Unpack Your

Router

The box contains the following items.

Figure 1. Package contents for the router

Table 1. Legend

Router

1.

Antennas (3)

2.

Ethernet cable

3.

Power adapter

4

In some regions, a CD is included in the package.

Attach the Antennas

The

router

comes with three antennas.

To attach the antennas:

1.

Remove the antenna caps from the antenna posts on the back panel of the

router

.

2.

Align the antennas with the antenna posts.

Hardware Overview of the Router

11

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router Model R6900

3.

Attach the antennas on the threaded antenna posts.

4.

Position the antennas for the best WiFi performance.

We recommend that the center antenna be vertical and that you aim the others outward at 45-degree

angles, as shown.

LEDs and Buttons on the Top Panel

The status LEDs and buttons are located on the top of the

router

.

Figure 2. Router LEDs and buttons

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12

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router Model R6900

Table 2. LED and button descriptions

Description

LED

Power

•

Solid amber

. The

router

is starting.

•

Blinking amber

.The firmware is upgrading, or the

Reset

button was pressed.

•

Solid white

. The

router

is ready.

•

Blinking white

. The firmware is corrupted.

•

Off

. Power is not supplied to the

router

.

Internet

•

Solid white

. The Internet connection is ready.

•

Solid amber

. The

router

detected an Ethernet cable connection to the

modem.

•

Off

. No Ethernet cable is connected between the

router

and the modem.

2.4 GHz WiFi

•

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.

5 GHz WiFi

•

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.

Guest WiFi

•

Solid white

. The guest WiFi network is operating.

•

Blinking white

. The

router

is sending or receiving WiFi traffic.

•

Off

. The guest WiFi network is off.

USB 3.0 port

•

Solid white

. A USB device is connected and is ready.

•

Blinking white

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

•

Off

. No USB device is connected, or someone clicked the

Safely Remove

Hardware

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

The LED color indicates the speed: white for Gigabit Ethernet connections and

amber for 100 Mbps or 10 Mbps Ethernet connections.

Ethernet ports 1–4

Hardware Overview of the Router

13

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router Model R6900

Description

LED

•

Solid white or solid amber

. A powered-on device is connected to the

Ethernet port.

•

Blinking white or blinking amber

. The port is sending or receiving traffic.

•

Off

. No device is connected to this Ethernet port.

Pressing this button for two seconds turns the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi radios

on and off.

WiFi On/Off button with

LED

If this LED is solid white, the WiFi radios are on. If this LED is off, the WiFi radios

are turned off and you cannot use WiFi to connect to the

router

.

This button lets you use WPS to join the WiFi network without typing the WiFi

password. The WPS LED blinks white during this process and then lights solid

white.

WPS button with LED

For information about disabling LED blinking for network communications and turning off all LEDs except

the Power LED, see

Disable LED Blinking or Turn Off LEDs

on page 192.

Ports, Buttons, and Connectors on the Back Panel

The back panel of the

router

provides ports, buttons, antenna connectors, and a DC power connector.

For information about attaching the antennas, see

Attach the Antennas

on page 11.

Figure 3. Router back panel

In addition to the three antennas, viewed from left to right, the back panel contains the following

components:

Hardware Overview of the Router

14

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router Model R6900

•

Reset button

. For information about using the

Reset

button, see

Return the Router to Its Factory

Default Settings

on page 193.

•

Ethernet LAN ports

. Four Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 LAN ports to connect the

router

to LAN devices.

•

Internet port

. One Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 WAN port to connect the

router

to a modem.

•

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.

USB Port on the Front Panel

The USB 3.0 port is located on the front of the

router

.

Figure 4. USB port

Product Label on the Bottom Panel

The product label on the bottom panel of the

router

lists the login information, WiFi network name (SSID)

and password (network key), serial number, and MAC address of the

router

.

Hardware Overview of the Router

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Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router Model R6900