21

Connecting a Computer with a Wireless adapter to the

Cable Modem/Router

1

Go to the computer that is set up with a wireless adapter that you want to add to the

network. For many wireless adapters, you will use their configuration manager

software and click a

Scan

button or select a

Site Scan

,

Scan Networks

, or other

similarly named tab to do a site search. When the list of available wireless networks

appear, you typically

select

Zoomxxxx

where xxxx is 4 random alpha-numeric

characters.

Zoomxxxx

is the SSID printed on the bottom label of your Cable

Modem/Router.

In the unlikely event that you changed the SSID from the default,

select your new SSID.

If you need help, refer to the documentation that came with your wireless adapter.

Note for

Windows

8,

7,

Vista

and

XP

users:

If you installed a wireless adapter on a

Windows

8,

7,

Vista or

XP computer, Windows may try to automatically configure the

adapter (rather than let you use the software provided with the wireless adapter).

You will know this is happening because you will be prompted with a message about

one or more wireless networks being available. You will also be able to click a link to

open the

Wireless Network Connection Properties

dialog box. If this happens,

click the link, clear the

Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings

check box, and then click

OK

. You can then use the software provided with your

wireless adapter without interruption from Windows.

2

When prompted for the wireless password, enter your Security Key/Password and

hit

Connect

. Your Security Key/Password can be found on the bottom label of your

Cable Modem/Router.

3

Test your wireless connection. Open your device’s Web browser (for instance,

Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome) and try to connect to a familiar Web address. If

you are unable to connect, make sure you followed the instructions.

If you did,

please see

Appendix A: Troubleshooting Tips

.

Your device is now connected to your wireless network. If you want to connect additional

computers or devices, follow the instructions for your device by starting at the first page

of this chapter.

To disconnect from the current network:

1

On your computer that has a wireless adapter, find the wireless network connection

option (similar to the process of adding your computer to the network).

2

Click or highlight the Wireless-N Router’s Wireless Security Name.

3

Select or click on

Disconnect

or similarly-named button.

22

Using WPS as an alternative way to set up your Wireless

Network

If all the Wi-Fi compatible wireless devices on your network support WPS, you can

choose to quickly setup your wireless network by pushing a button on your cable

modem/router and on each wireless device connecting to your cable modem/router.

Windows 8 and Windows 7 users should follow the instructions below:

Other

computers or devices such as tablets should go to

If you are using a non Windows

computer or other device that supports WPS

.

If you are using a Windows 8 or 7, computer:

1

Open

Connect to a Network

on that computer

by right-clicking the network icon in

the notification area of the Windows taskbar.

2

A list of available networks is displayed.

3

Typically you then click

Zoomxxxx

where xxxx is 4 random alpha-numeric

characters.

Zoomxxxx

is the SSID printed on the bottom label of your Cable

Modem/Router.

In the unlikely event that you changed the SSID from the default,

select your new SSID.

4

You will see a screen with a text box for the Security key. If WPS configuration is

supported, you may see a message such as

You can also connect by pushing the

button on the router

. If you see this message, continue at step 5 below.

a.

b.

5

Press the Wi

‑

Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button on the router for at least 7 seconds.

(You do not need to type a security key or passphrase in the Security key text box on

your Windows machine). The Cable Modem/Router will automatically set up the

computer to connect to the network and apply the network's security settings. Then

click

OK

on the computer’s

Connect to a Network

dialog box.

23

Repeat steps 1-5 above for each Windows computer you want to connect to the Cable

Modem/Router.

If you want to connect a non Windows computer or another device

such as a tablet, follow the instructions below.

If you are using a non Windows computer or other device that supports WPS

Please refer to the instructions for your device for more information on using WPS.

The

directions below should work for most users.

1

Press the

WPS

LED pushbutton on the front panel of the router for at least 7

seconds. The WPS LED should blink green.

2

Within 2 minutes (before the WPS LED light turns off), press the WPS button on the

device that you’re linking wirelessly to the modem/router. The button may be a

physical pushbutton on the device or a button on a page of the device’s wireless

network configuration menus.

3

Congratulations! You should now have a secure connection between your Cable

Modem/Router and a device. Now is a good time to check that your device’s Internet

connection is working. Open your browser and go to a familiar Web site. If you are

able to connect, continue with the next step below.

If you are not able to connect to the Internet, please see

Appendix A:

Troubleshooting Tips

.

4

If you have other devices whose WPS security you need to set, repeat steps 1

through 3 for each device. When they are finished, the basic setup for these local

wireless devices should be complete

.

Connecting Additional Computers and/or Other Devices to the

Cable Modem/Router’s Ethernet/LAN ports

You can plug up to four computers, game consoles, or other Ethernet-capable devices into the

Cable Modem/Router’s LAN ports. For information about your specific device, please refer

to the documentation that came with that device. Follow the instructions below for each

computer or other device.

1

If you connected the Cable Modem/Router to a computer using a wired connection

when setting up the Cable Modem/Router, unplug the computer now if you don’t

want that computer to stay connected to the Cable Modem/Router.

2

To connect a computer or other Ethernet-capable device, plug one end of an

Ethernet cable into an available Ethernet (LAN 1, 2, 3, or 4) port on the Cable

Modem/Router and plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port of

the additional device you want to connect to the Cable Modem/Router. (If you are

24

connecting a hub or a switch, this is typically called an Uplink or Expansion port.)

If

you are connecting a computer or game station, go to step 5 of this section.

3

If you are connecting a network device such as a switching hub, use the instructions

that came with that device. Then reboot any computer that is part of your network.

For example, if you connected a switching hub, reboot any computer that will be

connected to that switching hub.

4

If you are connecting a HomePlug adapter pair with one adapter plugged into the

Cable Modem/Router and an AC outlet, and the other adapter plugged into a

computer, game station, or other device and an AC outlet, make those connections

and then go to step 5.

5

Verify that your Internet connection is working. Open a Web browser on each

computer that’s using your network and try to connect to a familiar Web address.

6

Congratulations! You have connected an additional device to the Internet. You can

connect up to 4 Ethernet-capable devices to the Cable Modem/Router, following the

instructions above for each device by starting at step 2 of this section.

25

4

Changing the Default Wireless Settings

Your Cable Modem/Router comes from the factory with a default SSID (Wireless

Network Name),

WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK

wireless security and a random Wireless

Security Key (Wireless Password). These default settings for your router are listed on the

bottom label of your unit. Most users can go ahead and use the default settings.

You may want to change your wireless settings if the wireless devices on your network

are already configured to use an existing wireless network name and password. Instead

of having to reconfigure all the devices on your network, you can change the Cable

Modem/Router to match the existing settings used by your devices. Read this chapter if

you want to use another wireless security mode, or if you want to change either the SSID

or Wireless Security Key. If you want to use the default wireless settings, you can skip

this chapter.

About Wireless Security

There are two basic wireless security modes, WPA and WEP. There are two versions of

WPA: WPA and WPA2. When configured as part of a typical home or small office

network, WPA and WPA2 require a Pre-Shared Key, or PSK. These modes are typically

called WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK, respectively, though sometimes they’re just called

WPA and WPA2. You can enable either WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK alone, or you can

enable both WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK together. By default, your Cable Modem/Router

has both WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK enabled. You will only need to change the security

mode if you know that you have a device you are connecting to your wireless network

that only supports WEP. (Go to

Setting Up Security Using WEP

.) In the unlikely event

that you want an unsecured network, this is discussed late in this chapter in

Disabling

Security

.

Note:

If you have a Radius Server (very unlikely for a home network), select the

WPA/WPA2 options without PSK. All instances of WPA and/or WPA2 that follow refer to

WPA-PSK and/or WPA2-PSK unless noted otherwise.