Advanced Settings

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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500

This check box is selected by default. However, when the check box is selected, some

applications such as Network Explorer in Windows Vista might not detect the router.

CAUTION:

When you clear this check box and you add a new wireless client

through WPS, the router’s wireless settings change to an

automatically generated SSID and passphrase. (The passphrase is

also referred to as the wireless network password or network key).

6.

Click the

Apply

button.

Wireless Access Point

The router can function in access point (AP) mode instead of regular router mode. In AP

mode, the router can function as a bridge between wireless clients and another router or

gateway in your network that connects to the Internet. When the router functions in AP mode,

many router functions are disabled, but wireless clients can connect to the router. You can

still access the router to change the configuration, for example, to disable AP mode and

return to regular router mode.



To enable and configure AP mode:

1.

Select

ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless AP

.

A screen similar to the following displays:

2.

Select the

Enable Access Point Mode

check box.

The screen adjusts.

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82

N450 Wireless Router WNR2500

3.

Configure the IP address settings for the router:

•

Get dynamically from existing router

. By default, the Get dynamically from existing

router radio button is selected, enabling the router to receive its IP address and other

IP settings from the other router or gateway in your network.

•

Use fixed IP Address

. To set up static IP address settings, select the

Use fixed IP

Address

radio button.

NETGEAR does not recommend this setting.

Note:

When the other router or gateway in your network has wireless

capability, NETGEAR recommends that you use wireless settings

that are different from those settings on the other router or gateway

to avoid interference. You could also disable the wireless radio on

the other router or gateway and use your router only for wireless

client access.

4.

Click the

Apply

button.

Note:

When you click the

Apply

button, the IP address of the router

changes and you are disconnected. To reconnect, close and restart

your web browser, and type

.

Wireless Distribution System

You can set up the router to be used as a wireless base station or wireless repeater in a

wireless distribution system (WDS). A WDS lets you expand a wireless network through

multiple access points instead of using a wired backbone to link them. A wireless base station

connects to the Internet, can have wired and wireless clients, and sends its wireless signal to

an access point that functions as a wireless repeater. A wireless repeater can also have

wired and wireless clients, but connects to the Internet through the wireless base station.

Advanced Settings

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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500

The following figure shows a wireless repeating scenario.

Repeater

Base station

access point

access point

Figure 8. Wireless repeating scenario

The router can function either as a base station or as a repeater:

•

Wireless base station

. The router acts as the parent access point, bridging traffic to and

from the child repeater access point, as well as handling wireless and wired local

computers. To configure this mode, you must know the MAC addresses of the child

repeater access point.

•

Wireless repeater

. The router sends all traffic from its local wireless or wired computers

to a remote access point. To configure this mode, you must know the MAC address of the

remote parent access point.

For you to set up a wireless network in a WDS,

t

he following conditions must be met for both

access points:

•

Both access points must use the same SSID, wireless channel, and encryption mode.

•

Both access points must be on the same LAN IP subnet. That is, all the access point LAN

IP addresses are in the same network.

•

All LAN devices (wired and wireless computers) must be configured to operate in the

same LAN network address range as the access points.

•

The channel selection on the access points cannot be Auto (see

Basic Wireless Settings

on page

28).

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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500

•

The security option must be WEP (or no security). The WEP option displays only if you

select Up to 54 Mbps from the Mode list on the Wireless Settings screen (see

Basic

Wireless Settings

on page

28).

Set Up the Base Station

The wireless repeating function works only in hub and spoke mode. The units cannot be

daisy-chained. You must know the wireless MAC addresses of all units. First, set up the base

station and then set up the repeater.



To set up the base station:

1.

Select

ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Repeating Function

.

The Wireless Repeating Function screen displays. The wireless MAC address of the

router displays onscreen.

2.

Select the

Enable Wireless Repeating Function

check box.

3.

Select the

Wireless Base Station

radio button.

4.

To prevent wireless clients from associating with the base station and allow LAN client

associations only, select the

Disable Wireless Client Association

check box.

You can leave the check box cleared if you prefer wireless clients to be able to associate

with the base stations.

5.

In the Repeater MAC Address 1 through 4 fields, enter the MAC addresses for the access

points that should function as repeaters.

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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500

If your router is the base station, it can function as the “parent” for up to four other access

points.

6.

Click the

Apply

button.

Set Up a Repeater

To set up the repeater to avoid conflicts with the wireless connection to the base station, use

a wired Ethernet connection.

Note:

If you set up your router as a base station with a non-NETGEAR

access point as the repeater, you might need to change more

configuration settings. In particular, you should disable the DHCP

server function on the access point that functions as the repeater.



To configure the router as a repeater:

1.

Select

ADVANCED > Advanced Setup > Wireless Repeating Function

.

The Wireless Repeating Function screen displays. The wireless MAC address of the

router displays onscreen.

2.

Select the

Enable Wireless Repeating Function

check box.

3.

Select the

Wireless Repeater

radio button.

4.

Complete the Repeater IP Address field.