How to set up a Network Router
August 15, 2009
Here is a general step by step method for easy installation of a network router to set up a home internet connection. Setup configuration may change according to model of the router (wired or wireless).
1. Position of the router need not be a fixed one, especially when the router is wireless. But for the sake of convenience, you can choose an open floor or table. You will have to change the position of the router according to the signal availability and cable length. Finally, you can decide a place from where you can easily start working with the router.
2. Turn on the power button after connecting the power source to the device.
3. Get your Internet modem connected to your router- Normally, network modems are connected through Ethernet or USB ports. “WAN” or “uplink” or “Internet” can be the names of the router jacks to which you should connect the internet cable. Finally, power cycle (turn off and turn back on) the modem to check if the router detects it.
4. During installation, connect the router (wired/wireless) to a computer using a network cable to ensure total reliability of the device. You may convert your computer to wireless internet connection, once the installation of the router is finished.
5. Go to the web browser and type the router’s address from the computer which is connected to the router. Go through your router’s documentation to find out the unique address of your router. You won’t require a working internet connection for this.
6. In the home page, enter the user name and password, which are given in the router’s documentation. Complete the installation after which you can change the password for advanced security.
7. To connect internet to your router, you must enter Internet connection information like PPPoE username and password, if you are using a DSL internet. If you are given a static IP address, it should be set in your router.
8. For Primary computer and older versions of internet connections, you will have to update MAC address of your new router with that of the previous one. Refer how to change a MAC address to know more about description of the procedure.
9. For wireless routers, there will be a factory set network name, which you might want to change in your system. Check how to change the router SSID for complete instructions regarding the same.
10. Confirm that your computer has received the IP address from the router, to make sure the network connection is working. Check How to Find IP Addresses to know more on this.
11. Open the browser and visit few websites to verify the connection.
12. Take connections to many computers from the router as required. Make sure network name of the computers matches with that of the router, if you are planning to connect it wirelessly.
13. Set up network security configuration to firewall the system against internet attacks. WiFi Home Network Security Tips can give details on this.
In general, you need to make sure that while you connect the devices using network cables, each cable end is connected firmly. Often, loose-fitting cables are one among the likely sources of problems related to network set-up.
To sum up, the components and software required for a complete network set up are:
1. Wireless or wired network router
2. An optional internet modem (working)
3. Network adapters to be installed in every device that needs to be connected to your router
4. Web browser software installation in a minimum of 1 network computer.
Get more information on Wireless Routers, Broadband Providers and Desktop PC.
About Multi-Talented Router
August 11, 2009
Router is most commonly used to accelerate smooth functioning of a home network. Other than routing, the router accomplishes wide ranging tasks. The market supplies variety of routers which offers wide ranging functions and enhanced features.
Routers have becomes extremely cheap, reliable and easily viable making it a vital part of the networked home. High speed internet modem can be connected to the computer directly through the router, and as a matter of fact to any network device. Directing traffic is the main purpose of the router which makes router a computer itself. It transmits your internet requests to the internet and it receives data and forwards it on the linked computer.
The only device which is connected to the internet provider’s system is the router which acts as regular computer. Other than routing internet traffics, consumer routers can achieve various other tasks as well.
The consumer router is capable of managing traffics from various devices and transmits internet responses back to the source computer. Apart from that the router permits the connected computers to communicate with each other by acting as another network device, the switch. Router functions as a firewall, by following rules which direct as how incoming internet traffic is managed. Installing network security software and firewall is very useful, whereby the router works as a physical defence and guards against unnecessary incoming traffic which in turn secures the network.
Computer connected to the internet are also controlled by the router and performs the role of a Proxy well. With the router you can actually limit the internet access to various computers on a set schedule, restrict access to specific web sites, restricts few kinds of activities and record internet activities. Other than all these functions, routers acts as wireless access points permitting wired and wireless connection to the home networks. It is always best to have a router which offers extra level of function, control and defence.
Broadband Routers
August 5, 2009
When you set up a home internet connection network, a broadband router is the most important component required. With a router (wired or wireless), you can transfer data over internet and between your home network. Both wired and wireless routers are very similar in their features. Here are some advantages of setting up a home network.
Three main purposes of broad band routers are:
• To enable broadband internet sharing among all the PC’s, laptops or game consoles in your home
• It routes information between all the computers in your home and outside onto the World Wide Web. For instance, emailing, browsing the web, connecting to a corporate network, printing to your home printer or playing games across the Internet or your home network.
• A broad band router secures your home PC’s from internet hackers and likely online threats. Router with an integrated firewall is much safer and secure than usual broadband modems.
Two Types of broad band routers:
i) ADSL Modem Routers
With an ADSL modem router, you are able to share a broadband internet with all the computers and no separate modem is required. Fast ADSL Broadband internet service can be acquired by upgrading your BT telephone line, into which your ordinary telephone is plugged. BT, AOL, Zen and Bulldog are the providers for this type of connection.
ii) Cable Broadband
This type of connection is achieved by plugging the cable modem into cable wall socket. To start using a router, connect it to the networking port (Ethernet or RJ-45 port) of your modem, which on the other side is connected to cable wall socket. Now, you can share the internet connection with all the computers in your house. Providers available for cable Broadband connection in the UK are Telewest and NTL.
Broadband Router - Benefits
January 12, 2008
To connect local or wide area networks, usually routers are required. The routers have the control in sending data packets from server to client systems. Broadband routers are manufactured for broadband connections and they play essential role in building network. If you connect your broadband router with your PC, it indicates that you are ready to share your broadband connection with multiple systems in your network.
You can share broadband with other computer peripherals like printers too. It can perform as a firewall while you get connection from a well known Internet Service Provider. Most people think that installing broadband routers will take much time. It is not true! You can install them within few minutes after building your network properly. These routers have come with the potential to limit the internet access using several criteria. For example, you can limit your employees to access it only for 8 hours and not a single minute more than that.
Most of the broadband routers have come with an integrated switch. This switch is vital for directly connecting it with your system having your network with the router for sharing faster access. Usually most of the broadband router manufacturers offer 4 ports. If you want to increase the number of ports, you can install an external switch to the router. Suppose you have a small network using 4 systems, there is no need to install anything extra for sharing broadband.
Latest model broadband routers have come with DHCP server feature. When you have this feature in your router, you need not configure it in your system and everything will be configured automatically. But make sure that the “automatic configuration” is switched, on the client computers. What you have to do is just connect your router with your computer. Immediate internet sharing can be done without doing any configurations.
Wireless broadband is getting popular. To get that, you will need a broadband router with wireless option. In other words, wireless broadband routers have to be connected with the server system to share broadband connections without physical connectivity using cords. But it is vital to get a wireless network card and install it properly. Recently introduced routers come with a parallel port or a USB port. Make use of the port for connecting your printer to print files without additional configuration.
Basic facts about wireless modems
December 1, 2007
Wireless modems play a vital role in transmitting data through wireless networks. Instead of cable or telephone lines wireless modems use satellites or Wi-Fi protocols or cellular for connecting networks. Wireless modem can be installed in two ways. You can fix them inside your PC internally or you can mount inside by using an expansion slot. In olden days, wireless modems were made with the potential to offer data transfer speed up to 56k for dial-up connections. Recent enhancements made today offer data transfer speed up to 700k for broadband too.
Distinct types of Wireless Modem
• PCMCIA Wireless modems
Your system should have type II PCMCIA slot to plug-in this PCMCIA modem. These types of wireless modems can be used for Wi-Fi networks as well as mobile communications. These modems look like your credit cards which are frequently used by laptop users.
• Compact Flash Modems
These modems perform with the support of a memory card format. Users can plug these modems into a memory card slot. If you have laptops or pocket PC’s, these compact flash modems are the best choice. Compact flash modems are generally manufactured for broadband or dial-up and also Wii protocols.
• Wireless Broadband Modems
As the name indicates, these modems can be used for getting broadband internet access. They function with the help of wireless adapter cards which is needed for connecting broadband access with your computer. They perform well while you share internet access from your main server system to multiple computers. Make use of USB port or PCMCIA slot for installing the network card.
• USB Wireless Modems
These modems are used for connecting your computer with the USB port. These modems are usually developed with the support of software. It needs a unique software program to do all kinds of network needs. These units mostly depend on your OS. It needs support from other system resources.
• Serial Wireless Modems
As this modem uses a serial port to connect your computer, it is named as ’serial wireless modem’. They are mostly either hardware-based or software-based modems. If you prefer hardware-based models, you can achieve reliability as they perform without using any software.
Tips to choose right type of Wireless Modems
• Always think of the type of internet access that you use. It should support your wireless modem. Check the compatibility first.
• If you look for a wireless modem for your laptop, it is well and good when compared to Wi-Fi modems to get high portability.
• Modems with CPCD or GPRS features are suitable for your mobile phones or smart phones.
• If your wireless modem is capable of working with multiple protocols, it will be better to connect distinct hardware’s in future.
• Confirm the ability of your wireless modem to pick strong signals. If it is efficient in picking strong signals, you can access your wireless networks even in weak areas.
