Netgear R7960P User Manual

User Manual
Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router
Model R7960P
NETGEAR, Inc.
350 E. Plumeria DriveFebruary 2019 San Jose, CA 95134, USA202-11946-01
Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router
Support
Thank you for purchasing this NETGEAR product.
Trademarks
©NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR and the NETGEAR Logo are trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. Any non-NETGEAR trademarks are used for reference purposes only.
Compliance and Conformity
For regulatory compliance information, visit https://www.netgear.com/about/regulatory/. See the regulatory compliance document before connecting the power supply.
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Contents

Chapter 1 Hardware Setup
Unpack Your Router...........................................................................10
Extend the Antennas..........................................................................10
LEDs and Buttons on the Top Panel.................................................11
Rear Panel............................................................................................12
Router Label........................................................................................13
Position the Router.............................................................................13
Cable Your Router..............................................................................15
Chapter 2 Connect to the Network and Access the Router
Connect to the Network....................................................................17
Wired Connection..........................................................................17
WiFi Connection.............................................................................17
WiFi Connection Using WPS........................................................17
Types of Logins...................................................................................18
Use a Web Browser to Access the Router.......................................18
Automatic Internet Setup..............................................................18
Log In to the Router.......................................................................20
Install and Manage Your Router With the Nighthawk App...........20
Change the Language.......................................................................21
Chapter 3 Specify Your Internet Settings
Use the Internet Setup Wizard..........................................................23
Manually Set Up the Internet Connection.......................................23
Specify an Internet Connection Without a Login.......................23
Specify an Internet Connection That Uses a Login....................25
Specify IPv6 Internet Connections....................................................26
Requirements for Entering IPv6 Addresses................................27
Use Auto Detect for an IPv6 Internet Connection......................27
Set Up an IPv6 6to4 Tunnel Internet Connection......................28
Set Up an IPv6 Pass Through Internet Connection....................30
Set Up an IPv6 Fixed Internet Connection..................................30
Set Up an IPv6 DHCP Internet Connection.................................32
Set Up an IPv6 PPPoE Internet Connection................................33
Use Auto Config for an IPv6 Internet Connection.....................35
Set Up an IPv6 6rd Internet Connection.....................................36
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Manage the MTU Size........................................................................38
MTU Concepts................................................................................38
Change the MTU Size....................................................................40
Chapter 4 Control Access to the Internet
Enable Circle With Disney.................................................................42
Enable Circle With Disney On Your Router.....................................43
Enable Circle With Disney Using the Circle App............................44
Allow or Block Access to Your Network..........................................44
Use Keywords to Block Internet Sites...............................................45
Block Services From the Internet......................................................47
Delete Keywords From the Blocked List..........................................48
Avoid Blocking on a Trusted Computer..........................................48
Manage Network Access Control Lists............................................49
Schedule When to Block Internet Sites and Services.....................50
Set Up Security Event Email Notifications.......................................51
Chapter 5 Optimize Performance
Use Dynamic QoS to Optimize Internet Traffic Management......54
Enable Dynamic QoS.....................................................................54
Enable or Disable the Automatic QoS Database Update.........55
Manually Update the Dynamic QoS Database...........................55
Participate in Dynamic QoS Analytics.........................................56
Improve Network Connections With Universal Plug and Play......57
Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service.................................................58
Chapter 6 Manage Network Settings
View or Change WAN Settings.........................................................61
Set Up a Default DMZ Server............................................................62
Change the Router’s Device Name..................................................63
Change the LAN TCP/IP Settings.....................................................63
Specify the IP Addresses That the Router Assigns.........................65
Disable the DHCP Server Feature in the Router.............................66
Manage Reserved LAN IP Addresses...............................................67
Reserve an IP Address...................................................................67
Edit a Reserved IP Address...........................................................68
Delete a Reserved IP Address Entry............................................68
Use the WPS Wizard for WiFi Connections.....................................69
Specify Basic WiFi Settings................................................................70
Change the WiFi Mbps Settings.......................................................71
Change the Transmission Power Control........................................73
Change the WiFi Password or the WiFi Security............................74
Set Up a Guest WiFi Network............................................................75
Control the WiFi Radios.....................................................................77
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
Use the WiFi On/Off Button..........................................................78
Enable or Disable the WiFi Radios...............................................78
Set Up a WiFi Schedule......................................................................79
Specify WPS Settings..........................................................................79
Set Up the Router as a WiFi Access Point........................................80
Set Up the Router in Bridge Mode...................................................82
Set Up a Bridge for a Port Group or VLAN Tag Group..................83
Set Up a Bridge for a Port Group.................................................83
Set Up a Bridge for a VLAN Tag Group......................................84
Custom Static Routes.........................................................................86
Set Up a Static Route.....................................................................87
Edit a Static Route..........................................................................88
Delete a Static Route.....................................................................89
Ethernet Port Aggregation................................................................89
Set Up Ethernet Port Aggregation...............................................89
View or Change the Router Ethernet Port Aggregation Mode.91
Set Up WAN Aggregation to Get Multi-Gig Internet.....................92
Chapter 7 Manage Your Router
Update the Router Firmware.............................................................94
Check for New Firmware and Update the Router......................94
Manually Upload Firmware to the Router...................................95
Change the admin Password............................................................96
Enable admin Password Recovery...................................................96
Recover the admin Password............................................................97
View Information About the Router and the Internet and WiFi
Settings................................................................................................98
Display Internet Port Statistics...........................................................99
Check the Internet Connection Status...........................................100
View and Manage Logs of Router Activity.....................................101
View Devices Currently on the Network........................................102
Monitor Internet Traffic....................................................................102
Manage the Router Configuration File..........................................104
Back Up Settings..........................................................................104
Erase the Settings........................................................................104
Restore Configuration Settings..................................................105
Remote Access.................................................................................106
Set Up Remote Management.....................................................106
Use Remote Access.....................................................................107
Remotely Access Your Router Using the Nighthawk App...........107
Disable LED Blinking or Turn Off LEDs..........................................108
Set Your Time Zone..........................................................................108
Change the NTP Server...................................................................109
Return the Router to Its Factory Default Settings.........................110
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
Use the Reset Button...................................................................110
Erase the Settings........................................................................110
Chapter 8 Share USB Storage Devices Attached to the Router
USB Device Requirements..............................................................113
Connect a USB Storage Device to the Router..............................113
Access a Storage Device Connected to the Router From a
Windows-Based Computer.............................................................114
Map a USB Device to a Windows Network Drive.........................114
Access a Storage Device That Is Connected to the Router From a
Mac.....................................................................................................115
Back Up Windows-Based Computers With ReadySHARE Vault..116
Enable FTP Access Within Your Network......................................116
View or Change Network Folders on a Storage Device..............117
Add a Network Folder on a USB Storage Device.........................118
Edit a Network Folder on a USB Storage Device.........................119
Manage the ReadyDLNA Media Server.........................................121
Safely Remove a USB Storage Device...........................................121
Chapter 9 Use Dynamic DNS to Access USB Storage Devices Through the Internet
Set Up and Manage Dynamic DNS................................................124
Set Up FTP Access Through the Internet......................................124
Your Personal FTP Server................................................................125
Set Up Your Personal FTP Server...............................................125
Set Up a New Dynamic DNS Account.......................................126
Specify a DNS Account That You Already Created.................126
Change the Dynamic DNS Settings...........................................127
Access USB Storage Devices Through the Internet.....................129
Remotely Access a USB Device Using ReadyCLOUD..................129
Create a ReadyCLOUD Account................................................129
Register Your Router With ReadyCLOUD.................................130
Chapter 10 Share a USB Printer
Install the Printer Driver and Cable the Printer.............................133
Download the ReadySHARE Printer Utility....................................133
Install the ReadySHARE Printer Utility............................................133
Print Using the NETGEAR USB Control Center............................134
Chapter 11 Use VPN to Access Your Network
Set Up a VPN Connection...............................................................137
Specify VPN Service in the Router..................................................137
Install OpenVPN Software...............................................................138
Install OpenVPN Software on Your Windows Computer.......138
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
Install OpenVPN Software on Your Mac Computer................141
Install OpenVPN Software on an iOS Device...........................142
Install OpenVPN Software on an Android Device...................142
Use a VPN Tunnel on Your Windows Computer..........................143
Use VPN to Access the Router’s USB Device and Media............145
Use VPN to Access Your Internet Service at Home......................145
Set Up VPN Client Internet Access in the Router.....................146
Block VPN Client Internet Access in the Router.......................146
Use a VPN Tunnel to Access Your Internet Service at Home..147
Chapter 12 Manage Port Forwarding and Port Triggering
Manage Port Forwarding to a Local Server..................................150
Set Up Port Forwarding to a Local Server.................................150
Add a Custom Port Forwarding Service...................................151
Edit a Port Forwarding Service...................................................152
Delete a Port Forwarding Entry..................................................153
Application Example: Make a Local Web Server Public.........153
How the Router Implements the Port Forwarding Rule..........154
Port Triggering.................................................................................154
Add a Port Triggering Service....................................................155
Enable Port Triggering................................................................156
Application Example: Port Triggering for Internet Relay Chat port
triggering......................................................................................156
Chapter 13 Troubleshooting
Quick Tips..........................................................................................159
Sequence to Restart Your Network...........................................159
Check Ethernet Cable Connections..........................................159
WiFi Settings.................................................................................159
Network Settings..........................................................................159
Troubleshoot With the LEDs...........................................................160
Standard LED Behavior When the Router Is Powered On......160
Power LED Is Off or Blinking......................................................160
LEDs Never Turn Off....................................................................160
Internet or Ethernet Port LEDs Are Off......................................161
WiFi LED Is Off.............................................................................161
You Cannot Log In to the Router....................................................161
You Cannot Access the Internet.....................................................162
Troubleshoot Internet Browsing.....................................................163
Changes Are Not Saved..................................................................164
Troubleshoot WiFi Connectivity.....................................................164
Troubleshoot Your Network Using the Ping Utility......................165
Test the LAN Path to Your Router..............................................165
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
Test the Path From a Windows-Based Computer to a Remote
Device............................................................................................166
Chapter 14 Supplemental Information
Factory Settings................................................................................169
Technical Specifications..................................................................172
8
1

Hardware Setup

This chapter contains the following sections:
• Unpack Your Router
• Extend the Antennas
• LEDs and Buttons on the Top Panel
• Rear Panel
• Router Label
• Position the Router
• Cable Your Router
For more information about the topics covered in this manual, visit the support website at netgear.com/support.
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P

Unpack Your Router

Your package contains the router, the power adapter, and an Ethernet cable.
Figure 1. Package contents

Extend the Antennas

Position the antennas for the best WiFi performance.
To extend the antennas:
Position all of the antennas vertically as shown.
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P

LEDs and Buttons on the Top Panel

The status LEDs and buttons are located on the top of the router.
Table 1. LED and button descriptions
DescriptionsLEDs and Buttons
Power
Internet
2.4 GHz WiFi
5 GHz WiFi (2)
USB 3.0 port
Solid amber. The router is starting.
Blinking amber. The firmware is upgrading, or the Reset button was pressed.
Solid white. The router is ready.
Blinking white. The firmware is corrupted.
Off. Power is not supplied to the router.
Solid white. The Internet connection is ready.
Solid amber. The router detected an Ethernet cable connection to the modem.
Off. No Ethernet cable is connected between the router and the modem.
Solid white. The 2.4 GHz WiFi radio is operating.
Blinking white. The router is sending or receiving WiFi traffic.
Off. The 2.4 GHz WiFi radio is off.
Solid white. The 5 GHz WiFi radio is operating.
Blinking white. The router is sending or receiving WiFi traffic.
Off. The 5 GHz WiFi radio is off.
Solid white. A USB device is connected and is ready.
Blinking white. A USB device is plugged in and is trying to connect.
Off. No USB device is connected, or someone clicked the Safely Remove Hardware button
and it is now safe to remove the attached USB device.
Ethernet ports 1–4
The LED color indicates the speed: white for Gigabit Ethernet connections and amber for 100 Mbps or 10 Mbps Ethernet connections.
Solid white or solid amber. A powered-on device is connected to the Ethernet port.
Blinking white or blinking amber. The port is sending or receiving traffic.
Off. No device is connected to this Ethernet port.
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
Table 1. LED and button descriptions (Continued)
DescriptionsLEDs and Buttons
WiFi On/Off button with LED
WPS button with LED
Pressing this button for two seconds turns the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi radios on and off. If this LED is solid white, 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.

Rear Panel

The following figure shows the rear panel connectors and buttons.
Figure 2. Router back panel
In addition to the six antenna connectors, viewed from left to right, the back panel contains the following components:
LED On/Off switch. Use the LED On/Off switch to turn the LEDs. Note that the
Power LED stays lit even if the LED On/Off switch is in the Off position.
Ethernet ports. Four Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 LAN ports. Use these ports to connect
• the router to LAN devices. Use Ethernet ports 1 and 2 to cable a device that supports Ethernet port aggregation.
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
Internet port. One Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 WAN port to connect the router to an Internet modem such as a cable modem or DSL modem.
USB port. Use the USB 3.0 port to connect the router to a USB storage device.
Reset button. Pressing the Reset button resets the router. If the Reset button is
• pressed for at least 10 seconds and the Power LED blinks amber and the router returns to its factory settings.
DC power connector. Connect the power adapter that came with your router to the DC power connector.
Power On/Off button. Press the Power On/Off button to provide power to the router.

Router Label

The router label on the bottom panel lists the login information, WiFi network name (SSID) and password (network key), serial number, and MAC address of the router.
Figure 3. Router label

Position the Router

The router lets you access your network anywhere within the operating range of your WiFi network. However, the operating distance or range of your WiFi connection can vary significantly depending on the physical placement of the router. For example, the thickness and number of walls the WiFi signal passes through can limit the range.
Additionally, other WiFi access points in and around your home might affect your router’s signal. WiFi access points are routers, repeaters, WiFi range extenders, and any other device that emits a WiFi signal for network access.
User Manual13Hardware Setup
Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
Position the router according to the following guidelines:
Place the router near the center of the area where your computers and other devices
• operate and within line of sight to your WiFi devices.
Make sure that the router is within reach of an AC power outlet and near Ethernet
• cables for wired computers.
Place the router in an elevated location, minimizing the number walls and ceilings
• between the router and your other devices.
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 GHz cordless phone
Place the router away from large metal surfaces, large glass surfaces, insulated walls,
• and items such as these:
- Solid metal door
- Aluminum studs
- Fish tanks
- Mirrors
- Brick
- Concrete
If you are using adjacent access points, use different radio frequency channels to reduce interference.
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P

Cable Your Router

The following image shows how to cable your router:
Figure 4. Cable your Router
To cable your router:
1.
Unplug your modem’s power, leaving the modem connected to the wall jack for your Internet service.
If your modem uses a battery backup, remove the battery.
2. Plug in and turn on your modem. If your modem uses a battery backup, put the battery back in.
3.
Connect your modem to the Internet port of your router with the black 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 back panel of the router.
User Manual15Hardware Setup
2

Connect to the Network and Access the Router

You can connect to the router’s WiFi networks or use a wired Ethernet connection. This chapter explains the ways you can connect and how to access the router and log in.
The chapter contains the following sections:
• Connect to the Network
• Types of Logins
• Use a Web Browser to Access the Router
• Install and Manage Your Router With the Nighthawk App
• Change the Language
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P

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 is receiving 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 an Ethernet port on the router. Your computer connects to the local area network (LAN).

WiFi Connection

To find and select the WiFi network:
1. Make sure that the router is receiving power (its Power LED is lit).
2.
On your computer or WiFi device, find and select the WiFi network. The WiFi network name is on the router label.
3. Join the WiFi network and enter the WiFi password. The password is on the router label.
Your device connects to the WiFi network.

WiFi Connection Using WPS

You can connect your WPS-enabled device 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 is receiving power (its Power LED is lit).
2.
Check the WPS instructions for your WPS-enabled device.
3.
Press the WPS button on the router.
Access the Router
User Manual17Connect to the Network and
Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
4.
Within two minutes, on your WPS-enabled device, press its WPS button or follow its instructions for WPS connections.
Your WPS-enabled device connects to the WiFi network.

Types of Logins

Separate types of logins serve different purposes. It is important that you understand the difference so that you know which login to use when.
Several types of logins are associated with the router:
ISP login. The login that your ISP gave you logs you in to your Internet service. Your
• 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.
WiFi network key or password. Your router is preset with a unique WiFi network
• name (SSID) and password for WiFi access. This information is on the router label.
Router login. This logs you in to the router interface from a web browser as admin.

Use a Web Browser to Access the Router

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

Automatic Internet Setup

You can set up your router automatically, or you can use a web browser to access the router and 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 are using the settings described here.
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 setting (special deployment by ISP; this setting is rare)
Access the Router
User Manual18Connect to the Network and
Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
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.
The NETGEAR installation assistant runs on any device with a web browser. Installation and basic setup takes about 15 minutes to complete.
To automatically set up your router:
1. Make sure that the router is powered on.
2. Make sure that your computer or mobile device is connected to the router with an Ethernet cable (wired) or over WiFi with the preset security settings listed on the label.
Note: If you want to change the router’s WiFi settings, use a wired connection to avoid being disconnected when the new WiFi settings take effect.
3. Launch a web browser. The page 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 Configuring the Internet Connection page displays.
If you already set up the Internet connection, enter http://www.routerlogin.net
in the address field for your browser to start the installation process.
4. Follow the onscreen instructions. The router connects to the Internet.
5.
If the browser does not display the NETGEAR installation assistant, do the following:
Make sure that the computer is connected to one of the LAN Ethernet ports or
over WiFi to the router. Make sure that the router is receiving power and that its Power LED is lit.
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 are using the correct configuration information.
User Manual19Connect to the Network and
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
c.
Read You Cannot Access the Internet on page 162. If problems persist, register your NETGEAR product and contact NETGEAR Technical Support.
When the router connects to the Internet, you are prompted to download and install the free ReadySHARE Vault app.

Log In to the Router

When you first connect to your router and launch a web browser, the browser automatically displays the router web interface. If you want to view or change settings for the router later, you can use a browser to log in to the router web interface.
To log in to the router:
1.
Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
2.
Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
Note: You can also enter http://www.routerlogin.com or http://192.168.1.1. The procedures in this manual use http://www.routerlogin.net.
A login window opens.
3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time
that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.

Install and Manage Your Router With the Nighthawk App

With the Nighthawk app, you can easily install and manage your router. The app automatically updates the router to the latest firmware, allows you to personalize your WiFi network, and even helps register your router with NETGEAR.
The Nighthawk app is available for iOS and Android mobile devices.
To install your router using the Nighthawk app:
1. To download the app, visit Nighthawk-app.com.
2.
On your mobile device, tap Settings > Wi-Fi and find and connect to your router’s WiFi network.
User Manual20Connect to the Network and
Access the Router
Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
Your router’s WiFi network name (SSID) and network key (password) are on the router label.
3. Launch the Nighthawk app on your mobile device.
4. Follow the instructions that display on the app to install your router and connect to the Internet.

Change the Language

By default, the language is set to Auto.
To change the language:
1.
Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.
2.
Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
3. Enter the router user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time
that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.
In the upper right corner, select a language from the menu.
5.
When prompted, click the OK button to confirm this change. The page refreshes with the language that you selected.
Access the Router
User Manual21Connect to the Network and
3

Specify Your Internet Settings

Usually, the quickest way to set up the router to use your Internet connection is to allow your router to detect the Internet connection when you first access the router with a web 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
• Manage the MTU Size
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Use the Internet Setup Wizard

You can use the Setup Wizard to detect your Internet settings and automatically set up your router. The Setup Wizard is not the same as the pages that display the first time you connect to your router to set it up.
To use the Setup Wizard:
1.
Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
2.
Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time
that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.
Select ADVANCED > Setup Wizard. The Setup Wizard page displays.
5.
Select the Yes radio button. If you select the No radio button, you are taken to the Internet Setup page (see
Manually Set Up the Internet Connection on page 23).
6.
Click the Next button. The Setup Wizard searches your Internet connection for servers and protocols to
determine your Internet configuration.

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 a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to therouter network.
2.
Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time
that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.
Select Internet. The Internet Setup page displays.
5.
In the Does your Internet connection require a login? section, leave the No radio button selected.
6.
If your Internet connection requires an account name or host name, click the Edit button in the Account Name section and enter the account name.
7.
If your Internet connection requires a domain name, type it in the Domain Name (If Required) field.
For the other sections on this page, the default settings usually work, but you can change them.
8. Select an Internet IP Address radio button:
• 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. Select a Domain Name Server (DNS) Address radio button:
• 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. Select a Router MAC Address radio button:
• 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.
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Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
12.
Click the Test button to test your Internet connection. If the NETGEAR website does not display within one minute, see You Cannot Access
the Internet on page 162.

Specify an Internet Connection That Uses a Login

To view or change the basic Internet setup:
1.
Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
2.
Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time
that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.
Select Internet. The Internet Setup page displays.
5.
In the Does your Internet connection require a login? section, select the Yes radio button.
6.
From the Internet Service Provider menu, select the encapsulation method: PPPoE, L2TP, or PPTP.
7.
In the Login field, enter the login name that 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.
From the Connection Mode menu, select Always On, Dial on Demand, or Manually Connect.
11.
To 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. Select an Internet IP Address radio button:
User Manual25Specify Your Internet Settings
Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
• 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.
13. Select a Domain Name Server (DNS) Address radio button:
• 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. Select a Router MAC Address radio button:
• 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 You Cannot Access
the Internet on page 162.

Specify IPv6 Internet Connections

You can set up an IPv6 Internet connection if the router does not detect it automatically.
To set up an IPv6 Internet connection:
1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
2.
Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive. The BASIC Home page displays.
User Manual26Specify Your Internet Settings
Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
4.
Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6. The IPv6 page displays.
5.
From the Internet Connection Type menu, select the IPv6 connection type:
If you are not sure, select Auto Detect so that the router detects the IPv6 type
that is in use.
If your Internet connection does not use PPPoe or DHCP, or is not fixed, but is
IPv6, select Auto Config.
Your Internet service provider (ISP) can provide this information.
6.
Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

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 autodetection:
1.
Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
2.
Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time
that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.
Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6. The IPv6 page displays.
5.
From the Internet Connection Type menu, select Auto Detect.
User Manual27Specify Your Internet Settings
Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
The page adjusts. The router automatically detects the information in the following fields:
Connection Type. This field indicates the connection type that is detected.
Router’s IPv6 Address on WAN. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired
for the router’s WAN (or Internet) interface. The number after the slash (/) is the length of the prefix, which is also indicated by the underline (_) under the IPv6 address. 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. Select an IP Address Assignment radio button:
• Use DHCP Server. This method passes more information to LAN devices but
some IPv6 systems might not support the DHCv6 client function.
• Auto Config. This is the default setting.
This setting specifies how the router assigns IPv6 addresses to the devices on your home network (the LAN).
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. Select an IPv6 Filtering radio button:
• Secured. In secured mode, which is the default mode, the router inspects both
TCP and UDP packets.
• Open. In open mode, the router inspects UDP packets only.
9.
Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set Up an IPv6 6to4 Tunnel Internet Connection

The remote relay router is the router to which your router creates a 6to4 tunnel. Make sure that the IPv4 Internet connection is working before you apply the 6to4 tunnel settings for the IPv6 connection.
User Manual28Specify Your Internet Settings
Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
To set up an IPv6 Internet connection by using a 6to4 tunnel:
1.
Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
2.
Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time
that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.
Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6. The IPv6 page displays.
5.
From the Internet Connection Type menu, select 6to4 Tunnel. The page adjusts.
The router automatically detects the information in the Router’s IPv6 Address on LAN field. This field shows the IPv6 address that is acquired for the router’s LAN interface. The number after the slash (/) is the length of the prefix, which is also indicated by the underline (_) under the IPv6 address. If no address is acquired, the field displays Not Available.
6. Select a Remote 6to4 Relay Router radio button:
• Auto. Your router uses any remote relay router that is available on the Internet.
This is the default setting.
• Static IP Address. Enter the static IPv4 address of the remote relay router. Your
IPv6 ISP usually provides this address.
7. Select an IP Address Assignment radio button:
• Use DHCP Server. This method passes more information to LAN devices but
some IPv6 systems might not support the DHCPv6 client function.
• Auto Config. This is the default setting.
This setting specifies how the router assigns IPv6 addresses to the devices on your home network (the LAN).
8.
(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.
9. Select an IPv6 Filtering radio button:
User Manual29Specify Your Internet Settings
Nighthawk X6S AC3600 Tri-Band WiFi Router Model R7960P
• Secured. In secured mode, which is the default mode, the router inspects both
TCP and UDP packets.
• Open. In open mode, the router inspects UDP packets only.
10.
Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set Up an IPv6 Pass Through Internet Connection

In pass-through mode, the router works as a Layer 2 Ethernet switch with two ports (LAN and WAN Ethernet ports) for IPv6 packets. The router does not process any IPv6 header packets.
To set up a pass-through IPv6 Internet connection:
1.
Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
2.
Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
3. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time
that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.
Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6. The IPv6 page displays.
5.
From the Internet Connection Type menu, select Pass Through. The page adjusts, but no additional fields display.
6.
Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set Up an IPv6 Fixed Internet Connection

To set up a fixed IPv6 Internet connection:
1.
Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.
2.
Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
User Manual30Specify Your Internet Settings
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