How to Configure a Netgear Router

This article was co-authored by Steven Racz. Steven Racz is an Audio, Video, & Automation Expert and Owner at Altitude Audio Video based in Littleton, Colorado. With over 15 years of professional experience, Steven and his team of technicians specialize in installing residential and commercial audio systems, theater design and installation, Josh Ai voice & control systems, and Control4 automation. At Altitude Audio Video, they strive to tailor the perfect system for your needs.

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If you got your Netgear router from your ISP, you usually won't need to do much configuration to connect it to your cable or DSL provider and get online. But even if you've reset your wireless router or bought a brand new Netgear router that you need to connect to your modem, the setup wizard and other tools make it easy—we'll show you how!

Method 1 of 5:

Cable (Genie Interface)

Step 1 Power off your modem and Netgear router.

Step 2 Connect the router to the modem.

Connect the router to the modem. Use an ethernet cable to connect your modem to the port labeled “Internet” on your Netgear router.

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Step 3 Connect the router to your computer.

Connect the router to your computer. Use a second ethernet cable to connect your computer to any port labeled “LAN” on your Netgear router.

Step 4 Turn on your modem.

Turn on your modem. Power on your modem and wait for all the lights to remain stable.

Step 5 Turn on your router.

Turn on your router. Power on your Netgear router and wait for the “Power” light to remain solid green.

Configure a Netgear Router Step 6

Step 7 Log in to your router interface using “admin” for the username and “password” for the password.

Step 8 Click on the <<MacButton|Advanced tab and select Setup Wizard.

Click on the Setup Wizard .

Step 9 Select Yes and click Next.

Select Yes and click Next . The setup wizard will take a few minutes to detect your Internet connection and display the “Congratulations” page when complete.

Step 10 Click on Take me to the Internet to verify your Internet connection is working.

Click on Take me to the Internet to verify your Internet connection is working. Your Netgear router will now be configured for use with your ISP. [1] X Research source

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Cable (Smart Wizard Interface)

Step 1 Connect the router to the modem.

Connect the router to the modem. Use an ethernet cable to connect your modem to the port labeled “Internet” on your Netgear router.

Step 2 Connect the router to your computer.

Connect the router to your computer. Use a second ethernet cable to connect your computer to any port labeled “LAN” on your Netgear router.

Step 3 <a href=Turn off all of your equipment." width="460" height="345" />

Turn off all of your equipment. Power off your computer, modem, and Netgear router, then power all three devices back on.

Step 4 Open a web browser.

Open a web browser. Allow a few minutes for all devices to power fully back on, then launch any Internet browser on your computer.

Configure a Netgear Router Step 15

Go to your router's admin panel. Type one of the following URLs into the address bar of your browser, then press “Enter:”http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1. The correct URL will bring up the router login dialog box.

Step 6 Sign in.

Sign in. Log in to the router interface using “admin” for the username and “password” for the password. These are the default login credentials for Netgear routers. You will now be logged into your Netgear router.

Step 7 Click Setup Wizard and then click Yes.

Click Setup Wizard and then click Yes . Select “Yes” when asked if you want Netgear to detect your Internet connection.

Step 8 Click on Next.

Click on Next. Netgear will take a few minutes to detect your Internet connection.

Step 9 Click on Next again when your Internet type is detected.

Click on Next again when your Internet type is detected. Your Netgear router will save your settings and be configured for use with your ISP. [2] X Research source

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DSL (Genie Interface)

Step 1 Connect the Netgear router to your telephone jack using your DSL microfilter.

Step 2 Connect your telephone <a href=to the DSL microfilter using a small telephone wire." width="460" height="345" />

Connect your telephone to the DSL microfilter using a small telephone wire.

Step 3 Connect the router to your computer.

Connect the router to your computer. Use an ethernet cable to connect your computer to any port labeled “LAN” on your Netgear router.

Step 4 Power on the router.

Power on the router. Connect the Netgear router to its power supply unit, then power on the router. The router will take approximately one minute to fully boot up.

Step 5 Launch any Internet browser on your computer.

Step 6 Select Yes and then Next.

Select Yes and then Next . '

Step 7 Select your country from the dropdown menu, then click on “Next.

Select your country from the dropdown menu, then click on “Next. Netgear will take a moment to detect your Internet connection. When complete, the router login screen will appear.

Step 8 Type the username and password supplied by your ISP into the fields provided, then click on “Next.

Step 9 Click on Take me to the Internet to verify your Internet connection is working.

Click on Take me to the Internet to verify your Internet connection is working. Your Netgear router will now be configured for use with your ISP. [3] X Research source

Advertisement Method 4 of 5:

DSL (Smart Wizard Interface)

Step 1 Connect the Netgear router to your telephone jack using your DSL microfilter.

Connect the Netgear router to your telephone jack using your DSL microfilter. The DSL microfilter is a small box that connects both your router and telephone to the telephone jack.

Step 2 Connect your phone <a href=to the DSL filter." width="460" height="345" />

Connect your phone to the DSL filter. Connect your telephone to the DSL microfilter using a small telephone wire.

Step 3 Connect the router to your computer.

Connect the router to your computer. Use an ethernet cable to connect your computer to any port labeled “LAN” on your Netgear router.

Step 4 Turn on the router.

Turn on the router. Connect the Netgear router to its power supply unit then power on the router. The router will take approximately one minute to fully boot up.

Configure a Netgear Router Step 33

Go to the router's admin interface. Launch any Internet browser on your computer and type one of the following URLs into the address bar: http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1. These URLs will take you to the router login screen.

Step 6 Type “admin” into the username field, and “password” into the password field.

Type “admin” into the username field, and “password” into the password field. These are the default login credentials for your Netgear router.

Step 7 Click on Setup Wizard.

Click on Setup Wizard . Then, select Yes when asked if you want Netgear to detect your Internet connection.

Step 8 Click on Next.

Click on Next . Netgear will take a few minutes to detect your Internet connection, and display the appropriate configuration page based on your network type.

Step 9 Apply the detected network settings so Netgear can complete the configuration process.

Step 10 Click on Apply after entering the necessary credentials based on your Internet connection type.

Click on Apply after entering the necessary credentials based on your Internet connection type. Your Netgear router will now be configured for use with your ISP. [4] X Research source

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Troubleshooting

Step 1 Download the latest.

Download the latest firmware from http://support.netgear.com. In some cases, outdated firmware can prevent you from being able to establish an Internet connection. [5] X Research source

Step 2 Reset your Netgear.

Reset your Netgear router if you can't connect to the internet. A reset will restore your router’s default factory settings and can help resolve software problems associated with your router.

Step 3 Try different ethernet cables or phone wires.

Try different ethernet cables or phone wires. Faulty cables and hardware can prevent you from being able to effectively set up your router.

Step 4 <a href=Contact your ISP for further assistance." width="460" height="345" />

Contact your ISP for further assistance. If you can't sign in to your Netgear router, your ISP can help you log in. [6] X Research source

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Community Q&A

What can I do when my router will not allow my computer to connect? Top Answerer

Try to restart both the router and computer. If that does not work, then call the router manufacturer for assistance.

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When I connect an antenna the signal is weaker. What should I do? Top Answerer I would recommend not connecting the antenna, since it is clearly making things worse.

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