SpeedStream Router User Guide

1:

Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase of the SpeedStream

®

Router with SecureRoute

TM

. Efficient Networks is

proud to provide you with a powerful yet simple communication device for connecting your computer or

local area network (LAN) to the Internet.

Note

This manual covers the SpeedStream model series 5100, 5200, 5400 and 5500.

About the SpeedStream Router

Your SpeedStream router provides high-speed Internet and corporate network access to homes,

networked home offices, and small offices. In addition, if you are working from a branch office, the

router provides a fast and effective means of communicating over a remote LAN with the main office.

The SpeedStream router can also be used to connect the corporate LAN to the Internet over the wide area

network (WAN).

Features and Benefits

Effortless installation via configurable

Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)

integration with an intuitive

graphical user interface (GUI) on UPnP-supported operating systems (Windows ME and XP).

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Intuitive

Web-based management interface

to simplify operation and support.

Wizards

to facilitate user profile and WAN configuration processes.

Content filtering

allows you to control access specific Web site addresses, or addresses containing

certain words or phrases.

Multi-language support

enables easy switching between language versions.

Ethernet connectivity

(all models) to the Internet or network through a network interface card (NIC),

providing full 10/100 megabits per second (Mbps) bandwidth to the port.

USB connectivity

(5200, 5500 series) providing added flexibility of connecting your computer via the

Ethernet or USB port.

Support for G.lite and full-rate DSL

ensures compatibility with most DSL networks.

Multiple computers can share a single DSL connection through the

integrated switch ports

, each

providing full- or half-duplex data transmission (5400, 5500 series).

Firewall Security

with four conveniently pre-set standard levels of firewall security (Off, Low,

Medium, and High), an ICSA-compliant mode, and a custom setting for advanced users.

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SpeedStream Router User Guide

Stateful Inspection Firewall

that provides many security features such as blocking common hacker

attacks, including IP Spoofing, Land Attack, Ping of Death, IP with zero length, Smurf Attack, UDP

port loopback, Snork Attack, TCP null scan, and TCP SYN flooding.

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Network Address Port Translation

(NAPT) and a secure firewall to protect your data while your

computer is connected to the Internet.

Port Forwarding

to provide more flexible management by allowing you to change internal IP

addresses without affecting outside access to your network.

Virtual Private Network

that allows remote users to establish a secure connection to a corporate

network by setting pass-through of the three most commonly used VPN protocols: PPTP, L2TP and

IPSec.

Firewall Security

The firewall in the SpeedStream router is a stateful packet inspection filter that works at the IP level. The

firewall consists of an IP packet filtering mechanism, a Network Address Port Translator (NAPT), and a

Network Address Translator (NAT). When the NAPT/NAT feature is enabled, the local (unreachable) IP

addressing used in the LAN automatically protects it from access. Even when NAPT/NAT is disabled and

the LAN is accessible from the WAN, you can configure the firewall to protect the LAN from external

attacks by creating custom filters to fine-tune access control.

Note

Because a NAPT/NAT system works like a firewall, though they are not the same, are often

referred to interchangeably. In the specific context of SpeedStream routers and associated Web

management interfaces, the term “firewall” refers more specifically to IP packet filtering, such as

stateful

inspection

. However, in the generic sense of firewall functionality, SpeedStream products also include

NAT and NAPT.

The firewall includes the following high-level, industry-standard features:

Port forwarding through NAPT/NAT.

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Numerous Application Level Gateways (ALGs) for proper NAPT/NAT functioning.

Stateful IP filtering with sophisticated rules database.

Automatic and protocol-specific session tracking.

Preconfigured and custom firewall levels.

Virtual DMZ.

Firewall logging with Network Time Protocol and SysLog support.

Attack Detection System (ADS).

Session Tracking

Some protocols, such as FTP, require secondary network connections on ports other than the main control

port. These connections are usually made using port numbers in the dynamic range (> 1024). The

SpeedStream firewall allows traffic on such secondary sessions without manual configuration.

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SpeedStream Router User Guide

Hardware Description

Note

The appearance of your router may vary somewhat from the following images.

SpeedStream 5100 Series

SpeedStream 5200 series

(1 Ethernet port, no USB port)

(1 Ethernet port, 1 USB port)

SpeedStream 5400 Series

SpeedStream 5500 series

(4 Ethernet ports, no USB port)

(4 Ethernet ports, 1 USB port)

The LED display panel on the front of your SpeedStream router displays system power and port

indicators that simplify installation and network troubleshooting. The rear panel provides port

connections for Ethernet, DSL, USB (5200, 5500 series), and the power connection. The recessed

Reset

button is located on the bottom of the router.

General Safety Guidelines

When using the SpeedStream router, observe the following safety guidelines:

Never install telephone wiring during a storm.

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Avoid using a telephone during an electrical storm. Lightening increases the risk of electrical shock.

Do not install telephone jacks in wet locations and never use the product near water.

Do not exceed the maximum power load ratings for the product; otherwise, you risk dangerous

overloading of the power circuit.

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SpeedStream Router User Guide

2: Installing the Router

Minimum System Requirements

At a minimum, your computer must be equipped with the following.

For Ethernet port connectivity (5100, 5200, 5400, 5500 series):

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A network interface card (NIC) that supports Ethernet 10/100Base-T full-/half-duplex

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Operating system that supports TCP/IP

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Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator versions 5.0 or later

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USB Port Connectivity (5200, 5500 series)

For USB port connectivity (5200, 5500 series):

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32 MB RAM.

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Pentium-compatible 166 MHz processor (or faster).

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12 MB available hard disk space.

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Windows 98 or later operating system.

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Must meet manufacturer’s minimum requirements for USB.

Important!

Your specific configuration may vary slightly from the instructions and illustrations in this

chapter. Refer to your service provider’s documentation, or contact them with questions regarding your

specific configuration.

Hardware Installation

You may position the SpeedStream router at any convenient location in your office or home. No special

wiring or cooling requirements are needed; however, you should comply with the safety guidelines

specified in the

General Safety Guidelines

on page 3.

Basic Installation Procedure

Install line filters if necessary.

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Connect the cables.

Plug the router into the electrical outlet; then verify port status.

Install USB drivers if necessary (5200, 5500 series).

Configure network settings on your computer.

Configure the router via the Web-based management interface.

Reboot the computer if prompted.

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SpeedStream Router User Guide

Recording System Settings

Another important step is to record the current router configuration in the worksheets provided in

Appendix A, “Configuration Data Sheets.” Although the router is already configured for your particular

network, it is important to record this configuration in case it must be restored for any reason or if you

make changes to the default settings and need to restore them at any point.

Installing Line Filters

Note

This section may not apply to you. Consult your provider if you are unsure.

Because DSL shares your telephone line, you may need to separate the two signals so they do not

interfere with each other. A line filter (may be included with some models) prevents DSL traffic from

disrupting the voice signal on the telephone line, and vice versa. Follow the procedures below to install

line filters on any device (telephones, fax machines, caller ID boxes) that shares the same telephone line

with your DSL.

You will need one of these type filters to connect between the telephone and the wall plate:

In-line filter:

For use with standard desktop telephones.

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Wall-mount filter

: For use with wall-mounted telephones.

You may also need a

two-to-one adapter

if you want to connect more than one device to the telephone

wall plate.

Important!

DSL performance may be significantly degraded if the line filters are not installed in the

correct direction, as illustrated below.

In-Line Filter

For each device sharing the same telephone line:

1.

Unplug the device’s cord from the telephone

jack.

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Plug the filter into the telephone jack.

3.

Plug the telephone cord (or other device cord)

into the filter.

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