How to install a router: step-by-step instructions. How to set up a Wi-Fi network and wireless router

Plug the Internet cable into the WAN (or Internet) port of your router (aka router).

Connect the router to the computer: insert one end of the network cable into any of the LAN ports of the router, and the other into the connector of the PC’s network card. You can use a wireless connection instead of a cable, but it is better not to do this at the setup stage.

Connect the router to a power outlet. If your device has a power button, press it. Then wait a minute or two to allow the router to boot.

2. Check the Internet

If your router was pre-configured by your provider or received settings automatically, then the Internet can start working a few seconds after connecting the router to the PC.

To check, launch your browser and try opening several sites. If there are no problems with accessing web resources, you can skip the fourth paragraph of the article.

In your browser's address bar, enter 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 and press Enter. One of these IP addresses should lead to the router's settings menu. If both options do not work, find the required IP address in the documentation for your router model and try entering it.

When the settings login page appears in the browser window, the system may request a login and password. Most often, when connecting for the first time, one word is suitable for both fields - admin. Less often, router manufacturers use the combination as a standard password 1234 .

If necessary, you can find the login information in the instructions for the router or on the provider's website. Well, or try an alternative.

4. Set up an Internet connection

If the Internet still does not work, the router needs special settings. Exactly what settings you need depends on your specific device model and Internet service provider. There is no universal configuration. To get the necessary instructions, check the provider's website or request it from support.

Once you have obtained the manual for setting up your model, follow its prompts. If in the process you set up both an Internet connection and a home Wi-Fi network, you can skip the fifth point of the article.

For Wi-Fi, it is important to choose the right security settings.

In the settings menu, find the section responsible for the wireless network (see the documentation for your router model). Here, be sure to set a strong password (you will need it to connect your devices to the router via Wi-Fi) and select WPA2-PSK as a means of protection.

6. Change the password to enter the router settings

Just in case, it is better to limit the access of strangers to the router settings menu. If the router is still protected by the default password, replace it with your own.

Find the settings section that is responsible for the security (see the documentation for your router model) of the device, and enter a new strong password here. Save your changes.

If your computer has a Wi-Fi module, after completing the setup, you can remove the network cable from the PC and connect to the router via a wireless connection.

7. Install the router in the optimal location

Ideally, the router is in the center of the area in which you use Wi-Fi. This way the signal will be equally available to all connected devices.

The fewer walls, furniture, and other obstacles between the receiving device and the router, the better the wireless network works.

With the spread of broadband Internet access, wireless routers are becoming increasingly popular among home users, making it possible to organize Internet access shared between several computers in an apartment. In addition, given the capabilities of routers to organize wireless communication channels, their use eliminates the need to lay network cables throughout the apartment. Today, there are many different models of wireless routers available for home use. But how to make the right choice? Which router should you choose and, most importantly, how to configure it correctly? In this article we will look at the main features of modern routers and give step-by-step instructions for setting them up.

A modern home computer is no longer conceivable without an Internet connection. Analogue modems are irrevocably a thing of the past, and they have been replaced by high-speed Internet access technologies, and tariffs for organizing unlimited access have become comparable to the monthly payment for a telephone. Therefore, it is quite natural that after purchasing a home computer, users think about organizing access to the Internet.

There are no problems connecting one home computer to the Internet. This, of course, is a non-trivial task for novice users, since it requires creating a new network connection and making the necessary settings for it, but if you're lucky, all this will be done by the engineers who will connect the computer to the Internet.

However, over time, you may get a second computer, laptop, or PDA with a wireless adapter. Of course, you'll want to connect all of these devices to the Internet. To do this, you will already have to use a router, which will act as a gateway between your local network in the apartment and the external Internet network.

Naturally, the question arises about choosing a router and its functionality.

Let us immediately note that all modern routers aimed at home users combine many network devices and the router is only one of them, although the main one. That is why some manufacturers, trying to emphasize the focus of their devices on home users, as well as their versatility, call them home Internet centers for marketing reasons. True, this only introduces confusion into the classification of such devices, but their generally accepted name is broadband wireless routers.

Until recently, routers for home users did not have an integrated wireless access point. Now these devices are already obsolete and you should not rely on them.

Functionality of wireless routers

So, a modern broadband wireless router is a multifunctional device that combines:

• router;
• Fast Ethernet network switch (10/100 Mbit/s);
• wireless access point;
• firewall;
• NAT device.

The main task assigned to wireless routers is to unite all computers on a home network into a single local network with the ability to exchange data between them and organize a high-speed, secure connection to the Internet for all home computers (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Using a wireless router to connect
home computers to the Internet

Currently, the most popular methods are connecting to the Internet via a telephone line using an ADSL modem and via a dedicated Ethernet line. Based on this, all wireless routers can be divided into two types:

• for connection via a dedicated Ethernet line;
• for connection via telephone line.

In the latter case, the router also has an ADSL modem built into it.

According to statistics, the method of connecting via a dedicated Ethernet line is becoming increasingly popular among providers. At the same time, routers designed for this can also be used to connect to the Internet via a telephone line, but for this you will have to additionally purchase an ADSL modem.

In what follows, we will only consider routers designed to connect to the Internet via a dedicated Ethernet line.

So, routers are network devices installed on the border of the internal local home network and the Internet, and therefore acting as a network gateway. From a design point of view, routers must have at least two ports, one of which is connected to the local network (this port is called the internal LAN port), and the second is connected to the external network, that is, the Internet (this port is called the external WAN port). Home routers have one WAN port and four internal LAN ports, which are combined into a switch (Fig. 2). Both WAN and LAN ports have a 10/100Base-TX interface, and you can connect an Ethernet network cable to them.

Rice. 2. LAN and WAN ports of the router

The wireless access point integrated into the router allows you to organize a wireless network segment, which for the router belongs to the internal network. In this sense, computers connected to the router wirelessly are no different from those connected to the LAN port.

The purpose of the firewall integrated into the router is to ensure the security of the internal network. To do this, firewalls must be able to mask the protected network, block known types of hacker attacks and information leakage from the internal network, and control applications that access the external network.

In order to implement these functions, firewalls analyze all traffic between external and internal networks for compliance with certain established criteria or rules that determine the conditions for the passage of traffic from one network to another. If the traffic meets the specified criteria, the firewall allows it to pass through. Otherwise, that is, if the established criteria are not met, the traffic is blocked. Firewalls filter both incoming and outgoing traffic and also allow you to control access to certain network resources or applications.

By their purpose, firewalls resemble a checkpoint of a protected facility, where the documents of everyone entering the territory of the facility and everyone leaving it are checked. If the pass is in order, access to the territory is allowed. Firewalls operate similarly, only the role of people passing through the checkpoint is network packets, and the pass is the compliance of the headers of these packets with a given set of rules.

All modern routers with built-in firewalls are NAT devices, that is, they support the NAT (Network Address Translation) protocol. This protocol is not part of a firewall, but helps improve network security. Its main task is to solve the problem of the shortage of IP addresses, which is becoming more and more urgent as the number of computers grows.

The NAT protocol defines how network address translation occurs. A NAT device converts IP addresses reserved for private use on local networks into public IP addresses. Private addresses include the following IP ranges: 10.0.0.0-10.255.255.255, 172.16.0.0-172.31.255.255, 192.168.0.0-192.168.255.255. Private IP addresses cannot be used on the World Wide Web, so they can be freely used for internal purposes only.

In addition to the listed functionality, some models of wireless routers have a number of additional ones. For example, they can be equipped with USB 2.0 ports, to which you can connect external devices with the ability to organize shared network access to them. So, when connecting to a printer router via the USB 2.0 interface, we also get a print server, and when connecting an external hard drive, we get a NAS (Network Attached Storage) type network storage device. In addition, in the latter case, the software used in the routers even allows you to organize an FTP server.

There are router models that have not only USB ports, but also a built-in hard drive, and therefore can be used for network data storage, as FTP servers for access both from outside and from the internal network, and even serve as multimedia centers.

Setting up the router

Despite the apparent similarity in functionality of broadband wireless routers, there are significant differences between them, which ultimately determine whether a particular router is suitable for your purposes or not. The fact is that different Internet providers use different types of Internet connections. If we are talking about connecting one computer (without using a router), then there are no problems, since user operating systems (for example, Windows XP/Vista) contain software that supports all connection types used by providers. If you use a router to connect your home network to the Internet, then it is necessary that it fully supports the connection type used by the provider (we will look at connection types in the section on setting up the WAN interface).

Almost all routers aimed at home users have built-in quick setup software (setup wizards) or auto-configuration tools - for example, Quick Setup, Smart Setup, NetFriend, etc. However, you need to keep in mind that there may always be a provider that does not will support the automatic configuration function of a specific router. In addition, the presence of such functions does not mean that by pressing one “magic” button you will immediately cope with all problems and configure your router. After all, even in order to get to this “magic” button, you will have to make some network interface settings on your computer.

For the reasons stated above, we will not rely on the automatic configuration capabilities of the router and will consider the most universal way to manually configure it step by step.

It is advisable to configure the router in the following sequence:

• Gaining access to the router's web interface.
• Configuring the LAN interface and built-in DHCP server.
• Configuring a WAN interface with organizing an Internet connection for all computers on the local network.
• Setting up a wireless network (if there are wireless clients).
• Setting up a firewall.
• Configuring the NAT protocol (if required).

The first step in setting up the router is to gain network access to its settings via the web interface (all routers have a built-in web server).

Let's take a closer look at the steps of setting up the LAN interface and the built-in DHCP server, as well as setting up the WAN interface. We will not talk about setting up a wireless network, firewall and NAT protocol in this article - separate publications will be devoted to these issues.

Gaining access to the router's web interface

To access the router's web interface, you must connect a computer (laptop) to the LAN port. The first thing you need to find out is the IP address of the router’s LAN port, the default login and password. Any router, being a network device, has its own network address (IP address). In order to find out the IP address of the router's LAN port and password, you will have to look through the user manual. If the router has not been used before, its settings coincide with the default (factory) settings. In most cases, the IP address of the router's LAN port is 192.168.1.254 or 192.168.1.1 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, and the password and login are admin. If the router has already been in use and its default settings have been changed, but you do not know the IP address of the LAN port, or the login and password, then the first thing you will have to do is reset all settings (return to factory settings). To do this, all routers have a special recessed reset button. If you press it (with the router's power on) and hold it for a few seconds, the router will reboot and restore its factory settings.

In addition to the ability to quickly return to factory settings, most routers have a built-in DHCP server that is activated by default. This allows you to easily connect to the router, since a computer connected to the router's LAN port will automatically be assigned an IP address of the same subnet as the router's LAN port itself, and the IP address of the default gateway will be used. router LAN port address. But in order to take advantage of this opportunity, you need to make sure that the dynamic assignment of an IP address (Obtain IP address automatically) function is set in the properties of the network connection of the computer used to connect to the LAN port of the router. It is activated by default for all network interfaces, and if, after installing the operating system, network connections on the computer were not specially configured, then most likely you will be able to access the router settings immediately after connecting to its LAN port on the computer.

Attention! If your computer has already been connected to the Internet, then it is likely that you are using different network connection settings than the default settings. Before changing anything, write down all settings.

If you cannot connect to the router in this simple way, you will have to first configure the network interface of the computer connected to the router. The point of the setup is that the network interface of the computer that connects to the LAN port of the router and the LAN port of the router have IP addresses belonging to the same subnet. Let's assume the router's LAN port has an IP address of 192.168.1.1. Then the network interface of the connected computer must be assigned a static IP address 192.168.1.x (for example, 192.168.1.100) with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. In addition, you must specify the IP address of the router's LAN port (in our case, 192.168.1.1) as the default gateway IP address.

Naturally, setting up a computer's network interface depends on the operating system used. We will show how to make such a setup using the example of the most popular operating system Microsoft Windows XP SP2 (English version) and the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system (Russian version).

Setting up the network interface of a PC running Microsoft Windows XP SP2

If you are using the Microsoft Windows XP SP2 operating system, to assign a static IP address to the network interface of your computer, click the icon My Network Places(Network Neighborhood) right-click and in the context menu that opens, select Properties(Properties). In the window that opens Network Connection(Network Connections) select the icon Local Area Connection(Local Network) and by right-clicking on it, go to the item again Properties. After this a window should open Local Area Connection Properties(Network connection properties), which allows you to configure the network adapter (Fig. 3).

Rice. 3. Local Area Connection Properties Dialog Box

On the tab General select the protocol Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click on the button Properties. A window will open allowing you to set the computer's default IP address, subnet mask, and gateway. Check the box in this dialog box Use the following IP address: and enter the IP address and subnet mask in the appropriate text fields (Fig. 4).

Rice. 4. Setting a static IP address, subnet mask
and gateway IP addresses

Once the computer's network interface has been configured, you can access the settings of the router itself. To do this, enter the IP address of the access point (192.168.1.1) in the address field of your web browser. If everything is done correctly, the access point (router) settings dialog box will open. You may first need to enter your username and password (they are in the documentation).

Setting up the network interface of a PC running Microsoft Windows Vista

If you are using the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system, to assign a static IP address to the network interface of your computer, click the icon Net right-click and in the context menu that appears, select Properties. In the window that opens Network connections Network connections(Fig. 5), which displays all network adapters installed on the computer.

Rice. 5. Network connections window with a list of network adapters

Having selected in this window the network adapter (if there are several of them) with which the computer is connected to the LAN port of the router, right-click on it and select the item in the context menu that opens Properties(Fig. 6).

Rice. 6. Select the network adapter connected to the router,
and right-click on it

In the properties window of the selected network adapter that opens (Fig. 7), on the tab Net you need to highlight the item Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and press the button Properties. Next, a window will open allowing you to set the computer’s IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway IP address. Check the box in this window Use the following IP address: and enter the IP address, subnet mask and gateway IP address in the appropriate text fields (Fig. 8).

Rice. 7. Network adapter properties window

Rice. 8. Setting a static IP address, subnet mask
and gateway IP addresses

After the computer’s network interface has been configured, in the window Shared Network Center You can make additional settings for the newly created local network. Initially, this network is given the name default (Private network) - fig. 9.

Rice. 9. Displaying the properties of the newly created local network

If you select a link Settings opposite the local network name, then in the window Setting up network location(Fig. 10) you can specify the name of the created network connection (for example, home network), select the icon for this connection and the network location type ( Public or Private). In the case of a home network, it is better to set the placement type Private, because this will allow your computer to discover other computers and devices on the local network and make it possible for them to discover your computer.

Rice. 10. Setting the properties of the created network connection

After the network properties have been set, in the window Shared Network Center you can view the full network map by clicking on the link View full map. Since in our case there is only one computer connected to the router (gateway), and the Internet connection has not yet been configured, the network map will look as shown in Fig. 11. If you move your mouse pointer over the computer or gateway icon on this map, a tooltip will display the IP and MAC addresses of the network adapter or LAN port of the router, respectively.

Rice. 11. Diagram of the created network

Once the connection between your computer and the router’s LAN port has been configured, you can access its settings. This is done in the same way as in the case of the Microsoft Windows XP SP2 operating system: the IP address of the access point (192.168.1.1) is entered in the address field of the web browser.

Configuring the LAN interface and built-in DHCP server

The first thing we recommend doing after gaining access to the router settings is to configure its LAN interface. It is considered good practice when, when a new computer is connected to the router (either via a wired or wireless interface), its network interface is configured automatically. To do this, you need to configure the DHCP server built into the router and set the default gateway IP address used for connected PCs.

In addition, when configuring the LAN interface, you can change the default IP address and subnet mask of the router's LAN port. However, it only makes sense to change these router settings when there are compelling reasons for doing so. In most cases, changing the IP address and subnet mask of the router's LAN port is not required, which means that setting up the LAN interface consists only of setting up a DHCP server and setting (if it is not set automatically) the IP address and subnet mask of the default gateway, which will be used for computers connected to the router.

The router's LAN interface is configured in the IP config section. Its name may be different, so you just need to find the section in which the network interfaces (WAN and LAN) of the router are configured. As a rule, in the same section there is a subsection that allows you to configure DHCP server settings (in our example it is called DHCP Server).

The DHCP server is configured in the following sequence:

• Allow the use of a DHCP server for computers connected to the router.
• Specify a pool of IP addresses reserved for allocation.
• Set the time interval during which the dynamic IP address allocated to the computer does not change.
• Specify the default gateway IP address that computers connecting to the router will use.
• Assign IP addresses to DNS and WINS servers.

Different router models may have different ranges of IP addresses reserved for the DHCP server. But don’t think that the bigger it is, the better. It's unlikely that you'll ever need to connect more than ten computers to your router at home, so for home routers, the range of IP addresses reserved for the DHCP server is completely uncritical. In any case, it includes more than 30 addresses, which is quite enough. If we are talking about using a router in an office, then it is desirable that this range be 253 IP addresses (there are no more within the same subnet, since one IP address is reserved by the router itself). For example, these could be addresses from 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.254. Naturally, all IP addresses reserved for the DHCP server will belong to the same subnet as the router’s LAN port. Moreover, if you change the IP address of the router’s LAN port, the pool of IP addresses reserved for allocation will also change - thus, both the IP address of the router’s LAN port and all reserved addresses will always belong to the same subnet.

Using a DHCP server on a router does not mean that you cannot set static addresses on computers connected to the router and configure the network interface manually. It’s just that in this case, the address assigned to the network interface of the computer connected to the router will not be used by the DHCP server for dynamic allocation.

After allowing the use of a DHCP server on the router (usually this option is activated by default), all that remains is to register the IP address of the Default Gateway, which must be the IP address of the router’s LAN port (in our example - 192.168.1.1 ). There is no point in changing other settings.

An example of setting up a DHCP server is shown in Fig. 12 (ASUS WL-566gM wireless router is used as an example). After making all changes, you must reboot the router (otherwise the changes will not take effect). To do this, different router models use different buttons - for example Finish or Apply and Restart, etc.

Rice. 12. Setting up a DHCP server in the ASUS WL-566gM router

After setting up the LAN interface and DHCP server in the router, you can return to the settings of the network interface of the computer connected to the router.

In the network adapter properties window, which allows you to set the computer's IP address, subnet mask and default gateway IP address, check the box Obtain an IP address automatically(Fig. 13). This example uses the Windows Vista operating system. For the Windows XP SP2 operating system, the settings are made in the same way.

Rice. 13. Configuring the network adapter to automatic
obtaining an IP address from the router's DHCP server
(when using Windows Vista OS)

When the changes take effect, the computer will briefly lose connection with the router, but then it will be restored and the router settings will become available again.

Naturally, the question arises: why did we spend so much time setting up a DHCP server on the router if we already had access to the router’s settings? The fact is that in order to gain access to the router we had to configure the network interface of the connected computer. If there is only one computer, then you don’t have to configure a DHCP server, but if there are two or more computers, then to combine them into a local network based on a router, you will have to perform a similar setup of the network interfaces of all computers and not get confused in the IP addresses, so that Do not assign the same network address to several computers. It is much easier to configure a DHCP server on the router once, and activate the function of automatically obtaining an IP address on all computers connected to it (it is activated by default). Then all computers connected to the router will be automatically assigned IP addresses. In addition, if in the future you have to reinstall the operating system on any computer, you will not need to remember all the network controller settings, since they will be made automatically when you connect to the router.

In conclusion, we note that the DHCP server function applies to computers connected to LAN ports not only via network cables, but also via a wireless interface, that is, through the wireless access point integrated into the router.

Setting up the WAN interface

At the next stage of setting up the router, you need to configure the WAN interface, which will provide Internet access. There are quite a few options for setting up a WAN interface, and in each specific case it is determined by the type of connection used by the Internet provider. Let's look at all the popular connection types used by providers.

In Moscow, there are more than 300 home network providers involved in connecting end users to the Internet. Sometimes up to ten providers can provide Internet connection services in one home. Unfortunately, on the websites of home network providers the settings they use are not indicated. Therefore, when choosing a provider (if there are several of them in your area), you should call the technical support service and find out about all the nuances of connection.

In general, choosing a provider is by no means a trivial task. In this case, it is necessary to take into account not only tariffs, but also factors such as the quality of the communication channel, type of communication, availability of home network resources and much more. For example, in Moscow there are still home network providers whose contracts stipulate that the user is prohibited from using a router to connect several home computers to the Internet. So what, you say, how will he find out? Elementary! The fact is that any router is also a NAT device, therefore, by analyzing network packets (and the structure of packets sent by a NAT device differs from packets sent by a regular network controller), the provider can easily determine whether you are using a router or not. As a rule, on the websites of such providers you can find prices for connecting a second computer to the Internet. What can I say? It is better not to deal with such providers at all.

Another circumstance that must be taken into account when choosing a provider is providing access to home network resources. It is produced free of charge (which is important if you do not have an unlimited tariff) and at the full speed of the network interface (100 Mbit/s). Home networks contain collections of films and music, game servers and servers with various software, file-sharing networks between users of the home network. In addition, many home networks are pooling their local resources, providing users with even greater capabilities. Therefore, you should under no circumstances neglect such an opportunity as using local resources of your home network.

I would also like to draw the attention of readers to the fact that some unscrupulous providers are engaged in banal deception of users. For example, instead of the promised bandwidth of 4 Mbit/s, they can actually limit traffic to 2 Mbit/s. Often the promised bandwidth is realized only in one direction - from the provider to the user, and traffic in the opposite direction is cut.

However, there are many more examples of how providers scam users. Fortunately, there are many forums where all this is discussed. However, let's return to the main topic of our article.

So, if we talk about the main types of connection, we can note the following:

• allocation of a dynamic IP address;
• allocation of a static IP address (usually bound by MAC address);
• Internet connection using the PPPoE protocol;
• connecting to the Internet using the PPTP protocol;
• Internet connection via L2TP protocol.

Let's look at each connection type in more detail.

Dynamic IP address allocation

From the user's point of view, the simplest way to connect to the Internet when using one computer is to allocate the user a dynamic IP address. However, if you have a router, the connection procedure becomes somewhat more complicated.

When just one computer connects to the Internet without using a router, there is actually no need to configure the computer's network interface, since with the default network controller settings, the computer immediately has access to the Internet. Let us recall that by default the network interface is configured to automatically obtain an IP address, subnet mask, gateway IP address, and DNS and WINS server IP addresses. In this case, the router WAN port is configured automatically using the provider's DHCP server. However, in some cases you may need to manually set the IP addresses of the DNS server and gateway (although this is rare).

If you use a router to connect to the Internet, its WAN port is configured in exactly the same way as the network controller of a computer connected to the Internet without using a router. That is, in the settings of the router’s WAN interface, you must specify the Dynamic IP connection method (all routers support this type of connection). The problem, however, is that most routers, unlike PC network controllers, cannot automatically obtain the IP addresses of the default gateway and DNS servers (primary and secondary). Therefore, these addresses will most likely have to be entered manually. An example of such a setting in the Gigabyte GN-B49G router is shown in Fig. 14.

Rice. 14. Configuring the router’s WAN interface when using the connection type
with dynamic IP address allocation

Naturally, the question arises: where to get these same IP addresses of the gateway and DNS servers? Indeed, in the case of dynamic settings, providers focus on connecting to the Internet using just one computer, which is able to receive all the settings automatically. But most routers cannot automatically receive settings. In order to find out the IP addresses of the default gateway and DNS servers, you must first set up an Internet connection for one PC (without using a router). Next you need to run the console command ipconfig/all. To do this, launch the command console on your computer (in the window Execute(Run) type cmd) and type ipconfig /all. This command will display a list of all network controllers installed on the computer (if there are several of them) with their settings (network addresses) and MAC addresses (Fig. 15). In the same window you can find out the IP addresses of the Default Gateway and DNS server. All that remains is to write down these addresses so that you can use them later when configuring the router.

Rice. 15. Finding out the network settings of the controller

Once all the necessary IP addresses are registered in the router, all computers connected to the router via LAN ports and wireless interface will have access to the Internet. Moreover, the Internet connection is activated immediately after turning on the computer (as long as the router is turned on). Please note that if your provider, in addition to Internet access, provides a connection to home network resources, then no problems arise with simultaneous use of both the Internet and home network resources (we will discuss such problems further).

Another problem with using a dynamic IP address is that very often this type of connection is combined with MAC address binding. A MAC address is a unique identifier for a network device. No two MAC addresses are the same - no matter what type of network equipment you are talking about. Binding by MAC address means that the provider controls the MAC addresses of the network controllers of the computers from which they access the Internet, that is, a MAC address filter is configured on the provider’s side. If, for example, the connection to the Internet was initially set up on one computer and a binding was made by MAC address, then an attempt to access the Internet from another computer (for example, you bought a new PC) will no longer be successful. The problem, of course, can be solved, but to do this you need to tell the provider the MAC address of the new computer.

If several computers are connected to the Internet using a router, the binding must be made to the MAC address of the router's WAN port. In principle, you can call your provider and ask them to enter a new MAC address, but you can do it easier. Almost all modern routers have such a function as MAC address spoofing. That is, any MAC address can be assigned to the WAN port. If the router is installed after you have set up an Internet connection using one computer, then it is enough to assign the WAN port of the router the MAC address of the network controller that was used in the computer to set up the Internet connection.

The MAC address of the network controller can be found in the same window where the IP addresses of the default gateway and DNS server are indicated (see Figure 15).

Having opened the router's web interface, you need to assign a new MAC address to the WAN port. Note that this function can be implemented in the router not in the settings section (IP config) of the LAN and WAN interfaces of the router, but in some other one. For example, in Gigabyte wireless routers this function is located in the Change WAN MAC section (Fig. 16).

Rice. 16. Changing the MAC address of the router WAN port using the example of a router
Gigabyte GN-B49G

One last issue to mention about connecting to the Internet using a dynamic IP address is that your ISP's default gateway and DNS server IP addresses may change from time to time. Therefore, if your Internet suddenly disappears, do not rush to call technical support. It is quite possible that you just need to change the gateway and DNS server IP addresses on your router. Of course, periodically reconfiguring the router is an extremely unpleasant task, but what to do - in some cases this is the only possible way. The good news is that the IP addresses of the provider’s gateway and DNS server change quite rarely. In addition, some router models, like the PC network controller, are capable of automatically obtaining the IP addresses of the default gateway and DNS servers.

Allocation of a static IP address

The connection method with the allocation of a static IP address (Static IP), from the user's point of view, is also very simple, although the number of settings that will have to be made is slightly greater than in the case of a dynamic IP address. Actually, there is no difference between these connection methods, except that in the first case, the provider’s DHCP server is used to configure the network interface and the configuration occurs automatically, and in the second, all settings must be entered manually.

Having selected a connection type with a static IP address in the settings of the router's WAN interface, you must specify the IP address of the WAN port, the subnet mask, the IP addresses of the gateway and the primary and secondary DNS servers. All this data is provided by the provider when you connect to the Internet. An example of such a setup on the Gigabyte GN-B49G router is shown in Fig. 17.

Rice. 17. Configuring the router’s WAN interface when using the connection type
with allocation of a static IP address

Almost always, when using a connection type with a static IP address, MAC address binding is used. We have already described what additional settings need to be made in the router in this case. It only remains to note that when using this type of connection, the user does not have problems with simultaneous use of both the Internet and local resources of the home network.

Connecting to the Internet using the PPPoE protocol

PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) is also quite often used by home network providers. It is supported by all routers, which means there is no problem of router incompatibility with the connection type.

The use of a connection via the PPPoE protocol opens up wide opportunities for providers to account for user access to the network. Thanks to this technology, the provider can easily restrict users' access to the Internet and keep track of their traffic. PPPoE technology runs a PPP session over an Ethernet network.

At the same time, user authentication using the PAP and CHAP protocols, dynamic allocation of IP addresses to users, assignment of gateway and DNS server addresses, etc. are supported.

The operating principle of PPPoE is based on establishing a point-to-point connection over a common Ethernet medium. The process of functioning of PPPoE is divided into two stages: first, devices communicate their addresses to each other and establish an initial connection, and then a PPP session is launched.

All clients are allocated private addresses and are asked to log in via PPPoE.

From the user's point of view, setting up a connection using the PPPoE protocol cannot be called simple. Even if you set up an Internet connection on just one computer (without using a router), you will have to open many dialog boxes. In principle, the process of setting up an Internet connection on a computer using the PPPoE protocol is similar to the process of setting up an Internet connection using an analog modem.

In addition, the PPPoE protocol has another inconvenience for the user. The fact is that in order to simultaneously access the Internet and access the local home network, it is necessary to make additional (and by no means trivial for novice users) settings. That is, with a normal Internet connection setup, simultaneous access to the Internet and home network resources is impossible. However, we will talk about these subtleties later, but for now let’s look at setting up an Internet connection using the PPPoE protocol when using one computer (without a router).

Setting up a PPPoE connection using one computer

The sequence of settings and the appearance of the dialog boxes depend on the operating system used, so we will consider two options for setting up the connection - for Microsoft Windows XP SP2 (English version) and Microsoft Windows Vista (Russian version).

For Microsoft Windows XP SP2 operating system

When using the Microsoft Windows XP SP2 operating system, to create a new network connection, you must run New Connection Wizard Start > Programs > Accessories > Communications > New Connection Wizard(Fig. 18).

Rice. 18. Launching the Network Connection Wizard

New Connection Wizard(New Connection Wizard) click on the button Next and move on to the section New Connection Type(Network connection type). In this window, check the box Connect to the Internet(Connect to the Internet) - fig. 19.

Rice. 19. Setting the network connection type

Getting Ready(Preparations in progress) select the method for creating a network connection. Here it is necessary to note the point Set up my connection manually(Establish connection manually) - fig. 20.

Rice. 20. Setting the network connection setup method

Next we move on to the section Internet Connection(Internet connection) - fig. 21, in which you set the type of equipment for connecting to the Internet, and select the item Connect using a broadband connection that requires a user name and password(Via a broadband connection that requires a username and password).

Rice. 21. Selecting the type of equipment for the Internet connection

In the next section called Connection Name(Connection name) You must specify the connection name (ISP Name). In principle, this name can be anything, for example, the connection can be called Internet (Fig. 22).

Rice. 22. Setting a name for the Internet connection

Further in the section Internet Account Information(Online Account Details) you need to enter the details received from your provider, that is, User Name and Password. To avoid errors, the password is entered twice: in the Password(Password) and in the field Confirm Password(Confirmation) - fig. 23. If you are the sole owner of the computer, that is, if there are no other users with other profiles, or you want this Internet connection to be available to all users of this computer, then you can check the box Use this account name and password when anyone connects to the Internet from this computer(Use the following username and password when connecting any user). If there is only one Internet connection on the computer (which is most likely), then we also check the box Make this the default Internet connection(Make this connection your default Internet connection).

Rice. 23. Setting a username and password

At the final stage of creating an Internet connection, you can check the item (Add a connection shortcut to the desktop) - fig. 24.

Rice. 24. Adding an icon for the created Internet connection to the desktop

Once you have completed creating a new connection using New Connection Wizards you need to configure it further so that you can use it to access the Internet. To do this, left-click on the icon of the created connection and in the Internet connection window that opens, enter the user name and password again (Fig. 25). In order not to repeat this procedure every time you access the Internet, check the box (Save username and password) and check the box Anyone who use this computer(For any user).

Rice. 25. Setting up an Internet connection

Operating system Microsoft Windows Vista

If you are using the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system, to create an Internet connection using the PPPoE protocol, click the Net right-click and in the context menu that opens, select Properties. In the window that appears Shared Network Center Select the link on the left side by clicking on it with the left mouse button. After this a window should open Connect to the network(Fig. 26), in which you need to select the item Internet connection.

Rice. 26. Launching the Internet Connection Wizard

At the next stage, select the type of Internet connection - High speed with PPPoE(Fig. 27) and in the next window enter the username and password received from the provider (Fig. 28). All you have to do is press the button To plug, after which an attempt will be made to connect to the Internet. Actually, this completes the creation of a new Internet connection.

Rice. 27. Selecting the type of Internet connection

Rice. 28. Setting a username and password

Next in the window Shared Network Center select the link on the left side Connect to the network by clicking on it with the left mouse button. After this a window should open Connect to the network, which displays the created Internet connection. Having selected the created Internet connection in this window, right-click on it and select the item in the context menu that opens Properties(Fig. 29).

Rice. 29. Go to the Properties window for the created Internet connection

On various window tabs Properties Once the Internet connection has been created, you can check whether the settings are correct.

As we have already noted, from the user’s point of view, the main problem with a connection using the PPPoE protocol, in addition to the complex setup, is that the created Internet connection does not provide simultaneous access to both the Internet and the resources of the local home network. To access local network resources, another network connection is created. The process of creating it is quite simple and is no different from connecting with a dynamically allocated IP address using the provider’s DHCP server (how such a connection is configured has already been described in the corresponding section). As a result, the user has two connections: to the Internet and to local network resources, but they cannot be used simultaneously, that is, you can access either the Internet or the provider’s home network. Of course, this is inconvenient, especially when multiple devices are connected to the Internet. This problem can be solved by using one Internet connection for simultaneous access to both the Internet and local home network resources. To do this, you need to create a so-called static routing table.

Before you begin creating a static routing table, you need to find out the default gateway IP address that is used when connecting to the Internet. To do this, run the ipconfig command in the Shell, after which a list of all connections with their settings will be displayed. After choosing to connect to local resources, note down the IP address of the Default gateway.

The command syntax is as follows:

ROUTE –p ADD ,

Where destination- IP address of the host (server) in the provider’s local home network; netmask- network mask for the host IP address in the provider’s local home network; gateway- Default gateway IP address.

Thanks to the key –p, the routes will be remembered and restored after the computer is restarted. However, if you make a mistake, you risk disrupting your connection to both the Internet and the local network. If this happens, enter the reset routes command route –f and restart your computer. After rebooting, you can try executing the ROUTE command again.

The specific IP addresses of the provider's local network servers can be found from the provider itself, for example, on its website.

As an example, we will give commands for adding static routes used in the Konkovo.Net network:

• ROUTE –p ADD 192.168.0.0 MASK 255.255.0.0 addressgateway> ;
• ROUTE –p ADD 10.0.0.0 MASK 255.0.0.0 addressgateway> .

To check the added routing table, enter the ROUTE PRINT command (Fig. 30).

Rice. 30. Checking the static routing table

After creating such a table and restarting the computer, both Internet resources and local resources of the home network become available at the same time.

Setting up a PPPoE connection using a router

If Internet access via the PPPoE protocol needs to be organized for several home computers using a router, then you will need a router that supports the PPPoE protocol. However, you don’t have to worry about this: all modern routers support this protocol, so there won’t be any problems.

After gaining access to the router settings, in the WAN interface settings section, select the PPPoE connection type and enter the username and password received from your provider. Actually, this is where the process of setting up the router ends. Next, all computers connected to the router via LAN ports will be able to use the Internet connection.

However, the problem of simultaneous use of the Internet and local resources of the home network with this connection method remains. The fact is that most ordinary routers are designed to route IP packets from the user's home network to the Internet and back. That is, it is assumed that the router can simultaneously have two interfaces and route packets between two networks. If you need simultaneous access to both the Internet and the provider's home network, it is necessary that packets be routed between three networks: the user's home network, the provider's local network and the Internet. However, not every router is capable of this.

In the most general case, a regular router, when establishing a PPPoE connection, stops routing packets between the user's home network (LAN) and the home network of the Internet provider. This happens because after establishing a PPPoE connection, the router has a PPP interface, which is designed to route home network packets to the Internet. The router changes the default route, which routes all requests from the home network to the ISP's home network, to a route that routes all requests from the home network to the Internet. Therefore, when using a PPPoE connection to implement simultaneous access to both the Internet and local resources of the provider, it is necessary that the router be able to support the simultaneous operation of two connections on the WAN interface.

In addition, Internet providers very often use segmented networks, where different servers are located in different subnets. To have access to all of the ISP's resources, the router must also allow the creation of static routing tables. Therefore, if your provider uses the PPPoE connection type and you want to connect several home computers to the Internet, but in such a way that the resources of the provider’s segmented home network remain available, then you need a router that, firstly, supports the simultaneous operation of two connections on WAN interface, and secondly, allows you to register a static routing table.

Creating a routing table on a router is even easier than on a computer. The only thing worth noting is that different router models allow you to create routing tables with different numbers of entries. However, there is no need to worry about this, since it is unlikely that you will need to add more than a dozen entries to this table, and all routing tables are designed for at least 20 entries.

An example of a routing table created on the ASUS WL-500W router is shown in Fig. 31.

Rice. 31. Example of a static routing table created on a router
ASUS WL-500W

Connecting to the Internet using the PPTP/L2TP protocol

The PPTP and L2TP protocols are a type of VPN protocol. PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) is a point-to-point tunneling protocol that allows a computer to establish a secure connection with a server by creating a special tunnel in a standard local network connection. PPTP constructs PPP frames into IP datagrams for transmission over a global IP network such as the Internet. PPTP uses TCP communications for tunneling services.

The L2TP protocol (Layer Two Tunneling Protocol) is also a tunnel protocol that has approximately the same capabilities as the PPTP protocol.

Connecting via the PPTP protocol is the most common method of authorization from providers for Internet access for users connected via a dedicated Ethernet line.

The PPTP protocol, unlike PPPoE, allows Internet providers to build segmented home networks and at the same time use a centralized node for user authorization and Internet access.

However, with a large number of subscribers, one PPTP server for authorization and Internet access may not be able to cope with the load. Therefore, sometimes providers install a whole farm of PPTP servers. To ensure equal load distribution across all PPTP servers, load balancing is used using DNS. This method relies on the DNS server periodically querying each PPTP server to determine the current load. The DNS server then responds to the host address query by returning the IP address of the least loaded PPTP server.

From the users' point of view, the process of setting up a computer to connect to the Internet using the PPTP and L2TP protocols is not much different from setting up a connection using the PPPoE protocol. The problem of simultaneous access to the Internet and local resources of the provider’s home network is solved in a similar way.

Next, we will look at setting up an Internet connection using the PPTP and L2TP protocols on one computer (without a router) running Windows XP SP2 (English version) and Windows Vista (Russian version), as well as setting up a router. Note that the procedure for creating a connection using the PPTP protocol is no different from the procedure for creating a connection using the L2TP protocol, and therefore we will limit ourselves to considering only the PPTP protocol.

Setting up an Internet connection on a PC running Microsoft Windows XP SP2

When connecting to the Internet via PPTP or L2TP on a PC running Microsoft Windows XP SP2, the first steps to create are the same as when connecting to the Internet via PPPoE. To create a new connection, run New Connection Wizard by running the following commands: Start > Programs > Accessories > Communications > New Connection Wizard.

In the dialog box that opens New Connection Wizard(New Connection Wizard) go to the section New Connection Type(Network connection type) and check the box Connect to the Network at my workplace(Connect to the network at your workplace) - fig. 32.

Rice. 32. Setting the network connection type

In the next section called Network Connection(Network connection) select how to connect to the network and check the box Virtual Private Network connection(Connecting to a virtual private network) - fig. 33.

Rice. 33. Setting the network connection method

Rice. 34. Setting a name for the Internet connection

In chapter Public Network(Public network) checkbox must be checked Do not dial the initial connection(Do not dial the number to pre-connect) - fig. 35.

Rice. 35. Installation of connection details

Then in the section VPN Server Selection(Select VPN Server) you must specify the name or IP address of the VPN server to which you are connecting. This data must be obtained from the provider (Fig. 36).

Rice. 36. Setting the name (IP address) of the VPN server

This completes the procedure for creating an Internet connection. You can check the box Add shortcut to this connection to my desktop(Add a connection shortcut to your desktop).

After creating a new connection using New Connection Wizards left-click on the icon of the created connection and in the Internet connection window that opens, enter the username and password received from the provider (Fig. 37). To avoid repeating this procedure every time you access the Internet, check the box Save this user name and password for the following users:(Save username and password).

Rice. 37. Setting a username and password

Setting up an Internet connection for a PC running Microsoft Windows Vista

If you are using the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system to create an Internet connection using the PPTP protocol, open the window Shared Network Center and select the link on the left side Establishing a connection or network by clicking on it with the left mouse button. After this a window should open Connect to the network, in which you need to select the item Connection to the workplace(Fig. 38).

Rice. 38. Launching the Internet Connection Wizard

At the next stage, select the item Use my Internet connection (VPN)(Fig. 39) and further (in the next window) - item Postpone Internet connection setup(Fig. 40).

Rice. 39. VPN connection setup step

Rice. 40. In this section you need to select the item Postpone connection setup
to the Internet

In the next window in the field Internet address you need to enter the VPN server address received from the provider (for example, vpn.corbina.ru), and in the field Destination name- connection name (Fig. 41).

Rice. 41. Setting the VPN server address

In the next window, enter the username and password that you need to obtain from your provider (Fig. 42).

Rice. 42. Setting a username and password

Then in the window The connection is ready to use press the button Close. This completes the process of creating a new connection.

If now in the window Network and Sharing Center select link Connect to the network, then in the window that opens there will be a shortcut to the created VPN connection (Fig. 43). By right-clicking on it and selecting the item in the context menu Properties, you can check all the settings of the created connection and, if necessary, adjust them.

Rice. 43. Displaying a shortcut for the created connection in the window
Connect to the network

If you double-click on the created connection shortcut with the left mouse button, the connection process will start.

After a successful connection, a window will appear asking you to select the user’s location (private, work, public). It is recommended to select a placement type Public. This will limit detection of computers and devices on your home network.

Solving the problem of simultaneous connection to the Internet and local home network resources

As we have already noted, from the user’s point of view, the main problem of connecting via the PPTP/L2TP protocol is that the created Internet connection does not provide simultaneous access to local home network resources. This problem is solved in exactly the same way as in the case of a PPPoE connection - by creating two connections (in this case, it is possible to use either the Internet or resources of the local home network) or a static routing table (in this case, the Internet connection can be used simultaneously for access to local home network resources). We have already described how a static routing table is created, and, naturally, the procedure for creating it does not depend at all on the type of connection.

As an example, here are the commands for adding static routes used in the Corbina telecom network, where a PPTP or L2TP connection is used.

Common to all:

route -p add 85.21.29.242 mask 255.255.255.255

The local network:

route -p add 10.0.0.0 mask 255.0.0.0

Statistics server:

route -p add 195.14.50.26 mask 255.255.255.255

Mail server:

route -p add 195.14.50.16 mask 255.255.255.255

Local resources:

route -p add 85.21.79.0 mask 255.255.255.0

route -p add 85.21.90.0 mask 255.255.255.0

Game servers:

route -p add 83.102.231.32 mask 255.255.255.240

route -p add 85.21.108.16 mask 255.255.255.240

route -p add 85.21.138.208 mask 255.255.255.240

route -p add 85.21.52.254 mask 255.255.255.255

route -p add 85.21.88.130 mask 255.255.255.255

route -p add 83.102.146.96 mask 255.255.255.224

Setting up an Internet connection via PPTP or L2TP using a router

If you want to access the Internet via PPTP or L2TP using a router, you will need a router that supports these VPN protocols. Note that not all routers support them, and support for the L2TP protocol is generally very rare.

The process of setting up a router to create a connection using the PPTP or L2TP protocol is very simple: in the WAN interface settings section, select the connection type: PPTP (L2TP) - and enter the username and password received from the provider. After this, all computers connected to the router via LAN ports will be able to use the Internet connection.

If you need access not only to the Internet, but also to the resources of the provider’s local network, then not just any router that supports the PPTP or L2TP protocol will do. As in the case of a PPPoE connection, you need a router that supports the simultaneous operation of two connections on the WAN interface and allows you to register a static routing table (how to do this has already been described in the corresponding section).

As we have already noted, with a large number of subscribers, providers can use an entire farm of PPTP servers, and to ensure uniform load distribution across all PPTP servers, server load balancing is used using a DNS server.

For proper operation of a subscriber router in such a network, in addition to the ability to specify a PPTP server with a domain name, it must provide the ability to change the known IP address of the PPTP server each time a connection is established, regardless of the reason for the termination of the previous PPTP connection. In addition, often the PPTP server may not be located in the user’s segment, but in a remote segment of the provider’s local network, then access to the PPTP server is possible only through the gateway. Therefore, it is not a fact that even if you use a router that supports the PPTP/L2TP protocol and the ability to create a static routing table, everything will work.

conclusions

After a quick tutorial on setting up home routers, it becomes clear that the answer to which router to choose depends on what type of connection your ISP uses. If it uses a connection with a static or dynamic IP address (as a rule, bound by MAC address), then this is the simplest case, from the user’s point of view, and any router will suit you. If you are using a connection via the PPPoE protocol, then you need a router that, firstly, supports this protocol, and secondly, allows you to register static routing tables.

When using a connection via a VPN channel (PPTP or L2TP protocol), you will need a router that, firstly, supports these protocols, secondly, allows you to register static routing tables, and thirdly, provides the ability to specify a PPTP server with a domain name and change the IP address of the PPTP server known to him every time a connection is established, regardless of the reason for the termination of the previous PPTP connection. Of these router models, the following can be noted:

• MSI RG54G3;
• D-Link DWL-2100AP;
• ZyXEL P-330W EE.

This, of course, does not mean that other routers will not work when using this type of connection, however, the listed models are guaranteed to provide simultaneous Internet access and access to home network resources. The best solution on the market today is the ZyXEL P-330W EE router, which compares favorably with other models in its ease of configuration using the specialized ZyXEL NetFriend program.

Many of us are sure that setting up a router for home use is a very difficult task for the average user. Of course, if it is possible to call a specialist from your Internet provider, and possibly for free, then the idea of ​​setting up Wi-Fi can immediately be thrown onto their shoulders. But if the call to a specialist is paid, you can set it up yourself without much difficulty.

So, we got our hands on a router. It doesn’t matter whether it’s brand new from the store or used. Where to start setting up and what exactly we really need for Wi-Fi to work.

What we will need to do:

1. Reset settings to factory defaults if we use a used router. If using a new one, skip this step;
2. Connect the router to a computer, laptop or laptop and, accordingly, to the Internet;
3. Log in to the administrative panel of the router;
4. Enter your provider’s network access data;
5. Block access with an unauthorized password.

Methods for setting up a wi-fi router

1. Auto. Using a special wizard program, which is located on the software disk included with the wireless router. All you need to do is insert the software disc into your computer's optical drive.
2. Manual. Using the router's web interface. The setup is done via a PC browser.

The first method is the easiest: router setup wizard will ask you to enter the necessary data (in the best case, it is enough to select your Internet provider from the list) and the program will configure the wireless connection itself. You will need to refer to your user manual to find out when to turn on the power to your wireless router - before or after running the setup program, as this is important for the setup program to work correctly.

Of course, it may happen that your provider is not on the list offered by the program. In such situations, you have to manually configure the router through its web interface. I will dwell on this procedure in more detail and describe the 3 main steps of setting up the router:

1. setting up a connection between a computer connected to the router’s LAN port and the router itself to gain access to its web interface
2. setting up an Internet connection (WAN port parameter) using data from the provider
3. setting up a wireless network, including setting security parameters (password, choice of encryption method, etc.), as well as physical parameters such as signal strength and selection of wireless channels

This, of course, is not all; you can optionally configure other parameters related to security and additional functions, but the latter depend on the router model.

Static and dynamic IP addresses

Information about what type of IP address you received from your provider is very important when setting up your router. If
your computer, which was previously on a wired connection, had a specific IP address (usually specified in the contract), then your IP address - static.

If nothing is mentioned about IP, and, let’s say, there is only a login and password, then the router will receive
it automatically. So your IP address is dynamic.

How to reset your router

Resetting your router (returning the router settings to factory settings) is necessary when problems arise during setup, you get confused, or something goes wrong. For such cases, there is a special button on the body of the wi-fi router - RESET. At what point to press it and how long to hold it pressed, it is said in the user manual, or focus on the change in the behavior of the indicators on the front side of the router, which will tell you if the reset was successful.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that this is the only way to change a forgotten password on a router.

This completes the theoretical preparation for setting up. Next, I will go into detail about each of the 3 steps.

Setting up a connection with a router on a computer

1. Connect the LAN cables (ports 1-4), if any, that will be used.
2. Connect the provider cable to the router’s “Internet” port (another name is the “WAN” port).
3. Then, connect the router's power supply, plug it into a power outlet.

That is, turning on the power supply is the last thing to do.

Any kit supplied at retail, in addition to the router itself, includes two “devices”: a power supply, and also a power cord (patch cord). During the initial (first) setup, we recommend using the supplied cord. That’s right, you will make sure the router is working.

Before you connect a wifi router at home, the first time you connect it “next to the computer”.

A. If DHCP server is enabled on the router by default, which automatically distributes IP addresses to connected
devices, make sure that automatic acquisition of a network address is enabled on your computer. To do this, follow these steps:

2. In the local network connection status window, click on “Properties”.

3. After that, in the next window, select “Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and click on the “Properties” button.

4. In the “Properties: Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” window on the “General” tab, the switches should
be in the “Obtain an IP address automatically” and “Obtain a DNS server automatically” position. If this is not the case, set them to the desired position and close all windows by clicking “OK”.

B. If The router is assigned a static IP address by default, follow these steps.

1. Find the default IP address in the router's user manual (often it is indicated on a sticker located on the bottom of the device). Repeat steps 1-3 above.

2. In the “Properties: Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” window, on the “General” tab, set the radio buttons to “Use the following IP address” and “Use the following DNS servers”. If this is not the case, set them to the desired position and close all windows by clicking “OK”.

3. In the “IP address:” field, enter the IP address, the last number (after the dot) of which is greater than the corresponding number in the router’s IP address. For example, if the default address for your router is 192.168.1.1, you can enter 192.168.1.2.

4. In the “Subnet mask:” field, enter the value 255.255.255.0, and in the “Default gateway:” and “Preferred DNS server:” fields - the IP address of the wi-fi router.

Close all windows by clicking the “OK” button. Now everything is ready to configure the router.

Setting up a router using the wizard

There is nothing tricky about this procedure. Insert the software CD that came with your Wi-Fi router. Run the installation wizard, accepting the license agreement when prompted.

Click next until you are asked for wireless connection information. Enter the SSID of the wireless network (the name of your network that will be displayed when searching) and password in the appropriate fields, or leave the suggested ones, they can be changed later.

The wi-fi router will automatically determine your Internet connection settings. If your connection type uses a login and password, then you can enter them later, in the web interface, and in any other case you can use it if the Internet does not appear after automatic setup. Just don’t forget to write down the Login and password to access the router’s web interface (if the router generates them itself, in the installation wizard window).

At the very end of setting up the router, you will automatically go to its web interface to manually configure your Internet connection.

Attention!

If you did everything according to the instructions of the installation wizard and did not receive any error messages, but, unfortunately,
We have not received any connection to the Internet, there are 2 possible solutions to the problem:

1. As I wrote above, you need to enter additional connection settings in the web interface.
2. It is possible that the provider allows access to its network only to devices with a specific MAC address - an individual device number. It works as follows: the provider’s equipment remembers the MAC address of the client device when it first connects to the network and subsequently allows access only to it. This information may not be included in the connection setup information. To eliminate this problem, routers have a special function for cloning and manually entering the MAC address, which I will talk about a little later.

Setting up a router manually (using the example of an Asus router)

If you cannot set up a connection using the wizard or you need to configure any parameters that are not provided in the router installation wizard, you can make the settings manually through the web interface.
Open any browser and type the router's IP address in the address bar:

Enter your name and password in the appropriate fields in the window that appears (their default values ​​are indicated in the router user manual) to access the web interface. Please note that after setting up your connection, it is recommended to change your username and password for security reasons.

Some manufacturers use 192.168.1.2 or 192.168.0.1 to log into the panel

In the LAN section of the router interface, select the “DHCP Server” tab and check the “Enable DHCP Server” - “Yes” box. This will enable the router to automatically distribute IP to devices connecting to it.

In the WAN section in the “Internet connection” tab, select the type of Internet connection.
Which type of Internet connection should you choose, look in the documents issued to you by your provider or use the article: “How to determine the type of Internet connection.”

The most common Internet connection options

1. With dynamic IP (Auto IP or DHCP)
2. With a static IP address (Manual configuration of the WAN IP address setting field, mask, gateway...)

We will consider the 2nd option, with a static IP address. As soon as you select it, the fields for entering static connection parameters will become active - “Setting up the WAN IP address”, which must be filled in according to the data received from the Internet provider.

Click “No” and fill out all the fields one by one.

It is worth noting that in this case the IP address and other network parameters are fixed, they should be entered exactly as specified by the provider.
If you select the option with a dynamic IP address, or PPPoE or L2TP, then the setup is simplified and the router will receive all connection parameters from the provider automatically. Only for the last two connection types you need to specify the name and password provided by the provider (or in rare cases, the “Service Name”).

Complete the settings by clicking the "Apply" or "Save" button.

In some cases, the provider binds the user to the MAC address (physical address) of his computer so that no one else can connect instead of him. In this case, attempting to access the Internet using the router will become impossible.

To avoid this, the MAC address of the router's external interface should be changed so that it matches the MAC address that your ISP assigned you to (usually the address of your computer's network interface).

This operation is called MAC address cloning, although this function in the router’s web interface does not always have the same name.
To clone the MAC address of your computer, which was connected by cable to the Internet before installing the router, enter it in the MAC field of the “Special requirements of the Internet service provider” section in the WAN section, Internet connection tab.

Save the settings by clicking the "Apply" button.

How to find out the MAC address of a computer

To find out the MAC address of your computer and enter it when setting up an Internet connection on the router,
do the following:

1. Click on the computer icon in the task tray (tray), click “Network and Sharing Center”

and in the window that opens, select “Local Area Connection”.

2. Click on the "Details" button to see the MAC address.

The MAC address will be located in the Physical Address field.

Configure Wi-Fi settings manually

If you did everything correctly and specified the correct connection parameters, then after rebooting the router you will have access to the Internet from the computer on which you made the settings. Open your browser and type
address of any website, for example MediaPure.Ru. The site page has opened, so you can start
to setting up a wireless network (wi-fi).

In the router web interface menu, select the “Wireless” section, “General” tab.

Please note that some routers support wireless networks in two bands at once (5 GHz and 2.4 GHz). Set up your wireless network in the more popular 2.4 GHz band.

Specify the wireless network operating mode. The best option is a universal setup that ensures compatibility with both new and old versions of the Wi-Fi standard. It is called “Mixed” or “Auto” (automatic mode).

Enter the network SSID (Network name that will be displayed when scanning) in the field of the same name. Select a security option in the “Authentication method” field, I recommend WPA2-Personal, read why in the Wi-Fi section. Enter the password (or key) in the WPA Pre-Shared Key field. This key and network name (SSID) will be required to set up access on your wireless devices, so it is recommended that you save them to a file or write them down somewhere safe.

It is recommended to hide the SSID so that your home wireless network was not visible from the outside, but you will still be able to connect to it, since you already know the SSID. To save the settings, click on the “Apply” or “Save” button. By the way, a wireless network in the 5 GHz band is configured in the same way.

For fans of video instructions

Attention! Be careful when updating your router firmware. The need for it is determined by incorrect operation of the router and communication problems. Carefully read the section of the user manual about updating the router software and strictly follow the recommendations. Updating the router firmware is a last resort; you should not resort to it unless absolutely necessary, since there is no such need during the initial setup of a wireless network.

Materials from https://mediapure.ru/ were used to create this article

A router is a convenient solution for building a local and wireless network, allowing you to simultaneously access the Internet from several devices. However, to configure the router, you first need to install it correctly and go to the web interface, where the basic parameters of the equipment are indicated.

Connecting equipment

Before you go into the router settings, you need to install the equipment correctly. You will need:

• Router.
• Network cable.
• Network card on a computer.

Any user can handle installing a router - the main thing is to carefully inspect the ports and figure out what they are needed for. Explanatory inscriptions and different colors of connectors will help with this.

1. The cable that the provider brought into the room is inserted into the WAN/Line/Internet port (usually it is blue).
2. A network cable, which comes with the router, is installed in one of the LAN ports (mostly yellow). The second end of the patch cord is connected to the computer's network card.
3. The power cable is installed in the appropriate connector.

Once all the wires are in place, press the power button. If everything is done correctly, several indicators on the router will light up: power, network connection and connection to the computer.

Setting up a router in the system

To open the router interface, you need to configure a network connection. Usually the necessary parameters are set automatically, but it would be a good idea to check that they are correct.

These are standard settings that allow the router to independently assign an address to the connected device (computer in this case) using a DHCP server.

Login to the interface

After connecting and configuring the equipment, you can proceed to resolving the issue of how to log into the router. On almost all routers, the interface address, login and password are indicated on a label located on the bottom of the device.

If there is no sticker, then you can see the address for displaying the router’s web interface in the browser using software tools:

1. Open Network and Sharing Center.
2. Proceed to change adapter settings.
3. Double-click the Local Area Connection icon.
4. Click Details and look at the Default Gateway value.

If you changed your login and password yourself, but cannot remember the new values, then use the Reset button on the router to reset its settings to factory settings. After resetting the settings, the identification data will become standard - admin/admin.

It is not necessary to look at the router address. Most manufacturers use the same address, so the procedure for launching the interface of different router models is not very different.

For example, TP-Link and D-Link routers use the IP address 192.168.0.1. After entering this value, an authorization window appears in the address bar of the browser; you need to enter your login and password in it. For some models of D-Link Dir routers, you only need to specify a login; the password line can be left blank.

Asus and Netgear routers have the default address 192.168.1.1. The login and password are also usually standard – admin/admin. But there may be options: for example, for the NETGEAR WGR614 router the login will be “admin” and the password will be “password”.

For Huawei routers, the login information is slightly different from the usual values. The address to enter the interface is 192.168.100.1. The login and password are also not quite standard - root and admin, respectively. Some models have even more complex pairs for authorization.

Zyxel Keenetic routers have an easy-to-remember address my.keenetic.net. As an alternative, the standard address 192.168.1.1 is used. The login will be the word “admin”, and the password with standard settings will be 1234.

It seems like you can get confused, but in reality everything is simple. In 90% of cases the address will be 192.168.0.1. or 192.168.1.1, and the pair for authorization is admin/admin. If these values ​​do not allow you to open the web interface, then read the instructions carefully - the address, login and password are always indicated there.

Possible login errors

If you cannot enter the router settings using automatic settings, then try setting the login parameters manually using the router’s IP address.

Knowing the router's IP address, you can manually specify the TCP/IPv4 protocol parameters:

To understand what values ​​need to be specified, let’s take the router’s IP address - for example, 192.168.0.1. Based on this address, fill in the lines as follows:

• IP address – 192.168.0.2 (last digit must be in the range from 2 to 254).
• Subnet mask – 255.255.255.0 (always remains the same).
• The main gateway is 192.168.0.1 (the router address is indicated here).
• The preferred DNS is 192.168.0.1 (the router address is also written down).

With these settings, the problem of launching the router's web interface through a browser should be resolved. Then all you have to do is set up the Internet and create a wireless connection so that the Wi-Fi router begins to perform its functions of providing constant access to the network from different devices.

Modern people cannot imagine their life without the Internet. We work, communicate, play, study, have fun on the global network and it is no longer possible to do without all this. Meanwhile, recently more and more attention has been paid to Internet speed. Fortunately, slow Internet is a thing of the past and now we can afford to travel across the World Wide Web at high speeds. Many regions have been in the coverage area for a long time 3G and 4G, which allows you to use wireless Internet at fairly high speeds. However, no matter how hard mobile operators try, they have not yet been able to achieve the speeds that wired Internet can provide, and therefore the questions still remain relevant - how to connect a router and how to configure the router .

Home WiFi router offers a lot of advantages and more and more people are deciding to purchase it. We have prepared detailed instructions for those who want to know how to connect router and configure it. Let us immediately note that there is nothing difficult in installing, connecting and configuring a WiFi router (another name for a router). You just need to be patient and follow the instructions below. Of course, today many companies offer router installation and configuration, but you will have to pay for this work. If you are not ready to spend additional money, then this article will be very useful for you.

Before we tell you how to set up a router, it should be said that the setup procedure may differ depending on the specific model of WiFi router, and therefore we have prepared several more articles with a detailed description of the installation and configuration of the most popular routers. Here we will look at the main points. As the article progresses, links to more detailed instructions will be posted. So, let's assume that you already have a WiFi router and all you have to do is install and configure it.

Where is the best place to place a WiFi router in an apartment?

Before installing a router in an apartment, you need to decide on the most optimal location for its location. The coverage area of ​​your WiFi network depends on the correct location of your home wireless router. Particular attention to this point should be given to those who live in a fairly large apartment or house. Router manufacturers indicate the maximum signal range in the instructions, but you should not count on these numbers. The fact is that a lot depends on the material from which the walls of the apartment are made. Moreover, do not forget about all kinds of interference, for example, an ordinary aquarium or cabinet can reduce the coverage area.

Many people are convinced that the optimal placement WiFi router is the table on which the computer or the system unit itself is located. We do not recommend that you choose this location because the signal quality and coverage will be much worse than the WiFi router's specifications allow. It is preferable to place the router approximately in the middle of the apartment and as high as possible. If you live in a one-story house, then the WiFi router should be placed approximately as in the picture below:

For a two-story house, the following router location would be optimal:

We noted above that installing the device next to the computer is not the best option, but we did not explain why. The fact is that other sources of electromagnetic interference worsen the performance of the wireless router, therefore, you need to place the router away from such sources, which include not only a PC, but also a microwave oven, cordless phone, etc.

How to install a router

Everything is clear with the location of the WiFi router; besides, if you have a small apartment, there will be no problems with the coverage area, the main thing is to place the device away from sources of electromagnetic waves. Now let's find out how to install the router. If the process of setting up and connecting a router involves certain differences depending on the specific device model, then the installation will be standard in almost all cases. In principle, the main thing in installing a router is to correctly determine the location of the device, but we have already dealt with this.

Open the box with the router, take it out and connect it to the power supply. The lights on the front side of the WiFi router should light up; if this does not happen, then there are some problems with the device and to solve them you need to contact the store where the router was purchased. On the back of the WiFi router you will find several ports. However, we will examine this point in more detail in the next section. We believe everything is clear on how to install the router. We will not teach you how to use the tool necessary to secure the device, but the connection process is worth considering.

How to connect a router to a computer

WiFi routers may differ depending on the specific model, but they have a lot in common. Below we will look at the functionality and process of connecting a regular WiFi router. Modern routers have at least four LAN ports through which the connection to the computer is made. Also, any router must have a WAN port intended for connecting a cable from the provider.

Speaking about how to connect a router to a computer, it should be said that this procedure is extremely simple and any PC user can handle it. To connect correctly, you need to do the following:

• Correctly crimp the twisted pair (network cable), if necessary;
• Connect the WiFi router to the power supply;
• Connect the network cables (provider cable and cable to the computer);
• Set up the network (detailed setup instructions below). The connection diagram of the router to the computer is shown in the picture:

Let's look at how to connect a router to a computer if the WiFi router is already connected to another PC, that is, you need to add another device to your home network, for example, a laptop.

We connect one end of the cable to LAN connector of the WiFi router, and the other into the connector of the PC network card. After connecting the cable, a network access icon should appear on your computer monitor.

If the corresponding icon does not appear, then most likely the problem is that the network card is disabled. Another reason for the lack of a network connection icon is the lack of the necessary drivers. Let's go to “Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections” and check the visibility of our network card. If you see a network card and it is simply disabled, then you need to enable it. To do this, right-click on it and select "Turn on". If the network card is not displayed, you need to install the appropriate drivers. To do this, you will need a disk, which should be included with the router. If there is no such disk, download the necessary drivers from the Internet.

Speaking about how to connect a router to a computer, it should be said that another situation is possible when, after connecting the PC to the WiFi router, the corresponding icon appears, but with an exclamation mark, that is, there is no way to connect to the Internet.

This problem can most likely be resolved by configuring the network card. Through the control panel, go to network connections, then in properties select the item and press the button "Properties". Selecting items "Obtain an IP address automatically" And "Obtain DNS server address automatically", after which we save all the settings. After this, the WiFi router should automatically configure itself to distribute IP addresses. However, sometimes the Internet does not work even after these steps. In this case, you need to check the cable or the router itself for serviceability. So, we hope everything is clear with the connection, now let's find out how to configure the router.

How to set up a router

As has been mentioned many times, the router setup process may vary depending on the model you purchased. However, despite the huge variety of models and manufacturers, all wifi routers perform the same function, and therefore they are characterized by similar functionality and configuration tools.

Of course, the appearance of the router configuration interface (the web page on which the router settings are made) is unique for each manufacturer, and therefore we have prepared several separate articles dedicated to configuring the most popular routers today.

So, take a look at the model of your wifi router and then check out the list of articles below with instructions for setting up various routers, if your device is on this list, follow the link. (If you don’t know how to get to the settings page, read this article to the end).

Router d-link dir-300: Wireless router 802.11g DIR-300. The DIR-300 is based on the 802.11g standard, but is also backward compatible with the 802.11b standard, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of wireless devices. contains four Ethernet ports. Thanks to D-Link Quick Router Setup Wizard(To the Quick Router Installation Wizard), network setup can be completed in a matter of minutes. supports the system Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ (WPS), which simplifies wireless network and security setup.

Router d-link dir-615: Supported Wi-Fi standards: 802.11b/g/n (draft)
Network interfaces: 4 LAN 10/100Base-T ports, 1 WAN 10/100Base-T port. WAN connection types: Static IP, Dynamic IP, PPPoE, L2TP, PPTP, DualAccess PPPoE, DualAccess PPTP.

Zyxel Keenetic router: Adapted to work in the networks of leading Russian providers. Internet speed via PPTP and L2TP - up to 55 Mbit/s, via PPPoE and IPoE - up to 70 Mbit/s. Torrent download speed is up to 5 MB/s with a number of sessions of about 500. Link Duo technology for simultaneous work on the Internet via PPTP/L2TP/PPPoE and with regional network server resources. Supports IEEE 802.1X standard for Internet access.

tp-link router: The vast majority of Tp-Link routers run on firmware that is as similar to each other as two peas in a pod. The only significant difference is the different software languages ​​in the “default” version for a particular model.

Asus router: High-speed wireless 4-port router. Configuring Asus routers fundamentally differ in configuration by only two firmware versions, let's look at both of them.

Rostelecom router: There are several types of routers from Rostelecom, we will look at setting up the following: Rostelecom universal routers - Sagemcom f@st 2804 v5, v7 and v7 rev.1, Sagemcom f@st 3804, QTech RT-A1W4L1USBn and Startnet AR800.

The above articles contain detailed instructions for setting up wifi routers of certain models and manufacturers, but this manual does not end there. It is not enough to know how to configure the router directly in the configuration interface. You will also have to configure the network card settings. In addition, many of you will find it useful to know the IP addresses of the device on the local network. All these points are also included in this article.

Configuring network card parameters

Before attempting to log into the router interface, you must configure the network card correctly. To do this we go to "Network connections" by pressing a key combination Win+R and enter the command ncpa.cpl.

Click "OK". The Network Connections window will open. Right-click on the one through which the router is connected to the computer:

Next, select the item "Properties" and in the window that opens "Local Area Connection Properties" double-click on the component with the left mouse button "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)". Don't forget to check the boxes to automatically obtain IP addresses and DNS addresses.

In the vast majority of cases, a wifi router has an active DHCP server looking into the local network, which will issue an IP address to your computer. You can view it at "Connection status" by pressing the button Intelligence .

So, we hope everything is clear with the configuration of the network card parameters, now let's move on to the final section of today's article.

IP address of the device on the local network

After connecting the router to your computer, you will need to go to the router configuration interface to complete the setup. This is done by entering the web interface address in the address bar. Each router has an IP address on the local network, most often it is 192.168.1.1 . however, other options are possible, for example, devices from D-Link and NetGear have an address 192.168.0.1 , and routers TrendNet - 192.168.10.1. So, if you have a router, for example, D-Link, then you need to enter the following into the address bar of your browser URL: http://192.168.0.1. After this, a page with a form for entering a user name and password to access the web interface will appear on the monitor. Typically, the username and password have the same meaning - admin. Although exceptions are possible. The router's IP address, username and password are often indicated on a sticker located on the bottom cover of the device.

If you can’t log into the web interface, first of all you need to check whether your computer receives an IP address from the device’s DHCP server. It also makes sense to try to register the IP address manually in the protocol settings TCP/IP. After that, try pinging the router. This procedure is performed as follows: open the command line and enter - ping 192.168.1.1.

I guess we'll end here. Now you know how to connect a router and how to configure the router. Don’t forget that links to articles with more detailed instructions for setting up routers from various manufacturers are posted above.

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