- Netgear Genie App Using Router Mac Address For All Devices 2017
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Netgear Genie (Desktop App)
Editor Rating: Good (3.0)
May 16, 2020 To get a better look, Tap each device to see Connection Status, IP and MAC address. Check How many users are connected to your wireless using Genie App. Attention: This app is compatible with Netgear only. Connect your mobile device to your WiFi Router Network (If you are connecting remotely, otherwise skip to the second step). Increasingly, vendors like Cisco, Belkin, D-Link, and now Netgear, with the desktop app Genie, are using apps to make devices easier to deploy and manage in a home network.
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Pros
- Manages Netgear devices.
- Provides traffic monitoring.
- Free.
- Runs on multiple platforms.
Cons
- Ads at bottom of window.
- Sometimes sluggish displaying traffic.
- Some features returned error messages in testing.
- Enabling access control problematic.
Bottom Line
Netgear's desktop Genie app adds some capabilities over the Web GUI, such as real-time monitoring of the home network and setup of up printing to iOS devices, but error messages and buggy behavior proves the app needs more fine-tuning.
Home users' networks are getting more complex and doing more tasks than ever: streaming media, handling online gaming, BitTorrenting, and more. The demands of such tasks require vendors to deliver robust networking products to market and make them easier for home users to set up and manage. Increasingly, vendors like Cisco, Belkin, D-Link, and now Netgear, with the desktop app Genie, are using apps to make devices easier to deploy and manage in a home network.
Netgear's Genie app can be installed on a PC or Mac desktop, as well as on Android and iOS devices. The purpose of Genie is to make managing and configuring Netgear devices easier than by the conventional method—opening a browser to the IP address of the device and using the Web-based GUI. I took a look at the Genie Desktop version. The desktop app adds some capabilities over the Web GUI, such as real-time monitoring of the home network. Yet, I found error messages when testing it with the Netgear Centria, and some buggy behavior when using it to manage Netgear's R6300 router, proving the app needs more fine-tuning. In addition, naming the mobile/desktop app Genie the same name as the Web-based interface of Netgear routers, is liable to confuse customers.
Getting Genie
When you first setup a Netgear device—I set up and tested Genie with the Netgear Centria WNDR4720 and the Netgear R6300 11ac router—part of the initial setup process is asking you if you want to download the Desktop Genie. This is now standard procedure with newer Netgear devices, such as the Centria and the R6300.
When you first setup a Netgear device—I set up and tested Genie with the Netgear Centria WNDR4720 and the Netgear R6300 11ac router—part of the initial setup process is asking you if you want to download the Desktop Genie. This is now standard procedure with newer Netgear devices, such as the Centria and the R6300.
You can also download the app for supported Netgear devices.
Once you install Genie, a shortcut is created on the desktop. Clicking Genie open brings you to the app's home page. There are six panels you can click on to get to different configuration options: Internet, WiFi Connection, Router Settings, Network Map, Parental Controls, and ReadyShare.
Internet Panel
I could see right on the Internet panel that the status of my internet connection was 'Good.' Clicking on the panel gives you some ways to get real-time insight into your network traffic. You can run a speed test though either Netgear's site or click a link to go to speedtest.net to check your bandwidth. There's also a real-time traffic monitor which shows download and upload traffic in Mbps. You can use a slider to set the high traffic threshold for viewing this data; by default it's set at 2Mbps.
I could see right on the Internet panel that the status of my internet connection was 'Good.' Clicking on the panel gives you some ways to get real-time insight into your network traffic. You can run a speed test though either Netgear's site or click a link to go to speedtest.net to check your bandwidth. There's also a real-time traffic monitor which shows download and upload traffic in Mbps. You can use a slider to set the high traffic threshold for viewing this data; by default it's set at 2Mbps.
At the bottom of the Genie window are ads for other Netgear products. These ads change frequently and seem to add some lag to interface. There is also a search field that lets you search Netgear's support site and knowledge base. I performed a search for 'QoS' and was taken to Netgear's site with relevant links to peruse on QoS.
WiFi Panel
On the WiFi connection panel I could see my status as 'Connected' since I was connected wirelessly. Clicking on this panel pulls a bar graph of all wireless networks in your proximity,and which are using what channel. Hover the mouse over each bar and it will show you which Wi-Fi networks are using what channel. Also displayed is the channel your own network is on, so if you have slow performance you can see if there are lots of other networks on your channel and change the channel if needed, to help boost performance.
On the WiFi connection panel I could see my status as 'Connected' since I was connected wirelessly. Clicking on this panel pulls a bar graph of all wireless networks in your proximity,and which are using what channel. Hover the mouse over each bar and it will show you which Wi-Fi networks are using what channel. Also displayed is the channel your own network is on, so if you have slow performance you can see if there are lots of other networks on your channel and change the channel if needed, to help boost performance.
There are two additional tabs in this view: Connect Wi-Fi – where you can connect to a network, and Manage, to manage the networks you connect to. When I clicked Manage, the interface text directed me to automatically connect to the available networks in the order listed below in a window, but nothing was listed. There is however, an 'Add' button you can use to manually add networks. Still, networks in proximity should show up in that available network window.
Router Settings Panel
When you click the panel, 'Router Settings,' there are tabs for managing guest access, a Traffic Meter tab which you can enable. This meter displays your network's traffic information such as total upload and download traffic for a particular increment of time.
When you click the panel, 'Router Settings,' there are tabs for managing guest access, a Traffic Meter tab which you can enable. This meter displays your network's traffic information such as total upload and download traffic for a particular increment of time.
You can also opt to display the data as an average rather than a total. It took a good minute for the data to show up.
Another tab lets you download firmware. I clicked the tab and new firmware for the device I was testing the Genie app on, the R6300 router, was detected. I clicked again to confirm the upgrade and I was taken out of the desktop Genie app and forced to login to the web-based GUI.
In the GUI, I saw a message that new firmware was available and clicked 'Yes' to upgrade. The upgrade process was fine. It's kind of a pain that you have to go into two separate interfaces to upgrade the firmware but there is good workflow between the desktop Genie app and the web GUI.
If you're using a Netgear router, then first of all, you made a good choice. While the apps you use to interact with it might not be the greatest feat of design, when it comes to performance you're being well looked after.
But, there are also some common issues you may want to address but aren't sure where to start. Here's some quick troubleshooting tips.
For all troubleshooting, Netgear uses the www.routerlogin.net web app. So you'll need to point a web browser there while connected to the network your router is broadcasting.
The default username and password should be admin to log in. If not, check the documentation that came with your router, or see if it's printed on a label somewhere on the hardware itself.
2. Changing your network name (SSID) and password
By default your network name will be something relating to the router like 'NETGEAR84-5G' and the password will be completely random and printed on a label somewhere on the router. It's reasonable you want to change these.
Once logged in to the web app you'll find both of these options under wireless. Change them to something more memorable and unique, remembering to click apply before you leave.
3. Turning off your ISP supplied Wi-Fi router
The video above uses the BT Smart Hub from the UK as an example, but the basic principle is the same whichever ISP supplied Wi-Fi router you're using.
You can just plug your Netgear into the ISP router and it'll start working straight away. But, two different Wi-Fi networks running in the same home can interfere, so for the best performance, you need to turn the ISP supplied one off.
Exact steps will vary, but you'll need to login to the web app of your ISP router using the details provided either in the manual or usually on a label somewhere on the router. You need to locate the setting to either put it in modem only mode or to just turn off its wireless capabilities.
4. How do I update my router's firmware?
Just like your PC or your phone, your router will occasionally need updating. The easiest way to do it is by logging in to the web app as detailed above. If there's a new firmware, you'll have a message towards the top of the window telling you so.
You'll find the option to update in the advanced tab in the app and under the administration section. The update will be displayed with a one-click to download and install the latest firmware to keep your router running at its best.
5. My download speeds are poor, what do I do?
This one is more difficult to solve, as it might not be just down to the router. The size of the house will be one contributing factor, as will the positioning of the router. If you can't move the router to a more central location, there are some things you can do.
You could try changing the channel that your Wi-Fi signal is using. If there are other networks nearby using the same channel, it could get congested and as such your speeds may suffer. Login to the web app as above in step 2. In the wireless settings this time you're looking for channel. Pick a different one to the default and see if that helps.
Netgear Genie App Using Router Mac Address For All Devices 2017
One easy trick is to use the 5GHz connection if your router supports it. A lot of modern routers are dual or tri-band, offering 2.4GHz and 5GHz connections. Typically, 2.4GHz is for distance, 5GHz is for performance. On Netgear routers, you'll see the 5GHz connection as a separate Wi-Fi network in Windows. By default, it'll have 5G at the end of the SSID.
Another thing to try is enabling Netgear's Dynamic QoS (Quality of Service) feature that is supported on some routers. This will help to intelligently prioritize bandwidth to make sure that the most important and demanding tasks, like streaming video and gaming, for example, are getting the share of the bandwidth they need. When you log in to your router's web app you'll find it under the basic menu in the sidebar.
6. How do I control my kids' access to the internet?
Like everything you can enable this in the web app, but an easier solution is to download the Netgear Genie app for your smartphone. It offers basic access to a number of your router's features, including setting up and managing parental controls.
Grab it for your phone from the links below.
Netgear Genie App
Your tips
If you're a long-term Netgear router user with your own troubleshooting tips be sure to leave them in the comments below.
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