3G Broadband Wireless Router MBR624GU User Manual

Wireless Network Configuration

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Wireless Security Options

Indoors, computers can connect over 802.11g wireless networks at a maximum range of up to 300

feet. Such distances can allow for others outside your immediate area to access your network.

Unlike wired network data, your wireless data transmissions can extend beyond your walls and

can be received by anyone with a compatible adapter. For this reason, use the security features of

your wireless equipment. The Wireless Router provides highly effective security features which

are covered in detail in this chapter. Deploy the security features appropriate to your needs.

There are several ways you can enhance the security of your wireless network:

•

Restrict Access Based on MAC Address

. You can allow only trusted PCs to connect so that

unknown PCs cannot wirelessly connect to the router. Restricting access by MAC address

adds an obstacle against unwanted access to your network, but the data broadcast over the

wireless link is fully exposed.

•

Turn Off the Broadcast of the Wireless Network Name SSID

. If you disable broadcast of

the SSID, only devices that have the correct SSID can connect. This nullifies wireless network

‘discovery’ feature of some products, such as Windows XP, but the data is still exposed.

•

WEP.

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption provides data security. WEP Shared

Key authentication and WEP data encryption block all but the most determined eavesdropper.

This data encryption mode has been superseded by WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK.

•

WPA-802.1x, WPA2-802.1x

. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) with user authentication

implemented using IEE 802.1x and RADIUS servers.

•

WPA-PSK (TKIP), WPA2-PSK (AES)

. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) using a pre-shared

key to perform authentication and generate the initial data encryption keys. The very strong

authentication along with dynamic per frame re-keying of WPA makes it virtually impossible

to compromise.

Figure 2-1

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v1.1, March 2009

For more information about wireless technology, see the link to the online document in

“Wireless

Communications” in Appendix B

.

Manually Configuring Your Wireless Settings

You can view or manually configure the wireless settings for the router in the Wireless Settings

screen. If you want to make changes, make sure to note the current settings first.

To view or manually configure the wireless settings:

1.

Log in to the router at its default LAN address of

with its default user name

of

admin

, and default password of

password

, or using whatever user name, password, and

LAN address you have chosen for the router.

2.

Select Wireless Settings from the main menu to display the Wireless Settings screen:

Note:

If you use a wireless computer to change the wireless network name (SSID) or

wireless security settings, you will be disconnected when you click

Apply

. To

avoid this problem, use a computer with a wired connection to access the router.

Figure 2-2

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The settings for this screen are explained in

Table 2-1

.

3.

Select the region in which the router will operate.

4.

For initial configuration and test, leave the other settings unchanged.

5.

To save your changes, click

Apply

.

6.

Configure and test your computers for wireless connectivity.

Program the wireless adapter of your computers to have the same SSID and wireless security

settings as your router. Check that they have a wireless link and are able to obtain an IP

address by DHCP from the router. If there is interference, adjust the channel.

Table 2-1.

Wireless Settings

Settings

Description

Wireless

Network

Name (SSID)

The SSID is also known as the wireless network name.

Enter a 32-character (maximum) name in this field. This

field is case-sensitive.

In a setting where there is more than one wireless network,

different wireless network names provide a means for

separating the traffic. Any device you want to participate in a

wireless network must use the SSID.

Region

The location where the Product Family is used.

Channel

The wireless channel used by the gateway. The default is

Channel 6.

Do not change the wireless channel unless you experience

interference (shown by lost connections or slow data

transfers). If this happens, you might need to experiment

with different channels to see which is the best.

Mode

The default is g & b, which allows both 802.11g and 802.11b

wireless stations access. Note that in b only mode, 802.11g

wireless stations can connect if they can operate in 802.11b

mode.

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Wireless Access

Point

Enable Wireless Access

Point

Selected by default, this setting enables the wireless radio,

which allows the router to work as a wireless access point.

Turning off the wireless radio can be helpful for

configuration, network tuning, or troubleshooting.

Allow Broadcast Name

(SSID)

Selected by default, the router broadcasts its SSID, allowing

wireless stations that have a null (blank) SSID to adopt the

correct SSID. If you disable broadcast of the SSID, only

devices with the correct SSID can connect. This nullifies the

wireless network discovery feature of products such as

Windows XP, but the data is still exposed to equipment like

wireless sniffers. For this reason NETGEAR recommends

that you also enable wireless security.

Wireless Isolation

This feature is disabled by default. If it is enabled, wireless

stations cannot communicate with each other or with

stations on the wired network.

Wireless Station

Access List

Turn Access Control On

Access control is disabled by default so that any computer

configured with the correct SSID can connect. See

“Restricting Access by MAC Address”

.

Security Options

•

Disabled

. You can use this setting to establish wireless

connectivity before implementing wireless security.

NETGEAR strongly recommends that you implement

wireless security.

•

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)

. Use encryption keys

and data encryption for data security. You can select

64-bit or 128-bit encryption. See

“Configuring WEP”

.

•

WPA-PSK (WiFi Protected Access Pre-Shared Key).

Allow only computers configured with WPA to connect to

the router. See

“Configuring WPA, WPA2, or WPA/WPA2”

.

•

WPA2-PSK (Wi-Fi Protected Access with 2 Pre-Shared

Keys)

. Allow only computers configured with WPA2 to

connect to the router. See

“Configuring WPA, WPA2, or

WPA/WPA2”

.

•

WPA-PSK + WPA2-PSK

. Allow computers configured

with either WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK security to connect to

the router. See

“Configuring WPA, WPA2, or WPA/WPA2”

.

• The

WPA-802.1x

,

WPA2-802.1

, and

WPA-802.1x

+WPA2-802.1

options utilize user authentication

implemented using IEE 802.1x and Radius servers. See

“Configuring WPA, WPA2, or WPA/WPA2”

.

Table 2-1.

Wireless Settings (continued)

Settings

Description

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Specifying Wireless Security

To set up wireless security, you can either manually configure it in the Wireless Settings screen, or

you can use Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) to automatically set the SSID and implement WPA/

WPA2 security (see

“Using Push 'N' Connect (WPS) to Configure Your Wireless Network” on

page 2-13

.

This section explains how to specify these wireless security features:

•

“Wireless Station Access Control”

•

“Restricting Access by MAC Address” on page 2-8

”

•

“Configuring WEP” on page 2-10

”

•

“Configuring WPA, WPA2, or WPA/WPA2” on page 2-11

”

Wireless Station Access Control

By default, any wireless PC that is configured with the correct SSID and wireless security settings

is allowed access to your wireless network. You can use Wireless Access Point settings in the

Wireless Setting screen to further restrict wireless access to your network:

•

Turning off wireless connectivity completely

.

You can completely turn off the wireless portion of the router. For example, if you use your

notebook computer to wirelessly connect to your router, and you take a business trip, you can

turn off the wireless portion of the router while you are traveling. Other members of your

household who use computers connected to the router via Ethernet cables can still use the

router. To do this, clear the

Enable Wireless Access Point

check box on the Wireless Settings

screen, and then click

Apply

.

Figure 2-3