Hardware Setup

11

AC1200 Smart WiFi Router with External Antennas

Position Your Router

The router lets you access your network anywhere within the operating range of your

wireless network. However, the operating distance or range of your wireless connection can

vary significantly depending on the physical placement of your router. For example, the

thickness and number of walls the wireless signal passes through can limit the range.

Additionally, other wireless access points in and around your home might affect your router’s

signal. Wireless access points are routers, repeaters, WiFi range extenders, and any other

device that emits a wireless signal for network access.

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 wireless 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

•

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

and items such as these:

-

Solid metal doors

-

Aluminum studs

-

Fish tanks

-

Mirrors

-

Brick

-

Concrete

Hardware Setup

12

AC1200 Smart WiFi Router with External Antennas

Cable Your Router

The following image shows how to cable your router:

Figure 3. Router cabling



To cable your router:

1.

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

Internet service.

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

2.

Plug in and turn on your modem.

If your modem uses a battery backup, put the battery back in.

3.

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

came with your router.

4.

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

5.

Press the

Power On/Off

button on the rear panel of the router.

Modem

Power adapter

Ethernet cable

Ethernet cable

DSL or cable

Router

13

2

2.

Connect to the Network and

Access the Router

You can connect to the router’s WiFi networks or use a wired Ethernet connection. This chapter

explains the ways you can connect and how to access the router and log in.

This chapter contains the following sections:

•

Connect to the Network

•

Types of Logins

•

Use a Web Browser to Access the Router

•

Change the Language

•

Access the Router with NETGEAR genie Apps

Connect to the Network and Access the Router

14

AC1200 Smart WiFi Router with External Antennas

Connect to the Network

You can connect to the router’s network through a wired or WiFi connection. If you set up

your computer to use a static IP address, change the settings so that it uses Dynamic Host

Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

Wired Connection

You can connect your computer to the router using an Ethernet cable and join the router’s

local area network (LAN).



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

1.

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

2.

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

3.

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

Your computer connects to the local area network (LAN). A message might display on

your computer screen to notify you that an Ethernet cable is connected.

WiFi Connection

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

find and select the WiFi network.



To use WPS to connect to the WiFi network:

1.

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

2.

Check the WPS instructions for your computer or wireless device.

3.

Press the

WPS

button on the router.

4.

Within two minutes, on your computer or WiFi device, press its

WPS

button or follow its

instructions for WPS connections.

Your computer or wireless device connects to the WiFi network.



To find and select the WiFi network:

1.

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

2.

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

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

3.

Join the WiFi network and enter the WiFi password.

The password is on the router’s label.

Your wireless device connects to the WiFi network.

Connect to the Network and Access the Router

15

AC1200 Smart WiFi Router with External Antennas

Label

The label on the router shows the login information, WiFi network name and network key

(password), MAC address, and serial number.

Figure 4. Router label

Types of Logins

Separate types of logins serve different purposes. It is important that you understand the

difference so that you know which login to use when.

Types of logins:

•

ISP login

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

service provider gave you this login information in a letter or some other way. If you

cannot find this login information, contact your service provider.

•

WiFi network key or password

. Your router is preset with a unique wireless network

name (SSID) and password for wireless access. This information is on the router label.

•

Router login

. This logs you in to the router interface from a web browser as admin.

Use a Web Browser to Access the Router

When you connect to the network (either with WiFi or with an Ethernet cable), you can use a

web browser to access the router to view or change its settings. The first time you access the

router, NETGEAR genie automatically checks to see if your router can connect to your

Internet service.

NETGEAR genie Automatic Internet Setup

You can set up your router with the NETGEAR genie automatically, or you can use the genie

menus and screens to set up your router manually. Before you start the setup process, get

your ISP information and make sure that the computers and devices in the network are using

the settings described here.

R-NZ