Netgear N 300 Manual

							Manually Installing Your Router17
 
Setting Up Your Router for Internet Access
When configuring your wireless router manually, you must log in to your wireless router to set it 
up initially and to make any changes to your wireless router’s settings later.
To access the router:
1.
Type http://www.routerlogin.net in the address field of your browser, and then click Enter.
Figure 12
The factory default state is reset when you use the Restore Factory Settings button. 
See “Restoring the Default Password and Configuration Settings” on page 38 for 
more information.
You can enter either of these addresses to connect to your wireless router:
http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com.
WPS. The WPS button/light will not be lit unless you push it to enable 
Push ‘N’ Connect (WPS) security. See “Using Push N Connect (WPS)
to Configure Your Wireless Network” on page 23. Power. The power light should turn solid green. If it does not, see 
“Checking Basic Router Functions” on page 29.
Wireless. The wireless light should be lit after turning on the wireless 
router. Internet. The Internet port light should be lit. If it is not, make sure the 
Ethernet cable is securely attached to the wireless router Internet port 
and the modem, and that the modem is powered on.
LAN. A LAN light (1-4) should be lit for each connected computer on 
your network. Green indicates that your computer is communicating at 
100 Mbps; amber indicates communication at 10 Mbps. If a LAN light is 
not lit for each connected Ethernet cable, make sure that the Ethernet 
cable from the computer to the router is securely attached at both ends, 
and that the computer is turned on. 
						

							Manually Installing Your Router18
A login window similar to the one shown in Figure 13 will display.
2.When prompted, enter admin for the router user name and password for the router password, 
both in lowercase letters. (For security reasons, the router has its own user name and 
password.) 
The Firmware Upgrade Assistant screen will display. 
3.Click Yes to check for new firmware (recommended). The router will automatically check the 
NETGEAR database for a new firmware image file. If no new firmware version is available, 
the message “No New Firmware Version Available” will display. (If you select “No,” you can 
check for new firmware later; see the online User Manual.)
4.If new firmware is available, click Yes, and the router will automatically upgrade itself with 
the latest firmware.
Figure 13
The router user name and password are not the same as any user name or 
password you might use to log in to your Internet connection.
Do not try to go online, turn off the router, shut down the computer, or do 
anything else to the router until the router finishes restarting! When the Power 
light stops blinking, wait a few seconds more before using the router. 
						

							Manually Installing Your Router19
5.From the menu options in the left navigation pane, click Setup Wizard. The Setup Wizard 
screen will display.
6.Select one of the following options: 
• Select Yes to allow the Setup Wizard to detect your Internet connection. When prompted, 
click Next. The wizard will assist you with configuring your wireless router to access the 
Internet.
• Select No to set up the connection yourself. Click Next and the Basic Settings screen will 
display. Enter the required information for your ISP connection in the appropriate fields. If 
you need assistance, follow the Basic Settings Help screens on the router interface or see 
the online User Manual for this wireless router. 
7.Click Apply to save your settings and complete your connection. 
You should now be connected to the Internet! 
Figure 14
If you cannot connect to the wireless router, check the Internet Protocol 
(TCP/IP) properties in the Network Connections section of your Control 
Panel. It should be set to obtain both IP and DNS server addresses 
automatically. For assistance, see your computer documentation or see the 
links in “Related Documents” on page 39.
For more information about configuring settings, see “Configuring Your 
Wireless Network” on page 21. 
						

							Manually Installing Your Router20
If you do not connect successfully: 
• Review your settings and make sure that you have selected the correct options and typed 
everything correctly. 
• Contact your ISP to verify that you have the correct configuration information.
• Read “Troubleshooting” on page 28.
If problems persist, register your NETGEAR product and contact NETGEAR Technical Support.  
						

							Configuring Your Wireless Network 21
Configuring Your Wireless Network
This section describes additional configuration and testing for your network, after you have 
performed basic installation of the Wireless-N 300 Router. 
For a wireless connection, the router and each wireless computer must use the same SSID, also 
called the wireless network name, and the same wireless security. NETGEAR strongly 
recommends that you use wireless security. 
Specifying Wireless Settings
The Wireless Settings screen lets you set your wireless network connections and the wireless 
security option for your network and router. To configure the wireless network, you can either 
manually specify your network name (SSID) and your wireless security settings (see “Setting 
Your SSID and Wireless Security Manually” on page 21) or, 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 Push N 
Connect (WPS) to Configure Your Wireless Network” on page 23). 
For a complete overview of all the security configurations that can be implemented on this router, 
see the online User Manual.
Setting Your SSID and Wireless Security Manually
To specify the wireless settings, you must know the following:
• SSID. The default SSID for the router is NETGEAR. 
Indoors, computers can connect over wireless networks at a range of several hundred 
feet. This can allow others outside of your immediate area to access your network.
If you configure the router from a wireless computer and you change the router’s 
SSID, channel, or security settings, you will lose your wireless connection when 
you click Apply. You must then change your computer’s wireless settings to match 
the router’s new settings. To avoid this situation, you can use a computer that is 
connected to the router with an Ethernet cable. 
						

							Configuring Your Wireless Network 22
• The wireless mode (802.11g/b, or 802.11n) that each wireless adapter supports.
• Wireless security option. NETGEAR strongly recommends that you use wireless security. To 
successfully implement wireless security, check each wireless adapter to determine which 
wireless security option it supports. 
To set up basic wireless connectivity: 
1.
Log in to the wireless router as described in “To access the router:” on page 17.
2.On the main menu, select Wireless Settings to display the Wireless Settings screen.
Note that the default SSID is NETGEAR.
3.Set the Region. Select the region where the router is located. 
4.Leave the wireless mode at its default setting.
5.Click Apply to save your changes.
To set up your computers for wireless connectivity:
1.
Program the wireless settings of each computer or wireless adapter to have the same SSID 
(wireless network name) as the router.
2.Check that the wireless adapter on each computer can support the mode and security option 
that you selected. (If you have a question, see the online User Manual or review the settings 
you selected previously).
3.Check that the security settings on each wireless device match the security settings of the 
router. For example, if you selected a security option requiring a passphrase, then the same 
passphrase must be used for each wireless computer.
4.Check that each wireless computer has a wireless link and is able to obtain an IP address by 
DHCP from the router. 
The SSID of any wireless adapters must match the SSID you configure in the 
wireless router. If they do not match, you will not get a wireless connection.
For a Windows PC, go to the Control Panel and select Network Connections. 
Check the Wireless Connections Properties and ensure that TCP/IP Properties 
are set to Obtain an IP address automatically. 
						

							Configuring Your Wireless Network 23
To access the Internet from any computer connected to your wireless router, launch a browser such 
as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. You should see the wireless router’s 
Internet LED blink, indicating communication to the ISP.
Using Push N Connect (WPS) to Configure Your Wireless 
Network
If your wireless clients support Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), you can use this feature to configure 
the router’s SSID and security settings and, at the same time, connect the wireless client securely 
and easily to the router (computers that will connect wirelessly to the router are clients). Look for 
the   symbol on your client device.
1 WPS automatically configures the SSID and wireless 
security settings for the router (if the router is in its default state) and broadcasts these settings to 
the wireless client. 
If the router has already been configured manually, and either WPS-PSK or WPA2-PSK security 
has been enabled, a wireless client can be connected quickly and simply by using the WPS method 
of connecting to the wireless network. In this case, the router preserves its existing wireless 
settings and broadcasts them to the WPS-capable client. 
If you install a NETGEAR adapter that supports WPS, its installation procedures guide you 
through a WPS connection without the need to log in to the router. However, if you wish to 
perform any WPS connection using the router settings, use the procedures below. (For more 
information on setting up a mixed network, see the online User Manual.
To add a WPS client to your network: 
1.
Log in to the wireless router, type http://www.routerlogin.net or http://
www.routerlogin.com in the address field of your browser, and then click Enter.
1. For a list of other Wi-Fi-certified products available from NETGEAR, go to http://www.wi-fi.org.
NETGEAR’s Push N Connect feature is based on the Wi-Fi Protected Setup 
(WPS) standard. All other Wi-Fi-certified and WPS-capable products should be 
compatible with NETGEAR products that implement Push N Connect.
If you choose to use WPS, the only security methods supported are WPA-PSK and 
WPA2-PSK. WEP security is not supported by WPS. 
						

							Configuring Your Wireless Network 24
2.On the router main menu, select Add a WPS Client. The Add WPS Client wizard screen 
displays. Click Next.
3.Select the method for adding the WPS client. A WPS client can be added using the push-
button method or the PIN method.
•Using the Push-Button. This is the preferred method. 
– Select the Push-Button radio box and either press the WPS push-button on the router 
or click the soft WPS push-button on the screen (as shown below).
– The router will attempt to communicate with the client; you have 2 minutes to enable 
WPS from the client device using the client’s WPS networking utility.
:
•Entering a PIN. If you want to use the PIN method, select the PIN radio box. A screen 
similar to the one shown below displays. 
– Go to your wireless client and, from the client’s WPS utility, obtain the wireless 
client’s security PIN, or follow the client’s WPS utility instructions to generate a 
security PIN. 
Figure 15
Figure 16 
						

							Configuring Your Wireless Network 25
– Then, enter this PIN in the Enter Client’s PIN field provided on the router and click 
Next. You have 4 minutes to enable WPS on the router using this method.
Using either method, the client wireless device will attempt to detect the WPS signal from the 
router and establish a wireless connection in the time allotted.
• If no connection is detected:
– WPS did not establish a secure connection with a wireless device.
– Neither the SSID nor the WPA/WPA2 security settings were configured on the router.
• If a connection is established: 
– The router WPS screen displays a message confirming that the wireless client was 
successfully added to your wireless network.
– The router generated an SSID, implemented WPA/WPA2 wireless security (including 
a PSK security password), and broadcast these settings to the client; the client now 
shares the same security settings as the router.
4.Note your SSID and WPA/WPA2 PSK security password (whether previously set or 
generated) for your wireless network.
Figure 17
If the router was already configured manually, and either WPS/PSK or 
WPA2/PSK security enabled and a PSK security password selected, then 
the client now shares these same security settings. 
						

							Configuring Your Wireless Network 26
To access the Internet from any computer connected to your wireless router, launch a browser such 
as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. You should see the wireless router’s 
Internet LED blink, indicating communication to the ISP.
For more information on setting up your wireless network and configuring your wireless security 
settings, see the online User Manual.
Testing Basic Wireless Connectivity
Once you have established basic wireless connectivity, you can enable security settings 
appropriate to your needs.
To set up and test basic wireless connectivity: 
1.
Log in to the wireless router as described in “To access the router:” on page 17.
2.Click Wireless Settings in the main menu.
3.Note whatever SSID you have set up.
4.Configure and test your computers for wireless connectivity.
Program the wireless adapter of your computers to have the same wireless network name 
(SSID) as the wireless router. Check that they have a wireless link and are able to obtain an IP 
address by DHCP from the wireless router.
If you are planning a mixed network of WPS capable devices and non-WPS capable 
devices, NETGEAR suggests that you set up your wireless network and security 
settings manually first, and only use WPS for adding the WPS capable devices. 
The SSID of any wireless adapters must match the SSID you configure in the 
wireless router. If they do not match, you will not get a wireless connection. If 
you are configuring the wireless router from a wireless computer and you 
change the wireless 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 wireless router’s new settings.