Linksys MR9600 Frequently Asked Questions

TABLE OF CONTENTS

HARDWARE INFORMATION

1.  
What is the Linksys MR9600 Max-Streamâ„¢ Dual-Band WiFi 6 Router?
2.  What are the parts of the Linksys MR9600?
3.  What are its features?
4.  What is its warranty period?
5.  What do the lights of the router indicate?
6.  Can I plug a USB hard drive or a printer into its USB port?
7.  What type of processor does this product have?
8.  What are the default settings of this product?

SETUP AND INSTALLATION 
 
1.  
What are the requirements for setup?
2.  How do I set it up?
3.  How can I add another router on child mode to my network?
4.  Can I add a router on child mode with DFS turned ON in the Linksys MR9600?
5.  What Wi-Fi security options are supported?
6.  Is the Linksys Mesh WiFi system compatible with Starlink?

FIRMWARE UPGRADE

1.  
How do I upgrade the Linksys MR9600's firmware?
2.  How do I check its current firmware version?

FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS

1.  
How do I access my router's dashboard?
2.  What is the External Storage feature?
3.  What file system formats does this router support?
4.  Does the USB port support File Transfer Protocol (FTP)?
5.  How do I safely eject my hard drive from the router?
6.  Can I protect my hard drive from unauthorized access?
7.  How can I access the storage device connected to the router?
8.  What is the Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS)?
9.  How to enable the DFS feature of the Linksys MR9600?
10.  Can I use DFS in my network with other routers on child modes?
11.  Will my clients connect to the DFS channels?
12.  Does it support Linksys Aware and Linksys Shield?
13.  Does this support IPv6 RD for its internet connection?


TROUBLESHOOTING

1.  
What should I do when my Dual band clients are only connecting to the 2.4 GHz band?
2.  What should I do when the 5 GHz Wi-Fi seems to disconnect and reconnect?
3.  How can I reset the router to factory defaults?
4.  How do I recover my admin password?
5.  How do I locate the model number of my router?
6.  My Linksys mesh router isn't working with my ISP's 5G router. What should I do?

 

HARDWARE INFORMATION

1.  What is the Linksys MR9600 Max-Stream™ Dual-Band WiFi 6 Router?


The Linksys MR9600 Max-Stream™ Dual-Band WiFi 6 Router is a Mesh Router that delivers true Gigabit speeds of up to 6 Gbps with eight-stream capacity throughout the entire home.  With the WiFi® 6 (802.11ax) standard, the Linksys MR9600 can support your growing Wi-Fi demands, including more devices accessing Wi-Fi and consuming high-bandwidth content simultaneously.  To learn more about this router, click here.

2.  What are the parts of the Linksys MR9600?

The Linksys MR9600 has the following parts:

 
  • Ports:
 
  • Four Gigabit ethernet ports
  • One Gigabit internet port
  • Power port (12V, 4A)
  • Two USB 3.0 port to support USB drives
 
NOTE:  The USB feature is only supported when the Linksys MR9600 is on parent mode.  It is NOT supported on a Linksys MR9600 that is on child mode.
 
  • Windows®:  NTFS, FAT32 and Samba
  • Mac®:  APFS (read-only), FAT32 and HFS+
  • Supports SMB v2.0
  • UPnP®
  • DLNA-compliant
  • Supports up to 1100mA current draw
 
  • Buttons and switch:
 
  • Reset button
  • WPS button (located on the side)
  • Power switch (rocker style)

3.  What are its features?

The Linksys MR9600 has the following features:
  • Dual-Band AX6000 WiFi 6
  • Supports 802.11ax up to 6.0 Gbps speed
  • 1.8 GHz quad-core CPU
  • 4x4 spatial streams
  • Intelligent Meshâ„¢ Technology
  • Next-generation Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology
  • Guest Network
  • Four adjustable antennas
  • Two USB 3.0 port for storage support
  • Wi-Fi Protected Setupâ„¢ (WPS)
  • Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) support
  • Coverage of up to 3,000 sq ft
  • Dimensions:  280 mm x 170 mm x 160 mm 
  • Weight:  940 g (2.07 lbs)
 
4.  What is its warranty period?


The warranty period is dependent on the country of purchase.  For more information on your device’s warranty, click here.

5.  What do the lights of the router indicate?

The lights indicate the different statuses and activities of your router.  For a detailed description, click here.

6.  Can I plug a USB hard drive or a printer into its USB port?

The Linksys MR9600 has two USB 3.0 ports for USB storage devices only.
 
7.  What type of processor does this product have?

The Linksys MR9600 has a 1.8 GHz quad-core processor.

8.  What are the default settings of this product?


The Linksys MR9600 has the following default settings:

 
  • The default IP address is 192.168.1.1.
  • The default Guest network IP address range is 192.168.3.x.
NOTE:  If the upstream device uses the same IP address, the router will automatically use a different LAN IP address to avoid any conflict. 
  • The default administrator password of an unconfigured router is admin.  Use the Linksys app to change the password after setup.
  • The default Wi-Fi name is _LinksysSetupxxx (where xxx are the last three digits of the router's MAC address).
  • Each router has a unique pre-assigned Wi-Fi password (found at the bottom of the device).
  • The default Guest Wi-Fi name is _LinksysSetupxxx-guest (where xxx are the last three digits of the router’s MAC address).
  • The Guest network is turned OFF by default.  It can be enabled using the router's web interface or the Linksys app.

SETUP AND INSTALLATION 
 
1.  What are the requirements for setup?

You will need the following for setup:
  • A modem or gateway with an active internet connection
  • Latest version of the Linksys app 
  • Mobile device with Bluetooth® for setup

2.  How do I set it up?

To set up your router, click here.

3.  How can I add another router on child mode to my network?

For instructions on how you can add another router on child mode, click here.

4.  Can I add a router on child mode with DFS turned ON in the Linksys MR9600?

No.  If the router does not support DFS, adding it as a child may fail.  You will also receive a prompt to first turn OFF the DFS in the Wi-Fi Settings section.

5.  What Wi-Fi security options are supported?

The Linksys MR9600 supports the following Wi-Fi security modes:

 
  • WPA2â„¢/WPA3â„¢ Mixed Personal
  • WPA3 Personal Only
  • WPA2 Personal (default)
  • Open

6.  Is the Linksys Mesh WiFi system compatible with Starlink?

Yes. For the Linksys router to work with Starlink, you will need a Starlink ethernet adapter which you can find in the Starlink shop. Connect one end of the ethernet cable to the Starlink ethernet adapter and the other end to the Internet port of your Linksys router. Learn how to set up the Linksys router with Starlink. 

FIRMWARE UPGRADE

1.  How do I upgrade the Linksys MR9600's firmware?


By default, your router's Automatic Firmware Update feature is enabled and will upgrade the firmware whenever a new version is released.  If you turn OFF Automatic Firmware Update on the Linksys app, you will get a prompt when a new firmware release is available.  When this happens, select Update Available to upgrade the firmware.  For upgrade instructions, click here.

2.  How do I check its current firmware version?

The firmware version can be found in the Linksys app on the Network Administration screen.  To access it, launch your Linksys app, tap the Menu icon > Network Administration.  Tap on your router and look for Firmware Version.  

FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS

1.  How to log in to the dashboard?


To learn how to access your dashboard, click here.

2.  What is the External Storage feature?

The External Storage feature of the Linksys MR9600 allows you to connect an external storage device into its USB port to share an entire hard drive.  It features two USB 3.0 port for storage drive.

3.  What file system formats does this router support? 

The Linksys MR9600 supports the following file formats:
  • For Windows:  NTFS, FAT32, and Samba
  • For Mac:  APFS (read-only), FAT32 and HFS+

4.  Does the USB port support File Transfer Protocol (FTP)?

No, the USB port doesn't support FTP.

5.  How do I safely eject my hard drive from the router?


To safely eject your hard drive from the router, simply click on the Eject icon located on both the Linksys app and web-based setup page.  To learn more, click here.

6.  Can I protect my hard drive from unauthorized access?

Yes.  This can be done by enabling Authentication through your router's External Storage feature.

NOTE:  The username should have a minimum of four and a maximum of 12 alphanumeric characters while the password should have a minimum of four and a maximum of 50 alphanumeric characters.  Both can include valid characters such as an underscore ( _ ) or a dash ( - ).  To learn more about the External Storage feature of the Linksys MR9600, click
here.

7.  How can I access the storage device connected to the router?

To learn how to access the storage device connected to your router, you need to first identify its IP address for SMB access.  For instructions, click here.

8.  What is the Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS)?

Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) is a spectrum-sharing mechanism that allows multiple Wireless Local Area Networks to coexist with radar systems.  It automatically selects a frequency that does not interfere with certain radar systems while operating in the 5 GHz band.  The benefits of using DFS channels are less Wi-Fi interference and better Wi-Fi performance.

9.  How to enable the DFS feature of the Linksys MR9600?


To know how to enable the DFS feature, click here.
 

10.  Can I use DFS in my network with other routers on child modes?

No.  If your other routers on child modes do not support DFS, the routers will have connectivity problems.

11.  Will my clients connect to the DFS channels?

Only if your clients support DFS channels.  If your clients do not support DFS channels, they will connect to the 2.4 GHz band instead.

12.  Does it support Linksys Aware and Linksys Shield?

Currently, the Linksys MR9600 does not support Linksys Aware or Linksys Shield.


13.  Does this support IPv6 RD for its internet connection?

Yes. It supports IPv6 RD and 6to4 tunneling.

TROUBLESHOOTING

1.  What should I do when my Dual band clients are only connecting to the 2.4 GHz band?

Check if you have DFS channels turned ON.  Your clients may not support DFS channels and therefore need to connect to the 2.4 GHz band instead.

2.  What should I do when the 5 GHz Wi-Fi seems to disconnect and reconnect?

Check if you have DFS channels turned ON.  If the router has detected a radar system using the same DFS channel nearby, it will disconnect from the channel and look for another available channel to use.  You can also turn OFF DFS in the Linksys app to prevent this from happening. 

3.  How can I reset the router to factory defaults?


To reset the router to its factory defaults, press and hold the reset button for 10 seconds (you will see a bright red flash, followed by three to four quick faded red pulses then another bright red flash) then you can release the button.  To learn more, click here.

4.  How do I recover my admin password?


You can recover your admin password using the five-digit recovery code printed on the product label at the bottom.  Follow the steps below to learn how:

NOTE:  Steps may vary depending on the operating system of your mobile device.  In most of the examples below, an iOS device is used.

Step 1:  
Connect your mobile device to your router's Wi-Fi and launch the Linksys app.

Step 2:
Tap on Manage Your Wi-Fi.

NOTE:  If you are using an Android™ device, tap on Log in instead.

Step 3:
Tap Router Password.

NOTE:  Tap Use Admin Password if you are using an Android device. 

Step 4:
Tap on Reset password.

Step 5:
Enter the five-digit recovery code located on the product label shown at the bottom of your router.

Step 6:
Once the code has been entered, you will be prompted to enter a new password and an optional password hint.  Tap Submit to save your settings.

Step 7:
The account holder will be notified via email that the admin password has been reset.  Tap Continue once done.


You should now be securely logged into the dashboard.

5.  How do I locate the model number of my router?

To locate the exact model number of your router, check its product label located at the bottom.  The Linksys app and the web interface will display your model series, but the product label contains the exact model number.


6.  My Linksys mesh router isn't working with my ISP's 5G router. What should I do?

For the Linksys mesh router to work with a 5G router, your ISP must provide a 5G router with an ethernet port for connection to the parent node.

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