Turn Off Automatic Startup of the NETGEAR USB Control Center

...............

137

Change the NETGEAR USB Control Center Language

................................

138

Specify the Time-Out

.....................................................................................

138

Chapter 10

Manage the WAN and LAN Network Settings

Manage the WAN Security Settings

...................................................................

140

Set Up a Default DMZ Server

............................................................................

141

Manage IGMP Proxying

.....................................................................................

142

Manage NAT Filtering

........................................................................................

143

Manage the SIP Application-Level Gateway

......................................................

144

Manage the LAN IP Address Settings

...............................................................

144

Manage the Router Information Protocol Settings

.............................................

145

Manage the DHCP Server Address Pool

...........................................................

146

Manage Reserved LAN IP Addresses

...............................................................

148

Reserve a LAN IP Address

...........................................................................

148

Change a Reserved IP Address

....................................................................

149

Remove a Reserved IP Address Entry

..........................................................

149

Disable the Built-In DHCP Server

......................................................................

150

Change the Router’s Device Name

....................................................................

151

Set Up and Manage Custom Static Routes

.......................................................

151

Set Up a Static Route

....................................................................................

152

Change a Static Route

..................................................................................

153

Remove a Static Route

.................................................................................

154

Set Up a Bridge for a Port Group or VLAN Tag Group

.......................................

154

Set Up a Bridge for a Port Group

..................................................................

155

Set Up a Bridge for a VLAN Tag Group

.........................................................

156

Chapter 11

Manage the WiFi Network Settings

Use WPS to Add a Device to the WiFi Network

.................................................

159

Use WPS With the Push Button Method

.......................................................

160

Use WPS With the PIN Method

.....................................................................

161

Specify Basic WiFi Settings

...............................................................................

162

Change the WiFi Mbps Settings

.........................................................................

165

Change the WiFi Password or Security Level

....................................................

166

Set Up a Guest WiFi Network

............................................................................

167

Specify How the Router Manages WiFi Clients

.................................................

169

Disable Airtime Fairness

...............................................................................

169

Disable Implicit Beamforming

........................................................................

170

Control the WiFi Radios

.....................................................................................

170

Use the WiFi On/Off Button

...........................................................................

171

Enable or Disable the WiFi Radios

................................................................

171

Set Up a WiFi Schedule

.....................................................................................

172

Manage the WPS Settings

.................................................................................

173

Use the Router as a WiFi Access Point

.............................................................

175

Use the Router in WiFi Bridge Mode

..................................................................

176

Set Up a WiFi Distribution System

.....................................................................

179

Set Up the Base Station

................................................................................

180

Set Up the Repeater

.....................................................................................

182

6

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router Model R6900

Chapter 12

Manage the Router and Monitor the Traffic

Update the Firmware of the Router

....................................................................

186

Check for New Firmware and Update the Router

..........................................

186

Manually Upload New Firmware and Update the Router

..............................

187

Change the admin Password

.............................................................................

188

Set Up Password Recovery

...............................................................................

189

Recover the admin Password

............................................................................

190

Manage the Configuration File of the Router

.....................................................

190

Back Up the Settings

.....................................................................................

190

Restore the Settings

......................................................................................

191

Disable LED Blinking or Turn Off LEDs

..............................................................

192

Return the Router to Its Factory Default Settings

..............................................

193

Use the Reset Button

....................................................................................

193

Erase the Settings

.........................................................................................

194

View the Status and Statistics of the Router

......................................................

194

View Information About the Router and the Internet and WiFi Settings

........

195

Display Internet Port Statistics

......................................................................

196

Check the Internet Connection Status

..........................................................

197

Manage the Activity Log

.....................................................................................

198

View the Logs

................................................................................................

198

Specify Which Activities Are Logged

.............................................................

200

View Devices Currently on the Network

.............................................................

200

Monitor and Meter Internet Traffic

......................................................................

201

Start the Traffic Meter Without Traffic Volume Restrictions

............................

201

View the Traffic Statistics and Traffic Status

..................................................

202

Restrict Internet Traffic by Volume

.................................................................

203

Restrict Internet Traffic by Connection Time

..................................................

205

Unblock the Traffic Meter After the Traffic Limit Is Reached

..........................

207

Manage the Router Remotely

............................................................................

207

Remotely Access Your Router Using the genie App

..........................................

209

Chapter 13

Use VPN to Access Your Network

Set Up a VPN Connection

..................................................................................

211

Specify VPN Service in the Router

................................................................

211

Install OpenVPN Software on Your Computer

...............................................

212

Use a VPN Tunnel

.........................................................................................

214

Use VPN to Access the Router’s USB Device and Media

..................................

216

Use VPN to Access Your Internet Service at Home

...........................................

216

Set Up VPN Client Internet Access in the Router

.........................................

217

Block VPN Client Internet Access in the Router

............................................

218

Use a VPN Tunnel to Access Your Internet Service at Home

........................

218

Chapter 14

Manage Port Forwarding and Port Triggering

Manage Port Forwarding to a Local Server for Services and Applications

........

219

Forward Incoming Traffic for a Default Service or Application

.......................

220

Add a Port Forwarding Rule With a Custom Service or Application

..............

221

Change a Port Forwarding Rule

....................................................................

223

7

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router Model R6900

Remove a Port Forwarding Rule

...................................................................

224

Application Example: Make a Local Web Server Public

................................

225

How the Router Implements the Port Forwarding Rule

.................................

226

Manage Port Triggering for Services and Applications

......................................

226

Add a Port Triggering Rule

............................................................................

227

Change a Port Triggering Rule

......................................................................

229

Remove a Port Triggering Rule

.....................................................................

230

Specify the Time-Out for Port Triggering

.......................................................

231

Disable Port Triggering

..................................................................................

232

Application Example: Port Triggering for Internet Relay Chat

........................

233

Chapter 15

Troubleshooting

Reboot the Router From Its Web Page

..............................................................

234

Quick Tips

..........................................................................................................

235

Sequence to Restart Your Network

...............................................................

235

Check Ethernet Cable Connections

..............................................................

235

WiFi Settings

.................................................................................................

236

Network Settings

...........................................................................................

236

Troubleshoot With the LEDs

...............................................................................

236

Standard LED Behavior When the Router Is Powered On

............................

236

Power LED Is Off or Blinking

.........................................................................

236

Power LED Stays Amber

...............................................................................

237

LEDs Never Turn Off

.....................................................................................

237

Internet or Ethernet Port LEDs Are Off

.........................................................

237

WiFi LED Is Off

..............................................................................................

237

You Cannot Log In to the Router

........................................................................

238

You Cannot Access the Internet

.........................................................................

238

Check the WAN IP Address

...........................................................................

238

Troubleshoot PPPoE

.....................................................................................

240

Troubleshoot Internet Browsing

.....................................................................

240

Changes Are Not Saved

....................................................................................

241

Troubleshoot WiFi Connectivity

..........................................................................

241

Troubleshoot Your Network Using the Ping Utility

..............................................

242

Test the LAN Path to Your Router

..................................................................

242

Test the Path From Your Computer to a Remote Device

...............................

243

Chapter 16

Supplemental Information

Factory Settings

.................................................................................................

245

Technical Specifications

.....................................................................................

248

8

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router Model R6900

1

Hardware Overview of the

Router

The

NETGEAR

®

Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router Model R6900

, in this manual referred to as the

router

,

delivers combined WiFi connection speeds of up to AC1900 WiFi (600 Mbps

1

on 2.4 GHz 802.11n and 1300

Mbps

2

on 5 GHz 802.11ac). Both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios can be active simultaneously.

Nighthawk, powered by a dual-core 1 GHz processor, is ideal for bandwidth-hungry activities such as online

gaming and video streaming. High-powered amplifiers with antennas provide WiFi coverage anywhere around

your home, inside or out.

For gamers, Nighthawk supports upstream Quality of Service (QoS) optimized for online game play with game

consoles like Xbox. For uninterrupted HD streaming media, Nighthawk features downstream QoS to identify

and prioritize streaming traffic from websites like Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu Plus.

Nighthawk provides fast central storage, backup, and streaming to every device in your home with the USB

3.0 port (10 times faster than USB 2.0). Sharing content across your network is easy, whether you’re accessing

stored photos and music or printing over WiFi. Stream your stored media files anywhere on the network to

DLNA screens. Share your music to AirPlay-compatible devices from the USB hard drive connected to the

router. Use the free NETGEAR ReadySHARE Vault app to back up your Windows computers to a USB hard

drive connected to Nighthawk.

The chapter contains the following sections:

•

Unpack Your Router

on page 11

•

Attach the Antennas

on page 11

•

LEDs and Buttons on the Top Panel

on page 12

•

Ports, Buttons, and Connectors on the Back Panel

on page 14

•

USB Port on the Front Panel

on page 15

•

Product Label on the Bottom Panel

on page 15

•

Position Your Router

on page 16

•

Cable Your Router

on page 17

1. Maximum WiFi signal rate derived from IEEE standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput and WiFi coverage will vary. Network

conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual

data throughput rate and WiFi coverage. NETGEAR makes no express or implied representations or warranties about this product’s compatibility

with any future standards. 802.11ac 1300 Mbps is approximately 3x faster than 802.11n 450 Mbps.

2. Up to 1300 Mbps WiFi speeds can be achieved when you are connecting to other 802.11ac 1300 Mbps devices.

9

For more information about the topics that are covered in this manual, visit the support website at

support.netgear.com

.

Firmware updates with new features and bug fixes are made available from time to time at

downloadcenter.netgear.com

.You can check for and download new firmware manually. If

Note

the features or behavior of your product does not match what is described in this guide,

you might need to update your firmware.

In this manual, the terms

wireless

and

WiFi

are interchangeable.

Note

10