Netgear RAX120 User Manual

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User Manual

Nighthawk AX12 12-Stream AX6000 WiFi Router

Model RAX120

NETGEAR, Inc.

350 E. Plumeria DriveOctober 2020 San Jose, CA 95134, USA202-11873-05

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Support and Community

Visit netgear.com/support to get your questions answered and access the latest downloads.

You can also check out our NETGEAR Community for helpful advice at community.netgear.com.

Regulatory and Legal

Si ce produit est vendu au Canada, vous pouvez accéder à ce document en français canadien à https://www.netgear.com/support/download/.

(If this product is sold in Canada, you can access this document in Canadian French at https://www.netgear.com/support/download/.)

For regulatory compliance information including the EU Declaration of Conformity, visit https://www.netgear.com/about/regulatory/.

See the regulatory compliance document before connecting the power supply.

For NETGEAR’s Privacy Policy, visit https://www.netgear.com/about/privacy-policy.

By using this device, you are agreeing to NETGEAR’s Terms and Conditions at https://www.netgear.com/about/terms-and-conditions. If you do not agree, return the device to your place of purchase within your return period.

Trademarks

©NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR, and the NETGEAR Logo are trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. Any non-NETGEAR trademarks are used for reference purposes only.

Chapter 1 Hardware Setup

Unpack Your Router...........................................................................10

Top Panel LEDs and Buttons.............................................................11

Rear Panel............................................................................................13

Extend the Antennas..........................................................................15

Router Label........................................................................................15

Position Your Router...........................................................................15

Cable Your Router..............................................................................17

Turn the LEDs On or Off Using the LED On/Off Switch.................18

Chapter 2 Connect to the network and access the router

Connect to the network.....................................................................20

Connect to the network using a wired connection....................20

Find and connect to the WiFi network........................................20

WiFi connection using WPS..........................................................20

Types of logins....................................................................................21

Use a web browser to access the router..........................................21

Automatic Internet Setup..............................................................21

Install and manage your router with the Nighthawk app..............23

Change the language........................................................................24

Chapter 3 Specify Your Internet Settings

Use the Internet Setup Wizard..........................................................26

Manually set up the Internet connection.........................................26

Specify an Internet connection without a login..........................26

Specify an Internet connection that uses a login.......................28

Manage a Multi-Gig Internet connection........................................30

Get Multi-Gig Internet With the Multi-Gig Port..........................30

Get Multi-Gig Internet With Port Aggregation...........................31

Specify IPv6 Internet connections....................................................32

Requirements for entering IPv6 addresses.................................33

Use auto detect for an IPv6 Internet connection........................33

Set up an IPv6 6to4 tunnel Internet connection.........................34

Set up an IPv6 pass-through Internet connection......................36

Set up an IPv6 fixed Internet connection....................................36

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Set up an IPv6 DHCP Internet connection..................................38

Set up an IPv6 PPPoE Internet connection..................................39

Use auto config for an IPv6 Internet connection........................41

Set up an IPv6 6rd Internet connection.......................................42

Manage the MTU size.........................................................................44

MTU concepts.................................................................................44

Change the MTU size....................................................................45

Chapter 4 Control Access to the Internet

Enable access control to allow or block access to the Internet....48

Use keywords to block Internet sites...............................................49

Block services from the Internet.......................................................50

Delete keywords from the blocked list............................................51

Prevent blocking on a trusted computer.........................................52

Manage network access control lists...............................................53

Schedule when to block Internet sites and services......................53

Set up security event email notifications.........................................54

Chapter 5 Optimize Performance

Optimize Internet Streaming With QoS...........................................57

Enable Upstream QoS...................................................................57

Add a Custom QoS Rule...............................................................58

Edit a QoS Rule..............................................................................58

Delete a QoS Rule..........................................................................59

Delete All QoS Rules.....................................................................60

Improve Network Connections With Universal Plug-N-Play.........60

Manage Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service..................................62

Enable or Disable Smart Connect....................................................62

Enable or disable AX WiFi.................................................................63

Chapter 6 Manage Network Settings

View or change the WAN settings....................................................66

Set up a default DMZ server..............................................................67

Change the Router’s Device Name..................................................68

Change the LAN TCP/IP settings......................................................68

Specify the IP addresses that the router assigns............................70

Disable the DHCP server feature in the router...............................71

Manage reserved LAN IP addresses................................................72

Reserve an IP address....................................................................72

Edit a reserved IP address............................................................73

Delete a reserved IP address entry..............................................73

Use the WPS Wizard for WiFi connections......................................74

Specify basic WiFi settings................................................................75

Change the WiFi Password or the WiFi Security............................76

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Change the WiFi Mode......................................................................78

Change the Transmission Power Control........................................79

Set Up a Guest WiFi Network............................................................80

Control the WiFi radios......................................................................82

Use the WiFi On/Off button..........................................................82

Enable or disable the WiFi radios................................................82

Set up a WiFi schedule.......................................................................83

Specify WPS settings..........................................................................84

Set up the router as a WiFi access point..........................................85

Set Up the Router in Bridge Mode...................................................86

Return the router to router mode.....................................................87

Set up a bridge for a port group or VLAN tag group....................88

Set up a bridge for a port group..................................................88

Set up a bridge for a VLAN tag group........................................89

Set up an IPTV port........................................................................91

Manage custom static routes............................................................92

Set up a static route.......................................................................92

Edit a static route...........................................................................93

Delete a static route.......................................................................94

Enable or disable MU-MIMO............................................................95

Manage Ethernet Port Aggregation to a LAN Device...................95

Set Up Ethernet Port Aggregation to a LAN Device..................96

View or Change the Router Ethernet Port Aggregation Mode.98

Chapter 7 Manage Your Router

Update the router firmware............................................................101

Check for new firmware and update the router......................101

Manually upload firmware to the router...................................102

Change the admin password..........................................................103

Enable admin password recovery..................................................103

Recover the admin password.........................................................104

View information about the router and the Internet and WiFi

settings...............................................................................................105

Display the statistics of the Internet port.......................................106

Check the Internet connection status............................................107

View and manage logs of router activity.......................................108

View devices currently on the network..........................................109

Monitor Internet traffic.....................................................................109

Manage the router configuration file.............................................111

Back up the settings....................................................................111

Erase the settings.........................................................................111

Restore the settings.....................................................................112

Manage remote access....................................................................113

Set up remote management......................................................113

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Use remote access.......................................................................114

Connect to your router with Anywhere Access............................114

Disable LED blinking or turn off LEDs............................................115

Set your time zone............................................................................115

Set the NTP Server...........................................................................116

Specify ReadyDLNA Media Server Settings..................................117

Return the router to its factory default settings............................118

Use the Reset button...................................................................118

Erase the settings.........................................................................118

Chapter 8 Share USB Storage Devices Attached to the Router

USB device requirements................................................................121

Connect a USB storage device to the router................................121

Access a storage device connected to the router from a

Windows-based computer..............................................................122

Map a USB device to a Windows network drive...........................122

Access a storage device that is connected to the router from a

Mac.....................................................................................................123

Back up Windows-based computers with ReadySHARE Vault....124

Back up Mac computers with Time Machine................................124

Set up a USB hard drive on a Mac.............................................125

Prepare to back up a large amount of data..............................126

Use Time Machine to back up onto a USB hard disk..............126

Enable FTP access within your network.........................................128

View network folders on a storage device....................................128

Add a network folder on a USB storage device...........................129

Edit a network folder on a USB storage device............................130

Safely remove a USB storage device.............................................131

Chapter 9 Use Dynamic DNS to Access USB Storage Devices Through the Internet

Set up and manage Dynamic DNS.................................................133

Set up FTP access through the Internet.........................................133

Your personal FTP server................................................................134

Set up your personal FTP server................................................134

Set up a new Dynamic DNS account.........................................135

Specify a DNS account that you already created.....................135

Change the Dynamic DNS settings...........................................136

Access USB storage devices through the Internet.......................137

Remotely access a USB device using ReadyCLOUD...................137

Create a ReadyCLOUD account................................................138

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Chapter 10 Use VPN to Access Your Network

Set up a VPN connection.................................................................141

Specify VPN service in the router...................................................141

Install OpenVPN software...............................................................142

Install OpenVPN Software on Your Windows Computer.......142

Install OpenVPN software on your Mac computer..................145

Install OpenVPN software on an iOS device............................146

Install OpenVPN software on an Android device....................146

Use a VPN tunnel on your Windows computer............................147

Use VPN to access the router’s USB device and media..............149

Use VPN to access your Internet service at home........................149

Set up VPN client Internet access in the router........................150

Block VPN client Internet access in the router.........................150

Use a VPN tunnel to access your Internet service at home....151

Chapter 11 Manage port forwarding and port triggering

Manage port forwarding to a local server.....................................154

Set up port forwarding to a local server...................................154

Add a custom port forwarding service.....................................155

Edit a port forwarding service....................................................156

Delete a port forwarding entry..................................................157

Application xxample: Make a local web server public...........157

How the router implements the port forwarding rule.............158

Port triggering..................................................................................158

Add a port triggering service.....................................................159

Enable port triggering................................................................160

Application example: Port triggering for Internet relay chat port

triggering......................................................................................160

Chapter 12 Troubleshooting

Quick tips...........................................................................................163

Sequence to restart your network.............................................163

Check the power adapter and Ethernet cable connections...163

Check the WiFi settings..............................................................163

Check the network settings........................................................163

Troubleshoot with the LEDs............................................................164

Standard LED behavior when the router is powered on........164

Power LED is off or blinking.......................................................164

LEDs never turn off......................................................................164

Internet or Ethernet LAN port LEDs are off..............................165

WiFi LED is off..............................................................................165

You cannot log in to the router.......................................................165

You cannot access the Internet.......................................................166

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Troubleshoot Internet browsing.....................................................168

Changes are not saved....................................................................168

Troubleshoot WiFi connectivity......................................................169

Troubleshoot your network using the ping utility........................169

Test the LAN path to your router...............................................169

Test the path from a Windows-based computer to a remote

device............................................................................................170

Chapter 13 Supplemental Information

Factory Settings................................................................................173

Technical Specifications..................................................................174

Hardware Setup

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Unpack Your Router

• Top Panel LEDs and Buttons

• Rear Panel

• Extend the Antennas

• Router Label

• Position Your Router

• Cable Your Router

• Turn the LEDs On or Off Using the LED On/Off Switch

For more information about the topics covered in this manual, visit the support website at netgear.com/support.

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Unpack Your Router

Your package contains the router, the power adapter, and an Ethernet cable.

Figure 1. Package contents

User Manual10Hardware Setup

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Top Panel LEDs and Buttons

The status LEDs and two buttons are located on the top panel of the router.

Figure 2. Top view

Table 1. LED descriptions

Power LED

Internet LED

DescriptionLED and Button

Solid white. The router is ready. Blinking white. The router is not ready, firmware is upgrading, or the Reset

button was pressed.

Off. Power is not supplied to the router.

Solid white. The Internet connection is ready. Blinking white. The port is sending or receiving traffic. Off. No Ethernet cable is connected between the router and the modem.

User Manual11Hardware Setup

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Table 1. LED descriptions (Continued)

DescriptionLED and Button

2.4 GHz WiFi LED

5 GHz WiFi LED

USB port 1 LED

USB port 2 LED

Mulit-Gig Ethernetport LED

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, or a file is

transferring to or from the USB device .

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.

Solid white. A USB device is connected and is ready. Blinking white. A USB device is plugged in and is trying to connect, or a file is

transferring to or from the USB device .

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.

Solid green. A 5 Gbps or 2.5 Gbps connection is established. Blinking green. The port is sending or receiving traffic at 5 Gbps or 2.5 Gbps. Solid white. A 1 Gbps connection is established. Blinking white. The port is sending or receiving traffic at 1 Gbps. Solid amber. A 100 Mbps connection is established. Blinking amber. The port is sending or receiving traffic at 100 Mbps.

Ethernet LEDs for 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. The router detected a 1 Gbps link with a powered-on device. Blinking white. The port is sending or receiving traffic at 1 Gbps. Solid amber. The router detected a 100 Mbps or 10 Mbps link with a powered-on

device.

Blinking amber. The port is sending or receiving traffic at 100 Mbps or 10 Mbps. Off. No device is connected to this Ethernet port.

User Manual12Hardware Setup

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Table 1. LED descriptions (Continued)

DescriptionLED and Button

WPS LED

WiFi LED

Pressing the WPS button lets your WPS-enabled device join your router's WiFi network without typing the WiFi password. The WPS LED blinks white during the WPS process and then lights solid white when the WPS-enabled device connects to your router's WiFi network.

Pressing the WiFi button for two seconds turns the 2.4 Ghz and 5 GHz WiFi LEDs and 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.

Note: If the LED On/Off switch on the rear panel is moved to the Off position, all the LEDs except the Power LED are turned off.

Rear Panel

The following figure shows the rear panel connectors and buttons.

Figure 3. Rear panel

User Manual13Hardware Setup

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Viewed from left to right, the rear panel contains the following components:

LED On/Off switch. Move the LED On/Off switch to the Off position to turn off the

•

router LEDs. 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.

You can aggregate Ethernet port 1 with the Internet port for Internet (WAN) integration, or you can aggregate Ethernet ports 1 and 2 together for LAN aggregation:

- Internet (WAN) aggregation. Use Ethernet port 1 with the Internet port to set

up a port aggregation link for a Multi-Gig Internet connection. For more information, see Get Multi-Gig Internet With Port Aggregation on page 31.

LAN aggregation. If you do not use Ethernet port 1 for Internet (WAN) integration, you can use Ethernet ports 1 and 2 to set up a port aggregation link to a LAN device that also supports Ethernet port aggregation (see Manage Ethernet Port Aggregation to a LAN Device on page 95).

You can set up either Internet (WAN) aggregation or LAN aggregation. Ethernet ports 3 and 4 are non-aggregate Ethernet ports.

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.

You also use the Internet port with Ethernet port 1 to set up a port aggregation link for a Multi-Gig Internet connection. For more information, see Get Multi-Gig Internet With Port Aggregation on page 31. If you do not use the Internet port for your Internet connection (for example, if you set up a Multi-Gig Internet connection using the Multi-Gig 5G/2.5G/1G Ethernet port), you can use the Internet port as an extra LAN port.

Multi-Gig 5G/2.5G/1G Ethernet port. Use a Category 5e (Cat5e) Ethernet cable

• or higher rated Ethernet cable to connect a high-speed modem for a high-speed

Internet connection. For more information, see Get Multi-Gig Internet With the Multi-Gig Port on page 30. If you do not use the Multi-Gig port for an Internet connection, you can connect a high-speed LAN device such as a Multi-Gig Ethernet switch to the port.

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 white,

the router returns to its factory settings. For information about the factory settings, see Factory Settings on page 173.

Power On/Off button. Press the Power On/Off button to provide power to the

• router.

DC power connector. Connect the power adapter that came in the product package

• to the DC power connector.

User Manual14Hardware Setup

WiGig

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Extend the Antennas

Before you install your router, extend the antennas as shown in the following figure.

Figure 4. Position the antennas

Router Label

The router label shows the login information, WiFi Network Name (SSID), network key (password), serial number, and MAC address.

Figure 5. Router label

Position Your 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 your router.

User Manual15Hardware Setup

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

In addition, position your router according to the following guidelines:

Place your 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

The following factors might limit the range of your WiFi:

The thickness and number of walls the WiFi signal passes through.

•

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 Manual16Hardware Setup

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Cable Your Router

Power on your router and connect it to a modem.

Figure 6. Cable your router

To cable your router:

Unplug your modem, remove and reinsert the backup battery if it uses one, and then plug the modem back in.

2. Use the Ethernet cable to connect the modem to the yellow Internet port on the router.

Note: If your Internet connection does not require a modem, connect your main Ethernet cable to the yellow Internet port on the router.

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

Press the Power On/Off button on the rear panel of the router. The router’s Power LED lights solid white when the router is ready.

User Manual17Hardware Setup

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Turn the LEDs On or Off Using the LED On/Off Switch

You can turn off the router LEDs using the LED On/Off switch on the rear panel of the router. The Power LED stays lit even if the LED On/Off switch is in the Off position.

Note: You can also log in to the router to disable or enable LED blinking or turn off the LEDs (see Disable LED blinking or turn off LEDs on page 115).

To turn the LEDs on or off using the LED On/Off switch:

Move the LED On/Off switch on the rear panel to the On or Off position.

User Manual18Hardware Setup

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

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 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).

Connect to the network using a 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.

Connect the other end of the Ethernet cable a LAN port on the router. Your computer connects to the local area network (LAN).

Find and connect to the WiFi network

To find and select the WiFi network:

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

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).

Check the WPS instructions for your WPS-enabled device.

3. Press the WPS button on the router.

access the router

User Manual20Connect to the network and

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

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 differences so that you know which login to use when.

Several types of logins are associated with the router:

ISP login. The login that your Internet service provider (ISP) gave you logs you in to

• your Internet service. Your ISP gave you this login information in a letter or some

other way. If you cannot find this login information, contact your ISP.

WiFi network key, WiFi passphrase, or WiFi password. Your router is preset with

• a unique WiFi network name (SSID) and password for WiFi access. This information is on the router label.

NETGEAR account login. The free NETGEAR account that you need to register your

• router and manage your subscriptions. If you do not own a NETGEAR account, you can create one.

Router login. The router login password that you need to log in to the router with

• the admin user name when you use a web browser to access the router.

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.

access the router

User Manual21Connect to the network and

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 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 setting (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.

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.

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.

access the router

User Manual22Connect to the network and

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

•

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.

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.

Contact your ISP to verify that you are using the correct configuration information.

Read You cannot access the Internet on page 166. If problems persist, register your router and contact NETGEAR Technical Support.

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:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

User Manual23Connect to the network and

access the router

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

To install your router using the Nighthawk app:

1. To download the app, visit Nighthawk-app.com.

On your mobile device, tap Settings > Wi-Fi and find and connect to your router’s WiFi network.

Your router’s WiFi network name (SSID) and network key (WiFi password) are on the router label.

If the label includes a QR code, you can scan the QR code to join the router’s WiFi network.

3. Launch the Nighthawk app on your mobile device.

4. Follow the prompts on the app to install your router and connect to the Internet.

Change the language

By default, the language that displays when you log in to the router web interface is set to Auto.

To change the language:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

In the upper right corner, select a language from the menu.

When prompted, click the OK button to confirm this change. The page refreshes with the language that you selected.

access the router

User Manual24Connect to the network and

Specify Your Internet Settings

Usually, the quickest way to set up the router to use your Internet connection is to allow your router to detect the Internet connection automatically when you first access the router web interface. You can also customize and manually specify your Internet settings.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Use the Internet Setup Wizard

• Manually set up the Internet connection

• Manage a Multi-Gig Internet connection

• Specify IPv6 Internet connections

• Manage the MTU size

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 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 pages that display the first time you connect to your router to set it up.

To use the Setup Wizard:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 26).

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:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to therouter network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

User Manual26Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

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.

In the WAN Preference section, select one of the following options:

Internet Port (1 Gbps). Select this option if you connected a modem to the

•

Internet port on your router.

WAN aggregation (1 Gbps + 1 Gbps). Select this option if you want to aggregate

•

Ethernet port 1 with the Internet port for Multi-Gig Internet. For more information, see Get Multi-Gig Internet With Port Aggregation on page 31.

5G Ethernet port. Select this option if you want to use the Multi-Gig port for your

•

Internet connection. For more information, see Get Multi-Gig Internet With the Multi-Gig Port on page 30.

6. In the Does your Internet connection require a login? section, leave the No radio button selected.

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.

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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

User Manual27Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

11. 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.

12. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

13. 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 166.

Specify an Internet connection that uses a login

To view or change the basic Internet setup:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

In the WAN Preference section, select one of the following options:

Internet Port (1 Gbps). Select this option if you connected a modem to the

•

Internet port on your router.

WAN aggregation (1 Gbps + 1 Gbps). Select this option if you want to aggregate

•

Ethernet port 1 with the Internet port for Multi-Gig Internet. For more information, see Get Multi-Gig Internet With Port Aggregation on page 31.

5G Ethernet port. Select this option if you want to use the Multi-Gig port for your

•

Internet connection. For more information, see Get Multi-Gig Internet With the Multi-Gig Port on page 30.

User Manual28Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

6. In the Does your Internet connection require a login? section, select the Yes radio button.

The page adjusts.

7. From the Internet Service Provider menu, select the encapsulation method: PPPoE, L2TP, or PPTP.

In the Login field, enter the login name that your ISP gave you. This login name is often an email address.

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

10.

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

11. From the Connection Mode menu, select Always On, Dial on Demand, or Manually Connect.

12.

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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

User Manual29Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

16. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

17. 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 166.

Manage a Multi-Gig Internet connection

If your ISP offers Internet speeds up to 1 Gbps, use the Internet port to connect the router to your modem. This is the most likely setup for your Internet connection.

However, if your ISP offers Internet speeds faster than 1 Gbps, you can do one of the following to get a high-speed Internet connection:

Use the Multi-Gig port on your router for your Internet connection (see Get Multi-Gig

• Internet With the Multi-Gig Port on page 30). The Multi-Gig port supports speeds

of up to 5 Gbps.

Set up Internet port aggregation by aggregating Ethernet port 1 with the Internet

• port on the router (see Get Multi-Gig Internet With Port Aggregation on page 31).

Ethernet port 1 and the Internet port each support a speed of up to 1 Gbps.

The following ports can also function as LAN ports:

Multi-Gig port. If you do not use the Multi-Gig port on your router for your Internet

• connection, you can use the Multi-Gig port as a high-speed LAN port. For example,

if you set up Internet port aggregation by aggregating Ethernet port 1 with the Internet port on the router, you can connect a high-speed LAN device to the Multi-Gig port.

Internet port. If you use the Multi-Gig port for your Internet connection, you can

• use the Internet port as an extra LAN port.

If you do not aggregate the Ethernet port 1 with the Internet port on the router for an Internet (WAN) connection, you can use Ethernet port 1 either as independent Ethernet LAN port or for LAN Ethernet port aggregation (see Set Up Ethernet Port Aggregation to a LAN Device on page 96).

Get Multi-Gig Internet With the Multi-Gig Port

The Multi-Gig port on your router is an Ethernet port capable of speeds of up to 5 Gbps. You can connect a Multi-Gig capable device to the Multi-Gig port on your router and enjoy Multi-Gig speeds.

User Manual30Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

To set up the Multi-Gig port on your router for your Internet connection, you need the following:

A service provider that offers an Internet speed that’s over 1 Gbps.

•

A modem that supports a high-speed Ethernet port for an Internet speed that’s over

• 1 Gbps.

To set up the Multi-Gig port on your router for your Internet connection:

1. Connect the Multi-Gig port on the router to the high-speed Ethernet port on the modem.

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

4. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time

that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home page displays.

5. Select Internet. The Internet Setup page displays.

In the WAN Preference section, select the 5G Ethernet port radio button.

7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Get Multi-Gig Internet With Port Aggregation

To get Multi-Gig Internet for your router, set up Internet port aggregation by aggregating Ethernet port 1 with the Internet port on the router and connecting them to your modem.

Note: For information about port aggregation to a LAN device, see Manage Ethernet Port Aggregation to a LAN Device on page 95.

To set up Internet port aggregation, you need the following:

A service provider that offers an Internet speed that’s over 1 Gbps.

•

A modem that support both an Internet speed that’s over 1 Gbps and two Ethernet

• ports that support static Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP), for example, a NETGEAR Nighthawk multi-speed cable modem, model CM1200.

User Manual31Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

To set up Internet port aggregation:

1. Set up Internet port aggregation on your modem. For information about how to set up Internet port aggregation on your modem, see

the documentation that came with your modem.

2. Log in to your router and enable Internet port aggregation: a.

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

c. 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.

d. Select Internet.

The Internet Setup page displays.

In the WAN Preference section, select the WAN Aggregation (1 Gbps + 1 Gbps) radio button.

Click the Apply button.

Your settings are saved.

3. Connect Ethernet port 1 and the Internet port on your router to two Ethernet ports on your modem.

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.

4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > IPv6.

User Manual32Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

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:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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. The page adjusts.

User Manual33Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

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).

(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 Manual34Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

To set up an IPv6 Internet connection by using a 6to4 tunnel:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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).

(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 Manual35Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

•

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:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

User Manual36Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

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 Fixed. The page adjusts.

Configure the fixed IPv6 addresses for the WAN connection:

IPv6 Address/Prefix Length. The IPv6 address and prefix length of the router

•

WAN interface.

Default IPv6 Gateway. The IPv6 address of the default IPv6 gateway for the

•

router’s WAN interface.

Primary DNS Server. The primary DNS server that resolves IPv6 domain name

•

records for the router.

Secondary DNS Server. The secondary DNS server that resolves IPv6 domain

•

name records for the router.

Note: If you do not specify the DNS servers, the router uses the DNS servers that are configured for the IPv4 Internet connection on the Internet Setup page. (See Manually set up the Internet connection on page 26.)

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).

In the IPv6 Address/Prefix Length fields, specify the static IPv6 address and prefix length 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:

•

Secured. In secured mode, which is the default mode, the router inspects both

TCP and UDP packets.

User Manual37Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

• Open. In open mode, the router inspects UDP packets only.

10. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set up an IPv6 DHCP Internet connection

To set up an IPv6 Internet connection with a DHCP server:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 DHCP. The page adjusts.

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

•

(Optional) In the User Class (If Required) field, enter a host name. Most people can leave this field blank, but if your ISP gave you a specific host name,

enter it here.

(Optional) In the Domain Name (If Required) field, enter a domain name. You can type the domain name of your IPv6 ISP. Do not enter the domain name for

the IPv4 ISP here. For example, if your ISP’s mail server is mail.xxx.yyy.zzz, type

User Manual38Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

xxx.yyy.zzz as the domain name. If your ISP provided a domain name, type it in this field. For example, Earthlink Cable might require a host name of home, and Comcast sometimes supplies a domain name.

8. 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).

(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.

10. 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.

11. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set up an IPv6 PPPoE Internet connection

To set up a PPPoE IPv6 Internet connection:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

User Manual39Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

5. From the Internet Connection Type menu, select PPPoE. The page adjusts.

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

•

In the Login field, enter the login information for the ISP connection. This is usually the name that you use in your email address. For example, if your main

mail account is JerAB@ISP.com, you would type JerAB in this field. Some ISPs (like Mindspring, Earthlink, and T-DSL) require that you use your full email address when you log in. If your ISP requires your full email address, type it in this field.

In the Password field, enter the password for the ISP connection.

In the Service Name field, enter a service name. If your ISP did not provide a service name, leave this field blank.

Note: The default setting of the Connection Mode menu is Always On to provide a steady IPv6 connection. The router never terminates the connection. If the connection is terminated, for example, when the modem is turned off, the router attempts to reestablish the connection immediately after the PPPoE connection becomes available again.

9. 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).

10.

(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.

User Manual40Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

11. 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.

12. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Use auto config for an IPv6 Internet connection

To set up an IPv6 Internet connection through auto configuration:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

From the Internet Connection Type menu, select Auto Config. The page adjusts.

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

•

(Optional) In the DHCP User Class (If Required) field, enter a host name. Most people can leave this field blank, but if your ISP gave you a specific host name,

enter it here.

User Manual41Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

(Optional) In the DHCP Domain Name (If Required) field, enter a domain name. You can type the domain name of your IPv6 ISP. Do not enter the domain name for

the IPv4 ISP here. For example, if your ISP’s mail server is mail.xxx.yyy.zzz, type xxx.yyy.zzz as the domain name. If your ISP provided a domain name, type it in this field. For example, Earthlink Cable might require a host name of home, and Comcast sometimes supplies a domain name.

8. 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).

(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.

10. 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.

11. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set up an IPv6 6rd Internet connection

The 6rd protocol makes it possible to deploy IPv6 to sites using a service provider’s IPv4 network. 6rd uses the service provider’s own IPv6 address prefix. This limits the operational domain of 6rd to the service provider’s network and is under direct control of the service provider. The IPv6 service provided is equivalent to native IPv6. The 6rd mechanism relies on an algorithmic mapping between the IPv6 and IPv4 addresses that are assigned for use within the service provider’s network. This mapping allows for automatic determination of IPv4 tunnel endpoints from IPv6 prefixes, allowing stateless operation of 6rd.

User Manual42Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

With a 6rd tunnel configuration, the router follows the RFC5969 standard, supporting two ways to establish a 6rd tunnel IPv6 WAN connection:

Auto Detect mode. In IPv6 Auto Detect mode, when the router receives option 212

• from the DHCPv4 option, autodetect selects the IPv6 as 6rd tunnel setting. The router

uses the 6rd option information to establish the 6rd connection.

Manual mode. Select 6rd Tunnel. If the router receives option 212, the fields are

• automatically completed. Otherwise, you must enter the 6rd settings.

To set up an IPv6 6rd Internet connection:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 6rd. The page adjusts.

The router automatically detects the information in the following sections:

•

6rd (IPv6 Rapid Development) Configuration. The router detects the service

provider’s IPv4 network and attempts to establish an IPv6 6rd tunnel connection. If the IPv4 network returns 6rd parameters to the router, the page adjusts to display the correct settings in this section.

•

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

6. Select an IPv6 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.

User Manual43Specify Your Internet Settings

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

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).

(Optional) Select the Use This Interface ID check box and specify the interface ID that you want 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:

•

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.

Manage the MTU size

The maximum transmission unit (MTU) is the largest data packet a network device transmits.

MTU concepts

When one network device communicates across the Internet with another, the data packets travel through many devices along the way. If a device in the data path uses a lower maximum transmission unit (MTU) setting than the other devices, the data packets must be split or “fragmented” to accommodate the device with the smallest MTU.

The best MTU setting for NETGEAR equipment is often the default value. In some situations, changing the value fixes one problem but causes another. Leave the MTU unchanged unless one of these situations occurs:

You experience problems connecting to your Internet service, and the technical

• support of either the Internet service provider (ISP) or NETGEAR recommends changing the MTU setting.

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For example, if a secure website does not open, or displays only part of a web page, you might need to change the MTU.

You use VPN and experience severe performance problems.

•

You used a program to optimize MTU for performance reasons and now you are

• experiencing connectivity or performance problems.

CAUTION: An incorrect MTU setting can cause Internet communication problems. For

example, you might not be able to access certain websites, frames within websites, secure login pages, or FTP or POP servers.

If you suspect an MTU problem, a common solution is to change the MTU to 1400. If you are willing to experiment, you can gradually reduce the MTU from the maximum value of 1500 until the problem goes away. The following table describes common MTU sizes and applications.

Table 2. Common MTU sizes

ApplicationMTU

1500

The largest Ethernet packet size. This setting is typical for connections that do not use PPPoE or VPN and is the default value for NETGEAR routers, adapters, and switches.

Used in PPPoE environments.1492

Maximum size to use for pinging. (Larger packets are fragmented.)1472

Used in some DHCP environments.1468

Used in PPPoA environments.1458

Used in PPTP environments or with VPN.1436

Change the MTU size

To change the MTU size:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

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The BASIC Home page displays.

4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > WAN Setup. The WAN Setup page displays.

In the MTU Size field, enter a value from 64 to 1500.

6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

User Manual46Specify Your Internet Settings

Control Access to the Internet

The router comes with a built-in firewall that helps protect your home network from unwanted intrusions from the Internet.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Enable access control to allow or block access to the Internet

• Use keywords to block Internet sites

• Block services from the Internet

• Delete keywords from the blocked list

• Prevent blocking on a trusted computer

• Manage network access control lists

• Schedule when to block Internet sites and services

• Set up security event email notifications

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Enable access control to allow or block access to the Internet

You can use access control to block or allow access to the Internet through your router.

To set up access control:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > Security > Access Control. The Access Control page displays.

5. Select the Turn on Access Control check box. You must select this check box before you can specify an access rule and use the

Allow and Block buttons. When this check box is cleared, all devices are allowed to connect, even if a device is in the blocked list.

6. Select an access rule:

• Allow all new devices to connect. With this setting, a new device can access

your network. You don’t need to enter the its MAC address. This is the default setting. We recommend that you leave this radio button selected.

•

Block all new devices from connecting. With this setting, a new device cannot

access your router’s Internet connection, but can still access your router’s local network. Before a device accesses your router’s Internet connection, you must enter its MAC address for an Ethernet connection and its MAC address for a WiFi connection in the allowed list.

The access rule does not affect previously blocked or allowed devices. It applies only to devices joining your network in the future after you apply these settings.

To view allowed or blocked devices that are not connected, click one of the following links:

•

View list of allowed devices not currently connected to the network

•

View list of blocked devices not currently connected to the network

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The list displays.

8. To allow the WiFi-enabled computer or mobile device you’re currently using to continue to access the Internet, select the check box next to your computer or device, and click the Allow button.

9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Use keywords to block Internet sites

You can use keywords to block certain Internet sites from your network. You can use blocking all the time or based on a schedule.

Note: Keyword blocking only works for website URLs that begin with http:// only. It does not work for URLs that begin with https://.

To block Internet sites:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > Security > Block Sites. The Block Sites page displays.

5. Select a keyword blocking option:

Per Schedule. Turn on keyword blocking according to a schedule that you set.

•

For more information, see Schedule when to block Internet sites and services on page 53.

Always. Turn on keyword blocking all the time, independent of the Schedule

•

page.

In the Type keyword or domain name here field, enter a keyword or domain that you want to block.

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For example:

Specify XXX to block http://www.badstuff.com/xxx.html.

•

Specify the domain suffix (for example, .com) if you want to block only sites with

•

a domain suffix such as .com. In such a situation, sites with domain suffixes such as .edu and .gov are still allowed.

Enter a period (.) to block all Internet browsing access.

•

7. Click the Add Keyword button. The keyword is added to the keyword list. The keyword list supports up to 32 entries.

8. Click the Apply button. Keyword blocking takes effect.

Block services from the Internet

You can block Internet services on your network based on the type of service. You can block the services all the time or based on a schedule.

Note: Service blocking only works for website URLs that begin with http:// only. It does not work for URLs that begin with https://.

To block services:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > Security > Block Services. The Block Services page displays.

Specify when to block the services:

• To block the services all the time, select the Always radio button.

• To block the services based on a schedule, select the Per Schedule radio button.

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For information about how to specify the schedule, see Schedule when to block Internet sites and services on page 53.

6. Click the Add button. The Block Services Setup page displays.

7. To add a service that is in the Service Type menu, select the application or service. The settings for this service automatically display in the fields.

To add a service or application that is not in the menu, select User Defined, and do the following:

If you know that the application uses either TCP or UDP, select the appropriate protocol. Otherwise, select TCP/UDP (both).

b. Enter the starting port and ending port numbers.

If the service uses a single port number, enter that number in both fields. To find out which port numbers the service or application uses, you can contact the publisher of the application, ask user groups or newsgroups, or search on the Internet.

Select a filtering option:

•

Only This IP Address. Block services for a single computer.

•

IP Address Range. Block services for a range of computers with consecutive IP

addresses on your network.

•

All lP Addresses. Block services for all computers on your network.

10. Click the Add button. Your settings are saved.

Delete keywords from the blocked list

To delete keywords from the list:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

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The BASIC Home page displays.

4. Select ADVANCED > Security > Block Sites. The Block Sites page displays.

Do one of the following:

• To delete a single word, select it and click the Delete Keyword button.

The keyword is removed from the list.

• To delete all keywords on the list, click the Clear List button.

All keywords are removed from the list.

6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Prevent blocking on a trusted computer

You can exempt one trusted computer from blocking. The computer that you exempt must be assigned a fixed IP address. You can use the reserved IP address feature to specify the IP address. See Manage reserved LAN IP addresses on page 72.

To specify a trusted computer:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > Security > Block Sites. The Block Sites page displays.

5. Scroll down and select the Allow trusted IP address to visit blocked sites check box.

In the Trusted IP Address field, enter the IP address of the trusted computer.

7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

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Manage network access control lists

You can manage network access control lists (ACLs) that block or allow access to the Internet through your router.

To manage devices that are allowed or blocked:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > Security > Access Control. The Access Control page displays.

5. Select the Turn on Access Control check box.

Click the View list of allowed devices not currently connected to the network link.

The list displays.

Select the check box for a device.

Use the Add button, Edit button, and Remove from the list button as needed.

9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Schedule when to block Internet sites and services

When you schedule blocking, the same schedule is used to block sites and to block services.

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To schedule blocking:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > Security > Schedule. The Schedule page displays.

Specify when to block keywords and services:

Days to Block. Select the check box for each day that you want to block the

•

keywords, or select the Every Day check box, which automatically selects the check boxes for all days.

Time of Day to Block. Select a start and end time in 24-hour format, or select

•

the All Day check box for 24-hour blocking.

6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set up security event email notifications

The router can email you its logs of router activity. The log records router activity and security events such as attempts to access blocked sites or services.

To set up email notifications:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

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4. Select ADVANCED > Security > E-mail. The E-mail page displays.

Select the Turn E-mail Notification On check box.

In the Send to This E-mail Address field, type the email address to which logs and alerts are to be sent.

This email address is also used for the From address. If this field is blank, log and alert messages are not sent.

In the Your Outgoing Mail Server field, enter the name of your ISP outgoing (SMTP) mail server (such as mail.myISP.com).

You might be able to find this information in the configuration window of your email program. If you leave this field blank, log and alert messages are not sent.

In the Outgoing Mail Server Port Number field, enter a port number in the field. If you do not know the port number, leave the default port number.

If your outgoing email server requires authentication, select the My Mail Server requires authentication check box, and do the following:

In the User Name field, type the user name for the outgoing email server.

In the Password field, type the password for the outgoing email server.

10. To send alerts when someone attempts to visit a blocked site, select the Send Alerts Immediately check box.

Email alerts are sent immediately when someone attempts to visit a blocked site.

11.

To send logs based on a schedule, specify these settings: a. From Send logs according to this schedule menu, select the schedule type.

b. From the Day menu, select the day.

c. From the Time menu, select the time, and select the am or pm radio button.

12. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Logs are sent automatically according to the schedule that you set. If the log fills before the specified time, it is sent. After the log is sent, it is cleared from the router memory. If the router cannot email the log and the log buffer fills, the router overwrites the log.

User Manual55Control Access to the Internet

Optimize Performance

You can set up the router to optimize performance for applications such as multiplayer gaming, peer-to-peer connections, or real-time communications such as instant messaging. By default, the router uses Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service (WMM QoS).

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Optimize Internet Streaming With QoS

• Improve Network Connections With Universal Plug-N-Play

• Manage Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service

• Enable or Disable Smart Connect

• Enable or disable AX WiFi

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Optimize Internet Streaming With QoS

You can use Quality of Service (QoS) to assign high priority to Internet streaming, applications, and services.

We recommend that you enable this feature only if you use streaming Internet. When QoS assigns a high priority to streaming video, it also assigns lower priority to the rest of your Internet traffic. That means other tasks like downloading content from the Internet take longer.

Enable Upstream QoS

To enable upstream QoS:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

Select Quality of Service. The QoS Setup page displays.

5. Select the Enable Upstream QoS check box.

Specify the Internet uplink bandwidth settings:

•

Manually enter the uplink bandwidth . If you know the uplink bandwidth of your Internet connection, and enter bandwidth in the Uplink bandwidth Maximum field and select Kbps or Mbps from the menu.

• Use Speedtest to automatically check the uplink bandwidth. We recommend

that you use Speedtest to detect your Internet uplink bandwidth. To use Speedtest, click the Test Speed button. Speedtest determines your Internet bandwidth.

7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

A link displays on the bottom of the page to view bandwidth utilization. Clicking the link displays the Attached Devices page.

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Add a Custom QoS Rule

You can add a custom QoS rule to the QoS priority rule list.

To add a custom QoS Rule:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

Select Quality of Service. The QoS Setup page displays.

5. Select the Enable Upstream QoS check box.

6. Click the Set Up QoS Rule button. The QoS priority list displays.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

8. Click the Add Priority Rule button. The QoS-Priority Rules page displays.

Complete the fields that display on the page.

10. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Edit a QoS Rule

You can change an existing default or custom QoS rule. For default rules, you can change only the priority. For custom rules, you can change the priority and other settings.

To edit a QoS rule:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

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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.

Select Quality of Service. The QoS Setup page displays.

5. Select the Enable Upstream QoS check box.

6. Click the Set Up QoS Rule button. The QoS priority list displays.

7. Select radio button next to the QoS rule you want to edit.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

9. Click the Edit button. The page adjusts.

10. Change the settings.

11. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Delete a QoS Rule

You can delete a specific QoS rule.

To delete a QoS rule:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

Select Quality of Service. The QoS Setup page displays.

5. Select the Enable Upstream QoS check box.

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6. Click the Set Up QoS Rule button. The QoS priority list displays.

7. Select radio button next to the QoS rule you want to delete.

8. Click the Delete button. The rule is deleted.

Delete All QoS Rules

To delete all QoS rules:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

Select Quality of Service. The QoS Setup page displays.

5. st

6. Select the Enable Upstream QoS check box.

7. Click the Set Up QoS Rule button. The QoS priority list displays.

8. Click the Delete All button. All QoS rules are deleted.

Improve Network Connections With Universal Plug-N-Play

Universal Plug-N-Play (UPnP) helps devices such as Internet appliances and computers access the network and connect to other devices as needed. UPnP devices can automatically discover the services from other registered UPnP devices on the network.

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If you use applications such as multiplayer gaming, peer-to-peer connections, or real-time communications such as instant messaging, enable UPnP.

To enable Universal Plug-N-Play:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

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 page displays.

4. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > UPnP. The UPnP page displays.

5. Select the Turn UPnP On check box. By default, this check box is selected. UPnP for automatic device configuration can

be enabled or disabled. If the Turn UPnP On check box is cleared, the router does not allow any device to automatically control router resources, such as port forwarding.

6. Type the advertisement period in minutes. The advertisement period specifies how often the router broadcasts its UPnP

information. This value can range from 1 to 1440 minutes. The default period is 30 minutes. Shorter durations ensure that control points receive current device status at the expense of more network traffic. Longer durations can compromise the freshness of the device status but can significantly reduce network traffic.

7. Type the advertisement time to live in hops. The time to live for the advertisement is measured in hops (steps) for each UPnP

packet sent. Hops are the steps a packet takes between routers. The number of hops can range from 1 to 255. The default value for the advertisement time to live is 4 hops, which should be fine for most home networks. If you notice that some devices are not being updated or reached correctly, it might be necessary to increase this value.

8. Click the Apply button. The UPnP Portmap Table displays the IP address of each UPnP device that is accessing

the router and which ports (internal and external) that device opened. The UPnP Portmap Table also displays what type of port is open and whether that port is still active for each IP address.

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To refresh the information in the UPnP Portmap Table, click the Refresh button.

Manage Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service

Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service (WMM QoS) prioritizes WiFi voice and video traffic over the WiFi link. WMM QoS is automatically enabled for the router.

WMM QoS prioritizes WiFi data packets from different applications based on four access categories: voice, video, best effort, and background. For an application to receive the benefits of WMM QoS, WMM must be enabled for both it and the client running that application. Legacy applications that do not support WMM and applications that do not require QoS are assigned to the best effort category, which receives a lower priority than voice and video. Circumstances might occur in which you want to disable WMM QoS.

To disable WMM QoS:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

Select Quality of Service. The QoS Setup page displays.

Clear the Enable WMM (Wi-Fi multimedia) settings (2.4GHz b/g/n) check box.

Clear the Enable WMM (Wi-Fi multimedia) settings (5GHz a/n/ac) check box.

7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Enable or Disable Smart Connect

Smart Connect selects the fastest WiFi band for your device. For Smart Connect to work, the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands must use the same WiFi network name (SSID) and network

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key (password). That means that when you connect to the router with WiFi, you see only one SSID that connects to both bands.

Note: If you enable Smart Connect and the SSID and passwords for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands do not match, the WiFi settings for 2.4 GHz band overwrites the WiFi settings for 5 GHz band.

To enable or disable Smart Connect:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

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 page displays.

4. Select Wireless. The Wireless Setup page displays.

5. Select or clear the Enable Smart Connect check box. Selecting this check box turns on Smart Connect and clearing this check box turns

off Smart Connect.

6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Enable or disable AX WiFi

AX WiFi improves your network's capacity, Internet upload and download speeds, and WiFi range by allowing WiFi traffic from different devices to be concurrently managed. To do this, AX WiFi uses Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple-Access (OFDMA), 4x4 multi-user MIMO, and intelligent scheduling.

AX WiFi is enabled by default.

To enable or disable AX WiFi:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.

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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 Wireless. The Wireless Setup page displays.

5. Select or clear the Enable AX check box. Selecting this check box turns on AX WiFi and clearing this check box turns off AX

WiFi.

6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

User Manual64Optimize Performance

Manage Network Settings

You can customize the router’s network settings. We recommend that you install the router and connect it to the Internet before you change its network settings.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• View or change the WAN settings

• Set up a default DMZ server

• Change the Router’s Device Name

• Change the LAN TCP/IP settings

• Specify the IP addresses that the router assigns

• Disable the DHCP server feature in the router

• Manage reserved LAN IP addresses

• Use the WPS Wizard for WiFi connections

• Specify basic WiFi settings

• Change the WiFi Password or the WiFi Security

• Change the WiFi Mode

• Change the Transmission Power Control

• Set Up a Guest WiFi Network

• Control the WiFi radios

• Set up a WiFi schedule

• Specify WPS settings

• Set up the router as a WiFi access point

• Set Up the Router in Bridge Mode

• Return the router to router mode

• Set up a bridge for a port group or VLAN tag group

• Manage custom static routes

• Enable or disable MU-MIMO

• Manage Ethernet Port Aggregation to a LAN Device

Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

View or change the WAN settings

You can view or configure wide area network (WAN) settings for the Internet port. You can set up a DMZ (demilitarized zone) server, change the maximum transmit unit (MTU) size, and enable the router to respond to a ping to its WAN (Internet) port.

To view or change the WAN settings:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > WAN Setup. The WAN Setup page displays.

View or change the following settings:

Disable Port Scan and DoS Protection. DoS protection protects your LAN against

•

denial of service attacks such as Syn flood, Smurf Attack, Ping of Death, and many others. Select this check box only in special circumstances.

Default DMZ Server. This feature is sometimes helpful when you are playing

•

online games or videoconferencing, but it makes the firewall security less effective.

Respond to Ping on Internet Port. This feature allows your router to be

•

discovered. Use this feature only as a diagnostic tool or for a specific reason.

Disable IGMP Proxying. IGMP proxying allows a computer on the local area

•

network (LAN) to receive the multicast traffic it is interested in from the Internet. If you do not need this feature, you can select this check box to disable it.

MTU Size (in bytes). The normal MTU (maximum transmit unit) value for most

•

Ethernet networks is 1500 bytes, or 1492 bytes for PPPoE connections. Change the MTU only if you are sure that it is necessary for your ISP connection.

NAT Filtering. Network Address Translation (NAT) determines how the router

•

processes inbound traffic. Secured NAT protects computers on the LAN from attacks from the Internet but might prevent some Internet games, point-to-point applications, or multimedia applications from working. Open NAT provides a much less secured firewall but allows almost all Internet applications to work.

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Disable SIP ALG. Some voice and video communication applications do not

•

work well with the SIP ALG. Disabling the SIP ALG might help your voice and video applications to create and accept a call through the router.

5. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set up a default DMZ server

The default DMZ server feature is helpful when you are using some online games and videoconferencing applications that are incompatible with Network Address Translation (NAT). The router is programmed to recognize some of these applications and to work correctly with them, but other applications might not function well. In some cases, one local computer can run the application correctly if the IP address for that computer is entered as the default DMZ server.

WARNING: DMZ servers pose a security risk. A computer designated as the default

DMZ server loses much of the protection of the firewall and is exposed to exploits from the Internet. If compromised, the DMZ server computer can be used to attack other computers on your network.

The router usually detects and discards incoming traffic from the Internet that is not a response to one of your local computers or a service that you configured on the Port Forwarding/Port Triggering page. Instead of discarding this traffic, you can specify that the router forwards the traffic to one computer on your network. This computer is called the default DMZ server.

To set up a default DMZ server:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > WAN Setup. The WAN Setup page displays.

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Select the Default DMZ Server check box.

6. Type the IP address.

7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Change the Router’s Device Name

The router’s default device name is based on its model number. This device name displays in the file manager when you browse your network.

To change the router’s device name:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > LAN Setup. The LAN Setup page displays.

In the Device Name field, type a new name.

6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Change the LAN TCP/IP settings

The router is preconfigured to use private IP addresses on the LAN side and to act as a DHCP server. The router’s default LAN IP configuration is as follows:

LAN IP address. 192.168.1.1

•

Subnet mask. 255.255.255.0

•

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These addresses are part of the designated private address range for use in private networks and are suitable for most applications. If your network requires a different IP addressing scheme, you can change these settings.

You might want to change these settings if you need a specific IP subnet that one or more devices on the network use, or if you use competing subnets with the same IP scheme.

To change the LAN TCP/IP settings:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > LAN Setup. The LAN Setup page displays.

In the IP Address field, type the IP address.

In the IP Subnet Mask field, type the subnet mask of the router. The IP address and subnet mask identify which addresses are local to a specific

device and which must be reached through a gateway or router.

7. Change the RIP settings. Router Information Protocol (RIP) allows a router to exchange routing information

with other routers.

a. Select the RIP direction:

Both. The router broadcasts its routing table periodically and incorporates

• information that it receives.

Out Only. The router broadcasts its routing table periodically.

•

In Only. The router incorporates the RIP information that it receives.

•

b. Select the RIP version:

Disabled. This is the default setting.

•

RIP-1. This format is universally supported. It is adequate for most networks,

• unless you are using an unusual network setup.

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RIP-2. This format carries more information. Both RIP-2B and RIP-2M send the

• routing data in RIP-2 format. RIP-2B uses subnet broadcasting. RIP-2M uses multicasting.

8. Click the Apply button.

Your settings are saved.

If you changed the LAN IP address of the router, you are disconnected when this change takes effect.

9. To reconnect, close your browser, relaunch it, and log in to the router.

Specify the IP addresses that the router assigns

By default, the router acts as a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. The router assigns IP, DNS server, and default gateway addresses to all computers connected to the LAN. The assigned default gateway address is the LAN address of the router.

These addresses must be part of the same IP address subnet as the router’s LAN IP address. Using the default addressing scheme, define a range between 192.168.1.2 and 192.168.1.254, although you can save part of the range for devices with fixed addresses.

To specify the pool of IP addresses that the router assigns:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > LAN Setup.

The LAN Setup page displays.

5. Make sure that the Use Router as DHCP Server check box is selected.

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Specify the range of IP addresses that the router assigns: a.

In the Starting IP Address field, type the lowest number in the range. This IP address must be in the same subnet as the router.

In the Ending IP Address field, type the number at the end of the range of IP addresses.

This IP address must be in the same subnet as the router.

7. Click the Apply button.

Your settings are saved.

The router delivers the following address information to any LAN device that requests a DHCP address:

An IP address from the range that you define

•

Subnet mask

•

Gateway IP address (the router’s LAN IP address)

•

DNS server IP address (the router’s LAN IP address)

•

Disable the DHCP server feature in the router

By default, the router acts as a DHCP server. The router assigns IP, DNS server, and default gateway addresses to all computers connected to the LAN. The assigned default gateway address is the LAN address of the router.

You can use another device on your network as the DHCP server or specify the network settings of all your computers.

To disable the DHCP server feature in the router:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > LAN Setup.

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The LAN Setup page displays.

5. Clear the Use Router as DHCP Server check box.

6. Click the Apply button.

Your settings are saved.

(Optional) If this service is disabled and no other DHCP server is on your network, set your computer IP addresses manually so that the computers can access the router.

Manage reserved LAN IP addresses

When you specify a reserved IP address for a computer on the LAN, that computer always receives the same IP address each time it accesses the router’s DHCP server. Assign reserved IP addresses to computers or servers that require permanent IP settings.

Reserve an IP address

To reserve an IP address:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > LAN Setup.

The LAN Setup page displays.

5. In the Address Reservation section, click the Add button.

In the IP Address field, type the IP address to assign to the computer or server. Choose an IP address from the router’s LAN subnet, such as 192.168.1.x.

Type the MAC address of the computer or server.

Tip: If the computer is already on your network, you can copy its MAC address from the Attached Devices page and paste it here.

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8. Click the Apply button.

The reserved address is entered into the table.

The reserved address is not assigned until the next time the computer contacts the router’s DHCP server. Reboot the computer, or access its IP configuration and force a DHCP release and renew.

Edit a reserved IP address

To edit a reserved address entry:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > LAN Setup.

The LAN Setup page displays.

5. Select the radio button next to the reserved address that you want to edit.

6. Click the Edit button.

The Address Reservation page displays.

7. Change the settings.

8. Click the Apply button.

Your settings are saved.

Delete a reserved IP address entry

To delete a reserved address entry:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

3. Enter the router admin user name and password.

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The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home page displays.

4. Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup.

The LAN Setup page displays.

5. Select the radio button next to the reserved address that you want to delete.

6. Click the Delete button.

The address is removed.

Use the WPS Wizard for WiFi connections

The WPS Wizard helps you add a WPS-enabled device to your WiFi network without typing the WiFi password.

To use the WPS Wizard:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > WPS Wizard.

A note explaining WPS displays.

5. Click the Next button.

The WPS page displays.

6. Select a setup method:

• Push button. Click the WPS button on this page.

• PIN Number. The page adjusts. Enter the client security PIN and click the Next

button.

Within two minutes, go to the WPS-enabled device and use its WPS software to connect to the WiFi network.

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The WPS process automatically sets up yourr WPS-enabled device with the network password when it connects. The router WPS page displays a confirmation message.

Specify basic WiFi settings

The router comes with preset security. This means that the WiFi network name (SSID), network key (password), and security option (encryption protocol) are preset in the factory. You can find the preset SSID and password on the router label.

Note: The preset SSID and password are uniquely generated for every device to protect and maximize your WiFi security.

If you change your preset security settings, make a note of the new settings and store it in a safe place where you can easily find it.

If your computer is connected with WiFi when you change the SSID or other WiFi security settings, you are disconnected when you click the Apply button. To avoid this problem, use a computer with a wired connection to access the router.

To specify basic WiFi settings:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 Wireless.

The Wireless Settings page displays.

You can specify the settings for the 2.4 GHz band and 5 GHz band.

5. From the Region menu, select your region.

In some locations, you cannot change this setting.

6. To control the SSID broadcast, select or clear the Enable SSID Broadcast check

box. When this check box is selected, the router broadcasts its network name (SSID) so

that it displays when you scan for local WiFi networks on your computer or mobile device.

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To change the network name (SSID), type a new name in the Name (SSID) field. The name can be up to 32 characters long and it is case-sensitive. The default SSID

is randomly generated and is on the router label. If you change the name, make sure to write down the new name and keep it in a safe place.

To change the WiFi channel, select a number from the Channel menu. In some regions, not all channels are available. Do not change the channel unless

you experience interference (shown by lost connections or slow data transfers). If this happens, experiment with different channels to see which is the best.

When you use multiple access points, it is better if adjacent access points use different channels to reduce interference. The recommended channel spacing between adjacent access points is four channels (for example, use Channels 1 and 5, or 6 and

10).

9. Click the Apply button.

Your settings are saved.

If you connected wirelessly to the network and you changed the SSID, you are disconnected from the network.

10. Make sure that you can connect wirelessly to the network with its new settings. If you cannot connect wirelessly, check the following:

• Is your computer or mobile device connected to another WiFi network in your

area? Some WiFi devices automatically connect to the first open network without WiFi security that they discover.

• Is your computer or mobile device trying to connect to your network with its old

settings (before you changed the settings)? If so, update the WiFi network selection in your computer or mobile device to match the current settings for your network.

Change the WiFi Password or the WiFi Security

The WiFi password is different from the admin password that you use to log in to the router.

Your router comes with preset WPA2 or WPA security. We recommend that you use the preset security, but you can change the settings. Do not disable the preset security.

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To change the WiFi password or the WiFi security:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 Wireless. The Wireless Settings page displays.

5. To change the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz WiFi password, enter a new password in the Password (Network Key) field.

You must enter a phrase of 8 to 63 characters. The Password (Network Key) field displays if the WPA2-Personal [AES], WPA-Personal [TKIP] + WPA2-Personal [AES] or WPA3-Personal security radio button is selected.

To change the WiFi security for the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz WiFi network, select a Security

Options radio button.

None. An open WiFi network that does not provide any security. Any WiFi device

•

can join the WiFi network. We recommend that you do not use an open WiFi network.

WPA2-Personal [AES]. This option is the default setting. This type of security

•

enables WiFi devices that support WPA2 to join the router’s WiFi network. If you did not change the WiFi password, the default password displays. The default password is printed on the router label.WPA2 provides a secure connection but some older WiFi devices do not detect WPA2 and support only WPA. If your network includes such older devices, select WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK [AES] security.

WPA-Personal [TKIP] + WPA2-Personal [AES]. This type of security enables

•

WiFi devices that support either WPA or WPA2 to join the router’s WiFi network. However, WPA-PSK [TKIP] is less secure than WPA2-PSK [AES] and limits the speed of WiFi devices to 54 Mbps.

WPA/WPA2 Enterprise. This type of security requires that your WiFi network

•

can access a RADIUS server.

WPA3-Personal. This type of security enables WiFi devices that support WPA3

•

to join the router's WiFi network. WPA3 is the latest security standard and is more secure than WPA2.

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7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Change the WiFi Mode

To change the WiFi mode settings:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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

you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home page displays.

4. Select Wireless. The Wireless Settings page displays.

In the Wireless Network (2.4 GHz b/g/n) section, select a WiFi mode from the Mode menu.

Up to 54 Mbps. This mode allows 802.11n, 802.11g, and 802.11b devices to

•

join the network but limits 802.11n devices to functioning at up to 54 Mbps.

Up to 574 Mbps. This mode allows for reduced interference with neighboring

•

WiFi networks. This mode allows 802.11ax, 802.11n, 802.11g, and 802.11b devices to join the network but limits 802.11n devices to functioning at up to 574 Mbps.

Up to 1147 Mbps. This mode allows 802.11ax, 802.11n, 802.11g, and 802.11b

•

devices to join the network and allows 802.11ax devices to function at up to 1147 Mbps. This mode is the default mode.

In the Wireless Network (5 GHz a/n/ac/ax) section, select a WiFi mode from the Mode menu.

Up to 1147 Mbps. This mode allows 802.11ax, 802.11ac, 802.11n, and 802.11a

•

devices to join the selected WiFi network in the 5 GHz band of the network but limits 802.11ax devices to functioning at up to 1147 Mbps.

Up to 2294 Mbps. This mode allows for reduced interference with neighboring

•

WiFi networks. This mode allows 802.11ax, 802.11ac, 802.11n, and 802.11a

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devices to join the selected WiFi network in the 5 GHz band of the network but limits 802.11ac devices to functioning at up to 2294 Mbps.

Up to 4803 Mbps. This mode allows 802.11ax, 802.11ac, 802.11n, and 802.11a

•

devices to join the selected WiFi network in the 5 GHz band of the network and allows 802.11ax devices to function at up to 4803 Mbps. This mode is the default mode.

7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Change the Transmission Power Control

By default, you router’s transmission power is set to 100%. This allows your router to give you whole home WiFi coverage. If you don’t need whole home WiFi coverage, and you also want to save power consumption while using your router, you can lower the transmission power of your router.

To change the transmission power control:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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

you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home page displays.

4. Select Wireless. The Wireless Settings page displays.

In the Wireless Network (2.4 GHz b/g/n) section, select a percentage from the Transmit Power Control menu.

In the Wireless Network (5 GHz a/n/ac) section, select a percentage from the Transmit Power Control menu.

7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

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Set Up a Guest WiFi Network

A guest network allows visitors to use the Internet without using your WiFi security password or with a different WiFi password. By default, the guest WiFi network is disabled. You can enable and configure the guest WiFi network for each WiFi band. The router simultaneously supports the 2.4 GHz band for 802.11n, 802.11g, and 802.11b devices and the 5 GHz band for 802.11ac, 802.11n, and 802.11a devices.

The WiFi mode of the guest WiFi network depends on the WiFi mode of the main WiFi network. For example, if you configure the WiFi mode for the main WiFi network as Up to 54 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band, the guest WiFi network also functions in the Up to 54 Mbps mode in the 2.4 GHz band. The channel also depends on the channel selection of the main WiFi network.

The router provides two default guest networks with the following names (SSIDs):

2.4 GHz guest WiFi network SSID. NETGEAR_Guest

•

5 GHz guest WiFi network SSID. NETGEAR-5G_Guest

•

By default, these networks are configured as open networks without security but are disabled. You can enable one or both networks. You can also change the SSIDs for these networks.

To set up a guest network:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 Guest Network. The Guest Network Settings page displays.

Configure the following settings to set up a 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz guest WiFi network:

Enable Guest Network. By default, the guest WiFi network is disabled. To enable

•

the guest WiFi network for the

2.4 GHz or 5 GHz WiFi band, select the Enable Guest Network check box.

Enable SSID Broadcast. By default, the router broadcasts the SSID of the WiFi

•

band so that WiFi stations can detect the WiFi name (SSID) in their scanned

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network lists. To turn off the SSID broadcast for the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz guest WiFi network, clear the Enable SSID Broadcast check box.

Allow guests to see each other and access my local network. By default, WiFi

•

clients that are connected to the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz guest WiFi network cannot access WiFi devices or Ethernet devices that are connected to the main WiFi network. To allow access to the main WiFi network, select the Allow guests to

see each other and access my local network check box.

Guest Wireless Network Name (SSID). The SSID is the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz guest

•

WiFi network name. The default 2.4 GHz SSID is NETGEAR_Guest. The default 5 GHz SSID NETGEAR-5G_Guest. To change the SSID, enter a 32-character (maximum), case-sensitive name in this field.

Select a WiFi security option for the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz guest WiFi network:

None. An open WiFi network that does not provide any security. Any WiFi device

•

can join the WiFi network. We recommend that you do not use an open WiFi network.

WPA2-Personal [AES]. This option is the default setting. This type of security

•

WPA-Personal [TKIP] + WPA2-Personal [AES]. This type of security enables

•

WiFi devices that support either WPA or WPA2 to join the router’s WiFi network. However, WPA-PSK [TKIP] is less secure than WPA2-PSK [AES] and limits the speed of WiFi devices to 54 Mbps.

WPA/WPA2 Enterprise. This type of security requires that your WiFi network

•

can access a RADIUS server.

WPA3-Personal. This type of security enables WiFi devices that support WPA3

•

to join the router's WiFi network. WPA3 is the latest security standard and is more secure than WPA2.

7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

8. Make sure that you can reconnect over WiFi to the network with its new security settings.

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If you cannot connect over WiFi, check the following:

If your computer or mobile device is already connected to another WiFi network

•

in your area, disconnect it from that WiFi network and connect it to the WiFi network that the router provides. Some WiFi devices automatically connect to the first open network without WiFi security that they discover.

Does your computer or mobile device display as an attached device?

•

If it does, it is connected to the network.

Are you using the correct network name (SSID) and password?

•

Control the WiFi radios

The router’s internal WiFi radios broadcast signals in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz ranges. By default, they are on so that you can connect over WiFi to the router. When the WiFi radios are off, you can still use an Ethernet cable for a LAN connection to the router.

You can turn the WiFi radios on and off with the WiFi On/Off button on the router, or you can log in to the router and enable or disable the WiFi radios. If you are close to the router, it might be easier to press its WiFi On/Off button. If you are away from the router or already logged in, it might be easier to enable or disable them.

Use the WiFi On/Off button

To turn the WiFi radios off and on with the WiFi On/Off button:

Press the WiFi On/Off button on the top of the router for two seconds. If you turned off the WiFi radios, the WiFi On/Off LED and the WPS LED turn off. If

you turned on the WiFi radios, the WiFi On/Off LED and the WPS LED light.

Enable or disable the WiFi radios

If you used the WiFi On/Off button to turn off the WiFi radios, you can’t log in to the router to turn them back on. You must press the WiFi On/Off button again for two seconds to turn the WiFi radios back on.

To enable or disable the WiFi radios:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

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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 > Wireless Settings. The Wireless Settings page displays.

Do one of the following for your router’s WiFi networks:

Turn off the WiFi radio. Clear the Enable Wireless Router Radio check box.

•

Turn on the WiFi radio. Select the Enable Wireless Router Radio check box.

•

6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set up a WiFi schedule

You can turn off the WiFi signal from your router at times when you do not need a WiFi connection. For example, you might turn it off for the weekend if you leave town.

To set up the WiFi schedule:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > Wireless Settings. The Wireless Settings page displays.

5. Click the Add a new period button. The page adjusts.

6. Use the menus, radio buttons, and check boxes to set up a period during which you want to turn off the WiFi signal.

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7. Click the Apply button. The Wireless Settings page displays.

Select the Turn off wireless signal by schedule check box to activate the schedule.

9. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Specify WPS settings

Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) lets you join the WiFi network without typing the WiFi password.

To specify WPS settings:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > Wireless Settings. The Wireless Settings page displays.

The Router’s PIN field displays the fixed PIN that you can use to configure the router’s WiFi settings from another device through WPS.

5. (Optional) Select or clear the Enable Router’s PIN check box. The PIN function might temporarily be disabled when the router detects suspicious

attempts to break into the router’s WiFi settings by using the router’s PIN through WPS. You can manually enable the PIN function by selecting the Enable Router’s PIN check box.

6. (Optional) Select or clear the Keep Existing Wireless Settings check box. By default, the Keep Existing Wireless Settings check box is selected. We

recommend that you leave this check box selected.

If you clear this check box, the next time a new WiFi client uses WPS to connect to the router, the router WiFi settings change to an automatically generated random SSID and security key.

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7. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set up the router as a WiFi access point

You can set up the router to run as an access point (AP) on the same local network as another router.

To set up the router as an AP:

Use an Ethernet cable to connect the Internet port of this router to an Ethernet port on the other router.

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

4. Enter the router admin user name and password. The user name is admin. The password is the one that you specified the first time

that you logged in. The user name and password are case-sensitive.

The BASIC Home page displays.

Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Router/ AP / Bridge Mode. The Router / AP / Bridge Mode page displays.

6. Select AP Mode. The page adjusts.

7. Select an IP address setting:

•

Get dynamically from existing router. The other router on the network assigns

an IP address to this router while it is in AP mode.

•

Use fixed IP settings on this device (not recommended). Use this setting if you

want to manually assign a specific IP address to this router while it is in AP mode. Using this option effectively requires advanced network experience.

Note: To avoid interference with other routers or gateways in your network, we recommend that you use different WiFi settings on each router. You can also turn off the WiFi radio on the other router or gateway and use this router only for WiFi client access.

8. Click the Apply button.

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The IP address of the router changes, and you are disconnected.

To reconnect, close and restart your browser and type http://www.routerlogin.net.

Set Up the Router in Bridge Mode

You can use your router in bridge mode to connect multiple devices wirelessly at the faster 802.11ax speed. You need two routers: one set up as a router and the other set up as a bridge.

Installing your router as a bridge offers the following benefits:

Take advantage of gigabit WiFi speeds on current devices

•

Use Gigabit WiFi for applications like video and gaming.

•

Connect multiple devices like NAS, Smart TV, Blu-ray player, and game consoles at

• gigabit WiFi speeds using a WiFi link.

Avoid the need for separate WiFi adapters for each device.

•

For example, you can install the first router in a room like a home office where your Internet connection is located, then set up the second router in bridge mode. Place the router in bridge mode in a different room with your home entertainment center. Cable the router in bridge mode to your Smart TV, DVR, game console or Blu-ray player, and use its 802.11ac WiFi connection to the first router.

To set up the router in bridge mode:

Make a note of the WiFi settings of the other router to which this router will connect. You must know the SSID, WiFi security mode, wireless password, and operating

frequency (either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

4. 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 page displays.

Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Router/ AP / Bridge Mode. The Router / AP / Bridge Mode page displays.

6. Select Bridge Mode.

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The page adjusts.

7. Click the setup bride mode wireless settings button. The Wireless Settings window opens.

Specify the settings of the other router to which this router will connect: a.

Select the wireless network from the menu:

Wireless Networks (2.4Ghz b/g/n/ax)

•

Wireless Networks (5Ghz a/n/ac/ax)

•

For 802.11ac or 802.11ax mode, select 5 GHz.

In the Name (SSID) file, enter the wireless network name (SSID).

c. In the Security Options section, select a radio button.

If the Password (Network Key) field displays, type the WiFi password (network key) that you use to connect wirelessly to the other router.

9. Click the Apply button. The window closes and you are returned to the main Wireless Settings page.

10. Click the Apply button on the main Wireless Settings page. Your settings are saved.

Return the router to router mode

By default, your router is set to router mode. If you changed the mode to access point mode or bridge mode, you can change the mode back to router mode.

To set up router mode:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Router/ AP / Bridge Mode.

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The Router / AP / Bridge Mode page displays.

5. Select Router Mode. The page adjusts.

6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set up a bridge for a port group or VLAN tag group

Some devices, such as an IPTV, cannot function behind the router’s network address translation (NAT) service or firewall. Based on what your Internet service provider (ISP) requires, for the device to connect to the ISP’s network directly, you can enable the bridge between the device and the router’s Internet port or add new VLAN tag groups to the bridge.

Note: If your ISP provides instructions for how to set up a bridge for IPTV and Internet service, follow those instruction.

Set up a bridge for a port group

If the devices that are connected to the router’s Ethernet LAN port or WiFi network include an IPTV device, your ISP might require you to set up a bridge for a port group for the router’s Internet interface.

A bridge with a port group prevents packets that are sent between the IPTV device and the router’s Internet port from being processed through the router’s network address translation (NAT) service.

To configure a port group and enable the bridge:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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.

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Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VLAN/Bridge Settings. The VLAN/Bridge Settings page displays.

Select the Enable VLAN/Bridge Setup check box. The page expands.

6. Select the By bridge group radio button. The page expands.

7. Select a Wired Ports check box or a Wireless check box:

•

Wired Ports. If your device is connected to an Ethernet port on the router, select

the Wired Ports check box that corresponds to the Ethernet port on the router to which the device is connected.

•

Wireless. If your device is connected to your router’s WiFi network, select the

Wireless check box that corresponds to the router’s WiFi network to which the device is connected.

Note: You must select at least one Wired Ports or Wireless check box. You can select more than one check box.

8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Set up a bridge for a VLAN tag group

If the devices that are connected to the router’s Ethernet LAN ports or WiFi network include an IPTV device, your ISP might require you to set up a bridge for a VLAN tag group for the router’s Internet interface.

If you are subscribed to IPTV service, the router might require VLAN tags to distinguish between the Internet traffic and the IPTV traffic. A bridge with a VLAN tag group prevents packets that are sent between the IPTV device and the router’s Internet port from being processed through the router’s network address translation (NAT) service.

You can add VLAN tag groups to a bridge and assign VLAN IDs and priority values to each VLAN tag group.

To add a VLAN tag group and enable the bridge:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

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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.

Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VLAN/Bridge Settings. The VLAN/Bridge Settings page displays.

Select the Enable VLAN/Bridge Setup check box. The page expands.

6. Select the By VLAN tag group radio button. The page expands.

7. Click the Add button. The Add VLAN Rule page displays.

Specify the following settings for the VLAN tag group:

Name. Enter a name for the VLAN tag group.

•

The name can be up to 10 characters.

VLAN ID. Enter a value from 1 to 4094.

•

Priority. Enter a value from 0 to 7.

•

Select the check box for a wired Ethernet port or wireless network. If your device is connected to an Ethernet port on the router, select the wired Ethernet

port check box that corresponds to the Ethernet port on the router to which the device is connected. If your device is connected to your router’s WiFi network, select the WiFi check box that corresponds to the router’s WiFi network to which the device is connected.

You must select at least one Ethernet port or wireless network. You can select more than one port.

10. Click the Add button. The VLAN tag group is added.

11. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

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Set up an IPTV port

You can set up the router to create an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) port that can lease an IP address from your IPTV service provider. Use this feature only if you subscribe to an IPTV service and your IPTV service requires an intranet address.

Some IPTV ports cannot work behind NAT because the IPTV port requires an IP address within the Internet service provider's network (intranet address). You can set up a bridge connection from the WAN to one of the LAN ports. When IPTV is connected through WiFi, the home router also must support the bridging of the WAN port to the WiFi network name (SSID). The designated LAN port or WiFi name becomes an IPTV port with direct access to the WAN without going through NAT.

To configure an IPTV port:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network.

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.

Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > VLAN/Bridge Settings. The VLAN/Bridge Settings page displays.

Select the Enable VLAN/Bridge Setup check box. The page expands.

6. Select the By bridge group radio button. The page expands.

7. Select a Wired Ports check box or a Wireless check box:

•

Wired Ports. If your device is connected to an Ethernet port on the router, select

the Wired Ports check box that corresponds to the Ethernet port on the router to which the device is connected.

•

Wireless. If your device is connected to your router’s WiFi network, select the

Wireless check box that corresponds to the router’s WiFi network to which the device is connected.

Note: You must select at least one Wired Ports or Wireless check box. You can select more than one check box.

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8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Manage custom static routes

Typically, you do not need to add static routes unless you use multiple routers or multiple IP subnets on your network.

As an example of when a static route is needed, consider the following case:

Your main Internet access is through a cable modem to an ISP.

•

Your home network includes an ISDN router for connecting to the company where

• you are employed. This router’s address on your LAN is 192.168.1.100.

Your company’s network address is 134.177.0.0.

•

When you set up your router, two implicit static routes were created. A default route was created with your ISP as the gateway, and a second static route was created to your local network for all 192.168.1.x addresses. With this configuration, if you try to access a device on the 134.177.0.0 network, your router forwards your request to the ISP. The ISP forwards your request to the company where you are employed, and the company firewall is likely to deny the request.

In this case you must define a static route, telling your router to access 134.177.0.0 through the ISDN router at 192.168.1.100. Here is an example:

The Destination IP Address and IP Subnet Mask fields specify that this static route

• applies to all 134.177.x.x addresses.

The Gateway IP Address field specifies that all traffic for these addresses will be

• forwarded to the ISDN router at 192.168.1.100.

The Private check box is selected only as a precautionary security measure in case

• RIP is activated.

Set up a static route

To set up a static route:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

3. Enter the router admin user name and password.

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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 > Static Routes. The Static Routes page displays.

5. Click the Add button. The page adjusts.

In the Route Name field, type a name for this static route (for identification purposes only).

7. To limit access to the LAN only, select the Private check box. If the Private check box is selected, the static route is not reported in RIP.

To prevent the route from becoming active, clear the Active check box. In some situations, you might want to set up a static route but keep it disabled until

a later time. By default, the Active check box is selected and a route becomes active after you click the Apply button.

Enter the following settings:

Destination IP Address. Enter the IP address for the final destination of the route.

•

IP Subnet Mask. Enter the IP subnet mask for the final destination of the route.

•

If the destination is a single host, enter 255.255.255.255.

Gateway IP Address. Enter the IP address of the gateway.

•

The IP address of the gateway must be on the same LAN segment as the router.

Metric. Enter a number from 2 through 15.

•

This value represents the number of routers between your network and the destination. Usually, a setting of 2 or 3 works.

10. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved. The static route is added to the table on the Static Routes

page.

Edit a static route

To edit a static route:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.

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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 > Static Routes. The Static Routes page displays.

In the table, select the radio button for the route.

6. Click the Edit button. The Static Routes page adjusts.

Edit the route information.

8. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

Delete a static route

To delete a static route:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > Static Routes. The Static Routes page displays.

In the table, select the radio button for the route.

6. Click the Delete button. The route is removed from the table.

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Enable or disable MU-MIMO

Multiuser multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO) improves performance when many WiFi clients that are MU-MIMO-capable transfer data at the same time. For MU-MIMO to function, WiFi clients must support MU-MIMO, and they must be connected to a 5 GHz WiFi band. This feature is enabled by default, but you can disable it.

To enable or disable MU-MIMO:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > Wireless Settings. The Wireless Settings page displays.

5. Scroll down below the WPS Settings section and select or clear the Enable MU-MIMO check box.

Selecting this check box enables MU-MIMO. Clearing this check box disables MU-MIMO.

6. Click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

If you connected over WiFi to the network, you are disconnected from the network and must reconnect.

Manage Ethernet Port Aggregation to a LAN Device

Ethernet aggregation lets you aggregate two Ethernet ports on your router to improve the aggregated file transfer speed. Ethernet port aggregation is also referred to as link aggregation, teaming port, and port trunking.

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Nighthawk AX12 12-Steam AX6000 WiFi Router

Note: For information about Internet (WAN) port aggregation, see Get Multi-Gig Internet

With Port Aggregation on page 31.

To set up Ethernet port aggregation to a LAN device that is configured for 802.3ad Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP), first configure Ethernet port aggregation for Ethernet ports 1 and 2 on your router, and then connect these port to the two aggregated ports on the LAN device. If you do not configure port aggregation in this order, a network loop occurs, and your network might be shut down.

WARNING: Do not connect an unmanaged switch to Ethernet ports 1 and 2 on your

router if these ports are aggregated. Otherwise, a network loop occurs, and your network might be shut down.

Figure 7. Ethernet port aggregation to a LAN device

Set Up Ethernet Port Aggregation to a LAN Device

If you are connecting a LAN device such as a switch or NAS, make sure that your LAN device supports 802.3ad LACP.

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To set up Ethernet port aggregation to a LAN device:

Set up Ethernet port aggregation on your LAN device before connecting it to your router.

Note: If your LAN device supports a static link aggregation group (LAG) only, you must enable static mode on your router before you connect your device to Ethernet ports 1 and 2 on the router. See the following step for more information about how to enable static mode on your router.

For information about how to set up Ethernet port aggregation on your router or computer, see the documentation that came with your router or computer.

2. Log in to your router and enable Ethernet port aggregation: a.

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

Enter http://www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.

c. 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.

d. Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Ethernet Port Aggregation.

The Ethernet Port Aggregation page displays.

e. Select an Ethernet port aggregation mode (note that Ethernet port aggregation

is disabled by default):

Enable (LACP-IEEE 802.3ad). After you connect the Ethernet cables (see the

• following step), the router communicates with the LAN device that is connected to Ethernet ports 1 and 2 on your router, and checks to see if Ethernet port aggregation is supported on the LAN device. If Ethernet port aggregation is supported, the router automatically trunks Ethernet ports 1 and 2. If not, Ethernet ports 1 and 2 work as independent Ethernet ports. We recommend that you select this mode unless your LAN device can support a static LAG only.

Enable Static LAG. If your device supports a static LAG only, select this mode.

• Otherwise, we recommend that you to select the Enable (LACP-IEEE 802.3ad) radio button instead.

Click the Apply button.

Your settings are saved.

3. Connect your LAN device to Ethernet ports 1 and 2 on the router.

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View or Change the Router Ethernet Port Aggregation Mode

To view or change your router’s Ethernet port aggregation mode:

Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the router network.

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 > Ethernet Port Aggregation.

The Ethernet Port Aggregation page displays. The Ethernet Port Aggregation Status field shows whether port aggregation is active:

Inactive. No link aggregation LAN device is connected to Ethernet ports 1 and

• 2 on your router.

Active. A link aggregation LAN device is connected to Ethernet ports 1 and 2

• on your router.

To change the Ethernet port aggregation mode, select one of the following radio buttons:

•

Disable. This mode is selected by default. This mode disables Ethernet port

aggregation on your router. Ethernet ports 1 and 2 can be used as independent Ethernet ports.

•

Enable (LACP-IEEE 803.3ad). After you connect the Ethernet cables, the router

communicates with the LAN device that is connected to Ethernet ports 1 and 2 on your router, and checks to see if Ethernet port aggregation is supported on the LAN device. If Ethernet port aggregation is supported, the router automatically trunks Ethernet ports 1 and 2. If not, Ethernet ports 1 and 2 work as independent Ethernet ports. We recommend that you select this mode unless your LAN device can support a static link aggregation group (LAG) only.

•

Enable Static LAG. If your device supports a static LAG only, select this mode.

Otherwise, we recommend that you to select the Enable (LACP-IEEE 802.3ad) radio button instead.

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Note: If your LAN device supports a static LAG only, you must enable static mode

on your router before you connect your device to Ethernet ports 1 and 2 on the router.

If you made changes, click the Apply button. Your settings are saved.

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Manage Your Router

This chapter describes the router settings for administering and maintaining your router and home network.

The chapter contains the following sections:

• Update the router firmware

• Change the admin password

• Enable admin password recovery

• Recover the admin password

• View information about the router and the Internet and WiFi settings

• Display the statistics of the Internet port

• Check the Internet connection status

• View and manage logs of router activity

• View devices currently on the network

• Monitor Internet traffic

• Manage the router configuration file

• Manage remote access

• Connect to your router with Anywhere Access

• Disable LED blinking or turn off LEDs

• Set your time zone

• Set the NTP Server

• Specify ReadyDLNA Media Server Settings

• Return the router to its factory default settings

100

Netgear RAX120 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Hardware Setup

Unpack Your Router

Top Panel LEDs and Buttons

Rear Panel

Extend the Antennas

Router Label

Position Your Router

Cable Your Router

Turn the LEDs On or Off Using the LED On/Off Switch

Connect to the network and access the router

Connect to the network

Connect to the network using a wired connection

Find and connect to the WiFi network

WiFi connection using WPS

Types of logins

Use a web browser to access the router

Automatic Internet Setup

Log in to the router

Install and manage your router with the Nighthawk app

Change the language

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

Manage a Multi-Gig Internet connection

Get Multi-Gig Internet With the Multi-Gig Port

Get Multi-Gig Internet With Port Aggregation

Specify IPv6 Internet connections

Requirements for entering IPv6 addresses

Use auto detect for an IPv6 Internet connection

Set up an IPv6 6to4 tunnel Internet connection

Set up an IPv6 pass-through Internet connection

Set up an IPv6 fixed Internet connection

Set up an IPv6 DHCP Internet connection

Set up an IPv6 PPPoE Internet connection

Use auto config for an IPv6 Internet connection

Set up an IPv6 6rd Internet connection

Manage the MTU size

MTU concepts

Change the MTU size

Control Access to the Internet

Enable access control to allow or block access to the Internet

Use keywords to block Internet sites

Block services from the Internet

Delete keywords from the blocked list

Prevent blocking on a trusted computer

Manage network access control lists

Schedule when to block Internet sites and services

Set up security event email notifications

Optimize Performance

Optimize Internet Streaming With QoS

Enable Upstream QoS

Add a Custom QoS Rule

Edit a QoS Rule

Delete a QoS Rule

Delete All QoS Rules

Improve Network Connections With Universal Plug-N-Play

Manage Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service

Enable or Disable Smart Connect

Enable or disable AX WiFi

Manage Network Settings

View or change the WAN settings

Set up a default DMZ server

Change the Router’s Device Name

Change the LAN TCP/IP settings

Specify the IP addresses that the router assigns

Disable the DHCP server feature in the router

Manage reserved LAN IP addresses

Reserve an IP address

Edit a reserved IP address

Delete a reserved IP address entry

Use the WPS Wizard for WiFi connections

Specify basic WiFi settings

Change the WiFi Password or the WiFi Security