NETGEAR R7900 User manual

Do More
Nighthawk X6
AC3000 Tri-Band WiFi Router
Model R7900

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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):

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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.
¾To 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 its WPS 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.

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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.
¾To 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 the Connect 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.

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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
¾To 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.

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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.
¾To 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 the
Name (SSID) field.
5. To change the WiFi password, enter a new password in the Password
(Network Key) field.
6. Click the Apply button.
Your settings are saved.

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Change the admin Password
¾To 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 the Enable 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.

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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.
¾To retrieve a forgotten 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. 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.

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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.)
¾To 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, select
Start > Run, enter \\readyshare in the dialog box, and click the OK
button.
A window displays the files and folders on the device.

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¾To 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.

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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.
¾To 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.

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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:
a. For more accurate Speedtest results, make sure that no other
devices are accessing the Internet.
b. 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.com or through a link in the router’s user
interface.

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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.
¾To 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:
a. Connect your WiFi-enabled computer to the router’s network.
b. Launch the genie app.
c. Select Router Settings.
The Router Login page displays.
d. From the Login as menu, select Remote Access.
e. Click the Sign up link.
f. Complete the fields to create an account.

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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
¾To 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.

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4. Use the dashboard or the Backup 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.
¾To 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:
a. Install the current USB printer driver software (available from the
printer manufacturer).
b. Download the NETGEAR USB Control Center utility from
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 xxx.
For each computer, when you complete Step 3, the printer status
displays as Available.

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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.

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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.

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May 2016
NETGEAR, Inc.
350 East Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134, USA
NETGEAR INTL LTD
Building 3, University Technology Centre
Curraheen Road, Cork, Ireland
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
official 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.