This article describes different methods to find the IP address of a NETGEAR fully managed switch. When you know the IP address, you can access the audio video (AV) user interface (UI) and main UI of the switch. After you set up the switch in your network, you can manage the switch as a standalone device or use the Engage application to manage the switch in a ProAV network.
By default, both the management interface (that is, any port over VLAN 1) and the out-of-band (OOB) port function as DHCP clients so that they can be assigned an IP address by a DHCP server or router in your network. You can use the DHCP-assigned IP address to access the AV UI and main UI. Alternatively, you can use the default IP address of the management interface or OOB port to access the AV and main UI.
The following sections describe how you can find the DHCP-assigned IP address or use a default IP address. The method that you select depends on your network setup and the availability of one or more DHCP servers in your network.
Access the DHCP server or router or use an IP scanner application to find the DHCP-assigned IP address
Depending on how you connect the switch to the network, the management interface or the OOB port can be assigned an IP address by a DHCP server in your network. Normally, management interfaces and OOB ports are connected to different DHCP networks, each with their own dedicated DHCP server or router. Access the DHCP server or router in your network and go to the page that lists the DHCP clients to find the IP address that is assigned to the switch.
You can also download an IP scanner application, which are available on the Internet free of charge.
If the device name of the switch is not displayed on the page that lists the DHCP clients, you can identify the switch IP address by its MAC address, which is printed on the product label of the switch.
This method is a bit more complex and requires you to install USB console drivers on the computer that you use to access the switch. You need to use the USB-A to USB-C console cable that came with your switch.
For your computer to recognize the USB connection as a console connection, you must install the USB drivers on your computer. We recommended that you install the drivers first, and then use the console cable to connect the USB C port on the switch to a USB-A port on your computer.
Depending on how you connect the switch to the network, the management interface can be assigned an IP address by a DHCP server in your network. You can connect to the switch console port and access the command-line interface (CLI), which then lets you enter commands to find the DHCP-assigned IP address of the management interface.
To download the NETGEAR USB console driver, access the CLI over the console port, and find the DHCP-assigned IP address:
- Visit the NETGEAR Download Center, navigate to the support Downloads page or Firmware/Software page for your model, and download the zipped USB Console Driver file.
Note: If you are using Windows 11, download the driver file for Windows 10. - Unzip the file in the folder for your operating system.
- Run the application for your type of system:
- 32-bit operating system: CP210xInstaller_x86
- 64-bit operating system: CP210xInstaller_x64
- Connect the USB C port on the switch to a USB-A port on your computer and start a terminal emulation program:
- Windows: On a computer with a Windows operating system, you can use an application such as PuTTY, HyperTerminal, or Tera Term.
- Mac: On a computer with a Mac operating system, you can use an application such as ZTerm.
- Linux: On a computer with a Linux operating system, you can use an application such as Minicom.
- Unix: On a UNIX workstation, you can use an application such as Xterm.
- Configure a serial connection using a USB COM port connection and the following settings:
Note: You might need to look for the COM port number in the Windows Device Manager.- Baud rate: 115200 (some older models use a baud rate of 9600. The required baud rate is stated next to the console port on the switch.)
- Data bits: 8
- Parity: None
- Stop bit: 1
- Flow control: None
- When the CLI opens, enter admin as the user name, do not enter a password, and press Enter.
Note: If no prompt is displayed when the CLI opens, press Enter.
The default user name is admin and the default password is blank (that is, do not enter a password).
On first login, the switch forces you to specify a password. Subsequent times that you log in, you must use the password that you specified.
Note: In the unlikely situation that you are managing the switch through the Engage controller, enter the site password for the Engage site to which the switch is onboarded.
Note: In the unlikely situation that you are also managing the switch through the Insight Cloud Portal or Insight app, enter the Insight network password for the Insight network to which the switch is added. - Type enable and press Enter.
- Type show ip management and press Enter.
The IP address and subnet mask of the management interface (logical VLAN interface) display.
Record the IP address and subnet mask. You can close the CLI. - Launch a web browser and type the IP address of the management interface in the address field of the browser.
The login page displays. - Either click the AV Login button or the Main UI Login button.
A login page displays. - Enter admin as the user name and your local device password.
By default, the management interface (over VLAN 1) sends four requests for a DHCP address. Ater 120 seconds, the management interface defaults to IP address 169.254.100.100 with subnet mask 255.255.0.0:
- Make sure that no DHCP server is connected to the switch. If you just rebooted the switch, wait 2 minutes for the management interface to move into the default IP address.
- You must configure the computer that you connect to the management interface with a static IP address in the 169.254.x.x subnet. For example, you could use 169.254.100.250 if that IP address is not yet used by another device.
To change the IP address of your computer to an IP address in the 169.254.x.x subnet and then access the switch over the default IP address of the switch management interface:
Note: This procedure uses a Windows-based computer. If you are using a Mac, see How do I configure TCP/IP address, DNS server, or proxy server settings on a Mac?
- In Windows, type network connections in the Search panel. In the search results click View network connections.
- Right click Ethernet (Local Area Connection) and click Properties.
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
- Record the IP address and subnet mask so that you can reinstate these IP address settings later.
- Select the Use the following IP address radio button, and type IP address 169.254.100.250 in the IP address field and 255.255.0.0 in the Subnet mask field.
You can also type another IP address, provided that the address is in the 169.254.x.x subnet and is not in use. - Click the OK button, and then click the OK button again.
Your settings are saved. - Launch a web browser and type 169.254.100.100 in the address field of the browser.
The login page displays. - Either click the AV Login button or the Main UI Login button.
A login page displays. - Enter admin as the user name and enter one of the following passwords:
- Enter your local device password.
The first time that you log in, no password is required. However, you then must specify a local device password to use each subsequent time that you log in. - If you are managing the switch through the Engage controller, enter the site password for the Engage site to which the switch is onboarded.
- If, in addition to the AV UI or main UI, you are also managing the switch through the Insight Cloud Portal or Insight app, enter the Insight network password for the Insight network to which the switch is added.
- Enter your local device password.
By default, the OOB port sends four requests for a DHCP address. Ater 120 seconds, the OON port defaults to IP address 192.168.0.239 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0:
- Make sure that no DHCP server is connected to the switch. If you just rebooted the switch, wait 2 minutes for the OOB port to move into the default IP address.
- You must configure the computer that you connect to the management interface with a static IP address in the 192.168.0.x subnet. For example, you could use 192.168.0.250, if that IP address is not yet used by another device.
To change the IP address of your computer to an IP address in the 192.168.0.x subnet and then access the switch over the default IP address of the OOB port:
Note: This procedure uses a Windows-based computer. If you are using a Mac, see How do I configure TCP/IP address, DNS server, or proxy server settings on a Mac?
- In Windows, type network connections in the Search panel. In the search results click View network connections.
- Right click Ethernet (Local Area Connection) and click Properties.
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
- Record the IP address and subnet mask so that you can reinstate these IP address settings later.
- Select the Use the following IP address radio button, and type IP address 192.168.0.250 in the IP address field and 255.255.255.0 in the Subnet mask field.
You can also type another IP address, provided that the address is in the 192.168.0.x subnet and not in use. - Click the OK button, and then click the OK button again.
Your settings are saved. - Launch a web browser and type 192.168.0.239 in the address field of the browser.
The login page displays. - Either click the AV Login button or the Main UI Login button.
A login page displays. - Enter admin as the user name and enter one of the following passwords:
- Enter your local device password.
The first time that you log in, no password is required. However, you then must specify a local device password to use each subsequent time that you log in. - If you are managing the switch through the Engage controller, enter the site password for the Engage site to which the switch is onboarded.
- If, in addition to the AV UI or main UI, you are also managing the switch through the Insight Cloud Portal or Insight app, enter the Insight network password for the Insight network to which the switch is added.
- Enter your local device password.
Note: If you log in to the AV UI, the Management IP Address field in the Device Details section of the Dashboard displays the IP address of the switch management interface.