I can’t connect to the Internet wirelessly.
If the light on the front of the Router is solid blue, then your Router is connected to the Internet. You may not be connected to the Router’s wireless network. Please refer to “Adding Computers to Your Network” in this manual for instructions. If your Windows XP computer is running SP2, you will not be able to set up the Router via the wireless setup process. You will need to either update to Windows XP SP3 or complete the setup via a wired connection.
My wireless network performance is slow, inconsistent, suffers from weak signal, or I’m having difficulty maintaining a VPN connection.
Wireless technology is radio-based, which means connectivity and the throughput performance between devices decreases when the distance between devices increases. Other factors that will cause signal degradation (metal is generally the worst culprit) are obstructions such as walls and metal appliances. Note also that connection speed may decrease as the computer moves farther away from the Router. In order to determine if wireless issues are related to range, we suggest temporarily moving the computer within 10 feet from the Router if possible.
Changing the wireless channel
Depending on local wireless traffic and interference, switching the wireless channel of your network can improve performance and reliability.
Limiting the wireless transmit rate
Limiting the wireless transmit rate can help improve range and connection stability. Most wireless cards have the ability to limit the transmission rate. To change this property in Windows, go to the Windows Control Panel, open “Network Connections,” and doubleclick on your wireless card’s connection. In the properties dialog, select the “Configure” button on the “General” tab, then choose the “Advanced” tab and select the rate property. Wireless client cards are usually set to automatically adjust the wireless transmit rate for you, but doing so can cause periodic disconnects when the wireless signal is too weak; as a rule, slower transmission rates are more stable. Experiment with different connection rates until you find the best one for your environment. Note that all available transmission rates should be acceptable for browsing the Internet. For more assistance, see your wireless card’s user manual.
Does the Router support Wireless Protected Access
(WPA) security?
The Router ships with WPA/WPA2 security turned on. Windows XP and some older network hardware may require a software update to support WPA/WPA2.
I am having difficulty setting up WPA security on my Router.
- Log in to your Router by visiting http://router/ with your web browser. Click on the “Login” button in the top right-hand corner of the screen. You will be asked to enter your password. If you have never set a password, leave the “Password” field blank and click “Submit.”
- Click “Wireless” in the left-hand menu. Then click “Security” just below that.
- Select the “WPA/WPA2” option.
- Enter a password. This can be from 8–63 characters of your choice, including spaces and punctuation, OR a 64-digit hexadecimal number (using only the numbers 0–9 and letters A–F).
- Click “Apply Changes” to finish. Your wireless connection is now encrypted. Each computer using your wireless network will need to use the new key. Note: If you are configuring the Router over a wireless connection, you will have to re-connect to the Router after changing any security settings. Note: Some older networking hardware supports only WEP encryption. If your older computers cannot connect to your network, try 128-bit or 64-bit WEP, or seek software updates from their manufacturers.
I am having difficulty setting up Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security on my Router.
- Log in to your Router. Visit http://router/ with your web browser. Click on the “Login” button in the top right-hand corner of the screen. You will be asked to enter your password. If you have never set a password, leave the “Password” field blank and click “Submit.”
- Click “Wireless” in the left-hand menu. Then click “Security” just below that.
- Select the “128-bit WEP” option.
- You may type in a WEP key manually, or generate one from a passphrase. Type a phrase in the “Passphrase” field and click the “Generate” button. A WEP key is composed of 26 hexadecimal digits (0–9, A–F. For example, C3 03 0F AF 4B B2 C3 D4 4B C3 D4 EE 74 is a valid 128-bit WEP key.
- Click “Apply Changes” to finish. Your wireless activity is now encrypted. Each computer using your wireless network will need to use the new key.
Note: If you are configuring the Router over a wireless connection, you will have to re-connect to the Router after changing any security settings.
Note: Some older networking hardware supports only 64-bit WEP encryption. If your older computers cannot connect to your network, try 64-bit WEP.
