Netgear R6250-100NAS User manual
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
User Manual
April 2015
202-11544-01
350 East Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134
USA
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Support
Thank you for selecting NETGEAR products.
After installing your device, locate the serial number on the label of your product and use it to register your product at
https://my.netgear.com. You must register your product before you can use NETGEAR telephone support. NETGEAR
recommends registering your product through the NETGEAR website.
For product updates and web support, visit http://support.netgear.com.
Phone (US & Canada only): 1-888-NETGEAR.
Phone (Other Countries): Check the list of phone numbers at http://support.netgear.com/general/contact/default.aspx.
Trademarks
© NETGEAR, Inc., NETGEAR and the NETGEAR Logo are trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. Any non-NETGEAR trademarks are
used for reference purposes only.
Compliance
For regulatory compliance information, visit http://www.netgear.com/about/regulatory/.
See the regulatory compliance document before connecting the power supply.
2
Contents
Chapter 1 Hardware Setup
Chapter 2 Getting Started
Unpack Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Hardware Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Front and Side Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Position Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Router Setup Preparation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Use Standard TCP/IP Properties for DHCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Gather ISP Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Wireless Devices and Security Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Types of Logins and Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
NETGEAR genie Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Use NETGEAR genie After Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Upgrade the Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Dashboard (Basic Home Screen). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Join Your Wireless Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Manual Method. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Access the Router with NETGEAR the genie App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Chapter 3 Basic Settings
Internet Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Internet Setup Screen Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Basic Wireless Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Wireless Settings Screen Fields. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Change the Wireless Security Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Set Up a Guest Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
View Attached Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Chapter 4 Advanced Home Settings
NETGEAR genie Advanced Home Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Internet Connection Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
WAN Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Default DMZ Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Change the MTU Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
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R6250 Smart WiFi Router
LAN Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
LAN Setup Screen Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
The Role of the Router as a DHCP Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Address Reservation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
WPS Wizard for WiFi Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Quality of Service (QoS) Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
WMM QoS for Wireless Multimedia Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Optimize Internet Gaming with Upstream QoS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Set Up QoS for Internet Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Chapter 5 USB Storage
Connect a USB Storage Device to the Router. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Safely Remove a USB Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Access the USB Storage Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
File-Sharing Scenarios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Share Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Store Files in a Central Location for Printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Share Large Files over the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Back Up Windows Computers with ReadySHARE Vault. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
View a USB Device Attached to the Router. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
USB Storage Device Network and Access Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Available Network Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Specify Approved USB Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Back Up Windows Computers with ReadySHARE Vault. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Chapter 6 Share a USB Printer
Install the Printer Driver and Cable the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Download the ReadySHARE Printer Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Install the ReadySHARE Printer Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Use the Shared Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
View or Change the Status of a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Use the Scan Feature of a Multifunction USB Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Change NETGEAR USB Control Center Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Chapter 7 Security
Set Up Parental Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Keyword Blocking of HTTP Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Block Services (Port Filtering). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Port Triggering to Open Incoming Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Port Forwarding to Permit External Host Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
How Port Forwarding Differs from Port Triggering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Set Up Port Forwarding to Local Servers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Add a Custom Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Edit or Delete a Port Forwarding Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Set Up Port Triggering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Schedule Blocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
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R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Security Event Email Notifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Chapter 8 Administration
Upgrade the Router Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
View Router Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Router Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Internet Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Wireless Settings (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
View Logs of Web Access or Attempted Web Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Manage the Configuration File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Back Up Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Restore Configuration Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Erase the Current Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Change the Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Password Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Chapter 9 Advanced Settings
Advanced Wireless Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Control the Wireless Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Set Up a Wireless Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Set up the Router in Bridge Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
View or Change WPS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Set Up a Wireless Access List by MAC Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Wireless Access Point (AP). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Dynamic DNS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Set Up a New Dynamic DNS Account. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Specify a DNS Account That You Already Have . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Change the Dynamic DNS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Static Routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Remote Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Universal Plug and Play. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
IPv6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Requirements for Entering IPv6 Addresses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Auto Detect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
IPv6 Auto Config. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
IPv6 6to4 Tunnel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
IPv6 Pass Through. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
IPv6 Fixed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
IPv6 DHCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
IPv6 PPPoE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Traffic Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Chapter 10 Troubleshooting
Quick Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Sequence to Restart Your Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Check Ethernet Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
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R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Wireless Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Network Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Troubleshoot with the LEDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Power LED Is Off or Blinking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Power LED Stays Amber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
LEDs Never Turn Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Internet or Ethernet Port LEDs Are Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
WiFi LED Is Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Cannot Log In to the Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Cannot Access the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Troubleshoot PPPoE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Troubleshoot Internet Browsing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Changes Not Saved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Wireless Connectivity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Wireless Signal Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Troubleshoot Your Network Using the Ping Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Test the LAN Path to Your Router. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Test the Path from Your Computer to a Remote Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Appendix A Supplemental Information
Factory Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
6
1. Hardware Setup
Getting to know your router
The R6250 Smart WiFi Router with AC dual band delivers AC1600 WiFi and Gigabit Ethernet
speeds. It offers the best wireless coverage for large homes and is ideal for homes with ten or
more wireless devices.
The router automatically uses NETGEAR Beamforming+ technology to enhance WiFi
performance. Because it’s automatic, you don’t have to turn on Beamforming+ or configure it.
When you connect to the WiFi network, Beamforming+ focuses on your location for even better
WiFi performance and speed. Beamforming+ locks onto your laptop, tablet, or smartphone, and
follows as you move from place to place, so you keep your optimal WiFi connection.
Compatible with next generation WiFi devices and backward compatible with 802.11 a/b/g/n
devices, it enables HD streaming throughout your home. With up to 300
and simultaneous dual band WiFi technology, the R6250 avoids wireless interference, ensuring
top WiFi speeds and reliable connections. This technology also provides the best connectivity for
dual band wireless devices like iPad and iPhone5. The dual-core 800 MHz processor delivers
high-performance connectivity, while the USB 3.0 port provides up to 10X faster USB hard drive
access.
If you already set up your router, you can skip this chapter. If you have not done that yet, this
chapter covers the hardware setup.
router to view or change its settings.
Chapter 2, Getting Started, explains how to access your
1
to 13002 Mbps speed
1
This chapter contains the following sections:
• Unpack Your Router
• Hardware Features
• Position Your Router
For more information about the topics covered in this manual, visit the support website at
http://support.netgear.com.
1. Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput and wireless coverage will vary. Network
conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual
data throughput rate and wireless coverage. NETGEAR makes no express or implied 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.
2. Up to 1300 Mbps wireless speeds achieved when connecting to other 802.11ac 1300 Mbps devices.
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R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Unpack Your Router
Open the box and remove the router, cables, and installation guide.
Ethernet cable
WiFi Router
Power adapter
Figure 1. Check the package contents
Your box contains the following items:
• R6250 Smart WiFi Router
• AC power adapter (plug varies by region)
• Category 5 (Cat 5) Ethernet cable
• Installation guide with cabling and router setup instructions
If any parts are incorrect, missing, or damaged, contact your NETGEAR dealer. Keep the
carton and original packing materials, in case you return the product for repair
.
Hardware Features
Before you cable your router, take a moment to become familiar with the front, side, and back
panels and the label. Pay particular attention to the LEDs on the front panel.
Hardware Setup
8
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Front and Side Panel
The router front panel has the status LEDs and icons shown in the following figure.
WiFi On/Off button
WPS button
LEDs
Figure 2. Router front and side view
Table 1. Front panel LED descriptions
LED Description
Power
Internet
Wireless
• Solid amber. The router is starting.
• Blinking amber.
pressed.
• Solid green. The
• Blinking green. The
• Off. Power is not supplied to the router
• Solid green. The Internet connection is ready.
• Solid amber.
• Off. No Ethernet cable is connected to the modem.
• Solid blue. The wireless radio is operating in either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz mode.
• Blinking. Someone is trying to join the WiFi network using the WPS method.
• Off.
The wireless radios are off for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
The firmware is upgrading, or the Restore Factory Settings button was
router is ready.
firmware is corrupted. See www.netgear.com/support.
The Ethernet cable connection to the modem has been detected.
.
USB • Solid blue. The router has accepted the USB device. The USB device is ready to be used.
• Blinking blue.
• Off. No USB device is connected; someone clicked the Safely Remove Hardware button, and
it is now safe to remove the attached USB device.
A USB device is plugged in and is trying to connect.
Hardware Setup
9
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
The WiFi and WPS buttons toggle the WiFi and WPS functions on and off.
• W
iFi On/Off button. Pressing and holding this button for 2 seconds turns on and off the
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless radios. If the Wireless LED is lit, the wireless radios are on.
If this LED is off, the wireless radios are turned off and you cannot connect wirelessly to
the router.
• WPS button.
You can use this button to use WPS to add a wireless device or computer
to your wireless network. The Wireless LED blinks blue when the router is trying to add
the wireless device or computer. The LED stays solid blue when wireless security is
enabled in the router.
Rear Panel
The rear panel has the connections and buttons shown in the following figure.
Power connector
Power On/Off
USB 3.0 Ethernet Internet
LAN ports 1-4
Figure 3. Router rear panel
port
Reset
buttonport
The Reset button restores the factory settings. See Factory Settings on page 129.
Hardware Setup
10
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Label
The label on the bottom of the router shows the WPS PIN, login information, MAC address,
and serial number.
Default access information
Preset SSID
Serial number andPreset WiFi
password MAC address
Figure 4. The label shows unique information about your router
Position Your Router
The router lets you access your network from anywhere within the operating range of your
wireless network. However, the operating distance or range of your wireless connection
depends on the physical placement of your router. For example, the thickness and number of
walls the wireless signal passes through can limit the range. For best results, place your
router:
• Near the center of the area where your computers and other devices operate, and
preferably within line of sight to your wireless devices.
• So it is accessible to an
• In an elevated location such as a high shelf, keeping the number of walls and ceilings
between the router and your other devices to a minimum.
• A
way from electrical devices that are potential sources of interference. Equipment that
might cause interference includes ceiling fans, home security systems, microwaves,
computers, the base of a cordless phone, or a 2.4 GHz cordless phone.
• A
way from any large metal surfaces, such as a solid metal door or aluminum studs. Large
expanses of other materials such as glass, insulated walls, fish tanks, mirrors, brick, and
concrete can also affect your wireless signal.
AC power outlet and near Ethernet cables for wired computers.
Hardware Setup
11
2. Getting Started
Connecting to the router
This chapter explains how to use NETGEAR genie to set up your router after you complete
cabling as described in the installation guide.
This chapter contains the following sections:
• Router Setup Preparation
• Types of Logins and Access
• NETGEAR genie Setup
• Use NETGEAR genie After Installation
• Upgrade the Firmware
• Dashboard (Basic Home Screen)
• Join Your Wireless Network
• Access the Router with NETGEAR the genie App
2
12
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Router Setup Preparation
You can set up your router with the NETGEAR genie automatically, or you can use the genie
menus and screens to set up your router manually. Before you start the setup process, get
your ISP information and make sure the computers and devices in the network have the
settings described here.
Use Standard TCP/IP Properties for DHCP
If you set up your computer to use a static IP address, change the settings so that it uses
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).
Gather ISP Information
If you have DSL broadband service, you might need the following information to set up your
router and to check that your Internet configuration is correct. When your Internet service
starts, your Internet service provider (ISP) typically gives you all the information needed to
connect to the Internet. If you cannot locate this information, ask your ISP to provide it. When
your Internet connection is working, you no longer need to launch the ISP’s login program on
your computer to access the Internet. When you start an Internet application, your router
automatically logs you in.
• The ISP configuration information for your DSL account
• ISP login name and password
• Fixed or static IP address settings (special deployment by ISP; this is rare)
Wireless Devices and Security Settings
Make sure that the wireless device or computer that you are using supports WPA or WPA2
wireless security, which is the wireless security that the router uses.
Types of Logins and Access
Separate types of logins have different purposes. It is important that you understand the
difference so that you know which login to use when.
• Router login logs you in to the router interface from NETGEAR genie. For details about
this login, see
• ISP login logs you in to your Internet service. Your service provider has provided you
with this login information in a letter or some other way. If you cannot find this login
information, contact your service provider.
• Wireless network key or password. Your router is preset with a unique wireless
network name (SSID) and password for wireless access. This information is on the label
on the bottom of your router.
Use NETGEAR genie After Installation on page 15.
Getting Started
13
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
NETGEAR genie Setup
NETGEAR genie runs on any device with a web browser. Installation and basic setup takes
about 15 minutes to complete.
To use NETGEAR genie to set up your router:
1. T
urn the router on by pressing the On/Off button.
2. Make sure that your computer or wireless device is connected to the router with an Ethernet
cable (wired) or wirelessly with the preset security settings listed on the bottom label.
3. Launch your Internet browser
The screen that displays depends on whether you accessed the router before:
• The first time you set up the Internet connection for your router, the browser goes to
http://www
.routerlogin.net, and the NETGEAR genie screen displays.
.
• If you already used the NETGEAR genie, type http://www.routerlogin.net in the
address field for your browser to display the NETGEAR genie screen. See Use
NETGEAR genie After Installation on page 15.
4. Follow the onscreen instructions.
NETGEAR genie guides you through connecting the router to the Internet.
If the browser cannot display the web page:
• Make sure that the computer is connected to one of the four LAN Ethernet ports or
wirelessly to the router.
• Make sure that the router has full power
• T
o make sure that the browser does not cache the previous page, close and reopen the
browser.
• Browse to http://www
• If the computer is set to a static or fixed IP address (this is uncommon), change it to
obtain an IP address automatically from the router.
.routerlogin.net.
, and that its WiFi LED is lit.
Getting Started
14
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
If the router does not connect to the Internet:
1. Review your settings to be sure that you have selected the correct options and typed
everything correctly.
2. Contact your ISP to verify that you have the correct configuration information.
3. Read Chapter 10, Troubleshooting. If problems persist, register your NETGEAR product and
contact NETGEAR technical support.
Use NETGEAR genie After Installation
When you first set up your router, NETGEAR genie automatically starts when you launch an
Internet browser on a computer that is connected to the router. If you want to view or change
settings for the router, you can use genie again.
1. Launch your browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the router.
2. Type http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com.
A login window displays.
3. Enter admin for the router user name and password for the router password, both in
lowercase letters.
Note: The router user name and password are different from the user name
and password for logging in to your Internet connection. For more
information, see
Types of Logins and Access on page 13.
Upgrade the Firmware
When you set up your router and are connected to the Internet, the router automatically
checks for you to see if newer firmware is available. If it is, a message is displayed on the top
of the screen. For more information, see
Click the message when it shows up, and click Yes to upgrade the router with the latest
firmware. After the upgrade, the router restarts.
CAUTION:
Do not try to go online, turn off the router, shut down the computer, or do
anything else to the router until the router restarts and the Power LED has
stopped blinking for several seconds.
Upgrade the Router Firmware on page 83.
Dashboard (Basic Home Screen)
The router Basic Home screen has a dashboard that lets you see the status of your Internet
connection and network at a glance. You can click any of the six sections of the dashboard to
Getting Started
15
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
)
view and change the settings. The left column has menus. You can use the Advanced tab to
access more menus and screens.
Language
Menus
(Click the
Advanced
tab to view
more)
Figure 5. Basic Home screen with dashboard, language, and online help
Dashboard
(Click to
view details
Help
• Home. This dashboard screen displays when you log in to the router.
• Internet. Set, update, and check the ISP settings of your router.
• W
ireless. View or change the wireless settings for your router.
• Attached Devices. V
iew the devices connected to your network.
• Parental Controls. Download and set up parental controls to prevent objectionable
content from reaching your computers.
• ReadySHARE. If you connected a USB storage device to the router, then it is displayed
here.
• Guest Network. Set up a guest network to allow visitors to use your router’
s Internet
connection.
• Advanced tab. Set the router up for unique situations such as when remote access by IP
or by domain name from the Internet is needed. See Chapter 9, Advanced Settings. You
need a solid understanding of networking to use this tab.
• Help & Support. V
isit the NETGEAR support site for information, help, and product
documentation. These links work once you have an Internet connection.
Join Your Wireless Network
You can use the manual or the WPS method to join your wireless network. For instructions
about how to set up a guest network, see Set Up a Guest Network on page 25.
Getting Started
16
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Manual Method
With the manual method, choose the network that you want and type its password to
connect.
To connect manually:
1. On your computer or wireless device, open the software that manages your wireless
connections.
This software scans for all wireless networks in your area.
2. Look for your network and select it.
The unique WiFi network name (SSID) and password are on the router label. If you
changed these settings, look for the network name that you used.
3. Enter the router password and click Connect.
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) Method
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) lets you connect to a secure WiFi network without typing its
password. Instead, press a button or enter a PIN. NETGEAR calls WPS Push 'N' Connect.
Some older WiFi equipment is not compatible with WPS. WPS works only with WPA2 or WPA
wireless security.
To use WPS to join the wireless network:
1. Press the WPS button on the side of the router.
2. Within 2 minutes, press the WPS button on your wireless device, or follow the WPS
instructions that came with the device.
The WPS process automatically sets up your wireless computer with the network
password and connects you to the wireless network.
Access the Router with NETGEAR the genie App
The genie app is the easy dashboard for managing, monitoring, and repairing your home
network. The genie app can help you with the following:
• Automatically repair common wireless network problems.
• Easily manage router features like Live Parental Controls, guest access, Internet traffic
meter, speed test, and more.
To use the genie app to access the router:
1. Visit the NETGEAR genie web page at www.NETGEAR.com/genie.
2. Follow the onscreen instructions to install the app on your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
3. Launch the genie app.
Getting Started
17
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
The genie app dashboard screen displays.
Getting Started
18
3. Basic Settings
Your Internet connection and WiFi
network
This chapter contains the following sections:
• Internet Setup
• Basic Wireless Settings
• Set Up a Guest Network
• View Attached Devices
For information about the ReadySHARE feature on the Basic Home tab, see Chapter 5, USB
Storage and Chapter 6, Share a USB Printer.
3
19
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Internet Setup
The Internet Setup screen is where you view or change basic ISP information.
Note: You can use the Setup Wizard to detect the Internet connection and
automatically set up the router. See Internet Connection Setup Wizard
on page 29.
To view or change the basic Internet setup:
1. From the Home screen, select Internet.
The fields that display in the Internet Setup screen depend on whether your Internet
connection requires a login.
• Yes. Select the encapsulation method and enter the login name. If you want to
change the login time-out, enter a new value in minutes.
• No. Enter the account and domain names, only if needed.
2. Enter the settings for the IP address and DNS server
The default settings usually work fine. If you have problems with your connection, check
the ISP settings.
3. Click Apply.
Your settings are saved.
Basic Settings
20
.
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
4. Click Test to test your Internet connection.
If the NETGEAR website does not display within 1 minute, see Chapter 10,
Troubleshooting.
Internet Setup Screen Fields
The following descriptions explain all of the possible fields in the Internet Setup screen. The
fields that display in this screen depend on whether tan ISP login is required.
Does Your Internet connection require a login? Answer either yes or no.
These fields display when no login is required:
• Account Name (If required). Enter the account name provided by your ISP. This might
also be called the host name.
• Domain Name (If required). Enter the domain name provided by your ISP.
These fields display when your ISP requires a login:
• Internet Service Provider. PPPoE or PPPoA.
• Login. The login name provided by your ISP. This login name is often an email address.
• Password. The password that you use to log in to your ISP.
• Service Name (if Required). If your ISP provided a service name, enter it here.
• Connection Mode. Always On, Dial on Demand, or Manually Connect.
• Idle Timeout (In minutes). If you want to change the login time-out, enter a new value in
minutes. This setting determines how long the router keeps the Internet connection active
when no one on the network is using the Internet. A value of 0 (zero) means never log
out.
Internet IP Address.
• Get Dynamically from ISP. Your ISP uses DHCP to assign your IP address. Your ISP
automatically assigns these addresses.
• Use Static IP Address. Enter the IP address, IP subnet mask, and the gateway IP
address that your ISP assigned. The gateway is the ISP router to which your router will
connect.
Domain Name Server (DNS) Address. The DNS server is used to look up site addresses
based on their names.
• Get Automatically from ISP. Your ISP uses DHCP to assign your DNS servers. Your ISP
automatically assigns this address.
• Use These DNS Servers. If you know that your ISP requires specific servers, select this
option. Enter the IP address of your ISP’s primary DNS server. If a secondary DNS server
address is available, enter it also.
NAT (Network Address Translation). NAT allows computers on your home network to
share the router Internet connection. NAT is enabled by default because it is needed in most
situations. The following settings are available:
Basic Settings
21
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
• Enable
• Disable
• Disable Port Scan and DoS Protection
Router MAC Address. The Ethernet MAC address that the router uses on the Internet port.
Some ISPs register the MAC address of the network interface card in your computer when
your account is first opened. They accept traffic only from the MAC address of that computer.
This feature allows your router to use your computer’s MAC address (also called cloning).
• Use Default Address. Use the default MAC address.
• Use Computer MAC Address. The router captures and uses the MAC address of the
computer that you are now using. You have to use the one computer that the ISP allows.
• Use This MAC Address. Enter the MAC address that you want to use.
Basic Wireless Settings
The Wireless Settings screen lets you view or configure the wireless network setup.
The router comes with preset security. This means that the Wi-Fi network name (SSID),
network key (password), and security option (encryption protocol) are preset in the factory.
You can find the preset SSID and password on the bottom of the unit.
The preset SSID and password are uniquely generated for every device to protect and
maximize your wireless security.
NETGEAR recommends that you do not change your preset security settings. If you change
your preset security settings, make a note of the new settings and store it in a safe place
where you can easily find it.
If you use a wireless computer to change the wireless network name (SSID) or other wireless
security settings, you are disconnected when you click Apply. To avoid this problem, use a
computer with a wired connection to access the router.
Basic Settings
22
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
To view or change basic wireless settings:
1. Select Basic > W
ireless.
The screen sections, settings, and procedures are explained in the following sections.
2. (Optional) Change the settings.
The settings are explained in the following section Wireless Settings Screen Fields on
page 24.
3. Click Apply.
Your settings are saved.
If you were connected wirelessly to the router and you changed the SSID or wireless
security
, you are disconnected from the network.
4. If you changed the settings, make sure that you can connect wirelessly to the network with
its new settings.
If you cannot connect wirelessly, check the following:
• Is your computer or wireless device connected to another wireless network in your
area? Some wireless devices automatically connect to the first open network (without
wireless security) that they discover
.
• Is your computer or wireless device trying to connect to your network with its old
settings (before you changed the setting)? If so, update the wireless network
selection in your computer or wireless device to match the current settings for your
network.
Basic Settings
23
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Wireless Settings Screen Fields
You can use this screen to view or change the wireless network settings and the security
option.
Enable SSID Broadcast. This feature allows the router to broadcast its SSID so wireless
stations can see this wireless name (SSID) in their scanned network lists. This check box is
selected by default. To turn off the SSID broadcast, clear this check box, and click Apply.
Name (SSID). The SSID is also known as the wireless network name. Enter a 32-character
(maximum) name in this field. This field is case-sensitive. The default SSID is randomly
generated, and NETGEAR strongly recommends that you do not change this setting.
Region. The location where the router is used. Select from the countries in the list. In the
United States, the region is fixed to United States and is not changeable.
Channel. The wireless channel the router uses. For 2.4 GHz, select a value from 1 through
13. (For products in the North America market, only Channels 1 through 11 can be operated.)
Do not change the channel unless you experience interference (shown by lost connections or
slow data transfers). If this happens, experiment with different channels to see which is the
best.
When you use multiple access points, it is better if adjacent access points use different radio
frequency channels to reduce interference. The recommended channel spacing between
adjacent access points is 4 channels (for example, use Channels 1 and 5, or 6 and 10).
Mode. For 2.4 GHz, Up to 145 Mbps is the default setting, which allows 802.11n and 802.11g
wireless devices to join the network. The other settings are Up to 54 Mbps, and Up to 300
Mbps.
At 5GHz, Up to 1300 Mbps is the default setting, which allows 802.11ac, 802.11a wireless
devices to join the network. The other settings are Up to 289 Mbps and 600 Mbps.
Security Options. The router comes with unique preset wireless security. These settings are
on the product label. NETGEAR recommends that you use preset security so that you
can refer to the label if you forget the WiFi password. However, you can change the
security option and passphrase.
Wireless Security Options
A security option is the type of security protocol applied to your wireless network. The
security protocol in force encrypts data transmissions and ensures that only trusted devices
receive authorization to connect to your network. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) has several
options including pre-shared key (PSK) encryption.
WPA encryption is built into all hardware that has the Wi-Fi-certified seal. This seal means
that the Wi-Fi Alliance (http://www.wi-fi.org/)) authorized the product because it complies with
the worldwide single standard for high-speed wireless local area networking.
WPA uses a passphrase for authentication and to generate the initial data encryption keys.
Then it dynamically varies the encryption key. WPA-PSK uses Temporal Key Integrity
Protocol (TKIP) data encryption, implements most of the IEEE 802.11i standard, and works
with all wireless network interface cards, but not all wireless access points.
Basic Settings
24
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
WPA2-PSK is stronger than WPA-PSK. It is advertised to be theoretically indecipherable due
to the greater degree of randomness in encryption keys that it generates. WPA2-PSK gets
higher speed because it is implemented through hardware, while WPA-PSK is usually
implemented through software. WPA2-PSK uses a passphrase to authenticate and generate
the initial data encryption keys. Then it dynamically varies the encryption key.
WPS-PSK + WPA2-PSK Mixed Mode can provide broader support for all wireless clients.
A2-PSK clients get higher speed and security, and WPA-PSK clients get decent speed
WP
and security. For help with WPA settings on your wireless computer or device, see the
instructions that came with your product.
Change the Wireless Security Option
NETGEAR recommends that you do not disable security.
To change the WPA settings:
1. Select Basic > W
2. Under Security Options, select the WP
3. In the Passphrase field that displays when you select a WPA security option, enter the
network key (password) that you want to use. It is a text string from 8 to 63 characters.
4. W
rite down the new password and keep it in a secure place for future reference.
5. Click Apply.
Your changes are saved.
ireless Settings.
A option you want.
Set Up a Guest Network
A guest network allows visitors at your home to use the Internet without revealing your
wireless security key. You can add a guest network to each wireless network: 2.4 GHz b/g/n
and 5.0 GHz a/n.
Basic Settings
25
To set up a guest network:
1. Select Basic > Guest Network.
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
2. Select any of the following wireless settings:
Enable Guest Network. When this check box is selected, the guest network is enabled,
and guests can connect to your network using the SSID of this profile.
Enable SSID Broadcast. If this check box is selected, the wireless access point
broadcasts its name (SSID) to all wireless stations. Stations with no SSID can adopt the
correct SSID for connections to this access point.
Allow guest to access My Local Network. If this check box is selected, anyone who
connects to this SSID has access to your local network, not just Internet access.
3. Give the guest network a name.
The guest network name is case-sensitive and can be up to 32 characters. You then
manually configure the wireless devices in your network to use the guest network name in
addition to the main SSID.
4. Select a security option from the list.
The security options are described in Wireless Security Options on page 24.
5. Click Apply.
Your settings are saved.
View Attached Devices
Use the Attached Device screen to view all computers or devices that are currently
connected to your network.
Basic Settings
26
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
To go to the Attached Devices screen:
1. From the Basic Home screen, select Attached Devices.
Wired devices are connected to the router with Ethernet cables. Wireless devices have
joined the wireless network. The following information is displayed:
• # (number). The order in which the device joined the network.
• IP Address.
The IP address that the router assigned to this device when it joined the
network. This number can change if a device is disconnected and rejoins the network.
• MAC Address.
The unique MAC address for each device does not change. The MAC
address is typically shown on the product label.
• Device Name. If the device name is known, it is shown here.
2. Click Refresh to update this screen.
Basic Settings
27
4. Advanced Home Settings
Specify custom settings
This chapter contains the following sections:
• NETGEAR genie Advanced Home Screen
• Internet Connection Setup Wizard
• WAN Setup
• LAN Setup
• WPS Wizard for WiFi Connections
• Quality of Service (QoS) Setup
Some selections on the Advanced Home screen are described in separate chapters:
• USB Storage. See Chapter 5, USB Storage.
• Security. See Chapter 7, Security.
• Administration. See Chapter 8, Administration.
• Advanced Setup. See Chapter 9, Advanced Settings.
4
28
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
NETGEAR genie Advanced Home Screen
The genie Advanced Home dashboard presents status information. The content is the same
as what is on the Router Status screen available from the Administration menu. The genie
Advanced Home screen is shown in the following figure:
probably show menus too
Internet Connection 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 genie screens that display the first time you
connect to your router to set it up.
To use the Setup Wizard:
1. Select Advanced > Setup W
2. Select either Yes or No, I want to configure the router myself.
If you select No, you are taken to the Internet Setup screen (see Internet Setup on
page 20).
3. Select Ye
4. Click Next.
s and select your location.
izard.
Advanced Home Settings
29
The Setup Wizard searches your Internet connection for servers and protocols to
determine your ISP configuration.
WAN Setup
R6250 Smart WiFi Router
The WAN Setup screen lets you configure a DMZ (demilitarized zone) server, change the
maximum transmit unit (MTU) size, and enable the router to respond to a ping on the WAN
(Internet) port.
To view or change the WAN settings:
1. Select Advanced > Setup > W
2. Specify the following settings:
• Disable Port Scan and DoS Protection. DoS protection protects your LAN against
denial of service attacks such as Syn flood, Smurf
Attack, UDP Flood, ARP Attack, Spoofing ICMP, Null Scan, and many others. This
should be disabled only in special circumstances.
• Default DMZ Server.
games or videoconferencing. Be careful when using this feature because it makes the
firewall security less effective. See the following section, Default DMZ Server.
AN Setup.
Attack, Ping of Death, Teardrop
This feature is sometimes helpful when you are playing online
Advanced Home Settings
30
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