the Internet (such as WinPoET), you no longer need to run that software after installing your router. You might need to go to Internet Explorer and select Tools > Internet Options, click the Connections tab, and select the Never dial a connection. Other browsers provide similar options.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Troubleshoot Your Network Using the Ping Utility Most network devices and routers contain a ping utility that sends an echo request packet to the designated device. The device then responds with an echo reply. You can easily troubleshoot a network using the ping utility in your computer or workstation. Test the LAN Path to Your Router You can ping the router from your computer to verify that the LAN path to your router is set up correctly.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Test the Path from Your Computer to a Remote Device After verifying that the LAN path works correctly, test the path from your computer to a remote device. 1. From the Windows toolbar, click the Start button and select Run. 2. In the Windows Run window, type ping -n 10 where is the IP address of a remote device such as your ISP DNS server.
A. Supplemental Information This appendix 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 3. Factory default settings Feature Router login Internet connection Local network (LAN) Firewall Default behavior User login URL www.routerlogin.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Table 3. Factory default settings (continued) Feature Wireless Default behavior Wireless communication Enabled SSID name See router label Security WPA2-PSK (AES) Broadcast SSID Enabled Transmission speed Auto* Country/region United States in the US; otherwise, varies by region RF channel Auto for 2.4 GHz, CH 44 for 5GHz 1, and CH 153 for 5GHz 2 Operating mode Up to 450 Mbps at 2.
Nighthawk X6 AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Technical Specifications Table 4. R7900 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 • • • • Dimensions 11.63 x 8.92 x 2.14 in. (295.5 x 226.8 x 54.5 mm) Weight 2.43 lbs (1.
