NETGEAR WAC124 User manual

Installation Guide
AC2000 802.11ac Wireless Access Point/Router
WAC124
Package contents
• Wireless access point/router
• DC power adapter (varies by region)
• Ethernet cable
• Installation guide
Step 1. Connect the WAC124.
The WAC124 is both a WiFi router and a WiFi access point.
IMPORTANT: In rmware version 1.0.4.2 and later versions, the default mode of
the WAC124 is router mode. In earlier rmware versions, the default mode of the
WAC124 is access point mode. This installation guide is for rmware version 1.0.4.2
and later versions. That means that the WAC124 initially starts up in router mode.
If you want to use the WAC124 as an access point only, see Use the WAC124 in
access point mode.
1. Unplug the modem’s power, leaving the modem connected to the wall jack for
your Internet service. (If the modem uses a battery backup, remove the battery.)
2. Connect the Ethernet cable to the yellow Internet port on the WAC124.
3. Connect the other end of the cable to a LAN port on your modem.
4. Plug in and turn on the modem. (If the modem uses a battery backup, put the
battery back in before you turn on the modem.)
5. Power on the WAC124 and check the LEDs.
Power LED The Power LED lights solid green, then blinks green, and
then lights solid green again when the startup procedure
is nished. This process takes about 90seconds. If the
Power LED does not light at all, press the Power On/Off
button on the back panel.
Internet LED The Internet LED blinks green or lights solid green when
the Internet connection is established.
WiFi LED The WiFi LED lights solid green.
USB 2.0
WiFi device
Modem
Internet WAC124 in
router mode
Step 2. Use WiFi to log in to the WAC124.
The rst time that you log in to the WAC124, the Smart Setup Wizard starts and
detects your modem’s Internet connection type. Most likely, you do not need to
provide any information for the WAC124 to establish an Internet connection.
However, if the Internet connection type is PPPoE, L2TP, or PPTP, or requires a
static IP address, follow the prompts and provide the required information.
After the WAC124 is connected to the Internet, it contacts a NETGEAR server for
registration.
1. On a WiFi device such as a WiFi-enabled computer, smartphone, or tablet,
open the software utility that manages your WiFi connections.
Note: For information about how to access the WAC124 from a wired
computer (using an Ethernet cable), see the user manual, which you can
download by visiting netgear.com/support/download/.
2. Find and select the WAC124’s default WiFi network name (SSID) and connect
to its WiFi network.
The default SSID is NETGEAR-1. The default passphrase is sharedsecret.
3. Launch a web browser and enter http://www.routerlogin.net in the address
eld.
The Smart Setup Wizard starts. Follow the prompts. During the setup process,
you can specify a new password for local login and update the rmware, if a
new version is available.
Note: If you cannot connect the WAC124 to the Internet, see the user manual
for troubleshooting information and for information on how to log in to the
WAC124 without Internet access.
When the WAC124 is connected to the Internet, the NETGEAR Business page
displays.
4. Click the Login button.
The NETGEAR Account Login page displays.
Note: If you do not own a NETGEAR account, click the Create button, create a
NETGEAR account, and log in.
5. Enter your NETGEAR account email address and password and click the LOG
IN button.
(Continued on the next page)
Sample router
connections

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San Jose, CA 95134, USA
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Building 3, University Technology Centre
Curraheen Road, Cork, Ireland
© NETGEAR, Inc., NETGEAR and the NETGEAR Logo
are trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. Any non‑NETGEAR
trademarks are used for reference purposes only.
Join the WiFi network using the manual method.
1. Open the software utility that manages your WiFi connections on the WiFi
device that you want to connect to the WAC124.
This utility scans for all WiFi networks in your area.
2. Find and select the WAC124’s WiFi network name (SSID) and connect to its
WiFi network.
The default SSID is NETGEAR-1. The default passphrase is sharedsecret.
If you changed the SSID, use your personalized SSID. If you changed the
passphrase, use your personalized passphrase.
Join the WiFi network using the WPS method.
The WAC124’s WPS button is on the back panel. If your computer or mobile
device supports WPS, you can use WPS to join the WAC124’s WiFi network. See
the instructions or online help for your computer or mobile device.
Use the WAC124 in access point mode.
You can cable the WAC124 to your network router and change the settings of the
WAC124 to access point mode.
April 2019
The rst time that you log in to the local browser–based management
interface, the WAC124’s Wireless Access Point page displays. For more
information, see Use the WAC124 in access point mode.
If you do not want to use the WAC124 in access point mode, you can
continue to use the WAC124 in router mode and congure the WAC124 for
your environment. For more information, see the user manual.
IMPORTANT: When the WAC124 is connected to the Internet, you must use your
NETGEAR account email address and password to log in. Only if the WAC124
is not connected to the Internet can you use the admin user name and the local
login password (by default, password) that you specied when you used the
Smart Setup Wizard.
Step 3. Change the WiFi network and join it.
The default WiFi network name (SSID) is NETGEAR-1, which is on the WAC124
label. By default, the WAC124’s WiFi network provides WPA2 security.
We recommend that you change the default WiFi passphrase (sharedsecret) to a
more secure passphrase and that you do this for the default SSID and for the two
other SSIDs. For more information, see the user manual.
1. On the WAC124’s BASIC Home page, select Wireless.
The Wireless Network page displays.
2. Congure the WAC124 name, country and region where you are using the
WAC124, and SSID, and personalize the WiFi security options.
Note: The region or country is not selectable for the U.S. and Canada.
Note: Make sure that the country is set to the location where the device is
operating. You are responsible for complying within the local, regional, and
national regulations set for channels, power levels, and frequency ranges.
3. Click the Apply button.
Your settings are saved.
To connect your WiFi device to the WAC124’s WiFi network, you can use either
the manual method or the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) method.
1. Connect the Ethernet cable to the yellow Internet port on the WAC124.
2. Connect the other end of the cable to a LAN port on your network router.
Your network router must support a DHCP server so that it assigns an IP
address to the WAC124 and its clients and provides Internet access.
3. Power on the WAC124 and check the LEDs (see the table on the other side).
4. Follow Step 2. Use WiFi to log in to the WAC124.
5. The rst time that you log in to the local browser interface, the WAC124’s
Wireless Access Point page displays.
If you logged in before or the page does not display automatically, select
ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Access Point.
6. Select the Enable Access Point Mode check box and click the Apply button.
Your settings are saved and the WAC124 is recongured in access point mode.
The routing functions of the WAC124 are disabled.
Note: For more information about conguring the WAC124, see the user manual.
Support
Thank you for purchasing this NETGEAR product. You can visit
https://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 ofcial NETGEAR support resources.
Si ce produit est vendu au Canada, vous pouvez accéder à ce document en
français canadien à https://www.netgear.com/support/download/.
(If this product is sold in Canada, you can access this document in Canadian
French at https://www.netgear.com/support/download/.)
For regulatory compliance information including the EU Declaration of
Conformity, visit https://www.netgear.com/about/regulatory/.
See the regulatory compliance document before connecting the power supply.
Do not use this device outdoors. If you connect cables or devices that are
outdoors to this device, see http://kb.netgear.com/000057103 for safety and
warranty information.
USB 2.0
Sample access
point connections
Modem
Internet WAC124 in
access point
mode
WiFi device
Network
router