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User Manual Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 NETGEAR, Inc. July 2019 350 E. Plumeria Drive 202-12001-01 San Jose, CA 95134, USA...
Contents Chapter 1 Hardware Overview of the Router Unpack Your Router................10 Attach the Antennas................11 LEDs and Buttons on the Top Panel..........12 Rear Panel....................13 USB Port on the Front Panel..............14 Router Label..................14 Position the Router................15 Cable Your Router................16 Chapter 2 Connect to the Router’s Network and Automatically Set Up the Internet Connection Connect to the network..............18 Connect to the network using a wired connection....18...
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Manage the MTU size.................38 MTU concepts.................38 Change the MTU size..............40 Chapter 4 Control Access to the Internet Enable access control to allow or block access to the Internet..42 Use keywords to block Internet sites..........43 Block services from the Internet............45 Delete keywords from the blocked list..........46 Prevent blocking on a trusted computer.........46...
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Delete a static route...............79 Chapter 6 Optimize Performance Optimize Internet Streaming With QoS...........81 Turn On Internet Access QoS............81 Add a QoS Rule by Device............82 Add a QoS Rule by Service............83 Edit a QoS Rule................83 Delete a QoS Rule................84 Delete All QoS Rules..............85 Manage Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service........85...
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Change the NTP Server..............131 Chapter 11 Share a USB Printer Install the printer driver and cable the printer......134 Download the ReadySHARE printer utility........134 Install the ReadySHARE printer utility..........134 Print using the NETGEAR USB Control Center......135 View or Change the Status of a Printer..........136...
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Use the Scan Feature of a Multifunction USB Printer....137 Change NETGEAR USB Control Center Settings......137 Turn Off Automatic Startup for NETGEAR USB Control Center.137 Change the Language for the NETGEAR USB Control Center.138 Specify the USB Control Center Time-Out.......138 Chapter 12 Manage Port Forwarding and Port Triggering Manage Port Forwarding to a Local Server........140...
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...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Unpack Your Router The box contains the following items. Figure 1. Package contents Table 1. Legend Router Antennas (3) Ethernet cable Power adapter In some regions, a CD is included in the package. Hardware Overview of the User Manual Router...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Attach the Antennas The router comes with three antennas. To attach the antennas: 1. Remove the antenna caps from the antenna posts on the back panel of the router. 2. Align the antennas with the antenna posts. 3.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 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 LED and Button Description Power Solid amber. The router is starting. Blinking amber.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Rear Panel The back panel of the router provides ports, buttons, antenna connectors, and a DC power connector. For information about attaching the antennas, see Attach the Antennas on page 11. Figure 2. Router back panel In addition to the three antenna connectors, viewed from left to right, the back panel contains the following components: •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 USB Port on the Front Panel A USB 3.0 port is located on the front of the router. Figure 3. USB 3.0 port Router Label The router label on the bottom panel of the router lists the login information, WiFi network name (SSID) and password (network key), serial number, and MAC address of the router.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 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. For example, the thickness and number of walls the WiFi signal passes through can limit the range.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 If you are using adjacent access points, use different radio frequency channels to reduce interference. Cable Your Router The following image shows how to cable your router. To finish the installation, download and launch the Nighthawk app on your mobile device. For more information, see Install and manage your router with the Nighthawk app on page 19.
Connect to the Router’s Network and Automatically Set Up the Internet Connection You can connect to the router’s WiFi networks or use a wired Ethernet connection. This chapter explains the ways you can connect, how to access the router and log in, and how to automatically set up the Internet connection.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 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).
WiFi network name (SSID) and password for WiFi access. This information is on the router label. • NETGEAR account login. The free NETGEAR account that you need to register your router and manage your subscriptions. If you do not own a NETGEAR account, you can create one.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 If the label includes a QR code, you can scan the QR code to join the router’s WiFi network. 3. Launch the Nighthawk app on your mobile device. 4. Follow the prompts on the app to install your router and connect to the Internet. Log In to the Router When you first connect to your router and launch a web browser, the browser automatically displays the router web interface.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. In the upper right corner, select a language from the menu. 5.
Specify Your Internet Settings Usually, the quickest way to set up the router to use your Internet connection is to allow your router to detect the Internet connection automatically when you first access the router web interface. You can also customize and manually specify your Internet settings. This chapter contains the following sections: •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Use the Internet Setup Wizard You can use the Setup Wizard to detect your Internet settings and automatically set up your router. The Setup Wizard is not the same as the pages that display the first time you connect to your router to set it up.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 12. 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 on page 152. Specify an Internet connection that uses a login To view or change the basic Internet setup: 1.
15. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 16. Click the Test button to test your Internet connection. If the NETGEAR website does not display within one minute, see You cannot access the Internet on page 152. Specify IPv6 Internet connections You can set up an IPv6 Internet connection if the router does not detect it automatically.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6. The IPv6 page displays. 5. From the Internet Connection Type menu, select the IPv6 connection type: • If you are not sure, select Auto Detect so that the router detects the IPv6 type that is in use.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The router automatically detects the information in the following fields: • Router’s IPv6 Address on WAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired for the router’s WAN (or Internet) interface. The number after the slash (/) is the length of the prefix, which is also indicated by the underline (_) under the IPv6 address.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Use Auto Detect for an IPv6 Internet Connection To set up an IPv6 Internet connection through autodetection: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 If you do not specify an ID here, the router generates one automatically from its MAC address. 8. Select an IPv6 Filtering radio button: • Secured. In secured mode, which is the default mode, the router inspects both TCP and UDP packets.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 • Auto. Your router uses any remote relay router that is available on the Internet. This is the default setting. • Static IP Address. Enter the static IPv4 address of the remote relay router. Your IPv6 ISP usually provides this address.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 With a 6rd tunnel configuration, the router follows the RFC5969 standard, supporting two ways to establish a 6rd tunnel IPv6 WAN connection: • Auto Detect mode. In IPv6 Auto Detect mode, when the router receives option 212 from the DHCPv4 option, autodetect selects the IPv6 as 6rd tunnel setting.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 7. Select an IP Address Assignment radio button: • Use DHCP Server. This method passes more information to LAN devices but some IPv6 systems might not support the DHCPv6 client function. • Auto Config. This is the default setting. This setting specifies how the router assigns IPv6 addresses to the devices on your home network (the LAN).
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 5. From the Internet Connection Type menu, select Pass Through. The page adjusts, but no additional fields display. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Set up an IPv6 fixed Internet connection To set up a fixed IPv6 Internet connection: 1.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 • 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).
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The router automatically detects the information in the following fields: • Router’s IPv6 Address on WAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired for the router’s WAN (or Internet) interface. The number after the slash (/) is the length of the prefix, which is also indicated by the underline (_) under the IPv6 address.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Set Up an IPv6 PPPoE Internet Connection To set up a PPPoE IPv6 Internet connection: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Note: The default setting of the Connection Mode menu is Always On to provide a steady IPv6 connection. The router never terminates the connection. If the connection is terminated, for example, when the modem is turned off, the router attempts to reestablish the connection immediately after the PPPoE connection becomes available again.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 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: •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Table 3. Common MTU sizes (Continued) Application 1458 Used in PPPoA environments. 1436 Used in PPTP environments or with VPN. Change the MTU size To change the MTU size: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
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: • Enable access control to allow or block access to the Internet •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Enable access control to allow or block access to the Internet You can use access control to block or allow access to the Internet through your router. To set up access control: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The list displays. 8. To allow the WiFi-enabled computer or mobile device you’re currently using to continue to access the Internet, select the check box next to your computer or device, and click the Allow button. 9.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 • Specify .com if you want to allow only sites with domain suffixes such as .edu or .gov. • Enter a period (.) to block all Internet browsing access. 7. Click the Add Keyword button. The keyword is added to the keyword list.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Block services from the Internet You can block Internet services on your network based on the type of service. You can block the services all the time or based on a schedule. To block services: 1.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 • Only This IP Address. Block services for a single computer. • IP Address Range. Block services for a range of computers with consecutive IP addresses on your network. • All lP Addresses. Block services for all computers on your network. 10.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 To specify a trusted computer: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 5. Select the Turn on Access Control radio button. 6. Click the View list of allowed devices not currently connected to the network link. The list displays. 7. Select the check box for a device. 8.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 7. If you live in a region that observes daylight saving time, select the Automatically adjust for daylight savings time check box. 8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Set up security event email notifications The router can email you its logs of router activity.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 9. If your outgoing email server requires authentication, select the My Mail Server requires authentication check box, and do the following: a. In the User Name field, type the user name for the outgoing email server. b.
Manage 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: •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 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.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 • Disable 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, you can select this check box to disable it. •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The WAN Setup page displays. 5. Select the Default DMZ Server check box. 6. Type the IP address. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Change the Router’s Device Name The router’s default device name is based on its model number. This device name displays in the file manager when you browse your network.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 These addresses are part of the designated private address range for use in private networks and are suitable for most applications. If your network requires a different IP addressing scheme, you can change these settings. You might want to change these settings if you need a specific IP subnet that one or more devices on the network use, or if you use competing subnets with the same IP scheme.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 • RIP-2. This format carries more information. Both RIP-2B and RIP-2M send the routing data in RIP-2 format. RIP-2B uses subnet broadcasting. RIP-2M uses multicasting. 8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. If you changed the LAN IP address of the router, you are disconnected when this change takes effect.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 6. Specify the range of IP addresses that the router assigns: a. In the Starting IP Address field, type the lowest number in the range. This IP address must be in the same subnet as the router. b.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The LAN Setup page displays. 5. Clear the Use Router as DHCP Server check box. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. 7. (Optional) If this service is disabled and no other DHCP server is on your network, set your computer IP addresses manually so that the computers can access the router.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 8. Click the Apply button. The reserved address is entered into the table. The reserved address is not assigned until the next time the computer contacts the router’s DHCP server. Reboot the computer, or access its IP configuration and force a DHCP release and renew.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup. The LAN Setup page displays.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The WPS process automatically sets up yourr WPS-enabled device with the network password when it connects. The router WPS page displays a confirmation message. Specify Basic WiFi Settings The router comes with preset security. This means that the WiFi network name (SSID), network key (password), and security option (encryption protocol) are preset in the factory.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 7. To change the network name (SSID), type a new name in the Name (SSID) field. The name can be up to 32 characters long and it is case-sensitive. The default SSID is randomly generated and is on the router label. If you change the name, make sure to write down the new name and keep it in a safe place.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select Wireless. The Wireless Settings page displays.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Change the WiFi Password or the WiFi Security The WiFi password is different from the admin password that you use to log in to the router. Your router comes with preset WPA2 or WPA security. We recommend that you use the preset security, but you can change the settings.
The router provides two default guest networks with the following names (SSIDs): • 2.4 GHz guest WiFi network SSID. NETGEAR_Guest • 5 GHz guest WiFi network SSID. NETGEAR-5G_Guest By default, these networks are configured as open networks without security but are disabled.
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• Guest Wireless Network Name (SSID). The SSID is the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz guest WiFi network name. The default 2.4 GHz SSID is NETGEAR_Guest. The default 5 GHz SSID NETGEAR-5G_Guest. To change the SSID, enter a 32-character (maximum), case-sensitive name in this field.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Password (Network Key) field, enter a phrase of 8 to 63 characters. To join the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz guest WiFi network, a user must enter this password. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Enable or disable the WiFi radios If you used the WiFi On/Off button to turn off the WiFi radios, you can’t log in to the router to turn them back on. You must press the WiFi On/Off button again for two seconds to turn the WiFi radios back on.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Settings. The Wireless Settings page displays.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 5. (Optional) Select or clear the Enable Router’s PIN check box. The PIN function might temporarily be disabled when the router detects suspicious attempts to break into the router’s WiFi settings by using the router’s PIN through WPS.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 7. Select an IP address setting: • Get dynamically from existing router. The other router on the network assigns an IP address to this router while it is in AP mode. • Use fixed IP settings on this device (not recommended). Use this setting if you want to manually assign a specific IP address to this router while it is in AP mode.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 To set up the router in bridge mode: 1. Make a note of the WiFi settings of the other router to which this router will connect. You must know the SSID, WiFi security mode, wireless password, and operating frequency (either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 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. Based on what your Internet service provider (ISP) requires, for the device to connect to the ISP’s network directly, you can enable the bridge between the device and the router’s Internet port or add new VLAN tag groups to the bridge.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 7. Select a Wired Ports check box or a Wireless check box: • If your device is connected to an Ethernet port on the router, select the Wired Ports check box that corresponds to the Ethernet port on the router to which the device is connected.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The page expands. 6. Select the By VLAN tag group radio button. The page expands. 7. Click the Add button. The Add VLAN Rule page displays. 8. Specify the following settings for the VLAN tag group: •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 To configure an IPTV port: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 • Your home network includes an ISDN router for connecting to the company where you are employed. This router’s address on your LAN is 192.168.1.100. • Your company’s network address is 134.177.0.0. When you set up your router, two implicit static routes were created. A default route was created with your ISP as the gateway, and a second static route was created to your local network for all 192.168.1.x addresses.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 6. In the Route Name field, type a name for this static route (for identification purposes only). 7. To limit access to the LAN only, select the Private check box. If the Private check box is selected, the static route is not reported in RIP. 8.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The Static Routes page displays. 5. In the table, select the radio button for the route. 6. Click the Edit button. The Static Routes page adjusts. 7. Edit the route information. 8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.
Optimize Performance You can set up the router to optimize performance for applications such as multiplayer gaming, peer-to-peer connections, or real-time communications such as instant messaging. By default, the router uses Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service (WMM QoS). This chapter contains the following sections: •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Optimize Internet Streaming With QoS You can use Quality of Service (QoS) to assign high priority to Internet streaming, applications, and services. We recommend that you enable this feature only if you use streaming Internet. When QoS assigns a high priority to streaming video, it also assigns lower priority to the rest of your Internet traffic.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. A link displays on the bottom of the page to view bandwidth utilization. Clicking the link displays the Attached Devices page. For more information, see View devices currently on the network on page 97.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Add a QoS Rule by Service To enable Dynamic QoS: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Delete All QoS Rules To delete all QoS rules: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > QoS Setup. The WMM tab is automatically selected and the WMM page displays. 5. Clear the Enable WMM (Wi-Fi multimedia) settings (2.4GHz b/g/n) check box. 6.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 6. Type the advertisement period in minutes. The advertisement period specifies how often the router broadcasts its UPnP information. This value can range from 1 to 1440 minutes. The default period is 30 minutes.
Manage Your Router 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 • Change the admin password • Enable admin password recovery • Recover the admin password •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Update the router firmware You can log in to the router and check if new firmware is available, or you can manually load a specific firmware version to your router. Check for new firmware and update the router The router firmware (routing software) is stored in flash memory.
To manually upload a firmware file to your router: 1. Download the firmware for your router from the NETGEAR Download Center, save it to your desktop, and unzip the file if needed. Note: The correct firmware file uses an .img or .chk extension.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Change the admin password The admin password is the one you specified the first time you logged in. You can change this password. Note: The ideal password contains no dictionary words from any language and contains uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 A login window opens. 9. With your recovered password, log in to the router. View information about the router and the Internet and WiFi settings You can view router information, the Internet port status, and WiFi settings. To view information about the router and the Internet, modem, and WiFi settings: 1.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Display the statistics of the Internet port To display the statistics of the Internet port: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 6. To change the polling frequency, enter a time in seconds in the Poll Interval field and click the Set Interval button. To stop the polling entirely, click the Stop button. Check the Internet connection status To check the Internet connection status: 1.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 6. To release (stop) the Internet connection, click the Release button. 7. To renew (restart) the Internet connection, click the Renew button. 8. To exit the screen, click the Close Window button. View and manage logs of router activity The logs are a detailed record of the websites you accessed or attempted to access and many other router actions.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 You must set up email notifications in order to receive the logs. The router to emails the logs to the address that you specified when you set up email notifications. For more information, see Set up security event email notifications on page 49. 9.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 To monitor Internet traffic: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 10. Click the Apply button. The Internet Traffic Statistics section helps you to monitor the data traffic. 11. To update the Traffic Statistics section, click the Refresh button. 12. To display more information about the data traffic on your router and to change the poll interval, click the Traffic Status button.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 To erase the settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The file is uploaded to the router and the router restarts. WARNING: Do not interrupt the restoration process. Remote access 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.
Nighthawk app for your mobile device. For more information about how to update your router’s firmware, see Check for new firmware and update the router on page 89. To download the latest Nighthawk app for your mobile device, visit https://www.netgear.com/home/apps-services/nighthawk-app/. Manage Your Router User Manual...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Disable LED blinking or turn off LEDs The LEDs on the top panel of the router indicate activities and behavior. You can disable LED blinking for network communications, or turn off all LEDs except the Power LED. To disable LED blinking or turn off the LEDs: 1.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Tip: If the router is in access point mode or bridge mode and you do not know the IP address that is assigned to it, first try to use an IP scanner application to detect the IP address.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 5. Click the Erase button. The configuration is reset to factory default settings. When the reset is complete, the router restarts. This process takes about two minutes. WARNING: To avoid the risk of corrupting the firmware, do not interrupt the reset. For example, do not close the browser, click a link, or load a new page.
• View network folders on a storage device • Add a network folder on a USB storage device • Edit a network folder on a USB storage device • Safely remove a USB storage device For more information about ReadySHARE features, visit netgear.com/readyshare.
The router works with most USB-compliant external flash and hard drives. For the most up-to-date list of USB devices that the router supports, visit kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18985/~/readyshare-usb-drives-compatibility-list. Some USB external hard drives and flash drives require you to load the drivers onto the computer before the computer can access the USB storage device.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Access a storage device connected to the router from a Windows-based computer To access the USB storage device from a Windows-based computer: 1. Connect a USB storage device to a USB port on your router. 2.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 6. Right-click the USB device and select Map network drive. The Map Network Drive window opens. 7. Select the drive letter to map to the new network folder. 8. Click the Finish button. The USB storage device is mapped to the drive letter that you specified.
By default, the USB storage device is available to all computers on your local area network (LAN). 3. Download ReadySHARE Vault from netgear.com/readyshare and install it on each Windows-based computer. 4. Launch ReadySHARE Vault.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Note: The following instructions might be different depending on the macOS your computer is using. For more instructions about backing up your computer with Time Machine, see the Apple support site. Set up a USB hard drive on a Mac We recommend that you use a new USB HDD or format your old USB HDD to do the Time Machine backup for the first time.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Prepare to back up a large amount of data Before you back up a large amount of data with Time Machine, we recommend that you follow this procedure. To prepare to back up a large amount of data: 1.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 3. If your USB HDD uses a power supply, connect it. You must use the power supply when you connect the USB HDD to the router. When you connect the USB HDD to the router’s port, it might take up to two minutes before it is ready for sharing.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Enable FTP access within your network File Transfer Protocol (FTP) lets you download (receive) and upload (send) large files faster. To enable FTP access within your network: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The USB Storage (Advanced Settings) page displays. 5. Scroll down to the Available Networks Folder section to view the following settings: • Share Name. If only one USB device is connected, the default share name is USB_Storage.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 6. Click the Create Network Folder button. The Add Folder window opens. If this window does not open, your web browser might be blocking pop-ups. If it is, change the browser settings to allow pop-ups. 7.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The BASIC Home page displays. 4. Select ADVANCED > USB Storage > ReadySHARE. The USB Storage (Advanced Settings) page displays. 5. In the Available Network Folders section, select the USB storage device. 6. Click the Edit button. The Edit Network Folder window opens.
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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: • Set up and manage Dynamic DNS •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Set up and manage Dynamic DNS Internet service providers (ISPs) assign numbers called IP addresses to identify each Internet account. Most ISPs use dynamically assigned IP addresses. This means that the IP address can change at any time. You can use the IP address to access your network remotely, but most people don’t know what their IP addresses are or when this number changes.
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 121.
12. 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 DynDNS, you can set up the router to use your account.
• No-IP account or DynDNS account. In the User Name field, type the user name for your account. • NETGEAR account. In the Email field, type the email address for your account. 10. In the Password (6-32 characters) field, type the password for your DDNS account.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 To change your settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
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.
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Always On. This change is required for ReadyCLOUD to remotely access the USB storage device. 8. After registration, visit readycloud.netgear.com. 9. Click the Sign In link, enter your ReadyCLOUD user name and password, and click the Sign In button.
Use the Router as a Media Server This chapter contains the following sections: • Specify ReadyDLNA Media Server Settings • Play Music From a Storage Device With iTunes Server • Set Up the Router to Work With TiVo • Change the NTP Server...
By default, the router acts as a ReadyDLNA media server, which lets you view movies and photos on DLNA/UPnP AV-compliant media players, such as Xbox360, Playstation, and NETGEAR media players. To specify media server settings: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 All – no password in Read Access can be scanned for media files. To scan for new media files immediately, click the Rescan media files button. 6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Play Music From a Storage Device With iTunes Server iTunes server lets you play music from a USB device that is connected to a USB port on...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays. 6. Select ADVANCED > USB Storage > ReadySHARE > Media Server. The Media Server (Settings) page displays.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 The passcode displays in the Remote app. 7. Specify the passcode in the router to set up your iTunes server. a. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to your router's network.
Your settings are saved. Change the NTP Server By default, the router uses the NETGEAR NTP server to sync the network time. You can change the NTP server to your preferred NTP server. To change the NTP server to your preferred NTP server: 1.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 5. Select the Set your preferred NTP server radio button. 6. Enter the NTP server domain name or IP address in the Primary NTP server field. 7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. Use the Router as a Media Server User Manual...
You can share this USB printer among the Windows-based 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.
You must install the ReadySHARE Printer utility on each computer that will share the printer. After you install it, the utility displays as NETGEAR USB Control Center on your computer. For more information about how to use the NETGEAR USB Control Center, visit https://www.netgear.com/support/product/ReadySHARE_USB_Printer.aspx.
USB printer and prints the document. If another computer is already connected to the printer, your print job goes into a queue to wait to be printed. 4. If your document does not print, use the NETGEAR USB Control Center to check the printer status.
6. To exit the utility, select System > Exit. View or Change the Status of a Printer To view or change the status: 1. Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon The NETGEAR USB Control Center page displays. The Status column shows the status for each device: •...
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.
The NETGEAR USB Control Center page displays. 3. From the Language menu, select a language. 4. Click the OK button. The next time NETGEAR USB Control Center starts, the language changes. Specify the USB Control Center Time-Out Specify the time-out to release the printer connection.
Manage Port Forwarding and Port Triggering You can use port forwarding and port triggering to set up rules for Internet traffic. You need networking knowledge to set up these features. This chapter includes the following sections: • Manage Port Forwarding to a Local Server •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Manage Port Forwarding to a Local Server If your home network includes a server, you can allow certain types of incoming traffic to reach the server. For example, you might want to make a local web server, FTP server, or game server visible and available to the Internet.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 11. Click the Add button. The service displays in the menu. Add a Custom Port Forwarding Service The router lists default services and applications that you can use in port forwarding rules. If the service or application is not predefined, you can add a port forwarding rule with a custom service or application.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 You can enter a port range and fixed ports in one rule, for example, external (30–50, 78, 100–102), internal (40–60, 99, 200–202). With this rule, external ports 30–50 are forwarded to internal ports 40–60. 12.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Delete a Port Forwarding Entry To delete a port forwarding entry: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 How the Router Implements the Port Forwarding Rule The following sequence shows the effects of a port forwarding rule: 1. When you type the URL www.example.com in your browser, the browser sends a web page request message with the following destination information: •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Add a Port Triggering Service To add a port triggering service: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Enable Port Triggering To enable port triggering: 1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network. 2. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 also allow incoming traffic on port 113 to reach the originating computer.” The following sequence shows the effects of this port triggering rule: 1. You open an IRC client program to start a chat session on your computer. 2.
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: •...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Quick tips This section describes tips for troubleshooting some common problems. Sequence to restart your network If you must restart your network, follow this sequence: 1. Turn off and unplug the modem. 2. Turn off the router. 3.
• 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 is corrupted.
• Press and hold the Reset button to return the router to its factory settings. If the error persists, a hardware problem might be the cause. Contact Technical Support at netgear.com/support. Internet or Ethernet LAN port LEDs are off If the Internet LED or Ethernet LAN port LEDs do not light when an Ethernet connection is made, check the following: •...
IP address, you don’t need to reset the router to factory default settings. • If you are attempting to set up your NETGEAR router as a replacement for an ADSL gateway in your network, the router cannot perform many gateway services. For example, the router cannot convert ADSL or cable data into Ethernet networking information.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 3. Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens. 4. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 If your computer obtains its information from the router by DHCP, reboot the computer and verify the gateway address. • You might be running login software that is no longer needed. If your ISP provided a program to log you in to the Internet, you no longer need to run that software after installing your router.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Troubleshoot WiFi connectivity If you are experiencing trouble connecting over WiFi to the router, try to isolate the problem: • Does the WiFi device or computer that you are using find your WiFi network? If not, check the WiFi LED on the router.
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 To ping the router from a Windows-based computer: 1. From the Windows toolbar, click the Start button and select Run. 2. In the field provided, type ping followed by the IP address of the router, as in this example: ping www.routerlogin.net 3.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 3. If you do not receive replies, check the following: • Check to see that IP address of your router is listed as the default gateway for your computer. If DHCP assigns the IP configuration of your computers, this information is not visible in your computer Network Control Panel.
Supplemental Information This appendix includes technical information about your router. The appendix covers the following topics: • Factory Settings • Technical Specifications...
Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 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 103.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Table 4. Router factory default settings (Continued) Feature Default Settings Firewall and WAN security Inbound (communications Disabled (except traffic on port 80, the HTTP port) coming in from the Internet) Outbound Enabled (all) (communications going out to the Internet) Source MAC filtering...
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Table 4. Router factory default settings (Continued) Feature Default Settings SSID name 2.4 GHz band: NETGEAR_Guest 5 GHz band: NETGEAR-5G_Guest Security None (open network) Allow guests to access main Disabled network General WiFi settings...
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WiFi Maximum WiFi signal rate complies with the IEEE 802.11 standard. Note that NETGEAR makes no express or implied representations or warranties about this product’s compatibility with any future WiFi standards. 802.11ac 1300 Mbps is approximately 2x faster than 802.11n 600 Mbps.
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Nighthawk AC2100 Smart WiFi Router Model R7200 Table 5. Router specifications (Continued) Feature Description Operating frequency range 2.4 GHz band • US: 2.412–2.462 GHz • Europe: 2.412–2.472 GHz • Australia: 2.412–2.472 GHz • Japan: 2.412–2.472 GHz 5 GHz band • US: 5.18–5.24 + 5.745–5.825 GHz •...