NETGEAR Nighthawk X6S User Manual
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NETGEAR Nighthawk X6S User Manual

Ac3000 tri-band wifi router
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Nighthawk X6S AC3000
Tri-Band WiFi Router

User Manual

Model R7900P
May 2017
202-11719-01
350 E. Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134
USA

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Summary of Contents for NETGEAR Nighthawk X6S

  • Page 1: User Manual

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router User Manual Model R7900P May 2017 202-11719-01 350 E. Plumeria Drive San Jose, CA 95134...
  • Page 2 For the current EU Declaration of Conformity, visit http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11621. Compliance For regulatory compliance information, visit http://www.netgear.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............20 Automatic Internet Setup.................20 Log In to the Router..................22 Install the Router With the NETGEAR Up App............22 Change the Language..................23 Access the Router With the NETGEAR genie App..........23 Chapter 3 Specify Your Internet Settings Use the Internet Setup Wizard................26...
  • Page 4 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Set Up an IPv6 PPPoE Internet Connection...........38 Manage the MTU Size..................40 MTU Concepts....................40 Change the MTU Size..................41 Chapter 4 Optimize Performance Manage Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service............43 Improve Network Connections With Universal Plug-N-Play.........44 Chapter 5 Control Access to the Internet Set Up Parental Controls..................46...
  • Page 5 View or Change the Status of a Printer..............107 Use the Scan Feature of a Multifunction USB Printer........108 Manage the NETGEAR USB Control Center Settings........108 Turn Off Automatic Startup of the NETGEAR USB Control Center....108 Change the NETGEAR USB Control Center Language........109 Specify the USB Control Center Time-Out............109...
  • Page 6 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Chapter 11 Manage the Advanced WiFi Features Set Up a WiFi Schedule..................111 Manage the WPS Settings.................111 Manage Advanced WiFi Settings...............113 Specify How the Router Manages WiFi Clients..........113 Manage Airtime Fairness................114 Manage Implicit Beamforming...............114 Manage MU-MIMO..................115...
  • Page 7 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Use the Reset Button..................141 Erase the Settings..................142 View the Status and Statistics of the Router............143 View Information About the Router and the Internet and WiFi Settings..143 Display Internet Port Statistics..............143 Check the Internet Connection Status............144 Manage the Activity Log..................145...
  • Page 8 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Application Example: Port Triggering for Internet Relay Chat......172 Chapter 16 Troubleshooting Reboot the Router From Its Web Interface............175 Quick Tips......................175 Sequence to Restart Your Network...............175 Check Ethernet Cable Connections..............175 WiFi Settings....................176 Network Settings...................176 Troubleshoot With the LEDs................176...

  • Page 9: The Chapter Contains The Following Sections

    Firmware updates with new features and bug fixes are made available from time to time at downloadcenter.netgear.com.You can check for and download new firmware manually. If the features or behavior of your product does not match what is described in this guide, you might need to update your firmware.

  • Page 10: Unpack Your Router

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Unpack Your Router The box contains the following items. Figure 1. Package contents Table 1. Legend Router Ethernet cable Power adapter In some regions, a CD is included in the package. Extend the Antennas Position the antennas for the best WiFi performance.

  • Page 11: Leds And Buttons On The Top Panel

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P LEDs and Buttons on the Top Panel The status LEDs and buttons are located on the top of the router. Table 2. LED and button descriptions LEDs and Buttons Descriptions Power Solid amber. The router is starting.

  • Page 12: Ports, Buttons, And Connectors On The Back Panel

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Table 2. LED and button descriptions (Continued) LEDs and Buttons Descriptions WiFi On/Off button Pressing this button for two seconds turns the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi radios on and off.

  • Page 13: Usb Port On The Back Panel

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P • Power On/Off button. Press the Power On/Off button to provide power to the router. • DC power connector. Connect the power adapter that came in the product package to the DC power connector.

  • Page 14: Position The Router

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Position the 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 the router.

  • Page 15: Cable Your Router

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Cable Your Router The following image shows how to cable your router: Figure 5. Cable your Router To cable your router: Unplug your modem’s power, leaving the modem connected to the wall jack for your Internet service.
  • Page 16 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Hardware Overview of the Router...

  • Page 17: Disable Or Enable Led Blinking Or Turn Off Leds

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Disable or Enable LED Blinking or Turn Off LEDs The LEDs on the back panel of the router indicate activities and behavior. You can turn off the router LEDs using the LED On/Off switch on the rear panel of the router. You can also log in to the router to disable or enable LED blinking or turn off the LEDs.
  • Page 18 Connect to the Router on page 19 • Use a Web Browser to Access the Router on page 20 • Install the Router With the NETGEAR Up App on page 22 • Change the Language on page 23 • Access the Router With the NETGEAR genie App...

  • Page 19: Connect To The Router

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Connect to the Router During and after installation, 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 of your computer so that it uses Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

  • Page 20: Wi-Fi Protected Setup Method

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Wi-Fi Protected Setup Method Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is a standard for easily adding computers and other devices to a home network while maintaining security. To use WPS (Push 'N' Connect), make sure that all WiFi devices to be connected to the network are Wi-Fi certified and support WPS.
  • Page 21 Follow the onscreen instructions. The router connects to the Internet. If the browser does not display the NETGEAR genie page, do the following: • Make sure that the computer is connected to one of the four LAN Ethernet ports or over WiFi to the router.

  • Page 22: Log In To The Router

    Install the Router With the NETGEAR Up App With the NETGEAR Up app, you can easily install your router. The app automatically updates the router to the latest firmware, allows you to personalize your WiFi network, and even helps register your router with NETGEAR.

  • Page 23: Change The Language

    Cable Your Router on page 15. On your iOS or Android mobile device, go to the app store, search for NETGEAR Up, and download the app. On your iOS or Android mobile device, tap Settings > Wi-Fi and find and connect to your router’s WiFi network.
  • Page 24 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P To use the genie app to access the router: Visit the NETGEAR genie web page at netgear.com/genie. Click the appropriate Download button. Follow the onscreen instructions to install the app on your smartphone, tablet, or WiFi-enabled computer.
  • Page 25 Specify Your Internet Settings Usually, the quickest way to set up the router to use your Internet connection is to allow NETGEAR 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.

  • Page 26: 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 27: Specify An Internet Connection That Uses A Login And Pppoe Service

    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 You Cannot Access the Internet page 178. Specify an Internet Connection That Uses a Login and PPPoE Service You can manually specify the connection settings for a PPPoE Internet service for which you must log in.
  • Page 28 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P To specify the connection settings for a PPPoE Internet service for which you must log in: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 29: Specify An Internet Connection That Uses A Login And Pptp Or L2Tp Service

    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 You Cannot Access the Internet page 178. Specify an Internet Connection That Uses a Login and PPTP...

  • Page 30: Specify An Ipv6 Internet Connection

    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 You Cannot Access the Internet page 178. Specify an IPv6 Internet Connection The router supports many different types of IPv6 Internet connections for which you can specify the settings manually.

  • Page 31: Use Auto Detect For An Ipv6 Internet Connection

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P • If your ISP did not provide details, use the 6to4 tunnel connection type (see Set Up an IPv6 6to4 Tunnel Internet Connection on page 33). • If you are not sure what type of IPv6 connection the router uses, use the Auto Detect connection type,...

  • Page 32: Use Auto Config For An Ipv6 Internet Connection

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P indicated by the underline (_) under the IPv6 address. If no address is acquired, the field displays Not Available. • Router’s IPv6 Address on LAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired for the router’s LAN interface.

  • Page 33: Set Up An Ipv6 6To4 Tunnel Internet Connection

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P (Optional) In the DHCP User Class (If Required) field, enter a host name. Most people can leave this field blank, but if your ISP gave you a specific host name, enter it here.

  • Page 34: Set Up An Ipv6 6Rd Tunnel Connection

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P From the Internet Connection Type menu, select 6to4 Tunnel. The page adjusts. 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 35 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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 > IPv6.

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

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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.

  • Page 37: Set Up An Ipv6 Dhcp Internet Connection

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P • Primary DNS. The primary DNS server that resolves IPv6 domain name records for the router. • Secondary DNS. The secondary DNS server that resolves IPv6 domain name records for the router.

  • Page 38: Set Up An Ipv6 Pppoe Internet Connection

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P indicated by the underline (_) under the IPv6 address. If no address is acquired, the field displays Not Available. • Router’s IPv6 Address on LAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired for the router’s LAN interface.
  • Page 39 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P The BASIC Home page displays. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6. The IPv6 page displays. From the Internet Connection Type menu, select PPPoE. The page adjusts. The router automatically detects the information in the following fields: •...

  • Page 40: Manage 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.

  • Page 41: Change The Mtu Size

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Table 3. Common MTU sizes (Continued) Application 1458 Used in PPPoA environments. 1436 Used in PPTP environments or with VPN. Change the MTU Size WARNING: An incorrect MTU setting can cause Internet communication problems. For example, you might not be able to access certain websites, frames within websites, secure login pages, or FTP or POP servers.

  • Page 42: Chapter 4 Optimize Performance

    Optimize Performance This chapter describes how to optimize the router’s performance and manage the traffic flows through the router. The chapter contains the following sections: • Manage Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service on page 43 • Improve Network Connections With Universal Plug-N-Play on page 44 Note For information about how to configure how the router manages WiFi clients, which is...

  • Page 43: Manage Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality Of Service

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Manage Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service (WMM QoS) prioritizes WiFi voice and video traffic over the WiFi link. WMM QoS prioritizes WiFi data packets from different applications based on four access categories: voice, video, best effort, and background.

  • Page 44: Improve Network Connections With Universal Plug-N-Play

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Improve Network Connections With Universal Plug-N-Play Universal Plug-N-Play (UPnP) helps devices such as Internet appliances and computers access the network and connect to other devices as needed. UPnP devices can automatically discover the services from other registered UPnP devices on the network.
  • Page 45 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 46 • Allow or Block Access to Your Network on page 47 •...

  • Page 46: Set Up Parental Controls

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Set Up Parental Controls The first time that you select Parental Controls from the BASIC Home page, your browser goes to the Parental Controls website. You can learn more about Parental Controls or download the application.

  • Page 47: Allow Or Block Access To Your Network

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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 of the genie app. Allow or Block Access to Your Network You can use access control to block or allow access of devices to your network.

  • Page 48: Manage Network Access Control Lists

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P • If you blocked all new devices from connecting, to allow the computer or device that you are currently using to continue to access the network, select the check box next to your computer or device in the table, and click the Allow button.
  • Page 49 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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 50: Add Devices To Or Remove Them From The Blocked List

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Add Devices to or Remove Them From the Blocked List If you set up an access list that allows all new devices to access your network but you want to block some devices from accessing your network, you must specify the devices that you want to block.

  • Page 51: Use Keywords To Block Internet Sites

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P The device is removed from the blocked list. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Use Keywords to Block Internet Sites You can block keywords and domains (websites) to prevent certain types of HTTP traffic from accessing your network.

  • Page 52: Remove A Keyword Or Domain From The Blocked List

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P The keyword list supports up to 32 entries. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Remove a Keyword or Domain From the Blocked List If you no longer need a keyword or domain on the blocked list, you can remove the keyword or domain.

  • Page 53: Specify A Trusted Computer

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Click the Clear List button. All keywords and domains are removed from the blocked list. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Specify a Trusted Computer You can exempt one trusted device from blocking and logging. The device that you exempt must be assigned a fixed (static) IP address.

  • Page 54: Add An Outbound Firewall Rule

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Note Service blocking means the same thing as applying outbound firewall rules. Add an Outbound Firewall Rule You can add an outbound firewall rule to prevent access to a specific service or application on the Internet.

  • Page 55: Add An Outbound Firewall Rule For A Custom Service Or Application

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Add an Outbound Firewall Rule for a Custom Service or Application The router lists many default services and applications that you can use in outbound rules. If the service or application is not predefined, you can specify a custom service or application in an outbound rule.

  • Page 56: Change An Outbound Firewall Rule

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P • Only This IP Address. Enter the required address in the fields to apply the rule to a single device on your LAN. • IP Address Range. Enter the required addresses in the start and end fields to apply the rule to a range of devices.

  • Page 57: Set Up A Schedule For Keyword Blocking And Outbound Firewall Rules

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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 > Security > Block Services. The Block Services Setup window displays.

  • Page 58: Set Up Security Event Email Notifications

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Note If the router synchronized its internal clock with a time server on the Internet and you selected the correct time zone, the Current Time field displays the correct date and time.
  • Page 59 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P To send notifications to your email address when a downloader task is complete, select Send E-mail notification when a downloader task is finished. To send alerts when someone attempts to visit a blocked site, select the Send Alerts Immediately check box.

  • Page 60: Chapter 6 Manage Dynamic Dns And Access Storage Devices Through The

    Manage Dynamic DNS and Access Storage Devices Through the Internet With Dynamic DNS, you can use the Internet and a personal domain name to access a USB storage device that is attached to a USB port on the router when you are not home. If you know the IP address of the router (and the IP address did not change), you can also access the USB storage device by using the IP address.

  • Page 61: Set Up And Manage Dynamic Dns

    With your customized free URL, you can use FTP to access your network when you are not 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.

  • Page 62: Set Up A New Dynamic Dns Account

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

  • Page 63: Specify A Dns Account That You Already Created

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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. To set up Dynamic DNS if you already created an account: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 64: Access Storage Devices Through The Internet

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Dynamic DNS. The Dynamic DNS page displays. Change your DDNS account settings as necessary. See Specify a DNS Account That You Already Created on page 63.

  • Page 65: Use Ftp To Access Storage Devices Through The Internet

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Select ADVANCED > USB Functions > ReadySHARE Storage. The ReadySHARE Storage page displays, showing a USB device attached to the router. In the ReadySHARE tab (on the USB Storage (Advanced Settings) window, select the FTP (via internet) check box Admin password protection is enabled by default.

  • Page 66: Remotely Access A Usb Device Using Readycloud

    A ReadyCLOUD app is also available for Windows-based computers, Android mobile devices, and iOS mobile devices. For more information about setting up ReadyCLOUD, see the NETGEAR ReadyCLOUD for Routers User Manual, which is available online at downloadcenter.netgear.com.
  • Page 67 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile 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.
  • Page 68 Manage the Basic WiFi Network Settings This chapter describes how to manage the basic WiFi network settings of the router. For information about the advanced WiFi settings, see Manage the Advanced WiFi Features on page 110. The chapter includes the following sections: •...

  • Page 69: Manage The Basic Wifi Settings And Wifi Security Of The Main Network

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Manage the Basic WiFi Settings and WiFi Security of the Main Network 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. The preset SSID and password are uniquely generated for every device to protect and maximize your WiFi security.
  • Page 70 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Field Description Region Selection Region From the menu, select the region in which the router operates. Note It might not be legal to operate the router in a region other than the regions listed in the menu.
  • Page 71 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P (Continued) Field Description Mode From the Mode menu, select one of the following modes: • Up to 54 Mbps. Legacy mode. This mode allows 802.11n, 802.11g, and 802.11b devices to join the network but limits 802.11n devices to functioning at up to 54 Mbps.
  • Page 72 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P (Continued) Field Description Wireless Network (5GHz a/n/ac) 5GHz-1 Enable SSID Broadcast By default, for an SSID in the 5 GHz-1 band, the router broadcasts the SSID so that WiFi stations can detect the WiFi name (SSID) in their scanned network lists. To turn off an SSID broadcast, clear the appropriate Enable SSID Broadcast check box.
  • Page 73 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P (Continued) Field Description Security Options This information applies to the 5 GHz-1 WiFi network. If you change the WiFi security, select one of the following WiFi security options for the router’s WiFi network: •...
  • Page 74 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P (Continued) Field Description Channel From the Channel menu, select an individual channel for a 5 GHz-2 SSID. The default channel depends on your selection from the Region menu. Note 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).
  • Page 75 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P (Continued) Field Description Security Options This information applies to the 5 GHz-2 WiFi network. If you change the WiFi security, select one of the following WiFi security options for the router’s WiFi network: •...

  • Page 76: Configure Wep Legacy Wifi Security

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Configure WEP Legacy WiFi Security Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security is a legacy authentication and data encryption mode that is superseded by WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK. WEP limits the WiFi transmission speed to 54 Mbps (the router is capable of higher speeds in the 2.4 GHz band).

  • Page 77: Configure Wpa And Wpa2 Enterprise Wifi Security

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Enter a value for the key: • For 64-bit WEP, enter 10 hexadecimal digits (any combination of 0–9, A–F). The key values are not case-sensitive. • For 128-bit WEP, enter 26 hexadecimal digits (any combination of 0–9, A–F). The key values are not case-sensitive.
  • Page 78 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Note If you are configuring a guest network, select Guest Network instead. The Guest Network Settings page displays. In the Security Options WPA/WPA2 Enterprise section below either the Wireless Network (2.4GHz b/g/n) section or the Wireless Network (5GHz a/n/ac) section, select the WPA/WPA2 Enterprise radio button.

  • Page 79: Use Wps To Add A Device To The Wifi Network

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Use WPS to Add a Device to the WiFi Network WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) lets you connect a computer or mobile device to the router’s network without entering the WiFi network passphrase or key. Instead, you use a WPS button or enter a PIN to connect.

  • Page 80: Use Wps With The Pin Method

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P After the router establishes a WPS connection, the WiFi LED lights solid white and the Add WPS Client page displays a confirmation message. To verify that the WiFi device is connected to the router’s main WiFi network, select BASIC > Attached Devices.

  • Page 81: Manage The Basic Wifi Settings And Wifi Security Of The Guest Network

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Manage the Basic WiFi Settings and WiFi Security of the Guest Network A guest network allows visitors to use the Internet without using your WiFi security password or with a different WiFi password. By default, the guest WiFi network is disabled. You can enable and configure the guest WiFi network for each WiFi band.
  • Page 82 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P (Continued) Field Description Allow guests to see each By default, WiFi clients that are connected to the 2.4 GHz WiFi band of the guest WiFi other and access my network cannot access WiFi devices or Ethernet devices that are connected to the main local network WiFi network.
  • Page 83 The guest wireless network name or the SSID is the 5 GHz WiFi band name. If you did Name (SSID) not change the SSID, the default SSID displays, which is NETGEAR-5G-Guest for 5GHz-1 wireless network and NETGEAR-5G-2-Guest for 5GHz-2 wireless network .

  • Page 84: Control The Wifi Radios

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Control the WiFi Radios The router provides internal WiFi radios that 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 85 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz-1 and 5 GHz-2 LEDs, the LED on the WiFi On/Off button, and the LED on the WPS button turn off. • Turn on the radios. Select the Enable Wireless Router Radio check box.
  • Page 86 Change a Network Folder, Including Read and Write Access, on a USB Drive on page 97 • Approve USB Devices on page 97 • Safely Remove a USB Device on page 98 For more information about ReadySHARE features, visit netgear.com/readyshare.

  • Page 87: Usb Device Requirements

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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 device.

  • Page 88: Access A Storage Device Connected To The Router

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P To connect a USB device: Insert your USB storage drive into the USB port on 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.

  • Page 89: Map A Usb Device To A Windows Network Drive

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Click the Connect button. When prompted, select the Guest radio button. 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.

  • Page 90: Back Up Windows-Based Computers With Readyshare Vault

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Back Up Windows-Based Computers With ReadySHARE Vault Your router comes with free backup software for all Windows-based computers in your home. Connect a USB hard disk drive (HDD) to the router for centralized, continuous, and automatic backup.

  • Page 91: Prepare To Back Up A Large Amount Of Data

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P On your Mac, open Spotlight (or click the magnifying glass at the top right of the page) and search for Disk Utility. Open the Disk Utility, select your USB storage device, click the Erase tab, and click the Erase button.

  • Page 92: Use Time Machine To Back Up Onto A Storage Device

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Your settings are saved. Use Time Machine to Back Up Onto a Storage Device You can use Time Machine to back up your Mac computers onto a USB hard disk drive (HDD) that is connected to the router’s USB ports.

  • Page 93: Manage Access To A Storage Device

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Manage Access to a Storage Device You can specify the device name, workgroups, and network folders for a storage device connected to the USB port on the router. To specify the storage device access settings: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 94: Enable Ftp Access Within Your Network

    Through the Internet on page 60), you can also type a URL domain name. For example, if your domain name is MyName and you use the NETGEAR DDNS server, you can type ftp://MyName.mynetgear.com to access the USB device over the Internet and download or upload files.

  • Page 95: View Network Folders On A Device

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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 > USB Functions > ReadySHARE Storage > ReadySHARE. The ReadySHARE page displays.

  • Page 96: Add A Network Folder On A Storage Device

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Add a Network Folder on a Storage Device You can add network folders on a storage device connected to the USB port on the router. To add a network folder: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 97: Change A Network Folder, Including Read And Write Access, On A Usb Drive

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Change a Network Folder, Including Read and Write Access, on a USB Drive You can change network folders on a storage device that is connected to the USB port on the router.

  • Page 98: Safely Remove A Usb Device

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P The BASIC Home page displays. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > USB Settings. The USB Settings page displays. Select the No radio button. By default the Yes radio button is selected. This setting lets you connect and access all your USB devices.
  • Page 99 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Click the Safely Remove USB Device button. The device goes offline and a pop-up window opens. Click the OK button. Physically disconnect the USB device. Share a Storage Device Attached to the Router...

  • Page 100: Chapter 9 Use The Router As A Media Server

    Use the Router as a Media Server You can set up the router to work as a ReadyDLNA media server. You can also set up the router to play music from iTunes Server. This chapter contains the following sections: • Specify ReadyDLNA Media Server Settings on page 101 •...

  • Page 101: Specify Readydlna Media Server Settings

    Specify ReadyDLNA Media Server Settings The router can function 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 mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 102: Play Music From A Storage Device With Itunes Server

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Play Music From a Storage Device With iTunes Server iTunes Server lets you play music with your Windows or Mac iTunes app from a storage device that is connected to the router. You can also use the Apple Remote app from an iPhone or iPad to play music on any AirPlay devices, such as Apple TV or AirPlay-supported receivers.
  • Page 103 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P The Media Server page displays. Select the Enable iTunes Server (Music Only) check box. If the Enter Passcode displayed on the Remote App field is masked, click the Apply button. Enter the passcode.

  • Page 104: Share A Usb Printer

    Use the Shared Printer on page 106 • View or Change the Status of a Printer on page 107 • Use the Scan Feature of a Multifunction USB Printer on page 108 • Manage the NETGEAR USB Control Center Settings on page 108...

  • Page 105: Install The Printer Driver And Cable The Printer

    Select a language from the menu and click the OK button. The main page displays. Some firewall software, such as Comodo, blocks NETGEAR USB Control Center from accessing the USB printer. If you do not see the USB printer displayed onscreen, you can disable the firewall temporarily to allow the utility to work.

  • Page 106: Use The Shared Printer

    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 status. View or Change the Status of a Printer on page 107.

  • Page 107: View Or Change The Status Of A Printer

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P View or Change the Status of a Printer To view or change the status: Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon The Status column shows the status for each device: • Available. No print jobs are in progress. You can use the USB printer from any computer in the network.

  • Page 108: Use The Scan Feature Of A Multifunction Usb Printer

    The scanner page displays so that you can use the USB printer for scanning. Manage the 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 109: Change The Netgear Usb Control Center Language

    The Control Center - Configuration page displays. From the Language menu, select a language. Click the OK button. The next time the NETGEAR USB Control Center starts, the language changes. Specify the USB Control Center Time-Out To specify the time-out: Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon The main page displays.
  • Page 110 Manage the Advanced WiFi Features This chapter describes how to manage the advanced WiFi features of the router. For information about the basic WiFi settings, see Manage the Basic WiFi Network Settings on page 68. The chapter includes the following sections: •...

  • Page 111: Set Up A Wifi Schedule

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Set Up a WiFi Schedule You can use this feature to turn off the WiFi signal from your router at times when you do not need a WiFi connection. For example, you might turn it off for the weekend if you leave town. You can set up a separate WiFi schedule for each WiFi band.
  • Page 112 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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.

  • Page 113: Manage Advanced Wifi Settings

    2347), and the preamble mode (the default is Long Preamble) are reserved for WiFi testing and advanced configuration only. CTS/RTS Threshold (1-2347) Do not change these settings unless directed by NETGEAR support or unless you are sure what the consequences are. Incorrect settings might disable the WiFi Preamble Mode function of the router unexpectedly.

  • Page 114: Manage Airtime Fairness

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P beamforming are enabled by default, but you can disable them. MU-MIMO is disabled by default, but you can enable it. Manage Airtime Fairness Airtime fairness ensures that all clients receive equal time on the network. Network resources are divided by time, so if five clients are connected, they each get one-fifth of the network time.

  • Page 115: Manage Mu-Mimo

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Settings. The Wireless Settings page displays. Scroll to the bottom of the page and clear the Enable Implicit BEAMFORMING check box. Click the Apply button.
  • Page 116 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P To change the router to access point mode only: Use an Ethernet cable to connect the yellow Internet port on the rear panel of the router to a LAN port on the other router.
  • Page 117 Manage the WAN and LAN Network Settings This chapter describes how to manage the WAN and LAN network settings of the router. The chapter includes the following sections: • Manage the WAN Security Settings on page 118 • Set Up a Default DMZ Server on page 119 •...

  • Page 118: Manage The Wan Security Settings

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Manage the WAN Security Settings The WAN security settings include port scan protection and denial of service (DoS) protection, which can protect your LAN against attacks such as Syn flood, Smurf Attack, Ping of Death, and many others. By default, DoS protection is enabled and a port scan is rejected.

  • Page 119: Set Up A Default Dmz Server

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Set Up a Default DMZ Server The default DMZ server feature is helpful when you are using some online games and videoconferencing applications that are incompatible with Network Address Translation (NAT). The router is programmed to recognize some of these applications and to work correctly with them, but other applications might not function well.

  • Page 120: View Ethernet Port Aggregation Status

    2 Gbps with port aggregation. The maximum speed for port 4 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 121: Manage Igmp Proxying

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Manage IGMP Proxying IGMP proxying allows a computer on the local area network (LAN) to receive the multicast traffic it is interested in from the Internet. If you do not need this feature, leave it disabled, which is the default setting.

  • Page 122: Manage The Sip Application-Level Gateway

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P • Secured. Provides a secured firewall to protect the computers on the LAN from attacks from the Internet but might prevent some Internet games, point-to-point applications, or multimedia applications from functioning. By default, the Secured radio button is selected.

  • Page 123: Manage The Router Information Protocol Settings

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P To change the LAN IP address settings: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. Enter the router user name and password.

  • Page 124: Manage The Dhcp Server Address Pool

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P • In Only. The router incorporates the RIP information that it receives but does not broadcast its routing table. From the RIP Version menu, select the RIP version: • Disabled. RIP version is disabled. This is the default setting.

  • Page 125: Manage Reserved Lan Ip Addresses

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P This IP address must be in the same subnet as the router. By default, the starting IP address is 192.168.1.2. • In the Ending IP Address field, enter the number at the end of the range of IP addresses.

  • Page 126: Change A Reserved Ip Address

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P The reserved address is not assigned until the next time the computer or device contacts the router’s DHCP server. Reboot the computer or device, or access its IP configuration and force a DHCP release and renew.

  • Page 127: Disable The Built-In Dhcp Server

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P In the Address Reservation section, select the radio button for the reserved address. Click the Delete button. The address entry is removed. Disable the Built-In DHCP Server By default, the router functions as a DHCP server. The router assigns IP, DNS server, and default gateway addresses to all devices connected to the LAN.

  • Page 128: Set Up And Manage Custom Static Routes

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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 > Setup > LAN Setup.

  • Page 129: Set Up A Static Route

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Set Up a Static Route You can add a static route to a destination IP address and specify the subnet mask, gateway IP address, and metric. To set up a static route: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 130: Change A Static Route

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Change a Static Route You can change an existing static route. To change a static route: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 131: Set Up A Bridge For A Port Group Or Vlan Tag Group

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P The route is removed from the table on the Static Routes page. Set Up a Bridge for a Port Group or VLAN Tag Group Some devices, such as an IPTV, cannot function behind the router’s Network Address Translation (NAT) service or firewall.

  • Page 132: Set Up A Bridge For A Vlan Tag Group

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Note You must select at least one Wired Devices or Wireless check box. You can select more than one check box. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 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,...
  • Page 133 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P (Continued) Field Description 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 that the device is connected to.
  • Page 134 Manage the Router and Monitor the Traffic This chapter describes how to manage the settings for administering and maintaining your router and monitor the network. The chapter includes the following sections: • Update the Firmware of the Router on page 135 •...

  • Page 135: Update The Firmware Of The Router

    The router firmware is stored in flash memory. You can check to see if new firmware is available and update the router to the new firmware. You can also visit the NETGEAR support website, download the firmware manually, and update the router to the new firmware.

  • Page 136: Manually Upload New Firmware And Update The Router

    Downloading firmware and updating the router are two separate tasks that are combined in the following procedure. To download new firmware manually and update your router: Visit downloadcenter.netgear.com, locate the support page for your product, and download the new firmware. Read the new firmware release notes to determine whether you must reconfigure the router after updating.

  • Page 137: Change The Admin Password

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P A progress bar might show the progress of the firmware upload process. The firmware upload process takes several minutes. When the upload is complete, your router restarts. Verify that the router is running the new firmware version: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 138: Set Up Password Recovery

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Set Up Password Recovery We recommend that you enable password recovery if you change the password for the router user name admin. Then you can recover the password if it is forgotten. This recovery process is supported in the Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome browsers but not in the Safari browser.

  • Page 139: Manage The Configuration File Of The Router

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Click the Login again button. A login window opens. With your recovered password, log in to the router. Manage the Configuration File of the Router The configuration settings of the router are stored within the router in a configuration file. You can back up (save) this file to your computer or restore it.

  • Page 140: Disable Led Blinking Or Turn Off Leds

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P The BASIC Home page displays. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Backup Settings. The Backup Settings page displays. Click the Browse button and navigate to and select the saved configuration file. The name of the backup file from which you can restore the configuration is NETGEAR_R7900P.cfg...

  • Page 141: Return The Router To Its Factory Default Settings

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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.

  • Page 142: Erase The Settings

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P WARNING: To avoid the risk of corrupting the firmware, do not interrupt the reset. For example, if you are connected to the router web interface, do not close the browser, click a link, or load a new page. Do not turn off the router. Wait until the router finishes restarting and the Power LED turns solid white.

  • Page 143: View The Status And Statistics Of The Router

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P View the Status and Statistics of the Router You can view information about the router and its ports and the status of the Internet connection and WiFi network. In addition, you can view traffic statistics for the various ports.

  • Page 144: Check The Internet Connection Status

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Click the ADVANCED tab. The ADVANCED Home page displays. In the Internet Port pane, click the Show Statistics button. The following information displays: • System Up Time. The time elapsed since the router was last restarted.

  • Page 145: Manage The Activity Log

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Note Different type of information displays depending on the connection type. If the ISP assigned an IP address to the router dynamically (the most common situation), the following information displays: • IP Address. The IP address that is assigned to the router.

  • Page 146: Specify Which Activities Are Logged

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P • Action. The action that occurred, such as whether Internet access was blocked or allowed. • Source. The name, IP address, or MAC address of the target device, application, or website for this log entry.

  • Page 147: View Devices Currently On The Network

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P View Devices Currently on the Network You can view the active wired and WiFi devices in both the network to which the router is connected and the router network. If you do not recognize a WiFi device, it might be an intruder.

  • Page 148: Monitor And Meter Internet Traffic

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Monitor and Meter Internet Traffic Traffic metering allows you to monitor the volume of Internet traffic that passes through the router Internet port. With the traffic meter utility, you can set limits for traffic volume, set a monthly limit, and get a live update of traffic usage.

  • Page 149: Restrict Internet Traffic By Volume

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Restrict Internet Traffic by Volume You can record and restrict the traffic by volume in MB. This is useful when your ISP measures your traffic by volume. To record and restrict the Internet traffic by volume: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 150: Restrict Internet Traffic By Connection Time

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Restrict Internet Traffic by Connection Time You can record and restrict the traffic by connection time. This is useful when your ISP measures your connection time. To record and restrict the Internet traffic by connection time: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 151: View The Internet Traffic Volume And Statistics

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P View the Internet Traffic Volume and Statistics If you enabled the traffic meter (see Monitor Traffic Meter Without Configuring Traffic Volume Restrictions on page 148), you can view the Internet traffic volume and statistics.

  • Page 152: Manage The Router Remotely

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P 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 > Traffic Meter. The Traffic Meter page displays.

  • Page 153: Remotely Access Your Router Using The Genie App

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P • To allow access from a single IP address on the Internet, select the Only This Computer radio button. Enter the IP address to be allowed access. • To allow access from a range of IP addresses on the Internet, select the IP Address Range radio button.
  • Page 154 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 155 •...

  • Page 155: Set Up A Vpn Connection

    VPN uses DDNS or a static IP address to connect with your router. 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.

  • Page 156: Install Openvpn Software On A Windows-Based Computer

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VPN Service. The VPN page displays. Select the Enable VPN Service check box. By default, VPN uses the UDP service type and uses port 12974. If you want to customize the service type and port, we recommend that you change these settings before you install the OpenVPN software.
  • 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: Install Openvpn Software On A Mac Computer

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Install OpenVPN Software on a Mac Computer You must install Open VPN software on each computer that you plan to use for VPN connections to your router. To install VPN client software on a Mac computer: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 159: Install Openvpn Software On An Android Device

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VPN Service. The VPN Service page displays. Make sure that the Enable VPN Service check box is selected. Specify any VPN service settings on the page.

  • Page 160: Use A Vpn Tunnel On A Windows-Based Computer

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P For more information about using OpenVPN on your Android device, visit vpngate.net/en/howto_openvpn.aspx#android. Use a VPN Tunnel on a Windows-Based Computer 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.

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

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P To access the USB device, click the ReadySHARE icon. To access media on the router’s network, click the icon. Use VPN to Access Your Internet Service at Home When you are away from home and you access the Internet, you usually use a local Internet service provider.

  • Page 162: Block Vpn Client Internet Access In The Router

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Your settings are saved. Block VPN Client Internet Access in the Router By default, the router is set up to allow VPN connections only to your home network, not to the Internet service for your home network.

  • Page 163: Chapter 15 Manage Port Forwarding And Port Triggering

    Manage Port Forwarding and Port Triggering You can use port forwarding and port triggering to set up rules for Internet traffic for services and applications. You need networking knowledge to set up these features. This chapter includes the following sections: •...

  • Page 164: Manage Port Forwarding To A Local Server For Services And Applications

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Manage Port Forwarding to a Local Server for Services and Applications If a server is part of your network, 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.

  • Page 165: Add A Port Forwarding Rule With A Custom Service Or Application

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Add a Port Forwarding Rule With a Custom Service or Application 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.

  • Page 166: Change A Port Forwarding Rule

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P (Continued) Field Description Internal Starting Port Enter the inbound connection information. and Internal Ending Port • If the service or application uses a single port, enter the port number in the field.

  • Page 167: Remove A Port Forwarding Rule

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Remove a Port Forwarding Rule You can remove a port forwarding rule that you no longer need. To remove a port forwarding rule: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile that is connected to the network.

  • Page 168: How The Router Implements The Port Forwarding Rule

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P How the Router Implements the Port Forwarding Rule The following sequence shows the effects of a port forwarding rule: When you enter the URL www.example.com in your browser, the browser sends a web page request message with the following destination information: •...

  • Page 169: Add A Port Triggering Rule

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Add a Port Triggering Rule The router does not provide default services and applications for port triggering rules. You must define a custom service or application for each port triggering rule. To add a port triggering rule: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

  • Page 170: Change A Port Triggering Rule

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P (Continued) Field Description Starting Port Enter the start port number for the inbound connection. Ending Port Enter the end port number for the inbound connection. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved and the rule is added to the Port Triggering Portmap Table on the Port Forwarding / Port Triggering page.

  • Page 171: Remove A Port Triggering Rule

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Remove a Port Triggering Rule You can remove a port triggering rule that you no longer need. To remove a port triggering rule: Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile that is connected to the network.

  • Page 172: Disable Port Triggering

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P The default setting is 20 minutes. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Disable Port Triggering By default, port triggering is enabled. You can disable port triggering temporarily without removing any port triggering rules.
  • Page 173 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P You open an IRC client program to start a chat session on your computer. 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.

  • Page 174: 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 netgear.com/support for product and contact information. The chapter contains the following sections: •...

  • Page 175: Reboot The Router From Its Web Interface

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Reboot the Router From Its Web Interface You or NETGEAR technical support can reboot the router from its web interface, either locally or remotely, for example, when the router seems to be unstable or is not operating normally.

  • Page 176: Wifi Settings

    Make sure that the power adapter is securely connected to your router and securely connected to a working power outlet. • Make sure that you are using the power adapter that NETGEAR supplied for this product. • If the Power LED blinks slowly and continuously, the router firmware might be corrupted. This can happen if a firmware upgrade is interrupted, or if the router detects a problem with the firmware.

  • Page 177: Power Led Stays Amber

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Power LED Stays Amber When the router is turned on, the Power LED turns amber for up to two minutes and then turns white. If the LED does not turn white, this indicates a problem with the router.

  • Page 178: You Cannot Access The Internet

    If you are attempting to set up your router as a replacement for an ADSL gateway in your network, the router cannot perform many gateway services. For example, the router cannot convert DSL or cable data into Ethernet networking information. NETGEAR does not support such a configuration. You Cannot Access the Internet If you can access your router but not the Internet, check to see if the router can obtain an IP address from your Internet service provider (ISP).

  • Page 179: Troubleshoot Pppoe

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P If your router cannot obtain an IP address from the ISP, you might need to force your modem to recognize your new router by restarting your network. For more information, see Sequence to Restart Your Network on page 175.

  • Page 180: Troubleshoot Internet Browsing

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. Click the ADVANCED tab. The ADVANCED Home page displays. In the Internet Port pane, click the Connection Status button.

  • Page 181: Changes Are Not Saved

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Changes Are Not Saved If the router does not save the changes that you make in the router web interface, do the following: • When entering configuration settings, always click the Apply button before moving to another page or tab, or your changes are lost.

  • Page 182: Test The Path From Your Computer To A Remote Device

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P ping www.routerlogin.net Click the OK button. You see a message like this one: Pinging <IP address > with 32 bytes of data If the path is working, you see this message: Reply from < IP address >: bytes=32 time=NN ms TTL=xxx...
  • Page 183 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P • If your ISP assigned a host name to your computer, enter that host name as the account name on the Internet Setup page. • Your ISP might be rejecting the Ethernet MAC addresses of all but one of your computers.

  • Page 184: Chapter 17 Supplemental Information

    Supplemental Information This appendix includes technical information about your router. The appendix covers the following topics: • Factory Settings on page 185 • Technical Specifications on page 188...

  • Page 185: Factory Settings

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Factory Settings You can reset the router to the factory default settings that are shown in the following table. For more information about resetting the router to its factory settings, see Return the Router to Its Factory Default Settings on page 141.
  • Page 186 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Table 4. Router factory default settings (Continued) Feature Default Settings Outbound (communications Enabled (all) going out to the Internet) Source MAC filtering Disabled Port scan and DoS protection Enabled Respond to ping on Internet...
  • Page 187 Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Table 4. Router factory default settings (Continued) Feature Default Settings Allow guests to access main Disabled network General WiFi settings Radio transmission power 100%, nonconfigurable 20/40 MHz coexistence Enabled Fragmentation length 2346...

  • Page 188: Technical Specifications

    Nighthawk X6S AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7900P Technical Specifications Table 5. Router specifications Feature Description Data and routing protocols TCP/IP, RIP-1, RIP-2, DHCP, PPPoE, PPTP, Bigpond, Dynamic DNS, UPnP, and SMB Power adapter • North America: 120V, 60 Hz, input •...
  • Page 189 † NETGEAR makes no express orimplied representations or warranties about this product’s compatibility with any future standards. 802.11ac 1300 Mbps is approximately 3x faster than 802.11n 450 Mbps. Up to 1300 Mbps wireless speeds achieved when connecting to other 802.11ac 1300 Mbps devices.

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