Netgear AirCard 790 User Manual
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
User Manual
November 2015
202-11521-01
350 East Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134
USA
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Support
Thank you for purchasing this NETGEAR product. You can visit www.netgear.com/support to register your product, get help,
access the latest downloads and user manuals, and join our community. We recommend that you use only official NETGEAR
support resources.
Conformity
For 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.
2
Contents
Chapter 1 Get Started
Know Your Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Manage Your Device and Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Power Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Status LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Touch Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Touch Screen Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Power Sources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Jump Boost Another Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Set Up and Connect to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Install the Micro SIM Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Install the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Connect to the Internet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Personalize the Hotspot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Tethered Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
NETGEAR AirCard App for Smartphones and Tablets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Hotspot Web Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Security Credentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
External Antennas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Chapter 2 Use Your Mobile Hotspot
View Data Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Manage WiFi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Specify the WiFi Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Connect to WiFi From a WiFi device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Enable Guest WiFi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Enable 5 GHz WiFi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Set the Maximum Number of Connected Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
View or Block Connected Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Set Mobile Broadband Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
View Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Extend Battery Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Adjust WiFi Settings to Optimize Battery Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Adjust Display Settings to Increase Battery Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Recharge the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
USB Tethering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Enable Airplane Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
3
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Manage Hotspot Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Change Network Names and Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Change Hotspot Web Page Login Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Change Device Encryption Security Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
View Details About Your Mobile Hotspot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Update Mobile Hotspot Software and Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Update Software from the Touch Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Update Software from the Hotspot Web Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Update Software Using a File from the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Chapter 3 Advanced Settings
Back Up and Restore Hotspot Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Manage WiFi Network Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Enable SIM Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Configure Mobile Broadband. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
View WAN Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Enable Port Forwarding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Enable Port Filtering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Enable IP Pass-Through Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Enable VPN Pass-Through . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Configure APN Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Enable DMZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Set LAN Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Chapter 4 Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do if I can’t connect a device to the hotspot?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
What can I do if I can’t access the Internet? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Why isn’t my battery charging? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Why is the signal indicator always low?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Why is the download or upload speed slow? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
How do I go back to the hotspot web page? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
What do I do if I forget my password login password? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
How do I disconnect from the mobile broadband network? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Why doesn’t the Connect / Disconnect button
appear on the hotspot web page? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
How can I extend the life of the battery? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
How do I turn the hotspot off?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
How do I find out how many users are connected
to my hotspot’s WiFi networks? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
The touch screen is not lit. How do I know if the
hotspot is still powered on? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
How do I find my computer’s IP address? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
How do I find a device’s MAC address? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Where can I find more information?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
4
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Chapter 5 Troubleshooting
The WiFi network name does not appear in the list
of networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
The No Signal icon displays on either the touch screen
or the hotspot web page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Your device cannot access the hotspot web page
when connected to a VPN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
The hotspot cannot connect to a computer running
Windows Vista . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
The hotspot does not connect to your service
provider’s network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Reset the hotspot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
View Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
SIM Not Installed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
SIM Error — Check SIM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
SIM Locked. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Temperature-Related Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Connection Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Appendix A Specifications
Mechanical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Environmental Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Supported RF Bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Appendix B Tips and Safety Guidelines for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Battery Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
General Battery Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Appropriate Batteries and Chargers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Battery Disposal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
5
1. Get Started
This chapter provides an overview of AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot features, and instructions for
how to set up your mobile hotspot and connect to the Internet. The chapter covers the following
topics:
• Know Your Device
• Set Up and Connect to the Internet
• Additional Information
Note: Firmware updates with new features and bug fixes are available at
downloadcenter.netgear.com. Some products regularly check the site
and download new firmware, or you can check for and download new
firmware manually. If the features or behavior of your product do not
match what is described in this manual, you might need to update
your firmware.
1
For more information about the topics covered in this manual, visit the support website at
support.netgear.com.
6
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Know Your Device
Your mobile hotspot enables you to create a WiFi access point in any location with cellular
network coverage. Use a WiFi access point to connect your laptop and other WiFi-capable
devices to your service provider’s mobile broadband network and connect to the Internet.
You can also use your mobile hotspot in tethered mode by connecting it to your laptop with
the USB cable to access the Internet. For more information, see Tethered Mode on page 17.
Power key
Touch screen
Main antenna port
Micro USB port
Secondary antenna port
Figure 1. Hotspot keys and features
Manage Your Device and Settings
You can manage your device and change settings using the following features:
Status LED
• The device’
• The hotspot web page. See Hotspot Web Pages on page 19.
• A mobile app. See NETGEAR AirCard App for Smartphones and Tablets on page 18.
s touch screen. See Touch Screen on page 8.
Get Started
7
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Power Key
Use the Power key to wake the hotspot and to power the device on and off.
Table 1. Power key usage
Desired Result Action
Turn on the hotspot. Press and hold the Power key for three seconds.
Turn off the hotspot. Press and hold the Power key for five seconds.
Wake the WiFi signal and
screen.
Press and quickly release the Power key
Status LED
The LED indicates the device’s connection status:
Table 2. LED indicator patterns
Color LED Pattern What the Pattern Means
Blue Slow blink
(every five seconds)
Amber Blink
(every five seconds)
Blue Double blink
(every five seconds)
Blue /
Amber
Slow blink, alternating
blue and amber
The data connection is ready for use. WiFi is on, the WWAN
is connected, and WiFi devices are available.
The data connection is not ready for use (disconnected or
no signal).
Data is transferring (uploading or downloading) on the data
connection.
The device is installing firmware or software updates.
Touch Screen
.
The hotspot’s touch screen displays the following information.
• WiFi name and password.
• Network signal icons. See Table 3 on page 9 for details.
• Data usage details.
• WiFi details (number of connected devices).
• System alerts.
• Network provider message notification.
For advanced settings, use a WiFi-enabled device to connect to the hotspot and then visit the
hotspot web page at http://netgear.aircard or http://192.168.1.1.
Get Started
8
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Note: Your device might use a different web page address. To get the web
page address for your device, tap Settings > More > Device
Information > AC790 Manager or look at the label underneath the
device battery.
Touch Screen Elements
You can use the touch screen icons and other screen elements to view the hotspot’s status,
configure WiFi band settings, view data usage details, and view system alerts
USB
tethering mode
Network icon
Traffic
Battery icon
Signal strength
Data usage
WiFi status and button
Number of connected devices
Figure 2. Touch screen display
Table 3. Touch screen icons
Icon Indicates
WiFi network
name and password
Settings button
Messages button
Home button. Displays the home screen.
Back button. Returns to the screen that was previously displayed.
Signal strength of the cellular Internet signal:
• 5 bars . Excellent signal strength.
• 1 bar . Low signal strength.
Get Started
9
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Table 3. Touch screen icons (continued)
Icon Indicates
Network indicator. These icons show the type of cellular network:
• 4G. An LTE network is available.
• H+. DC-HSPA+, HSPA+, and dual-carrier networks are available.
• H . An HSPA/HSDPA network is available.
• 3G. A UMTS network is available.
Traffic. Arrows show the cellular Internet traffic status:
• Gray outline. The hotspot is connected.
• Solid white outline. The hotspot is sending or receiving information.
• None. The hotspot is not connected.
Roaming . The hotspot is connected to a network other than your primary
Internet service provider network.
USB . The hotspot is connected to a USB port.
Battery indicator. Battery is partially or fully charged.
ALERTS (2) Alert message notification. To view the alerts, tap the ALERTS button.
Default main WiFi name
and password
Guest WiFi name
and password
WiFi-enabled devices use the WiFi name and password to connect to the mobile
hotspot.
When guest WiFi is enabled, tap WiFi > Guest WiFi to display the guest WiFi
network name and password. For information about how to change these
names and passwords, see
Estimated data usage for the current billing period.
WiFi status and button. Displays WiFi status (blue when WiFi is turned on). To
display the WiFi screen, tap the WiFi button.
Messages button. Displays the number of unread messages from the Internet
service provider.
Manage Hotspot Security on page 61.
Settings button. To display the Settings screen, tap the Settings button.
Get Started
10
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Accessories
The following accessories are included with your hotspot:
• Micro USB cable . Use this cable to recharge the battery or tether the mobile hotspot to
your computer. For more information, see
• Wall charger . Use a wall charger with the USB cable to recharge the battery or to power
the mobile hotspot from a wall socket. For more information, see
page 56.
• Jump boost cable. Use the jump boost cable to charge another mobile device, such as
a smartphone. For more information, see
Tethered Mode on page 17.
Recharge the Battery on
Jump Boost Another Device on page 12.
Power Sources
Your hotspot can receive power from any of the following sources:
• Rechargeable battery included with the hotspot
For more information, see Install the Battery on page 14.
• Wall socket using the AC adapter and USB cable
For more information, see Recharge the Battery on page 56.
• USB port on your computer
For more information, see Recharge the Battery on page 56.
Get Started
11
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Jump Boost Another Device
You can give a boost to your smartphone if it is low or out of battery power by connecting it to
the hotspot’s jump boost cable and starting boost from the touch screen or the hotspot web
page.
Figure 3. Jump boost cable
Note: You cannot charge the hotspot while it is boosting another device.
To start the jump boost of another device from the touch screen:
1. Plug the jump boost cable into your hotspot.
2. Plug the device that you want to charge into the other end of the jump boost cable.
On the Home screen, a pop-up window opens with boost options. If the pop-up window
does not open, tap Settings > Jump Boost.
3. T
ap one of the boosting options (30, 60, or 90 minutes).
To start the jump boost of another device from the hotspot web page:
1. Plug the jump boost cable into your hotspot.
2. Plug the device that you want to charge into the other end of the jump boost cable.
3. On the home page, log in as an administrator
.
4. Click the Jump Boost button.
5. Select one of the boosting options (30, 60, or 90 minutes).
Get Started
12
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Set Up and Connect to the Internet
The battery and micro SIM card are preinstalled in your hotspot. If you need to reinstall these
components, complete the steps in the sections listed in steps 1 and 2.
To set up and connect to the Internet:
1. Install the Micro SIM card.
For more information, see Install the Micro SIM Card on page 13.
2. Install the battery
For more information, see Install the Battery on page 14.
3. Connect to the Internet.
For more information, see Connect to the Internet on page 15.
4. Personalize the hotspot.
For more information, see Personalize the Hotspot on page 16.
.
Install the Micro SIM Card
To insert the SIM card:
1. Remove the hotspot back cover by lifting at the notch on either corner of the device.
2. If present, remove the battery.
3. Insert the micro SIM card.
Micro SIM card
Get Started
13
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
4. Insert the battery as shown.
Battery
Gold contacts
Ensure that the gold contacts on the battery line up with the gold contacts on the device.
5. Replace the hotspot cover
.
Install the Battery
To install the battery:
1. Remove the hotspot back cover by lifting at the notch on either corner of the device.
Make sure that the micro SIM card is already installed. For more information, see Install
the Micro SIM Card on page 13.
Micro SIM card
Get Started
14
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
2. Insert the battery as shown.
Battery
Gold contacts
Ensure that the gold contacts on the battery line up with the gold contacts on the device.
3. Replace the back cover
.
Note: The battery comes partially charged and ready to use. When the
battery needs recharging, follow the instructions in Recharge the
Battery on page 56.
Connect to the Internet
Your computer and other devices can connect to the hotspot wirelessly. You can also
connect to the Internet with the hotspot tethered to a computer with the USB cable. See
Tethered Mode on page 17.
To connect to the Internet:
1. Press and hold the Power key for a few seconds.
The hotspot powers up and automatically searches for and connects to your network
provider’s mobile broadband network.
Get Started
15
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Note: If your hotspot cannot automatically detect a mobile broadband
network, you might need to enter an access profile name (APN)
profile. For information on entering a APN profile manually, see
Configure APN Details on page 85.
2. Connect your computer or other device to your WiFi network:
a. Make sure that WiFi is enabled on your device and search for available WiFi
networks.
b. Select the WiFi name displayed on the hotspot touch screen and connect to it.
c. When prompted, enter your WiFi password as it displays on the hotspot touch
screen.
3. Launch your browser to surf the Internet.
Personalize the Hotspot
You can personalize the hotspot and change its settings using the following methods:
• Touch screen. Use the touch screen to make basic WiFi and other settings changes.
• Web pages. Use the hotspot web pages to make more detailed settings changes than
the basic settings changes offered on the touch screen.
Use a WiFi-enabled device to connect to the hotspot and then use a browser to display
the hotspot web pages (
Note: Your device might use a different web page address. To get the web
page address for your device, tap Settings > More > Device
Information > AC790 Manager or look at the label underneath the
device battery.
Log in as an administrator to make changes. The default administrator login password is
password. NETGEAR recommends setting a more secure password.
http://netgear.aircard or http://192.168.1.1).
Additional Information
The following topics are covered in this section:
• Tethered Mode on page 17
• NETGEAR AirCard App for Smartphones and Tablets on page 18
• Hotspot Web Pages on page 19
• Security Credentials on page 19
• External Antennas on page 20
Get Started
16
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Tethered Mode
You can use your hotspot in tethered mode (connected to a computer using the USB cable)
instead of connecting to it using WiFi.
Note: The first time that you use your hotspot in tethered mode, drivers are
loaded on your computer to support the hotspot.
To install drivers on computers running operating systems other than Windows XP:
1. Ensure that the hotspot is powered of
f.
2. Connect the hotspot to your computer using the USB cable.
The hotspot automatically powers on and installs the necessary driver.
You can visit the hotspot web page at http://netgear.aircard or http://192.168.1.1 to
customize your hotspot’s advanced settings.
Your device might use a different web page address. To get the web page address for
your device, tap Settings > More > Device Information >
label underneath the device battery.
To install drivers on a computer running Windows XP:
1. T
o wake the device, press the Power key.
2. T
ap the Home ( ) button.
AC790 Manager or look at the
3. Tap the Settings button.
4. Tap the USB Tethering button.
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17
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
USB tethering should be on by default. If USB tethering is not on, slide the OFF button to
the ON position.
5. Tap the Install Win XP drivers button.
This button is located at the bottom of the USB Tethering screen.
6. Connect the hotspot to your computer using the USB cable.
The hotspot installs the necessary driver.
After the driver is installed, you can visit the hotspot web page at http://netgear.aircard or
http://192.168.1.1 to customize your hotspot’
Your device might use a different web page address. To get the web page address for
your device, tap Settings > More > Device Information >
label underneath the device battery.
s advanced settings.
AC790 Manager or look at the
NETGEAR AirCard App for Smartphones and Tablets
Download and use the complimentary NETGEAR AirCard app to view
your connection, settings, and data usage from your smartphone or
tablet. Search the app store for NETGEAR
To manage all hotspot settings, visit the hotspot web page at
http://netgear.aircard or http://192.168.1.1.
Note: Your device might use a different web page address. To get the web
page address for your device, tap Settings > More > Device
Information > AC790 Manager or look at the label underneath the
device battery.
AirCard.
Get Started
18
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Hotspot Web Pages
Your hotspot comes configured and ready to use. Use hotspot web pages to manage
advanced settings.
Log in as an administrator to change settings and view detailed information. (The default
administrator login password is password.)
To log in as an administrator:
1. From a computer or WiFi device that is connected to your network, launch an Internet
browser.
2. Enter http://netgear.aircard or http://192.168.1.1.
Your device might use a different web page address. To get the web page address for
your device, tap Settings > More > Device Information > AC790 Manager or look at the
label underneath the device battery.
3. Enter the password in the Sign In field.
The default password is password. The password is case-sensitive.
4. Click the Sign In button.
The home page displays.
After you log in, you can access all of the features available on the touch screen plus
advanced features. For example, you can do the following:
• Change the SSID, WiFi passwords, password login, and WiFi encryption settings.
• Select a custom WiFi profile (dual-band WiFi, guest WiFi).
• Set auto connect options.
• View data usage.
• Change security settings and hotspot options.
Security Credentials
Three passwords are associated with the hotspot:
• WiFi password . Use this to connect your computer or other WiFi device to your mobile
hotspot network. This character string is unique to your device. It displays on the main
hotspot touch screen. If the screen is blank (a power-saving feature), press and quickly
release the Power key. The default WiFi password is printed on a label under the battery.
• Guest WiFi password. When the guest WiFi network is enabled, guests can use this
password to access the network.
• Web page login password . Use this to log in to the hotspot web page as an
administrator. You must log in as an administrator to use certain features and to make
changes to your hotspot settings. The default password login password, password, is
printed on a label under the battery. The password login pasword can be 5–31
characters.
Get Started
19
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
You can change these passwords on the hotspot web page (http://netgear.aircard or
http://192.168.1.1).
Note: Your device might use a different web page address. To get the web
page address for your device, tap Settings > More > Device
Information > AC790 Manager or look at the label underneath the
device battery.
For more information, see Manage Hotspot Security on page 61 and Change Hotspot Web
Page Login Settings on page 65.
External Antennas
Using an external antenna in areas of lower coverage might improve your device
performance.
MIMO antennas work with the AC790 mobile hotspot.
Insert the connector carefully to avoid damage to your device.
Figure 4. External antennas with TS-9 connectors
Get Started
20
2. Use Your Mobile Hotspot
This chapter explains how to use your hotspot. The chapter covers the following topics:
• View Data Usage
• Manage WiFiYour settings are saved.Your settings are saved.
• Set Mobile Broadband Options
• View Alerts
• Extend Battery Life
• Manage Hotspot Security
• View Details About Your Mobile Hotspot
• Update Mobile Hotspot Software and Firmware
Note: To change settings, log in as an administrator. See Hotspot Web
Pages on page 19.
2
21
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
View Data Usage
You can view an estimate of your data usage on the hotspot web page and on the hotspot
touch screen.
The plan data counter resets automatically when the next billing cycle starts, and the session
data counter resets automatically for each session.
To view estimated data usage on the hotspot touch screen:
1. T
o wake the device, press the Power key.
2. T
ap the Home ( ) button.
The touch screen shows the estimated data usage for the current billing cycle.
Data usage
3. Tap the data usage area on the touch screen.
A data usage screen displays showing the data used, the days left in this month, and the
date the counter resets.
4. T
o reset the data usage counter, tap the Reset button.
Note: Visit the hotspot web page to control whether the hotspot
automatically resets the usage counter.
To view detailed data usage information on the hotspot web page:
1. From a computer or WiFi device that is connected to your network, launch an Internet
browser
2. Enter http://netgear
.
.aircard or http://192.168.1.1.
Your device might use a different web page address. To get the web page address for
your device, tap Settings > More > Device Information >
AC790 Manager or look at the
label underneath the device battery.
A login window opens.
3. Enter the administrator login password.
The default password is password.
Use Your Mobile Hotspot
The password is case-sensitive.
22
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
The hotspot web page displays the data usage for the current billing cycle and for the
current broadband session.
Manage WiFi
Advanced users can set up the WiFi radio of the hotspot to meet their WiFi needs by
customizing settings on the hotspot web page.
On the hotspot web page, the following WiFi profiles are available:
• 2.4 GHz W
compatible with most devices.
• 5 GHz W
support 5 GHz.
• Guest W
your main WiFi network or letting visitors access the hotspot web page.
• Dual-band W
GHz devices with your main WiFi simultaneously. Transfer speed is slower.
By default, the 2.4 GHz main WiFi is enabled. If your place of business does not allow WiFi or
for any other reason you want to disable WiFi and use the mobile hotspot only in tethered
mode, the mobile hotspot gives you that option.
Note: Whenever you change WiFi settings, any devices connected to the
iFi (default). A 2.4 GHz WiFi network (no secondary network) that is
iFi. A network with the fastest transfer rate. However, it is limited to devices that
iFi. Share your WiFi with temporary visitors without exposing the devices on
iFi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) . Gives you the flexibility to connect 2.4 GHz and 5
hotspot are disconnected and might need to be reconnected.
Use Your Mobile Hotspot
23
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Specify the WiFi Settings
From the touch screen, you can specify a number of WiFi settings. For more detailed profile
selections, visit the hotspot web page (http://netgear.aircard or http://192.168.1.1).
Note: Your device might use a different web page address. To get the web
page address for your device, tap Settings > More > Device
Information > AC790 Manager or look at the label underneath the
device battery.
You can establish any one of the following types of networks:
• Default, 2.4 GHz (No secondary network). Main WiFi only on the 2.4 GHz band. If you
configured a custom profile using the hotspot web page, you can return to the defaul WiFi
setting.
• 5 GHz W
• Guest W
iFi. Use this choice to transfer data at higher throughputs.
iFi. Main WiFi and guest WiFi on the 2.4 GHz band.
Note: Whenever you change WiFi settings, any devices connected to the
hotspot are disconnected and might need to be reconnected.
To specify the WiFi settings from the touch screen:
1. T
o wake the device, press the Power key.
2. T
ap the Home ( ) button.
Use Your Mobile Hotspot
24
3. Tap the WiFi button.
4. Tap the Options button.
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
5. To disable the WiFi signal in a restricted area, tap the > button next to WiFi Signal.
6. Slide the ON button to the OFF position.
Your settings are saved.
7. T
o set the WiFi range, tap the > button next to WiFi Range.
8. Tap the radio button for the selection that you want.
Your settings are saved.
Use Your Mobile Hotspot
25
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
9. To power down the WiFi radio after a set period of inactivity, tap the > button next to WiFi
Standby .
10. Tap the radio button for the selection that you want.
Your settings are saved.
Use the hotspot web page to set up a profile that is more detailed than the basic profiles
of
fered on the touch screen screen.
To select a WiFi profile or create a custom profile on the hotspot web page:
1. From a computer or WiFi device that is connected to your network, launch an Internet
browser
2. Enter http://netgear
.
.aircard or http://192.168.1.1.
Your device might use a different web page address. To get the web page address for
your device, tap Settings > More > Device Information >
AC790 Manager or look at the
label underneath the device battery.
A login window opens.
3. Enter the administrator login password.
The default password is password.
The password is case-sensitive.
The home page displays.
Use Your Mobile Hotspot
26
4. Select WiFi > Options.
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
5. In the WiFi Profiles menu, select a predefined profile or select Custom Setup to choose
your own options.
Use Your Mobile Hotspot
27
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
The Options page that displays depends on the WiFi profile that is selected.
6. To modify the displayed profile (even if you selected a predefined profile), use the following
options:
• Secondary W
iFi. Select the Enable secondary WiFi network check box to use a
secondary WiFi network.
• Frequency. Select the WiFi frequency (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) to use on the main,
secondary
• Guest mode. Select the Guest W
, or both WiFi networks.
iFi check box to use the secondary WiFi network
for temporary visitors.
The Submit button displays after you make a selection.
7. Click the Submit button.
Your settings are saved.
If you select a predefined profile and then change the frequency, or change the guest
WiFi options, the profile type changes automatically to Custom Setup.
Note: When you change your profile options (including disabling or enabling
either WiFi network), any devices connected to the hotspot are
disconnected and might need to be reconnected.
Use Your Mobile Hotspot
28
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
Connect to WiFi From a WiFi device
You can connect up to 15 WiFi devices (such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, digital
cameras, printers, gaming consoles, and digital picture frames) to your hotspot network. For
information about setting connections for main WiFi and guest WiFi networks, see Set the
Maximum Number of Connected Devices on page 35.
You can add a WiFi device to your WiFi network manually. If the device you are adding is
WPS enabled, you can use the WPS method to connect the device without using the WiFi
password.
Connect With the WiFi Password
1. On the WiFi device, view the list of available WiFi networks.
2. Connect to the network that corresponds to your hotspot network as displayed on the touch
screen.
3. When prompted, enter the WiFi password for your hotspot network.
The WiFi password displays on the hotspot touch screen. If the screen is turned off, press
and quickly release the Power key to wake the hotspot.
Add a WPS-Enabled Device
You can add a WPS-enabled WiFi device to your WiFi network without a WiFi password,
using the hotspot web page or the touch screen.
To add a WPS-enabled WiFi device from the touch screen:
1. T
o wake the device, press the Power key.
2. T
ap the Home ( ) button.
3. Tap the WiFi button.
Use Your Mobile Hotspot
29
AirCard 790 Mobile Hotspot
4. Tap the WPS button.
5. Tap the Pair with Main WiFi or Pair with Secondary WiFi button.
6. Within two minutes, press the WPS key on the WiFi device that you want to connect.
Your mobile hotspot and the WiFi device communicate and establish the connection.
To add a WPS-enabled WiFi device from the hotspot web page:
1. From a computer or WiFi device that is connected to your network, launch an Internet
browser
2. Enter http://netgear
.
.aircard or http://192.168.1.1.
Your device might use a different web page address. To get the web page address for
your device, tap Settings > More > Device Information >
AC790 Manager or look at the
label underneath the device battery.
A login window opens.
3. Enter the administrator login password.
The default password is password.
The password is case-sensitive.
The home page displays.
Use Your Mobile Hotspot
30
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