Getting to Know Your Wireless Router

7

This is the easiest option. The wizard guides you through the setup process. It automates many

of the steps and verifies that the steps have been successfully completed..

•

Manual Setup

: If you cannot or prefer not to use the Smart Wizard Installation Assistant, see

“Manually Installing Your Router” on page 11

. For example, if you are using a Linux

operating system or are technically knowledgeable, select this option. If you choose to use this

option and install your router manually, for best results, install and set up your router in this

order:

1.

Install and connect your wireless router to your network (see

“Connecting Your Wireless

Router” on page 12

).

2.

Set up your wireless router for Internet access (see

“Setting Up Your Router for Internet

Access” on page 16

).

3.

Configure your wireless network and select wireless security settings to protect your

wireless network (see

“Configuring Your Wireless Network” on page 20

).

Updating Your Router Firmware

NETGEAR is always improving the operability and features included with your router. To make it

easy for you to receive the best, most up-to-date features of your router, NETGEAR provides a

variety of methods for updating your product.

•

The Smart Wizard Installation Assistant lets you check for and install updates as part of the

setup activity (see

“Using the Smart Wizard” on page 8

).

•

The router includes an update feature that lets you check for and install updates. You must log

in to the router to use this feature see

“Setting Up Your Router for Internet Access” on

page 16

, or the online

User Manual

).

Before running the Smart Wizard Installation Assistant on a corporate

computer to set up your home router, check with your company’s network

support staff. Corporate network settings or Virtual Private Network (VPN)

client software might conflict with the default settings of a home router. If

you are unsure about whether there might be a conflict, use a different

computer.

Installing Your Router Using the Smart Wizard

8

Installing Your Router

Using the Smart Wizard

The Smart Wizard setup procedure should take about 15 minutes to complete. Before using the

Smart Wizard, ensure that:

•

You are using a Mac or a PC with Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 2000 or Windows

XP, with a wired Ethernet connection, not a wireless connection.

•

You have an Internet service connection through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

•

You have the configuration information provided by your ISP.

Using the Smart Wizard

The NETGEAR Smart Wizard takes you through the procedure to connect your router, modem,

and computer(s). It then helps you to configure your wireless settings and enable wireless security

for your network.

The Smart Wizard guides you through the setup process by automating many of

the steps. At each step in the setup process, the Smart Wizard checks to ensure that the steps you

perform are successfully completed.

To set up your router using the Smart Wizard:

1.

Insert the

Resource CD

into your Mac or PC. The CD will automatically start and detect the

language you are using. Select a different language option, if you prefer.

2.

In the CD’s menu, start the Smart Wizard:

•

For Windows users, click

Setup

.

•

For Mac users, double click

MacWizard

.

3.

When

the Smart Wizard prompts you about updates, click

Yes

to check for updates for your

router, or

No

, to update later (for more information, see

“Setting Up Your Router for Internet

Access” on page 16

, or the online

User Manual

).

If the CD does not automatically start, browse the CD and double-click on

.

Installing Your Router Using the Smart Wizard

9

4.

Follow the remaining instructions and prompts.

The Smart Wizard guides you through installing your router, connecting your router to the

Internet, configuring your wireless network settings, and selecting the optimum security

protection for your network. If you choose not to select a security option during installation,

you can always access the router’s user interface later to select a security option (see

“Configuring Your Wireless Network” on page 20

).

At the close of installation, the Smart Wizard places a router setup file file on your computer’s

desktop so that you can view the router settings.

•

For Windows users, the file is

Router_Setup.html

•

For Mac users, the file is

Router_Setup.pdf

The Smart Wizard also places the Router Login

shortcut on the desktop for you to access

the router’s main menu.

You are now connected to the Internet.

To set up additional wireless computers in your network to access the router and connect to the

Internet, see

“Configuring Your Wireless Network” on page 20

.

To ensure optimum performance of your high-speed wireless router, the

wireless adapter card for each computer in your network should support the

same technology as your router. For more information, see the online

User

Manual

.

Figure 5

Installing Your Router Using the Smart Wizard

10

Accessing Your Router After Installation

The Smart Wizard only appears when you first install the router or when the router is in its factory

default state (for example, if you have reset the router to its default factory settings). If you want to

change the settings after installing and configuring your router using the Smart Wizard, you must

open a browser window and log in to the router. You will also be prompted to check for new router

firmware. For more information, see

“Configuring Your Wireless Network” on page 20

.

Manually Installing Your Router

11

Manually Installing Your Router

Before installing and connecting your router manually, review the list below and make sure that

you have all of the necessary information.

•

Internet service connection through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

•

The configuration information your ISP gave you. Depending on how your Internet account

was set up, you might need the following information to set up your wireless router and access

the Internet:

–

Host and domain name

–

Internet login name and password (frequently an email address and password)

–

Domain Name Server (DNS) addresses

–

Fixed or static IP address

Your ISP should have provided you with all the information needed to connect to the Internet.

If you cannot locate this information, ask your ISP.

•

If you have cable modem service, make sure that you are using the same computer on which

you first set up your Internet account.

If you have not already done so:

•

Check the package contents of your router to ensure that it is complete (see

“Unpacking Your

New Router” on page 1

).

•

Select an optimum location for your wireless router after reviewing the guidelines presented in

“Positioning Your Wireless Router” on page 5

.

Use the procedures in this topic if you are an advanced or Linux user.