22

Manually Installing Your Router

the message “No New Firmware Version Available” will display. (If you selected “No,” you

can check for new firmware later; see

“To manually check for new router firmware:” on

page 23

.)

5.

If new firmware is available, you will be directed to the new firmware version on the

NETGEAR website. Click

Right-click and Save to Download

and save the file to a location

on your hard disk.

Usually the firmware image is an .img or .chk file and does not need to be decompressed

before you can use it to upgrade your router. If, however, the file is a .zip file, then the image is

compressed and must be “unzipped” before you can use the file. On Windows machines, the

WinZip utility can be used to unzip the file.

To upgrade your router:

1.

If the

Router Upgrade

screen does not display automatically, select

Router Upgrade

under

Maintenance

on the main menu. The

Router Upgrade

screen will then display.

2.

Click

Browse

and locate the unzipped firmware image that you downloaded to your PC (the

file will end in “.img”).

3.

Once you have selected the file, click

Upload

to send the software to the router

.

The upload

process will take several minutes. When the software upload process is complete, the router

will restart.

4.

After the router has restarted, select

Router Status

under the

Maintenance

menu. Check the

Firmware Version to verify that your router now has the new software installed.

If you are unable to successfully upgrade using this method, refer to the online

Reference

Manual

available through the

Documentation

link on the router main menu (or through a link

on the

Resource CD

) for other ways to upgrade the router.

If you selected the

No

radio box during installation, and want to check for new firmware later,

follow the procedure below. It is advisable to determine the firmware version currently running on

your router before you check for updates on the NETGEAR website. Then go to the NETGEAR

website and select the model number for this router. If a later version of the firmware is available,

upload the firmware to your computer and upgrade your router.

Do not try to go online, turn off the router, shut down the computer, or do

anything else to the router until the router finishes restarting! When the Ready

light stops blinking, wait a few seconds more before using the router.

Manually Installing Your Router

23

To manually check for new router firmware:

1.

Open a browser window and type

http://www.routerlogin.net

in the address field of your

browser. Press

Enter.

2.

When prompted, enter the default User Name and Password (

admin

for the router User Name

and

password

for the router Password), both in lowercase letters. If you changed the User

Name and Password from the defaults, then enter your new User Name and Password.

3.

Select

Router Status

under the

Maintenance

menu on your router interface. When the

Router Status

screen displays, note the version number of your router firmware.

4.

Go to

http://www.NETGEAR.com/support

and select

Downloads

from the menu bar.

5.

From the

Product Selection

pull-down menu, select your router model number. The Product

Support page for your router will display.

6.

Under

Downloads,

check the most recent Firmware Version offered against the Firmware

Version shown on your Router Status screen.

7.

If a the version on the NETGEAR website is more recent, click on the version number. Then,

click

Right-click and Save to Download

and save the file to a location on your hard disk.

8.

Follow the procedure in

“To upgrade your router:”

to complete the upgrade process.

Configuring Your Wireless Settings and Security

Options

To make it easy for you to select the security that best fits your network, NETGEAR provides a

several methods for configuring security:

For Advanced Users Only!

If you are using the Microsoft Vista OS, you can elect

to use Windows Connect Now to implement WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) and

configure the SSID and WPA security password for your router. You will be

prompted for your security PIN number which is on the label at the back of your

router (see

“Router Label” on page 4

). To configure other router settings, access the

router interface following the steps below; or see the link to your

Reference Manual

on the

Resource CD.

This feature is available only if the router is in its default state or if the “allow a

registrar to configure this router” radio box has been checked.

24

Manually Installing Your Router

•

The Smart Wizard offers to guide you in setting up security at initial setup (see

“Installing

Your Wireless Router” on page 5

)

•

If you have any devices (a notebook, adapter, or other device) that supportWi-Fi Protected

Setup (WPS), you can enable WPS security (see

“Back Panel” on page 3

and

“Using Wi-Fi

Protected Setup (WPS)” on page 24

).

•

The Wireless Settings screen lets you set your Wireless Network connections and select the

appropriate and optimum Security Options for your network and router (see

“Configuring

Security Through the Wireless Settings” on page 25

).

Unlike wired network data, your wireless data transmissions can extend beyond your walls and

anyone with a compatible adapter can receive them. For this reason, use the security features of

your wireless equipment. The wireless router provides highly effective security options which are

covered in detail in the

User Manual

that is available from a link on the

Resource CD

or by

clicking the

Documentation

link on the main menu of your router.

Using Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)

Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)

. The router’s push-button (see

“Back Panel” on page 3

) enables

WPS security with other WPS-enabled devices. Pushing on the button for over 5 seconds opens a

2-minute window for the router to connect with other WPS-enabled devices.

To connect to another device using WPS:

1.

Open the networking utility of the device that supports WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) and

follow the utility’s instructions for when to proceed to step 2.

Indoors, computers can connect over wireless networks at a range of several

hundred feet. Such distances can allow for others outside of your immediate area to

access your network.

Before using these WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) push-button procedures, verify that

your device (a notebook, adapter, or other device) supports WPS. If you do not have

any other WPS-enabled devices, there is no need to open the 2 minute period when

security will be disabled, or to configure your router security for WPS.

Manually Installing Your Router

25

2.

Push the wireless router’s push-button for 5 seconds, then release. The push-button light

should begin to blink..

3.

While the push-button light is blinking, you have 2 minutes to enable WPS on the device you

are trying to connect with the router. The blinking ceases when one of these two conditions

occurs:

•

WPS is enabled between the router and the other device you are connecting to.

•

The 2-minute window period expires for establishing a WPS connection. Whether or not a

connection is established, your router security and SSID (service set identification key)

are now configured for WPS.

The push-button remains lit to show you have enabled WPS security.

4.

If after enabling WPS you need to connect a device that does not include WPS functionality,

you will need to first log in to the router and obtain the security key. For more information,

refer to

“Configuring Security Through the Wireless Settings”

and the online

Reference

Manual

, available as a link on the

Resource CD

.

5.

If you want to disable WPS, you have to reset your router to factory default settings. For

information about resetting to the default settings, see

“Restoring the Default User Name and

Password” on page 38

.

Configuring Security Through the Wireless Settings

To set up wireless connectivity and enable wireless security:

1.

Log in to the router at

with its default user name of

admin

and

default password of

password

. (If you have changed the User Name and Password from the

defaults, use what you have set up).

While the router is in WPS enable mode (a maximum of 2 minutes), wireless

security is not enabled. Indoors, computers can connect over wireless networks

at a range of several hundred feet. Unlike wired network data, your wireless

data transmissions can extend beyond your walls, and anyone with a compatible

adapter can receive them, allowing others outside your immediate area to access

your network. For more information about security, see the

Reference Manual

that is available from a link on the

Resource CD

as well as a link in the main

menu of your router.

26

Manually Installing Your Router

2.

Select

Wireless Settings

under

Setup

on the main menu. The

Wireless Settings

screen will

display showing the default wireless network settings for this router. (Use the help screens or

the online

User Manual

if you require assistance to change your wireless settings.)

3.

Select a

Security Option

. NETGEAR strongly recommends that you implement security on

your wireless network. Follow the instructions in the

User Manual

or the router help screens if

you need help setting up the security feature appropriate to your needs.

4.

Click

Apply

to save your settings.

Setting Up Your Wireless Computers

Once you have set up your router, you are ready to configure your wireless computers with the

same settings as those you configured on the router. For your wireless computers to work with the

router, the settings of each wireless computer must match the wireless router’s settings exactly.

To set up your computers for wireless connectivity:

1.

Program the wireless adapter of each computer to have the same SSID (Wireless Network

Name) as the router.

2.

Check that the wireless adapter on each wireless computer can support the Mode and Security

options that you selected. (If you have a question, see the online

User Manual

or review the

settings you selected in

“Configuring Your Wireless Settings and Security Options” on

page 23

).

The Service Set Identifier (SSID) of any wireless adapter, which is the device’s

wireless network name, must match the SSID you configured in the router. If

they do not match, you will not get a wireless connection.

If you are configuring the router from a wireless computer and you change the

router’s SSID, channel, or security settings, you will lose your wireless

connection when you click

Apply

. You must then change your computer’s

wireless settings to match the router’s new settings.

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

computer’s wireless adapter card should support the same technology as your

router (see the online

User Manual

for more information).