Netgear R7000 User Manual

Nighthawk AC1900

Smart WiFi Router

Model R7000 User Manual

February 2015

202-11301-07

350 East Plumeria Drive

San Jose, CA 95134

USA

Nighthawk AC1900 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

Compliance

For regulatory compliance information, visit http://www.netgear.com/about/regulatory/.

See the regulatory compliance document before connecting the power supply.

Chapter 1 Hardware Setup

Chapter 2 Connect to the Network and Access the Router

Unpack Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Attach the Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Top and Front Panels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Rear Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Position Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Cable Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Connect to the Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Wired Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

WiFi Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Types of Logins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Use an Internet Browser to Access the Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

NETGEAR genie Automatic Internet Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Change the Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Access the Router with NETGEAR genie Apps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Chapter 3 Specify Your Internet Settings

Use the Internet Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Manually Set Up the Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Specify an Internet Connection Without a Login. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Specify an Internet Connection That Uses a Login . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Specify IPv6 Internet Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Requirements for Entering IPv6 Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Use Auto Detect for an IPv6 Internet Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Use Auto Config for an IPV6 Internet Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Set Up an IPv6 6rd Tunnel Internet Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Set Up an IPv6 6to4 Tunnel Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Set Up an IPv6 Pass Through Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Set Up an IPv6 Fixed Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Set Up an IPv6 DHCP Internet Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Set Up an IPv6 PPPoE Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Change the MTU Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Enable the Bridge or Add a VLAN Tag Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Enable the Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Add VLAN Tag Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Chapter 4 Optimize Performance

Prioritize Internet Traffic with Quality of Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Optimize Internet Gaming with Upstream QoS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Add Upstream QoS Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Set Up QoS for Applications and Online Gaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Set Up QoS for a Router LAN Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Set Up QoS for a MAC Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Edit an Upstream QoS Policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Delete an Upstream QoS Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Optimize Video Streaming with Downstream QoS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Add Downstream QoS Rules by Keyword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Add a Downstream QoS Rule by Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Improve Network Connections with Universal Plug and Play. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Chapter 5 Control Access to the Internet

Set Up Parental Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Block Access to Your Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Use Keywords to Block Internet Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Block Services from the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Schedule When to Block Internet Sites and Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Avoid Blocking on a Trusted Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Set Up Security Event Email Notifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Chapter 6 Share USB Drives Attached to the Router

USB Drive Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Access a USB Drive on the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Back Up Windows Computers with ReadySHARE Vault. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Back Up Mac Computers with Time Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Set Up a USB Hard Drive on a Mac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Prepare to Back Up a Large Amount of Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Use Time Machine to Back Up onto a USB Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Control Access to the USB Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Use FTP Within the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

View Network Folders on a USB Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Add a Network Folder on a USB Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Edit a Network Folder on a USB Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Safely Remove a USB Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Chapter 7 Access the Router’s USB Drive Through the Internet

Access the USB Drive Through the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Set Up FTP Access Through the Internet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Access the USB Drive Through the Internet with FTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Dynamic DNS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Your Personal FTP Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Set Up a New Dynamic DNS Account. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Specify a DNS Account That You Already Have . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Change the Dynamic DNS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Set Up Your Personal FTP Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Chapter 8 Use the Router as a Media Server

Specify ReadyDLNA Media Server Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Play Music from a USB Drive with iTunes Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Play Media from a USB Drive on TiVo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Chapter 9 Share a USB Printer

Install the Printer Driver and Cable the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Download the ReadySHARE Printer Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Install the ReadySHARE Printer Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Use the Shared Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

View or Change the Status of a Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Use the Scan Feature of a Multifunction USB Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Change NETGEAR USB Control Center Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Chapter 10 Specify Network Settings

Disable LED Blinking or Turn off LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

View WAN Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Set Up a Default DMZ Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Change the Router’s Device Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Change the LAN TCP/IP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Specify the IP Addresses that the Router Assigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Disable the DHCP Server Feature in the Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109

Reserve LAN IP Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Use the WPS Wizard for WiFi Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Specify Basic WiFi Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Change the WiFi Security Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Set Up a Guest Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

How the Router Manages Wireless Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Airtime Fairness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Implicit Beamforming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Control the Wireless Radios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Use the WiFi On/Off Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Enable or Disable the Wireless Radios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Set Up a Wireless Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Specify WPS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Set Up the Router with an Existing Router or Gateway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Use the Router as a Wireless Access Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Set Up the Router in Bridge Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Set Up a Wireless Distribution System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Set Up the Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Set Up a Repeater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Chapter 11 Manage Your Network

Update the Router Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Change the admin Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Recover the admin Password. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

View Router Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Display Internet Port Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Check the Internet Connection Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

View Logs of Router Activity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Monitor Internet Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Create Custom Static Routes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

View Devices Currently on the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Manage the Router Configuration File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Back Up Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Restore Configuration Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Erase the Current Configuration Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Remote Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Remotely Access Your Router Using the genie App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Chapter 12 Use VPN to Access Your Network

Set Up a VPN Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

Specify VPN Service in the Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Install OpenVPN Software on Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Use a VPN Tunnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Use VPN to Access the Router’s USB Drive and Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Use VPN to Access Your Internet Service at Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Set Up VPN Client Internet Access in the Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Block VPN Client Internet Access in the Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Use a VPN Tunnel to Access Your Internet Service at Home . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Chapter 13 Specify Internet Port Settings

Set Up Port Forwarding to a Local Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Add a Custom Port Forwarding Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Edit a Port Forwarding Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Delete a Port Forwarding Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Application Example: Make a Local Web Server Public. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

How the Router Implements the Port Forwarding Rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Set Up Port Triggering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Add a Port Triggering Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Enable Port Triggering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Application Example: Port Triggering for Internet Relay Chat . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Chapter 14 Troubleshooting

Quick Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Sequence to Restart Your Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Check Ethernet Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Wireless Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Network Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Troubleshoot with the LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Standard LED Behavior When the Router is Powered On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Power LED Is Off or Blinking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Power LED Stays Amber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

LEDs Never Turn Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Internet or Ethernet Port LEDs Are Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

WiFi LED Is Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Cannot Log In to the Router. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Cannot Access the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Troubleshoot PPPoE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Troubleshoot Internet Browsing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Changes Not Saved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170

Wireless Connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Troubleshoot Your Network Using the Ping Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Test the LAN Path to Your Router. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Test the Path from Your Computer to a Remote Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172

Appendix A Supplemental Information

Factory Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

1. Hardware Setup

The Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router delivers combined WiFi connection speeds up to AC1900 WiFi (600 Mbps

Nighthawk is ideal for bandwidth-hungry activities such as online gaming and video streaming, powered by a dual core 1 GHz processor. High-powered amplifiers with antennas provide WiFi coverage anywhere around your home, inside or out.

For gamers, Nighthawk supports upstream Quality of Service (QoS) optimized for online game play with game consoles like Xbox. For uninterrupted HD streaming media, Nighthawk features downstream QoS to identify and prioritize streaming traffic like Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu Plus.

Nighthawk provides fast central storage, backup and streaming to every device in your home with the USB 3.0 port (10 times faster than USB 2.0). Sharing content across your network is easy, whether it’s accessing stored photos and music to wirelessly printing. Stream your stored media files anywhere on the network to DLNA screens. Share your music to Airplay-compatible devices from the USB hard-drive connected to the router. Use the free NETGEAR ReadySHARE Vault app to back up your Windows computers to a USB hard drive connected to Nighthawk.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Unpack Your Router

• Attach the Antennas

• Top and Front Panels

• Rear Panel

• Position Your Router

• Cable Your Router

on 2.4 GHz2 802.11n and 1300 Mbps 3on 5 GHz 802.11ac).

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. 2.4 GHz performance mode requires 256 QAM support on the WiFi client.

3. Up to 1300 Mbps wireless speeds achieved when you are connecting to other 802.11ac 1300 Mbps devices.

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Unpack Your Router

Your package contains the following items.

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Ethernet cable

Antennas (3)

Figure 1. Package contents

Attach the Antennas

The router comes with three antennas.

 To attach the antennas:

1. Align the antennas with the antenna posts on the router.

Power adapter

2. Attach the antennas on the threaded antenna posts.

3. Position the antennas for the best WiFi performance.

NETGEAR recommends that the center antenna be vertical and that you aim the others outward at 45 degree angles, as shown.

Hardware Setup

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Top and Front Panels

The router has status LEDs on top and a USB 3.0 port on the front.

USB 3.0 port

Figure 2. Router top and front view

Table 1. LED and button descriptions

LED Description

Power

Internet

2.4 GHz Wireless

5 GHz Wireless

USB (1 and 2)

• Solid amber. The router is starting.

• Blinking amber.

• Solid white. The

• Blinking white. The

• Off. Power is not supplied to the router.

• Solid white. The Internet connection is ready.

• Solid amber.

• Off. No Ethernet cable is connected between the router and the modem.

• Solid white. The 2.4 GHz WiFi radio is operating.

• Blinking. The

• Off.

• Solid white. The 5 GHz WiFi radio is operating.

• Blinking. The

• Off. The

The USB 1 LED is for the USB 3.0 USB port on the front panel. The USB 2 LED is for the USB

2.0 port on the rear panel.

• Solid white. A

• Blinking.

• Off. No USB device is connected or someone clicked the Safely Remove Hardware

The 2.4 GHz WiFi radio is off.

button, and it is now safe to remove the attached USB device.

The router has detected an Ethernet cable connection to the modem.

router is sending or receiving WiFi traffic.

5 GHz WiFi radio is off.

USB device is connected and is ready.

A USB device is plugged in and is trying to connect.

The firmware is upgrading, or the Reset button was pressed.

router is ready.

firmware is corrupted.

Hardware Setup

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Table 1. LED and button descriptions (continued)

LED Description

Ethernet ports 1-4

WiFi On/Off button with LED

WPS button with LED

The LED color indicates the speed: white for Gigabit Ethernet connections and amber for 100 Mbps or 10 Mbps Ethernet connections.

• Solid. A

• Blinking.

• Off. No device is connected to this Ethernet port.

Pressing this button for two seconds turns the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi radios on and off. If this LED is lit, the WiFi radios are on. If this LED is off, the WiFi radios are turned off and you

cannot use WiFi to connect to the router.

This button lets you use WPS to join the WiFi network without typing the WiFi password. The WPS LED blinks white during this process and then lights solid white.

powered-on device is connected to the Ethernet port.

The port is sending or receiving traffic.

You can disable LED blinking or turn off all LEDs except the Power LED. For information about how to do this, see Disable LED Blinking or Turn off LEDs on page 103.

Rear Panel

The rear panel has the connections and buttons shown in the following figure.

Reset button port connectorOn/Off

LAN ports 1–4

port

USB 2.0Ethernet Internet Power Power

Figure 3. Router rear panel

Pressing the Reset button restores the factory settings. See Factory Settings on page 174.

Hardware Setup

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Position Your Router

The router lets you access your network anywhere within the operating range of your wireless network. However, the operating distance or range of your wireless connection can vary significantly depending on the physical placement of your router. For example, the thickness and number of walls the wireless signal passes through can limit the range.

Additionally, other wireless access points in and around your home might affect your router’s signal. Wireless access points are routers, repeaters, WiFi range extenders, or any other device that emits a wireless signal for network access.

 To position your router:

1. Place your router near the center of the area where your computers and other devices

operate, and within line of sight to your wireless devices.

2. Make sure that the router is within reach of an AC power outlet and near Ethernet cables

for wired computers.

3. Place the router in an elevated location, minimizing the number walls and ceilings between

the router and your other devices.

4. Place the router away from electrical devices such as these:

• Ceiling fans

• Home security systems

• Microwaves

• Computers

• Base of a cordless phone

• 2.4 GHz cordless phone

5. Place the router away from large metal surfaces, large glass surfaces, and insulated walls

such as these:

• Solid metal door

• Aluminum studs

• Fish tanks

• Mirrors

• Brick

• Concrete

6. (Optional) If you have adjacent access points, use different radio frequency channels to

reduce interference.

Hardware Setup

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Cable Your Router

The following image shows how to cable your router:

Figure 4. Router cabling

 To cable your router:

1. Unplug your modem’

Internet service.

If your modem has a battery backup, remove the battery.

2. Plug in and turn on your modem.

If your modem has a battery backup, replace the battery.

3. Connect your modem to the Internet port of your router with the yellow Ethernet cable that

came with your router.

4. Connect the power adapter to your router and plug the power adapter into an outlet.

5. Press the Power On/Off button on the rear panel of the router.

s power, leaving the modem connected to the wall jack for your

Hardware Setup

2. Connect to the Network and

Access the Router

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Connect to the Network

• Types of Logins

• Use an Internet Browser to Access the Router

• Change the Language

• Access the Router with NETGEAR genie Apps

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Connect to the Network

You can connect to the router’s network through a wired or WiFi connection. If you set up your computer to use a static IP address, change the settings so that it uses Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

Wired Connection

You can connect your computer to the router using an Ethernet cable and join the router’s local area network (LAN).

 To connect your computer to the router with an Ethernet cable:

1. Make sure that the router has power (its Power LED is lit).

2. Connect an Ethernet cable to an Ethernet port on your computer.

3. Connect the other end of the Ethernet cable to one of the numbered Ethernet ports.

Your computer connects to the local area network (LAN). A message might display on your computer screen to notify you that an Ethernet cable is connected.

WiFi Connection

You can connect to the router’s WiFi network with Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) or you can find and select the WiFi network.

 To use WPS to connect to the WiFi network:

1. Make sure that the router has power (its Power LED is lit).

2. Check the WPS instructions for your computer or wireless device.

3. Press the WPS button on the router.

4. Within two minutes, on your computer or WiFi device, press its WPS button or follow its

instructions for WPS connections.

Your computer or wireless device connects to the WiFi network.

 To find and select the WiFi network:

1. Make sure that the router has power (its Power LED is lit).

2. On your computer or wireless device, find and select the WiFi network.

The WiFi network name is on the router’s label.

3. Join the WiFi network and enter the WiFi password.

The password is on the router’s label.

Your wireless device connects to the WiFi network.

Connect to the Network and Access the Router

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Label

The label on the router shows the login information, MAC address, and serial number.

Figure 5. Router label

Types of Logins

Separate types of logins have different purposes. It is important that you understand the difference so that you know which login to use when.

Types of logins:

• ISP login.

service provider gave you this login information in a letter or some other way. If you cannot find this login information, contact your service provider.

• W

iFi 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 router label.

• Router login.This logs you in to the router interface as admin from an Internet browser

The login that your ISP gave you logs you in to your Internet service. Your

Use an Internet Browser to Access the Router

When you connect to the network (either with WiFi or with an Ethernet cable), you can use an Internet browser to access the router to view or change its settings. The first time you access the router, NETGEAR genie automatically checks to see if your router can connect to your Internet service.

NETGEAR genie Automatic Internet Setup

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 that the computers and devices in the network have the settings described here.

Connect to the Network and Access the Router

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

When your Internet service starts, your Internet service provider (ISP) typically gives you all the information needed to connect to the Internet. For DSL service, you might need the following information to set up your router:

• The ISP configuration information for your DSL account

• ISP login name and password

• Fixed or static IP address settings (special deployment by ISP; this setting is rare)

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 login program on your computer to access the Internet. When you start an Internet application, your router automatically logs you in.

NETGEAR genie runs on any device with a web browser. Installation and basic setup takes about 15 minutes to complete.

 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 label.

Note: If you want to change the router’s WiFi setting, use a wired connection

to avoid being disconnected when the new WiFi settings take effect.

3. Launch an Internet browser

The screen that displays depends on whether you have accessed the router before or if NETGEAR genie detects that the router is connected to another router or gateway:

• The first time that you are setting up the Internet connection for your router, the

browser goes to http://www

.routerlogin.net, and the NETGEAR genie screen displays.

Connect to the Network and Access the Router

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

• If NETGEAR genie detects that the router is connected to another router or gateway,

NETGEAR genie prompts you to set up the router in router mode or access point mode:

Select the Help Me Choose radio button or Let Me Choose radio button:

• Help Me Choose. If you select the Help Me Choose radio button, NETGEAR

genie asks you a few questions to determine if you should set the router in router mode or access point mode. NETGEAR recommends that you select the Help Me Choose radio button.

• Let Me Choose. If you select the Let Me Choose radio, you must select the

Router Mode radio button or the Access Point Mode radio button.

You can

change the mode by running the Setup Wizard again. For more information, see

Use the Internet Setup Wizard on page 22.

For more information about how to set up your router with an existing router or gateway

, see Set Up the Router with an Existing Router or Gateway on page 120.

• 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.

4. Follow the onscreen instructions.

NETGEAR genie guides you through connecting the router to the Internet.

5. If the browser cannot display the web page, do the following:

• 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

, and that its Power LED is lit white.

• Close and reopen the browser or clear the browser cache.

• Browse to http://www

.routerlogin.net.

• If the computer is set to a static or fixed IP address (this setting is uncommon),

change it to obtain an IP address automatically from the router.

6. If the router does not connect to the Internet, do the following:

a. Review your settings. Make sure that you selected the correct options and typed

everything correctly

b. Contact your ISP to verify that you have the correct configuration information.

Connect to the Network and Access the Router

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

c. Read Chapter 14, Troubleshooting. If problems persist, register your NETGEAR

product and contact NETGEAR technical support.

Log In to the Router

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.

 To log in to the router:

1. Launch an Internet browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the

network.

2. Type http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com.

A login screen displays.

3. Enter the router user name and password.

The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home screen displays.

Change the Language

By default, the language is set as Auto.

 To change the language:

1. Launch an Internet browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the

network.

2. Type http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com.

A login screen displays.

3. Enter the router user name and password.

The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home screen displays.

4. In the upper right corner, select a language from the drop-down list.

5. When prompted, click the OK button to confirm this change.

The screen refreshes with the language that you selected.

Connect to the Network and Access the Router

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Access the Router with NETGEAR genie Apps

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.

The genie app dashboard screen displays:

Connect to the Network and Access the Router

3. Specify Your Internet Settings

Usually, the quickest way to set up the router to use your Internet connection is to allow the genie to detect the Internet connection when you first access the router with an Internet browser. You can also customize or specify your Internet settings.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Use the Internet Setup Wizard

• Manually Set Up the Internet Connection

• Specify IPv6 Internet Connections

• Change the MTU Size

• Enable the Bridge or Add a VLAN Tag Group

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

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 genie screens that display the first time you connect to your router to set it up.

 To use the Setup Wizard:

1. Launch an Internet browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the

network.

2. T

ype http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com.

A login screen displays.

3. Enter the router user name and password.

The user name is admin. password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home screen displays.

4. Select ADV

5. Select the Yes radio button.

If you select No, you are taken to the Internet Setup screen (see Manually Set Up the

Internet Connection ).

6. Click the Next button.

ANCED > Setup Wizard.

The default password is password. The user name and

Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

The Setup Wizard searches your Internet connection for servers and protocols to determine your ISP configuration and checks your operation mode.

Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Manually Set Up the Internet Connection

You can view or change the router’s Internet connection settings.

Specify an Internet Connection Without a Login

 To specify the Internet connection settings:

1. Launch an Internet browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the

network.

2. T

ype http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com.

A login screen displays.

3. Enter the router user name and password.

The user name is admin. password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home screen displays.

4. Select Internet.

The default password is password. The user name and

Scroll to view more settings

5. For the Does your Internet connection require a login setting, leave the No radio

button selected.

6. If your Internet connection requires an account name or host name, type it in the Account

Name (If Required) field.

Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

7. If your Internet connection requires a domain name, type it in the Domain Name (If

Required) field.

For the other sections in this screen, the default settings usually work, but you can change them.

8. For the Internet IP Address setting, select one of the following radio buttons:

• 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 connects.

9. For the Domain Name Server (DNS) Address setting, select one of the following radio

buttons:

• 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.

10. For the Router MAC Address setting, select one of the following radio buttons:

• 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 must use the one computer that the ISP allows.

• Use This MAC Address. Enter the MAC address that you want to use.

11. Click the Apply button.

Your settings are saved.

12. Click the Test button to test your Internet connection.

If the NETGEAR website does not display within one minute, see Chapter 14,

Troubleshooting.

Specify an Internet Connection That Uses a Login

 To view or change the basic Internet setup:

1. Launch an Internet browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the

network.

2. Type http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com.

A login screen displays.

3. Enter the router user name and password.

The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive.

Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

The BASIC Home screen displays.

4. Select Internet.

Scroll to view more settings

5. In the Does your Internet connection require a login section of the screen, select the

Yes radio button.

The screen adjusts.

6. In the Internet Service Provider list, select the encapsulation method PPPoE, PPPoA, or

L2TP.

7. In the Login field, enter the login name your ISP gave you.

This login name is often an email

address.

8. In the Password field, type the password that you use to log in to your Internet service.

9. If your ISP requires a service name, type it in the Service Name (if Required) field.

10. In the Connection Mode drop-down list, select Always

On, Dial on Demand, or Manually

Connect.

11. T

o change the number of minutes until the Internet login times, out, in the Idle Timeout (In

minutes) field, type the number of minutes.

This is how long the router keeps the Internet connection active when no one on the network is using the Internet connection.

A value of 0 (zero) means never log out.

12. In the Internet IP Address section, select one of the following radio buttons:

• Get Dynamically from ISP.

Your ISP uses DHCP to assign your IP address. Your ISP

automatically assigns these addresses.

Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

• 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 connects.

13. In the Domain Name Server (DNS) Address section, select one of the following radio

buttons:

• 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.

14. In the Router MAC Address section of the screen, select one of the following radio buttons:

• 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 must use the one computer that the ISP allows.

• Use This MAC Address. Enter the MAC address that you want to use.

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 Chapter 14,

Troubleshooting.

Specify IPv6 Internet Connections

You can set up an IPv6 Internet connection if genie does not detect it automatically.

 To set up an IPv6 Internet connection:

1. Launch an Internet browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the

network.

2. Type http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com..

A login screen displays.

3. Enter the router user name and password.

The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home screen displays.

4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6.

The IPv6 screen displays.

5. In the Internet Connection Type list, select the IPv6 connection type.

Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Your Internet service provider (ISP) can provide this information.

• If your ISP did not provide details, select IPv6 Tunnel.

• If you are not sure, select Auto Detect so that the router detects the IPv6 type that is

in use.

• If your Internet connection does not use PPPoE, DHCP, or fixed, but is IPv6, select

Auto Config. For more information about IPv6 Internet connection, see the following

sections.

Your Internet service provider (ISP) can provide this information. For more information about IPv6 Internet connection, see the following sections:

- Use Auto Detect for an IPv6 Internet Connection on page 28

- Use Auto Config for an IPV6 Internet Connection on page 30

- Set Up an IPv6 6rd Tunnel Internet Connection on page 31

- Set Up an IPv6 6to4 Tunnel Internet Connection on page 33

- Set Up an IPv6 Pass Through Internet Connection on page 35

- Set Up an IPv6 Fixed Internet Connection on page 35

- Set Up an IPv6 DHCP Internet Connection on page 37

- Set Up an IPv6 PPPoE Internet Connection on page 38

6. Click the Apply button.

Your changes take effect.

Requirements for Entering IPv6 Addresses

IPv6 addresses are denoted by eight groups of hexadecimal quartets that are separated by colons. You can reduce any four-digit group of zeros within an IPv6 address to a single zero or omit it. The following errors invalidate an IPv6 address:

• More than eight groups of hexadecimal quartets

• More than four hexadecimal characters in a quartet

• More than two colons in a row

Use Auto Detect for an IPv6 Internet Connection

 To set up an IPv6 Internet connection through auto detection:

1. Launch an Internet browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the

network.

2. Type http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com.

A login screen displays.

3. Enter the router user name and password.

Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

The user name is admin. The default password is password. The user name and password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home screen displays.

4. Select ADV

ANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6.

The IPv6 screen displays.

5. In the Internet Connection T

ype list, select Auto Detect.

The screen adjusts:

The router automatically detects the information in the following fields:

• Connection T

• Router

’s IPv6 Address on WAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired

ype. This field indicates the connection type that is detected.

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. If no address is acquired, the field displays Not Available.

• Router

’s IPv6 Address on LAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired

for the router’s LAN interface. The number after the slash (/) is the length of the prefix, which is also indicated by the underline (_) under the IPv6 address. If no address is acquired, the field displays Not Available.

6. Specify how the router assigns IPv6 addresses to the devices on your home network (the

LAN) by selecting one of the following radio buttons:

• Use DHCP Server.

This method passes more information to LAN devices, but some

IPv6 systems might not support the DHCv6 client function.

• Auto Config.

This is the default setting.

7. (Optional) Select the Use This Interface ID check box and specify the interface ID to be

used for the IPv6 address of the router’

s LAN interface.

If you do not specify an ID here, the router generates one automatically from its MAC address.

8. Click the Apply button.

Your settings are saved.

Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router

Use Auto Config for an IPV6 Internet Connection

 To set up an IPv6 Internet connection through auto configuration:

1. Launch an Internet browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the

network.

2. T

ype http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com.

A login screen displays.

3. Enter the router user name and password.

The user name is admin.

The default password is password. The user name and

password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home screen displays.

4. Select ADV

ANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6.

The IPv6 screen displays.

5. In the Internet Connection T

The screen adjusts:

ype list, select Auto Config.

The router automatically detects the information in the following fields:

• Router

’s IPv6 Address on WAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired

• Router

’s IPv6 Address on LAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired

6. Select an IPv6 Domain Name Server (DNS)

Specify Your Internet Settings

Address radio button:

+ 146 hidden pages

Netgear R7000 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

1. Hardware Setup

Unpack Your Router

Attach the Antennas

Top and Front Panels

Rear Panel

Position Your Router

Cable Your Router

Connect to the Network

Wired Connection

WiFi Connection

Label

Types of Logins

Use an Internet Browser to Access the Router

NETGEAR genie Automatic Internet Setup

Log In to the Router

Change the Language

Access the Router with NETGEAR genie Apps

3. Specify Your Internet Settings

Use the Internet Setup Wizard

Manually Set Up the Internet Connection

Specify an Internet Connection Without a Login

Specify an Internet Connection That Uses a Login

Specify IPv6 Internet Connections

Requirements for Entering IPv6 Addresses

Use Auto Detect for an IPv6 Internet Connection

Use Auto Config for an IPV6 Internet Connection