NETGEAR Nighthawk X6 R7900 Manual

WiFi Network Name and Password

The preassigned WiFi network name (SSID) and password (network key) are unique to your router, like a serial number. Because the router automatically uses WiFi security, you don't need to set it up. The WiFi settings are on the label on the router.

We recommend that you use the preassigned WiFi settings because you can check the label if you forget them. You can also log in to the router to change these settings. If you do so, write down the new WiFi settings and store them in a safe place.
You can write the WiFi settings from the label on your router in this space for easy reference. If you change the WiFi settings, write the new settings here for easy reference and store this booklet in a safe place.
WiFi network name (SSID):
Network key (password):

Join the WiFi Network

You can either use Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) or select your router's WiFi network and type its password.

Join the WiFi Network Using WPS

For help with the WPS button on your WiFi-enabled computer or mobile device, check the instructions or online help that came with that computer or device. Some older equipment cannot use WPS.

To join the network using WPS:

1. Press the WPS button on the router for three to five seconds. The WPS LED on the router blinks.
2. Within two minutes, on your WiFi-enabled computer or other mobile device, press itsWPS button or click its onscreen WPS button. The WPS LED on the router lights solid white when the WiFi-enabled computer or mobile device connects to your router.
3. Repeat this process to add other WiFi-enabled computers or mobile devices.

Join the WiFi Network Using the Router's WiFi Settings

Use the router's WiFi network name and password to connect your
WiFi-enabled computer or mobile device to the router's network through WiFi. If you did not change the router's WiFi network name and password, use the router's preassigned WiFi network name and password, which are on the label on the router.

To select your network and enter its password:

1. On your WiFi-enabled computer or mobile, open the WiFi connection manager that manages your WiFi connections.
   The WiFi connection manager scans for WiFi networks in your area.
2. Find and select your router's WiFi network name (SSID). The SSID is on the label on the router.
3. Enter the router's password (or your custom password if you changed it) and click theConnect button.
   The password is on the label on the router.
4. Repeat Step 1 through Step 3 to add other WiFi-enabled computers or mobile devices.

View or Change the Router Settings

After you use the NETGEAR installation assistant to set up the router, you can log in to the router to view or change its settings.

Log In to the Router

To log in to the router:

1. Connect a computer or mobile device to the router.
   You can connect using a wired connection or a WiFi connection:
   • To connect using a wired connection, use an Ethernet cable (not included) to connect an Ethernet port on your computer to an Ethernet port on the router.
   • To connect using a WiFi connection, find the router's preassigned WiFi network name and password on the label on the router. Open the WiFi connection manager on your WiFi-enabled computer or mobile device, find the router's WiFi network name, and use the router's password to connect.
2. Launch a web browser and visit www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
3. Enter admin for the user name and password for the password.
   The BASIC Home page displays.

Change the WiFi Network Name and Password

The router's preset WiFi network name (SSID) and password are on the label on the router. If you want to change your router's WiFi network name and password, log in to the router.

To change the router's WiFi network name and password:

1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network and visit www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
2. Enter the router user name and password.
   The user name is admin and the default password is password. Use the default credentials if you did not change them. The BASIC Home page displays.
3. Select Wireless.
   The Wireless Setup page displays.
4. To change the WiFi network name (SSID), enter a new name in theName (SSID) field.
5. To change the WiFi password, enter a new password in thePassword (Network Key) field.
6. Click the Apply button.
   Your settings are saved.

Change the admin Password

To change the admin password:

1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network and visit www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
2. Enter admin for the user name and password for the password. The BASIC Home page displays.
3. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Set Password. The Set Password page displays.
4. Type your old password and type the new password twice.
5. To be able to recover the password, select theEnable Password Recovery check box.
   We recommend that you enable password recovery.
6. Select two security questions and provide answers to them.
7. Click the Apply button.
   Your settings are saved.

Recover a Forgotten admin Password

The default password for the admin user name is password. If you changed the password and enabled the password recovery feature, you can retrieve this password.

To retrieve a forgotten admin password:

1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network and visitwww.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
2. Click the Cancel button.
   If password recovery is enabled, you are prompted to enter the serial number of the router. The serial number is on the label on the router.
3. Enter the serial number of the router.
4. Click the Continue button.
   A page displays requesting the answers to your security questions.
5. Enter the saved answers to your security questions.
6. Click the Continue button.
   A page displays your recovered password.
7. Click the Login again button. A login window opens.
8. With your recovered password, log in to the router.

Access a USB Device on the Network

ReadySHARE lets you access and share a USB storage device connected to the router's USB ports. (If your USB device uses special drivers, it is not compatible.)

To access the USB storage device from a Windows computer:

1. Connect your USB storage device to a USB port on the router.
   It might take up to two minutes before the USB storage device is ready for sharing.
2. On a Windows computer that is connected to the network, selectStart > Run, enter \\readyshare in the dialog box, and click the OK button.
   A window displays the files and folders on the device.

To access the USB storage device from a Mac:

1. Connect your USB storage device to a USB port on the router.
   It might take up to two minutes before the USB storage device is ready for sharing.
2. On a Mac that is connected to the network, launch Finder and select Go > Connect to Server.
   The Connect to server window opens.
3. Enter the smb://readyshare in the Server Address field and click the Connect button.
4. When prompted, select the Guest radio button.
5. If you set up access control on the router and you allowed your Mac to access the network, select the Registered User radio button and enter admin for the name and password for the password.
   For more information about access control, see the user manual, which is available online at downloadcenter.netgear.com or through a link in the router's user interface.
6. Click the Connect button.
   A window displays the files and folders on the device.

Enable Dynamic Quality of Service

Dynamic Quality of Service (QoS) resolves Internet traffic congestion when Internet bandwidth is limited by using better application and device identification, bandwidth allocation, and traffic prioritization techniques. If you like gaming and streaming videos, then you can benefit from enabling Dynamic QoS.
Note: If you use a gigabit Internet connection, or your Internet download and upload speed is 300 Mbps or faster, then you don't need to use Dynamic QoS.

To enable Dynamic QoS:

1. Launch a web browser from a computer or mobile device that is connected to the network and visit www.routerlogin.net. A login window opens.
2. Enter the router user name and password.
   The user name is admin and the default password is password. Use the default credentials if you did not change them. The BASIC Home page displays.
3. Select Dynamic QoS.
   The Dynamic QoS page displays.
4. Select the Enable Dynamic QoS check box.
5. Specify your Internet bandwidth.
   You can use Speedtest to detect your Internet bandwidth or you can enter your Internet bandwidth manually. We recommend that you use Speedtest.
   To use Speedtest to detect your Internet bandwidth, do the following:
   1. For more accurate Speedtest results, make sure that no other devices are accessing the Internet.
   2. Click the Speedtest button. Speedtest determines your Internet bandwidth.
6. Click the Apply button.
   Your settings are saved.
7. To view bandwidth utilization by device and application, click the Click here to see bandwidth utilization by device and application link at the bottom of the page.
   For more information, see the user manual, which is available online at downloadcenter.netgear.comor through a link in the router's user interface.

Remotely Access Your Router Using the genie App

You can use the genie app to remotely access your router and change its key settings. Remote access with the genie app is supported for Windows computers, iOS mobile devices, and Android mobile devices. For more information about this feature, see the genie app user manual, which is available online at downloadcenter.netgear.com.

To set up remote access using the genie app for Windows computers:

1. Visit www.NETGEAR.com/genie and download the latest version of the genie app for Windows.
2. Create a remote access genie account:
   1. Connect your WiFi-enabled computer to the router's network.
   2. Launch the genie app.
   3. Select Router Settings.
      The Router Login page displays.
   4. From theLogin as menu, select Remote Access.
   5. Click the Sign up link.
   6. Complete the fields to create an account.
3. Log in to your remote access genie account.
   The genie app determines if the router is registered with your genie account. If the router is not registered, follow the onscreen instructions.
   After the router registers with your genie account, a cloud icon displays on the page. You can now remotely access your router from the genie app that is installed on your computer.

Back Up With ReadySHARE Vault

Your router comes with free backup software for all the Windows computers in your home. Connect a USB hard disk drive (HDD) to the USB port on your router for centralized, continuous, and automatic backup.
Note: The following operating systems support ReadySHARE Vault: Windows XP SP3, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10

To back up your Windows computer:

1. Connect a USB HDD to a USB port on the router.
2. Download ReadySHARE Vault from netgear.com/readyshare and install it on each Windows computer.
3. Launch ReadySHARE Vault.
   The ReadySHARE Vault dashboard displays.
4. Use the dashboard or theBackup tab to set up and run your backup jobs.

Print Wirelessly With ReadySHARE Printer

ReadySHARE Printer lets you connect a USB printer to a USB port on the router and print wirelessly.

To set up ReadySHARE Printer:

1. Connect the USB printer to a USB port on the router with a USB printer cable.
2. On each computer that will share the printer, do the following:
   1. Install the current USB printer driver software (available from the printer manufacturer).
   2. Download the NETGEAR USB Control Center utility from netgear.com/readyshare and install it.
   3. Select the language.
3. If prompted, select the printer and click theConnect button for each computer.
   When the first computer connects, the status changes to Manually connected by xxx.
   For each computer, when you complete Step 3, the printer status displays as Available.

More Premium Features

Your router lets you do the following and more:

• Play music from a USB storage device with iTunes server.
• Set up a secure VPN service connection to your home network.
• Create a personal FTP server with a custom URL.

iTunes Server

iTunes server lets you play music with iTunes on your Windows or Mac computer or with the Apple Remote app on your iPhone or iPad from a USB storage device that is connected to a USB port on your router. You can also use the Apple Remote app from an iPhone or iPad to play music on any AirPlay devices, such as Apple TV or AirPlay-supported receivers.
To set up the router's iTunes server to play music on your Windows or Mac computer, you must set up Home Sharing.
To set up the router's iTunes server to play music on your iPhone or iPad, you must download the Apple Remote app.
For more information about how to set up iTunes server, see the user manual, which is available online at downloadcenter.netgear.com or through a link in the router's user interface.

VPN Service

VPN service allows remote access to your home network with a secure connection. After you set up VPN service, you can use VPN to access the router's USB drive and media and to access your Internet service at home.
For more information about how to set up VPN service, see the user manual, which is available online at downloadcenter.netgear.com or through a link in the router's user interface.

Personal FTP Server

With your customized free URL, you can use FTP to access your network when you aren't home through Dynamic DNS.
For more information about how to set up your FTP server, see the user manual, which is available online at downloadcenter.netgear.com or through a link in the router's user interface.

Support
You can visit www.netgear.com/support to register your product, get help, access the latest downloads and user manuals, and join our community. We recommend that you use only official NETGEAR support resources.