Netgear Wnda3100v3 N600 Wifi Usb Adapter 802 11n Dual Band User Manual

							Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network 11
 N600 WiFi USB Adapter
To install the standalone driver and let the adapter join a network:
Use a Windows utility to connect the adapter to a WiFi network:
•For Windows 8.1, 8.0, 7, or V
 ista, use the Windows WLAN Autoconfig service.
• For Windows XP
 , use the Wireless Zero Configuration service.
For more information about Windows WLAN Autoconfig or the Wireless Zero 
Configuration service, see your computer
 ’s documentation.
Join a Hidden Network
A hidden network does not broadcast its SSID. If the network name is not\
 displayed in the network list in the Adapter genie screen, the network that you are trying to join is either \
not 
functioning or is hidden. To let the adapter join a hidden network, you can use WPS or enter 
the hidden network’s information manually.
Use WPS to Let the Adapter Join a Hidden Network
Before you use the WPS method to let the adapter join a hidden network, \
make sure of the 
following:
• Y
our WiFi router or access point supports WPS.
•The security on your WiFi router or access point is not set to WEP
 . WEP and WPS are 
incompatible. You cannot use WPS if the security on your WiFi router or access point is\
 
set to WEP.
To use WPS to let the adapter join a hidden WiFi network:
1.  Insert the adapter into a USB port on your computer
 .
2.  Click the adapter
 ’s NETGEAR  genie icon  on your desktop or in the Windows system 
tray.
The Home screen displays.
3.  Click the  Join a Network  button.
The Join a Network screen displays. 
						

							Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network 12
N600 WiFi USB Adapter 
4. 
Expand the Manually Connect to a network (for hidden networks)  section.
5. Select the  Use WPS Push N Connect  radio button and click the Start button. 
6. To learn more about how to connect to the network using WPS, click the  Learn More button.
7.  Press and hold the  WPS button on the adapter for two seconds.
The adapter LED blinks. 
8.  Within two minutes, press the  WPS button on your WiFi router or access point.
The adapter joins the network, which can take a few minutes. Your settings are saved in a  profile.
The Join a Network screen shows that the adapter is connected to the net\
work, and the  genie status bar at the bottom of the screen displays information about \
the network 
connection. For more information about the status bar

, see Check Your Connection 
Status  on page
  17. 
						

							Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network 13
 N600 WiFi USB Adapter
NETGEAR genie saves the network connection information to a Windows prof\
ile. Both 
NETGEAR genie and the Windows Wireless Network Connection utility can us\
e this 
profile. If the network information does not change, the next time that \
you launch genie, 
the adapter connects automatically to the network that it joined previou\
sly.
Manually Set Up a WiFi Connection to a Hidden Network
To manually set up a WiFi connection to a hidden network, you must know t\
he SSID, security 
type, and key or passphrase of the network that you want to join.
To manually set up the connection to a hidden WiFi network:
1.  Insert the adapter into a USB port on your computer
 .
2.  Click the adapter
 ’s NETGEAR  genie icon  on your desktop or in the Windows system 
tray.
The Home screen displays.
3.  Click the  Join a Network  button.
The Join a Network screen displays.
4.  Expand the  Manually Connect to a network (for hidden networks)  section. 
						

							Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network 14
N600 WiFi USB Adapter 
5. 
Select the  Enter wireless information myself  radio button.
6. In the Network Name (SSID)  field, type the network name (SSID).
7.  From the Security T
 ype menu, select the network’s security type:
• None. 
The network is not secure and does not require a key or passphrase.
•WEP (Open) . If the encryption strength of the network is 64 bit, the network key m\
ust 
consist of 10 hexadecimal digits. If the encryption strength of the netw\
ork is 128 bit, 
the network key must consist of 26
  hexadecimal digits.
• WEP (Shared). If the encryption strength of the network is 64 bit, the network key 
must consist of 10 hexadecimal digits. If the encryption strength of the\
 network is 128 
bit, the network key must consist of 26
  hexadecimal digits.
• WP
A-PSK (TKIP). The network passphrase is 8–63 characters in length or 
64
  hexadecimal digits.
• WP
A-PSK (AES). The network passphrase is 8–63 characters in length or 
64
  hexadecimal digits.
• WP
A2-PSK (TKIP). The network passphrase is 8–63 characters in length or 
64
  hexadecimal digits.
• WP
A2-PSK (AES) . The network passphrase is 8–63 characters in length or 
64
  hexadecimal digits.
Note: Hexadecimal digits consist of 0–9, a–f, and A–F characters only\
.
8.  In the Passphrase field, type the network’
 s WiFi password (passphrase).
If you selected the WEP security type, type the WEP key in the Key field.
9.  Click the  Connect button.
The adapter joins the network, which can take a few minutes. Your settings are saved in a  profile.
The Join a Network screen shows that the adapter is connected to the net\
work, and the  genie status bar at the bottom of the screen displays information about \
the network  
						

							Get Started and Connect to a WiFi Network 
15  N600 WiFi USB Adapter
connection. For more information about the status bar, see Check Your Connection 
Status on page 17.
NETGEAR genie saves the network connection information to a Windows profile. Both 
NETGEAR genie and the Windows Wireless Network Connection utility can use this 
profile. If the network information does not change, the next time that you launch genie, 
the adapter connects automatically to the network that it joined previously. 
						

							16
2
2.   Monitor and Maintain the Adapter
This chapter includes the following sections:
•Check Your Connection Status
•View More Information About the Adapter and Network
•Get Diagnostic Information for the Adapter
•Upgrade the Adapter Software
•Uninstall the Adapter Software 
						

							Monitor and Maintain the Adapter 17
 N600 WiFi USB Adapter
Check Your Connection Status
When you install your adapter, the adapter’s 
NETGEAR genie icon displays in the Windows 
system tray and on the desktop. You can double-click this icon to open NETGEAR genie to 
make changes or connect to a different WiFi network.
The color of the icon indicates the strength of your WiFi connection: • White .  
 3–5 bars (strong connection)
• Y
ellow   1–2 bars (weak connection)
• Red.      
 0 (zero) bars (no connection)
If you remove the adapter, NETGEAR genie is not available, and the adapt\
er’s  NETGEAR 
genie  icon is not displayed in the Windows system tray

. When you insert the adapter again, 
the icon returns to the system tray.
To check the NETGEAR genie status bar:
If NETGEAR genie is not yet open, click the adapter’s  NETGEAR genie icon in the 
system tray or on your desktop.
The Home screen displays a diagram of the adapter’s connection to the WiFi router and  the WiFi router
 ’s connection to the Internet.
If you encounter connection problems, see the following troubleshooting \
information:
• If the adapter cannot connect to the WiFi router
 , see Cannot Join a WiFi Network on 
page   25.
• If the WiFi router cannot connect to the Internet, see  Cannot Access the Internet After 
Joining a WiFi Network  on page
  26.
The adapter’s connection details show in the genie status bar that displays at the b\
ottom  of each genie screen. 
Network name and Network
WiFiSignal
securitychannelstrength
Physical
rate
or Internet
connection IP address
BSSID
The status bar shows the following connection details:
• Network name BSSID. 
 The WiFi network name (SSID) and basic SSID (BSSID) of 
the WiFi network to which the adapter is connected. The BSSID is expressed as the 
MAC address of the access point to which the adapter is connected.
• IP address or Internet connection . 
 The IPv4 or IPv6 address that is assigned to the 
adapter. If the adapter is connected to the Internet, the field does not\
 display the IP 
address but displays the message Connected to the Internet. 
						

							Monitor and Maintain the Adapter 18
N600 WiFi USB Adapter 
•
Network security . The lock symbol shows whether the network you are connected to 
uses WiFi security. An open lock indicates an open network without WiFi security, 
such as one that you might use in a coffee shop.
• W
iFi channel . The WiFi channel of the network to which the adapter is connected.
• Physical rate. 
 The physical transmission rate for WiFi communication.
• Signal strength. 
 The strength of the WiFi signal. Three to five bars indicate a good 
signal. One or two bars indicate a weak signal. 
View More Information About the Adapter and Network
You can view more information such as packet statistics, IP address, type\
 of security, and  MAC address.
To view more information about the adapter and network:
1.  Insert the adapter into a USB port on your computer
 .
2.  Let your adapter join a network. 
If your adapter was previously connected to a network, the adapter recon\
nects 
automatically
 .
For more information about letting your adapter join a network,
  see Join a WiFi Network 
Using NETGEAR genie  on page  8.
3.  Click the adapter
 ’s NETGEAR  genie icon  on your desktop or in the Windows system 
tray.
The Home screen displays.
4.  Click the  Other button. 
						

							Monitor and Maintain the Adapter 19
 N600 WiFi USB Adapter
The screen shows the following information:
•
Sent/Received Activity . The total number of packets sent or received during 
communication with the WiFi network.
• Network. 
 The following information about the adapter’s network displays:
- IPv4 Address. 
 The IPv4 address that is assigned to the adapter. The IPv4 
address can change if you disconnect from the network and rejoin it late\
r.
- IPv6 Address. 
 The IPv6 address that is assigned to the adapter. The IPv6 
address can change if you disconnect from the network and rejoin it late\
r.
- Security T
 ype. WiFi security used for the adapter to connect to the current WiFi 
network.
• Adapter . 
 The following information about the adapter displays:
- Adapter MAC 
 Address. The adapter’s Media Access Control (MAC) address. 
The MAC address is a unique 48-bit hardware address assigned to each dev\
ice. 
As a security measure, some WiFi networks restrict access based on a lis\
t of  known MAC addresses. If you try to join such a network, you must provide\
 your 
adapter’s MAC address (shown on this screen) to the network administrator 
before you can connect.
- Region. 
 The adapter’s region setting. WiFi channels in use depend on the 
country or region. The adapter automatically scans approved channels for your 
region when it checks to see which networks are available in your area. \
Governments regulate the channels used for WiFi transmission. Operating \
the 
adapter in a different region might violate local laws.
Get Diagnostic Information for the Adapter
You can display and save the following diagnostic information:
• System information
• IP information
• Client driver and profile information
• Site survey information
To get diagnostic information about the adapter:
1. Insert the adapter into a USB port on your computer
 .
2.  Let your adapter join a network. 
If your adapter was previously connected to a network, the adapter recon\
nects 
automatically
 .
For more information about letting your adapter join a network,
  see  Join a WiFi Network 
Using NETGEAR genie on page  8.
3.  Click the adapter
 ’s NETGEAR  genie icon  on your desktop or in the Windows system 
tray. 
						

							Monitor and Maintain the Adapter 20
N600 WiFi USB Adapter 
The Home screen displays.
4.  Click the  Other button.
The Other screen displays.
5.  Click the  Get Info button.
NETGEAR genie starts collecting system information, IP information, clie\
nt driver and 
profile information, and site survey information.
6.  T
o save the system information to your computer, click the  Save to File button and follow 
the instructions of your browser to save the information.
7.  Click the  Exit button.
Upgrade the Adapter Software
You can check for software updates and upgrade the adapter’s software.
Note:During the software update process, the old software version is 
removed and all saved profiles are deleted before the new software 
version is installed. When the software update process is complete, 
the adapter no longer connects to the network automatically. You must 
let the adapter join a network as described in  Join a WiFi Network 
Using NETGEAR genie  on page  8. If you do not use NETGEAR 
genie, see Join a Network Using a Standalone Driver on page  10.
To check or upgrade the adapter’s software:
1.  Insert the adapter into a USB port on your computer
 .
2.  Let your adapter join a network. 
If your adapter was previously connected to a network, the adapter recon\
nects 
automatically
 .