Reference Manual for the NETGEAR ProSafe Wireless Access Point 802.11g WG302

Introduction

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July 2005 v3.0

The following table explains the LED indicators:

Figure 2-2:

WG302 rear panel

LED

DESCRIPTION

PWR

Power Indicator

Off

No power.

On

Power is on.

TEST

Self Test Indicator

Blink

Indicates self test, loading software, or system fault (if continues).

Note:

This LED may blink for a minute before going off.

100

Ethernet LAN Speed Indicator

Off

Indicates 10 Mbps Ethernet link detected

Green On

100 Mbps Fast Ethernet link detected.

LINK/ACT LAN

Ethernet LAN Link Activity Indicator

Off

Indicates no Ethernet link detected.

Green On

100 Mbps Fast Ethernet link detected, no activity.

Green Blink

Indicates data traffic on the 100Mbps Ethernet LAN.

Amber 0n

10 Mbps Ethernet link detected, no activity.

Amber Blink

Indicates data traffic on the 10Mbps Ethernet LAN.

802.11g WLAN

Wireless LAN Link Activity Indicator

Off

Indicates no wireless link activity.

Green Blink

Wireless link activity.

Reference Manual for the NETGEAR ProSafe Wireless Access Point 802.11g WG302

2-8

Introduction

July 2005 v3.0

•

Left and Right Detachable Antenna

The WG302 provides two detachable antenna.

•

Restore to Factory Defaults Button

The restore to default button located between the Ethernet RJ-45 connector and the power

socket restores the WG302 to the factory default settings.

•

Serial Console Port

Male DB-9 serial port for serial DTE connections.

•

RJ-45 Ethernet Port

Use the WG302 Ethernet RJ-45 port to connect to an Ethernet LAN through a device such as a

hub, switch, router, or POE switch.

•

Power Socket

This socket connects to the WG302 12V 1.2A power adapter.

Basic Installation and Configuration

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July 2005 v3.0

Chapter 3

Basic Installation and Configuration

This chapter describes how to set up your NETGEAR ProSafe Wireless Access Point 802.11g

WG302 for wireless connectivity to your LAN. This basic configuration will enable computers

with 802.11b or 802.11g wireless adapters to do such things as connect to the Internet, or access

printers and files on your LAN.

You need to prepare these three things before you can establish a connection through your wireless

access point:

•

A location for the WG302 that conforms to the

Observing Placement and Range Guidelines

below.

•

The wireless access point connected to your LAN through a device such as a hub, switch,

router, or Cable/DSL gateway.

•

One or more computers with properly configured 802.11b or 802.11g wireless adapters.

Observing Placement and Range Guidelines

The operating distance or range of your wireless connection can vary significantly based on the

physical placement of the wireless access point. The latency, data throughput performance, and

notebook power consumption of wireless adapters also vary depending on your configuration

choices.

Note:

Indoors, computers can connect over 802.11g wireless networks at ranges

of several hundred feet or more.

This distance can allow for others outside your area

to access your network. It is important to take appropriate steps to secure your network

from unauthorized access. The WG302 Access Point provides highly effective security

features which are covered in detail in

“Understanding WEP/WPA Security Options” on

page 3-15

. Deploy the security features appropriate to your needs.

Reference Manual for the NETGEAR ProSafe Wireless Access Point 802.11g WG302

3-2

Basic Installation and Configuration

July 2005 v3.0

For best results, place your wireless access point:

•

Near the center of the area in which your PCs will operate.

•

In an elevated location such as a high shelf where the wirelessly connected PCs have

line-of-sight access (even if through walls).

•

Away from sources of interference, such as PCs, microwaves, and 2.4 GHz cordless phones.

•

Away from large metal surfaces.

•

Putting the antenna in a vertical position provides best side-to-side coverage. Putting the

antenna in a horizontal position provides best up-and-down coverage.

•

If using multiple access points, it is better if adjacent access points use different

radio frequency

Channels to reduce interference. The recommended Channel spacing between adjacent access

points is 5 Channels (for example, use Channels 1 and 6, or 6 and 11).

The time it takes to establish a wireless connection can vary depending on both your security

settings and placement. WEP connections can take slightly longer to establish. Also, WEP

encryption can consume more battery power on a notebook computer.

Cabling Requirements

The WG302 Access Point connects to your LAN via twisted-pair Category 5 Ethernet cable with

RJ-45 connectors.

Note:

Failure to follow these guidelines can result in significant performance

degradation or inability to wirelessly connect to the WG302. For complete performance

specifications, see

Appendix A, “Specifications”

.

Reference Manual for the NETGEAR ProSafe Wireless Access Point 802.11g WG302

Basic Installation and Configuration

3-3

July 2005 v3.0

Default Factory Settings

When you first receive your WG302, the default factory settings will be set as shown below. You

can restore these defaults with the Factory Default Restore switch on the rear panel — see

“WG302 front panel” on page 2-6

.

FEATURE

FACTORY DEFAULT SETTINGS

User Name (case sensitive)

admin

Password (case sensitive)

password

Operating Mode

Access Point

Access Point Name

netgearxxxxxx where xxxxxx are the last six

digits of the wireless access point's MAC address

Built-in DHCP client

Built-in DHCP server

DHCP client disabled

DHCP server disabled

IP Configuration

(if DHCP server is unavailable)

IP Address: 192.168.0.228

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Gateway: 0.0.0.0

Network Name (SSID)

NETGEAR

Broadcast Network Name (SSID)

Enabled

802.11g Radio Frequency Channel

11

AutoCell RF Management

AutoCell Enhanced RF Security ‘stealth’ mode

Enabled

Disabled

WEP/WPA

Disabled

Restricting connectivity based on MAC Access

Control List

Disabled

Spanning Tree Protocol

Enabled

Time Zone

GMT

Time Zone Adjust for Daylight Saving TIme

Disabled

SNMP

Enabled but Trap forwarding is disabled

Secure Telnet

Enabled

SugerG Mode

Disabled

WMM Mode

Disabled