Netgear placed a label with the name of the access point on the bottom of the enclosure, in addition, in the delivery package, in an envelope with printed user’s manual; there are several more labels, so you are unlikely to ignore them. All you need is to open your browser and enter the name of the access point in the URL line, after which you will be taken to the main administration page of the access point.

We managed to perform the described procedure, and, according to Netgear, the access point will work fine if there is a DHCP server on the network from which it can obtain an IP address.

If your network does not have a DHCP server, the access point initializes the default IP address. So, if you have problems logging in to the administration page, install the IP address (or any other address on the same subnet) on the computer and try to log in again.

When you get to the administration page, you will see the Information screen

The interface does not represent anything complicated, except for the application of the changes, which requires a 30-second reboot. The access point allows you to perform several administrative inputs at the same time, but no warning is output.

Administration mode does not provide a timeout, so you should close your browser after shutdown, because the interface does not provide a logout key. Another point – the Information / Information and Station List pages are publicly available for all clients that specify the IP address of the access point in the address bar of the browser.

Of course, you will need to provide a password to make changes, but, from the security point of view, this approach is hardly acceptable.

Basic settings

The administration interface divides the wireless settings into Basic / Basic

The settings for IP address / IP address, Security / Security (WEP) and Access Control / MAC address management are performed on separate pages. The IP Address / IP Address screen allows you to manually set the static IP address, subnet and gateway for the access point, or retrieve all this information automatically from the DHCP server. We have briefly described the other two screens, after the advanced wireless settings section.

7 steps: How to get access to your Netgear router

Using cable instead of WLAN If you can no longer log into your router via WLAN via 192.168.1.1, it is best to connect your computer and the router via a network Ethernet cable. A laptop is an advantage because you can carry it directly to the router – the cable may not be long enough to connect your desktop PC.

Open command line Open the command line in Windows. The quickest way is to press the Windows key and R at the same time. Now type cmd in the opening line and confirm.

Find IP address of the router: Now type ipconfig in the opened window and confirm again. Windows then lists all installed network adapters. Including the current IP address of your router. It is the number behind the entry “Default Gateway”. Besides “ipconfig”, there are a few more useful network commands that you can use to analyze WLAN and router problems.

Enter IP address in the browser correctly: Now open your web browser and carry this number – in our case, it was not the 192.168.1.1, but the 192.168.1.254 – in the address line. Confirm with Enter. Under no circumstances type http: // before – otherwise you will only receive an error message.

IP settings in Windows : If you do not see the login screen of your router, for example the Fritzbox, at this point, it may be because the IP address has been entered manually. You check this in the Network and Sharing Center of Windows, found under Control Panel, Network and Internet (Windows 7). In Vista, Windows 8, and Windows 10, you’ll find the center in a similar way.

Now click on “Change adapter settings” and right-click on the following connection to the router. Select “Properties” in the context menu. In the pop-up list, locate Internet Protocol Version 4 and choose Properties. Make sure that “Obtain an IP address automatically” is selected. The same applies to the DNS server address. Now repeat steps 2 and 3.

Forgotten: your router password If you forgot your Wi-Fi router’s username and password, you’ll need to reset the router to factory settings. For this you will find on most of the top or side a reset button.

For the next time everything works …

If you wanted to log into your router to (re) configure your WLAN, you can do that now. We recommend that you set a strong password for access. With a few simple tricks you make your password particularly strong. In addition, WPA2 should definitely be chosen in the encryption method and not the much too weak WEP.