Netgear R8300 Nighthawk X8 Ac5000 Smart Wifi Router User Manual

							Figure 8. A tri-band network includes two dedicated 5 GHz bands
In this tri-band network, the first 5 GHz band provides a speed of 200 Mbps, and the second 5 GHz band provides
a speed of 1300 Mbps.
The slower and faster devices are separated in different WiFi connections to ensure that you get the best speed on
each device. So in the previous figure, all three mobile devices are on one 5 GHz band with a combined maximum
speed of 200 Mbps, and the other 5 GHz WiFi band is used for the faster 802.11ac devices with a combined maximum
speed of 1300 Mbps. Effectively both slower and faster devices can run faster and the overall network speed increases
by more than two times, from 640 Mbps to 1500 Mbps.
Load Balancing
The router uses load balancing to distribute WiFi connections among all three WiFi bands, to ensure that both the
WiFi bands are utilized. Load balancing prevents overloading a single 5 GHz band and ensures that both the WiFi
bands are utilized and device connections are spread across the two bands.
For example, if three mobile devices are connected to one 5 GHz band, the fourth device is automatically connected
to the other 5 GHz band.
Tri-Band WiFi Connections
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							Figure 9. Load balancing
Slower devices like printers, older computers, or IP cameras connect to the 2.4 GHz band.The presence of two 5
GH bands prevents overloading when many devices use WiFi at the same time.
Benefits of Tri-Band WiFi
The tri-band WiFi network outperforms the dual-band network in several ways:
•More bandwidth is available.
Even with more devices connected to the network, because the connections are spread across two different
bands, each device gets a larger share of the available WiFi bandwidth.
•Smart Connect directs WiFi traffic to the appropriate lane.
With Smart Connect, older devices do not slow down faster devices.
•The router uses load balancing to avoid network congestion in each WiFi band.
With load balancing, you don’t need to share your WiFi connection with as many devices.
Smart Connect
Smart Connect balances your 5 GHz WiFi connections into two different radio bands: the 5 GHz radio 1 band and
the 5 GHz radio 2 band.The router uses Smart Connect to choose the best radio band for your device to give you
the best WiFi performance.
iTunes Server lets you play music with your Windows or Mac iTunes app from a storage device that is connected
to the 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.
Tri-Band WiFi Connections
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							Figure 10. Smart Connect
For Smart Connect to work, both 5 GHz radio bands must use the same WiFi network name (SSID) and network
key (password).That means that when you connect to the router with WiFi, you see only one 5 GHz SSID that
connects to both 5 GHz radio bands.
If you enable Smart Connect and the SSID and passwords for both 5 GHz radio bands do
not match, the WiFi settings for 5 GHz radio 1 overwrite the WiFi settings for 5 GHz radio 2.
Note
Enable or Disable Smart Connect
To enable or disable Smart Connect:
1.Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.
2.Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
A login window opens.
3.Enter the router user name and password.
The user name is admin.The default password is password.The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.Select Wireless.
Tri-Band WiFi Connections
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							The Wireless Setup page displays.
5.Select or clear the the Smart Connect – One Wireless Network Name (SSID) for both 5 GHz radios check
box.
Selecting this check box turns on Smart Connect and clearing this check box turns off Smart Connect.
6.Click the Apply button.
Your settings are saved.
Beamforming
Beamforming means that your router actively tracks clients and directs Wifi to the client, rather than just blasting it
out in all directions.This means better WiFi range and performance for your WiFi devices.
The router uses explicit and implicit beamforming to improve WiFi performance. Explicit beamforming requires the
client to support beamforming.Typically, 802.11ac clients support beamforming. Implicit beamforming means that
the router can support beamforming even with clients that do not support beamforming.This router supports implicit
beamforming for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz clients, which means that it provides beamforming benefits of better range
and performance for all WiFi devices, even older 802.11a/b/g/n devices, not just the latest WiFi clients.
Enable or Disable Implicit Beamforming
Implicit beamforming means that the router can use information from client devices that support beamforming to
improve the WiFi signal.
To enable or disable implicit beamforming:
1.Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.
2.Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
A login window opens.
3.Enter the router user name and password.
The user name is admin.The default password is password.The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Settings.
The Wireless Settings page displays.
5.Scroll down below the WPS Settings section and select or clear the Enable Implicit BEAMFORMING check
box.
6.Click the Apply button.
Your settings are saved.
Tri-Band WiFi Connections
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							6
Network Settings
The router comes ready for WiFi, Ethernet, and USB connections.You can customize the router’s network settings.We
recommend that you install the router and connect it to the Internet before you change its network settings.
This chapter includes the following sections:
•View or Change WAN Settings on page 66
•Set Up a Default DMZ Server on page 67
•Ethernet Port Aggregation on page 68
•Change the LAN TCP/IP Settings on page 71
•Change the Router’s Device Name on page 73
•Specify the IP Addresses That the Router Assigns on page 73
•Disable the DHCP Server Feature in the Router on page 92
•Manage Reserved LAN IP Addresses on page 75
•Custom Static Routes on page 77
•Set Up a Bridge for a Port Group or VLAN Tag Group on page 80
•Use the WPS Wizard for WiFi Connections on page 83
•Specify Basic WiFi Settings on page 84
•Set Up a Guest WiFi Network on page 88
•Control the WiFi Radios on page 89
•Set Up a WiFi Schedule on page 90
•Specify WPS Settings on page 91
•Use the Router as a WiFi Access Point on page 93
•Use the Router in Bridge Mode on page 95
65 
						

							View or Change WAN Settings
You can view or configure wide area network (WAN) settings for the Internet port.You can set up a DMZ (demilitarized
zone) server, change the maximum transmit unit (MTU) size, and enable the router to respond to a ping to its WAN
(Internet) port.
To view or change the WAN settings:
1.Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.
2.Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
A login window opens.
3.Enter the router user name and password.
The user name is admin.The default password is password.The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.Select ADVANCED > Setup > WAN Setup.
The following settings display:
5.View or change the following settings:
•Disable Port Scan and DoS Protection. DoS protection protects your LAN against denial of service attacks
such as Syn flood, Smurf Attack, Ping of Death, and many others. Select this check box only in special
circumstances.
•Default DMZ Server.This feature is sometimes helpful when you are playing online games or
videoconferencing, but it makes the firewall security less effective. See Set Up a Default DMZ Server on
page 67.
•Respond to Ping on Internet Port.This feature allows your router to be discovered. Use this feature only
as a diagnostic tool or for a specific reason.
•Disable IGMP Proxying. IGMP proxying allows a computer on the local area network (LAN) to receive the
multicast traffic it is interested in from the Internet. If you do not need this feature, you can select this check
box to disable it.
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							•MTU Size (in bytes).The normal MTU (maximum transmit unit) value for most Ethernet networks is 1500
bytes, or 1492 bytes for PPPoE connections. Change the MTU only if you are sure that it is necessary for
your ISP connection. See Change the MTU Size on page 43.
•NAT Filtering. Network Address Translation (NAT) determines how the router processes inbound traffic.
Secured NAT protects computers on the LAN from attacks from the Internet but might prevent some Internet
games, point-to-point applications, or multimedia applications from working. Open NAT provides a much
less secured firewall but allows almost all Internet applications to work.
6.Click the Apply button.
Your settings are saved.
Set Up a Default DMZ Server
The default DMZ server feature is helpful when you are using some online games and videoconferencing applications
that are incompatible with Network Address Translation (NAT).The router is programmed to recognize some of
these applications and to work correctly with them, but other applications might not function well. In some cases,
one local computer can run the application correctly if the IP address for that computer is entered as the default
DMZ server.
WARNING:
DMZ servers pose a security risk. A computer designated as the default DMZ server
loses much of the protection of the firewall and is exposed to exploits from the
Internet. If compromised, the DMZ server computer can be used to attack other
computers on your network.
The router usually detects and discards incoming traffic from the Internet that is not a response to one of your local
computers or a service that you configured on the Port Forwarding/Port Triggering page. Instead of discarding this
traffic, you can specify that the router forwards the traffic to one computer on your network.This computer is called
the default DMZ server.
To set up a default DMZ server:
1.Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.
2.Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
A login window opens.
3.Enter the router user name and password.
The user name is admin.The default password is password.The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.Select ADVANCED > Setup > WAN Setup.
The WAN Setup page displays.
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							5.Select the Default DMZ Server check box.
6.Type the IP address.
7.Click the Apply button.
Your settings are saved.
Ethernet Port Aggregation
Ethernet aggregation lets you combine two Gigabit Ethernet ports to improve the aggregated file transfer speed.
Note that Ethernet port aggregation is also referred to as link aggregation, teaming port, and port trunking. If a device
supports Ethernet aggregation, you can use the Ethernet aggregate ports 1 and 2 to cable the device that supports
Ethernet port aggregation to the router.
To get the fastest performance with port aggregation, for wired connections use Ethernet
port 3 for the first computer, and use Ethernet port 4, 5, or 6 for the second computer, which
allows for speeds up to 2 Gbps with port aggregation.The maximum speed between port 4,
5, and 6 is limited to 1 Gbps.
Note
NETGEAR ReadyNAS equipment with two Ethernet ports such as the model RN100/200/300/500/700 desktop
series and the ReadyNAS RN2000/3000/4000 rack-mount series support Ethernet aggregation.
Network Settings
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							Figure 11. Ethernet port aggregation
Network Settings
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							Set Up Ethernet Port Aggregation
To set up Ethernet port aggregation:
1.If you are connecting a switch, make sure that the switch supports 802.3ad LACP.
You must configure the switch before you connect the Ethernet cables to the router.
WARNING:
To avoid causing broadcast looping, which can shut down your network, do not
connect an unmanaged switch to Ethernet aggregate port 1 and port 2 on the router.
2.Use Ethernet cables to connect a device that supports Ethernet port aggregation, such as a NAS or network
switch, to Ethernet port 1 and port 2 on the router.
3.Set up Ethernet port aggregation on the device that is connected to Ethernet port 1 and port 2 on the router.
For information about how to set up Ethernet port aggregation on your device, see the documentation that came
with your device.
For information about viewing the status of the Ethernet port aggregation, see View Ethernet Port Aggregation
Status on page 70.
View Ethernet Port Aggregation Status
You can view the status of Ethernet aggregation for a device that is connected to the router's designated Ethernet
aggregation ports.The device must support Ethernet aggregation.
To view the status of the Ethernet port aggregation:
1.Launch a web browser from a computer or WiFi device that is connected to the network.
2.Enter http://www.routerlogin.net.
A login window opens.
3.Enter the router user name and password.
The user name is admin.The default password is password.The user name and password are case-sensitive.
The BASIC Home page displays.
4.Select ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Ethernet Port Aggregation.
Network Settings
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