NETGEAR Insight cloud remote access and apps on the Align Controller need internet access and a valid license. You can start a 90-day trial, or activate the optional 5-year license (GB406P60-10000S).
This article covers the following tasks:
- Connect the Align Controller to the internet
- Log in to the Insight cloud portal
- Activate access with a 90-day trial or a 5-year license
- Option A: Start the 90-day trial
- Option B: Activate the 5-year license in Insight (recommended)
- Option C: Activate the 5-year license in the device UI
- Option D: Activate the 5-year license on my.netgear.com (no internet access)
- Access the Align Controller remotely and install apps
Before you begin, make sure that you have the following:
- The serial number (13 characters) and MAC address of your Align Controller, both printed on the product label
- Admin access to the Align Controller device UI over HTTPS (default VLAN 1 IP address: 192.168.1.250)
- The IP address of your gateway (router or firewall)
- An Insight account (recommended), and the user name and password for the Align Controller device UI
- Your GB406P60-10000S license key from your NETGEAR partner or authorized distributor, if you purchased a 5-year license
The Align Controller reaches the internet only if the network that connects to your router has a default route to the router and a DNS server. A computer on the Align Controller ports can browse the internet even when the Align Controller itself cannot, so check the Align Controller settings directly.
The default route is often missing because of how it is set:
- Onboarding wizard, Static IP: The default route is set only if you fill in the Gateway field.
- Onboarding wizard, DHCP Client: The default route is set only if you select the Use the gateway from the DHCP server as Align Controller's default route checkbox.
- Editing a network after onboarding: You must select the default-route checkbox yourself.
Note: The LCD screen on the Align Controller displays its management IP address. The default user name for the device UI is admin.
A typical setup with the router on the Default network uses these values:
|
Setting |
Example value |
|---|---|
|
Router LAN address (gateway) |
192.168.1.1 |
|
Align Controller IP address |
192.168.1.250 (factory default) |
|
Subnet mask |
255.255.255.0 |
|
DNS Server 1 |
192.168.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 |
To connect the Align Controller to the internet:
- Use an Ethernet cable to connect a LAN port on your router to a port on the Align Controller, for example port 1.
- Log in to the Align Controller device UI.
- Select Networks, and find the network that holds the router port in the Configured Networks table.
- Click Edit on that network's row, and click the IP & Management tab.
- If the network uses a static IP address, select the Use the gateway setting below as Align Controller's default route checkbox, and fill in the Gateway and DNS Server 1 fields.
- If the network uses DHCP, select the Use the gateway from the DHCP server as Align Controller's default route checkbox.
- Click the Apply button.
- Select Settings > Diagnostics > Troubleshoot.
- In the IP Address/Host Name field, enter www.netgear.com.
- Turn on the DNS Lookup toggle, and click the Run Test button.
If the DNS lookup returns an IP address for www.netgear.com, the Align Controller is online.
You use the NETGEAR Insight cloud portal to start the 90-day trial, activate the 5-year license, and access the Align Controller remotely. If you do not have an Insight account, you can create one from the login page.
To log in to the Insight cloud portal:
- Go to insight.netgear.com.
- If you do not have an Insight account, click the Create one link and follow the prompts.
- In the Email field, enter your email address.
- In the Password field, enter your password.
- Click the Sign in button.
The Insight dashboard displays. If you forgot your password, click the Forgot Password? button.
To log in with a one-time password instead:
- On the login page, click the Login with one-time password link.
- Enter your email address, and click the Send One-Time Password button.
- Enter the verification code that was sent to your email, and click the Verify Code button.
The code is valid for 30 minutes. If you did not receive a code, click the Resend Message button.
Choose one of the following options. Options B, C, and D activate the optional 5-year license (GB406P60-10000S). NETGEAR recommends Option B.
|
Option |
Use it when |
Account needed |
|---|---|---|
|
A: 90-day trial |
You want to try Insight remote access and apps |
Insight account |
|
B: 5-year license in Insight (recommended) |
You purchased a license, and the Align Controller is online |
Insight account |
|
C: 5-year license in the device UI |
You purchased a license, the Align Controller is online, and you do not want to activate it in Insight |
None |
|
D: 5-year license on my.netgear.com |
You purchased a license, and the Align Controller has no internet access |
NETGEAR account |
Note: When you activate a purchased license key, the 90-day trial ends. Each key applies to one Align Controller and is tied to its serial number. You cannot move the key to another controller or schedule activation for a later date.
Add the Align Controller to Insight.
Options A and B start with this procedure. For Options C and D, you add the Align Controller to Insight afterward, so that you can access it remotely.
Note: Use the Insight cloud portal in a web browser. Do not use the Insight mobile app.
To add the Align Controller to Insight:
- Make sure that the Align Controller is online (see Step 1).
- Log in to the Insight cloud portal (see Step 2).
- In the Hierarchy Tree at the top left, select the location for the Align Controller.
- Click Devices in the left menu, and click the Add button.
- In the Add Device panel, keep Single Device selected, and enter the Align Controller serial number in the Serial Number field.
After Insight recognizes the serial number, the panel shows Model: Align and the Device Name and MAC Address fields. - In the MAC Address field, enter the Align Controller MAC address in the format aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff.
- Optionally, enter a name in the Device Name field.
- Click the Add button.
In the Devices table, the Align Controller shows Status Online and Model Align.
Option A: Start the 90-day trial
When you add the Align Controller to Insight, Insight issues a 90-day trial license for Insight cloud remote access and apps. The trial starts when Insight first shows the Align Controller online.
To start the 90-day trial:
- Add the Align Controller to Insight.
- In the Align Controller device UI, select Settings > Configuration > App Licenses.
Under List of Active Licenses, the trial license displays with Status Active and an expiration date that matches Credit Expiration in Insight.
To activate the license in Insight:
- Add the Align Controller to Insight, if you did not already.
- In the Insight cloud portal, select Administration > Manage Subscriptions.
- Click the Choose Plan link.
- On the NETGEAR Partner tile, click the Choose Plan button.
- In the Subscription Key field, enter your license key.
- Select the Assign to a device radio button.
- In the Assign to Device section, select the organization, location, and Align Controller from the Select Organization, Select Location, and Select Device menus.
- Click the Add button.
Insight activates the license. The device status shows Align and the number of days remaining. If you delete the Align Controller from Insight and add it again, Insight applies the license automatically.
Option C: Activate the 5-year license in the device UI
The Align Controller must have internet access for this option. You do not need an Insight or NETGEAR account.
To activate the license in the device UI:
- Log in to the Align Controller device UI.
- Select Settings > Configuration > App Licenses.
- In the License Key field, enter your license key.
- Enter your email address.
- Click the Activate button.
Under List of Active Licenses, the license displays with Status Active. To access the Align Controller remotely, add it to Insight. It keeps this license.
Activate the 5-year license on my.netgear.com (no internet access)
Use this option if the Align Controller cannot reach the internet. You activate the key on my.netgear.com, download a license file, and upload the file to the Align Controller.
To activate the license on my.netgear.com:
- On a computer with internet access, go to my.netgear.com and log in to your NETGEAR account.
- If the Align Controller is not registered yet, register it with its serial number and MAC address.
- Under YOUR REGISTERED PRODUCTS, find the Align Controller, and click the VIEW PRODUCT button.
- Click the ACTIVATE LICENSE button.
- In the Activate License Key pop-up window, enter the license key, and click the ACTIVATE button.
- Click the DOWNLOAD EAV button to download the license file to your computer.
- Log in to the Align Controller device UI, and select Settings > Configuration > App Licenses.
- Click the Upload button, and select the license file.
- Click the Upload License button.
Under List of Active Licenses, the license displays with Status Active. When the Align Controller is online, add it to Insight. Insight applies the license automatically.
After the trial starts or the license is active, and the Align Controller is added to Insight, you can open its device UI from Insight without being on the same network. You cannot manage the Align Controller in Insight itself.
To access the Align Controller remotely:
- Log in to the Insight cloud portal (see Step 2).
- Click the Devices tab.
- In the table, click the Remote Access icon next to the Align Controller name.
- In the new browser tab, log in to the device UI with your Align Controller user name and password.
A remote access session lasts a maximum of 12 hours. If you close the browser tab, the session ends after a few minutes.
To install apps on the Align Controller:
- In the device UI, select Apps > Align AppHub.
- Download and install the NETGEAR apps and third-party apps that you need.
|
Problem |
What to check |
|---|---|
|
The DNS lookup for www.netgear.com fails, or Insight shows the Align Controller as Offline |
In Networks > Edit > IP & Management for the network that holds the router, the default-route checkbox is selected. For a static IP address, Gateway and DNS Server 1 are filled in, and the IP address and gateway are in the same subnet. |
|
A computer on the Align Controller ports is online, but the Align Controller is not |
The default-route checkbox is cleared on the network that holds the router. A computer's internet access does not prove that the Align Controller is online. |
|
The default route and DNS are set, but cloud connections still fail |
The date and time on the Align Controller are correct. |
|
A computer on the Align Controller ports has an IP address but no internet access |
The Align Controller DHCP server is enabled on the same network as the router's DHCP server. Disable it, and renew the computer's IP address. |
|
No MAC Address field after you enter the serial number in Insight |
The serial number is mistyped. Retype it from the product label. The panel must show Model: Align. |
|
Add fails in Insight |
The serial number and MAC address do not match, or the Align Controller is registered in another organization. Remove it from that organization first. |
|
The Align Controller is not in the Select Device menu in Insight |
The menu lists only Align Controllers in the selected organization and location that use the 90-day trial or whose license expired. |
|
ACTIVATE LICENSE is not available on my.netgear.com |
Register the Align Controller on my.netgear.com first, with its serial number and MAC address. |
|
Insight shows Active, but App Licenses on the Align Controller is empty |
Wait a few minutes, and reload the page. If it is still empty, click the restart icon in the top bar of the device UI, log in again, and reopen App Licenses. |
|
Apps and remote access stopped working |
The 90-day trial and the 5-year license both expired. Activate a new license key (Step 4). |
|
The Align AppHub shows no apps |
The trial is running or the license is active, and the Align Controller is online. |