On a Nighthawk the guest network lives in the web interface at routerlogin.net. Choose Guest Network (Settings, then Guest Network on Nighthawk Pro Gaming models), scroll to the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz section to set one for either band, and note the default names: NETGEAR-Guest for 2.4 GHz and NETGEAR-5G-Guest for 5 GHz. Leave Enable SSID Broadcast ticked, because clearing it makes the network hidden, type a case-sensitive name of up to 32 characters, pick a security option, WPA2 being the default, and click Apply.
The checks in more detail
NETGEAR states that the router separates the guest network from the primary network, so devices on one cannot reach the other, which protects your printers, drives and cameras but also stops a visitor casting to your speaker. The Nighthawk app has its own route. If guests cannot join, check the network is enabled, that the name is typed exactly, that the security is one their device supports and that the band suits it.
If a smart device needs to be reachable from your phone, keep it on the primary network. Switch the guest network off when not needed. A guest network is also a tidy home for visitors' phones and gadgets you do not fully trust. Turn it off when not needed, and share the password only with people who need it. Smart home gadgets often cannot talk to your phone from the guest network, so keep them on the main network unless you have a reason to isolate them.
Guests who cannot join often type the case-sensitive name wrongly, so reading the name from the router page or sharing it by message avoids most support calls. Set the guest network's name to something obvious such as your surname plus guest, so visitors pick the right one on the first try and do not end up asking for the main password. Review the guest list now and then; a network you no longer use is best switched off.
Differential
Likely causes of “NETGEAR Nighthawk routers guest network cannot reach devices, cast or print”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Broadcast off
What separates it The guest network is hidden because its name is not being broadcast
How to confirm Tick Enable SSID Broadcast for the guest network, so that its name shows in wifi lists
- 2
Separation
What separates it Guests cannot reach the main devices because the guest network is kept separate on purpose
How to confirm Use the main network for the devices that need to talk to each other
- 3
Wrong security
What separates it Old devices cannot join because the security type for the guest network is too new
How to confirm Choose a compatible security option for the guest network, such as the default WPA2
- 4
A typo in the name
What separates it A guest cannot find the network because the name was typed with a mistake in the case
How to confirm Check the case of every letter in the name, since the name is case sensitive
- 5
The wrong band
What separates it Old devices cannot see the 5 GHz guest network because they only support 2.4 GHz
How to confirm Use the 2.4 GHz guest network for those old devices, since it works on all of them
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The names and the bands of the guest networks
- Whether SSID broadcast is switched on for the guest network
- The type of security that the guest network uses
- What the guest device cannot reach
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedOpen Guest Network
ReversibleOpen Guest Network, which is under Settings on the Nighthawk Pro Gaming models, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Pick the band
ReversiblePick the band for the guest network, choosing either the 2.4 GHz or the 5 GHz band.
Enable broadcast
ReversibleEnable SSID broadcast, unless you want the guest network to stay hidden from the wifi lists.
Name it
ReversibleName the guest network, using up to thirty two characters, and remember it is case sensitive.
Choose security
ReversibleChoose the security type, which is WPA2 by default, and set a password for the network.
Apply
ReversibleApply the settings by saving them, and test by joining a phone to the guest network.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Bands
- Guest networks are per band.
- Gaming models
- Nighthawk Pro Gaming routers put Guest Network under Settings.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Nighthawk RS300 Wi-Fi 7 router, Nighthawk RAXE500 router, Nighthawk RAX120 router, Nighthawk CAX80 cable modem router.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If guests cannot get online while the main network can, contact NETGEAR support
- !If a smart device needs both networks, keep it on the main one
- !If the option is missing, check the model
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Guest names, broadcast and security.
Guest wifi in the app.
Power, Internet, WiFi, Ethernet and WPS LEDs.
Placement, antennas, channels and mesh.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What are the default guest names?+
The default guest names are NETGEAR-Guest and NETGEAR-5G-Guest, which you can change.
Can I have one per band?+
Yes, you can have one guest network for each band, the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz.
Are guests separated?+
Yes, guests are separated from your main network, so they cannot see your devices.
Can I hide it?+
Clear the Enable SSID Broadcast option, and the guest network name is hidden.
How long can the name be?+
The guest network name can be up to thirty two characters long, and is case sensitive.
What is the default security?+
The default security for the guest network is WPA2, which most devices support.
Can I use the app?+
Yes, you can use the app to set up and manage the guest network from your phone.
Can guests reach my printer?+
Guests cannot reach your printer from the guest network, since it is kept apart.
Where is it on Pro Gaming models?+
On Pro Gaming models, it is under Settings and then Guest Network in the router's menu.