Netgear Wireless N 150 Router Wnr612 User Guide

							  Chapter 1:  Configuring Your Internet Connection     | 
   11 Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual 
This field 
appears only if 
your ISP does 
not require a 
login.Router MAC 
AddressYour computer’s local address is its unique address on your network. This is 
also referred to as the computer’s MAC (Media Access Control) address. 
• Use Default MAC Address. This is the usual setting.
• Use Computer MAC address. If your ISP requires MAC authentication, 
you can use this setting to disguise the wireless router’s MAC address 
with the computer’s own MAC address. 
• Use This MAC Address. If your ISP requires MAC authentication, you 
can manually type the MAC address for a different computer. The 
format for the MAC address is XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX. 
Table 1.  Basic Settings Screen Fields  (Continued)
SettingsDescription 
						

							   Chapter 2:   Wireless Configuration     |     12
2.   Wireless Configuration
2
This chapter describes how to configure your wireless connection. This c\
hapter includes:
•     Planning Your Wireless Network  on page
  13
•     Manually Configuring Your Wireless Settings  on page
 14
•     Using Push N Connect (WPS) to Configure Your Wireless Network  on page
  18
•     Wireless Guest Networks on page  21
•     Advanced Wireless Settings  on page
  22
•     Restricting Wireless Access by MAC Address  on page
  24
For a wireless connection, the SSID, also called the wireless network na\
me, and the wireless 
security settings must be the same for the wireless router and wireless \
computers or wireless 
adapters. NETGEAR strongly recommends that you use wireless security. 
Note:  Computers can connect wirelessly at a range of several hundred  feet. If you do not use wireless security, this can allow others outside\
 
your immediate area to access your network. 
						

							   Chapter 2:   Wireless Configuration     | 
   13 Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual 
Planning Your Wireless Network
For compliance and compatibility between similar products in your area, the operating 
channel and region must be set correctly. 
To configure the wireless network, you can either specify the wireless settings, or you can 
use Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) to automatically set the SSID and implement WPA/WPA2 
security.
•     To manually configure the wireless settings, you must know the following:
-SSID. The default SSID for the wireless router is NETGEAR. 
-The wireless mode (80.211n, 802.11g, or 802.11b) that each wireless adapter 
supports.
-Wireless security option. To successfully implement wireless security, check each 
wireless adapter to determine which wireless security option it supports. 
See Manually Configuring Your Wireless Settings on page 14.
•     Push N Connect (WPS) implements WPA/WPA2 wireless security on the wireless router 
and your wireless computer or device at the same time. The wireless computer or device 
must be compatible with WPS.
See Using Push N Connect (WPS) to Configure Your Wireless Network on page 18.
Wireless Placement and Range Guidelines
The range of your wireless connection can vary significantly based on the physical placement 
of the wireless router. The latency, data throughput performance, and notebook power 
consumption of wireless adapters also vary depending on your configuration choices.
For best results, place your wireless router according to the following guidelines:
•     Near the center of the area in which your PCs will operate.
•     In an elevated location such as a high shelf where the wirelessly connected PCs have 
line-of-sight access (even if through walls).
•     Away from sources of interference, such as PCs, microwave ovens, and 2.4 GHz 
cordless phones.
•     Away from large metal surfaces.
•     Put the antenna in a vertical position to provide the best side-to-side coverage. Put the 
antenna in a horizontal position to provide the best up-and-down coverage. 
•     If using multiple access points, it is better if adjacent access points use different radio 
frequency channels to reduce interference. The recommended channel spacing between 
adjacent access points is 5 channels (for example, use Channels 1 and 6, or 6 and 11).
The time it takes to establish a wireless connection can vary depending on both your security 
settings and placement. WEP connections can take slightly longer to establish. Also, WEP 
encryption can consume more battery power on a notebook computer. 
						

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   Chapter 2:   Wireless Configuration  Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual 
Wireless Security Options
Indoors, computers can connect over 802.11g wireless networks at a maximum range of up 
to 300 feet. Such distances can allow for others outside your immediate area to access your 
network.
Unlike wired network data, your wireless data transmissions can extend beyond your walls 
and can be received by anyone with a compatible adapter. For this reason, use the security 
features of your wireless equipment. The Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 provides highly 
effective security features, which are covered in detail in this chapter. Deploy the security 
features appropriate to your needs.
There are several ways you can enhance the security of your wireless network:
•     Turn off the broadcast of the wireless network name (SSID). If you disable broadcast 
of the SSID, only devices that have the correct SSID can connect. This nullifies wireless 
network discovery feature of some products, such as Windows XP, but the data is still 
exposed.
•     WEP. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption provides data security. WEP 
Shared Key authentication and WEP data encryption block all but the most determined 
eavesdropper. This data encryption mode has been superseded by WPA-PSK and 
WPA2-PSK.
•     WPA-PSK (TKIP), WPA2-PSK (AES). Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) using a pre-shared 
key to perform authentication and generate the initial data encryption keys. The very 
strong authentication along with dynamic per frame re-keying of WPA makes it virtually 
impossible to compromise. 
For more information about wireless technology, click the link to the online document in 
Wireless Networking Basics  in Appendix B.
Manually Configuring Your Wireless Settings
Note:  If you use a wireless computer to change the wireless network name 
(SSID) or wireless security, you will be disconnected when you click 
Apply. To avoid this problem, connect your computer to the router 
with an Ethernet cable while you are making changes.
To view or manually configure the wireless settings:
1. Log in to the wireless router as described in Logging In to Your Wireless Router on 
page 7. 
						

							   Chapter 2:   Wireless Configuration     | 
    15
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual 
2. 
Select Wireless Settings from the main menu:
The settings for this screen are explained in Table 2.
3.  Select the region in which the wireless router will operate. 
4.  For initial configuration and test, leave the other settings unchanged. \
5.  To save your changes, click Apply.
6.  Configure and test your computers for wireless connectivity.
Set up your wireless computers with the same SSID and wireless security \
settings as 
your wireless router. Check that they have a wireless link and are able \
to obtain an IP 
address by DHCP from the wireless router. If there is interference, adju\
st the channel.
Table 2.  Wireless Settings  
SettingsDescription
Region The location where the wireless router is used.
Wireless 
Network Enable SSID 
Broadcast
If this check box is selected, the SSID is broadcast in the selected 
channel.
Enable Wireless 
Isolation If this check box is selected, computers will not be able to connect 
wirelessly to the wireless router.
Name (SSID) The SSID is also known as the wireless network name. Enter a 
32-character (maximum) name in this field. This field is case-sensitiv\
e. 
When there is more than one wireless network, SSIDs provide a means 
for separating the traffic. To join a network, a wireless computer or 
device must use the SSID. 
						

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   Chapter 2:   Wireless Configuration  Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual 
Configuring WEP
WEP Shared Key authentication and WEP data encryption can be defeated by a determined 
eavesdropper using publicly available tools.
Note:  If you use a wireless computer to configure wireless security 
settings, you will be disconnected when you click Apply. 
Reconfigure your wireless computer to match the new settings, or 
access the wireless router from a wired computer to make further 
changes.
To configure WEP data encryption:
1. Log in to the wireless router as described in Logging In to Your Wireless Router on 
page 7.
Wireless 
Network
(Continued)
ChannelThe wireless channel: 1 through 13. This setting applies to any guest 
networks you set up. Do not change the channel unless you experience 
interference (shown by lost connections or slow data transfers). If this 
happens, you might need to try different channels to see which is best. 
The number of available channels varies by region and depends on the 
selected mode.
Mode
The mode can be set 
only for the primary 
wireless LAN 
(NETGEAR).• Up to 150 Mbps (default setting): Allows wireless stations that 
support speeds up to 150 Mbps. The router transmits two streams 
with different data concurrently on the same channel. This mode 
restricts channel bandwidth to minimize interference with the 
transmissions of other wireless networks.
• Up to 65 Mbps: Neighbor Friendly Mode - Will not interfere with 
neighboring wireless networks.
• Up to 54 Mbps: Allows wireless stations that support speeds up to 
54 Mbps.
Security OptionsNoneYou can use this setting to establish wireless connectivity before 
implementing wireless security. NETGEAR strongly recommends that 
you implement wireless security.
WEPUse encryption keys and data encryption for data security. You can 
select 64-bit or 128-bit encryption. See 
Configuring WEP on page 16.
WPA-PSK (TKIP)Allow only computers configured with WPA to connect to the wireless 
router. See the following section, 
Configuring WEP on page 16.
WPA2-PSK (AES)Allow only computers configured with WPA2 to connect to the wireless 
router. See 
Configuring WPA, WPA2, or WPA + WPA2 on page 18. 
WPA-PSK (TKIP) + 
WPA2-PSK (AES)Allow computers configured with either WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK 
security to connect to the wireless router. See 
Configuring WPA, 
WPA2, or WPA + WPA2 on page 18. 
Table 2.  Wireless Settings (Continued)
SettingsDescription 
						

							   Chapter 2:   Wireless Configuration     | 
    17
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual 
2. 
From the main menu, select Wireless Settings to display the Wireless Set\
tings screen.
3.  In the Security Options section, select the 
WEP  radio button:
4. Select the  Authentication Type : 
Automatic, or Shared Key. The default is 
Automatic.
Note:   The authentication is separate 
from the data encryption. You can select 
authentication that requires a shared 
key, but still leaves data transmissions 
unencrypted. Security is stronger if you 
use both the Shared Key and WEP 
encryption settings.
5.  Select the Encryption Strength  setting:
•     WEP 64-bit encryption . Enter 10 hexadecimal digits (any combination of 0–9, a–f,  
or A–F).
•     WEP 128-bit encryption. Enter 26 hexadecimal digits (any combination of 0–9, a–f,  or A–F).
6.  Enter the encryption keys. You can manually or automatically program the\
 four data 
encryption keys. These values must be identical on all computers and acc\
ess points in your 
network:
•     Passphrase. To use a passphrase to generate the keys, enter a passphrase, and  click  Generate . This automatically creates the keys. Wireless stations must use the 
passphrase or keys to access the wireless router. 
Note:   Not all wireless adapters support passphrase key generation.
•     Key 1–Key4. These values are not case-sensitive. You can manually enter the four  data encryption keys. These values must be identical on all computers an\
d access 
points in your network. Enter 10 hexadecimal digits (any combination of\
 0
–9, a–f, or 
A
–F).
7.  Select which of the four keys will be the default. 
Data transmissions are always encrypted using the default key. The other\
 keys can be 
used only to decrypt received data. The four entries are disabled if WPA\
-PSK or WPA 
authentication is selected. 
8.  Click  Apply to save your settings. 
						

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   Chapter 2:   Wireless Configuration    Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual 
Configuring WPA, WPA2, or WPA + WPA2
Both WPA and WPA2 provide strong data security. WPA with TKIP is a softw\
are 
implementation that can be used on Windows systems with Service Pack 2 o\
r later, WPA2 
with AES is a hardware implementation; see your device documentation bef\
ore implementing 
it. Consult the product documentation for your wireless adapter for inst\
ructions for configuring 
WPA settings.
Note:  If you use a wireless computer to configure wireless security 
settings, you will be disconnected when you click  Apply. If this 
happens, reconfigure your wireless computer to match the new 
settings, or access the wireless router from a wired computer to 
make further changes.
To configure WPA or WPA2 in the wireless router:
1.  Log in to the wireless router as described in  Logging In to Your Wireless Router on 
page   7.
2.  Select Wireless Settings from the main menu. 
3.  On the Wireless Setting screen, select the radio button for the WPA or W\
PA2 option of your 
choice.
4.  The settings displayed on the screen depend on which security option you\
 select.
5.  For WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK, enter the passphrase. 
6.  To save your settings, click  Apply.
Using Push N Connect (WPS) to Configure Your Wireless 
Network
For you to use Push N Connect, your wireless computers or devices must\
 support Wi-Fi 
Protected Setup (WPS). Compatible equipment usually has the 
 WPS symbol on it. WPS 
can configure the network name (SSID) and set up WPA/WPA2 wireless sec\
urity for the 
wireless router and the wireless computer or device at the same time. 
Some considerations regarding WPS are:
•     NETGEAR’s Push N Connect feature is based on the WPS standard. All \
other  Wi-Fi-certified and WPS-capable products should be compatible with NETGE\
AR products 
that implement Push N Connect.
•     If your wireless network will include a combination of WPS-capable devic\
es and  non-WPS-capable devices, NETGEAR suggests that you set up your wireless \
network 
and security settings manually first, and use WPS only for adding WPS-ca\
pable devices.  
						

							   Chapter 2:   Wireless Configuration     | 
    19
Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual 
You can connect to the network using WPS either with a push button or a \
PIN.
•     Push Button. This is the preferred method. See the following section, WPS Button
.
•     Entering a PIN. See WPS PIN Entry  on page
  20.
WPS Button 
Any wireless computer or wireless adapter that will connect to the wirel\
ess router wirelessly 
is a client. The client must support a WPS button, and must have a WPS c\
onfiguration utility, 
such as the NETGEAR Smart Wizard or Atheros Jumpstart.
To use the wireless router WPS button to add a WPS client: 
1. Log in to the wireless router as described in  Logging In to Your Wireless Router on 
page   7.
2.  On the wireless router main menu, 
select Add a WPS Client, and then 
click  Next. 
WPS
button
By default, the  Push Button 
(recommended) radio button is 
selected.
3.  Either click the onscreen button or 
press the WPS button on the front of the wireless router.
The wireless router tries to communicate with the client (the computer \
that wants to join 
the network) for 2 minutes.
4.  Go to the client wireless computer, and run a WPS configuration utility.\
 Follow the utility’s 
instructions to click a WPS button.
5.  Go back to the wireless router screen to check for a message.
The wireless router WPS screen 
displays a message confirming that 
the client was added to the wireless 
network. The wireless router 
generates an SSID, and implements 
WPA/WPA2 wireless security. The 
wireless router keeps these wireless 
settings unless you change them, or 
you clear the  Keep Existing Wireless Settings  check box in the WPS Settings screen.
6. Note the new SSID and WPA/WPA2 password for the wireless network. You ca\
n view these 
settings in the Wireless Settings screen. See  Manually Configuring Your Wireless Settings 
on page   14.
To access the Internet from any computer connected to your wireless rout\
er, launch an 
Internet browser such as Mozilla Firefox. You should see the wireless ro\
uter’s Internet LED 
blink, indicating communication to the ISP. 
						

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   Chapter 2:   Wireless Configuration    Wireless-N 150 Router WNR612v2 User Manual 
Note:  If no WPS-capable client devices connect during the 2-minute time 
frame, the wireless settings do not change on the wireless router.
WPS PIN Entry
Any wireless computer or device that will connect to the wireless router\
 wirelessly is a client. 
The client must support a WPS PIN, and must have a WPS configuration uti\
lity, such as the 
NETGEAR Smart Wizard or Atheros Jumpstart.
The first time you add a WPS client, make sure that the Keep Existing Wireless Settings 
check box on the WPS Settings screen is cleared. This is the default set\
ting for the wireless 
router, and allows it to generate the SSID and WPA/WPA2 security setting\
s when it 
implements WPS. After WPS is implemented, the wireless router automatica\
lly selects this 
check box so that your SSID and wireless security settings stay the same\
 if other WPS 
devices are added later.
To use a PIN to add a WPS client: 
1.  Log in to the wireless router as described in  Logging In to Your Wireless Router on 
page   7.
2.  On the wireless router main menu, select Add a 
WPS Client (computers that will connect 
wirelessly to the wireless router are clients), and 
then click  Next. The Add WPS Client screen 
displays:
3.  Select the  PIN Number  radio button.
4.  Go to the client wireless computer. Run a WPS 
configuration utility. Follow the utility’s 
instructions to generate a PIN. Take note of the client PIN.
5.  From the wireless router Add WPS Client screen, enter the client PIN num\
ber, and click 
Next.
•     The wireless router tries to communicate with the client for 4 minutes. \
•     The wireless router WPS screen confirms that the client was added to the\
 wireless  network. The wireless router generates an SSID, and implements WPA/WPA2 \
wireless security. 
•     If the client is not added during the 2-minute time frame, the router wi\
reless settings  remain unchanged.
6.  Note the new SSID and WPA/WPA2 password for the wireless network. You ca\
n view these 
settings in the Wireless Settings screen. See Manually Configuring Your Wireless Settings 
on page   14.
To access the Internet from any computer connected to your wireless rout\
er, launch an 
Internet browser. You should see the wireless router’s Internet LED b\
link, indicating 
communication to the ISP.