Netgear C6250 Ac1600 Wifi Cable Modem Router User Manual

							Table 1.  Front panel LEDs  
LEDIconDescription
Power
•  Solid green . Power is supplied to the modem router.
•  Off. No power is supplied to the modem router.
•  Solid red . 
 The modem router is starting up (the Power LED lights solid red for 
a few seconds before turning green) or entered thermal cutoff mode. If the 
Power LED blinks red or lights solid red at any time other than when you\
 turn it 
on, see  Troubleshoot with the LEDs  on page  185.
Downstream
•  Solid amber . One downstream channel is locked.
•  Blinking amber
 . The modem router is scanning for a downstream channel.
•  Solid green . 
 Two or more downstream channels are locked.
•  Blinking green . 
 The modem router is scanning for additional downstream 
channels.
•  Off. No downstream channel is locked. 
Upstream 
•  Solid amber . One upstream channel is locked.
•  Blinking amber
 . The modem router is scanning for an upstream channel.
•  Solid green . 
 Two or more upstream channels are locked.
•  Blinking green . 
 The modem router is scanning for additional upstream 
channels.
•  Off. No upstream channel is locked. 
Internet
•  Solid green . The modem router is online.
•  Blinking green . 
 The modem router router is synchronizing with the cable 
provider’s cable modem termination system (CMTS).
•  Slow blinking amber and green . 
 The modem router reached the traffic meter 
limit. (For information about the traffic meter, see  Monitor and Meter Internet 
Traffic  on page  11 6).
•  Off. The 
 modem router is offline.
2.4 GHz  
WiFi LED
•  Solid green . The 2.4 GHz radio is on.
•  Blinking green . The 
 2.4 GHz radio is transmitting or receiving data.
•  Blinking amber . WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) is active.
•  Off. The 
 2.4 GHz radio is off.
5 GHz 
WiFi LED
•  Solid green . The 5 GHz radio is on.
•  Blinking green . 
 The 5 GHz radio is transmitting or receiving data.
•  Blinking amber . WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) is active.
•  Off. The 
 5 GHz radio is off.
Ethernet
•  Solid green . A device is connected to an Ethernet port and powered on. Each 
Ethernet port on the back panel provides two port LEDs (see  Back Panel on 
page   12).
•  Blinking green . 
 An Ethernet port is transmitting or receiving data.
•  Off. No device is connected to an Ethernet port.
Hardware Overview and Setup 
11
 AC1600 WiFi Cable Modem Router 
						

							Hardware Overview and Setup 12
AC1600 WiFi Cable Modem Router 
The following table describes the buttons on the right side panel.
Table 2.  Button descriptions
 
ButtonIconDescription
WiFi 
On/Off
By default, the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi radios are enabled. Pressing this\
 button for three 
seconds turns off both radios. Pressing the button again for three seconds turns on both\
 
radios.
If you turn off the radios, both WiFi LEDs on the front panel turn off too. If you turn on the 
radios, both WiFi LEDs on the front panel light solid green.
WPS
Pressing this button for three seconds activates WPS (Wi-Fi Protected S\
etup) for two 
minutes to let you add a WiFi device to the WiFi network without typing \
the WiFi 
password. 
While WPS is active, both WiFi LEDs on the front panel blink amber.
For more information about using WPS, see the following sections:
•  Join the WiFi Network of the Modem Router  on page  21
•  Use the WPS Wizard to Add a Device to the WiFi Network  on page  45
Back Panel
USB ResetCable
Ethernet ports 1 and 2
Coaxial cable connector
USB port
Power adapter input
Reset button
The back panel contains ports, connectors, and a recessed button.
Figure 2. Back panel connections and button
The back panel includes the following components, viewed from left to ri\
ght:
• USB port . One USB 2.0 port lets you connect a USB hard drive, flash drive, or pr\
inter to 
the modem router. 
• T
wo 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet ports. Use these ports to connect local computers to the 
Ethernet LAN of the modem router.  
						

							Hardware Overview and Setup 13
 AC1600 WiFi Cable Modem Router
Each Ethernet port provides two port LEDs: a left LED (green) and a ri\
ght port LED 
(amber), which, together, indicate the operating speed and traffic condition. The following 
table describes the port LEDs.
Table 3.  Ethernet port LED descriptions
 
LEDDescription
LAN port 
LEDs • 
Left LED solid green . 
 The port is operating at 1000 Mbps.
•  Left LED blinking green . 
 The port is transmitting or receiving data while operating at 
1000 Mbps.
•  Right LED solid amber . 
 The port is operating at 100 Mbps or 10  Mbps.
•  Right LED blinking amber . 
 The port is transmitting or receiving data while operating 
at 100 Mbps or 10  Mbps.
•  Both LEDs off . 
 The port is not connected to a powered-on Ethernet device.
•Recessed Reset button.  To set the modem router to the original factory settings, press 
and hold the  Reset button for at least eight seconds. For more information, see Return 
the Modem Router to Its Factory Default Settings on page  11 3.
• Coaxial cable connector . 
 Attach a coaxial cable to the cable service provider’s 
connection.
• Power input connector . 
 Attach the DC power adapter cable to this input.
Position Your Modem Router
The modem router lets you access your network from anywhere within the o\
perating range of 
your WiFi network. However, the operating distance or range of your WiFi connection can 
vary significantly depending on the physical placement of your modem rou\
ter. For example, 
the thickness and number of walls the WiFi signal passes through can lim\
it the range. 
For best results, place your modem router according to the following gui\
delines: 
• Place your modem router on an upper floor of a multifloor home or of

fice.
• Place your modem router near the center of the area where your computers\
 and other 
devices operate, and within line of sight to your WiFi devices.
• Make sure that the modem router is within reach of an 
 AC power outlet and near Ethernet 
cables for wired computers.
• Place the modem router in an elevated location, minimizing the number wa\
lls and ceilings 
between the modem router and your other devices. 
• Place the modem router away from electrical devices such as these:
- Ceiling fans
- Home security systems
- Microwaves
- Computers
- Baby monitors
- Base of a cordless phone 
						

							Hardware Overview and Setup 14
AC1600 WiFi Cable Modem Router 
-
2.4 GHz cordless phone
- 5 GHz cordless phone
• Place the modem router away from large metal surfaces, large glass surfa\
ces, insulated 
walls, and items such as these:
- Solid metal doors
- Aluminum studs
- Fish tanks
- Mirrors
- Brick
- Concrete
When you use multiple access points, it is better if adjacent access poi\
nts use different radio 
frequency channels to reduce interference. 
 The recommended channel spacing between 
adjacent access points is five channels (for example, use Channels 1 an\
d 6, or 6 and 11).
Install and Activate Your Cable Modem
The most common way to cable your modem router is the simplest, without \
any other routers  or gateways on the same network. You can also cable the modem router to another router or 
gateway and log in to the modem router to specify this setting.
Cable the Modem Router
The modem router comes configured to work as both a modem and a router. You can share your Internet connection without connecting the modem router to a router\
 or gateway.
USB ResetCableCoaxial cable
Internet Modem router
Ethernet cable Power adapter
Figure 3. Modem router in a simple network 
						

							Hardware Overview and Setup 
15  AC1600 WiFi Cable Modem Router
To cable your modem router:
1. Connect a coaxial cable.
Use the coaxial cable that your cable company provides to connect the cable port on the 
modem router to a cable wall outlet or a line splitter.
Note:For XFINITY cable Internet service, Comcast XFINITY recommends 
connecting your modem router to a cable wall outlet.
2. Connect the power adapter provided in the package to the modem router and plug the 
power adapter into an electrical outlet.
3. Press the Power On/Off button on the back panel of the modem router.
The Power LED lights green.
4. Wait for the modem router to come online
The modem router comes online when the Internet LED stops blinking and lights solid 
green.
This process might take up to 10 minutes.
5. Connect a computer or WiFi device to the modem router.
For more information, see Connect to the Network on page 21.
You can log in to the modem router to view or change its settings. 
Activate Your Internet Service
To activate your Internet service:
1. Visit your cable Internet provider’s website and follow the onscreen instructions to 
activate your Internet service.
Cable Internet ProviderContact Information
Bright House Networkshttp://support.brighthouse.com
1-866-898-9101
Cablevisionhttp://www.cablevision.com
https://install.optimum.com/JointInstall/
Telephone number depends on your region.
Note:When you attempt to contact Cablevision online, you are directed to the 
Optimum web page. Optimum is a brand name of Cablevision. 
						

							Hardware Overview and Setup 
16 AC1600 WiFi Cable Modem Router 
Note:Your cable Internet provider’s contact information might change. You 
can also find the contact information in your monthly Internet service 
billing statement.
2. If you are unable to activate your Internet service using the instructions on your cable 
Internet provider’s website, call your cable Internet provider and do the following:
a.When asked, provide your account information and provide the modem router’s 
model number, which is C6250, serial number, and MAC address.
The serial number and MAC address are on the label on the modem router, which is 
on the bottom of the cable modem.
b. Wait for your cable Internet provider to confirm that your modem router is active.
c. If you do not get an Internet connection with the modem router, ask your cable 
Internet provider to look for your modem router online, and do one of the following 
depending what your cable Internet provider tells you about your modem router:
•If the modem router is not visible, your cable Internet provider can give you 
instructions to verify why the modem router does not connect with your high-speed 
Internet service.
•If the modem router is visible to your cable Internet provider, reboot the modem 
router. Check your online status again.
Activate Your Internet Service with Comcast XFINITY
If you use Comcast XFINITY, you can set up Internet service by using Comcast XFINITY’s 
self-activation process. If you are unable to self-activate your modem router, call Comcast 
XFINITY customer service. After you complete the setup, perform a speed test.
Comcast XFINITYhttp://www.comcast.com/activate
http://www.XFINITY.com/internetsetup
http://www.XFINITY.com/internetsupport
1-800-XFINITY (1-800-934-6489)
For more information, see Activate Your Internet Service with Comcast 
XFINITY on page 16.
Coxhttps://activation.cox.net/selfactivation/start.cox
1-888-556-1193
Mediacomhttps://maestro.mediacomcc.com/walledgarden/page/login.jsp
1-844-2SIMPLE (1-844-274-6753)
Time Warner Cablehttps://elb02.activatemymodem.com/authentication
1-800-892-2253
Cable Internet ProviderContact Information 
						

							Hardware Overview and Setup 
17  AC1600 WiFi Cable Modem Router
Before you start the self-activation process, make sure that your account number, account 
phone number, and login information (your email address or user name and password) are 
nearby.
To activate your Internet connection with Comcast XFINITY’s self-activation process:
1. Close all web browsers.
2. Launch a web browser.
You are redirected to the XFINITY self-activation page. If you are not redirected to the 
XFINITY self-activation page, visit 
www.comcast.com/activate.
3. Provide your XFINITY credentials and complete the self-activation process.
This process might take up to 15 minutes, during which the modem router reboots a 
couple of times.
4. If you are unable to activate your modem router using the XFINITY self-activation process, 
call Comcast XFINITY customer service at 1-800-XFINITY (1-800-934-6489).
a.When asked, provide your account information and provide the modem router’s 
model number and MAC address, which are on the product label on the modem 
router. 
For more information, see Product Label on page 23.
b. Wait for Comcast XFINITY to confirm that your modem router is active.
c. If you do not get an Internet connection with the modem router, ask Comcast 
XFINITY to look for your modem router online, and do one of the following 
depending on what Comcast XFINITY tells you about your modem router:
•If the modem router is not visible, Comcast XFINITY can give you instructions to 
verify why the modem router does not connect with your high-speed Internet 
service.
•If the modem router is visible to Comcast XFINITY, reboot the modem router. 
Check your online status again.
Perform a Speed Test
To determine the accurate Internet speed, visit the speed test website of your cable Internet 
provider and perform a speed test.
If your actual speed is lower than your subscribed speed, contact your cable Internet 
provider.
Cable the Modem Router to a Router and Use Bridge Mode
In the unlikely situation that you want to use the modem router as a cable modem only that 
you can connect to an existing router or gateway, you must cable the modem router to the 
router or gateway, log in to the modem router, and change its router mode setting. Changing 
this setting prevents certain network conflicts that can occur when two devices on the same 
network perform routing functions such as network address translation (NAT) and DHCP  
						

							Hardware Overview and Setup 
18 AC1600 WiFi Cable Modem Router 
(assigning IP addresses to devices on the network). This turns the modem router into a 
bridged modem.
Note:If the modem router functions as a cable modem only (that is, as a 
bridged modem or in bridge mode), the modem router’s WiFi radios 
are turned off.
To cable your modem router to a gateway or router and change the router mode:
1. Connect a coaxial cable.
Use the coaxial cable that your cable company provides to connect the cable port on the 
modem router to a cable wall outlet or a line splitter.
2. Connect the power adapter to the modem router and plug the power adapter into an 
electrical outlet.
The Power LED lights green.
3. On your computer or wireless device, find and select the WiFi network.
The WiFi network name is on the product label.
4. Join the WiFi network and enter the WiFi password.
The password is on the product label.
Your wireless device connects to the WiFi network.
5. Launch an Internet browser.
6. Type http://www.routerlogin.net.
A login window opens.
7. Type admin for the user name and type your password.
If you did not yet personalize your password, type password for the password.
8. Click the OK button. 
The BASIC Home page displays.
9. Select ADVANCED > Administration > Router Mode.
The Router Mode page displays.
10. Select the No radio button.
By default, the Ye s radio button is selected. 
						

							Hardware Overview and Setup 19
 AC1600 WiFi Cable Modem Router
With the 
No setting, the modem router works as a bridge and obtains IP information \
from 
the cable Internet provider.
11.  Click the  Apply button.
Your settings are saved.
12.  Follow the instructions that came with your router or gateway to connect\
 it to the modem 
router.
CAUTION:
When the modem router is in bridge mode, you must connect only one 
device (your other router) to one of the Ethernet ports on the modem 
router. In most cases, an Internet service provider (ISP) provides onl\
y one 
public IP address and connecting multiple devices can cause conflicts an\
d 
can cause your devices to stop working. 
						

							20
2
2.   Connect to the Network and 
Access the Modem Router
This chapter describes how to use NETGEAR genie to connect to the modem router.
This chapter contains the following sections:
•Connect to the Network
•Types of Logins and Access
•Product Label
•Access NETGEAR genie
•Access the Modem Router with the NETGEAR genie App
Note:For information about installing the modem router, see the AC1600 
WiFi Cable Modem Router Model C6250 Quick Start Guide that 
comes in the product package. You can also download this guide 
from downloadcenter.netgear.com.