Reference Manual for the RangeMax Wireless Router WPN824

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Introduction

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Built in 4-port 10/100 Mbps Switch.

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Ethernet connection to a wide area network (WAN) device, such as a cable modem or DSL

modem.

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Extensive Protocol Support.

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Login capability.

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Front panel LEDs for easy monitoring of status and activity.

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Flash memory for firmware upgrades.

RangeMax™ Multi-In, Multi-Out (MIMO) Technology

Netgear’s RangeMax Multi-In, Multi-Out (MIMO) technology provides ten times more coverage

than standard 802.11g alone by eliminating “dead spots” in your area of coverage where you use

your wireless computers. Your whole house or office suite now becomes a “hot spot” without

requiring any range extenders, repeaters, or external antennas. RangeMax maintains your high

speed throughout your home, not just when you are close to your router.

RangeMax is an advanced Smart MIMO (Multi-In, Multi-Out) technology that uses seven internal

antennas. RangeMax constantly surveys your home environment for physical barriers and

interference and adjusts the wireless signal to compensate for these performance blockers.

For example, if you carry your laptop from the family room to the bedroom, RangeMax

automatically senses the change and selects from over 100 possible antenna configurations to

deliver you the fastest, clearest connection so that everyone can enjoy consistently high-speed

connections, everywhere in your house with no drop-outs and no dead spots.

RangeMax is also 100% compatible with your existing 802.11b/g products (i.e., 802.11b, 802.11g,

Centrino, and SuperG™ wireless clients) and boosts their range and speed by up to 50%.

802.11g Wireless Networking

The WPN824 router includes an 802.11g wireless access point, providing continuous, high-speed

108 Mbps access between your wireless and Ethernet devices. The access point provides:

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802.11g wireless networking at up to 108 Mbps.

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802.11g wireless networking, with the ability to operate in 802.11g-only, 802.11b-only, or

802.11g and b modes, providing backwards compatibility with 802.11b devices or dedicating

the wireless network to the higher bandwidth 802.11g devices.

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64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption security.

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WEP keys can be generated manually or by passphrase.

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WPA-PSK support. Support for Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) data encryption which

provides strong data encryption and authentication based on a pre-shared key.

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Wireless access can be restricted by MAC address.

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Wireless network name broadcast can be turned off so that only devices that have the network

name (SSID) can connect.

A Powerful, True Firewall with Content Filtering

Unlike simple Internet sharing NAT routers, the WPN824 is a true firewall, using stateful packet

inspection to defend against hacker attacks. Its firewall features include:

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Denial of Service (DoS) protection.

Automatically detects and thwarts DoS attacks such as Ping of Death, SYN Flood, LAND

Attack, and IP Spoofing.

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Blocks unwanted traffic from the Internet to your LAN.

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Blocks access from your LAN to Internet locations or services that you specify as off-limits.

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Logs security incidents.

The WPN824 will log security events such as blocked incoming traffic, port scans, attacks,

and administrator logins. You can configure the router to E-mail the log to you at specified

intervals. You can also configure the router to send immediate alert messages to your E-mail

address or E-mail pager whenever a significant event occurs.

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The WPN824 prevents objectionable content from reaching your computers. The router allows

you to control access to Internet content by screening for keywords within Web addresses. You

can configure the router to log and report attempts to access objectionable Internet sites.

Security

The WPN824 router is equipped with several features designed to maintain security, as described

in this section.

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Computers Hidden by NAT

NAT opens a temporary path to the Internet for requests originating from the local network.

Requests originating from outside the LAN are discarded, preventing users outside the LAN

from finding and directly accessing the computers on the LAN.

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Introduction

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Port Forwarding with NAT

Although NAT prevents Internet locations from directly accessing the computers on the LAN,

the router allows you to direct incoming traffic to specific computers based on the service port

number of the incoming request, or to one designated “DMZ” host computer. You can specify

forwarding of single ports or ranges of ports.

Autosensing Ethernet Connections with Auto Uplink

With its internal 4-port 10/100 switch, the WPN824 can connect to either a 10 Mbps standard

Ethernet network or a 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet network. Both the LAN and WAN interfaces are

autosensing and capable of full-duplex or half-duplex operation.

The router incorporates Auto Uplink

TM

technology. Each Ethernet port will automatically sense

whether the Ethernet cable plugged into the port should have a ‘normal’ connection such as to a

computer or an ‘uplink’ connection such as to a switch or hub. That port will then configure itself

to the correct configuration. This feature also eliminates the need to worry about crossover cables,

as Auto Uplink will accommodate either type of cable to make the right connection.

Extensive Protocol Support

The WPN824 router supports the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol

(TCP/IP) and Routing Information Protocol (RIP). For further information about TCP/IP, refer to

Appendix B, “Network, Routing, Firewall, and Basics

.”

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IP Address Sharing by NAT

The WPN824 router allows several networked computers to share an Internet account using

only a single IP address, which may be statically or dynamically assigned by your Internet

service provider (ISP). This technique, known as NAT, allows the use of an inexpensive

single-user ISP account.

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Automatic Configuration of Attached computers by DHCP

The WPN824 router dynamically assigns network configuration information, including

IP, gateway, and domain name server (DNS) addresses, to attached computers on the LAN

using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). This feature greatly simplifies

configuration of computers on your local network.

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DNS Proxy

When DHCP is enabled and no DNS addresses are specified, the router provides its own

address as a DNS server to the attached computers. The router obtains actual DNS addresses

from the ISP during connection setup and forwards DNS requests from the LAN.

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PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE)

PPPoE is a protocol for connecting remote hosts to the Internet over a DSL connection by

simulating a dial-up connection. This feature eliminates the need to run a login program such

as Entersys or WinPOET on your computer.

Easy Installation and Management

You can install, configure, and operate the RangeMax Wireless Router WPN824 within minutes

after connecting it to the network. The following features simplify installation and management

tasks:

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Browser-based management

Browser-based configuration allows you to easily configure your router from almost any type

of personal computer, such as Windows, Macintosh, or Linux. A user-friendly Setup Wizard is

provided and online help documentation is built into the browser-based Web Management

Interface.

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Smart Wizard

The WPN824 router Smart Wizard automatically senses the type of Internet connection,

asking you only for the information required for your type of ISP account.

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Firmware Update

The WPN824 router can be updated if a newer version of firmware is available. This lets you

take advantage of product enhancements for your WPN824 as soon as they become available.

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Visual monitoring

The WPN824 router’s front panel LEDs provide an easy way to monitor its status and activity.

Maintenance and Support

NETGEAR offers the following features to help you maximize your use of the WPN824 router:

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Flash memory for firmware upgrades.

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Free technical support seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, for 90 days from the date

of purchase.

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Introduction

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NETGEAR Related Products

NETGEAR products related to the RangeMax Wireless Router WPN824 are as follows:

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RangeMax Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter (WPN111)

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RangeMax Wireless PCI Adapter (WPN311)

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RangeMax Wireless PC Card (WPN511)

Package Contents

The product package should contain the following items:

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RangeMax Wireless Router WPN824.

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AC power adapter.

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Vertical stand.

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Category 5 (CAT5) Ethernet cable.

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NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless Router WPN824 Resource CD

, including:

—

This manual.

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Application Notes and other helpful information.

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Wireless Home Router Setup Guide.

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Warranty and Support Information Card.

If any of the parts are incorrect, missing, or damaged, contact your NETGEAR dealer. Keep the

carton, including the original packing materials, in case you need to return the router for repair.

The Router’s Front Panel

The front panel of the WPN824 router contains the status lights described below.

Figure 2-1:

WPN824 Front Panel

Power

Internet Port

Wireless

LAN Port 4

Test