Netgear R6250 Smart Wifi Router Ac1600 User Manual

							Hardware Setup 11
 R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Label
The label on the bottom of the router shows the WPS PIN, login informati\
on, MAC address, 
and serial number. 
Serial number and
Preset WiFi Default access information
Preset SSID
passwordMAC address
Figure 4. The label shows unique information about your router
Position Your Router
The router lets you access your network from anywhere within the operati\
ng range of your wireless network. However, the operating distance or range of your wireless connection 
depends on the physical placement of your router. For example, the thick\
ness and number of 
walls the wireless signal passes through can limit the range. For best r\
esults, place your 
router: 
• Near the center of the area where your computers and other devices opera\
te, and 
preferably within line of sight to your wireless devices.
• So it is accessible to an 
 AC power outlet and near Ethernet cables for wired computers.
• In an elevated location such as a high shelf, keeping the number of wall\
s and ceilings 
between the router and your other devices to a minimum.
• A
way from electrical devices that are potential sources of interference. \
Equipment that 
might cause interference includes ceiling fans, home security systems, m\
icrowaves, 
computers, the base of a cordless phone, or a 2.4 GHz cordless phone. 
• A
way from any large metal surfaces, such as a solid metal door or aluminu\
m studs. Large 
expanses of other materials such as glass, insulated walls, fish tanks, \
mirrors, brick, and 
concrete can also affect your wireless signal. 
						

							12
2
2.   Getting Started
Connecting to the router
This chapter explains how to use NETGEAR genie to set up your router after you complete 
cabling as described in the installation guide.
This chapter contains the following sections:
•Router Setup Preparation 
•Types of Logins and Access 
•NETGEAR genie Setup 
•Use NETGEAR genie After Installation 
•Upgrade the Firmware 
•Dashboard (Basic Home Screen) 
•Join Your Wireless Network 
•Access the Router with NETGEAR the genie App  
						

							Getting Started 
13  R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Router Setup Preparation
You can set up your router with the NETGEAR genie automatically, or you can use the genie 
menus and screens to set up your router manually. Before you start the setup process, get 
your ISP information and make sure the computers and devices in the network have the 
settings described here.
Use Standard TCP/IP Properties for DHCP
If you set up your computer to use a static IP address, change the settings so that it uses 
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). 
Gather ISP Information
If you have DSL broadband service, you might need the following information to set up your 
router and to check that your Internet configuration is correct. When your Internet service 
starts, your Internet service provider (ISP) typically gives you all the information needed to 
connect to the Internet. If you cannot locate this information, ask your ISP to provide it. When 
your Internet connection is working, you no longer need to launch the ISP’s login program on 
your computer to access the Internet. When you start an Internet application, your router 
automatically logs you in.
•The ISP configuration information for your DSL account
•ISP login name and password
•Fixed or static IP address settings (special deployment by ISP; this is rare)
Wireless Devices and Security Settings
Make sure that the wireless device or computer that you are using supports WPA or WPA2 
wireless security, which is the wireless security that the router uses.
Types of Logins and Access
Separate types of logins have different purposes. It is important that you understand the 
difference so that you know which login to use when.
•Router login logs you in to the router interface from NETGEAR genie. For details about 
this login, see 
Use NETGEAR genie After Installation on page 15.
•ISP login logs you in to your Internet service. Your service provider has provided you 
with this login information in a letter or some other way. If you cannot find this login 
information, contact your service provider.
•Wireless network key or password. Your router is preset with a unique wireless 
network name (SSID) and password for wireless access. This information is on the label 
on the bottom of your router. 
						

							Getting Started 14
R6250 Smart WiFi Router 
NETGEAR genie Setup
NETGEAR genie runs on any device with a web browser. Installation and basic setup takes 
about 15  
minutes to complete. 
To use NETGEAR genie to set up your router:
1. T
urn the router on by pressing the  On/Off button. 
2.  Make sure that your computer or wireless device is connected to the  router with an Ethernet 
cable (wired) or wirelessly with the preset security settings listed o\
n the bottom label.
3.  Launch your Internet browser
 .
The screen that displays depends on whether you accessed the router befo\
re:
• The first time you set up the Internet connection for your router, the b\
rowser goes to 
http://www
 .routerlogin.net, and the NETGEAR genie screen displays.
•If you already used the NETGEAR genie, type http://www.routerlogin.net  in the 
address field for your browser to display the NETGEAR genie screen. See \
Use 
NETGEAR genie After Installation  on page
  15.
4.  Follow the onscreen instructions.
NETGEAR genie guides you through connecting the router to the Internet. \
If the browser cannot display the web page: 
• Make sure that the computer is connected to one of the four LAN Ethernet\
 ports or 
wirelessly to the router.
• Make sure that the router has full power
 , and that its WiFi LED is lit.
• T
o make sure that the browser does not cache the previous page, close and\
 reopen the 
browser.
• Browse to http://www
 .routerlogin.net.
• If the computer is set to a static or fixed IP address (this is uncommo\
n), change it to 
obtain an IP address automatically from the router. 
						

							Getting Started 
15  R6250 Smart WiFi Router
If the router does not connect to the Internet:
1. Review your settings to be sure that you have selected the correct options and typed 
everything correctly. 
2. Contact your ISP to verify that you have the correct configuration information.
3. Read Chapter 10, Troubleshooting. If problems persist, register your NETGEAR product and 
contact NETGEAR technical support.
Use NETGEAR genie After Installation
When you first set up your router, NETGEAR genie automatically starts when you launch an 
Internet browser on a computer that is connected to the router. If you want to view or change 
settings for the router, you can use genie again.
1. Launch your browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the router.
2. Type http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com.
A login window displays.
3. Enter admin for the router user name and password for the router password, both in 
lowercase letters. 
Note:The router user name and password are different from the user name 
and password for logging in to your Internet connection. For more 
information, see 
Types of Logins and Access on page 13.
Upgrade the Firmware
When you set up your router and are connected to the Internet, the router automatically 
checks for you to see if newer firmware is available. If it is, a message is displayed on the top 
of the screen. For more information, see 
Upgrade the Router Firmware on page 83.
Click the message when it shows up, and click Yes to upgrade the router with the latest 
firmware. After the upgrade, the router restarts.
CAUTION:
Do not try to go online, turn off the router, shut down the computer, or do 
anything else to the router until the router restarts and the Power LED has 
stopped blinking for several seconds.
Dashboard (Basic Home Screen)
The router Basic Home screen has a dashboard that lets you see the status of your Internet 
connection and network at a glance. You can click any of the six sections of the dashboard to  
						

							Getting Started 16
R6250 Smart WiFi Router 
view and change the settings. The left column has menus. You can use the Advanced tab to 
access more menus and screens.
Menus 
(Click the 
Advanced  tab to view 
more) Language
Help Dashboard 
(Click to 
view details
)
Figure 5. Basic Home screen with dashboard, language, and online help
•
Home. This dashboard screen displays when you log in to the router. 
• Internet. Set, update, and check the ISP settings of your router.
• W
ireless . View or change the wireless settings for your router.
• Attached Devices. V
 iew the devices connected to your network.
• Parental Controls. Download and set up parental controls to prevent objectionable 
content from reaching your computers. 
• ReadySHARE. If you connected a USB storage device to the router, then it is displa\
yed 
here.
• Guest Network. Set up a guest network to allow visitors to use your router’
 s Internet 
connection.
• Advanced tab. Set the router up for unique situations such as when remote access by \
IP 
or by domain name from the Internet is needed. See Chapter 9, Advanced Settings. You 
need a solid understanding of networking to use this tab.
• Help & Support. V
 isit the NETGEAR support site for information, help, and product 
documentation. These links work once you have an Internet connection.
Join Your Wireless Network
You can use the manual or the WPS method to join your wireless network. F\
or instructions  about how to set up a guest network, see Set Up a Guest Network on page  25. 
						

							Getting Started 
17  R6250 Smart WiFi Router
Manual Method
With the manual method, choose the network that you want and type its password to 
connect.
To connect manually:
1. On your computer or wireless device, open the software that manages your wireless 
connections. 
This software scans for all wireless networks in your area.
2. Look for your network and select it. 
The unique WiFi network name (SSID) and password are on the router label. If you 
changed these settings, look for the network name that you used.
3. Enter the router password and click Connect.
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) Method
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) lets you connect to a secure WiFi network without typing its 
password. Instead, press a button or enter a PIN. NETGEAR calls WPS Push N Connect.
Some older WiFi equipment is not compatible with WPS. WPS works only with WPA2 or WPA 
wireless security.
To use WPS to join the wireless network:
1. Press the WPS button on the side of the router.
2. Within 2 minutes, press the WPS button on your wireless device, or follow the WPS 
instructions that came with the device. 
The WPS process automatically sets up your wireless computer with the network 
password and connects you to the wireless network.
Access the Router with NETGEAR the genie App
The genie app is the easy dashboard for managing, monitoring, and repairing your home 
network. The genie app can help you with the following:
•Automatically repair common wireless network problems.
•Easily manage router features like Live Parental Controls, guest access, Internet traffic 
meter, speed test, and more.
To use the genie app to access the router:
1. Visit the NETGEAR genie web page at www.NETGEAR.com/genie. 
2. Follow the onscreen instructions to install the app on your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
3. Launch the genie app. 
						

							Getting Started 
18 R6250 Smart WiFi Router 
The genie app dashboard screen displays. 
						

							19
3
3.   Basic Settings
Your Internet connection and WiFi 
network
This chapter contains the following sections:
•Internet Setup 
•Basic Wireless Settings 
•Set Up a Guest Network 
•View Attached Devices 
For information about the ReadySHARE feature on the Basic Home tab, see Chapter 5, USB 
Storage and Chapter 6, Share a USB Printer. 
						

							Basic Settings 20
R6250 Smart WiFi Router 
Internet Setup
The Internet Setup screen is where you view or change basic ISP informat\
ion.
Note:
You can use the Setup Wizard to detect the Internet connection and 
automatically set up the router. See Internet Connection Setup Wizard 
on page
  29.
To view or change the basic Internet setup:
1.  From the Home screen, select Internet.
The fields that display in the Internet Setup screen depend on whether y\
our Internet 
connection requires a login.
• Ye
s . Select the encapsulation method and enter the login name. If you want \
to 
change the login time-out, enter a new value in minutes.
• No. Enter the account and domain names, only if needed.
2.  Enter the settings for the IP address and DNS server
 . 
The default settings usually work fine. If you have problems with your c\
onnection, check  the ISP settings.
3.  Click  Apply .
Your settings are saved.