Netgear A6210 Ac1200 High Gain Wifi Usb Adapter 802 11ac Dual Band Usb 3 0 User Manual

							350 East Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134 
USAAugust 2014
202-11373-01
A6210 WiFi USB Adapter
802.11ac USB 3.0 Dual Band
User Manual 
						

							 
2
A6210 WiFi USB Adapter 
Support
Thank you for selecting NETGEAR products. 
After installing your device, locate the serial number on the label of your product and use it to register your product at 
https://my.netgear.com. You must register your product before you can use NETGEAR telephone support. NETGEAR 
recommends registering your product through the NETGEAR website. For product updates and web support, visit 
http://support.netgear.com.
Phone (US & Canada only): 1-888-NETGEAR.
Phone (Other Countries): Check the list of phone numbers at 
http://support.netgear.com/general/contact/default.aspx.
Compliance
For regulatory compliance information, visit http://www.netgear.com/about/regulatory.
See the regulatory compliance document before connecting the power supply.
Trademarks
NETGEAR, the NETGEAR logo, and Connect with Innovation are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. 
and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. Information is subject to change without notice. 
© NETGEAR, Inc. All rights reserved. 
						

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Contents
Chapter 1
 Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network
Set Up and Install the Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . .  5
View Network Details Before Joining a WiFi Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
Join a WiFi Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11
Join a Network Using WPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . .  12
Join a Network Using NETGEAR genie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13
Join a Network Using a Standalone Driver and Windows WLAN Autoconfig 15
Join a Hidden Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . .  18
Chapter 2   Monitor and Maintain the Adapter
View the Connection Status and Details  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
View More Information About the Adapter and Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26
Get Diagnostic Information for the Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  28
Upgrade the Adapter Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . .  29
Uninstall the Adapter Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . .  31
Chapter 3  Troubleshooting and Frequently Asked Questions
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  33
Adapter LED Is Not Lit  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
 . . . . . . . . .  33
 Icon Is Not in the Windows System Tray. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  33
Adapter Does Not Connect to a WiFi Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  34
When I Connect the Adapter to a Network, I Cannot Access the Internet. .  35
When I Connect to the Network, I Cannot Access Shared 
Resources Such as Printers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
 . . . . .  35
Adapter Lost Its IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . .  35
Frequently Asked Questions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
 . . . . . .  36 Do USB Ports Go into Sleep Mode if No Traffic Is Going to or 
from the Port?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  36
How Can I Improve the Speed of My WiFi Connection? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  36
How Can I View the IP Address of the Adapter?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  36
Appendix A   Factory Default Settings and Technical Specifications
Factory Default Settings  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
 . . . . . . . . .  38
Technical Specifications  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
 . . . . . . . . . .  39 
						

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1
1.   Get Started and Connect to a WiFi 
Network
The NETGEAR A6210 WiFi USB Adapter connects your notebook or desktop computer over WiFi to an 11ac or other network for applications such as lag-free video streaming t\
hroughout 
your home, online gaming, and secure and reliable Internet connections.
This chapter describes how to set up and connect the A6210 WiFi USB Adapter, in this manual  referred to as  the adapter, to a WiFi network. The chapter includes the following sections:
• Set Up and Install the Adapter
• View Network Details Before Joining a W

iFi Network
• Join a WiFi Network
Note: For more information about the topics covered in this manual, visit the \
support website at support.netgear.com.
Note:Firmware updates with new features and bug fixes are made 
available from time to time at downloadcenter.netgear.com . Some 
products can regularly check the site and download new firmware, or 
you can check for and download new firmware manually. If the 
features or behavior of your product does not match what is 
described in this guide, you might need to update your firmware. 
						

							Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network 5
 A6210 WiFi USB Adapter
Set Up and Install the Adapter
Before you begin using your adapter, set up the adapter using the resour\
ce CD that came in 
the package.
Note:
The adapter provides the best performance with a USB 3.0 port but is 
compatible with a USB   2.0 or USB 1.1 port.
To set up your adapter:
1. Insert the resource CD in your computer CD drive.
Note: If your computer does not include a CD drive, or if you do not have your\
 
resource CD, visit support.netgear.com . Click the Support for Home 
button, type A6210 in the search field, and locate and download the 
standalone driver.
If the NETGEAR Resource CD screen does not display, browse the files on the CD and 
double-click  Autorun.exe.
The NETGEAR Resource CD screen displays. The screen looks similar to the following  figure.
2.  Click the Setup button. 
						

							Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network 6
A6210 WiFi USB Adapter 
The Software Update Check screen displays. The screen looks similar to the following 
figure.
3.  Install the setup software.
Choose an option based on whether you are connected to the Internet:
•Connected to the Internet. If you are connected to the Internet, click the Check for 
Updates button. After the software checks for software updates, the Update Check 
Complete screen displays. Click the  Continue button. The Welcome screen displays.
•Not Connected to the Internet. If you are not connected to the Internet, click the 
Install from CD button. 
Note: If you are not connected to the Internet, the software cannot check for \
software updates. 
						

							Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network 7
 A6210 WiFi USB Adapter
The Welcome screen displays.
4. 
To accept the license agreement, select the  I agree radio button and then click the Next 
button.
A message displays asking you to wait while the software is installed. After a few  minutes, NETGEAR genie
® prompts you to insert your adapter. 
						

							Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network 8
A6210 WiFi USB Adapter 
5. 
Install the adapter  with or without the desktop dock:
• To install the adapter with the desktop dock, place the adapter into the \
dock and 
connect the USB cable to a USB port on your computer.
Note: NETGEAR does not recommend that you use another cable to 
connect the adapter to the USB port on your computer. Use the 
desktop dock with the attached cable that is supplied in the package. 
Using another USB cable might affect the performance and correct 
functioning of the adapter. 
Note:When the adapter is placed in the desktop dock, you can fold out 
the adapter to its maximum angle for increased WiFi performance.
• To install the adapter without the desktop dock, insert the adapter into \
a USB port on 
your computer.
6.  Click the  Next button.
The NETGEAR genie screen displays a list of WiFi networks in your area. 
						

							Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network 9
 A6210 WiFi USB Adapter
The NETGEAR genie icon also displays in the Windows system tray and on t\
he desktop.
The genie icon in the system tray is red 
 because you did not yet establish a 
connection with a WiFi network.
7.  To change the language, from the  Select Language menu, select another language.
All NETGEAR genie screens are displayed in the language that you select.\
View Network Details Before Joining a WiFi Network
Before you let the adapter join a WiFi network, you can view details to \
help you determine 
which network to join.
To view network details:
1.  Insert the adapter into a USB port on your computer.
2.  Click the NETGEAR  genie icon that displays on the Windows system tray or on the desktop.
The NETGEAR genie Home screen displays.
3.  Click the Join a Network  button. 
						

							Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network 10
A6210 WiFi USB Adapter 
The Join a Network screen displays.
4. 
Click a network name.
The Details button displays.
5.  Click the  Details button.