Netgear orporated 09400124 Wireless-N 150 Router User Manual

Netgear Incorporated Wireless-N 150 Router

User Manual

202-10614-01 March 2010v1.0NETGEAR, Inc.350 E. Plumeria Drive San Jose, CA 95134 USAWireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual
iiv1.0, March 2010©2010 by NETGEAR, Inc. All rights reserved.Product Registration, Support, and DocumentationRegister your product at http://www.netgear.com/register. Registration is required before you can use our telephone support service. Product updates and Web support are always available at http://www.netgear.com/support.Setup documentation is available on the support website and on the documentation website. When the wireless router is connected to the Internet, click the Knowledge Base or the Documentation link under Web Support on the main menu to view support information.TrademarksNETGEAR and the NETGEAR logo are registered trademarks of NETGEAR. Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are registered trademarks and Windows Vista is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Other brand and product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.Statement of ConditionsIn the interest of improving internal design, operational function, and/or reliability, NETGEAR reserves the right to make changes to the products described in this document without notice.NETGEAR does not assume any liability that may occur due to the use or application of the product(s) or circuit layout(s) described herein.Certificate of the Manufacturer/ImporterIt is hereby certified that the Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2 has been suppressed in accordance with the conditions set out in the BMPT-AmtsblVfg 243/1991 and Vfg 46/1992. The operation of some equipment (for example, test transmitters) in accordance with the regulations may, however, be subject to certain restrictions. Please refer to the notes in the operating instructions. Federal Office for Telecommunications Approvals has been notified of the placing of this equipment on the market and has been granted the right to test the series for compliance with the regulations. Bestätigung des Herstellers/ImporteursEs wird hiermit bestätigt, daß das Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2 gemäß der im BMPT-AmtsblVfg 243/1991 und Vfg 46/1992 aufgeführten Bestimmungen entstört ist. Das vorschriftsmäßige Betreiben einiger Geräte (z.B. Testsender) kann jedoch gewissen Beschränkungen unterliegen. Lesen Sie dazu bitte die Anmerkungen in der Betriebsanleitung.Das Bundesamt für Zulassungen in der Telekommunikation wurde davon unterrichtet, daß dieses Gerät auf den Markt gebracht wurde und es ist berechtigt, die Serie auf die Erfüllung der Vorschriften hin zu überprüfen.Regulatory Compliance InformationThis section includes user requirements for operating this product in accordance with National laws for usage of radio spectrum and operation of radio devices. Failure of the end-user to comply with the applicable requirements may result in unlawful operation and adverse action against the end-user by the applicable National regulatory authority.
v1.0, March 2010iiiNOTE: This product's firmware limits operation to only the channels allowed in a particular Region or Country. Therefore, all options described in this user's guide may not be available in your version of the product.Europe – EU Declaration of Conformity This device complies with the essential requirements of the R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC. The following test methods have been applied in order to prove presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC:• EN 60950-1: 2001Safety of information technology equipment• EN 300 328 V1.7.1 (2006-10)Electromagnetic compatibility and Radio spectrum Matters (ERM); Wideband transmission systems; Data transmission equipment operating in the 2,4 GHz ISM band and using wide band modulation techniques; Harmonized EN covering essential requirements under article 3.2 of the R&TTE Directive• EN 301 489-17 V1.2.1 (2002-08) and EN 301 489-1 V1.4.1 (2002-08)Electromagnetic compatibility and Radio spectrum Matters (ERM); ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standard for radio equipment and services; Part 17: Specific conditions for 2,4 GHz wideband transmission systems and 5 GHz high performance RLAN equipmentThis device is a 2.4 GHz wideband transmission system (transceiver), intended for use in all EU member states and EFTA countries under the following conditions and/or with the following restrictions:• In Italy the end-user should apply for a license at the national spectrum authorities in order to obtain authorization to use the device for setting up outdoor radio links and/or for supplying public access to telecommunications and/or network services.• This device may not be used for setting up outdoor radio links in France and in some areas the RF output power may be limited to 10 mW EIRP in the frequency range of 2454 - 2483.5 MHz. For detailed information the end-user should contact the national spectrum authority in France.Europe – Declaration of Conformity in Languages of the European CommunityČesky [Czech] [NETGEAR Inc.] tímto prohlašuje, že tento [WNR612v2] je ve shode se základními požadavky a dalšími príslušnými ustanoveními smernice 1999/5/ES.Dansk [Danish] Undertegnede [NETGEAR Inc.] erklærer herved, at følgende udstyr [WNR612v2] overholder de væsentlige krav og øvrige relevante krav i direktiv 1999/5/EF.Deutsch [German] Hiermit erklärt [NETGEAR Inc.], dass sich das Gerät [WNR612v2] in Übereinstimmung mit den grundlegenden Anforderungen und den übrigen einschlägigen Bestimmungen der Richtlinie 1999/5/EG befindet.Eesti [Estonian] Käesolevaga kinnitab [NETGEAR Inc.] seadme [WNR612v2] vastavust direktiivi 1999/5/EÜ põhinõuetele ja nimetatud direktiivist tulenevatele teistele asjakohastele sätetele.English Hereby, [NETGEAR Inc.], declares that this [WNR612v2] is in compliance with the essential requirements and other relevant provisions of Directive 1999/5/EC.
v1.0, March 2010ivEspañol [Spanish] Por medio de la presente [NETGEAR Inc.] declara que el [WNR612v2] cumple con los requisitos esenciales y cualesquiera otras disposiciones aplicables o exigibles de la Directiva 1999/5/CE.Eλληνική [Greek]ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΑ [NETGEAR Inc.] ΔΗΛΩΝΕΙ ΟΤΙ [WNR612v2] ΣΥΜΜΟΡΦΩΝΕΤΑΙ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΣ ΟΥΣΙΩΔΕΙΣ ΑΠΑΙΤΗΣΕΙΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΙΣ ΛΟΙΠΕΣ ΣΧΕΤΙΚΕΣ ΔΙΑΤΑΞΕΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΔΗΓΙΑΣ 1999/5/ΕΚ.Français [French] Par la présente [NETGEAR Inc.] déclare que l'appareil [WNR612v2] est conforme aux exigences essentielles et aux autres dispositions pertinentes de la directive 1999/5/CE.Italiano [Italian] Con la presente [NETGEAR Inc.] dichiara che questo [WNR612v2] è conforme ai requisiti essenziali ed alle altre disposizioni pertinenti stabilite dalla direttiva 1999/5/CE.Latviski [Latvian] Ar šo [NETGEAR Inc.] deklarē, ka [WNR612v2] atbilst Direktīvas 1999/5/EK būtiskajām prasībām un citiem ar to saistītajiem noteikumiem.Lietuvių [Lithuanian] Šiuo [NETGEAR Inc.] deklaruoja, kad šis [WNR612v2] atitinka esminius reikalavimus ir kitas 1999/5/EB Direktyvos nuostatas.Nederlands [Dutch] Hierbij verklaart [NETGEAR Inc.]. dat het toestel [WNR612v2] in overeenstemming is met de essentiële eisen en de andere relevante bepalingen van richtlijn 1999/5/EG.Malti [Maltese] Hawnhekk, [NETGEAR Inc.], jiddikjara li dan [WNR612v2] jikkonforma mal-htigijiet essenzjali u ma provvedimenti ohrajn relevanti li hemm fid-Dirrettiva 1999/5/EC.Magyar [Hungarian] Alulírott, [NETGEAR Inc.] nyilatkozom, hogy a [WNR612v2] megfelel a vonatkozó alapvetõ követelményeknek és az 1999/5/EC irányelv egyéb elõírásainak.Polski [Polish] Niniejszym [NETGEAR Inc.] oświadcza, że [WNR612v2] jest zgodny z zasadniczymi wymogami oraz pozostałymi stosownymi postanowieniami Dyrektywy 1999/5/EC.Português [Portuguese] [NETGEAR Inc.] declara que este [WNR612v2] está conforme com os requisitos essenciais e outras disposições da Directiva 1999/5/CE.Slovensko [Slovenian] [NETGEAR Inc.] izjavlja, da je ta [WNR612v2] v skladu z bistvenimi zahtevami in ostalimi relevantnimi določili direktive 1999/5/ES.Slovensky [Slovak] [NETGEAR Inc.] týmto vyhlasuje, _e [WNR612v2] spĺňa základné po_iadavky a všetky príslušné ustanovenia Smernice 1999/5/ES.Suomi [Finnish] [NETGEAR Inc.] vakuuttaa täten että [WNR612v2] tyyppinen laite on direktiivin 1999/5/EY oleellisten vaatimusten ja sitä koskevien direktiivin muiden ehtojen mukainen.Svenska [Swedish] Härmed intygar [NETGEAR Inc.] att denna [WNR612v2] står I överensstämmelse med de väsentliga egenskapskrav och övriga relevanta bestämmelser som framgår av direktiv 1999/5/EG.
v1.0, March 2010vFCC Requirements for Operation in the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Compliance Notice: Radio Frequency Notice: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.To assure continued compliance, any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate this equipment. (Example - use only shielded interface cables when connecting to computer or peripheral devices).FCC Radiation Exposure StatementThis equipment complies with FCC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This equipment should be installed and operated with a minimum distance of 20 centimeters between the radiator and your body.This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.The antennas used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 20 cm from all persons and must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.FCC Information to UserThis product does not contain any user serviceable components and is to be used with approved antennas only. Any product changes or modifications will invalidate all applicable regulatory certifications and approvals.FCC Guidelines for Human ExposureThis equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance of 20 cm between the radiator and your body. This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter. FCC Declaration Of ConformityWe NETGEAR, Inc., 350 East Plumeria Drive, San Jose, CA 95134, declare under our sole responsibility that the model Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2 complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
v1.0, March 2010vi• This device may not cause harmful interference, and• This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.FCC Radio Frequency Interference Warnings & InstructionsThis equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following methods:• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.• Connect the equipment into an electrical outlet on a circuit different from that which the radio receiver is connected.• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.Modifications made to the product, unless expressly approved by NETGEAR, Inc., could void the user's right to operate the equipment.Industry Canada StatementThis device complies with RSS-210 of the Industry Canada Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.IMPORTANT NOTERadiation Exposure Statement:This equipment complies with IC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This equipment should be installed and operated witha minimum distance of 20 cm between the radiator and your body.Maximum Wireless Signal Rate Derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 SpecificationsActual data throughput will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate.
v1.0, March 2010viiProduct and Publication DetailsModel Number: WNR612v2Publication Date: March 2010Product Family: Wireless RouterProduct Name: Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2Home or Business Product: HomeLanguage: EnglishPublication Part Number: 202-10614-01
viiv1.0, March 2010ContentsAbout This ManualConventions, Formats, and Scope ................................................................................... xiHow to Print This Manual ................................................................................................ xiiRevision History ...............................................................................................................xiiiChapter 1 Configuring Basic ConnectivityLogging In To Your Wireless Router ..............................................................................1-1Configuring Your Internet Settings Using the Setup Wizard ...........................................1-4Viewing and Configuring Basic Internet Settings ............................................................1-4Your Internet Connection Does Not Require a Login ...............................................1-5Your Internet Connection Does Require a Login .....................................................1-7Setting Up and Testing Wireless-N 150 Connectivity .....................................................1-9Chapter 2 Safeguarding Your NetworkChoosing Appropriate Wireless Security ........................................................................2-1Recording Wireless-N 150 Settings Setup Information ..................................................2-5Changing Wireless Security Settings .............................................................................2-6Viewing Wireless-N 150 Settings .............................................................................2-6Configuring WEP Wireless Security .........................................................................2-8Configuring WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK Wireless Security ......................................2-9Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings ...........................................................................2-11Configuring WPS Security (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) .....................................................2-12Security PIN Entry ..................................................................................................2-14Configuring the WPS Settings ................................................................................2-15Connecting Additional Wireless Client Devices after WPS Setup ..........................2-16Restricting Wireless Access by MAC Address .............................................................2-17Changing the Administrator Password .........................................................................2-19Backing Up Your Configuration ....................................................................................2-20Understanding Your Firewall ........................................................................................2-21
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Contents viiiv1.0, March 2010Chapter 3 Restricting Access From Your NetworkContent Filtering Overview .............................................................................................3-1Blocking Access to Internet Sites ...................................................................................3-1Blocking Access to Internet Services .............................................................................3-3Blocking Services by IP Address Range ..................................................................3-5Scheduling Blocking .......................................................................................................3-5Viewing Logs of Web Access or Attempted Web Access ...............................................3-6Configuring E-mail Alert and Web Access Log Notifications ..........................................3-7Setting the Time Zone ....................................................................................................3-8Chapter 4 Customizing Your Network SettingsUsing the LAN IP Setup Options ....................................................................................4-1Configuring a Device Name .....................................................................................4-2Configuring LAN TCP/IP Setup Parameters ............................................................4-2Using the Router as a DHCP Server ........................................................................4-3Using Address Reservation ......................................................................................4-4Using a Dynamic DNS Service .......................................................................................4-5Configuring the WAN Setup Options ..............................................................................4-6Disabling the SPI Firewall ........................................................................................4-6Setting Up a Default DMZ Server .............................................................................4-7Responding to a Ping on the Internet (WAN) Port ...................................................4-7Setting the MTU Size ...............................................................................................4-8Configuring NAT Filtering .........................................................................................4-8Configuring Static Routes ...............................................................................................4-8Chapter 5 Fine-Tuning Your NetworkAllowing Inbound Connections to Your Network ............................................................5-1How Your Computer Accesses a Remote Computer through Your Router .............5-2How Port Triggering Changes the Communication Process ....................................5-3How Port Forwarding Changes the Communication Process ..................................5-5How Port Forwarding Differs from Port Triggering ...................................................5-6Configuring Port Forwarding to Local Servers ................................................................5-6Adding a Custom Service .........................................................................................5-7Editing or Deleting a Port Forwarding Entry .............................................................5-8
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Contents ixv1.0, March 2010Configuring Port Triggering ............................................................................................5-9Using Universal Plug and Play .....................................................................................5-12Optimizing Wireless Performance ................................................................................5-14Changing the MTU Size ...............................................................................................5-15Overview of Home and Small Office Networking Technologies ...................................5-16Assessing Your Speed Requirements ...................................................................5-17Chapter 6 Using Network Monitoring ToolsViewing Wireless Router Status Information ..................................................................6-2Viewing a List of Attached Devices ................................................................................6-7Managing the Configuration File .....................................................................................6-7Backing Up and Restoring the Configuration ...........................................................6-8Erasing the Configuration .........................................................................................6-8Updating the Router Firmware .......................................................................................6-9Checking for New Firmware in the Router Upgrade Screen ....................................6-9Updating Manually to New Router Firmware .........................................................6-10Enabling Remote Management Access .......................................................................6-12Chapter 7 TroubleshootingQuick Tips .......................................................................................................................7-1Troubleshooting Basic Functions ...................................................................................7-2Login Problems ...............................................................................................................7-4Checking the Internet Service Connection .....................................................................7-5Obtaining an Internet IP Address .............................................................................7-5Troubleshooting PPPoE ...........................................................................................7-6Troubleshooting Internet Browsing ..........................................................................7-7Troubleshooting Your Network Using the Ping Utility .....................................................7-8Testing the LAN Path to Your Router .......................................................................7-8Testing the Path from Your Computer to a Remote Device .....................................7-9Problems with Date and Time ......................................................................................7-10Problems with Wireless Adapter Connections ..............................................................7-10Restoring the Default Configuration and Password ......................................................7-11
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Contents xv1.0, March 2010Appendix A Technical SpecificationsDefault Configuration Settings ....................................................................................... A-1General Specifications ................................................................................................... A-3Appendix B Related DocumentsIndex
xiv1.0, March 2010About This ManualThe user manual provides information for configuring the features of the NETGEAR® Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2 beyond initial configuration settings. You should have basic to intermediate computer and Internet skills. Conventions, Formats, and ScopeThe conventions, formats, and scope of this manual are described in the following paragraphs:•Typographical conventions. This manual uses the following typographical conventions:•Formats. This manual uses the following formats to highlight special messages:Italic Emphasis, books, CDsBold User input, GUI screen textFixed Command prompt, CLI text, code Italic URL linksNote: This format is used to highlight information of importance or special interest.Tip: This format is used to highlight a procedure that will save time or resources.Warning: Ignoring this type of note might result in a malfunction or damage to the equipment, a breach of security, or a loss of data.Danger: This is a safety warning. Failure to take heed of this notice might result in personal injury or death.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual xiiv1.0, March 2010•Scope. This manual is written for the WNR612v2 router according to these specifications:For more information about network, Internet, firewall, and VPN technologies, click the links to the NETGEAR website in Appendix B, “Related Documents.”How to Print This ManualTo print this manual, your computer must have the free Adobe Acrobat reader installed in order to view and print PDF files. The Acrobat reader is available on the Adobe Web site at http://www.adobe.com.Revision HistoryNETGEAR, Inc. is constantly searching for ways to improve its products and documentation. The following table indicates any changes that might have been made since the WNR612v2 router was introduced.Product Version Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2Manual Publication Date March 2010Note: Product updates are available on the NETGEAR, Inc. website athttp://www.netgear.com/support.Tip: If your printer supports printing two pages on a single sheet of paper, you can save paper and printer ink by selecting this feature.Table 2-1. Publication Revision HistoryPart Number Version Number Date Description202-10614-01 v1.0 March 2010 First publication.
1-1v1.0, March 2010Chapter 1Configuring Basic ConnectivityThis chapter describes the settings for your Internet connection and your wireless local area network (LAN) connection. When you perform the initial configuration of your wireless router, these settings are specified automatically for you. This chapter provides further details about these connectivity settings, as well as instructions on how to log in to the router for further configuration.This chapter includes the following sections:•“Logging In To Your Wireless Router” on page 1-1•“Configuring Your Internet Settings Using the Setup Wizard” on page 1-4•“Viewing and Configuring Basic Internet Settings” on page 1-4•“Setting Up and Testing Wireless-N 150 Connectivity” on page 1-9Logging In To Your Wireless Router When the wireless router is connected to your network, you can access and configure the router using your browser. The Default Access login information is printed on the bottom label of your router.To access the router:
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-2v1.0, March 20101. Connect to the wireless router by typing http://www.routerlogin.net in the address field of your browser, and then press Enter. A login window displays.2. Enter admin for the router user name and your password (or the default, password). For information about how to change the password, see “Changing the Administrator Password” on page 2-15. Figure 1-1Tip: You can connect to the wireless router by typing either of these URLs in the address field of your browser, and then pressing Enter:•http://www.routerlogin.net• http://www.routerlogin.comIf these URLs do not work, you must type the IP address of the router, for example, http://www.192.168.1.1.Note: The router user name and password are not the same as any other user name or password you might use to log in to your Internet connection.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-3v1.0, March 2010– The Checking for Firmware Updates screen appears unless you previously cleared the Check for Updated Firmware Upon Log-in check box.This message displays if the router discovers that new firmware is available. (If no new firmware is available, the router will proceed to the router status screen.)– To automatically update to the new firmware, click Yes to allow the router to download and install the new firmware file from NETGEAR.The update process typically takes about 1 minute. When the upload is complete, your router automatically restarts. 3. If there is no new firmware, the login will take you to the Basic Settings screen displayed here.Figure 1-2Figure 1-3Warning: When uploading firmware to the WNR612v2 router, do not interrupt the Web browser by closing the window, clicking a link, or loading a new page. If the browser is interrupted, it could corrupt the firmware.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-4v1.0, March 2010If the wireless router is connected to the Internet, you can select Knowledge Base or Documentation under Web Support in the main menu to view support information or the documentation for the wireless router.If you do not click Logout, the wireless router will wait for 5 minutes after no activity before it automatically logs you out.Selecting a Language for Your Screen DisplayUsing the Select Language drop-down menu, located in the upper right corner of the Router Manager screen, you can display the router manager screens in any of languages shown in Figure 1-5:Figure 1-4
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-5v1.0, March 2010Figure 1-5The language is set to English by default. The default language is always stored in memory. When you select a language other than the default, that language as well as English is stored in memory. The additional language stored is the most recently selected. For example, if you select Deutsch, German and English will be stored. If you next select Chinese, Chinese and English will be stored.To specify a language to be used on your router manager screens, do the following:1. Expand the list and select the language you want.2. Click Apply.The language you select is then downloaded and displayed in the language selection box, and your screen display will be in the selected language.Note: You can select from the entire list of supported languages only when the router is connected to the Internet. When the router is not connected to the Internet, you can select one of the stored languages only.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-6v1.0, March 2010Configuring Your Internet Settings Using the Setup WizardYou can manually configure your Internet connection using the Basic Settings screen, or you can allow the Setup Wizard to determine your Internet Service Provider (ISP) configuration.The Setup Wizard searches your Internet connection for servers and protocols to determine your ISP configuration.To use the Setup Wizard to assist with configuration or to verify the Internet connection settings:1. Select Setup Wizard from the top of the main menu. 2. Click Next to proceed. Enter your ISP settings, as needed.3. At the end of the Setup Wizard, click Test to verify your Internet connection. If you have trouble connecting to the Internet, see Chapter 7, “Troubleshooting.”Viewing and Configuring Basic Internet SettingsSettings related to your Internet service are specified in the Basic Settings screen. Select Basic Settings under Setup in the main menu.The content you see in the Basic Settings screen depends on whether your ISP requires that you log in with a user name and password for Internet access.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-7v1.0, March 2010Your Internet Connection Does Not Require a LoginIf no login is required by your ISP, the following settings appear in the Basic Settings screen.•Account Name (might also be called Host Name). The account name is provided to the ISP during a DHCP request from your router. In most cases, this setting is not required, but some ISPs require it for access to ISP services such as mail or news servers.•Domain Name. The domain name is provided by your router to computers on your LAN when the computers request DHCP settings from your router. In most cases, this settings is not required.•Internet IP Address. Determines how your router obtains an IP address for Internet access.– If your ISP assigns an IP address dynamically (by DHCP), select Get Dynamically From ISP.Figure 1-6No login required
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-8v1.0, March 2010– If your ISP has assigned you a permanent, fixed (static) IP address for your computer, select Use Static IP Address. Enter the IP address that your ISP assigned. Also, enter the subnet mask and the gateway IP address. The gateway is the ISP’s router to which your router will connect.•Domain Name Server (DNS) Address. If you know that your ISP does not automatically transmit DNS addresses to the router during login, select Use These DNS Servers, and enter the IP address of your ISP’s primary DNS server. If a secondary DNS server address is available, enter it also.•Router MAC Address. This section determines the Ethernet MAC address that the router will use on the Internet port. Typically, you would leave Use Default Address selected. However, some ISPs (especially cable modem providers) register the Ethernet MAC address of the network interface card in your computer when your account is first opened. They then accept only traffic from the MAC address of that computer. This feature allows your router to masquerade as that computer by “cloning” or “spoofing” its MAC address. To change the MAC address, select one of the following methods:– Select Use Computer MAC Address. The router will then capture and use the MAC address of the computer that you are now using. You must be using the one computer that is allowed by the ISP.– Select Use This MAC Address, and enter it here.Note: If you enter or change a DNS address, restart the computers on your network so that these settings take effect.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-9v1.0, March 2010Your Internet Connection Does Require a LoginIf a login is required by your ISP, the following settings appear in the Basic Settings screen: •Does Your Internet Connection Require A Login? If you usually must use a login program such as WinPOET to access the Internet, your Internet connection requires a login. After you select Yes, the Basic Settings screen displays.Figure 1-7Note: After you finish setting up your router, you will no longer need to launch the ISP’s login program on your computer to access the Internet. When you start an Internet application, your router will automatically log you in. Login required
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-10v1.0, March 2010•Internet Service Provider. This drop-down list contains a few ISPs that need special protocols for connection. Not all ISPs are listed here. The ones on this list have special requirements. The list includes:–PPTP (Point to Point Tunneling Protocol), used primarily in Austrian DSL services–Telstra Bigpond, an Australian residential cable modem service–Other, which selects PPPoE (Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet), the protocol used by most DSL services worldwide. •Login and Password. This is the user name and password provided by your ISP. This name and password are used to log in to the ISP server.–Service Name. If your connection is capable of connecting to multiple Internet services, this setting specifies which service to use.–Connection Mode. This drop-down list selects when the router will connect to and disconnect from the Internet. The list includes: •Always On. The router logs in to the Internet immediately after booting and never disconnects.Figure 1-8Note: The Telstra Bigpond setting is only for older cable modem service accounts still requiring a Bigpond login utility. Telstra has discontinued this type of account. Those with Telstra DSL accounts and newer cable modem accounts should select No for Does Your Internet Connection Require a Login.Figure 1-9
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-11v1.0, March 2010•Dial on Demand. The router logs in only when outgoing traffic is present and logs out after the idle time-out.•Manually Connect. The router logs in or logs out only when the user clicks Connect or Disconnect in the Router Status screen.–Idle Timeout. Your Internet connection is logged out if there is no data transfer during the specified time interval.•Domain Name Server (DNS) Address. If you know that your ISP does not automatically transmit DNS addresses to the router during login, select Use These DNS Servers, and enter the IP address of your ISP’s primary DNS server. If a secondary DNS server address is available, enter it also.Setting Up and Testing Wireless-N 150 ConnectivityFollow these instructions to set up and test Wireless-N 150 connectivity. Once you have established Wireless-N 150 connectivity, you can enable security settings appropriate to your needs.Note: If you enter or change a DNS address, restart the computers on your network so that these settings take effect.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-12v1.0, March 20101. Select Wireless Settings under Setup in the main menu of the WNR612v2 router.2. As appropriate, select the region in which the wireless interface will operate. 3. For the wireless network name (SSID), use the default name, or choose a suitable descriptive name. In the Name (SSID) field, you can enter a value of up to 32 alphanumeric characters. The default SSID is NETGEAR.4. For the remaining settings, accept the defaults.• The default channel is Auto.Figure 1-10Note: In North America, you will not be able to change the region setting.Note: The SSID is case-sensitive; NETGEAR is not the same as nETgear. Also, the SSID of any wireless access adapters must match the SSID you specify in the WNR612v2 router. If they do not match, you will not get a wireless connection to the WNR612v2 router.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-13v1.0, March 2010It should not be necessary to change the wireless channel unless you notice interference problems with another nearby wireless router or access point. Select a channel that is not being used by any other wireless networks within several hundred feet of your router. For more information about the wireless channel frequencies, click the link to the online document “Wireless Networking Basics” in Appendix B. • The default mode of Up to 150Mbps. The options are:– Up to 54 Mbps – Legacy Mode – Maximum speed of up to 54 Mbps for b/g networks. – Up to 65 Mbps – Neighbor Friendly Mode – Will not interfere with neighboring wireless networks.– Up to 150 Mbps – Performance Mode – Maximum Wireless-N speed up to 150 Mbps.• The default Security Options is None.5. Click Apply to save your changes.6. Select Wireless Settings under Advanced in the main menu of the WNR612v2 router.7. Make sure that the Enable Wireless Router Radio, Enable SSID Broadcast, and Enable WMM check boxes are selected.8. Click Setup Access List.Note: 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 the wireless settings of your computer to match the router’s new settings.Figure 1-11
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Configuring Basic Connectivity 1-14v1.0, March 20109. Make sure that the Turn Access Control On check box is not selected.10. Configure and test your wireless computer for wireless connectivity.Program the wireless adapter of your computer to have the same SSID and channel that you specified in the router, and disable encryption. Check that your computer has a wireless link and can obtain an IP address by DHCP from the router.Once your computer has Wireless-N 150 connectivity to the router, you can configure the advanced wireless security functions of the computer and router (for more information about security and these settings, see Chapter 2, “Safeguarding Your Network ”).
2-1v1.0, March 2010Chapter 2Safeguarding Your NetworkThe Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2 provides highly effective security features, which are covered in detail in this chapter. This chapter includes the following sections:•“Choosing Appropriate Wireless Security”•“Recording Wireless-N 150 Settings Setup Information” on page 2-5•“Changing Wireless Security Settings” on page 2-6•“Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-11•“Configuring WPS Security (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-12•“Restricting Wireless Access by MAC Address” on page 2-17•“Changing the Administrator Password” on page 2-19•“Backing Up Your Configuration” on page 2-20•“Understanding Your Firewall” on page 2-21Choosing Appropriate Wireless Security Unlike wired networks, wireless networks allow anyone with a compatible adapter to receive your wireless data transmissions well beyond your walls. Operating an unsecured wireless network creates an opportunity for outsiders to eavesdrop on your network traffic or to enter your network to access your computers and files. Indoors, computers can connect over wireless networks at ranges of up to 300 feet. Such distances can allow for others outside your immediate area to access your network. Use the security features of your wireless equipment that are appropriate to your needs.The time it takes to establish a wireless connection can vary depending on both your security settings and router placement. Stronger security methods can entail a cost in terms of throughput, latency, battery consumption, and equipment compatibility. In choosing an appropriate security level, you can also consider the effort compared to the reward for a hacker to break into your network. As a minimum, however, NETGEAR recommends using WEP with Shared Key authentication. Do not run an unsecured wireless network unless it is your intention to provide free Internet access for the public.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-2v1.0, March 2010WEP connections can take slightly longer to establish. Also, WEP, WPA-PSK, and WPA2-PSK encryption can consume more battery power on a notebook computer, and can cause significant performance degradation with a slow computer.To configure the wireless network, you can:•Manually specify your SSID and your wireless security settings. The WNR612v2 router provides two screens for configuring the wireless settings: –Wireless Settings. You access these under Setup in the main menu (see “Viewing Wireless-N 150 Settings” on page 2-6).–Advanced Wireless Settings. You access these under Advanced in the main menu (see “Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-11).Note: NETGEAR recommends that you change the administration password of your router. Default passwords are well known, and an intruder can use your administrator access to read or disable your security settings. For information about how to change the administrator password, see “Changing the Administrator Password” on page 2-19.Figure 2-1WNR612v21) Open system: easy but no security2) MAC access list: no data security3) WEP: security but some performance impact4) WPA-PSK: strong security5) WPA2-PSK: very strong securityWireless datasecurity optionsRange: up to 300 foot radiusNote: Use these with other features that enhance security (Table 2-2 on page 2-4).
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-3v1.0, March 2010•Use Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) to automatically set the SSID and implement WPA/WPA2 security on both the router and the client device. If the clients in your network are WPS capable, you can use Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) to automatically set the SSID and implement WPA/WPA2 security on both the router and the client device (see “Configuring WPS Security (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-12).Basic security options are listed in order of increasing effectiveness in Table 2-1. Other features that affect security are listed in Table 2-2 on page 2-4. For more details on wireless security methods, click the link to the online document “Wireless Networking Basics” in Appendix B.Table 2-1. Wireless Security OptionsSecurity Type DescriptionNone. No wireless security. Recommended only for troubleshooting wireless connectivity. Do not run an unsecured wireless network unless it is your intention to provide free Internet access for the public.WEP. Wired Equivalent Privacy. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption provides moderate data security. WEP Shared Key authentication and WEP data encryption can be defeated by a determined eavesdropper using publicly available tools.For more information, see “Configuring WEP Wireless Security” on page 2-8.WPA-PSK (TKIP). WPA-PSK standard encryption with TKIP encryption type.WPA2-PSK (AES). Wi-Fi Protected Access version 2 with Pre-Shared Key; WPA2-PSK standard encryption with the AES encryption type.WPA-PSK (TKIP) + WPA2-PSK (AES). Mixed mode.Wi-Fi Protected Access with Pre-Shared Key (WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK) data encryption provides extremely strong data security, very effectively blocking eavesdropping. Because WPA and WPA2 are relatively new standards, older wireless adapters and devices might not support them.For more information, see “Configuring WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK Wireless Security” on page 2-9.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-4v1.0, March 2010Table 2-2. Other Features That Enhance SecuritySecurity Type DescriptionDisable the wireless router radio. If you disable the wireless router radio, wireless devices cannot communicate with the router at all. You might disable this when you are away or when other users of your network all use wired connections.For more information, see “Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-11.Turn off the broadcast of the wireless network name SSID. If you disable the broadcast of the SSID, only devices that know the correct SSID can connect. This nullifies the wireless network discovery feature of some products such as Windows XP, but your data is still fully exposed to an intruder using available wireless eavesdropping tools.For more information, see “Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-11.Restrict access based on MAC address. You can restrict access to only trusted computers so that unknown computers cannot wirelessly connect to the WNR612v2 router. MAC address filtering adds an obstacle against unwanted access to your network by the general public, but the data broadcast over the wireless link is fully exposed. This data includes your trusted MAC addresses, which can be read and impersonated by a hacker.For more information, see “Restricting Wireless Access by MAC Address” on page 2-17.Modify your firewall’s rules. By default, the firewall allows any outbound traffic and prohibits any inbound traffic except for responses to your outbound traffic. However, you can modify the firewall’s rules.For more information, see “Understanding Your Firewall” on page 2-21.Use the Push 'N' Connect feature (Wi-Fi Protected Setup). Wi-Fi Protected Setup provides easy setup by means of a push button. Older wireless adapters and devices might not support this. Check whether devices are WPS enabled.For more information, see “Configuring WPS Security (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-12.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-5v1.0, March 2010Recording Wireless-N 150 Settings Setup InformationBefore and after customizing your wireless settings, print this section, and record the following information. If you are working with an existing wireless network, the person who set up or is responsible for the network can provide this information. Otherwise, you must choose the settings for your wireless network. Either way, record the settings for your wireless network in the spaces provided.•Wireless Network Name (SSID). ______________________________ The SSID identifies the wireless network. You can use up to 32 alphanumeric characters. The SSID is case-sensitive. The SSID in the wireless adapter card must match the SSID of the wireless router. In some configuration utilities (such as in Windows XP), the term “wireless network name” is used instead of SSID. •If WEP Authentication is used, circle one: Shared Key or Auto. –WEP Encryption Key Size. Choose one: 64-bit or 128-bit. Again, the encryption key size must be the same for the wireless adapters and the wireless router.–Data Encryption (WEP) Keys. There are two methods for creating WEP data encryption keys. Whichever method you use, record the key values in the spaces provided.•Passphrase Method. ______________________________ These characters are case-sensitive. Enter a word or group of printable characters and click Generate. Not all wireless devices support the passphrase method.•Manual Method. These values are not case-sensitive. For 64-bit WEP, enter 10 hexadecimal digits (any combination of 0–9, a–f, or A–F). For 128-bit WEP, enter 26 hexadecimal digits. Key 1: ___________________________________ Key 2: ___________________________________ Key 3: ___________________________________ Key 4: ___________________________________ • If WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK authentication is used:Note: If you select Shared Key, the other devices in the network will not connect unless they are also set to Shared Key and are configured with the correct key.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-6v1.0, March 2010–Passphrase. ______________________________ These characters are case-sensitive. Enter a word or group of printable characters. When you use WPA-PSK, the other devices in the network will not connect unless they are also set to WPA-PSK and are configured with the correct passphrase. Similarly, when you use WPA2-PSK, the other devices in the network will not connect unless they are also set to WPA2-PSK and are configured with the correct passphrase. Use the procedures described in the following sections to specify the WNR612v2 router. Store this information in a safe place.Changing Wireless Security SettingsThis section describes the wireless settings that you can view and configure in the Wireless Settings screen, which you access under Setup in the main menu.Viewing Wireless-N 150 SettingsTo specify the wireless security settings of your router:1. Log in to the router as described in “Logging In To Your Wireless Router” on page 1-1.2. Select Wireless Settings under Setup in the main menu. The Wireless Settings screen displays.The available settings in this screen are:Figure 2-2
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-7v1.0, March 2010•Name (SSID). The SSID is also known as the wireless network name. Enter a value of up to 32 alphanumeric characters. When more than one wireless network is active, different wireless network names provide a way to separate the traffic. For a wireless device to participate in a particular wireless network, it must be configured with the SSID for that network. The WNR612v2 default SSID is NETGEAR. You can disable this broadcast as described in “Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-11. •Region. This field identifies the region where the WNR612v2 router can be used. It might not be legal to operate the wireless features of the wireless router in a region other than one of those identified in this field.•Channel. This field determines which operating frequency is used. It should not be necessary to change the wireless channel unless you notice interference problems with another nearby wireless network. The wireless router uses channel bonding technology to extend the bandwidth for data transmission. For more information about the wireless channel frequencies, see the online document that you can access from “Wireless Networking Basics” in Appendix B.•Mode. The default mode is Up to 150Mbps. The Mode options are:– Up to 54 Mbps - Legacy Mode with maximum speed of up to 54 Mbps for b/g networks. – Up to 65 Mbps - Neighbor Friendly Mode - Will not interfere with neighboring wireless networks.– Up to 150 Mbps - Performance Mode - Maximum Nx speeds up to 150 Mbps. Using channel expansion to achieve the 150 Mbps data rate, the WNR612v2 will use the channel you selected as the primary channel and expand to the secondary channel (primary channel +4 or –4) to achieve a 40 MHz frame-by-frame bandwidth. The WNR612v2 will detect channel usage and will disable frame-by-frame expansion if the expansion would result in interference with the data transmission of other access points or clients.Note: The region selection feature might not be available in all countries.Note: The maximum wireless signal rate is derived from the IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-8v1.0, March 2010•Security Options. The selection of wireless security options can significantly affect your network performance. The time it takes to establish a wireless connection can vary depending on both your security settings and router placement. WEP connections can take slightly longer to establish. Also, WEP, WPA-PSK, and WPA2-PSK encryption can consume more battery power on a notebook computer, and can cause significant performance degradation with a slow computer. Instructions for configuring the security options can be found in “Choosing Appropriate Wireless Security” on page 2-1. A full explanation of wireless security standards is available in the online document that you can access from “Wireless Networking Basics” in Appendix B.3. Click Apply to save your settings.Configuring WEP Wireless SecurityWEP Shared Key authentication and WEP data encryption can be defeated by a determined eavesdropper using publicly available tools.WEP offers the following options:•Automatic. With the Automatic option, the router will try both Open System and Shared Key authentication. Normally this setting is suitable. If it fails, select Open System or Shared Key. You can also refer to your wireless adapter’s documentation to see what method to use. •Open System. With Open System authentication and 64 or 128 bit WEP data encryption, the WNR612v2 router does perform data encryption but does not perform any authentication. Anyone can join the network. This setting provides very little practical wireless security.•Shared Key. With Shared Key authentication, a wireless device must know the WEP key to join the network. Select the encryption strength (64 or 128 bit data encryption). Manually enter the key values, or enter a word or group of printable characters in the Passphrase field. Manually entered keys are not case-sensitive, but passphrase characters are case-sensitive.To configure WEP data encryption:1. Select Wireless Settings under Setup in the main menu.2. In the Security Options section, select WEP. The WEP options display.Note: If you use a wireless computer to configure WEP settings, you will be disconnected when you click Apply. You must then either configure your wireless adapter to match the wireless router WEP settings or access the wireless router from a wired computer to make any further changes. Not all wireless adapter configuration utilities support passphrase key generation.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-9v1.0, March 2010.3. Select the authentication type and encryption strength.4. You can manually or automatically program the four data encryption keys. These values must be identical on all computers and access points in your network.•Automatic. In the Passphrase field, enter a word or group of printable characters, and click Generate. The passphrase is case-sensitive. For example, NETGEAR is not the same as nETgear. The four key fields are automatically populated with key values.•Manual. Enter 10 hexadecimal digits (any combination of 0–9, a–f, or A–F). These entries are not case-sensitive. For example, AA is the same as aa.Select which of the four keys to activate.5. Click Apply to save your settings.Configuring WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK Wireless SecurityWi-Fi Protected Access with Pre-Shared Key (WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK) data encryption provides extremely strong data security, very effectively blocking eavesdropping. Because WPA and WPA2 are relatively new standards, older wireless adapters and devices might not support them. Check whether newer drivers are available from the manufacturer. Also, you might be able to use the Push 'N' Connect feature to configure this type of security if it is supported by your wireless clients. See “Configuring WPS Security (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-12.WPA–Pre-Shared Key does perform authentication. WPA-PSK uses TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) data encryption, and WPA2-PSK uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) data encryption. Both methods dynamically change the encryption keys making them nearly impossible to circumvent.Figure 2-3
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-10v1.0, March 2010Mixed mode allows clients using either WPA-PSK (TKIP) or WPA2-PSK (AES). This provides the most reliable security, and is easiest to implement, but it might not be compatible with older adapters.To configure WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK, or WPA-PSK+WPA2-PSK:1. Select Wireless Settings under Setup in the main menu. The Wireless Settings screen displays.2. Select one of the WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK options for the security type. The third option (WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WP2-PSK [AES]) is the most flexible, since it allows clients using either WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK. 3. In the Passphrase field, enter a word or group of 8–63 printable characters. The passphrase is case-sensitive.4. Click Apply to save your settings.Note: Not all wireless adapters support WPA. Furthermore, client software is also required. Windows XP with Service Pack 2 does include WPA support. Nevertheless, the wireless adapter hardware and driver must also support WPA. For instructions on configuring wireless computers or PDAs (personal digital assistants) for WPA-PSK security, consult the documentation for the product you are using.Figure 2-4
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-11v1.0, March 2010Viewing Advanced Wireless SettingsThis section describes the wireless settings that you can view and specify in the Advanced Wireless Settings screen, which you access under Advanced in the main menu.To configure the advanced wireless security settings of your router:1. Log in to the router as described in “Logging In To Your Wireless Router” on page 1-1.2. Select Wireless Settings under Advanced in the main menu. The advanced Wireless Settings screen displaysThe available settings in this screen are:•Enable Wireless Router Radio. If you disable the wireless router radio, wireless devices cannot connect to the WNR612v2 router. If you will not be using your wireless network for a period of time, you can clear this check box and disable all wireless connectivity.•Enable SSID Broadcast. Clear this check box to disable broadcast of the SSID, so that only devices that know the correct SSID can connect. Disabling SSID broadcast nullifies the wireless network discovery feature of some products such as Windows XP.Figure 2-5
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-12v1.0, March 2010•Enable WMM. Clear this check box to disable WMM. WMM (Wireless Multimedia), a subset of the 802.11e standard, allows wireless traffic to have a range of priorities, depending on the kind of data. Time-dependent information, like video or audio, will have a higher priority than normal traffic. For WMM to function correctly, Wireless clients must also support WMM.•Fragmentation Threshold, CTS/RTS Threshold, and Preamble Mode. The Fragmentation Threshold, CTS/RTS Threshold, and Preamble Mode options are reserved for wireless testing and advanced configuration only. Do not change these settings.•WPS Settings. For information about these settings, see the section, “Configuring WPS Security (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-12. •Wireless Card Access List. For information about this list, see “Restricting Wireless Access by MAC Address” on page 2-17..Configuring WPS Security (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)If your wireless clients support Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), you can use this feature to configure the router’s network name (SSID) and security settings and, at the same time, connect a wireless client securely and easily to the router. Look for the symbol on your client device. WPS automatically configures the network name (SSID) and wireless security settings for the router (if the router is in its default state) and broadcasts these settings to the wireless client.When you add wireless clients, whether or not they are WPS enabled, the added devices must share the same network name (SSID) and security passphrase. For more information, see “Connecting Additional Wireless Client Devices after WPS Setup” on page 2-16.To connect to a wireless client that supports WPS, do the following: 1. Log in to the router as described in “Logging In To Your Wireless Router” on page 1-1.2. Select Add WPS Client in the main menu, and click Next.Note: If you choose to use WPS, the only security methods supported are WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK. WEP security is not supported by WPS.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-13v1.0, March 20103. Select the Push Button setup method.4. Click the button in the Add WPS Client screen. The Connecting to New Wireless Client screen displays.The green light on the WNR612v2 router begins to blink in a regular pattern. While the button light is blinking, you have 2 minutes to enable WPS on the device you are trying to connect to the router.5. In the wireless client, follow its specific networking instructions to enable WPS, to allow it to connect to the router.The WNR612v2 router’s green light ceases blinking and remains on when one of these conditions occurs:• The router and the client establish a wireless connection.• The 2-minute window period expires for establishing a WPS connection. If the connection is not established, no WPS security settings will be specified in the WNR612v2 router.Figure 2-6Figure 2-7
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-14v1.0, March 2010Security PIN EntryThere are two ways to enable a wireless client to join a network using a PIN: using the router’s security PIN or using the wireless client’s security PIN.Using the Router’s Security PIN1. Obtain your router’s security PIN from the rear panel of the router or from the Advanced Wireless Settings screen.2. On the wireless client, follow its specific networking instructions to enter the router’s security PIN and to establish a wireless connection with the router.Using the Wireless Client’s Security PIN1. Log in to the router as described in “Logging In To Your Wireless Router” on page 1-1.2. Select Add WPS Client in the main menu, and click Next.3. Select the PIN Number setup method.4. On the wireless client, obtain its security PIN, or follow its specific networking instructions to generate a client security PIN.5. In the Add WPS Client screen of the WNR612v2 router, enter the client security PIN in the Enter Client’s PIN field. Figure 2-8
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-15v1.0, March 20106. Click Next. The following screen displays, and the Smart Wizard initiates the wireless connection:Configuring the WPS Settings1. Log in to the router as described in “Logging In To Your Wireless Router” on page 1-1.2. Select Wireless Settings under Advanced in the main menu.These options are available under WPS Settings:•Router’s PIN. The PIN is displayed so that you can use it to configure the router through WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup). It is also displayed on the router’s label.•Disable Router’s PIN. If the router’s PIN is disabled, you cannot configure the router’s wireless settings with WPS. However, if your settings are already configured, you can still add WPS-enabled wireless clients. The router might disable the PIN if it detects suspicious attempts to break into your wireless settings; this can happen if the check box is selected. You can enable the PIN by clearing the check box and clicking Apply. Figure 2-9Figure 2-10
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-16v1.0, March 2010•Keep Existing Wireless Settings. This check box is automatically selected after WPS is enabled to prevent unwanted settings changes, and is also selected if you have already specified wireless security settings or your SSID without using WPS. When this check box is not selected, adding a new wireless client using the Add WPS Client screen (see “Configuring WPS Security (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-12) changes the router’s SSID and security passphrase. You might need to clear it if you are using certain registrars, such as for a Windows Vista PC, to configure the router through WPS.Connecting Additional Wireless Client Devices after WPS SetupYou can add WPS-enabled and non-WPS-enabled client devices.Adding Additional WPS-Enabled ClientsTo add an additional wireless client device that is WPS enabled:1. Follow the procedures in “Configuring WPS Security (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-12 or “Security PIN Entry” on page 2-14.2. For information about how to view a list of all devices connected to your router (including wireless and Ethernet-connected), see “Viewing a List of Attached Devices” on page 6-7.Adding Additional Non-WPS-Enabled ClientsIf you are connecting a combination of WPS-enabled clients and clients that are not WPS enabled, you cannot use the WPS setup procedures to add clients that are not WPS enabled.To connect both non-WPS-enabled and WPS-enabled clients to the WNR612v2 router:1. Configure the settings of the WNR612v2 router (shown in the Wireless Settings screen) for WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK security, and record that information. See “Configuring WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK Wireless Security” on page 2-9.When you change security settings, all existing connected wireless clients that do not share those settings are disassociated and disconnected from the router.Note: Your wireless settings do not change when you add an additional WPS-enabled client unless you have cleared the Keep Existing Wireless Settings check box (in the Wireless Settings screen). If you do clear the check box, a new SSID and a passphrase are generated, and all existing connected wireless clients are disassociated and disconnected from the router.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-17v1.0, March 20102. For the non-WPS-enabled devices that you wish to connect, open the networking utility, and follow the utility’s instructions to enter security settings.3. For the WPS-enabled devices that you wish to connect, follow the procedures in “Configuring WPS Security (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-12. The WNR612v2 router automatically preserves the settings you configured in step 1 so all clients share the same security settings (for more information, see “Configuring the WPS Settings” on page 2-15).4. For information about how to view a list of all devices connected to your router (including wireless and Ethernet connected), see “Viewing a List of Attached Devices” on page 6-7.Restricting Wireless Access by MAC AddressWhen a Wireless Card Access List is configured and enabled, the router checks the MAC address of any wireless device attempting a connection and allows only connections to computers identified on the trusted computers list. The Wireless Card Access List displays a list of wireless computers that you allow to connect to the router based on their MAC addresses. These wireless computers must also have the correct SSID and wireless security settings to access the wireless router.The MAC address is a network device’s unique 12-character physical address, containing the hexadecimal characters 0–9, a–f, or A–F only, and separated by colons (for example, 00:09:AB:CD:EF:01). It can usually be found on the bottom of the wireless card or network interface device. If you do not have access to the physical label, you can display the MAC address using the network configuration utilities of the computer. In WindowsXP, for example, typing the ipconfig/all command in an MSDOS command prompt window displays the MAC address as Physical Address. You might also find the MAC addresses in the router’s Attached Devices screen.To restrict access based on MAC addresses:1. Select Wireless Settings under Advanced in the main menu.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-18v1.0, March 20102. In the Advanced Wireless Settings screen, click Setup Access List to display the Wireless Card Access List.3. Click Add to add a wireless device to the wireless access control list. The Wireless Card Access Setup screen opens and displays a list of currently active wireless cards and their Ethernet MAC addresses.4. If the computer you want appears in the Available Wireless Cards list, you can select the radio button of that computer to capture its MAC address; otherwise, you can manually enter a name and the MAC address of the authorized computer. You can usually find the MAC address on the bottom of the wireless device.Figure 2-11Figure 2-12Tip: You can copy and paste the MAC addresses from the router’s Attached Devices screen into the MAC Address field of this screen. To do this, configure each wireless computer to obtain a wireless link to the router. The computer should then appear in the Attached Devices screen.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-19v1.0, March 20105. Click Add to add this wireless device to the Wireless Card Access List. The screen changes back to the list screen. 6. Repeat step 3 through step 5 for each additional device you want to add to the list.7. Select the Turn Access Control On check box.8. Click Apply to save your Wireless Card Access List settings.Now, only devices on this list can wirelessly connect to the WNR612v2 router.Changing the Administrator PasswordThe default password for the router’s Web Configuration Manager is password. NETGEAR recommends that you change this password to a more secure password. Note: When configuring the router from a wireless computer whose MAC address is not in the Trusted PC list, if you select Turn Access Control On, you lose your wireless connection when you click Apply. You must then access the wireless router from a wired computer or from a wireless computer that is on the access control list to make any further changes.Warning: MAC address filtering adds an obstacle against unwanted access to your network by the general public. However, because your trusted MAC addresses appear in your wireless transmissions, an intruder can read them and impersonate them. Do not rely on MAC address filtering alone to secure your network.Tip: Before changing the router password, back up your configuration settings with the default password of password. If you save the settings with a new password, and then you later forget the new password, you will have to reset the router back to the factory defaults, and log in using the default password of password. This means you will have to re-enter all the router configuration settings. For information about how to back up your settings, see “Backing Up and Restoring the Configuration” on page 6-8.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-20v1.0, March 2010To change the administrator password:1. On the main menu, under Maintenance, select Set Password to display the Set Password screen.2. To change the password, first enter the old password, then enter the new password twice. 3. Click Apply.Backing Up Your ConfigurationThe configuration settings of the WNR612v2 router are stored within the router in a configuration file. You can back up (save) this file and retrieve it later. NETGEAR recommends that you save your configuration file after you complete the configuration. If the router fails or becomes corrupted, or an administrator password is lost, you can easily re-create your configuration by restoring the configuration file.For instructions on saving and restoring your configuration file, see “Managing the Configuration File” on page 6-7.Figure 2-13Tip: Before saving your configuration file, change the administrator password to the default, password. Then change it again after you have saved the configuration file. If you save the file with a new password, and then you later forget the new password, you will have to reset the router back to the factory defaults and log in using the default password of password. This means you will have to re-enter all the router configuration settings.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Safeguarding Your Network 2-21v1.0, March 2010Understanding Your FirewallYour Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2 contains a true firewall to protect your network from attacks and intrusions. A firewall is a device that protects one network from another while allowing communication between the two. Using a process called Stateful Packet Inspection, the firewall analyzes all inbound and outbound traffic to determine whether or not it will be allowed to pass through.By default, the firewall allows any outbound traffic and prohibits any inbound traffic except for responses to your outbound traffic. However, you can modify the firewall’s rules to achieve the following behavior:•Blocking sites. Block access from your network to certain Web locations based on Web addresses and Web address keywords. This feature is described in “Blocking Access to Internet Sites” on page 3-1.•Blocking services. Block the use of certain Internet services by specific computers on your network. This feature is described in “Blocking Access to Internet Services” on page 3-3.•Scheduled blocking. Block sites and services according to a daily schedule. This feature is described in “Scheduling Blocking” on page 3-5.•Allow inbound access to your server. To allow inbound access to resources on your local network (for example, a Web server or remote desktop program), you can open the needed services by configuring port forwarding as described in “Allowing Inbound Connections to Your Network” on page 5-1.•Allow certain games and applications to function correctly. Some games and applications need to allow additional inbound traffic in order to function. Port triggering can dynamically allow additional service connections, as described in “Configuring Port Triggering” on page 5-9. Another feature to solve application conflicts with the firewall is Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), described in “Using Universal Plug and Play” on page 5-12.
3-1v1.0, March 2010Chapter 3Restricting Access From Your NetworkThis chapter describes how to use the content filtering and reporting features of the Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2 to protect your network. This chapter includes the following sections:•“Content Filtering Overview”•“Blocking Access to Internet Sites”•“Blocking Access to Internet Services” on page 3-3•“Scheduling Blocking” on page 3-5•“Viewing Logs of Web Access or Attempted Web Access” on page 3-6•“Configuring E-mail Alert and Web Access Log Notifications” on page 3-7•“Setting the Time Zone” on page 3-8Content Filtering OverviewThe Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2 provides you with Web content filtering options, plus browser activity reporting and instant alerts through e-mail. Parents and network administrators can establish restricted access policies based on time of day, Web addresses, and Web address keywords. You can also block Internet access by applications and services, such as chat rooms or games.Blocking Access to Internet SitesThe WNR612v2 router allows you to restrict access based on Web addresses and Web address keywords. Up to 255 entries are supported in the Keyword list.Keyword application examples:• If the keyword XXX is specified, the URL www.zzzyyqq.com/xxx.html is blocked.• If the keyword .com is specified, only websites with other domain suffixes (such as .edu, .org, or .gov) can be viewed.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Restricting Access From Your Network 3-2v1.0, March 2010To block access to Internet sites:1. Select Block Sites under Content Filtering in the main menu. The Block Sites screen displays.2. Enable keyword blocking by selecting either Per Schedule or Always. To block by schedule, be sure to specify a time period in the Schedule screen. For information about scheduling, see “Scheduling Blocking” on page 3-5.Block all access to Internet browsing during a scheduled period by entering a dot (.) as the keyword, and then set a schedule in the Schedule screen.3. Add a keyword or domain by entering it in the keyword field and clicking Add Keyword. The keyword or domain name then appears the Block sites containing these keywords or domain names list. Delete a keyword or domain name by selecting it from the list and clicking Delete Keyword.4. You can specify one trusted user, which is a computer that is exempt from blocking and logging. Specify a trusted user by entering that computer’s IP address in the Trusted IP Address fields.Since the trusted user is identified by IP address, you should configure that computer with a fixed IP address.5. Click Apply to save all your settings in the Block Sites screen.Figure 3-1
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Restricting Access From Your Network 3-3v1.0, March 2010Blocking Access to Internet ServicesThe WNR612v2 router allows you to block the use of certain Internet services by computers on your network. This is called service blocking or port filtering. Services are functions performed by server computers at the request of client computers. For example, Web servers serve Web pages, time servers serve time and date information, and game hosts serve data about other players’ moves. When a computer on your network sends a request for service to a server computer on the Internet, the requested service is identified by a service or port number. This number appears as the destination port number in the transmitted IP packets. For example, a packet that is sent with destination port number 80 is an HTTP (Web server) request.To block access to Internet services:1. Select Block Services under Content Filtering in the main menu. The Block Services screen displays.2. Enable service blocking by selecting either Per Schedule or Always, and then click Apply. To block by schedule, be sure to specify a time period in the Schedule screen. For information about scheduling, see “Scheduling Blocking” on page 3-5.Figure 3-2
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Restricting Access From Your Network 3-4v1.0, March 20103. Specify a service for blocking by clicking Add. The Block Services Setup screen displays.4. From the Service Type list, select the application or service to be allowed or blocked. The list already displays several common services, but you are not limited to these choices. To add any additional services or applications that do not already appear, select User Defined. To define a service, first you must determine which port number or range of numbers is used by the application. The service port numbers for many common protocols are defined by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and published in RFC1700, “Assigned Numbers.” Service numbers for other applications are typically chosen from the range 1024 to 65535 by the authors of the application. You can often determine port number information by contacting the publisher of the application, by asking user groups or newsgroups, or by searching.– Enter the starting port and ending port numbers. If the application uses a single port number, enter that number in both fields.– If you know that the application uses either TCP or UDP, select the appropriate protocol. If you are not sure, select Both.5. Select the radio button for the IP address configuration you want to block, and then enter the IP addresses in the appropriate fields.6. Click Add to enable your Block Services Setup selections.Figure 3-3
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Restricting Access From Your Network 3-5v1.0, March 2010Blocking Services by IP Address RangeIn the Filter Services For area, you can block the specified service for a single computer, a range of computers (having consecutive IP addresses), or all computers on your network.Scheduling BlockingThe WNR612v2 router allows you to specify when blocking is enforced. To schedule blocking:1. Select Schedule under Content Filtering in the main menu. The Schedule screen displays.2. Configure the schedule for blocking keywords and services.a. Days to Block. Select days on which you want to apply blocking by selecting the appropriate check boxes. Select Every Day to select the check boxes for all days. Click Apply.b. Time of Day to Block. Select a start and end time in 24-hour format. Select All Day for 24-hour blocking. Click Apply.Be sure to select your time zone in the E-mail screen as described in “Setting the Time Zone” on page 3-8.Figure 3-4
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Restricting Access From Your Network 3-6v1.0, March 20103. Click Apply to save your settings.Viewing Logs of Web Access or Attempted Web AccessThe log is a detailed record of the websites you have accessed or attempted to access. Up to 128 entries are stored in the log. Log entries appear only when keyword blocking is enabled and no log entries are made for the trusted user.Select Logs under Content Filtering in the main menu. The Logs screen displays.Table 3-1 describes the log entries.Figure 3-5Table 3-1. Log Entry DescriptionsField DescriptionDate and time The date and time the log entry was recorded.Source IP The IP address of the initiating device for this log entry.Target address The name or IP address of the website or newsgroup visited or to which access was attempted.Action Whether the access was blocked or allowed.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Restricting Access From Your Network 3-7v1.0, March 2010To refresh the log screen, click the Refresh button.To clear the log entries, click the Clear Log button.To e-mail the log immediately, click the Send Log button.Configuring E-mail Alert and Web Access Log NotificationsTo receive logs and alerts by e-mail, you must provide your e-mail account information. To configure e-mail alert and web access log notifications:1. Select E-mail under Content Filtering in the main menu. The E-mail screen displays.2. To receive e-mail logs and alerts from the router, select the Turn E-mail Notification On check box.a. Enter the name of your ISP’s outgoing (SMTP) mail server (such as mail.myISP.com) in the Your Outgoing Mail Server field. You might be able to find this information in the configuration screen of your e-mail program. If you leave this field blank, log and alert messages will not be sent by e-mail.b. Enter the e-mail address to which logs and alerts are sent in the Send To This E-mail Address field. This e-mail address will also be used as the From address. If you leave this field blank, log and alert messages will not be sent by e-mail.Figure 3-6
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Restricting Access From Your Network 3-8v1.0, March 20103. If your e-mail server requires authentication, select the My Mail Server requires authentication check box.a. Enter your user name for the e-mail server in the User Name field.b. Enter your password for the e-mail server in the Password field.4. You can specify that logs are automatically sent by e-mail with these options:•Send alert immediately. Select this check box for immediate notification of attempted access to a blocked site or service.•Send Logs According to this Schedule. Specifies how often to send the logs: Hourly, Daily, Weekly, or When Full. –Day. Specifies which day of the week to send the log. Relevant when the log is sent weekly or daily.–Time. Specifies the time of day to send the log. Relevant when the log is sent daily or weekly.If you select the Weekly, Daily, or Hourly option and the log fills up before the specified period, the log is automatically e-mailed to the specified e-mail address. After the log is sent, the log is cleared from the router’s memory. If the router cannot e-mail the log file, the log buffer might fill up. In this case, the router overwrites the log and discards its contents.5. Click Apply to save your settings.So that the log entries are correctly time-stamped and sent at the correct time, be sure to set the time as described in the next section.Setting the Time ZoneThe WNR612v2 router uses the Network Time Protocol (NTP) to obtain the current time and date from one of several network time servers on the Internet. Localize the time zone so that your log entries and other router functions include the correct time stamp.To verify and set the time zone (see Figure 3-6 on page 3-7):•Time Zone. To select your local time zone, use the drop-down list. This setting is used for the blocking schedule and for time-stamping log entries.•Automatically Adjust for Daylight Savings Time. If your region supports daylight savings time, select this check box . The router will automatically adjust the time at the start and end of the daylight savings time period.
4-1v1.0, March 2010Chapter 4Customizing Your Network SettingsThis chapter describes how to configure advanced networking features of theWireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2, including LAN, WAN, and routing settings.It contains the following sections:•“Using the LAN IP Setup Options”•“Using a Dynamic DNS Service” on page 4-5•“Configuring the WAN Setup Options” on page 4-6•“Configuring Static Routes” on page 4-8Using the LAN IP Setup OptionsThe LAN Setup screen allows configuration of LAN IP services such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Routing Information Protocol (RIP). To configure LAN IP settings, select LAN Setup under Advanced in the main menu. The LAN Setup screen displays.Figure 4-1
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Customizing Your Network Settings 4-2v1.0, March 2010Configuring a Device NameThe device name is a user-friendly name for the router. This name is shown in the Network on Windows Vista and the Network Explorer on all Windows systems. The Device Name field cannot be blank. The default name is WNR612v2.Configuring LAN TCP/IP Setup ParametersThese are advanced settings that you might configure if you are a network administrator and your network contains multiple routers. The router is shipped preconfigured to use private IP addresses on the LAN side and to act as a DHCP server (see “Using the Router as a DHCP Server” on page 4-3).The router’s default LAN IP configuration is:• LAN IP address. 192.168.1.1• Subnet mask. 255.255.255.0These addresses are part of the designated private address range for use in private networks and should be suitable for most applications. If your network has a requirement to use a different IP addressing scheme, you can make those changes in this screen.The LAN IP settings are:•IP Address. The LAN IP address of the router.•IP Subnet Mask. The LAN subnet mask of the router. Combined with the IP address, the IP subnet mask allows a device to know which other addresses are local to it, and which must be reached through a gateway or router.•RIP Direction. RIP allows a router to exchange routing information with other routers. The RIP Direction selection controls how the router sends and receives RIP packets. Both is the default. – When set to Both or In Only, the router incorporates the RIP information that it receives. – When set to Both or Out Only, the router broadcasts its routing table periodically. •RIP Version. This controls the format and the broadcasting method of the RIP packets sent by the router. (It recognizes both formats when receiving.) The default setting is Disabled. Note: If you change the LAN IP address of the router while connected through the browser, you will be disconnected. You must then open a new connection to the new IP address and log in again.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Customizing Your Network Settings 4-3v1.0, March 2010–RIP-1 is universally supported. RIP-1 is usually adequate unless you have an unusual network setup. –RIP-2B carries more information than RIP-1 and uses subnet broadcasting.–RIP-2M carries more information than RIP-1 and uses multicasting.Using the Router as a DHCP ServerBy default, the router functions as a DHCP server, allowing it to assign IP, DNS server, and default gateway addresses to all computers connected to the router’s LAN. The assigned default gateway address is the LAN address of the router. The router assigns IP addresses to the attached computers from a pool of addresses specified in this screen. Each pool address is tested before it is assigned to avoid duplicate addresses on the LAN.To specify a pool of IP addresses to be assigned, set the starting IP address and ending IP address. These addresses should be part of the same IP address subnet as the router’s LAN IP address. Using the default addressing scheme, you should define a range between 192.168.1.2 and 192.168.1.254, although you might wish to save part of the range for devices with fixed addresses.The router delivers the following parameters to any LAN device that requests DHCP:• An IP address from the range you have defined• Subnet mask• Gateway IP address (the router’s LAN IP address)• Primary DNS server (if you entered a primary DNS address in the Basic Settings screen; otherwise, the router’s LAN IP address)• Secondary DNS server (if you entered a secondary DNS address in the Basic Settings screen)To use another device on your network as the DHCP server, or to manually specify the network settings of all of your computers, clear the Use Router as DHCP Server check box. Otherwise, leave it selected. If this service is not selected and no other DHCP server is available on your network, you need to set your computers’ IP addresses manually or they will not be able to access the router.Note: For most applications, the default DHCP and TCP/IP settings of the router are satisfactory. Click the link to the online document “TCP/IP Networking Basics” in Appendix B for an explanation of DHCP and information about how to assign IP addresses for your network.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Customizing Your Network Settings 4-4v1.0, March 2010Using Address ReservationWhen you specify a reserved IP address for a computer on the LAN, that computer always receives the same IP address each time it accesses the router’s DHCP server. Reserved IP addresses should be assigned to computers or servers that require permanent IP settings. To reserve an IP address: 1. Click Add. 2. In the IP Address field, enter the IP address to assign to the computer or server. (Choose an IP address from the router’s LAN subnet, such as 192.168.1.x.) 3. Enter the MAC address of the computer or server.4. Click Apply to enter the reserved address into the table. To edit or delete a reserved address entry: 1. Click the button next to the reserved address you want to edit or delete. 2. Click Edit or Delete.Figure 4-2Tip: If the computer is already present on your network, you can copy its MAC address from the Attached Devices screen and paste it here.Note: The reserved address is not assigned until the next time the computer contacts the router’s DHCP server. Reboot the computer or access its IP configuration and force a DHCP release and renew.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Customizing Your Network Settings 4-5v1.0, March 2010Using a Dynamic DNS ServiceIf your Internet Service Provider (ISP) gave you a permanently assigned IP address, you can register a domain name and have that name linked with your IP address by public Domain Name Servers (DNS). However, if your Internet account uses a dynamically assigned IP address, you do not know in advance what your IP address will be, and the address can change frequently. In this case, you can use a commercial Dynamic DNS service, which allows you to register your domain to their IP address, and forwards traffic directed at your domain to your frequently changing IP address.Your router contains a client that can connect to the Dynamic DNS service provided by DynDNS.org. You must first visit their website at www.dyndns.org and obtain an account and host name, which you specify in the router. Then, whenever your ISP-assigned IP address changes, your router automatically contacts the Dynamic DNS service provider, logs in to your account, and registers your new IP address. If your host name is hostname, for example, you can reach your router at hostname.dyndns.org.Select Dynamic DNS under Advanced in the main menu. The Dynamic DNS screen displays.To configure for a Dynamic DNS service:1. Register for an account with one of the Dynamic DNS service providers whose names appear in the Service Provider list. For example, for DynDNS.org, select www.dynDNS.org.Note: If your ISP assigns a private WAN IP address (such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x), the Dynamic DNS service will not work because private addresses are not routed on the Internet.Figure 4-3
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Customizing Your Network Settings 4-6v1.0, March 20102. Select the Use a Dynamic DNS Service check box. 3. Select the name of your Dynamic DNS service provider. 4. Enter the host name (or domain name) that your Dynamic DNS service provider gave you.5. Enter the user name for your Dynamic DNS account. This is the name that you use to log in to your account, not your host name.6. Enter the password (or key) for your Dynamic DNS account. 7. If your Dynamic DNS provider allows the use of wildcards in resolving your URL, you can select the Use Wildcards check box to activate this feature. For example, the wildcard feature causes *.yourhost.dyndns.org to be aliased to the same IP address as yourhost.dyndns.org.8. Click Apply to save your configuration.Configuring the WAN Setup OptionsThe WAN Setup options let you configure a DMZ (demilitarized zone) server, change the Maximum Transmit Unit (MTU) size, and enable the wireless router to respond to a ping on the WAN (Internet) port. Select WAN Setup under Advanced in the main menu. The WAN Setup screen displays. Disabling the SPI Firewall The Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall protects your network and computers against attacks and intrusions. A stateful packet firewall carefully inspects incoming traffic packets, looking for Figure 4-4
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Customizing Your Network Settings 4-7v1.0, March 2010known exploits such as malformed, oversized, or out-of-sequence packets. The firewall should be disabled only in special circumstances, such as when you are troubleshooting application issues.Setting Up a Default DMZ ServerThe default DMZ server feature is helpful when you are using some online games and videoconferencing applications that are incompatible with Network Address Translation (NAT). The router is programmed to recognize some of these applications and to work correctly with them, but there are other applications that might not function well. In some cases, one local computer can run the application correctly if that computer’s IP address is entered as the default DMZ server.Incoming traffic from the Internet is usually discarded by the router unless the traffic is a response to one of your local computers or a service that you have configured in the Port Forwarding/Port Triggering screen. Instead of discarding this traffic, you can have it forwarded to one computer on your network. This computer is called the default DMZ server.The WAN Setup screen lets you configure a default DMZ server.To assign a computer or server to be a default DMZ server: 1. Select the Default DMZ Server check box.2. In the Default DMZ Server fields, enter the IP address for that computer or server.3. Click Apply.Responding to a Ping on the Internet (WAN) PortIf you want the router to respond to a ping from the Internet, select the Respond to Ping on Internet Port check box. This should be used only as a diagnostic tool, since it allows your router to be discovered by Internet scanners. Do not select this check box unless you have a specific reason to do so, such as when troubleshooting your connection.Warning: DMZ servers pose a security risk. A computer designated as the default DMZ server loses much of the protection of the firewall, and is exposed to exploits from the Internet. If compromised, the DMZ server computer can be used to attack other computers on your network.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Customizing Your Network Settings 4-8v1.0, March 2010Setting the MTU SizeThe normal MTU value for most Ethernet networks is 1500 bytes, 1492 bytes for PPPoE connections, or 1450 for PPTP connections. For some ISPs, you might need to reduce the MTU size, but this is rarely required and should not be done unless you are sure it is necessary for your ISP connection. For more information, see “Changing the MTU Size” on page 5-15.To change the MTU size:1. In the MTU Size field, enter a new size between 64 and 1500.2. Click Apply to save the new configuration.Configuring NAT FilteringNetwork Address Translation (NAT) determines how the router processes inbound traffic. Secured NAT provides a secured firewall to protect the computers on the LAN from attacks from the Internet, but might prevent some Internet games, point-to-point applications, or multimedia applications from functioning. Open NAT provides a much less secured firewall, but allows almost all Internet applications to function. For more information about NAT, see “How Your Computer Accesses a Remote Computer through Your Router” on page 5-2.To change the NAT option:1. In the NAT Filtering area, select either the Secured or the Open radio button.2. Click Apply to save the new configuration.Configuring Static RoutesStatic routes provide additional routing information to your router. Under usual circumstances, the router has adequate routing information after it has been configured for Internet access, and you do not need to configure additional static routes. You must configure static routes only for unusual cases such as multiple routers or multiple IP subnets located on your network.As an example of when a static route is needed, consider the following case:• Your primary Internet access is through a cable modem to an ISP.• You have an ISDN router on your home network for connecting to the company where you are employed. This router’s address on your LAN is 192.168.1.100.• Your company’s network address is 134.177.0.0.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Customizing Your Network Settings 4-9v1.0, March 2010When you first configured your router, two implicit static routes were created. A default route was created with your ISP as the gateway, and a second static route was created to your local network for all 192.168.1.x addresses. With this configuration, if you attempt to access a device on the 134.177.0.0 network, your router forwards your request to the ISP. The ISP forwards your request to the company where you are employed, and the request is likely to be denied by the company’s firewall.In this case you must define a static route, telling your router that 134.177.0.0 should be accessed through the ISDN router at 192.168.1.100. In this example:• The Destination IP Address and IP Subnet Mask fields specify that this static route applies to all 134.177.x.x addresses. • The Gateway IP Address field specifies that all traffic for these addresses should be forwarded to the ISDN router at 192.168.1.100. •A Metric value of 1 will work since the ISDN router is on the LAN. •Private is selected only as a precautionary security measure in case RIP is activated.To add or edit a static route:1. Select Static Routes under Advanced in the main menu. The Static Routes screen displays.Figure 4-5
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Customizing Your Network Settings 4-10v1.0, March 20102. Click Add to expand the Static Routes screen.3. In the Route Name field, enter a name for this static route. (This is for identification purposes only.) 4. Select the Private check box if you want to limit access to the LAN only. If Private is selected, the static route is not reported in RIP. 5. Select the Active check box to make this route effective. 6. In the Destination IP Address field, enter the IP address of the final destination. 7. In the IP Subnet Mask field, enter the IP subnet mask for this destination.If the destination is a single host, enter 255.255.255.255. 8. In the Gateway IP Address field, enter the gateway IP address, which must be a router on the same LAN segment as the WNR612v2 router. 9. In the Metric field, enter a number between 1 and 15 as the metric value. This represents the number of routers between your network and the destination. Usually, a setting of 2 or 3 works, but if this is a direct connection, set it to 1. 10. Click Apply to have the static route entered into the table.Figure 4-6
5-1v1.0, March 2010Chapter 5Fine-Tuning Your NetworkThis chapter describes how to modify the configuration of the Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2 to allow specific applications to access the Internet or to be accessed from the Internet, and how to make adjustments to enhance your network’s performance.This chapter includes the following sections:•“Allowing Inbound Connections to Your Network”•“Configuring Port Forwarding to Local Servers” on page 5-6•“Configuring Port Triggering” on page 5-9•“Using Universal Plug and Play” on page 5-12•“Optimizing Wireless Performance” on page 5-14•“Changing the MTU Size” on page 5-15•“Overview of Home and Small Office Networking Technologies” on page 5-16Allowing Inbound Connections to Your NetworkBy default, the WNR612v2 router blocks any inbound traffic from the Internet to your computers except for replies to your outbound traffic. However, you might need to create exceptions to this rule for the following purposes:• To allow remote computers on the Internet to access a server on your local network. • To allow certain applications and games to work correctly when their replies are not recognized by your router.Your router provides two features for creating these exceptions: port forwarding and port triggering. This section explains how a normal outbound connection works, followed by two examples explaining how port forwarding and port triggering operate and how they differ.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-2v1.0, March 2010How Your Computer Accesses a Remote Computer through Your RouterWhen a computer on your network needs to access a computer on the Internet, your computer sends your router a message containing source and destination address and process information. Before forwarding your message to the remote computer, your router must modify the source information and must create and track the communication session so that replies can be routed back to your computer. Here is an example of normal outbound traffic and the resulting inbound responses:1. You open Internet Explorer, beginning a browser session on your computer. Invisible to you, your operating system assigns a service number (port number) to every communication process running on your computer. In this example, let’s say Windows assigns port number 5678 to this browser session. 2. You ask your browser to get a Web page from the Web server at www.example.com. Your computer composes a Web page request message with the following address andport information: • The source address is your computer’s IP address.• The source port number is 5678, the browser session. • The destination address is the IP address of www.example.com, which your computer finds by asking a DNS server.• The destination port number is 80, the standard port number for a Web server process.Your computer then sends this request message to your router.3. Your router creates an entry in its internal session table describing this communication session between your computer and the Web server at www.example.com. Before sending the Web page request message to www.example.com, your router stores the original information and then modifies the source information in the request message, performing Network Address Translation (NAT):• The source address is replaced with your router’s public IP address.This is necessary because your computer uses a private IP address that is not globally unique and cannot be used on the Internet.• The source port number is changed to a number chosen by the router, such as 33333. This is necessary because two computers could independently be using the same session number.Your router then sends this request message through the Internet to the Web server at www.example.com.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-3v1.0, March 20104. The Web server at www.example.com composes a return message with the requested Web page data. The return message contains the following address and port information:• The source address is the IP address of www.example.com.• The source port number is 80, the standard port number for a Web server process.• The destination address is the public IP address of your router.• The destination port number is 33333.The Web server then sends this reply message to your router.5. Upon receiving the incoming message, your router checks its session table to determine whether there is an active session for port number 33333. Finding an active session, the router then modifies the message, restoring the original address information replaced by NAT. The message now contains the following address and port information: • The source address is the IP address of www.example.com.• The source port number is 80, the standard port number for a Web server process.• The destination address is your computer’s IP address.• The destination port number is 5678, the browser session that made the initial request.Your router then sends this reply message to your computer, which displays the Web page from www.example.com.6. When you finish your browser session, your router eventually senses a period of inactivity in the communications. Your router then removes the session information from its session table, and incoming traffic is no longer accepted on port number 33333.How Port Triggering Changes the Communication ProcessIn the preceding example, requests are sent to a remote computer by your router from a particular service port number, and replies from the remote computer to your router are directed to that port number. If the remote server sends a reply back to a different port number, your router will not recognize it and will discard it. However, some application servers (such as FTP and IRC servers) send replies back to multiple port numbers. Using the port triggering function of your router, you can tell the router to open additional incoming ports when a particular outgoing port originatesa session.An example is Internet Relay Chat (IRC). Your computer connects to an IRC server at destination port 6667. The IRC server not only responds to your originating source port, but also sends an “identify” message to your computer on port 113. Using port triggering, you can tell the router,
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-4v1.0, March 2010“When you initiate a session with destination port 6667, you must also allow incoming traffic on port 113 to reach the originating computer.” Using steps similar to the preceding example, the following sequence shows the effects of the port triggering rule you have defined:1. You open an IRC client program, beginning a chat session on your computer. 2. Your IRC client composes a request message to an IRC server using a destination port number of 6667, the standard port number for an IRC server process. Your computer then sends this request message to your router.3. Your router creates an entry in its internal session table describing this communication session between your computer and the IRC server. Your router stores the original information, performs Network Address Translation (NAT) on the source address and port, and sends this request message through the Internet to the IRC server. 4. Noting your port triggering rule, and having observed the destination port number of 6667, your router creates an additional session entry to send any incoming port 113 traffic to your computer. 5. The IRC server sends a return message to your router using the NAT-assigned source port (as in the previous example, let’s say port 33333) as the destination port. The IRC server also sends an “identify” message to your router with destination port 113.6. Upon receiving the incoming message to destination port 33333, your router checks its session table to determine whether there is an active session for port number 33333. Finding an active session, the router restores the original address information replaced by NAT and sends this reply message to your computer.7. Upon receiving the incoming message to destination port 113, your router checks its session table and learns that there is an active session for port 113, associated with your computer. The router replaces the message’s destination IP address with your computer’s IP address and forwards the message to your computer.8. When you finish your chat session, your router eventually senses a period of inactivity in the communications. The router then removes the session information from its session table, and incoming traffic is no longer accepted on port numbers 33333 or 113.To configure port triggering, you need to know which inbound ports the application needs. Also, you need to know the number of the outbound port that will trigger the opening of the inbound ports. You can usually determine this information by contacting the publisher of the application, or user groups or newsgroups.Note: Only one computer at a time can use the triggered application.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-5v1.0, March 2010How Port Forwarding Changes the Communication ProcessIn both of the preceding examples, your computer initiates an application session with a server computer on the Internet. However, you might need to allow a client computer on the Internet to initiate a connection to a server computer on your network. Normally, your router ignores any inbound traffic that is not a response to your own outbound traffic. You can configure exceptions to this default rule by using the port forwarding feature. A typical application of port forwarding can be shown by reversing the client-server relationship from our previous Web server example. In this case, a remote computer’s browser needs to access a Web server running on a computer in your local network. Using port forwarding, you can tell the router, “When you receive incoming traffic on port 80 (the standard port number for a Web server process), forward it to the local computer at 192.168.1.123.” The following sequence shows the effects of the port forwarding rule you have defined:1. The user of a remote computer opens Internet Explorer and requests a Web page from www.example.com, which resolves to the public IP address of your router. The remote computer composes a Web page request message with the following destination information: • The destination address is the IP address of www.example.com, which is the address of your router.• The destination port number is 80, the standard port number for a Web server process.The remote computer then sends this request message through the Internet to your router.2. Your router receives the request message and looks in its rules table for any rules covering the disposition of incoming port 80 traffic. Your port forwarding rule specifies that incoming port 80 traffic should be forwarded to local IP address 192.168.1.123. Therefore, your router modifies the destination information in the request message:The destination address is replaced with 192.168.1.123.Your router then sends this request message to your local network.3. Your Web server at 192.168.1.123 receives the request and composes a return message with the requested Web page data. Your Web server then sends this reply message to your router.4. Your router performs Network Address Translation (NAT) on the source IP address, and sends this request message through the Internet to the remote computer, which displays the Web page from www.example.com.To configure port forwarding, you need to know which inbound ports the application needs. You usually can determine this information by contacting the publisher of the application or user groups or newsgroups.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-6v1.0, March 2010How Port Forwarding Differs from Port TriggeringThe following points summarize the differences between port forwarding and port triggering:• Port triggering can be used by any computer on your network, although only one computer can use it at a time.• Port forwarding is configured for a single computer on your network.• Port triggering does not need to know the computer’s IP address in advance. The IP address is captured automatically.• Port forwarding requires that you specify the computer’s IP address during configuration, and the IP address must never change.• Port triggering requires specific outbound traffic to open the inbound ports, and the triggered ports are closed after a period of no activity.• Port forwarding is always active and does not need to be triggered.Configuring Port Forwarding to Local ServersUsing the port forwarding feature, you can allow certain types of incoming traffic to reach servers on your local network. For example, you might make a local Web server, FTP server, or game server visible and available to the Internet. Use the Port Forwarding screen to configure the router to forward specific incoming protocols to computers on your local network. In addition to servers for specific applications, you can also specify a default DMZ server to which all other incoming protocols are forwarded. The DMZ server is configured in the WAN Setup screen, as discussed in “Setting Up a Default DMZ Server” on page 4-7.Before starting, you need to determine which type of service, application, or game you will provide, and the local IP address of the computer that will provide the service. Be sure the computer’s IP address never changes.Tip: To ensure that your server computer always has the same IP address, use the reserved IP address feature of your WNR612v2 router. See “Using Address Reservation” on page 4-4 for instructions on how to use reserved IP addresses.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-7v1.0, March 2010To configure port forwarding to a local server:1. Select Port Forwarding/Port Triggering under Advanced in the main menu. The Port Forwarding/Port Triggering screen displays.2. From the Service Name list, select the service or game that you will host on your network.If the service does not appear in the list, see the following section, “Adding a Custom Service.”3. In the corresponding Server IP Address fields, enter the last digit of the IP address of your local computer that will provide this service. 4. To the right of Server IP Address, click Add. The service appears in the list in the screen.Adding a Custom ServiceTo define a service, game, or application that does not appear in the Service Name list, you must first determine which port number or range of numbers is used by the application. You can usually determine this information by contacting the publisher of the application or user groups or newsgroups. When you have the port number information, follow these steps:1. Select Port Forwarding/Port Triggering under Advanced in the main menu.Figure 5-1
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-8v1.0, March 20102. Click Add Service (see Figure 5-1 on page 5-7).The Ports–Custom Services screen displays. 3. In the Service Name field, enter a descriptive name. 4. In the Service Type field, select the protocol. If you are unsure, select TCP/UDP.5. In the Starting Port field, enter the beginning port number. • If the application uses only a single port, enter the same port number in the Ending Port field.• If the application uses a range of ports, enter the ending port number of the range in the Ending Port field.6. In the Server IP Address field, enter the IP address of your local computer that will provide this service.7. Click Apply. The service appears in the list in the Port Forwarding/Port Triggering screen.Editing or Deleting a Port Forwarding EntryTo edit or delete a port forwarding entry:1. In the table, select the button next to the service name.Figure 5-2Figure 5-3
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-9v1.0, March 20102. Click Edit Service or Delete Service to make changes.3. Click Apply.Application Example: Making a Local Web Server PublicIf you host a Web server on your local network, you can use port forwarding to allow Web requests from anyone on the Internet to reach your Web server. To make a local Web server public:1. Assign your Web server either a fixed IP address or a dynamic IP address using DHCP address reservation, as explained in “Using Address Reservation” on page 4-4. In this example, your router will always give your Web server an IP address of 192.168.1.33. 2. In the Port Forwarding screen, configure the router to forward the HTTP service to the local address of your Web server at 192.168.1.33. HTTP (port 80) is the standard protocol for Web servers.3. (Optional) Register a host name with a Dynamic DNS service, and configure your router to use the name as described in “Using a Dynamic DNS Service” on page 4-5. To access your Web server from the Internet, a remote user must know the IP address that has been assigned by your ISP. However, if you use a Dynamic DNS service, the remote user can reach your server by a user-friendly Internet name, such as mynetgear.dyndns.org.Configuring Port TriggeringPort triggering is a dynamic extension of port forwarding that is useful in these cases:• More than one local computer needs port forwarding for the same application (but not simultaneously).• An application needs to open incoming ports that are different from the outgoing port.When port triggering is enabled, the router monitors outbound traffic looking for a specified outbound “trigger” port. When the router detects outbound traffic on that port, it remembers the IP address of the local computer that sent the data. The router then temporarily opens the specified incoming port or ports, and forwards incoming traffic on the triggered ports to the triggering computer.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-10v1.0, March 2010While port forwarding creates a static mapping of a port number or range to a single local computer, port triggering can dynamically open ports to any computer that needs them and can close the ports when they are no longer needed.To configure port triggering, you need to know which inbound ports the application needs. Also, you need to know the number of the outbound port that will trigger the opening of the inbound ports. You can usually determine this information by contacting the publisher of the application or user groups or newsgroups.To set up port triggering: 1. Select Port Forwarding/Port Triggering under Advanced in the main menu. The Forwarding/Port Triggering screen displays (see Figure 5-1 on page 5-7).2. Select the Port Triggering radio button. The port triggering information displays.3. Clear the Disable Port Triggering check box.Note: If you use applications such as multiplayer gaming, peer-to-peer connections, real-time communications such as instant messaging, or remote assistance (a feature in Windows XP), you should also enable Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) according to the instructions in “Using Universal Plug and Play” on page 5-12.Figure 5-4Note: If the Disable Port Triggering check box is selected after you configure port triggering, port triggering is disabled. However, any port triggering configuration information you added to the router is retained even though it is not used.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-11v1.0, March 20104. In the Port Triggering Timeout field, enter a value up to 9999 minutes. This value controls the inactivity timer for the designated inbound ports. The inbound ports close when the inactivity time expires. This is required because the router cannot be sure when the application has terminated.5. Click Add. the Port Triggering–Services screen displays.6. In the Service Name field, enter a descriptive service name. 7. In the Service User field, select Any (the default) to allow this service to be used by any computer on the Internet. Otherwise, select Single address, and enter the IP address of one computer to restrict the service to a particular computer. 8. Select the service type, either TCP or UDP.9. In the Triggering Port field, enter the number of the outbound traffic port that will cause the inbound ports to be opened. 10. Enter the inbound connection port information in the Connection Type, Starting Port, and Ending Port fields.Figure 5-5
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-12v1.0, March 201011. Click Apply. The service appears in the Port Triggering Portmap table.Using Universal Plug and PlayUniversal Plug and Play (UPnP) helps devices, such as Internet appliances and computers, to access the network and connect to other devices as needed. UPnP devices can automatically discover the services from other registered UPnP devices on the network.To turn on Universal Plug and Play:Figure 5-6Note: If you use applications such as multiplayer gaming, peer-to-peer connections, real-time communications such as instant messaging, or remote assistance (a feature in Windows XP), you should enable UPnP.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-13v1.0, March 20101. Select UPnP under Advanced the main menu. The UPnP screen displays.2. The available settings and information displayed in this screen are:•Turn UPnP On. UPnP can be enabled or disabled for automatic device configuration. The default setting for UPnP is disabled. If this check box is not selected, the router does not allow any device to automatically control the resources, such as port forwarding (mapping) of the router.•Advertisement Period. The advertisement period is how often the router broadcasts its UPnP information. This value can range from 1 to 1440 minutes. The default period is 30 minutes. Shorter durations ensure that control points have current device status at the expense of additional network traffic. Longer durations might compromise the freshness of the device status but can significantly reduce network traffic.•Advertisement Time To Live. The time to live for the advertisement is measured in hops (steps) for each UPnP packet sent. The time to live hop count is the number of steps a broadcast packet is allowed to propagate for each UPnP advertisement before it disappears. The number of hops can range from 1 to 255. The default value for the advertisement time to live is 4 hops, which should be fine for most home networks. If you notice that some devices are not being updated or reached correctly, then it might be necessary to increase this value.•UPnP Portmap Table. The UPnP Portmap Table displays the IP address of each UPnP device that is currently accessing the router and which ports (Internal and External) that device has opened. The UPnP Portmap Table also displays what type of port is open and whether that port is still active for each IP address. 3. Click Apply to save your settings.Figure 5-7
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-14v1.0, March 2010Optimizing Wireless PerformanceThe speed and operating distance or range of your wireless connection can vary significantly based on the physical placement of the wireless router. You should choose a location for your router that will maximize the network speed.The following list describes how to optimize wireless router performance.•Identify critical wireless links.If your network has several wireless devices, decide which wireless devices need the highest data rate, and locate the router near them. Many wireless products have automatic data-rate fallback, which allows increased distances without loss of connectivity. This also means that devices that are farther away might be slower. Therefore, the most critical links in your network are those where the traffic is high and the distances are great. Optimize those first. •Choose placement carefully.For best results, place your router:– Near the center of the area in which your computers will operate.– In an elevated location such as a high shelf where the wirelessly connected computers have line-of-sight access (even if through walls).– Avoid obstacles to wireless signals.– Keep wireless devices at least 2 feet from large metal fixtures such as file cabinets, refrigerators, pipes, metal ceilings, reinforced concrete, and metal partitions.– Keep away from large amounts of water such as fish tanks and water coolers.• Reduce interference.– Avoid windows unless communicating between buildings.– Place wireless devices away from various electromagnetic noise sources, especially those in the 2400–2500 MHz frequency band. Common noise-creating sources are:• Computers and fax machines (no closer than 1 foot)• Copying machines, elevators, and cell phones (no closer than 6 feet)Note: Failure to follow these guidelines can result in significant performance degradation or inability to wirelessly connect to the router. For complete range and performance specifications, click the link to the online document “Wireless Networking Basics” in Appendix B.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-15v1.0, March 2010• Microwave ovens (no closer than 10 feet)• Choose your settings.– Use a scanning utility to determine what other wireless networks are operating nearby, and choose an unused channel.– Turn off SSID broadcast, and change the default SSID. Other nearby devices might automatically try to connect to your network several times a second, which can cause significant performance reduction. • Use WMM to improve the performance of voice and video traffic over the wireless link.Changing the MTU SizeThe Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) is the largest data packet a network device transmits. When one network device communicates across the Internet with another, the data packets travel through many devices along the way. If any device in the data path has a lower MTU setting than the other devices, the data packets must be split or “fragmented” to accommodate the one with the smallest MTU. The best MTU setting for NETGEAR equipment is often just the default value, and changing the value might fix one problem but cause another. Leave MTU unchanged unless one of these situations occurs:• You have problems connecting to your ISP, or other Internet service, and either the technical support of the ISP or of NETGEAR recommends changing the MTU size. These might require an MTU change:– A secure Web site that will not open, or displays only part of a Web page– Yahoo e-mail– MSN– America Online’s DSL service• You use VPN and have severe performance problems.• You used a program to optimize MTU for performance reasons, and now you have connectivity or performance problems.Note: An incorrect MTU setting can cause Internet communication problems such as the inability to access certain Web sites, frames within Web sites, secure login pages, or FTP or POP servers.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-16v1.0, March 2010If you suspect an MTU problem, a common solution is to change the MTU size to 1400. If you are willing to experiment, you can gradually reduce the MTU size from the maximum value of 1500 until the problem goes away. Table 5-1 describes common MTU sizes and applications.To change the MTU size:1. In the main menu, under Advanced, select WAN Setup. 2. In the MTU Size field, enter a new size between 64 and 1500.3. Click Apply to save the new configuration.Overview of Home and Small Office Networking TechnologiesCommon connection types and their speed and security considerations are:•Broadband Internet. Your Internet connection speed is determined by your modem type, such as ADSL or cable modem, as well as the connection speed of the sites to which you connect, and general Internet traffic. ADSL and cable modem connections are asymmetrical, meaning they have a lower data rate to the Internet (upstream) than from the Internet (downstream). Keep in mind that when you connect to another site that also has an asymmetrical connection, the data rate between your sites is limited by each side’s upstream data rate. A typical residential ADSL or cable modem connection provides a downstream throughput of about 1 to 3 megabits per second (Mbps). Newer technologies such as ADSL2+ and Fiber to the Home (FTTH) will increase the connection speed to tens of Mbps.Table 5-1. Common MTU SizesMTU Application1500 The largest Ethernet packet size and the default value. This is the typical setting for non-PPPoE, non-VPN connections, and is the default value for NETGEAR routers, adapters, and switches.1492 Used in PPPoE environments.1472 Maximum size to use for pinging. (Larger packets are fragmented.)1468 Used in some DHCP environments.1460 Usable by AOL if you do not have large e-mail attachments, for example.1436 Used in PPTP environments or with VPN.1400 Maximum size for AOL DSL.576 Typical value to connect to dial-up ISPs.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-17v1.0, March 2010•Wireless. Your Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2 provides a wireless data throughput of up to 150 Mbps. With the introduction of the newer WPA and WPA2 encryption and authentication protocols, wireless security is extremely strong.To get the best performance, use RangeMax NEXT adapters such as the WN511B for your computers. Although the WNR612v2 router is compatible with older 802.11b and 802.11g adapters, the use of these older wireless technologies in your network can result in lower throughput overall (typically less than 10 Mbps for 802.11b and less than 40 Mbps for 802.11g). In addition, many older wireless products do not support the latest security protocols, WPA and WPA2.•Powerline. For connecting rooms or floors that are blocked by obstructions or are distant vertically, consider networking over your building’s AC wiring. NETGEAR’s Powerline HD family of products delivers up to 200 Mbps to any outlet, while the older-generation XE family of products delivers 14 Mbps or 85 Mbps. Data transmissions are encrypted for security, and you can configure an individual network password to prevent neighbors from connecting.The Powerline HD family of products can coexist on the same network with older-generation XE family products or HomePlug 1.0 products, but they are not interoperable with these older products.•Wired Ethernet. As gigabit-speed Ethernet ports (10/100/1000 Mbps) become common on newer computers, wired Ethernet remains a good choice for speed, economy, and security. Gigabit Ethernet can extend up to 100 meters with twisted-pair wiring of Cat 5e or better. A wired connection is not susceptible to interference, and eavesdropping would require a physical connection to your network.Assessing Your Speed RequirementsBecause your Internet connection is likely to operate at a much lower speed than your local network, faster local networking technologies might not improve your Internet experience. However, many emerging home applications require high data rates. For example:• Streaming HD video requires 10 to 30 Mbps per stream. Because latency and packet loss can disrupt your video, plan to provide at least twice the capacity you need.Note: Actual data throughput will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, can lower actual data throughput rate.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Fine-Tuning Your Network 5-18v1.0, March 2010• Streaming MP3 audio requires less than 1 Mbps per stream and does not strain most modern networks. Like video, however, streaming audio is also sensitive to latency and packet loss, so a congested network or a noisy link can cause problems.• Backing up computers over the network has become popular due to the availability of inexpensive mass storage. Table 5-2 shows the time to transfer 1 gigabyte (1 GB) of data using various networking technologies.Table 5-2. Theoretical Transfer Time for 1 Gigabyte Network Connection Theoretical Raw Transfer TimeGigabit wired Ethernet 8 secondsRangeMax NEXT Wireless-N 26 secondsPowerline HD 40 seconds100 Mbps wired Ethernet 80 seconds802.11n wireless 45 seconds802.11g wireless 150 seconds802.11b wireless 700 seconds10 Mbps wired Ethernet 800 secondsCable modem (3 Mbps) 2700 secondsAnalog modem (56 kbps) 144,000 seconds (40 hours)
6-1v1.0, March 2010Chapter 6Using Network Monitoring ToolsThis chapter describes how to use the maintenance features of your Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2.This chapter includes the following sections:•“Viewing Wireless Router Status Information”•“Viewing a List of Attached Devices” on page 6-7•“Managing the Configuration File” in Chapter 6•“Updating the Router Firmware” on page 6-9•“Enabling Remote Management Access” on page 6-12
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Using Network Monitoring Tools 6-2v1.0, March 2010Viewing Wireless Router Status InformationTo view router status and usage information:1. Select Router Status under Maintenance in the main menu. The Router Status screen displays.Figure 6-1
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Using Network Monitoring Tools 6-3v1.0, March 2010Table 6-1 describes the router status fields.Table 6-1. Wireless Router Status Fields Field DescriptionHardware Version The hardware version of the router.Firmware Version The version of the current software installed in the router. This will change if you update your router.Internet Port. The following settings apply to the Internet (WAN) port of the router. MAC Address The Media Access Control address. This is the unique physical address being used by the Internet (WAN) port of the router. IP Address The IP address being used by the Internet (WAN) port of the router. If no address is shown, or is 0.0.0.0, the router cannot connect to the Internet.DHCP If set to None, the router is configured to use a fixed IP address on the WAN. If set to DHCP Client, the router is configured to obtain an IP address dynamically from the ISP.IP Subnet Mask The IP subnet mask being used by the Internet (WAN) port of the router. For an explanation of subnet masks and subnet addressing, click the link to the online document “TCP/IP Networking Basics” in Appendix B.Domain Name Server The Domain Name Server addresses being used by the router. A Domain Name Server translates human-language URLs such as www.netgear.com into IP addresses.LAN Port. The following settings apply to the Ethernet (LAN) port of the router. MAC Address The Media Access Control address. This is the unique physical address being used by the LAN port of the router. IP Address The IP address being used by the Ethernet (LAN) port of the router. The default is 192.168.1.1.DHCP Identifies whether the router’s built-in DHCP server is active for the LAN-attached devices.IP Subnet Mask The IP subnet mask being used by the Ethernet (LAN) port of the router. The default is 255.255.255.0.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Using Network Monitoring Tools 6-4v1.0, March 2010Wireless Port. The following settings apply to the wireless port of the router. Name (SSID) The wireless network name (SSID) being used by the wireless port of the router. The default is NETGEAR.Region The geographic region where the router is being used. It might be illegal to use the wireless features of the router in some parts of the world.Channel Identifies the channel of the wireless port being used. Click the link to the online document “Wireless Networking Basics” in Appendix B for the frequencies used on each channel. Mode Indicates the wireless communication mode: • Up to 54 Mbps.• Up to 65 Mbps.• Up to 150 Mbps.Wireless AP Indicates whether the radio feature of the router is enabled. If not enabled, the Wireless LED on the front panel is off.Broadcast Name Indicates whether the router is broadcasting its SSID.Wi-Fi Protected Setup Indicates whether the router’s PIN is enabled and whether the router is configured for WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup). For more information, see “Configuring WPS Security (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-12.Table 6-1. Wireless Router Status Fields (continued)Field Description
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Using Network Monitoring Tools 6-5v1.0, March 20102. Click Connection Status to display the connection status.Table 6-2 describes the connection status settings.a. Click the Release button to release the connection status items (that is, all items return to 0).b. Click the Renew button to renew to the connection status items (that is, all items are refreshed).c. Click the Close Window button to close the Connection Status screen.Figure 6-2Table 6-2. Connection Status SettingsItem DescriptionIP Address The IP address that is assigned to the router.Subnet Mask The subnet mask that is assigned to the router.Default Gateway The IP address for the default gateway that the router communicates with.DHCP Server The IP address for the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server that provides the TCP/IP configuration for all the computers that are connected to the router.DNS Server The IP address of the Domain Name Service server that provides translation of network names to IP addresses.Lease Obtained The date and time that the lease was obtained.Lease Expires The date and time that the lease will expire.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Using Network Monitoring Tools 6-6v1.0, March 20103. Click Show Statistics to display router usage statistics.Table 6-3 describes the router statistics.To change the polling frequency, enter a time in seconds in the Poll Interval field, and click Set Interval.To stop the polling entirely, click Stop.Figure 6-3Table 6-3. Router StatisticsItem DescriptionSystem Up Time The time elapsed since the router was last restarted.Port The statistics for the WAN (Internet) and LAN (Ethernet) ports. For each port, the screen displays the following:Status The link status of the port.TxPkts The number of packets transmitted on this port since reset or manual clear.RxPkts The number of packets received on this port since reset or manual clear.Collisions The number of collisions on this port since reset or manual clear.Tx B/s The current transmission (outbound) bandwidth used on the WAN and LAN ports.Rx B/s The current reception (inbound) bandwidth used on the WAN and LAN ports.Up Time The time elapsed since this port acquired the link.Poll Interval The intervals at which the statistics are updated in this screen.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Using Network Monitoring Tools 6-7v1.0, March 2010Viewing a List of Attached DevicesThe Attached Devices screen contains a table of all IP devices that the router has discovered on the local network. Select Attached Devices under Maintenance in the main menu to view the table.For each device, the table shows the IP address, NetBIOS host name or device name (if available), and the Ethernet MAC address. To force the router to look for attached devices, click Refresh.Managing the Configuration FileThe configuration settings of the WNR612v2 router are stored within the router in a configuration file. You can back up this file to your computer, restore it, or reset it to the factory default settings.Select Backup Settings under Maintenance in the main menu to display the Backup Settings. The following sections describe the three available options.Figure 6-4Note: If the router is rebooted, the table data is lost until the router rediscovers the devices. Figure 6-5
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Using Network Monitoring Tools 6-8v1.0, March 2010Backing Up and Restoring the ConfigurationThe Restore and Backup options in the Settings Backup screen let you save and retrieve a file containing your router’s configuration settings.To save your settings, click Backup. Your browser extracts the configuration file from the router and prompts you for a location on your computer to store the file. You can give the file a meaningful name at this time, such as comcast.cfg.To restore your settings from a saved configuration file, enter the full path to the file on your computer, or click Browse to browse to the file. When you have located it, click Restore to send the file to the router. The router then reboots automatically.Erasing the ConfigurationUnder some circumstances (for example, if you move the router to a different network or if you have forgotten the password) you might want to erase the configuration and restore the factory default settings. After an erase, the router’s username is admin, the password is password, the LAN IP address is 192.168.1.1 (or www.routerlogin.net), and the router’s DHCP server is enabled.To erase the configuration, click the Erase button in the Settings Backup screen.To restore the factory default configuration settings when you do not know the login password or IP address, you must use the restore factory settings button on the rear panel of the router (see “Restoring the Default Configuration and Password” on page 7-11).Tip: Before saving your configuration file, change the administrator password to the default, password. Then change it again after you have saved the configuration file. If you forget the password, you will need to reset the configuration to factory defaults.Warning: Do not interrupt the reboot process.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Using Network Monitoring Tools 6-9v1.0, March 2010Updating the Router FirmwareThe firmware of the WNR612v2 router is stored in flash memory, and can be updated as NETGEAR releases new firmware. You can update your firmware by logging into the router and using one of these procedures:•Enable the Check for Updated Firmware Upon Log-in check box. Each time you log in to the router, it will automatically detect a new version of the firmware and then install it. This check box is enabled in the router’s default state. See “Logging In To Your Wireless Router” on page 1-1.•Use the Check button in the Router Upgrade screen. Instead of having the router check for new firmware every time you log in, you can use Router Upgrade, under Maintenance in the main menu. See “Checking for New Firmware in the Router Upgrade Screen.”•Check for and update your firmware manually. You can compare versions, obtain new firmware from NETGEAR’s website, and then upload it. See “Updating Manually to New Router Firmware” on page 6-10.Checking for New Firmware in the Router Upgrade ScreenTo check for new firmware and allow the router to automatically install it:1. Select Router Upgrade under Maintenance in the main menu. The Router Upgrade screen displays.Note: Before updating the router software, NETGEAR recommends that you save your configuration settings (see “Backing Up and Restoring the Configuration” on page 6-8). A firmware update might cause the router settings to revert to the factory defaults. If this happens, after completing the update, you can restore your settings from the backup.Figure 6-6
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Using Network Monitoring Tools 6-10v1.0, March 20102. Check for new software versions by clicking the Check button. • If a new version is found, information about it appears.• If no new firmware version is available, a message displays and the router returns to the Firmware Update screen.3. To update your firmware, click Yes and follow the prompts.When the upload is complete, your router automatically restarts. The update process typically takes about 1 minute. Updating Manually to New Router FirmwareTo manually select, download, and install new software to your router:Figure 6-7Figure 6-8Warning: When updating firmware to the WNR612v2 router, do not interrupt the Web browser by closing the window, clicking a link, or loading a new page. If the browser is interrupted, it could corrupt the firmware.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Using Network Monitoring Tools 6-11v1.0, March 20101. Log in to your router, select Router Status under Maintenance on the main menu, and make note of the firmware version of your router.2. Go to the WNR612v2 support page on the NETGEAR website athttp://www.netgear.com/support.3. Compare the version number of the most recent firmware offered to the firmware version of your router. If the version on the NETGEAR website is more recent, download the file from the WNR612v2 support page to your computer.4. Log in to your router and select Router Upgrade under Maintenance on the main menu.5. Click Browse, and locate the firmware image that you downloaded to your computer (the file ends in .img or .chk). 6. Click Upload to send the firmware to the router.When the upload is complete, your router automatically restarts. The upgrade process typically takes about 1 minute. Figure 6-9Warning: When updating firmware to the WNR612v2 router, do not interrupt the Web browser by closing the window, clicking a link, or loading a new page. If the browser is interrupted, it could corrupt the firmware.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Using Network Monitoring Tools 6-12v1.0, March 2010Enabling Remote Management AccessUsing the Remote Management feature, you can allow a user on the Internet to configure, upgrade, and check the status of your WNR612v2 router. Select Remote Management under Advanced in the main menu. The Remote Management screen displays.To configure your router for remote management:1. Select the Turn Remote Management On check box.2. Under Allow Remote Access By, specify what external IP addresses will be allowed to access the router’s remote management.Figure 6-10Note: Be sure to change the router’s default configuration password to a very secure password. The ideal password should contain no dictionary words from any language, and should be a mixture of letters (both uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and symbols. Your password can be up to 30 characters.Note: For enhanced security, restrict access to as few external IP addressesas practical.
7-1v1.0, March 2010Chapter 7TroubleshootingThis chapter provides information about troubleshooting your Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2. After each problem description, instructions are provided to help you diagnose and solve the problem. As a first step, please review the Quick Tips.This chapter includes the following sections:•“Quick Tips”•“Troubleshooting Basic Functions” on page 7-2•“Login Problems” on page 7-4•“Checking the Internet Service Connection” on page 7-5•“Troubleshooting Your Network Using the Ping Utility” on page 7-8•“Problems with Date and Time” on page 7-10•“Problems with Wireless Adapter Connections” on page 7-10•“Restoring the Default Configuration and Password” on page 7-11Quick TipsThis section describes tips for troubleshooting some common problems:Be sure to restart your network in this sequence.1. Turn off and unplug the modem. 2. Turn off the wireless router and computers.3. Plug in the modem and turn it on. Wait 2 minutes.Tip: NETGEAR provides helpful articles, documentation, and the latest software updates at http://www.netgear.com/support.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Troubleshooting 7-2v1.0, March 20104. Turn on the wireless router and wait 1 minute.5. Turn on the computers. Make sure that the Ethernet cables are securely plugged in.• The Internet status light on the wireless router is on if the Ethernet cable connecting the wireless router and the modem is plugged in securely and the modem and wireless router are turned on. • For each powered-on computer connected to the wireless router by an Ethernet cable, the corresponding numbered router LAN port light is on. Make sure that the wireless settings in the computer and router match exactly.• For a wirelessly connected computer, the wireless network name (SSID) and WEP or WPA security settings of the router and wireless computer must match exactly. • If you have enabled the wireless router to restrict wireless access by MAC address, you must add the wireless computer’s MAC address to the router’s wireless card access list.Make sure that the network settings of the computer are correct.• LAN connected computers must be configured to obtain an IP address automatically using DHCP. For more information, see the links in Appendix B, “Related Documents.• Some cable modem services require you to use the MAC address of the computer registered on the account. If so, in the Router MAC Address section of the Basic Settings menu, select Use this Computer’s MAC Address. Click Apply to save your settings. Restart the network in the correct sequence. Check the Test light to verify correct router operation.If the Test light does not turn off within 2 minutes after you turn the router on, reset the router according to the instructions in “Restoring the Default Configuration and Password” on page 7-11.Troubleshooting Basic FunctionsAfter you turn on power to the router, the following sequence of events should occur:1. When power is first applied, verify that the Power light is on.2. Verify that the power light turns amber within a few seconds, indicating that the self-test procedure is running.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Troubleshooting 7-3v1.0, March 20103. After approximately 20 seconds, verify that:a. The color of the power light changes to green.b. The LAN port lights are lit for any local ports that are connected.If a port’s light is lit, a link has been established to the connected device. If a LAN port is connected to a 100 Mbps device, verify that the port’s light is green. If the port is 10 Mbps, the light will be amber.c. The Internet port is connected and its light is lit.4. If you have enabled WPS security, verify that the push-button stops blinking and changes to green (otherwise the push-button light should be off).If the correct behavior does not occur, see the appropriate following section.The Power light is not on.If the Power and other lights are off when your router is turned on:• Make sure that the power cord is properly connected to your router and that the power adapter is properly connected to a functioning power outlet. • Check that you are using the power adapter supplied by NETGEAR for this product.If the error persists, you have a hardware problem and should contact Technical Support.The Power light blinks green slowly and continuously. The router firmware is corrupted.For help restoring your firmware, contact Technical Support.The Power light stays amber. When the router is turned on, the Power light turns amber for about 20 seconds and then turns green. If the light does not turn green, the router has a problem.If the Power light is still amber 1 minute after turning on power to the router:1. Turn the power off and back on to see if the router recovers.2. Clear the router’s configuration to factory defaults. This will set the router’s IP address to www.routerlogin.net. This procedure is explained in “Restoring the Default Configuration and Password” on page 7-11.If the error persists, you might have a hardware problem and should contact Technical Support.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Troubleshooting 7-4v1.0, March 2010The Internet light stays amber. When the router is turned on, the Internet light turns amber for about 20 seconds and then turns green. If the light does not turn green, the router has a problem.If the Internet light is still amber 1 minute after turning on power to the router:1. The Internet is not accessible. Confirm that you have the correct internet setting. 2. Clear the router’s configuration to factory defaults. This will set the router’s IP address to www.routerlogin.net. This procedure is explained in “Restoring the Default Configuration and Password” on page 7-11.3. Turn the power off and back on to see if the router recovers.The Internet or LAN port lights are not on. If either the LAN or Internet lights do not light when the Ethernet connection is made, check the following:1. Make sure that the Ethernet cable connections are secure at the router and at the computer.2. Make sure that power is turned on to the connected computer.3. Be sure you are using Ethernet cables like the cable that was supplied with the wireless router. See the NETGEAR Wireless Router Setup Manual for instructions.Login ProblemsIf you are unable to log in to the wireless router, check the following:• If you are using an Ethernet-connected computer, check the Ethernet connection between the computer and the router as described in the NETGEAR Wireless Router Setup Manual.• Make sure you are using the correct login information. The factory default login name is admin and the password is password. Make sure that the Caps Lock is off when entering this information.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Troubleshooting 7-5v1.0, March 2010• Make sure your computer’s IP address is on the same subnet as the router. If your are using the recommended addressing scheme, your computer’s address should be in the range of 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.254. Refer to your computer’s documentation or see “Preparing Your Network” in Appendix B for help with configuring your computer.• If your router’s IP address has been changed and you don’t know the current IP address, reset the router’s configuration to the factory defaults. This procedure will reset the router’s IP address to 192.168.1.1 (see “Default Configuration Settings” in Appendix A).• Make sure your browser has Java, JavaScript, or ActiveX enabled. If you are using Internet Explorer, click Refresh to be sure the Java applet is loaded. Try closing the browser and reopening it again.• If you are attempting to set up your NETGEAR router as an additional router behind an existing router in your network, consider replacing the existing router instead. NETGEAR does not support such a configuration.• If you are attempting to set up your NETGEAR router as a replacement for an ADSL gateway in your network, the router cannot perform many gateway services, for example, converting ADSL or Cable data into Ethernet networking information. NETGEAR does not support such a configuration. Checking the Internet Service ConnectionIf you can access your router, but your router is unable to access the Internet, review the topics in this section: •“Obtaining an Internet IP Address”•“Troubleshooting PPPoE”•“Troubleshooting Internet Browsing”Obtaining an Internet IP AddressIf your wireless router is unable to access the Internet, and your Internet light is amber, check the wireless router to see if it is able to get an Internet IP address from your service provider. Unless Note: If your computer cannot reach a DHCP server, some operating systems will assign an IP address in the range 169.254.x.x. If your IP address is in this range, verify that you have a good connection from the computer to the router, then restart (reboot) your computer.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Troubleshooting 7-6v1.0, March 2010you have a static IP address, your wireless router automatically requests an IP address from your service provider. To check your wireless router’s Internet IP address: 1. Log in to the wireless router.2. Select Router Status, under Maintenance in the main menu, to check that an IP address is shown for the Internet Port. If 0.0.0.0 is shown, your wireless router has not obtained an IP address from your service provider.If your router is unable to obtain an IP address from the your service provider, the problem might be one of the following:• You might need to force your cable or DSL modem to recognize your new router by restarting your network, in the sequence described in the NETGEAR Wireless Router Setup Manual.• Your service provider might require a login. Ask your service provider whether they require a PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE) login (see “Troubleshooting PPPoE” on page 7-6).• You might have incorrectly set the service name, user name or password. Review your router’s Basic Settings screen.• Your service provider might check for your computer's host name. Assign the computer Host Name of your ISP account to the wireless router on the Basic Settings screen.• Your service provider might only allow one Ethernet MAC address to connect to the Internet, and check for your computer’s MAC address. If this is the case:– Inform your service provider that you have bought a new network device, and ask them to use the wireless router’s MAC address, or – Configure your router to spoof your computer’s MAC address. On the Basic Settings screen in the Router MAC Address section, select “Use this Computer’s MAC Address” and click Apply. Then restart your network in the correct sequence (see the NETGEAR Wireless Router Setup Manual for instructions).Troubleshooting PPPoEIf you are using PPPoE, try troubleshooting your Internet connection.To troubleshoot a PPPoE connection:1. Log in to the wireless router.2. Select Router Status under Maintenance on the main menu.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Troubleshooting 7-7v1.0, March 20103. Click Connection Status. If all of the steps indicate “OK,” then your PPPoE connection is up and working.If any of the steps indicate “Failed,” you can attempt to reconnect by clicking Connect. The wireless router will continue to attempt to connect indefinitely.If you cannot connect after several minutes, you might be using an incorrect service name, user name, or password. There also might be a provisioning problem with your ISP.Troubleshooting Internet BrowsingIf your wireless router can obtain an IP address but your computer is unable to load any web pages from the Internet, check the following:•Your computer might not recognize any DNS server addresses. A DNS server is a host on the Internet that translates Internet names (such as www addresses) to numeric IP addresses. Typically, your ISP will provide the addresses of one or two DNS servers for your use. If you entered a DNS address during the wireless router’s configuration, restart your computer. Alternatively, you can configure your computer manually with a DNS address, as explained in the documentation for your computer.•Your computer might not have the wireless router configured as its default gateway. Reboot the computer and verify that the wireless router address (www.routerlogin.net) is listed by your computer as the default gateway address.•You might be running login software that is no longer needed. If your ISP provided a program to log you in to the Internet (such as WinPoET), you no longer need to run that software after installing your router. You might need to go to Internet Explorer and select Tools > Internet Options, click the Connections tab, and select Never dial a connection.If the wireless router does not save changes you have made in the browser interface, check the following:• When entering configuration settings, be sure to click Apply before moving to another screen or tab, or your changes could be lost. • Click Refresh or Reload in the Web browser. The changes might have occurred, but the Web browser might be caching the old configuration.Note: Unless you connect manually, the wireless router will not authenticate using PPPoE until data is transmitted to the network.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Troubleshooting 7-8v1.0, March 2010Troubleshooting Your Network Using the Ping UtilityMost network devices and routers contain a ping utility that sends an echo request packet to the designated device. The device then responds with an echo reply. Troubleshooting a network is made very easy by using the ping utility in your computer or workstation. This section includes:•“Testing the LAN Path to Your Router”•“Testing the Path from Your Computer to a Remote Device”Testing the LAN Path to Your RouterYou can ping the router from your computer to verify that the LAN path to your router is set up correctly.To ping the router from a running Windows PC:1. From the Windows toolbar, click Start, and then select Run.2. In the field provided, type ping followed by the IP address of the router, as in this example: ping www.routerlogin.net3. Click OK.You should see a message like this one: Pinging <IP address > with 32 bytes of dataIf the path is working, you see this message: Reply from < IP address >: bytes=32 time=NN ms TTL=xxxIf the path is not working, you see this message: Request timed outIf the path is not functioning correctly, you could have one of the following problems:• Wrong physical connections– For a wired connection, make sure that the numbered LAN port light is on for the port to which you are connected. If the light is off, follow the instructions in “Troubleshooting Basic Functions” on page 7-2.– Check that the appropriate LEDs are on for your network devices. If your router and computer are connected to a separate Ethernet switch, make sure that the link lights are on for the switch ports that are connected to your computer and router.• Wrong network configuration
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Troubleshooting 7-9v1.0, March 2010– Verify that the Ethernet card driver software and TCP/IP software are both installed and configured on your computer.– Verify that the IP address for your router and your computer are correct and that the addresses are on the same subnet.Testing the Path from Your Computer to a Remote DeviceAfter verifying that the LAN path works correctly, test the path from your computer to a remote device. 1. From the Windows toolbar, click the Start button, and then select Run.2. In the Windows Run window, type: ping -n 10 <IP address>where <IP address> is the IP address of a remote device such as your ISP’s DNS server.If the path is functioning correctly, replies like those shown in the previous section are displayed. If you do not receive replies:• Check that your computer has the IP address of your router listed as the default gateway. If the IP configuration of your computer is assigned by DHCP, this information is not be visible in your computer’s Network Control Panel. Verify that the IP address of the router is listed as the default gateway as described in the online document you can access from “Preparing Your Network” in Appendix B.• Check to see that the network address of your computer (the portion of the IP address specified by the subnet mask) is different from the network address of the remote device.• Check that your cable or DSL modem is connected and functioning.• If your ISP assigned a host name to your computer, enter that host name as the account name in the Basic Settings screen.• Your ISP could be rejecting the Ethernet MAC addresses of all but one of your computers. Many broadband ISPs restrict access by allowing traffic only from the MAC address of your broadband modem, but some ISPs additionally restrict access to the MAC address of a single computer connected to that modem. If this is the case, you must configure your router to “clone” or “spoof” the MAC address from the authorized computer.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Troubleshooting 7-10v1.0, March 2010Problems with Date and TimeSelect E-mail under Content Filtering in the main menu to display a screen that shows the current date and time of day. The WNR612v2 router uses the Network Time Protocol (NTP) to obtain the current time from one of several network time servers on the Internet. Each entry in the log is stamped with the date and time of day. Problems with the date and time function can include the following:• Date shown is January 1, 2000.Cause: The router has not yet successfully reached a network time server. Check that your Internet access settings are correct. If you have just completed configuring the router, wait at least 5 minutes, and check the date and time again.• Time is off by one hour. Cause: The router does not adjust for daylight savings time. In the E-mail screen, select the Automatically Adjust for Daylight Savings Time check box.Problems with Wireless Adapter Connections If your wireless adapter is unable to connect, check its connection settings.To check the adapter’s connection settings:1. Open the adapter setup utility to check connections:•NETGEAR Smart Wizard utility. If you installed a NETGEAR wireless adapter in your computer, a Smart Wizard utility program is installed that can provide helpful information about your wireless network. You can find this program in your Windows Program menu or as an icon in your system tray. Other wireless card manufacturers might include a similar program.•Windows basic setup utility. If you have no specific wireless card setup program installed, you can use the basic setup utility in Windows:– Open the Windows Control Panel, and double-click Network Connections.– In the LAN section, double-click Wireless Network Connection.2. Use the adapter’s setup program to scan for available wireless networks, looking for the network name (SSID) of NETGEAR, or your custom SSID if you have changed it. 3. If your wireless network appears and has good signal strength, configure and test with the simplest wireless connection possible.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Troubleshooting 7-11v1.0, March 2010If your wireless network does not appear, check these conditions:• Is your router’s wireless radio enabled? See “Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-11.• Is your router’s SSID broadcast enabled? See “Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-11.• Is your router set to a wireless standard that is not supported by your wireless adapter? Check the Mode setting as described in “Viewing and Configuring Basic Internet Settings” on page 1-4.If your wireless network appears, but the signal strength is weak, check these conditions:• Is your router too far from your adapter, or too close? Place the computer that has the adapter near the router, but at least 6 feet away, and see whether the signal strength improves.• Is your wireless signal obstructed by objects between the router and your adapter? See “Optimizing Wireless Performance” on page 5-14.Restoring the Default Configuration and PasswordThis section explains how to restore the factory default configuration settings that reset the router’s user name to admin, the password to password, and the IP address to 192.168.1.1.You can erase the current configuration and restore factory defaults in two ways:• Use the Erase function of the router. To use the Erase function, see “Erasing the Configuration” on page 6-8.• Use the restore factory settings button on the rear panel of the router. Use this method for cases when the administration password or IP address is not known.To use the restore settings button:1. Locate the restore factory settings button on the rear panel of the router.2. Use a sharp object such as a pen or a paper clip to press and hold the restore factory settings button for about 5 seconds, until the Power light begins to blink.Warning: These procedures erase all current configuration settings.
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Troubleshooting 7-12v1.0, March 20103. Release the restore factory settings button, and wait for the router to restart, and for the Power light to stop blinking and become solid green.The factory default settings will be restored so that you can access the router from your Web browser using the factory defaults.If the wireless router fails to restart, or the Power light continues to blink or turns solid amber, the unit might be defective. If the error persists, you might have a hardware problem and should contact Technical Support at http://www.netgear.com/support.
Technical Specifications A-1v1.0, March 2010Appendix ATechnical SpecificationsDefault Configuration SettingsThis appendix provides factory default settings and technical specifications for the Wireless-N 150 Router Model WNR612v2.Table A-1. WNR612v2 Router Default Configuration Settings Feature Default SettingRouter LoginRouter Login URL http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.comLogin Name (case-sensitive) printed onproduct label adminLogin Password (case-sensitive) printed onproduct label passwordInternet ConnectionWAN MAC Address Default hardware address (on label)MTU Size 1500Local NetworkRouter LAN IP address printed on product label (also known as Gateway IP address) 192.168.1.1Router Subnet 255.255.255.0DHCP Server EnabledDHCP range 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.254Time Zone GMTTime Zone Adjusted for Daylight Saving Time DisabledAllow a Registrar to configure this router Enabled
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Technical Specifications A-2v1.0, March 2010WirelessWireless Communication EnabledSSID Name NETGEARSecurity DisabledWireless Access List (MAC Filtering) All wireless stations allowedBroadcast SSID EnabledTransmission Speed Auto*Country/Region United States (North America only; otherwise varies by country and region)RF Channel Auto Operating Mode Up to 150 MbpsData Rate BestOutput Power FullFirewallInbound (communications coming in from the Internet) Disabled (bars all unsolicited requests except for traffic on port 80, the http port)Outbound (communications going out to the Internet) Enabled (all)*. Maximum Wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual throughput will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead lower actual data throughput rate.Table A-1. WNR612v2 Router Default Configuration Settings (continued)
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Technical Specifications A-3v1.0, March 2010General SpecificationsTable A-2. WNR612v2 Router General Specifications Feature GeneralNetwork Protocol and Standards CompatibilityData and Routing Protocols TCP/IP, RIP-1, RIP-2, DHCP, PPPoE, PPTP, Bigpond, Dynamic DNS, and UPnPPower AdapterNorth America 120V, 60 Hz, inputAll regions (output) 12V DC @ 1.0A, outputPhysical Dimensions 28 x 175 x 119 mm (1.1 x 6.89 x 4.68 in.)Weight 0.26 kg (0.57 lb)Environmental Operating temperature 0 to 40 C (32º to 104º F)Operating humidity 90% maximum relative humidity, noncondensingElectromagnetic EmissionsDesigned to conform to the following standards FCC Part 15 Class BEN 55022/24 (CISPR 22/24) Class BEN 60950 (CE LVD) Class BMICInterface SpecificationsLAN 10BASE-T or 100BASE-Tx, RJ-45WAN 10BASE-T or 100BASE-Tx, RJ-45
Related Documents B-1v1.0, March 2010Appendix BRelated DocumentsThis appendix provides links to reference documents you can use to gain a more complete understanding of the technologies used in your NETGEAR product.Table B-1. Reference DocumentsDocument Link TCP/IP Networking Basics http://documentation.netgear.com/reference/enu/tcpip/index.htmWireless Networking Basics http://documentation.netgear.com/reference/enu/wireless/index.htmPreparing Your Network http://documentation.netgear.com/reference/enu/wsdhcp/index.htmVirtual Private Networking Basics http://documentation.netgear.com/reference/enu/vpn/index.htmGlossary http://documentation.netgear.com/reference/enu/glossary/index.htm
Index-1v1.0, March 2010IndexAaccessblocking 3-1remote 6-12restricting by MAC address 2-17to a remote computer 5-2to the router 1-1viewing logs 3-6access controlturning off 1-11turning on 2-19account name 1-5addingcustom service 5-7reserved IP addresses 4-4static routes 4-9wireless clients 2-12, 2-16, 6-4See also configuringadministrator password, changing 2-19advanced wireless settings 2-11advertisement period 5-13AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption 2-9attached devices 6-7authentication, required by mail server 3-8Bbacking up configuration file 6-8backing up, transfer time 5-18basic settings 2-6Big Pond 1-8blockingaccess 3-1inbound traffic 5-1bold text xibroadband Internet 5-16broadcast status 6-4Ccables, checking 7-2channel, frequency 2-7channel, wireless port 6-4clients, adding 2-12, 2-16, 6-4communication mode 2-7, 6-4compatibility, protocol and standards A-3configuration filebacking up 6-8erasing 6-8managing 6-7configuringadvanced security 2-11basic security 2-6DMZ server 4-7Dynamic DNS 4-5LAN IP settings 4-1NAT 4-8port forwarding 5-6port triggering 5-9WPA security 2-9WPS 2-15See also addingconnection mode 1-8connection status settings 6-5connection types 5-16content filtering 3-1CTS/RTS Threshold 2-12custom service (port forwarding) 5-7customer support ii
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Index-2v1.0, March 2010Ddata packets, fragmented 5-15date and time, troubleshooting 7-10daylight savings time 3-8, 7-10default DMZ server 4-7default factory settingslisted A-1restoring 7-11default gateway 6-5default LAN IP configuration 4-2deleting configuration 6-8device name 4-2DHCP server 4-3, 6-5DHCP setting 6-3disablingfirewall 4-6router PIN 2-15DMZ server 4-7DNS servers 5-2documents, reference B-1domain name 1-5Domain Name Server (DNS) addressescurrent 6-3entering 1-6, 1-9Dynamic DNS 4-5dynamic IP addresses 1-5DynDNS.org 4-5Eelectromagnetic emissions A-3e-mailing logs 3-7encryption 2-1encryption keys 2-9environmental specifications A-3erasing configuration 6-8Ethernet MAC address 6-7Ffactory default settingslisted A-1restoring 7-11filtering content 3-1firewallsdefault settings A-2disabling 4-6overview 2-21firmwarerestoring 7-3updating 1-3, 6-3, 6-9fixed font text xifixed IP addresses 1-6Fragmentation Threshold 2-12fragmented data packets 5-15frequency, channel 2-7Ggenerating encryption keys 2-9Gigabit Ethernet 5-17Hhardware version 6-3host name 1-5, 6-7Iidle time-out 1-9inbound traffic, allowing or blocking 5-1interface specifications A-3interference, reducing 5-14Internet connectiondefault settings A-1Internet port, status 6-3Internet Relay Chat (IRC) 5-3Internet services, blocking access 3-3interval, poll 6-6
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Index-3v1.0, March 2010IP addressesblocking access by 3-5current 6-3dynamic or static 1-5LAN 4-2registering domain name 4-5reserved 4-4IP subnet mask 4-2, 6-3ISP settings, basic 1-4italic text xiKkeys, encryption 2-9keywords, blocking by 3-1LLAN IP setup 4-1LAN path, troubleshooting 7-8LAN port settings 6-3lease, DHCP 6-5Legacy mode 2-7local network, default settings A-1local servers, port forwarding to 5-6logging in 1-1login required 1-7login settings A-1logssending 3-7time-stamping entries 3-8viewing 3-6MMAC addressesattached devices 6-7current 6-3entering 1-6restricting access by 2-17spoofing 7-6mail server, outgoing 3-7managing router remotely 6-12metric value 4-10mixed mode encryption 2-3, 2-10mode, communication 2-7, 6-4MTU size 4-8, 5-15NNAT (Network Address Translation) 4-7, 4-8, 5-2NetBIOS host name 6-7Network Time Protocol (NTP) 3-8, 7-10Oobstructions, connecting through 5-17Open System authentication 2-8optimizing performance 5-14outgoing mail server 3-7Ppassphrases 2-8, 2-9, 2-10passwordchanging 2-19restoring 7-11path, testing 7-9performance, optimizing 5-14physical specifications A-3PIN 2-14, 2-15ping 4-7, 7-8placement, router 5-14poll interval 6-6port filtering 3-3port forwardingconfiguring 5-6example 5-5port numbers 3-3port status 6-6port triggeringconfiguring 5-9example 5-3portmap table 5-13
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Index-4v1.0, March 2010power adapter specifications A-3Power light, troubleshooting and 7-2Powerline HD products 5-17PPPoE (PPP over Ethernet) 1-8PPTP (Point to Point Tunneling Protocol) 1-8Preamble mode 2-12primary DNS server 1-6, 1-9protocols, compatibility A-3Push ’N’ Connect 2-12Rradio, wireless 1-11, 2-11, 6-4range, router 5-14reducing interference 5-14reference documents B-1region of operation 2-7registering product iireleasing connection status 6-5remote devices, testing path 7-9remote management 6-12renewing connection status 6-5requirements, speed 5-17reserved IP adresses 4-4restarting network 7-1restoringconfiguration 6-8default factory settings 7-11restoring firmware 7-3restricting access by MAC address 2-17revision history xiiiRIP (Router Information Protocol) direction 4-2route name 4-10router PIN 2-14, 2-15router status, viewing 6-2Sscheduling blocking 3-5secondary DNS server 1-6, 1-9securityoptions, compared 2-2setting up 2-1security PIN 2-14, 2-15service name 1-8service numbers 3-4services, blocking 3-3setting time 3-8settings, default. See default factory settingssetup information, gathering 2-5Setup Wizard 1-4Shared Key authentication 2-5, 2-8SMTP server 3-7specificationstechnical A-1speed requirements 5-17SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) firewall 4-6spoofing MAC addresses 1-6, 7-6SSID 1-10, 2-7, 6-4SSID broadcast 1-11, 2-11standards, compatibility A-3static IP addresses 1-6static routes 4-8statistics, usage 6-6status, viewing 6-2streaming video and audio 5-17subnet mask 4-2, 6-3system up time 6-6TTCP/IP network, troubleshooting 7-8technical specifications A-1Telstra Bigpond 1-8
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual Index-5v1.0, March 2010time of day, troubleshooting 7-10time to live, advertisement 5-13time, setting 3-8time-outidle 1-9port triggering 5-11TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) encryption 2-9trademarks iitransfer time (backing up) 5-18troubleshooting 7-1trusted user 3-2typographical conventions xiUUniversal Plug and Play (UPnP) 5-12up time, system 6-6updating firmware 1-3, 6-3, 6-9URLstypography for xiusage statistics 6-6Vversionfirmware 6-3, 6-9RIP (Router Information Protocol) 4-2viewingadvanced wireless settings 2-11attached devices 6-7basic security settings 2-6logs 3-6status 6-2WWAN setup 4-6WEP encryption 2-3, 2-8Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) 2-12, 6-4wildcards, DNS and 4-6Wireless Card Access List 2-17, 2-18wireless client PIN 2-14wireless clients, adding 2-12, 2-16, 6-4wireless connection type 5-17wireless network name 1-10, 2-7, 6-4wireless port settings 6-4wireless radio 1-11, 2-11, 6-4wireless security, setting up 2-1wireless settingsadvanced 2-11basic 2-6default, listed A-2gathering information 2-5WPA2-PSK encryption 2-3, 2-9WPA-PSK + WPA2-PSK encryption 2-3, 2-9WPA-PSK encryption 2-3, 2-9

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