User Manual Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Models RAX70 RAX78 May 2021 202-12088-02 NETGEAR, Inc. 350 E.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Support and Community Visit netgear.com/support to get your questions answered and access the latest downloads. You can also check out our NETGEAR Community for helpful advice at community.netgear.com. Regulatory and Legal Si ce produit est vendu au Canada, vous pouvez accéder à ce document en français canadien à https://www.netgear.com/support/download/. (If this product is sold in Canada, you can access this document in Canadian French at https://www.netgear.
Contents Chapter 1 Hardware Setup Unpack your router.............................................................................10 Top panel LEDs and buttons.............................................................11 Rear panel............................................................................................13 Extend the antennas...........................................................................14 Router label...........................................................................
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Use auto config for an IPv6 Internet connection........................39 Set up an IPv6 6rd Internet connection.......................................40 Manage the MTU size.........................................................................42 MTU concepts.................................................................................42 Change the MTU size....................................................................
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Set up a bridge for a VLAN tag group........................................76 Set up an IPTV port........................................................................78 Manage custom static routes............................................................79 Set up a static route.......................................................................80 Edit a static route...........................................................................
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Set your time zone............................................................................112 Set the NTP Server...........................................................................112 Specify ReadyDLNA Media Server Settings..................................114 Return the router to its factory default settings............................115 Use the Reset button...................................................................115 Erase the settings...
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Block VPN client Internet access in the router.........................141 Use a VPN tunnel to access your Internet service at home....142 Chapter 11 Use a VPN client to connect to a VPN server Set up a VPN client...........................................................................145 Enable a VPN client..........................................................................145 View your VPN connection status.............................................
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Chapter 14 Supplemental Information Factory settings.................................................................................168 Technical specifications...................................................................
1 Hardware Setup This chapter contains the following sections: • • • • • • • • Unpack your router Top panel LEDs and buttons Rear panel Extend the antennas Router label Position your router Wall mount your router Cable your router For more information about the topics covered in this manual, visit the support website at netgear.com/support.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Unpack your router Your package contains the router, the power adapter, and an Ethernet cable. Figure 1.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Top panel LEDs and buttons The status LEDs and two buttons are located on the top panel of the router. Figure 2. Top view Table 1. LED descriptions LED and Button Description Power LED Solid white. The router is ready. Blinking white. The router is not ready, firmware is upgrading, or the Reset button was pressed. Off. Power is not supplied to the router. Internet LED Solid white. The Internet connection is ready. Blinking white.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Table 1. LED descriptions (Continued) LED and Button Description 5 GHz 1 WiFi LED 5 GHz 2 WiFi LED Solid white. The 5 GHz 1 WiFi radio or 5 GHz 2 WiFi radio is operating. Blinking white. The router is sending or receiving WiFi traffic. Off. The 5 GHz 1 WiFi radio or 5 GHz 2 WiFi radio is off. Ethernet LEDs for ports 1–4 The LED color indicates the speed: white for Gigabit Ethernet connections and amber for 100 Mbps or 10 Mbps Ethernet connections.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Rear panel The following figure shows the rear panel connectors and buttons. Figure 3. Rear panel The rear panel contains the following components: 1. LED button. Push the LED button to turn off the router LEDs. The Power LED stays lit if the LEDs are turned off. 2. Reset button. Pressing the Reset button resets the router. If the Reset button is pressed for at least 10 seconds and the Power LED blinks white, the router returns to its factory settings.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router information, see Manage Ethernet port aggregation to a LAN device on page 86. You can set up both Internet (WAN) aggregation and LAN aggregation. 5. USB 3.0 port. Use the USB 3.0 port to connect a USB storage device to your router. 6. Power On/Off button. Press the Power On/Off button to provide power to the router. 7. DC power connector. Connect the power adapter that came in your product package to the DC power connector.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 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 AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Wall mount your router You can wall mount your router using the wall-mounting holes on the bottom of your router. Note: We recommend using M3 x 20mm screws appropriately mounted to the wall. Figure 6. Bottom of the router To wall-mount your router: 1. Drill holes in the wall where you want to wall-mount your router. 2. Insert wall anchors in the holes. 3. Insert screws into the wall anchors, leaving 3/16 inch (0.5 cm) of each screw exposed. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Cable your router Power on your router and connect it to a modem. Figure 7. Cable your router To cable your router: 1. Unplug your modem, remove and reinsert the backup battery if it uses one, and then plug the modem back in. 2. Use the Ethernet cable to connect the modem to the yellow Internet port on the router. Note: If your Internet connection does not require a modem, connect your main Ethernet cable to the yellow Internet port on the router. 3.
2 Connect to the network and access the router You can connect to the router’s WiFi networks or use a wired Ethernet connection. This chapter explains the ways you can connect and how to access the router and log in.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Connect to the network You can connect to the router’s network through a wired or WiFi connection. If you set up your computer to use a static IP address, change the settings so that it uses Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). Connect to the network using a wired connection You can connect your computer to the router using an Ethernet cable and join the router’s local area network (LAN). To connect your computer to the router with an Ethernet cable: 1.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 4. Within two minutes, on your WPS-enabled device, press its WPS button or follow its instructions for WPS connections. Your WPS-enabled device connects to the WiFi network. Types of logins Separate types of logins serve different purposes. It is important that you understand the differences so that you know which login to use when. Several types of logins are associated with the router: • ISP login.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To install your router using the Nighthawk app: 1. Visit Nighthawk-app.com to download the Nighthawk app. Note: To download the app, you need to use your cellular data or connect your mobile device to your previous router’s WiFi network. 2. Wait for the Nighthawk app to download on your mobile device. 3. Launch the Nighthawk app. 4. Follow the instructions that display in the app to install your router and connect to the Internet.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To automatically set up your router: 1. Make sure that the router is powered on. 2. Make sure that your computer or mobile device is connected to the router with an Ethernet cable (wired) or over WiFi with the preset security settings listed on the label. Note: If you want to change the router’s WiFi settings, use a wired connection to avoid being disconnected when the new WiFi settings take effect. 3. Launch a web browser.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Log in to the router When you first connect to your router and launch a web browser, the browser automatically displays the router web interface. If you want to view or change settings for the router later, you can use a browser to log in to the router web interface. To log in to the router: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. Note: You can also enter http://www.
3 Specify Your Internet Settings Usually, the quickest way to set up the router to use your Internet connection is to allow your router to detect the Internet connection automatically when you first access the router web interface. You can also customize and manually specify your Internet settings.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Use the Internet Setup Wizard You can use the Setup Wizard to detect your Internet settings and automatically set up your router. The Setup Wizard is not the same as the pages that display the first time you connect to your router to set it up. To use the Setup Wizard: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select Internet. The Internet Setup page displays. 5. In the WAN Preference section, select one of the following options: • Internet Port (1 Gbps). Select this option if you connected a modem to the Internet port on your router.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • Use Default Address. Use the default MAC address. • Use Computer MAC Address. The router captures and uses the MAC address of the computer that you are now using. You must use the one computer that the ISP allows. • Use This MAC Address. Enter the MAC address that you want to use. 12. If your DHCP client supports DHCP option 60 or 61, in the DHCP Option section enter information in the following fields: • Vendor Class Identifier String (Option 60).
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 5. In the WAN Preference section, select one of the following options: • Internet Port (1 Gbps). Select this option if you connected a modem to the Internet port on your router. • Multi-Gig Internet (1 Gbps + 1 Gbps). Select this option if you want to set up Multi-Gig Internet and use the Internet port and Ethernet port 4 for your Internet connection. For more information, see Get Multi-Gig Internet with Internet port aggregation on page 29. 6.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • Use Default Address. Use the default MAC address. • Use Computer MAC Address. The router captures and uses the MAC address of the computer that you are now using. You must use the one computer that the ISP allows. • Use This MAC Address. Enter the MAC address that you want to use. 16. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 17. Click the Test button to test your Internet connection.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. d. Select Internet. The Internet Setup page displays. e. In the WAN Preference section, select the Multi-Gig Internet (1 Gbps + 1 Gbps) radio button. f. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 3.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 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 AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • Use DHCP Server. This method passes more information to LAN devices but some IPv6 systems might not support the DHCv6 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. (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.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 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. Select a Remote 6to4 Relay Router radio button: • Auto.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To set up a pass-through IPv6 Internet connection: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 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 AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 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 mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • Use DHCP Server. This method passes more information to LAN devices but some IPv6 systems might not support the DHCv6 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). 9. (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.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The router automatically detects the information in the following fields: • Router’s IPv6 Address on WAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired for the router’s WAN (or Internet) interface. The number after the slash (/) is the length of the prefix, which is also indicated by the underline (_) under the IPv6 address. If no address is acquired, the field displays Not Available. • Router’s IPv6 Address on LAN.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • Secured. In secured mode, which is the default mode, the router inspects both TCP and UDP packets. • Open. In open mode, the router inspects UDP packets only. 12. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 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 mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 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 AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router With a 6rd tunnel configuration, the router follows the RFC5969 standard, supporting two ways to establish a 6rd tunnel IPv6 WAN connection: • Auto Detect mode. In IPv6 Auto Detect mode, when the router receives option 212 from the DHCPv4 option, autodetect selects the IPv6 as 6rd tunnel setting. The router uses the 6rd option information to establish the 6rd connection. • Manual mode. Select 6rd Tunnel.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 7. Select an IP Address Assignment radio button: • Use DHCP Server. This method passes more information to LAN devices but some IPv6 systems might not support the DHCPv6 client function. • Auto Config. This is the default setting. This setting specifies how the router assigns IPv6 addresses to the devices on your home network (the LAN). 8.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router For example, if a secure website does not open, or displays only part of a web page, you might need to change the MTU. • You use VPN and experience severe performance problems. • You used a program to optimize MTU for performance reasons and now you are experiencing connectivity or performance problems. CAUTION: An incorrect MTU setting can cause Internet communication problems.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 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.
4 Control Access to the Internet The router comes with a built-in firewall that helps protect your home network from unwanted intrusions from the Internet.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Manage NETGEAR Armor Your router supports NETGEAR Armor. After you start your subscription, NETGEAR Armor protects your home network from potential cyber threats and provides complete data protection, advanced threat defense, webcam protection, multilayer ransomware protection, anti-phishing, safe files, secure browsing, rescue mode, anti-fraud, and anti-theft. In addition, NETGEAR Armor provides multiple performance and privacy tools.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Enable access control to allow or block access to the Internet You can use access control to block or allow access to the Internet through your router. To set up access control: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The list displays. 8. To allow the WiFi-enabled computer or mobile device you’re currently using to continue to access the Internet, select the check box next to your computer or device, and click the Allow button. 9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 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.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router For example: • Specify XXX to block http://www.badstuff.com/xxx.html. • Specify the domain suffix (for example, .com) if you want to block only sites with a domain suffix such as .com. In such a situation, sites with domain suffixes such as .edu and .gov are still allowed. • 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 AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Block services from the Internet You can block Internet services on your network based on the type of service. You can block the services all the time or based on a schedule. Note: Service blocking only works for website URLs that begin with http:// only. It does not work for URLs that begin with https://. To block services: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router If the service uses a single port number, enter that number in both fields. To find out which port numbers the service or application uses, you can contact the publisher of the application, ask user groups or newsgroups, or search on the Internet. 9. Select a filtering option: • Only This IP Address. Block services for a single computer. • IP Address Range. Block services for a range of computers with consecutive IP addresses on your network.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Manage network access control lists You can manage network access control lists (ACLs) that block or allow access to the Internet through your router. To manage devices that are allowed or blocked: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To schedule blocking: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Security > Schedule.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Security > E-mail. The E-mail page displays. 5. Select the Turn E-mail Notification On check box. 6. In the Send to This E-mail Address field, type the email address to which logs and alerts are to be sent. This email address is also used for the From address. If this field is blank, log and alert messages are not sent. 7. In the Your Outgoing Mail Server field, enter the name of your ISP outgoing (SMTP) mail server (such as mail.myISP.
5 Manage Network Settings 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 AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router View or change the WAN settings You can view or configure wide area network (WAN) settings for the Internet port. You can set up a DMZ (demilitarized zone) server, change the maximum transmit unit (MTU) size, and enable the router to respond to a ping to its WAN (Internet) port. To view or change the WAN settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • Disable SIP ALG. Some voice and video communication applications do not work well with the SIP ALG. Disabling the SIP ALG might help your voice and video applications to create and accept a call through the router. 5. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 5. Select the Default DMZ Server check box. 6. Type the IP address. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Change the Router’s Device Name The router’s default device name is based on its model number. This device name displays in the file manager when you browse your network. To change the router’s device name: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router These addresses are part of the designated private address range for use in private networks and are suitable for most applications. If your network requires a different IP addressing scheme, you can change these settings. You might want to change these settings if you need a specific IP subnet that one or more devices on the network use, or if you use competing subnets with the same IP scheme. To change the LAN TCP/IP settings: 1.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 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 settings 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 AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 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. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The LAN Setup page displays. 5. Clear the Use Router as DHCP Server check box. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 7. (Optional) If this service is disabled and no other DHCP server is on your network, set your computer IP addresses manually so that the computers can access the router.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 8. Click the Apply button. The reserved address is entered into the table. The reserved address is not assigned until the next time the computer contacts the router’s DHCP server. Reboot the computer, or access its IP configuration and force a DHCP release and renew. Edit a reserved IP address To edit a reserved address entry: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup. The LAN Setup page displays. 5. Select the radio button next to the reserved address that you want to delete. 6. Click the Delete button. The address is removed.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Specify basic WiFi settings The router comes with preset security. This means that the WiFi network name (SSID), network key (password), and security option (encryption protocol) are preset in the factory. You can find the preset SSID and password on the router label. Note: The preset SSID and password are uniquely generated for every device to protect and maximize your WiFi security.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The name can be up to 32 characters long and it is case-sensitive. The default SSID is randomly generated and is on the router label. If you change the name, make sure to write down the new name and keep it in a safe place. 8. To change the WiFi channel, select a number from the Channel menu. In some regions, not all channels are available. Do not change the channel unless you experience interference (shown by lost connections or slow data transfers).
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select Wireless. The Wireless Settings page displays. 5. In the Wireless Network (2.4 GHz b/g/n/ax) section, select a WiFi mode from the Mode menu. 6. In the Wireless Network (5 GHz-1 a/n/ac/ax) section, select a WiFi mode from the Mode menu. 7.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 5. To change the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz-1, or 5GHz-2 WiFi password, enter a new password in the Password (Network Key) field. For WPA2-PSK [AES] or WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK, you must enter a phrase of 8 to 63 characters. For WPA3-Personal or WPA2-Personal [AES] + WPA3-Personal, you must enter a phrase of 8 to 64 characters.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Set up a guest WiFi network A guest WiFi network allows visitors to use the Internet without using your WiFi security password or with a different WiFi password. By default, the guest WiFi network is disabled. You can enable and configure the guest WiFi network for each WiFi band. The router simultaneously supports the 2.4 GHz band for 802.11n, 802.11g, and 802.11b devices and the 5 GHz band for 802.11ax, 802.11ac, 802.11n, and 802.11a devices.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • Enable SSID Broadcast. By default, the router broadcasts the SSID of the WiFi band so that WiFi stations can detect the WiFi name (SSID) in their scanned network lists. To turn off the SSID broadcast for the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz-1, or 5GHz-2 guest WiFi network, clear the Enable SSID Broadcast check box. • Allow guests to see each other and access my local network. By default, WiFi clients that are connected to the 2.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • WPA2-Personal [AES] + WPA3-Personal. This type of security enables WiFi devices that support either WPA2 or WPA3 to join the router’s guest WiFi network. However, WPA2-Personal [AES], which is the same as WPA2-PSK [AES], is less secure than WPA3-Personal. If your guest WiFi network includes devices that support WPA2-Personal [AES] but might not support WPA3, select WPA2-Personal [AES] + WPA3-Personal.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Use the WiFi On/Off button To turn the WiFi radios off and on with the WiFi On/Off button: Press the WiFi On/Off button on the top of the router for two seconds. If you turned off the WiFi radios, the WiFi On/Off LED and the WPS LED turn off. If you turned on the WiFi radios, the WiFi On/Off LED and the WPS LED light.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To set up the WiFi schedule: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Settings. The Wireless Settings page displays. The Router’s PIN field displays the fixed PIN that you can use to configure the router’s WiFi settings from another device through WPS. 5. (Optional) Select or clear the Keep Existing Wireless Settings check box. By default, the Keep Existing Wireless Settings check box is selected. We recommend that you leave this check box selected.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 7. Select an IP address setting: • Get dynamically from existing router. The other router on the network assigns an IP address to this router while it is in AP mode. • Use fixed IP settings on this device (not recommended). Use this setting if you want to manually assign a specific IP address to this router while it is in AP mode. Using this option effectively requires advanced network experience.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To configure a port group and enable the bridge: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router packets that are sent between the IPTV device and the router’s Internet port from being processed through the router’s network address translation (NAT) service. You can add VLAN tag groups to a bridge and assign VLAN IDs and priority values to each VLAN tag group. To add a VLAN tag group and enable the bridge: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router You must select at least one Ethernet port or wireless network. You can select more than one port. 10. Click the Add button. The VLAN tag group is added. 11. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Set up an IPTV port You can set up the router to create an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) port that can lease an IP address from your IPTV service provider.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • Wired Ports. If your device is connected to an Ethernet port on the router, select the Wired Ports check box that corresponds to the Ethernet port on the router to which the device is connected. • Wireless. If your device is connected to your router’s WiFi network, select the Wireless check box that corresponds to the router’s WiFi network to which the device is connected. Note: You must select at least one Wired Ports or Wireless check box.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Set up a static route To set up a static route: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Your settings are saved. The static route is added to the table on the Static Routes page. Edit a static route To edit a static route: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Static Routes. The Static Routes page displays. 5. In the table, select the radio button for the route. 6. Click the Delete button. The route is removed from the table. Enable or disable airtime fairness Airtime fairness ensures that all WiFi clients receive equal time on the network. Network resources are divided by time, so if you have five WiFi clients, they each get one-fifth of the network time.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Enable or disable MU-MIMO Multiuser multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO) improves performance when many WiFi clients that are MU-MIMO-capable transfer data at the same time. For MU-MIMO to function, WiFi clients must support MU-MIMO, and they must be connected to a 5 GHz WiFi band. This feature is enabled by default, but you can disable it. To enable or disable MU-MIMO: 1.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To enable or disable PMF: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 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 the router in bridge mode: 1. Make a note of the WiFi settings of the other router to which this router will connect. You must know the SSID, WiFi security mode, wireless password, and operating frequency (either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz). 2.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 10. Click the Apply button on the Router / AP / Bridge Mode page. Your settings are saved. Manage Ethernet port aggregation to a LAN device Ethernet aggregation lets you aggregate two Ethernet ports on your router to improve the aggregated file transfer speed. Ethernet port aggregation is also referred to as link aggregation, teaming port, and port trunking.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To set up Ethernet port aggregation to a LAN device: 1. Set up Ethernet port aggregation on your LAN device before connecting it to your router. Note: If your LAN device supports a static link aggregation group (LAG) only, you must enable static mode on your router before you connect your device to Ethernet ports 1 and 2 on the router. See the following step for more information about how to enable static mode on your router.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router View or change the router Ethernet port aggregation mode To view or change your router’s Ethernet port aggregation mode: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 6. If you made changes, click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
6 Optimize Performance You can set up the router to optimize performance for applications such as Internet gaming, high-definition video streaming, and VoIP communication. By default, the router uses Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service (WMM QoS).
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Use Dynamic QoS to optimize Internet traffic management Dynamic Quality of Service (QoS) helps improve your router’s Internet traffic management capabilities through better application and device identification, bandwidth allocation, and traffic prioritization techniques. Dynamic QoS resolves traffic congestion when the Internet bandwidth is limited and different demands compete for bandwidth.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • I want to define my Internet Bandwidth. If you know what your download and upload speed are, select this radio button and enter your download and upload speeds in the fields. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Enable or disable the automatic QoS database update The router uses a QoS database of the most popular applications and services to implement Dynamic QoS. By default, the router automatically updates this database.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To manually update the Dynamic QoS database: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select QoS.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 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 AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router benefits of WMM QoS, WMM must be enabled for both it and the client running that application. Legacy applications that do not support WMM and applications that do not require QoS are assigned to the best effort category, which receives a lower priority than voice and video. Note: We recommend that you do not disable the WMM settings. If you disable the WMM settings for 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz-1, or 5GHz-2, the maximum link rate your router can reach is 54 Mbps.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router AX WiFi is enabled by default. To enable or disable AX WiFi: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select Wireless. The Wireless Setup page displays. 5. Select or clear the Enable Smart Connect 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.
7 Manage Your Router This chapter describes the router settings for administering and maintaining your router and home network.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Update the router firmware You can log in to the router and check if new firmware is available, or you can manually load a specific firmware version to your router. Check for new firmware and update the router The router firmware (routing software) is stored in flash memory. You might see a message at the top of the router pages when new firmware is available.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router When the upload is complete, your router restarts. The update process typically takes about one minute. Read the new firmware release notes to find out if you must reconfigure the router after updating. Manually upload firmware to the router If you want to upload a specific firmware version, or your router fails to update its firmware automatically, follow these instructions.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Change the admin password The admin password is the one you specified the first time you logged in. You can change this password. Note: The ideal password contains no dictionary words from any language and contains uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. It can be up to 30 characters. To change the password for the admin user name: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Set Password. The Set Password page displays. 5. Select the Enable Password Recovery check box. 6. Select two security questions and provide answers to them. 7.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router A login window opens. 9. With your recovered password, log in to the router. View information about the router and the Internet and WiFi settings You can view router information, the Internet port status, and WiFi settings. To view information about the router and the Internet, modem, and WiFi settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Display the statistics of the Internet port To display the statistics of the Internet port: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 6. To change the polling frequency, enter a time in seconds in the Poll Interval field and click the Set Interval button. To stop the polling entirely, click the Stop button. Check the Internet connection status To check the Internet connection status: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 6. To release (stop) the Internet connection, click the Release button. 7. To renew (restart) the Internet connection, click the Renew button. 8. To exit the screen, click the Close Window button. View and manage logs of router activity The logs are a detailed record of the websites you accessed or attempted to access and many other router actions. Up to 256 entries are stored in the log. To view and manage logs: 1.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router You must set up email notifications in order to receive the logs. The router to emails the logs to the address that you specified when you set up email notifications. For more information, see Set up security event email notifications on page 53. 9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. View devices currently on the network You can view all computers and devices that are currently connected to your network. To view devices on the network: 1.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To monitor Internet traffic: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 10. Click the Apply button. The Internet Traffic Statistics section helps you to monitor the data traffic. 11. To update the Traffic Statistics section, click the Refresh button. 12. To display more information about the data traffic on your router and to change the poll interval, click the Traffic Status button. Manage the router configuration file The configuration settings of the router are stored within the router in a configuration file.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To erase the settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Backup Settings.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The file is uploaded to the router and the router restarts. WARNING: Do not interrupt the restoration process. Connect to your router with Anywhere Access The Anywhere Access feature on the Nighthawk app allows you to connect to your router when you're away from home and change its settings. Before you can use the Anywhere Access feature on the Nighthawk app, you must update your router’s firmware and download the latest Nighthawk app for your mobile device.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 6. To turn off all LEDs except the Power LED, select the Turn off all LEDs except Power LED radio button. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Set your time zone To set your time zone: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Administration > NTP Settings. The NTP Settings page displays. 5. Select an NTP server radio button: • Use the default NETGEAR NTP server • Set your preferred NTP server 6.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 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 and PlayStation. To specify media server settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Return the router to its factory default settings Under some circumstances (for example, if you lost track of the changes that you made to the router settings or you move the router to a different network), you might want to erase the configuration and reset the router to factory default settings. To reset the router to factory default settings, you can use either the Reset button on the back of the router or the Erase function.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To erase the settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Backup Settings.
8 Share USB Storage Devices Attached to the Router This chapter describes how to access and manage storage devices attached to your router. ReadySHARE lets you access and share USB storage devices connected to the router. (If your storage device uses special drivers, it is not compatible.) Note: You can use a USB port on the router to connect a USB storage device like a flash drive or hard drive. Do not connect a computer, USB modem, CD drive, or DVD drive to a USB port on the router.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router USB device requirements The router works with most USB-compliant external flash and hard drives. For the most up-to-date list of USB devices that the router supports, visit kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18985/~/readyshare-usb-drives-compatibility-list. Some USB external hard drives and flash drives require you to load the drivers onto the computer before the computer can access the USB storage device.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Access a storage device connected to the router from a Windows-based computer To access the USB storage device from a Windows-based computer: 1. Connect a USB storage device to a USB port on your router. 2. If your USB storage device uses a power supply, connect it. You must use the power supply when you connect the USB storage device to the router.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 6. Right-click the USB device and select Map network drive. The Map Network Drive window opens. 7. Select the drive letter to map to the new network folder. 8. Click the Finish button. The USB storage device is mapped to the drive letter that you specified. 9. To connect to the USB storage device as a different user, select the Connect using different credentials check box, click the Finish button, and do the following: a. Type the user name and password. b.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 6. Click the Connect button. A window automatically opens and displays the files and folders on the USB storage device. Enable FTP access within your network File Transfer Protocol (FTP) lets you download (receive) and upload (send) large files faster. To enable FTP access within your network: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > ReadySHARE > Advanced Settings. The USB Storage (Advanced Settings) page displays. 5. Scroll down to the Available Networks Folder section to view the following settings: • Share Name. If only one USB device is connected, the default share name is USB_Storage.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router If a single device is attached to the USB port, the radio button is selected automatically. 5. Click the Create Network Folder button. The Add Folder window opens. If this window does not open, your web browser might be blocking pop-ups. If it is, change the browser settings to allow pop-ups. 6. From the USB Device menu, select the USB drive. Note: We recommend that you do not attach more than one drive to one USB port (for example, through a USB hub). 7.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > ReadySHARE > Advanced Settings. The USB Storage (Advanced Settings) page displays. 5. In the Available Network Folders section, select the USB storage device. 6. Click the Edit button. The Edit Network Folder window opens. 7.
9 Use Dynamic DNS to Access USB Storage Devices Through the Internet With Dynamic DNS, you can use the Internet to access a USB device that's connected to a USB port on the router when you’re not home.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Set up and manage Dynamic DNS Internet service providers (ISPs) assign numbers called IP addresses to identify each Internet account. Most ISPs use dynamically assigned IP addresses. This means that the IP address can change at any time. You can use the IP address to access your network remotely, but most people don’t know what their IP addresses are or when this number changes.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 8. In the Read Access menu, select admin. 9. In the Write Access menu, select admin. 10. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Your personal FTP server With your customized free URL, you can use FTP to access your network when you aren’t home through Dynamic DNS. To set up your FTP server, you must register for a NETGEAR Dynamic DNS (DDNS) service account and specify the account settings. See Set up a new Dynamic DNS account on page 128.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Set up a new Dynamic DNS account To set up Dynamic DNS and register for a free NETGEAR account: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Dynamic DNS. The Dynamic DNS page displays. 5. Select the Use a Dynamic DNS Service check box. 6. From the Service Provider menu, select your provider. 7.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Dynamic DNS. The Dynamic DNS page displays. 5. Change your DDNS account settings as necessary. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
10 Use VPN to Access Your Network You can use OpenVPN software to remotely access your router using virtual private networking (VPN). This chapter explains how to set up and use VPN access.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Set up a VPN connection A virtual private network (VPN) lets you use the Internet to securely access your network when you aren’t home. This type of VPN access is called a client-to-gateway tunnel. The computer is the client, and the router is the gateway. To use the VPN feature, you must log in to the router and enable VPN, and you must install and run VPN client software on the computer. VPN uses DDNS or a static IP address to connect with your router.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 6. To change the service type, scroll down and select the TCP radio button. 7. To change the port, scroll down to the Service Port field, and type the port number that you want to use. 8. Click the Apply button. Your changes are saved. VPN is enabled in the router, but you must install and set up OpenVPN software on your computer before you can use a VPN connection.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 9. In the Windows Installer section of the page, double-click the openVPN-install-xxx.exe link. 10. Download and install the Open VPN software on your computer, click the openVPN-install-xxx.exe file. 11. Click the Next button. 12. Read the License Agreement and click the I Agree button. 13. Leave the check boxes selected as shown, and click the Next button.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 14. To specify the destination folder, click the Browse button and select a destination folder. 15. Click the Install button. The window displays the progress of the installation and then displays the final installation page. 16. Click the Finish button. 17. Unzip the configuration files that you downloaded and copy them to the folder where the VPN client is installed on your device.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router c. Select the local area connection and change its name (not its device name) to NETGEAR-VPN. If you do not change the VPN interface name, the VPN tunnel connection will fail. For more information about using OpenVPN on your Windows computer, visit https://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/documentation/howto.html#quick.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Install OpenVPN software on an iOS device You must install this software on each iOS device that you plan to use for VPN connections to your router. To install VPN client software on an iOS device: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To install VPN client software on an Android device: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router established, you cannot access your home router or your home network with the OpenVPN software. The default LAN IP address scheme for the router is 192.x.x.x. The most common IP schemes are 192.x.x.x, 172.x.x.x, and 10.x.x.x. If you experience a conflict, change the IP scheme either for your home network or for the network with the client VPN computer. For information about changing these settings, see Change the LAN TCP/IP settings on page 58.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Use VPN to access the router’s USB device and media To access a USB device and download files from your Windows-based computer using VPN: 1. On your Windows-based computer, open the Windows file manager and select Network. Note: See your computer’s documentation for information about how to display the network resources. The network resources display.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Set up VPN client Internet access in the router By default, the router is set up to allow VPN connections only to your home network, but you can change the settings to allow Internet access. Accessing the Internet remotely through a VPN might be slower than accessing the Internet directly. To allow VPN clients to use your home Internet service: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To allow VPN clients to access only your home network: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 4. When the VPN connection is established, launch your Internet browser.
11 Use a VPN client to connect to a VPN server The chapter contains the following sections: • • • • Set up a VPN client Enable a VPN client View your VPN connection status View VPN client longs 144
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Set up a VPN client Set up a VPN client to connect to a VPN server and anonymize your Internet traffic for added security. A VPN creates a secure, encrypted tunnel over the Internet between your router and a VPN server. The VPN client redirects the VPN connection so that your router connects to a VPN server in another country. The devices connected to your router are assigned new IP addresses from the VPN server, which hides your devices' real location.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 10. In the Username field, enter the account name used to authenticate the VPN server. If you don't have an account, click the Buy a License button at the bottom of the page to purchase an account with a license. 11. In the Password field, enter the account password used to authenticate the VPN server. If you don't have an account, click the Buy a License button at the bottom of the page to purchase an account with a license. 12.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • Connecting. This status means that your router is trying to connect to the VPN server. • Error. This status means the connection failed. View VPN client longs To view VPN client logs: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.
12 Manage port forwarding and port triggering You can use port forwarding and port triggering to set up rules for Internet traffic. You need networking knowledge to set up these features.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Manage port forwarding to a local server If your home network includes a server, you can allow certain types of incoming traffic to reach the server. For example, you might want to make a local web server, FTP server, or game server visible and available to the Internet. The router can forward incoming traffic with specific protocols to computers on your local network.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 11. Click the Add button. The service displays in the menu. Add a custom port forwarding service The router lists default services and applications that you can use in port forwarding rules. If the service or application is not predefined, you can add a port forwarding rule with a custom service or application. To add a custom service: 1. Find out which port number or range of numbers the application uses.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router You can enter a port range and fixed ports in one rule, for example, external (30–50, 78, 100–102), internal (40–60, 99, 200–202). With this rule, external ports 30–50 are forwarded to internal ports 40–60. 12. In the Internal IP address field, type the IP address or select the radio button for an attached device listed in the table. 13. Click the Apply button. The service is now in the list on the Port Forwarding/Port Triggering page.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Delete a port forwarding entry To delete a port forwarding entry: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 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 AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Add a port triggering service To add a port triggering service: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Enable port triggering To enable port triggering: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router also allow incoming traffic on port 113 to reach the originating computer.” The following sequence shows the effects of this port triggering rule: 1. You open an IRC client program to start a chat session on your computer. 2. Your IRC client composes a request message to an IRC server using a destination port number of 6667, the standard port number for an IRC server process. Your computer then sends this request message to your router. 3.
13 Troubleshooting This chapter provides information to help you diagnose and solve problems you might experience with your router. If you do not find the solution here, check the NETGEAR support site at netgear.com/support for product and contact information.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Quick tips This section describes tips for troubleshooting some common problems. Sequence to restart your network If you must restart your network, follow this sequence: 1. Turn off and unplug the modem. 2. Turn off the router. 3. Plug in the modem and turn it on. Wait two minutes. 4. Turn on the router and wait two minutes.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Some Internet service providers require you to use the MAC address of the computer initially registered on the account, but this is an unusual situation. You can view the MAC address on the Attached Devices page of the router web interface. Troubleshoot with the LEDs By default, the router uses standard LED settings.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router If all LEDs are still lit one minute after power-up, do the following: • Cycle the power to see if the router recovers. • Press and hold the Reset button to return the router to its factory settings. If the error persists, a hardware problem might be the cause. Contact Technical Support at netgear.com/support.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router • Try quitting the browser and launching it again. • Make sure that Java, JavaScript, or ActiveX is enabled in your browser. If you are using Internet Explorer, click the Refresh button to be sure that the Java applet is loaded. • Make sure that the IP address of your computer or mobile device is in the same subnet as the router. If you are using the recommended addressing scheme, the IP address of your computer or mobile device is in the range of 192.168.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 3. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 4. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 5. Click the ADVANCED tab. The ADVANCED Home page displays. 6. Check to see that an IP address is shown for the Internet port. If 0.0.0.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router If your computer obtains its information from the router by DHCP, reboot the computer and verify the gateway address. • You might be running login software that is no longer needed. If your ISP provided a program to log you in to the Internet, you no longer need to run that software after installing your router.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Troubleshoot WiFi connectivity If you are experiencing trouble connecting over WiFi to the router, try to isolate the problem: • Does the WiFi device or computer that you are using find your WiFi network? If not, check the WiFi LED on the router. If it is off, you can press the WiFi On/Off button on the router to turn the router WiFi radios back on.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router To ping the router from a Windows-based computer: 1. From the Windows toolbar, click the Start button and select Run. 2. In the field provided, type ping followed by the IP address of the router, as in this example: ping www.routerlogin.net 3. Click the OK button.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router 3. If you do not receive replies, check the following: • Check to see that IP address of your router is listed as the default gateway for your computer. If DHCP assigns the IP configuration of your computers, this information is not visible in your computer Network Control Panel. Verify that the IP address of the router is listed as the default gateway.
14 Supplemental Information This chapter includes technical information about your router.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 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 Default setting Router login User login URL www.routerlogin.com or www.routerlogin.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Table 3. Factory default settings (Continued) Feature Default setting Transmission speed Auto Note: Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual throughput can vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate.
Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router Table 4. Router specifications (Continued) Feature Description Electromagnetic emissions FCC Part 15 Class B EN 55032 (CISPR 32), EN 55024 (CISPR 24), Class B LAN Compatible with 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T, or RJ-45 WAN Compatible with 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T, or RJ-45 WiFi Maximum WiFi signal rate complies with the IEEE® 802.11 standard. Note: Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE 802.11 specifications.
