Netgear orporated 10400149 N300 WiFi Router User Manual

Netgear Incorporated N300 WiFi Router

Contents

UserMan_PY310400149

202-11001-01 May 2012Easy, Reliable & Secure User ManualN300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual
iiMay 2012TrademarksBrand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice.In the interest of improving internal design, operational function, and/or reliability, On Networks reserves the right to make changes to the products described in this document without notice. On Networks does not assume any liability that may occur due to the use or application of the product(s) or circuit layout(s) described herein.This symbol is placed in accordance with the European Union Directive 2002/96 on the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (the WEEE Directive). If disposed of within the European Union, this product should be treated and recycled in accordance with the laws of your jurisdiction implementing the WEEE Directive.
viiv1.0, May 2012ContentsChapter 1 Configuring Basic ConnectivityPowering On Your Wireless Router.................................................................................1-1Logging In To Your Wireless Router ..............................................................................1-1Configuring Your Internet Connection Using the Smart Setup Wizard ...........................1-5Viewing and Configuring Basic ISP Settings ..................................................................1-5Setting Up and Testing Basic Wireless Connectivity ....................................................1-10Chapter 2 Safeguarding Your NetworkChoosing Appropriate Wireless Security ........................................................................2-1Recording Basic Wireless Settings Setup Information ...................................................2-5Changing Wireless Security Settings .............................................................................2-6Viewing Basic Wireless Settings ..............................................................................2-6Configuring WEP Wireless Security .........................................................................2-9Configuring WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK Wireless Security ....................................2-10Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings ...........................................................................2-12Using Push 'N' Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) .........................................................2-13Push Button Configuration .....................................................................................2-14Security PIN Entry ..................................................................................................2-15Configuring the WPS Settings ................................................................................2-17Connecting Additional Wireless Client Devices after WPS Setup ..........................2-18Restricting Wireless Access by MAC Address .............................................................2-19Changing the Administrator Password .........................................................................2-21Backing Up Your Configuration ....................................................................................2-22Live Parental Controls ...................................................................................................2-23Understanding Your Firewall ........................................................................................2-23
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manualviii Contentsv1.0, May 2012Chapter 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 ..........................................3-7Chapter 4 Customizing Your Network SettingsUsing the LAN IP Setup Options ....................................................................................4-1Configuring a Device Name .....................................................................................4-2Configuring LAN TCP/IP Setup Parameters ............................................................4-3Using the Router as a DHCP Server ........................................................................4-4Using Address Reservation ......................................................................................4-5Using a Dynamic DNS Service .......................................................................................4-6Configuring the WAN Setup Options ..............................................................................4-8Disabling Prt Scan and DoS Protection ....................................................................4-8Setting Up a Default DMZ Server .............................................................................4-8Responding to a Ping on the Internet (WAN) Port ...................................................4-9Ebling IBMP Proxying ...............................................................................................4-9Setting the MTU Size .............................................................................................4-10Configuring NAT Filtering .......................................................................................4-10Configuring Static Routes .............................................................................................4-10Wireless Repeating (Also Called WDS) .......................................................................4-12Wireless Repeating Function .................................................................................4-13Setting Up the Base Station ...................................................................................4-14Setting Up a Repeater Unit ....................................................................................4-15
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualContents ixv1.0, May 2012Chapter 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 .............................................................5-9Configuring Port Triggering ..........................................................................................5-10Using Universal Plug and Play .....................................................................................5-14Optimizing Wireless Performance ................................................................................5-15Changing the MTU Size ...............................................................................................5-16Quality of Service .........................................................................................................5-18Using WMM QoS for Wireless Multimedia Applications .........................................5-18Configuring QoS for Internet Access ......................................................................5-18Overview of Home and Small Office Networking Technologies ...................................5-24Assessing Your Speed Requirements ...................................................................5-25Chapter 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 .........................................................................................6-9Updating the Router Firmware .......................................................................................6-9Checking for New Firmware in the Router Upgrade Screen ..................................6-10Updating Manually to New Router Firmware .........................................................6-11Enabling Remote Management Access .......................................................................6-13Traffic Meter ..................................................................................................................6-15
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manualx Contentsv1.0, May 2012Chapter 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 .....................................................7-7Testing the LAN Path to Your Router .......................................................................7-8Testing the Path from Your Computer to a Remote Device .....................................7-9Problems with Date and Time ........................................................................................7-9Problems with Wireless Adapter Connections ..............................................................7-10Restoring the Default Configuration and Password ......................................................7-11Appendix A Technical SpecificationsDefault Configuration Settings ....................................................................................... A-1General Specifications ................................................................................................... A-3Appendix B Related DocumentsIndex
1-1May 2012Chapter 1Configuring Basic ConnectivityThis chapter describes the settings for your Internet connection and your wireless local area network (LAN) connection. This chapter provides further details about 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 WiFi Router”•“Configuring Your Internet Connection Using the Smart Setup Wizard” on page 1-5 •“Viewing and Configuring Basic ISP Settings” on page 1-5•“Setting Up and Testing Basic Wireless Connectivity” on page 1-11Logging In To Your WiFi Router When the WiFi router is connected to your network, you can access and configure the router using your browser.To access the router:1. Connect to the WiFi router by typing http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of your browser, and then press Enter. A login window displays.Figure 1-1
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual1-2 Configuring Basic Connectivityv1.0, May 20122. 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 2-21.The Checking for Firmware Updates screen appears unless you previously cleared the Check for Updated Firmware Upon Log-in check box.Tip: You can connect to the WiFi 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.Figure 1-2
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualConfiguring Basic Connectivity 1-3May 2012If the router discovers a newer version of firmware, the message on the left displays when you log in. If no new firmware is available, the message on the right displays.To automatically update to the new firmware, click Yes to allow the router to download and install the new firmware file from On Networks.When the upload is complete, your router automatically restarts. The update process typically takes about 1 minute. 3. In the main menu on the left, select Basic Settings under Setup. The Basic Settings screen displays showing the WiFi router’s home page and suggested default settings. Figure 1-3Warning: When uploading firmware to the N300R 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual1-4 Configuring Basic Connectivityv1.0, May 2012If the WiFi router is connected to the Internet, you can select Knowledge Base under Web Support in the main menu to view support information for the WiFi router.If you do not click Logout, the WiFi router will wait for 5 minutes after no activity before it automatically logs you out.Figure 1-4Note: If the Check for New Version Upon Log-in check box is selected, the home page is the Router Upgrade screen. Otherwise, it is the Basic Settings screen.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualConfiguring Basic Connectivity 1-5May 2012Configuring Your Internet Connection Using the Smart Setup WizardYou can manually configure your Internet connection using the Basic Settings screen, or you can allow the Smart Setup Wizard to determine your Internet Service Provider (ISP) configuration.The Smart Setup Wizard searches your Internet connection for servers and protocols to determine your ISP configuration.To use the Smart 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 ISP 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.•No login required by ISP. If no login is required by your ISP, the following settings appear in the Basic Settings screen.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual1-6 Configuring Basic Connectivityv1.0, May 2012–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.Figure 1-5ISP does not require login
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualConfiguring Basic Connectivity 1-7May 2012–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.• 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual1-8 Configuring Basic Connectivityv1.0, May 2012If a login is required by your ISP, the following settings appear in the Basic Settings screen: Figure 1-6ISP does require login
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualConfiguring Basic Connectivity 1-9May 2012•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.–Internet Service Provider. This drop-down list contains a few ISPs that need special protocols for connection. The list includes:•PPTP (Point to Point Tunneling Protocol), used primarily in Austrian DSL services.•PPPoE (Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet), the protocol used by most DSL services worldwide.•L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol), used to support virtual private networks (VPNs).–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.Note: 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.Figure 1-7Note: Not all ISPs are listed here. The ones on this list have special requirements.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual1-10 Configuring Basic Connectivityv1.0, May 2012•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.•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.–Router MAC Address. Select the default router MAC address, the computer MAC address, or a MAC address that you specify.Figure 1-8Note: If you enter or change a DNS address, restart the computers on your network so that these settings take effect.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualConfiguring Basic Connectivity 1-11May 2012Setting Up and Testing Basic Wireless ConnectivityFollow these instructions to set up and test basic wireless connectivity. Once you have established basic wireless connectivity, you can enable security settings appropriate to your needs.1. Select Wireless Settings under Setup in the main menu of the N300R router.2. 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 On Networks.Note: If you use a wireless computer to change wireless settings, you might be disconnected when you click Apply. Reconfigure your wireless adapter to match the new settings, or access the router from a wired computer to make any further changes.Figure 1-9Note: The SSID is case-sensitive. Also, the SSID of any wireless access adapters must match the SSID you specify in the N300R router. If they do not match, you will not get a wireless connection to the N300R router.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual1-12 Configuring Basic Connectivityv1.0, May 20123. Select the region in which the wireless interface will operate.4. Set the channel. The default channel is Auto.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 router or access point. Select a channel that is not being used by any other wireless networks within several hundred feet of your router. 5. Make sure that the mode is set to Up to 145Mbps.6. For Security Options, select None.7. Click Apply to save your changes.Note: In North America, the region cannot be changed, and is set by default to US.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualConfiguring Basic Connectivity 1-13May 20128. Select Advanced Wireless Settings under Advanced in the main menu of the N300R router.9. Make sure that the Enable Wireless Router Radio check box is selected.10. Click Setup Access List.11. Make sure that the Turn Access Control On check box is not selected.Figure 1-10
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual1-14 Configuring Basic Connectivityv1.0, May 201212. 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 basic wireless 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, May 2012Chapter 2Safeguarding Your NetworkThe N300 WiFi Router (N300R) provides highly effective security features, which are covered in detail in this chapter. This chapter includes the following sections:•“Choosing Appropriate Wireless Security”•“Recording Basic Wireless Settings Setup Information” on page 2-5•“Changing Wireless Security Settings” on page 2-6•“Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-12•“Using WPS Push Button Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-13•“Restricting Wireless Access by MAC Address” on page 2-19•“Changing the Administrator Password” on page 2-21•“Backing Up Your Configuration” on page 2-22•“Live Parental Controls” on page 2-23•“Understanding Your Firewall” on page 2-23Choosing 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 802.11g/n 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-2 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 2012Stronger 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, On Networks 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.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.To configure the wireless network, you can:•Manually specify your SSID and your wireless security settings. The N300R router provides two screens for configuring the wireless settings: Note: On Networks 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 2-21.Figure 2-1JWNR20001) 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). v2
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualSafeguarding Your Network 2-3May 2012–Wireless Settings. You access these under Setup in the main menu (see “Viewing Basic Wireless Settings” on page 2-6).–Advanced Wireless Settings. You access these under Advanced in the main menu (see “Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-12).•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 “Using WPS Push Button Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-13).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. 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 2-9.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 2-10.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-4 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 2012Table 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 2-12.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 2-12.Restrict access based on MAC address. You can restrict access to only trusted computers so that unknown computers cannot wirelessly connect to the N300R 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 2-19.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 2-23.Use the WPS push button 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 “Using WPS Push Button Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-13.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualSafeguarding Your Network 2-5May 2012Recording Basic Wireless 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 WiFi 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: Open System, 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 WiFi 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-6 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 2012–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 N300R 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 Basic Wireless SettingsTo specify the wireless security settings of your router:1. Log in to the router as described in “Logging In To Your WiFi Router” on page 1-1.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualSafeguarding Your Network 2-7May 20122. Select Wireless Settings under Setup in the main menu. The Wireless Settings screen displays.The available settings in this screen are:•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 N300R default SSID is On Networks. You can disable this broadcast as described in “Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-12. Figure 2-2
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-8 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 2012•Region. This field identifies the region where the N300R router can be used. It might not be legal to operate the wireless features of the WiFi 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 WiFi router uses channel bonding technology to extend the bandwidth for data transmission. •Mode. This field determines which data communications protocol is used. You can choose from:–Up To 54 Mbps. Legacy mode, for compatibility with the slower 802.11b and 802.11g wireless devices.–Up To 145 Mbps. Neighbor Friendly mode, for reduced interference with neighboring wireless networks. Provides two transmission streams with different data on the same channel at the same time, but also allows 802.11b and 802.11g wireless devices. This is the default mode.–Up To 300 Mbps. Performance mode, using channel expansion to achieve the 300 Mbps data rate. The N300R router 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 N300R router 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: In North America, the region cannot be changed, and is set by default to US.Note: WEP and WPA security options are supported at 54 Mbps only.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualSafeguarding Your Network 2-9May 2012•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. 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 N300R 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 WiFi router WEP settings or access the WiFi router from a wired computer to make any further changes. Not all wireless adapter configuration utilities support passphrase key generation.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-10 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 2012.3. 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. 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 “Using WPS Push Button Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-13.Figure 2-3
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualSafeguarding Your Network 2-11May 2012WPA–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.Mixed 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
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-12 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 2012Viewing 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 WiFi Router” on page 1-1.2. Select Advanced Wireless Settings under Advanced in the main menu. The advanced Wireless Settings screen displaysThe available settings in this screen are:Figure 2-5
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualSafeguarding Your Network 2-13May 2012•Enable Wireless Router Radio. If you disable the wireless router radio, wireless devices cannot connect to the N300R 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.•Fragmentation Length, CTS/RTS Threshold, Preamble Mode and Transmit Power Control. The Fragmentation Threshold, CTS/RTS Threshold, Preamble Mode, and Transmit Power Control 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, “Using WPS Push Button Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-13. •Wireless Card Access List. For information about this list, see “Restricting Wireless Access by MAC Address” on page 2-19..Using WPS Push Button Connect (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 WPS push button on the rear panel of 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 2-18.The N300R router provides two methods for connecting to a wireless client that supports WPS, described in the following sections: Note: On Networks’s WPS push button Connect feature is based on the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) standard (for more information, see http://www.wi-fi.org). All other Wi-Fi-certified and WPS-capable products should be compatible with On Networks products that implement Push 'N' Connect or WPS push button Connect.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-14 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 2012•“Push Button Configuration””•“Security PIN Entry” on page 2-15Push Button ConfigurationThere are two methods to enable a wireless client to join a network using a push button on the router: using the physical push button or using the software button in the Add WPS Client screen.Using the Physical Push Button1. Press the WPS push button on the N300R router for over 5 seconds.The WPS LED begins to blink in a regular pattern. While the light is blinking, you have 2 minutes to enable WPS on the client that you are trying to connect to the router.2. On the wireless client, follow its specific networking instructions to enable WPS, to allow it to connect to the router.The N300R router’s WPS LED 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 N300R router.Using the Software Button in the Add WPS Client Screen1. Log in to the router as described in “Logging In To Your WiFi Router” on page 1-1.2. Select Add WPS Client in the main menu, and click Next.3. Select the Push Button setup method.Figure 2-6
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualSafeguarding Your Network 2-15May 20124. Click the button in the Add WPS Client screen. The Connecting to New Wireless Client screen displays.The WPS LED on the N300R 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 N300R router’s WPS LED 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 N300R router.Security 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 WiFi Router” on page 1-1.Figure 2-7
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-16 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 20122. 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 N300R router, enter the client security PIN in the Enter Client’s PIN field. 6. Click Next. The following screen displays, and the Smart Wizard initiates the wireless connection:Figure 2-8Figure 2-9
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualSafeguarding Your Network 2-17May 2012Configuring the WPS Settings1. Log in to the router as described in “Logging In To Your WiFi 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. •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 push button or the Add WPS Client screen (see “Push Button Configuration” on page 2-14) 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.Figure 2-10
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-18 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 2012Connecting 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 “Push Button Configuration” on page 2-14 or “Security PIN Entry” on page 2-15.2. 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 N300R router:1. Configure the settings of the N300R 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 2-10.When you change security settings, all existing connected wireless clients that do not share those settings are disassociated and disconnected from the router.2. 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 “Using WPS Push Button Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-13. The N300R 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 2-17).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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualSafeguarding Your Network 2-19May 20124. 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.2. In the Advanced Wireless Settings screen, click Setup Access List to display the Wireless Card Access List.Figure 2-11
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-20 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 20123. 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.5. 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.Figure 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualSafeguarding Your Network 2-21May 20127. 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 N300R router.Changing the Administrator PasswordThe default password for the router’s Web Configuration Manager is password. On Networks 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 WiFi 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-22 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 2012To 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 N300R router are stored within the router in a configuration file. You can back up (save) this file and retrieve it later. On Networks 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualSafeguarding Your Network 2-23May 2012Live Parental ControlsOn Networks Live Parental Controls, powered by OpenDNS, is a router-based Web filtering solution available on On Networks Wireless-N router and gateway products. Designed to protect you from identity theft and scams, Live Parental Controls blocks up to 50 categories of Internet content.Live Parental Controls protects all Internet-connected devices through the router. It protects not only computers, but also set-top boxes, iPhones, iPods, and gaming consoles that are attached to your network. Default and per-user settings allow you to customize configurations for different computing arrangements and personalize the settings for each person. Per-time settings allow Internet access during scheduled time slots.Live Parental Controls requires a one-time installation of the management utility. Once set up, Live Parental Controls runs in the background and does not interfere with normal Internet usage.Download Live Parental Controls from this website: http://www.On Networks.com/lpc.Understanding Your FirewallYour N300 WiFi Router (N300R) 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual2-24 Safeguarding Your Networkv1.0, May 2012•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 5-10. Another feature to solve application conflicts with the firewall is Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), described in “Using Universal Plug and Play” on page 5-14.
3-1v1.0, May 2012Chapter 3Restricting Access From Your NetworkThis chapter describes how to use the content filtering and reporting features of the N300 WiFi Router (N300R) 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 3-8Content Filtering OverviewThe N300 WiFi Router (N300R) 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 N300R 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.To block access to Internet sites:
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual3-2 Restricting Access From Your NetworkMay 20121. 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.Figure 3-1
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualRestricting Access From Your Network 3-3v1.0, May 20125. Click Apply to save all your settings in the Block Sites screen.Blocking Access to Internet ServicesThe N300R 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
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual3-4 Restricting Access From Your NetworkMay 20123. 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
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualRestricting Access From Your Network 3-5v1.0, May 2012Blocking 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 N300R 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.Figure 3-4
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual3-6 Restricting Access From Your NetworkMay 20122. 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 “” on page 3-9.3. So that log entries are correctly time-stamped and sent at the correct time, be sure to set the time as described in the next section.4. Click Apply to save your settings.Setting the Time ZoneThe N300R 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 3-4 on page 3-5):•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.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualRestricting Access From Your Network 3-7v1.0, May 2012Select 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual3-8 Restricting Access From Your NetworkMay 2012To include any of the checked items at the bottom of the screen in the log display, click Apply. You can check as many or as few of these items as you wish.To 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.Figure 3-6
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualRestricting Access From Your Network 3-9v1.0, May 20122. 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.3. 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual3-10 Restricting Access From Your NetworkMay 2012
4-1v1.0, May 2012Chapter 4Customizing Your Network SettingsThis chapter describes how to configure advanced networking features of theN300 WiFi Router (N300R), including LAN, WAN, and routing settings.It contains the following sections:•“Using the LAN IP Setup Options”•“Using a Dynamic DNS Service” on page 4-6•“Configuring the WAN Setup Options” on page 4-8•“Configuring Static Routes” on page 4-10•“Wireless Repeating (Also Called WDS)” on page 4-13Using 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).
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual4-2 Customizing Your Network SettingsMay 2012To configure LAN IP settings, select LAN Setup under Advanced in the main menu. The LAN Setup screen displays.Configuring 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 N300R.Figure 4-1
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualCustomizing Your Network Settings 4-3May 2012Configuring 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 4-4).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. –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.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual4-4 Customizing Your Network SettingsMay 2012Using 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualCustomizing Your Network Settings 4-5May 2012Using 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual4-6 Customizing Your Network SettingsMay 2012Using 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.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
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualCustomizing Your Network Settings 4-7May 2012To 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.2. 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual4-8 Customizing Your Network SettingsMay 2012Configuring the WAN Setup OptionsThe WAN Setup options let you disable port scan and DoS protection, configure a DMZ (demilitarized zone) server, enable the WiFi router to respond to a ping on the WAN (Internet) port, enable IGMP proxying, and change the Maximum Transmit Unit (MTU) size. Select WAN Setup under Advanced in the main menu. The WAN Setup screen displays. Disabling Port Scan and DoS ProtectionThe 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 known 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 Figure 4-4
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualCustomizing Your Network Settings 4-9May 2012them, 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.Enabling IGMP ProxyingIGPM (Internet Group Management Protocol) proxying is disabled by default. When IGPM Proxying is enabled, the WAN IGMP server treats your router as an IGMP client; for LAN devices, such as set-up boxes or PCs, the router acts as an IGMP server. The IGMP Proxying function lets a LAN device receive the multicast traffic it is interested in from the Internet.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual4-10 Customizing Your Network SettingsMay 2012Setting 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 5-16.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualCustomizing Your Network Settings 4-11May 2012When 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
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual4-12 Customizing Your Network SettingsMay 20122. 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 N300R 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
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualCustomizing Your Network Settings 4-13May 2012Wireless Repeating (Also Called WDS)The N300R router can be used with a wireless access point (AP) to build large bridged wireless networks. Wireless repeating is a type of Wireless Distribution System (WDS).The following figure shows a wireless repeating scenario: To set up a wireless network using WDS, he following conditions must be met for both APs:• Both APs must use the same SSID, wireless channel, and encryption mode (see “Choosing Appropriate Wireless Security” on page 2-1 or “Using WPS Push Button Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-13).• Both APs must be on the same LAN IP subnet. That is, all the AP LAN IP addresses are in the same network.• All LAN devices (wired and wireless computers) must be configured to operate in the same LAN network address range as the APs.• If you make changes in the Wireless Settings screen, click Apply so that they take effect.Warning: If you use the wireless repeating function, your options for wireless security are limited to None or WEP. For more information about wireless security, see Chapter 2, “Safeguarding Your Network.”Figure 4-7Repeater APBase Station AP
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual4-14 Customizing Your Network SettingsMay 2012Wireless Repeating Function You can view or change wireless repeater settings for the WiFi router. From the main menu of the browser interface, under Advanced, click Wireless Repeating Function to display the Wireless Repeating Function screen.The WiFi router supports two modes of the wireless repeating function, and allows you to control wireless client association:•Wireless Repeater. The WiFi router sends all traffic from its local wireless or wired computers to a remote AP. To configure this mode, you must know the MAC address of the remote parent AP. •Wireless Base Station. The WiFi router acts as the parent AP, bridging traffic to and from the child repeater AP, as well as handling wireless and wired local computers. To configure this mode, you must know the MAC addresses of the child repeater AP.•Disable Wireless Client Association. Usually this check box is cleared so that the router is an access point for wireless computers. If this check box is selected, the router communicates wirelessly only with other APs whose MAC addresses are listed in this screen. The router still communicates with wire-connected LAN devices. Figure 4-8
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualCustomizing Your Network Settings 4-15May 2012Setting Up the Base Station The wireless repeating function works only in hub and spoke mode. The units cannot be daisy chained. You must know the wireless settings for both units. You must know the MAC address of the remote unit. First, set up the base station, and then set up the repeater. To set up the base station:1. Set up both units with exactly the same wireless settings (SSID, mode, channel, and security). Note that the wireless security option must be set to None or WEP.2. Log into the WiFi router base unit, under the Advanced heading, select Wireless Repeating Function to display the Wireless Repeating Function screen.3. Select the Enable Wireless Repeating Function check box and the Wireless Base Station radio button.4. Enter the MAC address for the repeater units.5. Click Apply to save your changes.Figure 4-9
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual4-16 Customizing Your Network SettingsMay 2012Setting Up a Repeater UnitUse a wired Ethernet connection to set up the repeater unit to avoid conflicts with the wireless connection to the base station.To configure a N300R router as a repeater unit:1. If you are using the same model of WiFi router for both the base station and repeaters, you must change the LAN IP address for each repeater to a different IP address in the same subnet (see “Using the LAN IP Setup Options” on page 4-1). 2. Log in to the router that will be the repeater. Check the Wireless Settings screen, and verify that the wireless settings match the base station exactly. If the settings are different, be sure to configure the wireless settings to match the base station settings (see “Setting Up and Testing Basic Wireless Connectivity” on page 1-11).3. In the Wireless Repeating Function screen, select the Enable Wireless Repeating Function check box and the Wireless Repeater radio button.4. Fill in the IP Address field. This IP address must be in the same subnet as the base station, but different from the LAN IP of the base station.5. Fill in the Base Station MAC Address field.6. Click Apply to save your changes.7. Verify connectivity across the LANs. A computer on any wireless or wired LAN segment of the WiFi router should be able to connect to the Internet or share files and printers with any other wireless or wired computer or server connected to the other AP.Note: If you are using the N300R base station with a non-On Networks WiFi router as the repeater, you might need to change additional configuration settings. In particular, you should disable the DHCP server function on the wireless repeater AP.Note: Failing to change the LAN IP address will cause an IP address conflict in the network because the factory default LAN IP is the same for both units.
5-1May 2012Chapter 5Fine-Tuning Your NetworkThis chapter describes how to modify the configuration of the N300 WiFi Router (N300R) 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 5-10•“Using Universal Plug and Play” on page 5-14•“Optimizing Wireless Performance” on page 5-15•“Changing the MTU Size” on page 5-16•“Quality of Service” on page 5-18•“Overview of Home and Small Office Networking Technologies” on page 5-24Allowing Inbound Connections to Your NetworkBy default, the N300R 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-2 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 2012How 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-3May 20124. 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,
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-4 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 2012“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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-5May 2012How 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-6 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 2012How 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 4-8.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 N300R router. See “Using Address Reservation” on page 4-5 for instructions on how to use reserved IP addresses.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-7May 2012To 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
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-8 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 20122. Click Add Custom 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.Figure 5-2
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-9May 2012Editing 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.2. 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 4-5. 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 4-6. 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 myOn Networks.dyndns.org.Figure 5-3
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-10 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 2012Configuring 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. While 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).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 5-14.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-11May 20122. Select the Port Triggering radio button. The port triggering information displays.3. Clear the Disable Port Triggering check box.4. 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.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-12 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 20125. Click Add Service. 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
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-13May 201211. Click Apply. The service appears in the Port Triggering Portmap table.Figure 5-6
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-14 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 2012Using 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:1. 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.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 enable UPnP.Figure 5-7
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-15May 2012•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.Optimizing 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. Note: Failure to follow these guidelines can result in significant performance degradation or inability to wirelessly connect to the router.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-16 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 2012•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)• 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-17May 2012The best MTU setting for On Networks 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 On Networks 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.If 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.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.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 On Networks 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-18 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 2012To 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.Quality of ServiceQuality of Service (QoS) is an advanced feature that can be used to prioritize some types of traffic ahead of others. The N300R router can provide QoS prioritization over the wireless link. Using WMM QoS for Wireless Multimedia ApplicationsThe N300R router supports Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service (WMM QoS) to prioritize wireless voice and video traffic over the wireless link. WMM QoS provides prioritization of wireless data packets from different applications based on four access categories: voice, video, best effort, and background. For an application to receive the benefits of WMM QoS, both it and the client running that application must be WMM enabled. Legacy applications that do not support WMM, and applications that do not require QoS, are assigned to the best effort category, which receives a lower priority than voice and video. Configuring QoS for Internet AccessTo specify prioritization of traffic, you must create a policy for the type of traffic and add the policy to the QoS Policy table in the QoS Setup screen. To create a QoS policy:
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-19May 2012From the main menu of the browser interface, under Advanced, select QoS Setup. The QoS Setup screen displays:WMM QoS is enabled by default. You can disable it by clearing the Enable WMM check box and clicking Apply.QoS for Applications and Online GamingTo create a QoS policy for traffic for specific applications or online games:1. From the main menu of the browser interface, under Advanced, select QoS Setup. The QoS Setup screen displays, as shown in Figure 5-8.Figure 5-8
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-20 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 20122. Click Setup QoS rule. The QoS - Priority Rules screen displays.For convenience, the QoS Policy table lists many common applications and online games that can benefit from QoS handling.Figure 5-9
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-21May 20123. Click Add Priority Rule. The QoS - Priority Rules screen displays.4. In the Priority Category list, select either Applications or Online Gaming. In either case, a list of predefined applications or games displays in the Applications drop-down list.5. From the Applications list, you can select an existing item, or you can scroll to the bottom of the list and select Add a New Application or Add a New Game.a. If you chose to add a new entry, the screen expands as shown:b. In the QoS Policy for field, enter a descriptive name for the new application or game.c. Select the packet type, either TCP, UDP, or both (TCP/UDP), and specify the port number or range of port numbers used by the application or game.Figure 5-10Figure 5-11
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-22 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 20126. From the Priority drop-down list, select the priority that this traffic should receive relative to other applications and traffic when accessing the Internet. The options are Low, Normal, High, and Highest.7. Click Apply to save this rule to the QoS Policy list and return to the QoS Setup screen.8. In the QoS Setup screen, select the Turn Internet Access QoS On check box.9. Click Apply.QoS for a Router LAN PortTo create a QoS policy for a device connected to one of the router’s LAN ports:1. From the main menu, under Advanced, select QoS Setup. The QoS Setup screen displays, as shown in Figure 5-8 on page 5-19.2. Click Add Priority Rule. 3. From the Priority Category list, select Ethernet LAN Port. The QoS - Priority Rules screen changes:4. From the LAN port list, select the LAN port that will have a QoS policy.5. From the Priority drop-down list, select the priority that this port’s traffic should receive relative to other applications and traffic when accessing the Internet. The options are Low, Normal, High, and Highest.6. Click Apply to save this rule to the QoS Policy list and return to the QoS Setup screen.7. In the QoS Setup screen, select the Turn Internet Access QoS On check box.8. Click Apply.Figure 5-12
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-23May 2012QoS for a MAC AddressTo create a QoS policy for traffic from a specific MAC address:1. From the main menu, under Advanced, select QoS Setup. The QoS Setup screen displays, as shown in Figure 5-8 on page 5-19.2. Click Add Priority Rule. 3. From the Priority Category list, select MAC Address. The QoS - Priority Rules screen changes:4. If the device to be prioritized appears in the MAC Device List, select it. The information from the MAC Device List is used to populate the policy name, MAC Address, and Device Name fields. If the device does not appear in the MAC Device List, click Refresh. If it still does not appear, you must complete these fields manually. 5. From the Priority drop-down list, select the priority that this device’s traffic should receive relative to other applications and traffic when accessing the Internet. The options are Low, Normal, High, and Highest.6. Click Apply to save this rule to the QoS Policy list and return to the QoS Setup screen.7. In the QoS Setup screen, select the Turn Internet Access QoS On check box.8. Click Apply.Figure 5-13
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-24 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 2012Editing or Deleting an Existing QoS PolicyTo edit or delete an existing QoS policy:1. From the main menu, under Advanced, select QoS Setup. The QoS Setup screen displays, as shown in Figure 5-8 on page 5-19.2. Select the radio button next to the QoS policy to be edited or deleted, and do one of the following:• Click Delete to remove the QoS policy.• Click Edit to edit the QoS policy. Follow the instructions in the preceding sections to change the policy settings.3. Click Apply in the QoS Setup screen to save your changes.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.•Wireless. Your N300 WiFi Router (N300R) provides a wireless data throughput of up to 300 Mbps using technology called multiple input, multiple output (MIMO), in which multiple antennas transmit multiple streams of data. The use of multiple antennas also provides excellent range and coverage. With the introduction of the newer WPA and WPA2 encryption and authentication protocols, wireless security is extremely strong.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualFine-Tuning Your Network 5-25May 2012To get the best performance, use RangeMax NEXT adapters such as the WN511B for your computers. Although the RangeMax NEXT 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. On Networks’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.• 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.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual5-26 Fine-Tuning Your Networkv1.0, May 2012• 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)
6-1May 2012Chapter 6Using Network Monitoring ToolsThis chapter describes how to use the maintenance features of your N300 WiFi Router (N300R).This chapter includes the following sections:•“Viewing WiFi Router Status Information”•“Viewing a List of Attached Devices” on page 6-7•“Managing the Configuration File” on page 6-7•“Updating the Router Firmware” on page 6-9•“Enabling Remote Management Access” on page 6-13•“Traffic Meter” on page 6-15
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual6-2 Using Network Monitoring Toolsv1.0, May 2012Viewing WiFi 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
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualUsing Network Monitoring Tools 6-3May 2012Table 6-1 describes the router status fields.Table 6-1. WiFi 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.GUI Language Version The version of the selected GUI language for the router manager screens. 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. Domain Name Server The Domain Name Server addresses being used by the router. A Domain Name Server translates human-language URLs such as www.On Networks.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual6-4 Using Network Monitoring Toolsv1.0, May 20122. Click Connection Status to display the connection status.Wireless 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 On Networks.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. Mode Indicates the wireless communication mode: • Up to 54 Mbps.• Up to 145 Mbps.• Up to 300 Mbps (in this mode, there are two channels: a primary channel [P] and a secondary channel [S]).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 Push ‘N’ Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup). For more information, see “Using WPS Push Button Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on page 2-13.Figure 6-2Table 6-1. WiFi Router Status Fields (continued)Field Description
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualUsing Network Monitoring Tools 6-5May 2012Table 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.3. Click Show Statistics to display router usage statistics.Table 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.Figure 6-3
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual6-6 Using Network Monitoring Toolsv1.0, May 2012Table 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.Table 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualUsing Network Monitoring Tools 6-7May 2012Viewing 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 N300R router are stored within the router in a configuration file. You can back up (save) this file to your computer, restore it, or reset it to the factory default settings.Figure 6-4Note: If the router is rebooted, the table data is lost until the router rediscovers the devices.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual6-8 Using Network Monitoring Toolsv1.0, May 2012Select Backup Settings under Maintenance in the main menu. The Backup Settings screen displays.The following sections describe the three available options.Backing 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.Figure 6-5Tip: 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualUsing Network Monitoring Tools 6-9May 2012To 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).Updating the Router FirmwareThe firmware of the N300R router is stored in flash memory, and can be updated as On Networks 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 WiFi 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.”Warning: Do not interrupt the reboot process.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual6-10 Using Network Monitoring Toolsv1.0, May 2012•Check for and update your firmware manually. You can compare versions, obtain new firmware from On Networks’s website, and then upload it. See “Updating Manually to New Router Firmware” on page 6-11.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.2. Check for new software versions by clicking the Check button. Note: Before updating the router software, On Networks 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
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualUsing Network Monitoring Tools 6-11May 2012• 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 N300R 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual6-12 Using Network Monitoring Toolsv1.0, May 20121. 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 N300R support page on the On Networks website athttp://www.On Networks.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 On Networks website is more recent, download the file from the N300R 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 N300R 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualUsing Network Monitoring Tools 6-13May 2012Enabling Remote Management AccessUsing the Remote Management feature, you can allow a user on the Internet to configure, upgrade, and check the status of your N300R 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.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual6-14 Using Network Monitoring Toolsv1.0, May 20122. Under Allow Remote Access By, specify what external IP addresses will be allowed to access the router’s remote management.• To allow access from any IP address on the Internet, select Everyone. • To allow access from a range of IP addresses on the Internet, select IP Address Range.Enter a beginning and ending IP address to define the allowed range. • To allow access from a single IP address on the Internet, select Only This Computer.Enter the IP address that will be allowed access. 3. Specify the port number for accessing the management interface.Normal Web browser access uses the standard HTTP service port 80. For greater security, enter a custom port number for the remote management Web interface. Choose a number between 1024 and 65535, but do not use the number of any common service port. The default is 8080, which is a common alternate for HTTP.4. Click Apply to have your changes take effect.Note: For enhanced security, restrict access to as few external IP addressesas practical.Note: When accessing your router from the Internet, enter your router’s WAN IP address into your browser’s address or location field, followed by a colon (:) and the custom port number. For example, if your external address is 134.177.0.123 and you use port number 8080, then enter http://134.177.0.123:8080 in your browser.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualUsing Network Monitoring Tools 6-15May 2012Traffic MeterTraffic Metering allows you to monitor the volume of Internet traffic passing through your router’s Internet port. With the Traffic Meter utility, you can set limits for traffic volume, set a monthly limit, and get a live update of traffic usage.To monitor traffic on your router, do the following:1. On the Advanced menu, click Traffic Meter.2. To enable the Traffic Meter, click the Enable Traffic Meter check box.Figure 6-11
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual6-16 Using Network Monitoring Toolsv1.0, May 2012
7-1v1.0, May 2012Chapter 7TroubleshootingThis chapter provides information about troubleshooting your N300 WiFi Router (N300R). 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 7-7•“Problems with Date and Time” on page 7-9•“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 WiFi router and computers.3. Plug in the modem and turn it on. Wait 2 minutes.Tip: On Networks provides helpful articles, documentation, and the latest software updates at http://www.On Networks.com/support.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual7-2 TroubleshootingMay 20124. Turn on the WiFi 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 WiFi router is on if the Ethernet cable connecting the WiFi router and the modem is plugged in securely and the modem and WiFi router are turned on. • For each powered-on computer connected to the WiFi 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 WiFi 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.• 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/check icon is on.2. Verify that the power/check light turns green and blinks slowly, indicating that the system is initializing.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualTroubleshooting 7-3May 20123. After approximately 20 seconds, verify that:a. The power/check light changes to solid 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 On Networks 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 (Case 1). The router firmware is corrupted or system initialization has failed.To restore your firmware:1. Make sure your PC is connected to your router and the router is powered on.2. Download the firmware from the On Networks support page.3. Follow the instructions to restore your firmware.4. After firmware recovery is complete, follow the prompts to restore your configuration settings.The Power light blinks green slowly and continuously (Case 2).If the Power light continues to blink for over 1 minute after powering on power to the router:1. Turn the power off and back on to see if the router recovers.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual7-4 TroubleshootingMay 20122. 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.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 WiFi router. See the On Networks Wireless Router Setup Manual for instructions.Login ProblemsIf you are unable to log in to the WiFi 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 On Networks 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.• 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. • 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).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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualTroubleshooting 7-5May 2012• 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 On Networks router as an additional router behind an existing router in your network, consider replacing the existing router instead. On Networks does not support such a configuration.• If you are attempting to set up your On Networks 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. On Networks 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 WiFi router is unable to access the Internet, and your Internet light is amber, check the WiFi router to see if it is able to get an Internet IP address from your service provider. Unless you have a static IP address, your WiFi router automatically requests an IP address from your service provider. To check your WiFi router’s Internet IP address: 1. Log in to the WiFi 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 WiFi 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:
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual7-6 TroubleshootingMay 2012• 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 On Networks 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 WiFi 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 WiFi 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 On Networks 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 WiFi router.2. Select Router Status under Maintenance on the main menu.3. 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 WiFi 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.Note: Unless you connect manually, the WiFi router will not authenticate using PPPoE until data is transmitted to the network.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualTroubleshooting 7-7May 2012Troubleshooting Internet BrowsingIf your WiFi 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 WiFi 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 WiFi router configured as its default gateway. Reboot the computer and verify that the WiFi 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 WiFi 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.Troubleshooting 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”
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual7-8 TroubleshootingMay 2012Testing 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– 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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualTroubleshooting 7-9May 2012Testing 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.• 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. Problems 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 N300R 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:
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual7-10 TroubleshootingMay 2012• 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:•On Networks Smart Wizard utility. If you installed a On Networks 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 On Networks, 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.If your wireless network does not appear, check these conditions:• Is your router’s wireless radio enabled? See “Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-12.• Is your router’s SSID broadcast enabled? See “Viewing Advanced Wireless Settings” on page 2-12.• 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 ISP Settings” on page 1-5.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualTroubleshooting 7-11May 2012If 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 5-15.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 6-9.• 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.3. 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 WiFi 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.On Networks.com/support.Warning: These procedures erase all current configuration settings.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User Manual7-12 TroubleshootingMay 2012
Technical Specifications A-1v1.0, May 2012Appendix ATechnical SpecificationsDefault Configuration SettingsThis appendix provides factory default settings and technical specifications for the N300 WiFi Router (N300R).Table A-1. N300R Router Default Configuration Settings Feature Default SettingRouter LoginRouter Login URL http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.comLogin Name (case-sensitive) printed onproduct labeladminLogin Password (case-sensitive) printed onproduct labelpasswordInternet 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
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualA-2 Technical Specificationsv1.0, May 2012WirelessWireless Communication EnabledSSID Name On NetworksSecurity 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 6 until region selected Operating Mode 145 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. N300R Router Default Configuration Settings (continued)
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualTechnical Specifications A-3v1.0, May 2012General SpecificationsTable A-2. N300R 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, inputUK, Australia 240V, 50 Hz, inputEurope 230V, 50 Hz, inputJapan 100V, 50/60 Hz, inputAll regions (output) 12V DC @ 1.0A, outputPhysical Dimensions 6.8" x 4.6" x 1.4"172.7 x 115.7 x 32.6 mmWeight 0.48 lbs.0.216 kgEnvironmental Operating temperature 0 to 40 C (32º to 104º F)Operating humidity 90% maximum relative humidity, noncondensingElectromagnetic EmissionsDesigned to conform to the following standardsFCC Part 15 Class BEN 55022/24 (CISPR 22/24) Class BEN 60950 (CE LVD) Class BKCCInterface SpecificationsLAN 10BASE-T or 100BASE-Tx, RJ-45WAN 10BASE-T or 100BASE-Tx, RJ-45
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualA-4 Technical Specificationsv1.0, May 2012
B-1May 2012Appendix B Notification of ComplianceRegulatory 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.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.FCC Requirements for Operation in the United States 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 approvalsThis 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.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.
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualB-2 Notification of ComplianceMay 2012FCC Declaration Of ConformityOn Networks declares under our sole responsibility that the N300 WiFi Router (N300R) complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:• 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 On Networks, could void the user's right to operate the equipment.Canadian Department of Communications Radio Interference RegulationsThis digital apparatus, N300 WiFi Router (N300R), does not exceed the Class B limits for radio-noise emissions from digital apparatus as set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.This Class [B] digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.Cet appareil numérique de la classe [B] est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualNotification of Compliance B-3May 2012European UnionThe N300 WiFi Router (N300R) complies with essential requirements of EU EMC Directive 2004/108/EC and Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC as supported by applying the following test methods and standards:• EN55022: 2006 / A1: 2007• EN55024: 1998 / A1: 2001 / A2 : 2003• EN60950-1: 2005 2nd Edition• EN 61000-3-2:2006• EN 61000-3-3:1995 w/A1: 2001+A2: 2005
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualB-4 Notification of ComplianceMay 2012
Index-1v1.0, May 2012IndexAaccessblocking 3-1remote 6-13restricting by MAC address 2-19to a remote computer 5-2to the router 1-2viewing logs 3-6access controlturning off 1-13turning on 2-21access points 4-12account name 1-8addingcustom service 5-7priority rules 5-18reserved IP addresses 4-5static routes 4-11wireless clients 2-13, 2-18, 6-4See also configuringadministrator password, changing 2-21advanced wireless settings 2-12advertisement period 5-15AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption 2-11attached devices 6-7authentication, required by mail server 3-8automatic logout 1-5Bbacking up configuration file 6-8backing up, transfer time 5-26base station, setting up 4-14basic settings 2-6basic wireless connectivity 1-11blockingaccess 3-1inbound traffic 5-1bold text xibroadband Internet 5-24broadcast status 6-4Ccables, checking 7-2channel, frequency 2-8channel, wireless port 6-4clients, adding 2-13, 2-18, 6-4communication mode 2-8, 6-4compatibility, protocol and standards A-3configuration filebacking up 6-8erasing 6-9managing 6-7configuringadvanced security 2-12basic security 2-6DMZ server 4-9Dynamic DNS 4-7LAN IP settings 4-2NAT 4-10port forwarding 5-6port triggering 5-10repeater unit 4-15WPA security 2-10WPS 2-17See also addingconnection mode 1-10connection status settings 6-5connection types 5-24content filtering 3-1
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualIndex-2v1.0, May 2012CTS/RTS Threshold 2-13custom service (port forwarding) 5-7customer support iiDdata packets, fragmented 5-16date and time, troubleshooting 7-10daylight savings time 3-9, 7-11default DMZ server 4-8default factory settingslisted A-1restoring 7-12default gateway 6-5default LAN IP configuration 4-3deleting configuration 6-9device name 4-2DHCP server 4-4, 6-5DHCP setting 6-3disablingfirewall 4-8router PIN 2-17wireless client association 4-14DMZ server 4-8DNS servers 5-2Documentation Web page 1-4documents, reference B-1domain name 1-8Domain Name Server (DNS) addressescurrent 6-3entering 1-8, 1-11Dynamic DNS 4-6dynamic IP addresses 1-8DynDNS.org 4-6Eelectromagnetic emissions A-3e-mailing logs 3-7encryption 2-1encryption keys 2-10environmental specifications A-3erasing configuration 6-9Ethernet MAC address 6-7Ffactory default settingslisted A-1restoring 7-12filtering content 3-1firewallsdefault settings A-2disabling 4-8overview 2-23firmwarerestoring 7-3updating 1-3, 6-3, 6-9fixed font text xifixed IP addresses 1-8Fragmentation Threshold 2-13fragmented data packets 5-16frequency, channel 2-8Ggenerating encryption keys 2-10Gigabit Ethernet 5-25GUI language version 6-3Hhardware version 6-3host name 1-8, 6-7HTML version, printing xiiIidle time-out 1-11IGMP Proxying 4-9inbound traffic, allowing or blocking 5-1interface specifications A-3
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualIndex-3v1.0, May 2012interference, reducing 5-16Internet connectiondefault settings A-1Internet port, status 6-3Internet Relay Chat (IRC) 5-3Internet services, blocking access 3-3interval, poll 6-6IP addressesblocking access by 3-5current 6-3dynamic or static 1-8LAN 4-3registering domain name 4-6reserved 4-5IP subnet mask 4-3, 6-3ISP settings, basic 1-7italic text xiKkeys, encryption 2-10keywords, blocking by 3-1knowledge base 1-4LL2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) 1-9LAN IP setup 4-1LAN path, troubleshooting 7-9LAN port settings 6-3language, screen display 1-5lease, DHCP 6-5Legacy mode 2-8local network, default settings A-1local servers, port forwarding to 5-6logging in 1-2login required 1-9login settings A-1logout, automatic 1-5logssending 3-7time-stamping entries 3-9viewing 3-6MMAC addressesattached devices 6-7current 6-3entering 1-8restricting access by 2-19spoofing 7-7mail server, outgoing 3-8managing router remotely 6-13metric value 4-12mixed mode encryption 2-3, 2-11mode, communication 2-8, 6-4MTU size 4-9, 5-16NNAT (Network Address Translation) 4-8, 4-10, 5-2Neighbor Friendly mode 2-8NetBIOS host name 6-7Network Time Protocol (NTP) 3-9, 7-10Oobstructions, connecting through 5-25Open System authentication 2-9optimizing performance 5-15outgoing mail server 3-8Ppassphrases 2-9, 2-10, 2-11passwordchanging 2-21restoring 7-12path, testing 7-10Performance mode 2-8performance, optimizing 5-15
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualIndex-4v1.0, May 2012physical push button (WPS) 2-14physical specifications A-3PIN 2-15, 2-17ping 4-9, 7-8placement, router 5-16poll interval 6-6port filtering 3-3port forwardingconfiguring 5-6example 5-5port numbers 3-3port status 6-6port triggeringconfiguring 5-10example 5-3portmap table 5-15power adapter specifications A-3Power light, troubleshooting and 7-2Powerline HD products 5-25PPPoE (PPP over Ethernet) 1-10PPTP (Point to Point Tunneling Protocol) 1-9Preamble mode 2-13primary DNS server 1-8, 1-11printing manual xiiprioritizing traffic 5-18protocols, compatibility A-3Push ’N’ Connect 2-13, 6-4, 7-4push button configuration (WPS) 2-14QQoS (Quality of Service) 5-18Rradio, wireless 1-13, 2-12, 6-4range, router 5-15reducing interference 5-16reference documents B-1region of operation 2-7registering product iireleasing connection status 6-5remote devices, testing path 7-10remote management 6-13renewing connection status 6-5repeater units 4-15requirements, speed 5-25reserved IP adresses 4-5Resource CD 1-1restarting network 7-1restoringconfiguration 6-8default factory settings 7-12restoring firmware 7-3restricting access by MAC address 2-19revision history xiiiRIP (Router Information Protocol) direction 4-3route name 4-11, 4-12router PIN 2-15, 2-17router status, viewing 6-2Sscheduling blocking 3-5screen display language 1-5selecting 1-5secondary DNS server 1-8, 1-11securityoptions, compared 2-2setting up 2-1security PIN 2-15, 2-17service name 1-10service numbers 3-4services, blocking 3-3setting time 3-9settings, default. See default factory settingssetup information, gathering 2-5Setup Manual 1-1Shared Key authentication 2-5, 2-9
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualIndex-5v1.0, May 2012Smart Setup Wizard 1-6SMTP server 3-8software push button configuration (WPS) 2-14specificationstechnical A-1speed requirements 5-25SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) firewall 4-8spoofing MAC addresses 1-8, 7-7SSID 1-12, 2-7, 6-4SSID broadcast 1-13, 2-12standards, compatibility A-3static IP addresses 1-8static routes 4-10statistics, usage 6-6status, viewing 6-2streaming video and audio 5-25subnet mask 4-3, 6-3system up time 6-6TTCP/IP network, troubleshooting 7-8technical specifications A-1testing wireless connections 1-11time of day, troubleshooting 7-10time to live, advertisement 5-15time, setting 3-9time-outidle 1-11port triggering 5-11TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) encryption 2-11trademarks iitraffic metering 6-15traffic, prioritizing 5-18transfer time (backing up) 5-26troubleshooting 7-1trusted user 3-2typographical conventions xiUUniversal Plug and Play (UPnP) 5-14up time, system 6-6updating firmware 1-3, 6-3, 6-9URLstypography for xiusage statistics 6-6Vversionfirmware 6-3, 6-9RIP (Router Information Protocol) 4-3viewingadvanced wireless settings 2-12attached devices 6-7basic security settings 2-6logs 3-6status 6-2WWAN setup 4-8WDS 4-12, 4-13WEP encryption 2-3, 2-9Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) 2-13, 6-4, 7-4wildcards, DNS and 4-7Wireless Card Access List 2-19wireless client PIN 2-15wireless clients, adding 2-13, 2-18, 6-4wireless connection type 5-24Wireless Distribution System (WDS) 4-12wireless network name 1-12, 2-7, 6-4wireless port settings 6-4wireless radio 1-13, 2-12, 6-4wireless repeating 4-12, 4-13base station 4-14repeater unit 4-15wireless repeating function 4-12, 4-13wireless security, setting up 2-1
N300 WiFi Router (N300R) User ManualIndex-6v1.0, May 2012wireless settingsadvanced 2-12basic 2-6default, listed A-2gathering information 2-5testing 1-11WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) 5-18WPA2-PSK encryption 2-3, 2-10WPA-PSK + WPA2-PSK encryption 2-3, 2-10WPA-PSK encryption 2-3, 2-10

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