Last Updated on May 5, 2022 by rabiamuzaffar
Nighthawk routers are winning millions of hearts with their awesome performance and features. That is why people prefer configuring Netgear Nighthawk routers in their homes. They might know that updating the firmware optimizes the performance of the router. But, what they don’t know is that the efficiency of the Netgear router can also be improved by changing the MTU size. Wondering what is MTU size? No worries! We will reveal everything related to MTU settings in this write-up. So, read on.
What is MTU Size?
MTU stands for maximum tranmission unit. It is the maximum amount of data transferred by any networking device in a WiFi network. Know that when two devices communicate within a network system, the data packet travels a long way. Chances are that it also comes across other networking devices amidst the process. If the MTU size of the device present in the path of the data packet has a smaller MTU size, the data packet is required to be fragmented. Therefore, one needs to increase the MTU size of the Nighthawk router.
Considering that you have learned what MTU size is, let us shed light on the steps to change it by accessing the Netgear Nighthawk router login screen.
Steps to Change Netgear Router MTU Size
- Plug in your Netgear Nighthawk router to a wall socket and set the Power button to the ON state.
- Now, wait for some time and let the LED light on your Nighthawk router become green.
- Once the power LED stabilizes, consider connecting your Netgear router to the host modem.
- You can choose between a wired or a wireless medium to connect your WiFi devices.
- After connecting your WiFi devices, shift your attention towards a PC and turn it on.
- Thereafter, open your favorite web browser that is running on its updated version.
- Take the cursor of the mouse to the URL field of the internet browser.
- Enter the default web address of your Netgear Nighthawk wireless router.
- Press Enter.
- You will be welcomed by the official login page of your Netgear Nighthawk router.
- Now, type in the default username and password of the device.
- Click the Log In button.
- The Netgear Nighthawk setup wizard displaying multiple tabs will welcome you.
- Click the Advanced tab and select the Setup menu.
- Select the WAN Setup option.
- The WAN Setup wizard will be displayed on the screen.
- Enter a numeric value from 64 to 1000 in the MTU Size field.
- Lastly, click the Apply button to make the changes effective.
After following the guidelines discussed above, you will be able to change the MTU size of the Nighthawk router. If you fail to do so, consider updating the firmware of your router via the Nighthawk app. If you encounter the Nighthawk app not working issue while doing so, reboot your smartphone and re-install the app.
When to Keep Router MTU Size to Default?
An incorrect MTU size of your Netgear Nighthawk router can cause internet connection problems. Like you won’t be able to access specific websites, secure login pages, FTP, or POP servers. Therefore, if you are unsure about the correct MTU size for your device, consider setting it to 1400 and reducing it gradually.
Although you can change the MTU size of your Nighthawk router with ease, however, keep it to the default value when you find yourself in any of the following scenarios.
- When you face problems accessing your Internet Service Provider’s or others’ service and your ISP advice you to keep MTU size to default. For instance, if a secure website partially opens and you are unable to click any link on it, you need to change the router’s MTU settings to default.
- You use Virtual Private Network (VPN) or proxy and face severe internet performance problems.
- When you face connectivity or performance problems with multiple WiFi-enabled devices connected to your Netgear Nighthawk router’s network.
Final Words
This was all about how to change the MTU size on the Netgear Nighthawk router. We hope that you will be able to receive maximum data transmission after changing the router’s MTU settings. Just in case you aren’t, we recommend you perform Netgear WiFi extender setup to compliment your wireless router and attain higher internet speeds.
