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3
Setting Up: Basics
Linksys E1550
3
How to create a home network
What is a network?
A network is any group of devices that can communicate with each other° A
home network can also include Internet access, which requires a router like
this one°
A typical home network may include multiple computers, a printer, a modem,
and a router° A large home network may also have a switch, additional routers,
access points, and many Internet-capable media devices such as TVs, game
consoles, and web cameras°
•
Modem
—Connects a computer or a router to your ISP (Internet Service
Provider)°
•
Router
—Connects your wireless and wired network devices to each
other and to the modem (and to your ISP)°
•
Switch
—Allows you to connect several wired network devices to your
home network° Your router has a built-in network switch (the Ethernet
ports)° If you have more wired network devices than available Ethernet
ports on your router, you will need an additional switch to consolidate
the wired connections°
How to set up a home network
1.
Purchase the proper equipment° For a network that includes Internet
access, you’ll need:
•
Computers with an Ethernet port or wireless networking capabilities
•
A modem for connecting to your ISP (typically supplied by your ISP)
•
A router to connect your computers with each other and to the modem
•
Internet service to your home, provided by an ISP (Internet Service
Provider)
2.
Make sure that your modem is working° Your ISP can help you set up your
modem and verify that it’s working correctly°
3.
Set up your router° See “How to set up your router” on page 3°
4.
To connect a computer or other network device to the network, see “How
to connect a computer to your network” on page 6 and “How to connect
other devices” on page 8°
Where to find more help
In addition to this User Guide, you can find help at these locations:
•
Linksys.com/support
(documentation, downloads, FAQs, technical
support, live chat, forums)
•
Setup CD (Troubleshooting Guide, legal and regulatory notices)
•
Cisco Connect help (run Cisco Connect, then click Learn More where
available)
•
Browser-based utility context-sensitive help (open the utility, then click
Help
in the right-side column°)
How to set up your router
The easiest and fastest way to set up your router is to run the Cisco Connect
setup software° You can find Cisco Connect on the CD that came with your
router or download it from the router’s support site at Linksys°com/support°
Cisco Connect shows you how to connect your router to your home network,
step by step° To get started, see “How to start Cisco Connect” below°
If you are an advanced user, you can set up your router manually using the
browser-based utility° To get started, see “How to open the browser-based
utility” on page 14°
Setting Up: Basics
Page 7 / 55
4
Setting Up: Basics
Linksys E1550
How to start Cisco Connect
When you run the setup CD, Cisco Connect (your router’s setup software) is
automatically installed onto your computer° You can then use Cisco Connect
to easily manage your router° To install Cisco Connect on another computer
after your router has been set up, see “How to install Cisco Connect on another
computer” on page 5°
NOTES:
Your Cisco Connect CD works with only this router model°
If you lose your setup CD, you can download the software from
Linksys.com/support
°
To start Cisco Connect for the first time:
1.
Insert the CD into your CD or DVD drive°
2.
Click
Set up your Linksys Router
°
If you do not see this:
•
For Windows, click
Start
,
Computer
, then double-click the
CD
drive
and the
Setup
icon°
•
For Mac, double-click the
CD
icon on your desktop, then double-click
the
Setup
icon°
3.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete your router setup° When
setup has finished, Cisco Connect has also been installed onto your hard
drive°
After your router has been set up and Cisco Connect has been installed, you
can use Cisco Connect to easily manage many of your router’s settings°
To start Cisco Connect on a Windows computer:
1.
Click
Start
,
All Programs
, then click
Cisco Connect
° The Cisco Connect
main menu opens°
To start Cisco Connect on a Mac OS X computer:
1.
Open the
Applications
folder, then double-click the
Cisco Connect
icon° The Cisco Connect main menu opens°
Page 8 / 55
5
Setting Up: Basics
Linksys E1550
How to install Cisco Connect on another computer
Although Cisco Connect is installed onto your computer when you run the
setup CD, you may want to manage your router from a different computer on
your network°
CAUTION
After your router has been set up, do not run the setup CD to install
Cisco Connect to another computer° If you run the setup CD again,
you will be prompted to enter the router’s network name (SSID)
and password°
To install Cisco Connect onto another computer:
1.
See “How to connect a computer using an Easy Setup Key” on page 6°
When finished, Cisco Connect has also been installed onto the computer’s
hard drive°
How to improve your wireless connection
speed
Follow these tips to improve your network’s wireless connection speed:
•
Make sure that your router is in a good location°
•
For the widest coverage area, install your router near the center of your
home, and near the ceiling, if possible°
•
Avoid placing the router on or near metal objects (such as file cabinets
and metal furniture), reflective surfaces (such as glass or mirrors), or
masonry walls°
•
Any obstruction can weaken the wireless signal (even non-metallic
objects), so the fewer obstructions between the router and the wireless
device, the better°
•
Place the router in a location away from other electronics, motors, and
fluorescent lighting°
•
Many environmental variables can affect the router’s performance, so if
your wireless signal is weak, place the router in several locations and test
the signal strength to determine the ideal position°
•
If possible, upgrade wireless network interfaces (such as wireless
network cards in computers) from older wireless standards to 802°11n° If
a wirelessly networked device uses an older standard, the performance
of the entire wireless network may be slower°
How to test your Internet connection
speed
To test your Internet connection speed:
1.
Run Cisco Connect, then click
Change
under
Router settings
° The
Router
settings
screen opens°
2.
Click
Launch Test
under
Internet Speed
° The
Internet speed test
screen
opens°
3.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the test°
Page 9 / 55
6
Setting Up: Basics
Linksys E1550
How to connect devices to your network
How to connect a computer to your network
You can connect a computer to your network using an Easy Setup Key (the
easiest way) or manually°
How to connect a computer using an Easy Setup Key
To use an Easy Setup Key, you first need to create one using any available USB
drive° After it has been created, you can use the same key to connect several
computers to your network°
TIP
The Easy Setup Key stores network information (name, password,
security type, and security key) so you don’t have to remember
them°
To create an Easy Setup Key:
1.
Run Cisco Connect, then click
Add device
under
Computers and devices
°
The
Computers and other devices
screen opens°
2.
Click
Computer
°
3.
Select
No, I don’t have an Easy Setup Key
, then click
Next
°
4.
Insert a USB drive into an available USB port on your computer° This USB
drive will be your new Easy Setup Key°
Cisco Connect detects the newly attached USB drive and copies the
router’s settings and a copy of Cisco Connect to it°
5.
When the files have finished copying, remove the Easy Setup Key from
your computer° You can now use it to install Cisco Connect onto other
computers and to connect them to the network°
6.
Click
Close
°
Page 10 / 55
7
Setting Up: Basics
Linksys E1550
To use your Easy Setup Key to connect a computer to your network:
1.
Run Cisco Connect, then click
Add device
under
Computers and devices.
The
Computers and other devices
screen opens°
2.
Click
Computer
°
3.
Select
Yes, I have an Easy Setup Key
, then click
Next
° The
Connecting
another computer
screen opens°
4.
Insert the Easy Setup Key into an available USB port on the computer that
you want to connect to the network° The
Connecting another computer
screen opens°
If you do not see this, use Windows Explorer or Finder to view the Easy
Setup Key files, then double-click
Connect
°
5.
Click
Connect to your router
, then follow the on-screen instructions°
6.
Return to the computer running Cisco Connect, then click
Next
°
7.
Enter a name for the newly connected computer, then click
Finish
°
How to connect a computer manually
To connect a computer without using an Easy Setup Key, you will need to print
or take note of some information°
IMPORTANT
When you manually connect a computer to the network, the
computer will
not
have Cisco Connect installed on it°
To manually connect a computer to your network:
1.
Run Cisco Connect, then click
Add device
under
Computers and devices.
The
Computers and other devices
screen opens°
2.
Click
Computer
°
3.
Select
I want to connect manually using my wireless settings
, then
click
Next
° A screen opens that displays network information°
4.
Write down the Network name (SSID), Security Key, and Security Type
information, or click
Print these settings
if you have a printer attached°
5.
At the computer you want to connect, enter the network information
into your wireless manager°
6.
After that computer connects to your network, return to the computer
running Cisco Connect, then click
Next
°
7.
Click
Connect to your Linksys router
, then follow the on-screen
instructions°
8.
When you are prompted to enter a name for the newly connected
computer, enter the name, then click
Finish
°

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