RouterEntry · Sources checked · How we write our guides
This guide is for model RAX40 in the December 2021 manual. RAX40v2 is outside scope and has separate documentation. Check the exact model on the label before using any password or recovery instruction.
Open NETGEAR Nighthawk RAX40 settings
Connect by RAX40 Wi-Fi or a LAN Ethernet port, then open routerlogin.net. The manual also lists routerlogin.com and 192.168.1.1. Use the current local address if the router was readdressed.
Open routerlogin.net ↗This local hostname works only while connected to your own router network.
Which password does the page need?
The local browser username is admin. Use the case-sensitive admin password chosen at first setup. The Wi-Fi key joins the network, while the NETGEAR account and ISP login are separate; none automatically replace a changed local admin password.
Change the Wi-Fi password
After local sign-in, select Wireless. In the intended 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz section, replace Password (Network Key), keep security enabled, and select Apply. The 2021 manual includes WPA2, WPA3 and mixed security choices; replacing a key does not require changing the existing security mode. Reconnect affected devices with the saved key.
Check RAX40 versus RAX40v2 before troubleshooting
A Nighthawk or AX4 family name is not enough to select a manual. If the screens, ports or recovery behavior differ, recheck the model suffix. For the original RAX40, verify the local cable or Wi-Fi connection and username admin before assuming the password itself is the cause.
Recover local administrator access
The original RAX40 can recover the local admin password only when password recovery and two security questions were configured in advance under Advanced → Administration → Set Password. Cancel the routerlogin.net prompt, enter the label serial number and the saved answers; the documented flow displays the recovered password, then returns to login. The 2021 manual says this flow is not supported in Safari; that is a manual limitation, not a current browser test. Without prepared recovery, preserve ISP and custom settings before a factory reset, which erases configuration and must not be interrupted.
The NETGEAR account is separate from the original RAX40's local admin login. The serial-number/security-answer procedure does not recover an online account.
Compare account, admin and Wi-Fi recovery →
Choose the next diagnostic
Check whether another device can reach the router, inspect the cable to the modem and note the Wi-Fi LED. A 169.254.x.x client address indicates that the client did not receive an address from the router. In access-point or bridge mode, identify the upstream-assigned RAX40 address before considering a reset simply to restore 192.168.1.1.
Work through the no-internet checks →
Get the next check for your NETGEAR Nighthawk RAX40.
NETGEAR RAX40 user manual (December 2021; not RAX40v2)