Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router User Manual Model R8500 January 2016 202-11555-04 350 E.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Support Thank you for purchasing this NETGEAR product. You can visit support.netgear.com 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 regulatory compliance information, visit http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11621. Compliance For regulatory compliance information, visit netgear.com/about/regulatory.
Contents Chapter 1 Hardware Setup Unpack Your Router...............................................................................................9 Front View..............................................................................................................9 USB Ports on the Right Panel..............................................................................11 Rear Panel...........................................................................................................
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Allow or Block Access to Your Network................................................................44 Use Keywords to Block Internet Sites..................................................................46 Block Services From the Internet....................................................................47 Delete Keywords From the Blocked List..........................................................48 Avoid Blocking on a Trusted Computer........................
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set Up a WiFi Schedule.......................................................................................87 Specify WPS Settings..........................................................................................88 Use the Router as a WiFi Access Point...............................................................89 Use the Router in Bridge Mode............................................................................
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Add a Network Folder on a USB Storage Device..............................................126 Edit a Network Folder on a USB Storage Device...............................................127 Remotely Access a USB Device Using ReadyCLOUD......................................127 Create a ReadyCLOUD Account...................................................................128 Register Your Router With ReadyCLOUD.....................................................
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Block VPN Client Internet Access in the Router............................................160 Use a VPN Tunnel to Access Your Internet Service at Home........................161 Chapter 14 Customize Internet Traffic Rules for Ports Port Forwarding to a Local Server.....................................................................163 Set Up Port Forwarding to a Local Server.....................................................
Hardware Setup 1 The Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router is the next wave in WiFi with Tri-Band Quad Stream performance, Nighthawk delivers combined WiFi speeds of up to 5.3 Gbps. Four external active antennas combined with four internal antennas amplify and maximize WiFi range. The X8’s powerful 1.4 Ghz dual-core processor gives you a high-performance networking engine for faster connections. Aggregate two of the Gigabit ports to double your wired speeds to network-attached storage.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Unpack Your Router Your package contains the Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router, the power adapter, and a yellow Ethernet cable. Figure 1. Package contents Front View The status LEDs are located on the top of the router. Buttons are on the front, and the USB ports are on the right panel. Figure 2.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Table 1. LED descriptions LED Power Internet 2.4 GHz WiFi 5 GHz WiFi 1 and 5 GHz WiFi 2 Description • 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. • Solid white. The Internet connection is ready. • Solid amber.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router LED USB 3.0 port 1 and USB 2.0 port 2 Ethernet ports 1–6 Description • 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. The LED color indicates the speed: white for Gigabit Ethernet connections and amber for 100 Mbps or 10 Mbps Ethernet connections.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Figure 3. A USB 3.0 port and a USB 2.0 port are located on the right Rear Panel The rear panel connections and buttons are shown in the following figure. Figure 4. Rear panel Position Your Router The router lets you access your network anywhere within the operating range of your WiFi network. However, the operating distance or range of your WiFi connection can vary significantly depending on the physical placement of your router.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Additionally, other WiFi access points in and around your home might affect your router’s signal. WiFi access points are routers, repeaters, WiFi range extenders, and any other device that emits a WiFi signal for network access. Position your router according to the following guidelines: • Place your router near the center of the area where your computers and other devices operate, and within line of sight to your WiFi devices.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 3. Connect your modem to the Internet port of your router with the yellow Ethernet cable that came with your router. 4. Connect the power adapter to your router and plug the power adapter into an outlet. 5. Press the Power On/Off button on the rear panel of the router. 6. To change the LED mode, press the LED button on the front panel. Pressing the LED button turns off blinking. Pressing the LED button again turns off all LEDs except the Power LED.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The router receives a much cleaner and less noisy signal for amplification, significantly improving the received signal and providing a clean, powerful signal that extends WiFi coverage and performance. Active antennas help reduce the mismatch between the sent and the received signal by compensating for the relatively poor WiFi on the client side.
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 X8 AC5300 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). The router has six Ethernet ports.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router WiFi Connection Using WPS You can connect to the router’s WiFi network with Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) or you can find and select the WiFi network. To use WPS to connect to the WiFi network: 1. Make sure that the router is receiving power (its Power LED is lit). 2. Check the WPS instructions for your computer or WiFi device. 3. Press the WPS button on the router. 4.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use a Web Browser to Access the Router When you connect to the network (either with WiFi or with an Ethernet cable), you can use a web browser to access the router to view or change its settings. When you access the router, the software automatically checks to see if your router can connect to your Internet service. Automatic Internet Setup You can set up your router automatically, or you can use a web browser to access the router and set up your router manually.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. If the browser does not display a router page, do the following: • • • • • Make sure that the computer is connected to one of the LAN Ethernet ports or over WiFi to the router. Make sure that the router is receiving power and that its Power LED is lit. Close and reopen the browser or clear the browser cache. Browse to http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To change the language: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. In the upper right corner, select a language from the menu. 5.
Specify Your Internet Settings 3 Usually, the quickest way to set up the router to use your Internet connection is to allow the genie to detect the Internet connection when you first access the router with a web browser.You can also customize or specify your Internet settings.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 WiFi device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Specify an Internet Connection Without a Login To specify the Internet connection settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select Internet.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Get Automatically from ISP. Your ISP uses DHCP to assign your DNS servers. Your ISP automatically assigns this address. • Use These DNS Servers. If you know that your ISP requires specific servers, select this option. Enter the IP address of your ISP’s primary DNS server. If a secondary DNS server address is available, enter it also. 10. Select a Router MAC Address radio button: • Use Default Address. Use the default MAC address. • Use Computer MAC Address.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. From the Internet Service Provider menu, select the encapsulation method: PPPoE, L2TP, or PPTP. 7. In the Login field, enter the login name that your ISP gave you. This login name is often an email address. 8. In the Password field, type the password that you use to log in to your Internet service. 9. If your ISP requires a service name, type it in the Service Name (if Required) field. 10.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Use This MAC Address. Enter the MAC address that you want to use. 15. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 16. Click the Test button to test your Internet connection. If the NETGEAR website does not display within one minute, see Cannot Access the Internet on page 175. Specify IPv6 Internet Connections You can set up an IPv6 Internet connection if the router does not detect it automatically. To set up an IPv6 Internet connection: 1.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Set Up an IPv6 PPPoE Internet Connection on page 36 • Set Up an IPv6 6rd Internet Connection on page 38 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Requirements for Entering IPv6 Addresses IPv6 addresses are denoted by eight groups of hexadecimal quartets that are separated by colons. You can reduce any four-digit group of zeros within an IPv6 address to a single zero or omit it.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. From the Internet Connection Type menu, select Auto Config. 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Your settings are saved. 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 WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. 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). 7.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. From the Internet Connection Type menu, 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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 WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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. For example, Earthlink Cable might require a host name of home, and Comcast sometimes supplies a domain name. 8. Select an IP Address Assignment radio button: • Use DHCP Server.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. From the Internet Connection Type menu, 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 X8 AC5300 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 WiFi device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. From the Internet Connection Type menu, 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 X8 AC5300 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. From the Internet Connection Type menu, select 6rd Tunnel. The page adjusts. The router automactially detects the information in the following sections: • 6rd (IPv6 Rapid Development) Configuration. The router detects the service provider’s IPv4 network and attempts to establish an IPv6 6rd tunnel connection. If the IPv4 network returns 6rd parameters to the router, the page adjusts to display the correct settings in this section.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router If you do not specify an ID here, the router generates one automatically from its MAC address. 9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Change the MTU Size The maximum transmission unit (MTU) is the largest data packet a network device transmits. When one network device communicates across the Internet with another, the data packets travel through many devices along the way.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The BASIC Home page displays. 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. If you suspect an MTU problem, a common solution is to change the MTU to 1400. If you are willing to experiment, you can gradually reduce the MTU from the maximum value of 1500 until the problem goes away.
Control Access to the Internet 4 The router comes with a built-in firewall that helps protect your home network from unwanted intrusions from the Internet.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set Up Parental Controls The first time that you select Parental Controls from the BASIC Home page, your browser goes to the Live Parental Controls website, where you can learn more about Parental Controls and download the application. After you set up and enable parental controls, you can change the web filtering level for each device on the network through the network map page on the genie app. To set up Parental Controls: 1.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router a. Complete the fields. b. Click the Next button. After you log on or create your account, the filtering level page displays. 10. Select a filtering level and click the Next button. The Setup is complete page displays. 11. Click the Take me to the status screen button. The Status page displays. Parental controls are now set up for the router. 12. To enable Parental Controls, click the Enable Live Parental Controls.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 X8 AC5300 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 WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The keyword is added to the keyword list. The keyword list supports up to 32 entries. 8. Click the Apply button. Keyword blocking takes effect. 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 WiFi device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. Click the Add button. 7. To add a service that is in the Service Type menu, select the application or service. The settings for this service automatically display in the fields. 8. To add a service or application that is not in the menu, select User Defined, and do the following: 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is admin. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Security > Block Sites. The Block Sites page displays. 5. Do one of the following: • To delete a single word, select it and click the Delete Keyword button. The keyword is removed from the list.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Your settings are saved. Manage Network Access Control Lists You can use access control to block or allow access to your network. To manage devices that are allowed or blocked: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. 2. Type http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The default password is password.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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 X8 AC5300 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 the All Day check box for 24-hour blocking. 6. Select your time zone from the menu. 7.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Security > E-mail. 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 window of your email program.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router a. From Send logs according to this schedule menu, select the schedule type. b. From the Day menu, select the day. c. From the Time menu, select the time, and select the am or pm radio button. 11. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Logs are sent automatically according to the schedule that you set. If the log fills before the specified time, it is sent. After the log is sent, it is cleared from the router memory.
Tri-Band WiFi Connections 5 This chapter explains how the router manages WiFi connections for its WiFi bands and how you can control the relevant router settings.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Tri-Band WiFi Tri-band WiFi delivers combined WiFi speeds of 3.2 Gbps 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. Figure 6.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Figure 7. Dual-band WiFi network with one 5 GHz WiFi band That means that in the network shown, a computer with a 1,300 Mbps capacity provides an effective WiFi connection speed of 160 Mbps (1300÷ 5), and other devices would also see their WiFi speeds divided by 5. Tri-band WiFi adds a second 5 GHz WiFi band to the network. This increases the available WiFi bandwidth, which can be compared to widening the road.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router In this tri-band network, the first 5 GHz band provides a speed of 200 Mbps, and the second 5 GHz band provides a speed of 1300 Mbps. The slower and faster devices are separated in different WiFi connections to ensure that you get the best speed on each device. So in the previous figure, all three mobile devices are on one 5 GHz band with a combined maximum speed of 200 Mbps, and the other 5 GHz WiFi band is used for the faster 802.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router With Smart Connect, older devices do not slow down faster devices. • The router uses load balancing to avoid network congestion in each WiFi band. With load balancing, you don’t need to share your WiFi connection with as many devices. 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Enable or Disable Smart Connect To enable or disable Smart Connect: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select Wireless. The Wireless Setup page displays. 5.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Settings. The Wireless Settings page displays. 5. Scroll down below the WPS Settings section and select or clear the Enable Implicit BEAMFORMING check box. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Network Settings 6 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router View or Change 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 WiFi device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router • MTU Size (in bytes). The normal MTU (maximum transmit unit) value for most Ethernet networks is 1500 bytes, or 1492 bytes for PPPoE connections. Change the MTU only if you are sure that it is necessary for your ISP connection. See Change the MTU Size on page 40. • NAT Filtering. Network Address Translation (NAT) determines how the router processes inbound traffic.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Select the Default DMZ Server check box. 6. Type the IP address. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Ethernet Port Aggregation Ethernet aggregation lets you combine two Gigabit Ethernet ports to improve the aggregated file transfer speed. Note that Ethernet port aggregation is also referred to as link aggregation, teaming port, and port trunking.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set Up Ethernet Port Aggregation To set up Ethernet port aggregation: 1. If you are connecting a switch, make sure that the switch supports 802.3ad LACP. You must configure the switch before you connect the Ethernet cables to the router. WARNING: To avoid causing broadcast looping, which can shut down your network, do not connect an unmanaged switch to Ethernet aggregate port 1 and port 2 on the router. 2.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The Ethernet Port Aggregation Status displays. Change the LAN TCP/IP Settings The router is preconfigured to use private IP addresses on the LAN side and to act as a DHCP server. The router’s default LAN IP configuration is as follows: • LAN IP address. 192.168.1.1 • Subnet mask. 255.255.255.0 These addresses are part of the designated private address range for use in private networks and are suitable for most applications.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup. Your router might display information that is different from this example. 5. In the IP Address field, type the IP address. 6. In the IP Subnet Mask, type the subnet mask of the router. The IP address and subnet mask identify which addresses are local to a specific device and which must be reached through a gateway or router. 7. Change the RIP settings.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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. Change the Router’s Device Name The router’s default device name is based on its model number, which is R8500. This device name displays in the file manager when you browse your network. To change the router’s device name: 1.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup. Your router might display information that is different from this example. 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Disable the DHCP Server Feature in the Router By default, the router acts as a DHCP server. The router assigns IP, DNS server, and default gateway addresses to all computers connected to the LAN. The assigned default gateway address is the LAN address of the router. You can use another device on your network as the DHCP server or specify the network settings of all your computers. To disable the DHCP server feature in the router: 1.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup. The LAN Setup page displays. 5. In the Address Reservation section, click the Add button. The page adjusts. 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 7. Change the settings. 8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Delete a Reserved IP Address Entry To delete a reserved address entry: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router In this case you must define a static route, telling your router to access 134.177.0.0 through the ISDN router at 192.168.1.100. Here is an example: • The Destination IP Address and IP Subnet Mask fields specify that this static route applies to all 134.177.x.x addresses. • The Gateway IP Address field specifies that all traffic for these addresses will be forwarded to the ISDN router at 192.168.1.100.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 7. So limit access to the LAN only, select the Private check box. If the Private check box is selected, the static route is not reported in RIP. 8. Select the Active check box to make this route effective. 9. Type the IP address of the final destination. 10. Type the IP subnet mask for this destination. If the destination is a single host, type 255.255.255.255. 11. Type the gateway IP address, which must be on the same LAN segment as the router. 12.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Delete a Static Route To delete a static route: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Static Routes. The Custom Static Routes page displays. 5.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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 page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VLAN/Bridge Settings. The VLAN / Bridge Settings page displays. 5. Select the Enable VLAN/Bridge Group check box. The page expands. 6. Select the By bridge group radio button. 7.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Select the Enable VLAN/Bridge Group check box. 6. Select the By VLAN tag group radio button. 7. Specify the settings as described in the following table. Field Description Name Enter a name for the VLAN tag group. The name can be up to 10 characters. VLAN ID Enter a value from 1 to 4094. Priority Enter a value from 0 to 7. Select the check box for a wired LAN port or WiFi port.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Your settings are saved. Use the WPS Wizard for WiFi Connections The WPS Wizard helps you add a computer or WiFi device to your WiFi network without typing the WiFi password. To use the WPS Wizard: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router We recommend that you do not change your preset security settings . If you change your preset security settings, make a note of the new settings and store it in a safe place where you can easily find it. If you use a WiFi connection to change the SSID or other WiFi security settings, you are disconnected when you click the Apply button. To avoid this problem, use a computer with a wired connection to access the router. To specify basic WiFi settings: 1.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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’s 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The WPA2 options use the newest standard for the strongest security. The Password (Network Key) field displays. 6. In the Password (Network Key) field, enter the network key (password). It is a text string from 8 to 63 characters. 7. Write down the new password and keep it in a secure place for future reference. 8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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 menu. Up to 1000 Mbps is the default setting. The other settings are Up to 433 Mbps and Up to 54 Mbps. 6. For each the 5 GHz WiFi band, select a setting from the Mode menu. Up to 2165 Mbps is the default setting, which allows 802.11ac and 802.11a WiFi devices to join the network. The other settings are Up to 1000 Mbps and Up to 433 Mbps. 7.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select Guest Network. Your router might display information that is different from this example. 5. Scroll to the section of the page for the guest WiFi network that you want to set up. The default guest WiFi network names (SSIDs) are as follows: • NETGEAR-Guest is for the 2.4 GHz WiFi band. • NETGEAR-5G-Guest is for the 5 GHz WiFi band. 6. Leave the Enable SSID Broadcast check box selected.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Control the WiFi Radios The router’s internal WiFi radios broadcast signals in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz ranges. By default, they are on so that you can connect over WiFi to the router. When the WiFi radios are off, you can still use an Ethernet cable for a LAN connection to the router. You can turn the WiFi radios on and off with the WIFI button on the router, or you can log in to the router and enable or disable the WiFi radios.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Settings. Your router might display information that is different from this example. 5. In the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz-1, and 5 GHz-2 sections, select or clear the Enable Wireless Router Radio check boxes. Clearing these check boxes turns off the WiFi feature of the router for each band. 6. Click the Apply button. If you turned off the WiFi radios, the WiFi LEDs turn off. If you turned on the WiFi radios, the WiFi LEDs light.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Click the Add a new period button. 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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 page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Settings. The Wireless Settings page displays.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 4. 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 page displays. 5. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless AP. 6. Select the Enable AP Mode check box. 7. Scroll down and select an IP address setting: • Get dynamically from existing router.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The IP address of the router changes, and you are disconnected. 9. To reconnect, close and restart your browser and enter http://www.routerlogin.net. Use the Router in Bridge Mode You can use your router in bridge mode to connect multiple devices with WiFi at the faster 802.11ac speed. To do this, you need two WiFi routers: one set up as a router and the other set up as a bridge. Figure 12.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Then set up the second router in bridge mode. Place the router in bridge mode in a different room such as the room where your home entertainment center is located. Cable the router in bridge mode to your Smart TV, DVR, game console, or Blu-ray player, and use its 802.11ac WiFi connection to the first router. To set up bridge mode: 1. Make a note of the WiFi settings of the other router to which this router will connect.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router d. In the Security Option section, select a radio button. e. If prompted, type the passphrase (the WiFi password that you use to connect with WiFi to the other router). 9. Click the Apply button. The settings for the other router are saved and the Wireless Settings page displays. 10. Click the Apply button on the Wireless Settings page. Your settings are saved.
Optimize Performance 7 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 X8 AC5300 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. Figure 13.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Select the Enable Dynamic QoS check box. 6. Specify your Internet bandwidth. You must specify your Internet bandwidth so that Dynamic QoS can perform bandwidth allocation and traffic prioritization. To allow Speedtest to detect your Internet bandwidth (recommended), do the following: a. For more accurate Speedtest results, make sure that no other devices are accessing the Internet. b. Click the Speedtest button. Speedtest determines your Internet bandwidth. 7.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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 page displays. 4. Select Dynamic QoS. The Dynamic QoS page displays. 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Participate in Dynamic QoS Analytics NETGEAR uses a QoS database of the most popular applications and services to implement Dynamic QoS. As new applications and services become popular, we update this database and automatically update your router if you enabled Dynamic QoS.You can opt in to share aggregate QoS information to help improve the Dynamic QoS feature. To opt in to participate in Dynamic QoS analytics: 1.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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 page displays. 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To disable WMM QoS: 1. Launch an Internet browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > QoS Setup. The Quality of Service page displays. 5. Click the WMM tab. 6.
Manage Your Network 8 This chapter describes the router settings for administering and maintaining your router and home network.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 router pages 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 update your product. To check for new firmware and update your router: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. 2.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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. To set the password for the user name admin: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To set up password recovery: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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 WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Display Internet Port Statistics To display Internet port statistics: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Click the ADVANCED tab. The ADVANCED Home page displays. 5.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Rx B/s. The current reception (inbound) bandwidth used on the WAN and LAN ports. • Up Time. The time elapsed since this port acquired the link. • Poll Interval. The interval at which the statistics are updated on this page. 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. In the Internet Port pane, click the Connection Status button. The following information displays: • IP Address. The IP address that is assigned to the router. • Subnet Mask. The subnet mask that is assigned to the router. • Default Gateway. The IP address for the default gateway that the router communicates with. • DHCP Server.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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 page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Logs. The Logs page 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To view devices on the network: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select Attached Devices.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Traffic Meter. 5. Select the Enable Traffic Meter check box. 6. To control the volume of Internet traffic, use either the traffic volume control feature or the connection time control feature: • • Select the Traffic volume control by radio button and then select one of the following options: • No Limit. No restriction is applied when the traffic limit is reached. • Download only.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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. You can back up (save) this file to your computer, restore it, or reset it to the factory default settings.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Erase the Current Configuration Settings You can erase the current configuration and restore the factory default settings. You might want to do this if you move the router to a different network. (See Factory Settings on page 182.) To erase the configuration settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router WARNING: Do not interrupt the reboot process. Set Up Remote Management 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. For information about remote access using Dynamic DNS, see Access USB Storage Devices Through the Internet on page 138. Note Be sure to change the password for the user name admin to a secure password.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use Remote Access To use remote access: 1. Launch a web browser on a computer that is not on your home network. 2. Type your router’s WAN IP address into your browser’s address or location field followed by a colon (:) and the custom port number. For example, if your external address is 134.177.0.123 and you use port number 8080, enter http://134.177.0.123:8080 in your browser.
Share USB Storage Devices Attached to the Router 9 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 or a printer. Do not connect computers, USB modems, CD drives, or DVD drives to the router USB port.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To connect a USB device: 1. Insert your USB storage drive into a USB port on the side panel of the router. 2. If your USB device uses a power supply, connect it. You must use the power supply when you connect the USB device to the 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).
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Click the OK button. 5. Right-click the USB device and select Map network drive. 6. Select the drive letter to map to the new 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Back Up Windows Computers With ReadySHARE Vault Your router comes with free backup software for all the Windows 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 XP SP3 • Windows 7 • Windows 8 • Windows 8.1 To back up your Windows computer: 1. Connect a USB HDD to a USB port on therouter. 2.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 9. Click the OK button. 10. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Prepare to Back Up a Large Amount of Data Before you back up a large amount of data with Time Machine, NETGEAR recommends 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To back up your Mac onto a USB hard disk drive: 1. Prepare your USB device with a compatible format and partitions. For more information, see Set Up a USB Hard Drive on a Mac on page 121. 2. If you plan to back up a large amount of data, see Prepare to Back Up a Large Amount of Data on page 122 3. Connect your USB HDD to a USB port on the router. Note If your USB HDD uses a power supply, you must use it when you connect the USB HDD to the router.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use FTP Within the Network File Transfer Protocol (FTP) lets you send and receive large files faster. 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. A login window opens. 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 page displays. 4.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > USB Functions > ReadySHARE Storage. 5. Scroll down to the Available Networks Folder section and adjust 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. Click the link to change this setting.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Add a Network Folder on a USB Storage Device You can add network folders on a USB storage device connected to the router USB ports. To add a network folder: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Edit a Network Folder on a USB Storage Device You can edit network folders on storage devices connected to the router USB ports. To edit a network folder: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A ReadyCLOUD app is also available for Windows computers, Android mobile devices, and iOS mobile devices. For more information about setting up ReadyCLOUD, see the ReadyCLOUD for Routers User Manual, which is available online at downloadcenter.netgear.com. Create a ReadyCLOUD Account To create a ReadyCLOUD account: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device. 2. Visit readycloud.netgear.com. The ReadyCLOUD Welcome page displays. 3.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router If your USB storage device uses a power supply, you must use it when you connect the USB storage device to the router. When you connect the USB storage device to the router’s USB port, it might take up to two minutes before it is ready for sharing. 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 WiFi device that is connected to the network. 4. Enter http://www.routerlogin.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The router is registered with ReadyCLOUD. Note If the router’s Internet connection mode is set to Dial on Demand, the router automatically changes the connection mode to Always On. This change is required for ReadyCLOUD to remotely access the USB storage device. 9. After registration, visit readycloud.netgear.com. 10. Click the Sign In link, enter your ReadyCLOUD user name and password, and click the Sign In button.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router This takes the device offline. 6. Physically disconnect the USB device.
Use Dynamic DNS to Access USB Storage Devices Through the Internet 10 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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. See Set Up a New Dynamic DNS Account on page 134. Figure 15.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Select the FTP (via Internet) check box. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 7. To limit access to the admin user, click the Edit button. The Edit page displays. 8. In the Read Access list, select admin. 9. In the Write Access list, select admin. 10. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Dynamic DNS Internet service providers (ISPs) assign numbers called IP addresses to identify each Internet account.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Dynamic DNS. 5. Select the Use a Dynamic DNS Service check box. 6. From the Service Provider menu, 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 X8 AC5300 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 page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Dynamic DNS. 5. Select the Use a Dynamic DNS Service check box. 6. From the Service Provider menu, select your provider. 7. Select the Yes radio button. The page adjusts and displays the Show Status, Cancel, and Apply buttons. 8.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To change your settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Dynamic DNS. The Dynamic DNS page displays. 5.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Access USB Storage Devices Through the Internet You can access USB devices through the Internet when you’re not home. To access 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 on the Dynamic DNS page. See Dynamic DNS on page 134.
Use the Router as a Media Server 11 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 X8 AC5300 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 WiFi device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Figure 16. Play music on a USB device with iTunes Set Up the Router's iTunes Server With iTunes You can play music from a USB device that is connected to your router with iTunes on your Windows or Mac computer using Home Sharing. To set up Home Sharing, you need an Apple account and the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer. To set up the router's iTunes server to play music on iTunes: 1. Connect a USB storage device to a USB port on your router. 2.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. Select ADVANCED > USB Functions > ReadySHARE Storage. The USB Storage (Advanced Settings) page displays. 7. Click the Media Server tab. The Media Server (Settings) page displays. 8. Select the Enable iTunes Media Server (Music Only) check box and click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 9. On your Windows or Mac computer, launch iTunes. 10. Select File > Home Sharing > Turn On Home Sharing. The Home Sharing page displays. 11.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. Click the Add a Device button. 7. Specify the passcode in the router to set up your iTunes server: a. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to your router's network. b. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. c. 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 page displays.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router d. Select ADVANCED > USB Functions > ReadySHARE Storage. The USB Storage (Advanced Settings) page displays. e. Select the Media Server tab. The Media Server (Settings) page displays. f. Select the Enable iTunes Media Server (Music Only) check box and click the Apply button. g. Enter the passcode and click the Allow Control button. Your settings are saved. Your iPhone or iPad pairs with the router and the iTunes Server is ready.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 5. Select the Media Server tab. The Media Server (Settings) page displays. 6. Make sure that the Enable TiVo support check box is selected. 7. If you changed the settings, click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Play Videos on TiVo To play videos: 1. On the TiVo, select TiVo Central > My Shows. 2. Go to the bottom of the list and select the R8500. Play Music or View Photos on TiVo To play music or view photos: 1.
Share a USB Printer 12 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. 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 X8 AC5300 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Install the ReadySHARE Printer Utility You must install the ReadySHARE Printer utility on each computer that will share the printer. After you install it, the utility displays as NETGEAR USB Control Center on your computer. 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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. Print Using the NETGEAR USB Control Center For each computer, after you click the Connect and Disconnect buttons once, the utility automatically manages the printing queue and handling.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router View or Change the Status of a Printer To view or change the status: 1. Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon . The NETGEAR USB Control Center page displays. The Status column shows the status for each device: • Available. No print jobs are in progress. You can use the USB printer from any computer in the network. • Connected. Your computer is connected to the printer and will be released when your print job is done. • Manually Connected by.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 3. Click the Network Scanner button. 4. If a Select a Device window opens, select the scanner and click the OK button. The scanner window opens 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Specify the USB Control Center Time-Out Specify the time-out to release the printer connection. To specify the time-out: 1. Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon . 2. Select Tools > Configuration. The NETGEAR USB Control Center page displays. 3. In the Timeout field, type the number of minutes. The time-out is the number of minutes that a computer holds its connection to the printer when the connection isn’t being used. 4. Click the OK button.
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 X8 AC5300 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. Figure 17. 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 X8 AC5300 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 page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VPN Service. The VPN page displays. 5. Select the Enable VPN Service check box. By default, the VPN uses the UDP service type and uses port 12974. If you want to customize the service type and port, we recommend that you change these settings before you install the OpenVPN software. 6.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 8. To specify the destination folder, click the Browse button and select a destination folder. 9. Click the Install button. The window displays the progress of the installation and then displays the final installation page. 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.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Use a VPN Tunnel After you set up the router to use VPN and install the OpenVPN application on your computer, you can open a VPN tunnel from your computer to your router over the Internet. For the VPN tunnel to work, the local LAN IP address of the remote router must use a different LAN IP scheme from that of the local LAN where your VPN client computer is connected.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router • Launch a web browser and log in to your router. • Use Windows file manager to access the router’s USB device and download files. 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 R8500 icon is in the Media Devices section (if DLNA is enabled in the router). 2.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To allow VPN clients to use your home Internet service: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the 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 default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VPN Service. The VPN page displays. 5.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VPN Service. The VNP page 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.
Customize Internet Traffic Rules for Ports 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 9. From the Service Name menu, select the service name. If the service that you want to add is not in the menu, create a custom service. See Add a Custom Port Forwarding Service on page 164. 10. In the Server IP Address field, enter the IP address of the computer that will provide the service. 11. Click the Add button. The service displays in the menu. Add a Custom Port Forwarding Service To add a custom service: 1.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 7. Click the Add Custom Service button. 8. In the Service Name field, enter a descriptive name. 9. From the Protocol menu, select the protocol. If you are unsure, select TCP/UDP. 10. In the External port range field, enter the port numbers. 11. Specify the internal ports by one of these methods: • Leave the Use the same port range for Internal port check box selected. • Type the port numbers in the Internal Port Range field. 12.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Port Forwarding/Port Triggering. The Port Forwarding/Port Triggering page displays. 5. Leave the Port Forwarding radio button selected as the service type. 6. In the table, select the radio button next to the service name. 7. Click the Edit Service button. The Ports - Custom Services page displays. 8. Change the settings as needed. 9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To make a local web server public: 1. Assign your web server either a fixed IP address or a dynamic IP address using DHCP address reservation. In this example, your router always gives your web server an IP address of 192.168.1.33. 2. On the Port Forwarding/Port Triggering page, configure the router to forward the HTTP service to the local address of your web server at 192.168.1.33. HTTP (port 80) is the standard protocol for web servers. 3.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Port forwarding creates a static mapping of a port number or range of ports to a single local computer. Port triggering can dynamically open ports to any computer when needed and close the ports when they are no longer needed. Note If you use applications such as multiplayer gaming, peer-to-peer connections, real-time communications such as instant messaging, or remote assistance (a feature in Windows XP), enable Universal Plug and Play (UPnP).
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 6. Click the Add Service button. 7. In the Service Name field, type a descriptive service name. 8. From the Service User menu, select a user option: • Any (the default) allows any computer on the Internet to use this service. • Single address restricts the service to a particular computer. 9. From the Service Type menu, select TCP or UDP or TCP/UDP (both). If you are not sure, select TCP/UDP. 10.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Port Forwarding/Port Triggering. The Port Forwarding/Port Triggering page displays. 5. Select the Port Triggering radio button. 6. Clear the Disable Port Triggering check box. If this check box is selected, the router does not use port triggering even if you specified port triggering settings. 7. In the Port Triggering Timeout field, enter a value up to 9999 minutes.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Noting your port triggering rule and observing the destination port number of 6667, your router creates another session entry to send any incoming port 113 traffic to your computer. 5. The IRC server sends a return message to your router using the NAT-assigned source port (for example, port 33333) as the destination port and sends an “identify” message to your router with destination port 113. 6.
Troubleshooting 15 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 http://support.netgear.com for product and contact information.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Quick Tips This section describes tips for troubleshooting some common problems. Sequence to Restart Your Network When you 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 1. When power is first applied, verify that the Power LED is lit. 2. After about two minutes, verify the following: • The Power LED is solid white. • The Internet LED is lit. • The WiFi LEDs are lit unless you turned off the WiFi radios. You can use the LEDs on the front panel of the router for troubleshooting. Power LED Is Off or Blinking This could occur for a number of reasons.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz-1, and 5 GHz-2 WiFi LEDs Are Off If these LEDs stay off, check to see if someone pressed the WIFI button on the front of the router. This button turns the WiFi radios in the router on and off. These LEDs are lit when the WiFi radios are turned on.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To check the WAN IP address: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. 2. Select an external site such as www.netgear.com. 3. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 4. 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 page displays. 5. Click the ADVANCED tab.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 (such as WinPoET), you no longer need to run that software after installing your router.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 4. Click the ADVANCED tab. The ADVANCED Home page displays. 5. In the Internet Port pane, click the Connection Status button. The Connection Status window opens. 6. Check the Connection Status window to see if your PPPoE connection is up and working. If the router is not connected, click the Connect button. The router continues to attempt to connect indefinitely. 7.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Test the Path From Your Computer to a Remote Device To 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. If the path is functioning correctly, messages display that are similar to those shown in Test the LAN Path to Your Router on page 179. 3.
Supplemental Information This appendix includes technical information about your router.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 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 4. Factory default settings Feature Router login Internet connection Local network (LAN) Default Behavior User login URL www.routerlogin.com or www.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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 2.4GHz, CH 44 for WW SKU and CH 153 for North America SKU Operating mode Up to 600 Mbps at 2.4 GHz, 1733 Mbps at 5 GHz 1 1 Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.
Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Feature Description Electromagnetic emissions FCC Part 15 Class B VCCI Class B EN 55 022 (CISPR 22), Class B C-Tick N10947 LAN 10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX or 1000BASE-T, RJ-45 WAN 10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX or 1000BASE-T, RJ-45 Wireless Maximum WiFi signal rate complies with the IEEE 802.11 standard. Radio data rates Auto Rate Sensing Data encoding standards 2 • IEEE® 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz 1024 QAM support • IEEE® 802.11 a/n/ac 5.
