NETGEAR C6250 User manual

Quick Start
Package Contents
The box contains the following items.
Modem router
Ethernet cable
Power adapter
WPS
WiFi On/O
AC1600 WiFi Cable Modem Router
Model C6250
February 2016
NETGEAR, Inc.
350 East Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134, USA
WPS
WiFi On/O
Support
Thank you for purchasing this NETGEAR product. 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 ocial NETGEAR support resources.
Trademarks
© NETGEAR, Inc., NETGEAR and the NETGEAR Logo are trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc.
Any non‑NETGEAR trademarks are used for reference purposes only.
Compliance
For the current EU Declaration of Conformity, visit:
http://support.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11621/.
For regulatory compliance information, visit:
http://www.netgear.com/about/regulatory/.
See the regulatory compliance document before connecting the power supply.

USB Reset Cable
Ethernet cable
Modem router
Internet
Power adapter
You can use this diagram to connect your modem router or follow the detailed instructions in this booklet.
Coaxial cable
4. Connect the power adapter.
Connect the modem router to the power adapter that
was included in the package and plug the power adapter
into an electrical outlet.
When the startup procedure is completed, the
Power LED lights green.
6. Connect a computer or WiFi device to
the modem router.
To connect using a WiFi connection, use the
WiFi network name (SSID) and password on
the product label.
To connect using a wired connection, use an
Ethernet cable to connect a computer to a
yellow Ethernet port on the modem router.
Reboot the computer.
5. Wait for the modem router to come online.
The modem router comes online when the
Internet LED stops blinking and lights solid green.
This process might take up to 10 minutes.
3. Connect a coaxial cable.
Use a coaxial cable that
is provided by your cable
company to connect the cable
port on the modem router to
a cable wall outlet or a line
splitter.
Make sure that the cable is
tightly connected.
Note: For Comcast XFINITY
cable Internet service,
Comcast XFINITY recommends
connecting your modem router
directly to a cable wall outlet.
2. Turn o existing modems and routers.
If you are replacing a modem that is currently
connected in your home, unplug the modem
and plug the new modem router into the same
cable wall outlet.
1. Collect your cable Internet provider information.
Collect your cable account number, account phone
number, and login information (your email address or
user name and password).
7. Log in to the modem router.
Launch a web browser and enter
http://routerlogin.net or
http://192.168.0.1
in the address field of the web browser.
When prompted, enter admin for the user
name and password for the password.
8. Activate your Internet service.
For information about how to activate your
Internet service, see Activate Your Internet
Service on page 6.

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LEDs
The LEDs on the modem router light to indicate modem router
activity:
Internet LED
Downstream LED
Upstream LED
2.4 GHz
WiFi LED
5 GHz
WiFi LED
Power LED
Ethernet LED
WiFi On/O button
WPS button
WPS
WiFi On/O

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LED Description
Power • Solid green. Power is supplied to the modem router.
• O. No power is supplied to the modem router.
• Solid red. Thermal cuto mode. Power o the modem
router, let it cool, and move it away from heat sources
(such as a TV, DVD player, or speakers) and keep it
vertical in open air.
Downstream • Solid amber. One downstream channel is locked.
• Blinking amber. The modem router is scanning for a
downstream channel.
• Solid green. Two or more downstream channels are
locked.
• Blinking green. The modem router is scanning for
additional downstream channels.
• O. No downstream channel is locked.
Upstream • Solid amber. One upstream channel is locked.
• Blinking amber. The modem router is scanning for an
upstream channel.
• Solid green. Two or more upstream channels are locked.
• Blinking green. The modem router is scanning for
additional upstream channels.
• O. No upstream channel is locked.
Internet • Solid green. The modem router is online.
• Blinking green. The modem router is synchronizing
with the cable provider’s cable modem termination
system (CMTS).
• Slow blinking amber and green. The modem router
reached the trac meter limit. (For information about
the trac meter, see the modem router’s user manual.)
• O. The modem router is oine.
2.4 GHz WiFi • Solid green. The 2.4 GHz radio is on.
• Blinking green. The 2.4 GHz radio is transmitting or
receiving data.
• Blinking amber. WPS (Wi‑Fi Protected Setup) is active.
• O. The 2.4 GHz radio is o.

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LED Description
5 GHz WiFi • Solid green. The 5 GHz radio is on.
• Blinking green. The 5 GHz radio is transmitting or
receiving data.
• Blinking amber. WPS (Wi‑Fi Protected Setup) is active.
• O. The 5 GHz radio is o.
Ethernet • Solid green. A device is connected to an Ethernet port
and powered on. Each Ethernet port provides two port
LEDs on the back panel.
• Blinking green. An Ethernet port is transmitting or
receiving data.
• O. No device is connected to an Ethernet port.
WiFi On/O button Pressing this button for three seconds turns the WiFi radios
in the modem router on and o. If the 2.4 GHz WiFi and
5 GHz WiFi LEDs are lit, the WiFi radios are on. If these
LEDs are o, the WiFi radios are turned o and you cannot
use WiFi to connect to the modem router.
WPS button Pressing this button for three seconds activates WPS
(Wi‑Fi Protected Setup) for two minutes to let you add a
WiFi device to the WiFi network without typing the WiFi
password. While WPS is active, the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
WiFi LEDs blink amber.
Install Your Modem Router
¾To install your modem router:
1. Collect your cable Internet provider information.
Collect your cable account number, account phone number,
and login information (your email address or user name and
password).
2. Turn o existing modems and routers.
If you are replacing a modem that is currently connected in your
home, unplug the modem and plug the new modem router into
the same cable wall outlet.

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3. Connect a coaxial cable.
Use a coaxial cable that is provided by your cable company to
connect the cable port on the modem router to a cable wall
outlet or a line splitter.
Make sure that the cable is tightly connected.
Note: For Comcast XFINITY cable Internet service, Comcast XFINITY
recommends connecting your modem router directly to a cable wall
outlet.
4. Connect the power adapter to the modem router and plug the
power adapter into an electrical outlet.
When the startup procedure is completed, the Power LED
lights green.
USB Reset Cable
5. Wait for the modem router to come online.
The modem router comes online when the Internet LED
stops blinking and lights solid green.
This process might take up to 10 minutes.

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6. Connect a computer or WiFi device to the modem router.
To connect with WiFi, use the WiFi network name (SSID) and
network key (password) on the product label.
To connect using a wired connection, use an Ethernet cable to
connect a computer to a yellow Ethernet port on the modem
router.
Reboot the computer.
7. To log in to the modem router, launch a web browser.
8. In the address field of the web browser, enter
http://www.routerlogin.net or http://192.168.0.1.
9. When prompted, enter admin for the user name and password
for the password.
10. Activate your Internet service.
For more information, see Activate Your Internet Service on
page 6. If your cable Internet provider is Comcast XFINITY,
see Comcast XFINITY Self-Activation on page 8.
USB Reset Cable

6
Activate Your Internet Service
¾To activate your Internet service:
1. Visit your cable Internet provider’s website and follow the
onscreen instructions to activate your Internet service.
Cable Internet
Provider
Contact Information
Bright House
Networks
http://support.brighthouse.com
1‑866‑898‑9101
Cablevision http://www.cablevision.com
https://install.optimum.com/JointInstall/
Telephone number depends on your region.
Comcast
XFINITY
http://www.comcast.com/activate
http://www.xfinity.com/internetsetup
http://www.xfinity.com/internetsupport
1‑800‑XFINITY (1‑800‑934‑6489)
For more information, see Comcast XFINITY Self-
Activation on page 8.
Cox https://activation.cox.net/selfactivation/start.cox
1‑888‑556‑1193
Mediacom http://www.mediacomcable.com
https://maestro.mediacomcc.com/walledgarden/
page/login.jsp
1‑844‑2SIMPLE (1‑844‑274‑6753)
Time Warner
Cable
http://www.timewarnercable.com
https://elb02.activatemymodem.com/authentication
1‑800‑892‑2253
Note: You can also find the contact information in your monthly
Internet service billing statement.

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2. If you are unable to activate your Internet service using the
instructions on your cable Internet provider’s website, call your
cable Internet provider and do the following:
a. When asked, provide your account information and provide
the modem router’s model number, which is C6250, serial
number, and MAC address.
The serial number and MAC address are on the product
label, which is on the bottom of the modem router.
3. Wait for your cable Internet provider to confirm that your
modem router is active.
4. If you do not get an Internet connection with the modem
router, ask your cable Internet provider to look for your modem
router online, and do one of the following depending on what
your cable Internet provider tells you about your modem router:
• If the modem router is not visible, your cable Internet provider
can give you instructions to verify why the modem router
does not connect with your high‑speed Internet service.
• If the modem router is visible to your cable Internet provider,
reboot the modem router. Check your online status again.
XXXXXXXXX
WiFi Network Name (SSID)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Network Key (Password)
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
SERIAL
XXXXXXXXXXXX
MAC

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Comcast XFINITY Self-Activation
Activate your Internet service by using Comcast XFINITY’s
self‑activation process. If you are unable to self‑activate your
modem router, call Comcast XFINITY customer service.
Before you start the self‑activation process, make sure that your
account number, account phone number, and login information
(your email address or user name and password) are nearby.
¾To activate your Internet connection with Comcast
XFINITY’s self-activation process:
1. Close all web browsers.
2. Launch a web browser.
You are redirected to the XFINITY self‑activation page. If you
are not redirected to the XFINITY self‑activation page, visit
www.comcast.com/activate.
3. Provide your XFINITY credentials and complete the self‑
activation process.
This process might take up to 15 minutes, during which the
modem router reboots a couple of times.
4. If you are unable to activate your modem router using the
XFINITY self‑activation process, call Comcast XFINITY customer
service at 1‑800‑XFINITY (1‑800‑934‑6489):
a. When asked, provide your account information and provide
the modem router’s model number and MAC address, which
are on the product label.
b. Wait for Comcast XFINITY to confirm that your
modem router is active.

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c. If you do not get an Internet connection with the
modem router, ask Comcast XFINITY to look for your
modem router online, and do one of the following
depending on what Comcast XFINITY tells you about your
modem router:
• If the modem router is not visible, Comcast XFINITY can give
you instructions to verify why the modem router does not
connect with your high‑speed Internet service.
• If the modem router is visible to Comcast XFINITY, reboot the
modem router. Check your online status again.

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WiFi Network Name and Network Key
The preset WiFi network name (SSID) and network key (password)
are unique to your modem router, like a serial number. Because the
modem router automatically uses WiFi security, you do not need to
set it up. The WiFi settings are on the product label.
NETGEAR recommends that you use the preset WiFi settings
because you can check the product label if you forget them.
NETGEAR genie lets you change these settings. If you do so, write
down the new WiFi settings and store them in a safe place.
For easy reference, you can write the WiFi settings from your
product label in the space on the next page.
WiFi network name (SSID):
Network key (password):
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):
XXXXXXXXX
WiFi Network Name (SSID)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Network Key (Password)
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
SERIAL
XXXXXXXXXXXX
MAC

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Join the WiFi Network
You can either use Wi‑Fi Protected Setup (WPS) or select your WiFi
network and type its password. For help with the WPS button on
your computer or WiFi device, check the instructions or online help
that came with that computer or device.
¾To select your network and enter its password:
1. Open the soware utility that manages your WiFi connections
on the computer or WiFi device that you want to connect to
your modem router.
This utility scans for WiFi networks in your area.
2. Find and select your modem router’s WiFi network name (SSID).
The SSID is on the product label.
3. Enter the network key (password) and click the Connect
button.
The network key is on the product label.
4. Repeat Step 1 through Step 3 to add other computers or WiFi
devices.
¾To join the network using WPS:
1. Press the WPS button next to the WPS icon on the
modem router for three seconds.
The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi LEDs blink amber.
2. Within two minutes, on your computer or WiFi device, press its
WPS button or click its onscreen WPS button.
3. Repeat this process to add other computers or WiFi devices.

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View or Change the Modem Router Settings
Aer you use genie to set up the modem router, you can log in to
the modem router to view or change its settings.
Log In to the Modem Router
¾To log in to the modem router:
1. Connect a computer or WiFi device to the modem router.
You can use an Ethernet cable or connect with WiFi:
• For a wired connection, use an Ethernet cable to connect
your computer to a yellow Ethernet port on your
modem router.
• To connect with WiFi, select and join your WiFi network.
2. Launch a web browser.
3. In the address field of the web browser, enter
http://www.routerlogin.net or http://192.168.0.1.
A login window opens.
4. Enter admin for the user name and password for the
password.
The BASIC Home page displays.
Change the admin Password
¾To change the admin password:
1. Launch a web browser.
2. In the address field of the web browser, enter
http://www.routerlogin.net or http://192.168.0.1.
A login window opens.

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3. Enter admin for the user name and password for the
password.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Set Password.
5. Type your old password and type the new password twice.
6. Click the Apply button.
Your changes are saved.
Share a USB Drive on the Network
ReadySHARE lets you access and share a USB drive connected to
the modem router USB port. (If your USB drive uses special drivers,
it is not compatible.)
USB Reset Cable
USB
¾To access the USB drive from a Windows computer:
1. Connect your USB storage device to a USB port on the
modem router.
When you connect the USB storage device to the
modem router’s USB port, it might take up to two minutes
before it is ready for sharing. By default, the USB storage device
is available to all computers on your local area network (LAN).

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2. On a Windows computer that is connected to the network,
select Start > Run, enter \\readyshare in the dialog box, and
click the OK button.
A window displays the files and folders on the device.
¾To access the USB drive from a Mac:
1. Connect your USB storage device to a USB port on the
modem router.
When you connect the USB storage device to the
modem router’s USB port, it might take up to two minutes
before it is ready for sharing. By default, the USB storage device
is available to all computers on your local area network (LAN).
2. On a Mac that is connected to the network, launch Finder and
select Go > Connect to Server.
The Connect to server window displays.
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 modem 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 modem router’s user interface.
6. Click the Connect button.
A window displays the files and folders on the device.

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Share a USB Printer
You can connect a USB printer to a USB port on the modem router
and print wirelessly.
¾To set up ReadySHARE Printer:
1. Connect the USB printer to a USB port on the modem router
with a USB printer cable.
2. On each computer that will share the printer, do the following:
a. Install the current USB printer driver soware (available
from the printer manufacturer).
b. Download the NETGEAR USB Control Center utility from
www.netgear.com/readyshare and install it.
c. Select the language.
3. If prompted, select the printer and click the Connect button
for each computer.
When the first computer connects, the status changes to
Manually connected by <device name>, in which <device
name> is the device name of the computer.
For each computer, when you complete Step 3, the printer
status displays as Available.

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Download the NETGEAR genie App
The free NETGEAR genie app lets you easily monitor, connect, and
control your home network from a Windows or Mac computer,
tablet, or smartphone. You can share and stream music or videos,
diagnose and repair network issues, set up parental controls, and
more:
• Access your modem router and change its settings or diagnose
and repair network issues.
• Make a printer AirPrint compatible so that you can print from
an iPad or iPhone.
• Use MyMedia to find and play media files in your network.
• Use Turbo Transfer to quickly send files from your computer or
smartphone to another device on the network.
• Set up parental controls.
• Connect your smartphones and tablets to your home WiFi by
scanning the WiFi QR code from genie.
Download the free genie app from www.netgear.com/genie.