NETGEAR Nighthawk X8 5 User Manual
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NETGEAR Nighthawk X8 5 User Manual

Ac5300 tri-band
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Nighthawk X8
AC5300 Tri-Band
WiFi Router

User Manual

Model R8500
January 2016
202-11555-04
350 E. Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134
USA

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Summary of Contents for NETGEAR Nighthawk X8 5

  • Page 1: User Manual

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router User Manual Model R8500 January 2016 202-11555-04 350 E. Plumeria Drive San Jose, CA 95134...
  • Page 2 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. See the regulatory compliance document before connecting the power supply. Trademarks NETGEAR, Inc., NETGEAR and the NETGEAR Logo are trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. Any non-NETGEAR trademarks are used for reference purposes only.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Use a Web Browser to Access the Router............19 Automatic Internet Setup.................19 Log In to the Router..................20 Change the Language..................20 Access the Router With NETGEAR genie Apps..........21 Chapter 3 Specify Your Internet Settings Use the Internet Setup Wizard................23 Manually Set Up the Internet Connection............23 Specify an Internet Connection Without a Login..........24...
  • Page 4 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............49 Manage Network Access Control Lists..............50 Schedule When to Block Internet Sites and Services..........51 Set Up Security Event Email Notifications............52 Chapter 5 Tri-Band WiFi Connections...
  • Page 5 Erase the Current Configuration Settings............113 Restore Configuration Settings..............113 Set Up Remote Management................114 Use Remote Access..................116 Access the Router With NETGEAR genie Apps..........116 Remotely Access Your Router Using the genie App..........116 Chapter 9 Share USB Storage Devices Attached to the Router USB Device Requirements................118 Connect a USB Device to the Router..............118...
  • Page 6 View or Change the Status of a Printer..............150 Use the Scan Feature of a Multifunction USB Printer........150 Change NETGEAR USB Control Center Settings..........151 Turn Off Automatic Startup for NETGEAR USB Control Center....151 Change the Language for the NETGEAR USB Control Center....151 Specify the USB Control Center Time-Out............152 Chapter 13 Use VPN to Access Your Network Set Up a VPN Connection..................154...
  • Page 7 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.............163 Add a Custom Port Forwarding Service............164 Edit a Port Forwarding Service..............165 Delete a Port Forwarding Entry..............166...

  • Page 8: The Nighthawk X8 Ac5300 Tri-Band Wifi Router Is The Next Wave In Wifi With Tri-Band Quad Stream Performance

    Cable Your Router on page 13 • How Active Antennas Improve WiFi Performance on page 14 • Position the Active Antennas on page 15 For more information about the topics covered in this manual, visit the support website at support.netgear.com.

  • Page 9: Unpack Your Router

    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.
  • Page 10 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Table 1. LED descriptions Description • Solid amber. The router is starting. Power • Blinking amber. The firmware is upgrading, or the Reset button was pressed. • Solid white. The router is ready. • Blinking white.

  • Page 11: Usb Ports On The Right Panel

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Description • Solid white. A USB device is connected and is ready. USB 3.0 port 1 and USB 2.0 port 2 • Blinking. A USB device is plugged in and is trying to connect. •...

  • Page 12: Rear Panel

    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.

  • Page 13: Cable 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: •...

  • Page 14: How Active Antennas Improve Wifi Performance

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Connect your modem to the Internet port of your router with the yellow Ethernet cable that came with your router. Connect the power adapter to your router and plug the power adapter into an outlet. Press the Power On/Off button on the rear panel of the router.

  • Page 15: Position The Active Antennas

    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.This WiFi improvement is seen across all devices-new and old but helps mobile devices the most, which present the greatest connectivity challenges today.
  • Page 16 17 • Types of Logins on page 18 • Use a Web Browser to Access the Router on page 19 • Change the Language on page 20 • Access the Router With NETGEAR genie Apps on page 21...

  • Page 17: Connect To The Network

    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).

  • Page 18: Wifi Connection Using Wps

    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: Make sure that the router is receiving power (its Power LED is lit).

  • Page 19: Use A Web Browser To Access The Router

    ISP login program on your computer to access the Internet. When you start an Internet application, your router automatically logs you in. NETGEAR genie runs on any device with a web browser. Installation and basic setup takes about 15 minutes to complete.

  • Page 20: Log In To The Router

    175. If problems persist, register your NETGEAR product and contact NETGEAR technical support. When the router connects to the Internet, you are prompted to download and install the free NETGEAR Desktop genie app and the free ReadySHARE Vault app.

  • Page 21: Access The Router With Netgear Genie Apps

    Easily manage router features like Live Parental Controls, guest access, Internet traffic meter, speed test, and more. To use the genie app to access the router: Visit the NETGEAR genie web page at NETGEAR.com/genie. Follow the onscreen instructions to install the app on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. Launch the genie app.
  • Page 22 Specify Your Internet Settings 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. This chapter contains the following sections: •...

  • Page 23: Use The Internet Setup Wizard

    The Setup Wizard searches your Internet connection for servers and protocols to determine your Internet configuration. When the router connects to the Internet, you are prompted to download and install the free NETGEAR Desktop genie app and the free ReadySHARE Vault app.

  • Page 24: Specify An Internet Connection Without A Login

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Specify an Internet Connection Without a Login To specify the Internet connection settings: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. Enter the router user name and password.

  • Page 25: Specify An Internet Connection That Uses A Login

    Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 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 an Internet Connection That Uses a Login To view or change the basic Internet setup: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.
  • Page 26 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router From the Internet Service Provider menu, select the encapsulation method: PPPoE, L2TP, or PPTP. In the Login field, enter the login name that your ISP gave you. This login name is often an email address. In the Password field, type the password that you use to log in to your Internet service.

  • Page 27: Specify Ipv6 Internet Connections

    Use This MAC Address. Enter the MAC address that you want to use. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 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.

  • Page 28: Requirements For Entering Ipv6 Addresses

    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 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.
  • Page 29 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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.

  • Page 30: Use Auto Detect For An Ipv6 Internet Connection

    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: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.

  • Page 31: Set Up An Ipv6 6To4 Tunnel Internet Connection

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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).
  • Page 32 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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.

  • Page 33: Set Up An Ipv6 Dhcp Internet Connection

    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: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.

  • Page 34: Set Up An Ipv6 Fixed Internet Connection

    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.
  • Page 35 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router From the Internet Connection Type menu, select Fixed. 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. •...

  • Page 36: Set Up An Ipv6 Pass Through Internet Connection

    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: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.
  • Page 37 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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.

  • Page 38: Set Up An Ipv6 6Rd Internet Connection

    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). (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.
  • Page 39 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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.

  • Page 40: Change The Mtu Size

    “fragmented” to accommodate the device with the smallest MTU. The best MTU setting for NETGEAR equipment is often the default value. In some situations, changing the value fixes one problem but causes another. Leave the MTU unchanged unless one of these situations occurs: •...
  • Page 41 Table 3. Common MTU sizes Application 1500 The largest Ethernet packet size. This setting is typical for connections that do not use PPPoE or VPN and is the default value for NETGEAR routers, adapters, and switches. 1492 Used in PPPoE environments. 1472 Maximum size to use for pinging.
  • Page 42 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. This chapter includes the following sections: • Set Up Parental Controls on page 43 • Allow or Block Access to Your Network on page 44 •...

  • Page 43: Set Up Parental Controls

    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.

  • Page 44: Allow Or Block Access To Your Network

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Complete the fields. Click the Next button. After you log on or create your account, the filtering level page displays. Select a filtering level and click the Next button. The Setup is complete page displays. Click the Take me to the status screen button.
  • Page 45 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select ADVANCED > Security > Access Control. 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.

  • Page 46: Use Keywords To Block Internet Sites

    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: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 47: Block Services From The Internet

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The keyword is added to the keyword list. The keyword list supports up to 32 entries. 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.

  • Page 48: Delete Keywords From The Blocked List

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Click the Add button. 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. To add a service or application that is not in the menu, select User Defined, and do the following: If you know that the application uses either TCP or UDP, select the appropriate protocol.

  • Page 49: Avoid Blocking On A Trusted Computer

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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. Select ADVANCED > Security > Block Sites. The Block Sites page displays.

  • Page 50: Manage Network Access Control Lists

    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: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Type http://www.routerlogin.net.

  • Page 51: Schedule When To Block Internet Sites And Services

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The list displays. Select the check box for a device. Use the Add button, Edit button, and Remove from the list button as needed. 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.

  • Page 52: Set Up Security Event Email Notifications

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select ADVANCED > Security > Schedule. 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.
  • Page 53 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. Select ADVANCED > Security > E-mail. Select the Turn E-mail Notification On check box. In the Your Outgoing Mail Server field, enter the name of your ISP outgoing (SMTP) mail server (such as mail.myISP.com).
  • Page 54 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router From Send logs according to this schedule menu, select the schedule type. From the Day menu, select the day. From the Time menu, select the time, and select the am or pm radio button. Click the Apply button.
  • Page 55 Tri-Band WiFi Connections This chapter explains how the router manages WiFi connections for its WiFi bands and how you can control the relevant router settings. The chapter contains the following sections: • Tri-Band WiFi on page 56 • Smart Connect on page 59 •...

  • Page 56: Tri-Band Wifi

    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.
  • Page 57 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.

  • Page 58: Load Balancing

    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.

  • Page 59: Smart Connect

    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.

  • Page 60: Enable Or Disable Smart Connect

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Enable or Disable Smart Connect To enable or disable Smart Connect: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.
  • Page 61 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Settings. The Wireless Settings page displays.
  • Page 62 Network Settings The router comes ready for WiFi, Ethernet, and USB connections. You can customize the router’s network settings. We recommend that you install the router and connect it to the Internet before you change its network settings. This chapter includes the following sections: •...

  • Page 63: View Or Change Wan 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.

  • Page 64: Set Up A Default Dmz Server

    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.

  • Page 65: Ethernet Port Aggregation

    2 Gbps with port aggregation. The maximum speed between port 4, 5, and 6 is limited to 1 Gbps. NETGEAR ReadyNAS equipment with two Ethernet ports such as the model RN100/200/300/500/700 desktop series and the ReadyNAS RN2000/3000/4000 rack-mount series support Ethernet aggregation.

  • Page 66: Set Up Ethernet Port Aggregation

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Set Up Ethernet Port Aggregation To set up Ethernet port aggregation: 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.

  • Page 67: Change The Lan Tcp/Ip Settings

    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: •...
  • Page 68 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup. Your router might display information that is different from this example. In the IP Address field, type the IP address. 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.

  • Page 69: Change The Router's Device Name

    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. 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.
  • Page 70 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. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup. Your router might display information that is different from this example. Make sure that the Use Router as DHCP Server check box is selected.

  • Page 71: Disable The Dhcp Server Feature In The Router

    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.

  • Page 72: Edit A Reserved Ip Address

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The BASIC Home page displays. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup. The LAN Setup page displays. In the Address Reservation section, click the Add button. The page adjusts. 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.

  • Page 73: Delete A Reserved Ip Address Entry

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Change the settings. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Delete a Reserved IP Address Entry To delete a reserved address entry: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.

  • Page 74: Set Up A Static Route

    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.

  • Page 75: Edit A Static Route

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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. Select the Active check box to make this route effective. Type the IP address of the final destination.

  • Page 76: Delete A Static Route

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Delete a Static Route To delete a static route: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.
  • Page 77 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VLAN/Bridge Settings. The VLAN / Bridge Settings page displays.

  • Page 78: Set Up A Bridge For A Vlan Tag Group

    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.
  • Page 79 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select the Enable VLAN/Bridge Group check box. Select the By VLAN tag group radio button. 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.

  • Page 80: Use The Wps Wizard For Wifi Connections

    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: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.
  • Page 81 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.

  • Page 82: Change The Wifi Password Or Security Level

    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.

  • Page 83: Change The Wifi Mbps Settings

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The WPA2 options use the newest standard for the strongest security. The Password (Network Key) field displays. In the Password (Network Key) field, enter the network key (password). It is a text string from 8 to 63 characters. Write down the new password and keep it in a secure place for future reference.

  • Page 84: Set Up A Guest Wifi Network

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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. For each the 5 GHz WiFi band, select a setting from the Mode menu.
  • Page 85 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.

  • Page 86: Control The Wifi Radios

    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.

  • Page 87: Set Up A Wifi Schedule

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Settings. Your router might display information that is different from this example. 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.

  • Page 88: Specify Wps Settings

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Click the Add a new period button. Use the menus, radio buttons, and check boxes to set up a period during which you want to turn off the WiFi signal. Click the Apply button. The Wireless Settings page displays.

  • Page 89: Use The Router As A Wifi Access Point

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Settings. The Wireless Settings page displays.
  • Page 90 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless AP. Select the Enable AP Mode check box.

  • Page 91: Use The Router In Bridge Mode

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The IP address of the router changes, and you are disconnected. 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.
  • Page 92 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.
  • Page 93 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router In the Security Option section, select a radio button. If prompted, type the passphrase (the WiFi password that you use to connect with WiFi to the other router). Click the Apply button. The settings for the other router are saved and the Wireless Settings page displays. Click the Apply button on the Wireless Settings page.
  • Page 94 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). This chapter contains the following sections: •...

  • Page 95: Use Dynamic Qos To Optimize Internet Traffic Management

    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.

  • Page 96: Enable Or Disable The Automatic Qos Database Update

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select the Enable Dynamic QoS check box. 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: For more accurate Speedtest results, make sure that no other devices are accessing the Internet.

  • Page 97: Manually Update The Dynamic Qos Database

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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. Select Dynamic QoS. The Dynamic QoS page displays.

  • Page 98: Participate In Dynamic Qos Analytics

    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.

  • Page 99: Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality Of Service

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > UPnP. The UPnP page displays.
  • Page 100 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To disable WMM QoS: Launch an Internet browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 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.
  • Page 101 Manage Your Network This chapter describes the router settings for administering and maintaining your router and home network. The chapter includes the following sections: • Update the Router Firmware on page 102 • Change the admin Password on page 102 •...

  • Page 102: Update The Router Firmware

    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.

  • Page 103: Set Up Password Recovery

    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: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 104: Recover The Admin Password

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To set up password recovery: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.

  • Page 105: View Router Status

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. With your recovered password, log in to the router. View Router Status To view router status and usage information: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.

  • Page 106: Display Internet Port Statistics

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Display Internet Port Statistics To display Internet port statistics: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.

  • Page 107: Check The Internet Connection Status

    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. To change the polling frequency, enter a time in seconds in the Poll Interval field and click the Set Interval button.

  • Page 108: View And Manage Logs Of Router Activity

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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. •...

  • Page 109: View Devices Currently On The Network

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router A login window opens. 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. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Logs. The Logs page shows the following information: •...

  • Page 110: Monitor Internet Traffictraffic Metering

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To view devices on the network: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.
  • Page 111 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Traffic Meter. Select the Enable Traffic Meter check box. To control the volume of Internet traffic, use either the traffic volume control feature or the connection time control feature: •...

  • Page 112: Manage The Router Configuration File

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To update the Traffic Statistics section, click the Refresh button. 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.

  • Page 113: Erase The Current Configuration 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: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 114: Set Up Remote Management

    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.
  • Page 115 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Remote Management. Select the Turn Remote Management On check box. In the Allow Remote Access By section, specify the external IP addresses to be allowed to access the router’s remote management.

  • Page 116: Use Remote Access

    Update the Router Firmware on page 102. To download the latest genie app for your computer or mobile device, visit netgear.com/genie. For more information about how to set up remote access using the genie app, see the genie app user manual, which is available at http://downloadcenter.netgear.com/.
  • Page 117 View or Change Network Folders on a USB Storage Device on page 124 • Remotely Access a USB Device Using ReadyCLOUD on page 127 • Safely Remove a USB Device on page 130 For more information about ReadySHARE features, visit NETGEAR.com/readyshare.

  • Page 118: 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.

  • Page 119: Access A Usb Storage Device Connected To The Router From A Windows Computer

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To connect a USB device: Insert your USB storage drive into a USB port on the side panel of the router. 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.

  • Page 120: Access A Usb Storage Device That Is Connected To The Router From A Mac

    If you set up access control on the router and you allowed your Mac to access the network, select the Registered User radio button and enter admin for the name and password for the password. For more information about access control, see the user manual, which is available online at http://downloadcenter.netgear.com or through a link in the router’s user interface.

  • Page 121: Back Up Windows Computers With Readyshare Vault

    Set Up a USB Hard Drive on a Mac NETGEAR recommends that you use a new USB HDD or format your old USB HDD to do the Time Machine backup for the first time. Use a blank partition to prevent some issues during backup using Time Machine. The router supports GUID or MBR partitions.

  • Page 122: Prepare To Back Up A Large Amount Of Data

    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: Upgrade the operating system of the Mac computer.
  • Page 123 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To back up your Mac onto a USB hard disk drive: 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.

  • Page 124: Use Ftp Within The Network

    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: Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
  • Page 125 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select ADVANCED > USB Functions > ReadySHARE Storage. 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.

  • Page 126: Add A Network Folder On A Usb Storage Device

    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: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.

  • Page 127: Edit A Network Folder On A Usb Storage Device

    Remotely Access a USB Device Using ReadyCLOUD NETGEAR ReadyCLOUD for routers lets you remotely access files stored on a USB storage device that is connected to the router. Before you can use ReadyCLOUD, you must create a ReadyCLOUD account and register your router.

  • Page 128: Create A Readycloud Account

    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: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device.
  • Page 129 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.

  • Page 130: Safely Remove A Usb Device

    Always On. This change is required for ReadyCLOUD to remotely access the USB storage device. After registration, visit readycloud.netgear.com. Click the Sign In link, enter your ReadyCLOUD user name and password, and click the Sign In button.
  • Page 131 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router This takes the device offline. Physically disconnect the USB device. Share USB Storage Devices Attached to the Router...

  • Page 132: Internet

    Use Dynamic DNS to Access USB Storage Devices Through the Internet With Dynamic DNS, you can use the Internet to access USB devices attached to the router’s USB ports when you’re not home. This chapter includes the following sections: • Your Personal FTP Server on page 133 •...

  • Page 133: 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.

  • Page 134: Dynamic Dns

    Internet. Set Up a New Dynamic DNS Account To set up Dynamic DNS and register for a free NETGEAR account: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 135: Specify A Dns Account That You Already Created

    Follow the onscreen instructions to register for your NETGEAR Dynamic DNS service. Specify a DNS Account That You Already Created If you already created a Dynamic DNS account with NETGEAR, No-IP, or Dyn, you can set up the router to use your account.

  • Page 136: Change The Dynamic Dns Settings

    For a No-IP or Dyn account, in the User Name field, type the user name for your account. For a NETGEAR account at No-IP, in the Email field, type the email address for your account. In the Password (6-32 characters) field, type the password for your DDNS account.

  • Page 137: Set Up Your Personal Ftp Server

    Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Set Up Your Personal FTP Server To set up your personal account and use FTP: Get your NETGEAR Dynamic DNS domain name. Dynamic DNS on page 134. Make sure that your Internet connection is working.

  • Page 138: Access Usb Storage Devices Through The Internet

    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: Launch a web browser on a computer that is not on your home network. Connect to your home router: •...

  • Page 139: Chapter 11 Use The Router As A Media Server

    Use the Router as a Media Server 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. This chapter contains the following sections: •...

  • Page 140: Specify Readydlna Media Server Settings

    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: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 141: Set Up The Router's Itunes Server With Itunes

    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.

  • Page 142: Set Up The Router's Itunes Server With The Remote App

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select ADVANCED > USB Functions > ReadySHARE Storage. The USB Storage (Advanced Settings) page displays. Click the Media Server tab. The Media Server (Settings) page displays. Select the Enable iTunes Media Server (Music Only) check box and click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
  • Page 143 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Click the Add a Device button. Specify the passcode in the router to set up your iTunes server: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to your router's network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.

  • Page 144: Play Media From A Usb Device On Tivo

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select ADVANCED > USB Functions > ReadySHARE Storage. The USB Storage (Advanced Settings) page displays. Select the Media Server tab. The Media Server (Settings) page displays. Select the Enable iTunes Media Server (Music Only) check box and click the Apply button. Enter the passcode and click the Allow Control button.

  • Page 145: Play Videos On Tivo

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select the Media Server tab. The Media Server (Settings) page displays. Make sure that the Enable TiVo support check box is selected. If you changed the settings, click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Play Videos on TiVo To play videos: On the TiVo, select TiVo Central >...

  • Page 146: Share A Usb Printer

    The ReadySHARE Printer utility lets you share a USB printer that is connected to the USB port on your router. You can share this USB printer among the Windows and Mac computers on your network. 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.

  • Page 147: Install The Printer Driver And Cable The Printer

    The utility works on Windows and Mac computers. To download the utility: Visit NETGEAR.com/readyshare. Click the PRINT - Learn how you can print wirelessly from many devices link. Click one of the following links to download the ReadySHARE Printer utility setup file: •...

  • Page 148: Install The Readyshare Printer Utility

    Follow the wizard instructions to install the NETGEAR USB Control Center. Select a language from the menu and click the OK button. The USB printer connected to the router displays in the NETGEAR USB Control Center window. Share a USB Printer...

  • Page 149: Print Using The Netgear Usb Control Center

    If another computer is already connected to the printer, your print job goes into a queue to wait to be printed. If your document does not print, use the NETGEAR USB Control Center to check the printer status. To release the printer so that all computers on the network can use it, click the Disconnect button.

  • Page 150: View Or Change The Status Of A Printer

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router View or Change the Status of a Printer To view or change the status: Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon The NETGEAR USB Control Center page displays. The Status column shows the status for each device: •...

  • Page 151: Change Netgear Usb Control Center Settings

    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.

  • Page 152: Specify The Usb Control Center Time-Out

    Specify the USB Control Center Time-Out Specify the time-out to release the printer connection. To specify the time-out: Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon Select Tools > Configuration. The NETGEAR USB Control Center page displays. In the Timeout field, type the number of minutes.
  • Page 153 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. The chapter includes the following sections: • Set Up a VPN Connection on page 154 •...

  • Page 154: Set Up A Vpn Connection

    To use a DDNS service, register for an account with a host name (sometimes called a domain name). You use the host name to access your network. The router supports these accounts: NETGEAR, No-IP, and Dyn. If your Internet service provider (ISP) assigned a static WAN IP address (such as 50.196.x.x or 10.x.x.x) that never changes to your Internet account, the VPN can use that IP address to connect to your home network.

  • Page 155: Install Openvpn Software On Your Computer

    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. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VPN Service. The VPN page displays. Select the Enable VPN Service check box.
  • Page 156 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To install the Open VPN software on your computer, click the openVPN-install-xxx.exe file. Click the Next button. Read the License Agreement and click the I Agree button. Leave the check boxes selected as shown, and click the Next button. Use VPN to Access Your Network...
  • Page 157 In the local area connection list, find the local area connection with the device name TAP-Windows Adapter. 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.

  • Page 158: Use A Vpn Tunnel

    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.

  • Page 159: Use Vpn To Access The Router's Usb Device And Media

    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: In Windows file manager, select the Network folder.

  • Page 160: Block Vpn Client Internet Access In The Router

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To allow VPN clients to use your home Internet service: Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.

  • Page 161: Use A Vpn Tunnel To Access Your Internet Service At Home

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router The BASIC Home page displays. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VPN Service. The VNP page displays. Select the Enable VPN Service radio button. Scroll down to the Clients will use this VPN connection to access section, and select the Home Network only radio button.

  • Page 162: Chapter 14 Customize Internet Traffic Rules For Ports

    Customize Internet Traffic Rules for Ports You can use port forwarding and port triggering to set up rules for Internet traffic. You need networking knowledge to set up these features. This chapter includes the following sections: • Set Up Port Forwarding to a Local Server on page 163 •...

  • Page 163: Port Forwarding To A Local Server

    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.

  • Page 164: Add A Custom Port Forwarding Service

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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. In the Server IP Address field, enter the IP address of the computer that will provide the service.

  • Page 165: Edit A Port Forwarding Service

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Click the Add Custom Service button. In the Service Name field, enter a descriptive name. From the Protocol menu, select the protocol. If you are unsure, select TCP/UDP. In the External port range field, enter the port numbers. Specify the internal ports by one of these methods: •...

  • Page 166: Delete A Port Forwarding Entry

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Port Forwarding/Port Triggering. The Port Forwarding/Port Triggering page displays. Leave the Port Forwarding radio button selected as the service type. In the table, select the radio button next to the service name. Click the Edit Service button.

  • Page 167: How The Router Implements The Port Forwarding Rule

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To make a local web server public: 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. 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.

  • Page 168: Add A Port Triggering Service

    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),...

  • Page 169: Enable Port Triggering

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Click the Add Service button. In the Service Name field, type a descriptive service name. From the Service User menu, select a user option: • Any (the default) allows any computer on the Internet to use this service. •...
  • Page 170 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Port Forwarding/Port Triggering. The Port Forwarding/Port Triggering page displays. Select the Port Triggering radio button. 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. In the Port Triggering Timeout field, enter a value up to 9999 minutes.
  • Page 171 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router 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. 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”...

  • Page 172: Troubleshooting

    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 http://support.netgear.com for product and contact information. The chapter contains the following sections: •...

  • Page 173: Quick Tips

    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: Turn off and unplug the modem. Turn off the router. Plug in the modem and turn it on.

  • Page 174: Power Led Is Off Or Blinking

    Settings on page 182. If the error persists, a hardware problem might be the cause. Contact technical support at www.netgear.com/support. LEDs Never Turn Off When the router is turned on, the LEDs light for about 10 seconds and then turn off. If all the LEDs stay on, this indicates a fault within the router.

  • Page 175: 2.4 Ghz, 5 Ghz-1, And 5 Ghz-2 Wifi Leds Are Off

    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.
  • Page 176 Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router To check the WAN IP address: Launch a web browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the network. Select an external site such as www.netgear.com. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

  • Page 177: Troubleshoot Internet Browsing

    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.

  • Page 178: Changes Not Saved

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Click the ADVANCED tab. The ADVANCED Home page displays. In the Internet Port pane, click the Connection Status button. The Connection Status window opens. 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.

  • Page 179: Troubleshoot Your Network Using The Ping Utility

    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.

  • Page 180: Test The Path From Your Computer To A Remote Device

    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. From the Windows toolbar, click the Start button and select Run. In the Windows Run window, type ping -n 10 <IP address>...

  • Page 181: Chapter 16 Supplemental Information

    Supplemental Information This appendix includes technical information about your router. The appendix covers the following topics: • Factory Settings on page 182 • Technical Specifications on page 183...

  • Page 182: Factory Settings

    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.

  • Page 183: Technical Specifications

    Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Tri-Band WiFi Router Feature Default Behavior Wireless 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...
  • Page 184 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. NETGEAR makes no express or implied representations or warranties about this product’s compatibility with any future standards. Supplemental Information...

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