N300 Wireless Gigabit Router Setup Manual NETGEAR, Inc. 350 E. Plumeria Drive San Jose, CA 95134 USA June 2010 208-10443-03 v1.
©2010 by NETGEAR, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks NETGEAR and the NETGEAR logo are trademarks of NETGEAR. Inc. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Wi-Fi Protected Setup is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Other brand and product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.
Contents N300 Wireless Gigabit Router Setup Manual Getting to Know Your Wireless Router................................................................................ 1 Unpacking Your New Router ............................................................................................. 1 Hardware Features ............................................................................................................ 3 Front Panel ..............................................................................
Obtaining an Internet IP Address .................................................................................... 34 Troubleshooting PPPoE ............................................................................................ 35 Troubleshooting Internet Browsing ........................................................................... 36 Using the Ping Utility to Troubleshoot .............................................................................
Getting to Know Your Wireless Router Congratulations on your purchase of a NETGEAR® high-speed wireless router, the N300 Wireless Gigabit Router Model WNR3500L. The WNR3500L is also the NETGEAR Open Source Wireless-N Router. If you are interested in custom firmware and other third party applications, be sure to visit the Open Source community web site http://www.myopenrouter.com. Before you begin installing your router, check the package contents (see “Unpacking Your New Router” on page 1).
If any of the parts are incorrect, missing, or damaged, contact your NETGEAR dealer. Keep the carton, including the original packing materials, in case you need to return the product for repair. To prepare your router for installation: 1. Carefully peel off the protective film covering both sides of your router (see Figure 1). Figure 1 2. Set up your N300 Wireless router by inserting the tabs of the stand (supplied with your router) into the slots on the bottom of your router as shown in Figure 2.
3. Place your router in a suitable area for installation (near an AC power outlet and accessible to the Ethernet cables for your wired computers). To ensure proper heat dissipation and for router stability, it is important that you connect the stand and place your router in an upright position.
Power On – Amber On – Green Blink – Amber Blink – Green Off Internet On – Amber On – Green Blink – Green Off Wireless On – Blue Blink – Blue Off LAN (Ports 1–4) On – Green Blink – Green On – Amber Blink – Amber Off WPS button/light Blink – Green On – Green The router is performing the power-on self-test diagnostic. The power is on and the router is ready. A software update is in progress. The firmware is corrupt. See “Checking Basic Router Functions” on page 31 for instructions on restoring your firmware.
Back Panel The router back panel contains port connections described in Figure 4. 1. Restore factory settings button. Press for approximately 5 seconds to reset the router to the factory default settings. 2. USB port 3. Four Local Area Network (LAN) 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet ports for connecting the router to your local computers. 4. Internet/Wide Area Network (WAN) Ethernet port for connecting the router to a cable or DSL modem. 5. Power on/off push-button. 6.
Positioning Your Wireless Router The N300 Wireless router lets you access your network from virtually anywhere within the operating range of your wireless network. However, the operating distance or range of your wireless connection can vary significantly depending on the physical placement of your router. For example, the thickness and number of walls the wireless signal must pass through might limit the range.
you have finished, you will be Internet ready! If you have a Linux system, you need to use the manual installation method (see “Manually Installing Your Router” on page 12). NETGEAR does not recommend or support adding a NETGEAR router behind another router, or replacing a gateway with a a NETGEAR router. You can set up your N300 Wireless router using one of two methods: • Smart Wizard Setup: The Smart Wizard setup is available on your Resource CD.
• The router includes an update feature that lets you check for and install updates. You must log in to the router to use this feature see “Setting Up Your Router for Internet Access” on page 18, or the online User Manual).
Installing Your Router Using the Smart Wizard The Smart Wizard setup procedure should take about 15 minutes to complete. Before using the Smart Wizard, ensure that: • You are using a PC with either a Mac operating system or a Windows operating system (Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 2000, or Windows XP with Service Pack 2); and a wired Ethernet connection, not a wireless connection. • You have an Internet service connection through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
2. When the Smart Wizard prompts you about updates, click Yes to check for updates for your router, or No, to update later (for more information, see “Setting Up Your Router for Internet Access” on page 18, or the online User Manual). 3. Follow the remaining instructions and prompts. The Smart Wizard guides you through installing your router, connecting your router to the Internet, configuring your wireless network settings, and selecting the optimum security protection for your network.
To set up additional wireless computers in your network to access the router and connect to the Internet, see “Configuring Your Wireless Network” on page 22. Accessing Your Router After Installation The Smart Wizard only appears when you first install the router or when the router is in its factory default state (for example, if you have reset the router to its default factory settings).
Manually Installing Your Router Before installing and connecting your router manually, review the list below and make sure that you have all of the necessary information. Follow these procedures if you are an advanced user, or you are installing this router on a Linux system. NETGEAR does not recommend or support adding a NETGEAR router behind another router, or replacing a gateway with a NETGEAR router. • • Internet service connection through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Connecting Your N300 Wireless Gigabit Router Before you install your N300 Wireless router, make sure that the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Property settings on your computer are set to “automatically obtain an IP address” using DHCP and “Obtain DNS server address automatically.” You can check these settings by looking at the TCP/IP Properties of your Internal Network Connections, which are accessible through the Control Panel of your computer.
t C D Figure 8 5. Locate the Ethernet cable (A) that is still attached to your computer. Securely insert the other end of the Ethernet cable into a port on the router, such as port 4 (E), as shown in Figure 9 Connect any additional wired devices to your router by inserting an Ethernet cable from a device into one of the three remaining LAN ports. A E Figure 9 6. Ensure that your network is now set up in the order shown in Figure 10; you are now ready to restart your network.
Figure 10 7. Start your network in the correct sequence, as described in “To start your network:”. Failure to start or restart your network in the correct sequence could prevent you from accessing the Internet. To replace your wireless router: 1. Turn off and unplug the power from your broadband cable modem or DSL modem. 2. Remove both Ethernet cables from your existing router (but leave both cables attached to your computer and your modem). 3.
A E F Figure 11 4. Replace the Ethernet cable connected to your modem with the Ethernet cable that came with your router, and insert one end into the same port on the modem. Then, insert the other end into the Internet port of your new router (F), as shown in Figure 11. 5. Start your network in the correct sequence, as described below. Failure to start or restart your network in the correct sequence could prevent you from accessing the Internet. To start your network: 1.
H G Figure 12 4. Turn on your computer. It will take several minutes for your router to establish a connection with your computer and your Internet provider. For DSL customers, if software logs you in to the Internet, do not run that software. You might need to go to the Internet Explorer Tools menu, Internet Options, Connections tab and select “Never dial a connection.
Power. The power light should turn solid green. If it does not, see “Checking Basic Router Functions” on page 31. Internet. The Internet port light should be lit. If it is not, make sure the Ethernet cable is securely attached to the N300 Wireless router Internet port and the modem, and that the modem is powered on. Wireless. The wireless light should be lit after turning on the Product Family. LAN. A LAN light (1-4) should be lit for each connected computer on your network.
A login window similar to the one shown in Figure 14 will display. Figure 14 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 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. The Firmware Upgrade Assistant screen will display. 3. Click Yes to check for new firmware (recommended).
5. From the menu options in the left navigation pane, click Setup Wizard. The Setup Wizard screen will display. Figure 15 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. If you cannot connect to the wireless router, check the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) properties in the Network Connections section of your Control Panel.
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 30. If problems persist, register your NETGEAR product and contact NETGEAR Technical Support.
Configuring Your Wireless Network This section describes additional configuration and testing for your network, after you have performed basic installation of the Wireless 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. Indoors, computers can connect over wireless networks at a range of several hundred feet.
Setting Your SSID and Wireless Security Manually To specify the wireless settings, you must know the following: • SSID (wireless network name). The default SSID for the router is NETGEAR. • The wireless mode (802.11g/b, or 802.11n) that each wireless adapter supports. • Wireless security option. The router’s default security setting is None, but NETGEAR strongly recommends that you use wireless security.
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.
• Push 'N' Connect has been used to configure the router and establish a connection between the router and a client when the router is in its default state; then additional wireless clients 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 (SSID and security) and transmits them to the WPS-capable client.
• The WPS light will cease blinking. • The router will have generated an SSID, implemented WPA/WPA2 wireless security (including a PSK security password), and transmitted these settings to the client; the client now shares the same security settings as the router. • A “Success” message should display on your client device.
Figure 16 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.
Figure 18 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, – The router WPS screen displays a message confirming that WPS did not establish a connection with a wireless client device. – Neither the router’s SSID nor the wireless security settings were configured on the client device.
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 N300 Wireless router by entering http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com in the address field of your browser. Enter the default user name of admin and default password of password. 2. Click Enter and select Wireless Settings from the main menu. 3.
Troubleshooting If you have difficulties accessing the Internet, use the Basic Setup Checklist to make sure that you have connected and set up your router correctly. If your basic setup is correct, then look for your problem in one of the subsequent sections. For more information, refer to the online User Manual. A link to this document is included on the Resource CD, and is also available from the router interface, after the router is installed. Click Documentation on the main menu.
• • Make sure the network settings of the computer are correct. – LAN connected computers must be configured to obtain an IP address automatically using DHCP. For more information, see the links in “Related Documents” on page 43. – 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.
– Check that you are using the power adapter supplied by NETGEAR for this product. – Check to ensure that the power button (on the back of your router) is in the Power-On position (button is depressed). If the error persists, you have a hardware problem and should contact technical support. • Power Light Blinks Green Slowly and Continuously. The router firmware is corrupted. To restore your firmware: a. Make sure your PC is connected to your router and the router is powered on. b.
b. Clear the router’s configuration to factory defaults. This will set the router’s IP address to 192.168.1.1. This procedure is explained in “Restoring the Default Password and Configuration Settings” on page 40. c. Turn the power off and back on to see if the router recovers. • Internet or LAN Port Lights Not On. If either the LAN or Internet lights do not light when the Ethernet connection is made, check the following: a.
• Make sure your browser has Java, JavaScript, or ActiveX enabled. If you are using Internet Explorer, click Refresh to be sure the Java applet is loaded. Try closing the browser and reopening it again. • If you are attempting to set up your NETGEAR router as an additional router behind an existing router in your network, consider replacing the existing router instead. NETGEAR does not support such a configuration.
2. Select the Router Status link under the Maintenance heading to check that an IP address is shown for the Internet Port. If 0.0.0.0 is shown, your N300 Wireless router has not obtained an IP address from your service provider. If your router is unable to obtain an IP address from the your service provider, the problem might be one of the following: • Your service provider might require a login. Ask your service provider whether they require a PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE) login.
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. Unless you connect manually, the N300 Wireless router will not authenticate using PPPoE until data is transmitted to the network.
If the path is working, you see this message: Reply from www.routerlogin.net: bytes=32 time=NN ms TTL=xxx If the path is not working, you see this message: Request timed out If the path is not working correctly, you could have one of the following problems: • • Wrong physical connections – Make sure the LAN port light is on. If the light is off, follow the instructions in “Basic Setup Checklist” on page 30. – Check that the corresponding lights are on for your computer’s network interface card.
• Check to see that the network address of your PC (the portion of the IP address specified by the netmask) is different from the network address of the remote device. • If your ISP assigned a host name to your PC, enter that host name as the Account Name in the Basic Settings menu.
Technical Specifications Default Configuration Settings This section provides factory default settings and technical specifications for the N300 Wireless Gigabit Router Model WNR3500L. Table 1. Home Router Default Configuration Settings Feature Default Setting Smart Wizard Disabled Router Login Router Login URL http://www. routerlogin.net; or http://www.routerlogin.
Table 1.
To restore the factory default configuration settings: 1. Use a sharp object such as a pen or a paper clip to press and hold the restore factory settings button, located on the rear panel of the router, for about 7 seconds, until the Power light begins to blink (see “Back Panel” on page 5). 2. Release the restore factory settings button, and wait for the router to restart, and for the Power light to stop blinking and become solid amber.
Interface Specifications LAN 10BASE-T, 100BASE-Tx, or 1000BASE-T, RJ-45 WAN 10BASE-T, 100BASE-Tx, or 1000BASE-T, RJ-45 Technical Specifications 42
Related Documents This section provides links to reference documents that you can use to gain a more complete understanding of the technologies used in your NETGEAR product. Document Link Internet Networking and TCP/IP Addressing http://documentation.netgear.com/reference/enu/tcpip/index.htm Preparing a Computer for Network Access http://documentation.netgear.com/reference/enu/wsdhcp/index.htm Glossary http://documentation.netgear.com/reference/enu/glossary/index.
Registration and Certifications Product Registration, Support, and Documentation Register your product at http://www.NETGEAR.com/register. You must register before you can use our telephone support service. Product updates and Web support are always available by going to: http://www.NETGEAR.com/support. Setup documentation is available on the CD, on the support website, and on the documentation website.
