NETGEAR A9000 WiFi 7 Wireless USB 3.0 Adapter

Support and Community

For answers to your questions and access to the latest updates, visit netgear.com/fr/support/ and browse our NETGEAR community at community.netgear.com.

Regulatory and Legal Information

For information about regulatory compliance, including the EU Declaration of Conformity, visit NETGEAR.fr/about/regulatory/. Before connecting the power, refer to the legal compliance document. For NETGEAR's privacy policy, visit netgear.com/fr/about/privacy-policy.

To the extent permitted by law, by using this device, you accept NETGEAR's general terms and conditions, available at netgear.com/about/terms-and-conditions. If you do not agree, return the device to your place of purchase within your return period.

For 6 GHz devices not designed for outdoor use: use the device indoors only. Use of 6 GHz devices is prohibited on oil rigs, cars, trains, boats, and aircraft, with one exception: this device is authorized for use on large aircraft flying above 10,000 feet altitude. The use of transmitters in the 5.925-7.125 GHz bands is prohibited for control or communication with autopilot systems.

Applicable to 6 GHz devices only: use the device indoors only. Use of 6 GHz devices is prohibited on oil rigs, cars, trains, boats, and aircraft, with one exception: this device is authorized for use on large aircraft flying above 10,000 feet altitude. The use of transmitters in the 5.925-7.125 GHz bands is prohibited for control or communication with autopilot systems.

Trademarks

© NETGEAR, Inc., NETGEAR, and the NETGEAR logo are trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. All trademarks other than NETGEAR are used for reference purposes only.

Chapter 1: Getting Started and Connecting to a WiFi Network

The NETGEAR A9000 WiFi 7 USB Adapter connects your laptop or desktop computer via WiFi to a 11be network or another network for applications such as lag-free video streaming throughout the home, online gaming, and reliable, secure Internet connections.

This chapter describes how to set up and connect the A9000 WiFi 7 USB Adapter, referred to as the adapter in this manual, to a WiFi network. This chapter includes the following sections:

• Copy or Download the A9000 Installation Program on page 5
• Configure and Install the Adapter on page 5
• Connecting to a WiFi Network on page 6

[Note]: For more information on the topics covered in this manual, visit the support website at support.netgear.com.

[Note]: You can register your A9000 with NETGEAR and receive notifications about firmware updates. Firmware updates including new features and fixes are made available from time to time at downloadcenter.netgear.com.

Copy or Download the A9000 Installation Program

The adapter's installation program is provided:

• On the USB flash drive included in the A9000 packaging.
• On the NETGEAR download site.

To obtain the A9000 standalone adapter installation program:

1. Copy or download the installation program
1. Copy the installation program from the provided USB flash drive to your computer.
2. Visit https://www.netgear.com/support/download/?model=A6210 and download the latest software file.
2. Follow the steps in the Configure and Install the Adapter section on page 5 to run the installation program.

Configure and Install the Adapter

Before you start using your adapter, configure it by running the installation program to install the required drivers.

To install the Windows driver:

1. Verify that your computer is running an updated version of Windows 10 or 11.

For more information on updating Windows, see the Microsoft article titled Update Windows.

2. Follow the steps described in the Copy or Download the A9000 Installation Program section on page 5 to download the latest software file for Windows.
3. Launch the A9000 installation program
1. To start extracting the installation files, double-click the copied or downloaded file named A9000 Windows installation Program v.xxxx, where xxxx is the version number.
2. Double-click the file that was copied or downloaded and is named A9000 Windows installation Program V.xxxx.exe where xxxx is the version number.

[Note]: If a User Account Control (User Account Control) window appears and asks you to authorize the application to make changes to your device, select Yes (Yes).

1. Follow the instructions to proceed with the installation. When prompted, you can remove the USB flash drive and insert the Nighthawk A9000 WiFi 7 USB 3.0 adapter into your computer's USB port.

[Note]: The installation program offers the option to disable other WiFi adapters. For optimal performance, we recommend disabling them.

4. Click Finish to exit the installation wizard.

Connecting to a WiFi Network

The card can join a known WiFi network using the card's standalone driver.

• Install the card's standalone driver.
• Use your computer's WiFi network settings to connect to a WiFi network (see Joining a Network Using the Windows Driver on page 7).

[Note]: Although your adapter can connect to WiFi networks using WEP and WPA-PSK WiFi security, we recommend using newer, more secure options such as WPA2-PSK or WPA3, if your devices support them. WEP and WPA-PSK use older, less secure encryption. Therefore, be cautious when connecting to such networks.

Joining a Network Using the Windows Driver

In this task, you will learn how to connect to a WiFi network using the card.

[Note]: The adapter offers the best performance with a USB 3.0 port but is compatible with a USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 port.

To connect to a WiFi network:

1. You can connect your adapter to your computer's USB port with or without the docking station:
• Place the adapter in the docking station and connect the USB cable to your computer's USB port.

[Note]: NETGEAR does not recommend using another cable to connect the adapter to your computer's USB port. Use the docking station with the connected cable provided in the packaging. Using another USB cable may affect the adapter's performance and proper functioning.

[Note]: When the adapter is inserted into the docking station, you can deploy it to the maximum to increase WiFi signal strength.

• Without the desktop docking station, insert the adapter into a USB port on your computer.

The image shows a laptop connected to the NETGEAR A9000 WiFi adapter via a USB cable and dock. The adapter has an antenna and is positioned near the laptop.

2. Open the WiFi network settings on your computer by right-clicking the WiFi icon [WiFi icon]. Or the no internet access icon [No Internet icon], which appears in the bottom right corner of your screen.
3. (Windows 11 only) Click Manage Wi-Fi connections (>) (Manage WiFi connections (>)), next to the WiFi icon.
4. Select your network name (SSID).
5. Click Connect.
6. Enter the network security key (WiFi password).
7. Click Next (Next).

When you see the message "Connected, secured", the setup is complete.

8. Press the Esc key or click on the desktop to exit the WiFi network settings.

Chapter 2: Monitoring and Maintaining the Adapter

This chapter consists of the following sections:

• View Connection Status and Details on page 10
• Update the Adapter Software on page 10
• Uninstall the Adapter Software on page 10

View Connection Status and Details

You can check your network connection status in Windows.

To view the connection status and details:

1. Select the Start button, then enter Settings.
2. Select Settings > Network & Internet.

Update the Adapter Software

You can update the adapter's software by downloading and running the latest installation program.

If you have registered with NETGEAR, NETGEAR will notify you when an update is available as soon as a new version becomes available.

Uninstall the Adapter Software

You can uninstall the adapter:

• From the Windows Settings interface.
• Using the A9000 installation program.

1. To uninstall using Windows, select Start > Settings > Apps > NETGEAR A9000 WiFi 7 adapter > Uninstall.
2. To uninstall using the A9000 installation program:
1. Double-click the installation program.
2. Select Uninstall to remove the software.

Chapter 3: Troubleshooting and FAQs

This chapter covers the following topics:

• Troubleshooting on page 12
• Frequently Asked Questions on page 13

Troubleshooting

This section provides the following troubleshooting sections:

• The Adapter Light is Not On on page 12
• When I Connect to the Network, I Cannot Access Shared Resources Such as Printers on page 12
• The Adapter Lost Its IP Address on page 12

The Adapter Light is Not On

If the light is not on, follow these troubleshooting tips:

• Remove and reinsert the adapter.
• Check in Windows Device Manager if the adapter is recognized and enabled. Reinstall the adapter software if necessary.
• Insert the adapter into another USB port on your computer, if applicable.

When I Connect to the Network, I Cannot Access Shared Resources Such as Printers

Try these troubleshooting tips:

• Ensure that the router or access point is physically connected to the Ethernet network.
• Ensure that the IP addresses and Windows network settings are configured correctly.

The Adapter Lost Its IP Address

The adapter may lose its IP address after the adapter software upgrade, but do not restart your computer. Restart your computer or connect to another router or access point.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This section addresses the following frequently asked questions (FAQs):

• Do USB Ports Go into Sleep Mode If There Is No Traffic to or From the Port? on page 13
• How Can I Improve My WiFi Connection Speed? on page 13
• How to Display the Adapter's IP Address? on page 14

Do USB Ports Go into Sleep Mode If There Is No Traffic to or From the Port?

USB devices go into sleep mode if a Windows USB function called selective suspend is enabled, which is the case by default. If your adapter or another USB device goes into selective suspend mode, the network disconnects. To prevent this type of network disconnection, disable selective suspend.

To disable selective suspend mode:

1. Select Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings > USB settings.
2. Set the selective suspend mode setting to Disabled.

How Can I Improve My WiFi Connection Speed?

Connection speed can vary depending on your computer's USB port type, the router's or access point's capacity for the WiFi network, and the type of Internet connection. The following limitations may apply:

• If the physical throughput is limited to 54 Mbps, the card may be connected to an 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g network. If you want faster physical throughput, connect to an 802.11n, 802.11ac, 802.11ax, or 802.11be network, if available.
• If the physical throughput is limited to 54 Mbps, the network security may be WPA (TKIP). When WPA (TKIP) security mode is configured on the router or access point, WiFi regulations allow the card to connect at a maximum throughput of only 54 Mbps. For a faster connection, configure the router or access point's security as mixed WiFi security WPA2, WPA3, WPA + WPA2, or WPA2 + WPA3. Connection speed always depends on the WiFi capacity of the router or access point.
• If your computer is not equipped with a USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 port, the physical throughput is limited to 14 Mbps from the legacy USB 1.1 standard.

How to Display the Adapter's IP Address?

To check your adapter's IP address:

1. Select the Start button.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Settings > Network > Internet > Properties.

What Types of WiFi Security Does the Adapter Support?

Your WiFi card supports the following WiFi security types, from most secure to least secure:

• WPA3
• WPA2-PSK (AES)
• WPA-PSK-TKIP
• WEP 128-bit data encryption
• WEP 40-bit data encryption (also known as 64-bit)

[Note]: Although your adapter can connect to WiFi networks using WEP and WPA-PSK WiFi security, we recommend using newer, more secure options such as WPA2-PSK or WPA3, if your devices support them. WEP and WPA-PSK use older, less secure encryption. Therefore, be cautious when connecting to such networks.