User Manual 2

FCC ID: PY3WGT624V3

Users Manual

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FCCID_527254

                                                                    Chapter 4
                                                        Wireless Configuration


This chapter describes how to configure the wireless features of your WGR624v3 router. In
planning your wireless network, you should consider the level of security required. You should
also select the physical placement of your firewall in order to maximize the network speed. For
further information on wireless networking, refer to Appendix D, “Wireless Networking Basics.


Observe Performance, Placement, and Range Guidelines

The operating distance or range of your wireless connection can vary significantly based on the
physical placement of the wireless firewall. The latency, data throughput performance, and
notebook power consumption of wireless adapters also vary depending on your configuration
choices.


          Note: Failure to follow these guidelines can result in significant performance
          degradation or inability to wirelessly connect to the router. For complete range/
          performance specifications, please see Appendix A, “Technical Specifications.”

For best results, place your firewall:
•   Near the center of the area in which your computers will operate.
•   In an elevated location such as a high shelf where the wirelessly connected computers have
    line-of-sight access (even if through walls).
•   Away from sources of interference, such as computers, microwaves, and 2.4 GHz cordless
    phones.
•   Away from large metal surfaces.

The time it takes to establish a wireless connection can vary depending on both your security
settings and placement. WEP connections can take slightly longer to establish. Also, WEP
encryption can consume more battery power on a notebook computer.




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Implement Appropriate Wireless Security


           Note: Indoors, computers can connect over 802.11b/g wireless networks at ranges of up
           to 300 feet. Such distances can allow for others outside of your immediate area to access
           your network.

Unlike wired network data, your wireless data transmissions can be received well beyond your
walls by anyone with a compatible adapter. For this reason, use the security features of your
wireless equipment. The WGR624v3 router provides highly effective security features which are
covered in detail in this chapter. Deploy the security features appropriate to your needs.


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Figure 4-1: WGR624v3 wireless data security options


There are several ways you can enhance the security of your wireless network.
•     Restrict Access Based on MAC address. You can restrict access to only trusted computers so
      that unknown computers cannot wirelessly connect to the WGR624v3. MAC address filtering
      adds an obstacle against unwanted access to your network, but the data broadcast over the
      wireless link is fully exposed.
•     Turn Off the Broadcast of the Wireless Network Name SSID. If you disable broadcast of
      the SSID, only devices that have the correct SSID can connect. This nullifies the wireless
      network ‘discovery’ feature of some products such as Windows XP, but the data is still fully
      exposed to a determined snoop using specialized test equipment like wireless sniffers.
•     WEP. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption provides data security. WEP Shared
      Key authentication and WEP data encryption will block all but the most determined
      eavesdropper.

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•   WPA-PSK. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) data encryption provides strong data security.
    WPA-PSK will block eavesdropping. Because this is a new standard, wireless device driver
    and software availability may be limited.
•   Turn Off the Wired LAN. If you disable the wireless LAN, wireless devices cannot
    communicate with the router at all. You might choose to turn off the wireless the LAN when
    you are away and the others in the household all use wired connections.

Understanding Wireless Settings

To configure the Wireless settings of your firewall, click the Wireless link in the main menu of the
browser interface. The Wireless Settings menu will appear, as shown below.




Figure 4-2: Wireless Settings menu


•   Name (SSID). The SSID is also known as the wireless network name. Enter a value of up to
    32 alphanumeric characters. In a setting where there is more than one wireless network,
    different wireless network names provide a means for separating the traffic. Any device you
    want to participate in a particular wireless network will need to use this SSID for that network.
    The WGR624v3 default SSID is: NETGEAR.
•   Region. This field identifies the region where the WGR624v3 can be used. It may not be legal
    to operate the wireless features of the wireless router in a region other than one of those
    identified in this field.




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•      Channel. This field determines which operating frequency will be used. It should not be
       necessary to change the wireless channel unless you notice interference problems with another
       nearby access point. For more information on the wireless channel frequencies please refer to
       “Wireless Channels” on page D-2.
•      Mode. This field determines which data communications protocol will be used. You can select
       “g only,” “b only,” or “g and b.” “g only” dedicates the WGR624v3 to communicating with
       the higher bandwidth 802.11g wireless devices exclusively. “b only” dedicates the WGR624v3
       to communicating with the higher bandwidth 802.11b wireless devices exclusively. The “g
       and b” mode provides backward compatibility with the slower 802.11b wireless devices while
       still enabling 802.11g communications.
•      Security Options. These options are the wireless security features you can enable. The table
       below identifies the various basic wireless security options. A full explanation of these
       standards is available in Appendix D, “Wireless Networking Basics.”

Table 4-1.          Basic Wireless Security Options

Field           Description

Automatic       No wireless security.

WEP             WEP offers the following options:
                • Open System
                   With Open Network Authentication and 64- or 128-bit WEP Data Encryption, the WGR624
                   v3 does perform 64- or 128-bit data encryption but does not perform any authentication.
                • Shared Key
                   Shared Key authentication encrypts the SSID and data.
                   Choose the Encryption Strength (64- or 128-bit data encryption). Manually enter the key
                   values or enter a word or group of printable characters in the Passphrase box. Manually
                   entered keys are case sensitive but passphrase characters are not case sensitive.
                   Note: Not all wireless adapter configuration utilities support passphrase key generation.
                • Auto
    WPA-PSK WPA-Pre-shared Key does perform authentication, uses 128-bit data encryption and
            dynamically changes the encryption keys making it nearly impossible to circumvent.
            Enter a word or group of printable characters in the Password Phrase box. These characters
            are case sensitive.
            Note: Not all wireless adapter configuration utilities support WPA. Furthermore, client software
            is required on the client. Windows XP and Windows 2000 with Service Pack 3 do include the
            client software that supports WPA. Nevertheless, the wireless adapter hardware and driver
            must also support WPA.




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To configure the advanced wireless settings of your firewall, click the Wireless Setup link in the
Advanced section of the main menu of the browser interface. The Wireless Settings menu will
appear, as shown below.




Figure 4-3: Advanced Wireless Settings menu


•   Allow Broadcast of Name (SSID). If you disable broadcast of the SSID, only devices that
    have the correct SSID can connect. Disabling SSID broadcast nullifies the wireless network
    ‘discovery’ feature of some products such as Windows XP.
•   Enable Wireless Access Point. If you disable the wireless access point, wireless devices
    cannot connect to the WGR624v3.
•   Wireless Card Access List. When the Trusted PCs Only radio button is selected, the
    WGR624v3 checks the MAC address of the wireless station and only allows connections to
    computers identified on the trusted computers list.




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Information to Gather Before Changing Basic Wireless Settings
Before customizing your wireless settings, print this form and record the following information. If
you are working with an existing wireless network, the person who set up or is responsible for the
network will be able to provide this information. Otherwise, you will choose the settings for your
wireless network. Either way, record the settings for your wireless network in the spaces below.
•     Wireless Network Name (SSID): ______________________________ The SSID, identifies
      the wireless network. You can use up to 32 alphanumeric characters. The SSID is case
      sensitive. The SSID in the wireless adapter card must match the SSID of the wireless router. In
      some configuration utilities (such as in Windows XP), the term “wireless network name” is
      used instead of SSID.
•     If WEP Authentication is Used. Circle one: Open System, Shared Key, or Auto.
      Note: If you select Shared Key, the other devices in the network will not connect unless they
      are set to Shared Key as well and are configured with the correct key.
      –   WEP Encryption key size. Choose one: 64-bit or 128-bit. Again, the encryption key size
          must be the same for the wireless adapters and the wireless router.
      –   Data Encryption (WEP) Keys. There are two methods for creating WEP data encryption
          keys. Whichever method you use, record the key values in the spaces below.
          •   Passphrase method. ______________________________ These characters are case
              sensitive. Enter a word or group of printable characters and click the Generate Keys
              button. Not all wireless devices support the passphrase method.
          •   Manual method. These values are not case sensitive. For 64-bit WEP, enter 10 hex
              digits (any combination of 0-9 or a-f). For 128-bit WEP, enter 26 hex digits.
          Key 1: ___________________________________
          Key 2: ___________________________________
          Key 3: ___________________________________
          Key 4: ___________________________________
•     If WPA-PSK Authentication is Used.
      –   Passphrase: ______________________________ These characters are case sensitive.
          Enter a word or group of printable characters. When you use WPA-PSK, the other devices
          in the network will not connect unless they are set to WPA-PSK as well and are configured
          with the correct Passphrase.

Use the procedures described in the following sections to configure the WGR624v3. Store this
information in a safe place.

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Default Factory Settings
When you first receive your WGR624v3, the default factory settings are shown below. You can
restore these defaults with the Factory Default Restore button on the rear panel. After you install
the WGR624v3 router, use the procedures below to customize any of the settings to better meet
your networking needs.


                          FEATURE        DEFAULT FACTORY SETTINGS

              Wireless Access Point      Enabled
 Wireless Access List (MAC Filtering)    All wireless stations allowed
                     SSID broadcast      Enabled
                               SSID      NETGEAR
                   11b/g RF Channel      11
                               Mode      g and b
                 Authentication Type     Open System
                               WEP       Disabled


How to Set Up and Test Basic Wireless Connectivity


          Note: If you use a wireless computer to configure WPA settings, you will be
          disconnected when you click Apply. Reconfigure your wireless adapter to match the
          new settings or access the wireless router from a wired computer to make any further
          changes.

Follow the instructions below to set up and test basic wireless connectivity. Once you have
established basic wireless connectivity, you can enable security settings appropriate to your needs.
1.   Log in to the WGR624v3 firewall at its default LAN address of http://www.routerlogin.net
     with its default user name of admin and default password of password, or using whatever
     LAN address and password you have set up.




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2.    Click Wireless Settings in the main menu of the WGR624v3 firewall.




Figure 4-4: Wireless Settings menu


3.    Choose a suitable descriptive name for the wireless network name (SSID). In the SSID box,
      enter a value of up to 32 alphanumeric characters. The default SSID is NETGEAR.
      Note: The SSID is case sensitive; NETGEAR is not the same as nETgear. Also, the SSID of
      any wireless access adapters must match the SSID you configure in the 108 Mbps Wireless
      Firewall Router WGR624v3. If they do not match, you will not get a wireless connection to the
      WGR624v3.

4.    Set the Region. Select the region in which the wireless interface will operate.
5.    Set the Channel. The default channel is 11.
      This field determines which operating frequency will be used. It should not be necessary to
      change the wireless channel unless you notice interference problems with another nearby
      wireless router or access point. Select a channel that is not being used by any other wireless
      networks within several hundred feet of your firewall. For more information on the wireless
      channel frequencies please refer to “Wireless Channels” on page D-2.
6.    For initial configuration and test, leave the Wireless Card Access List set to “Everyone” and
      the Encryption Strength set to “Disabled.”
7.    Click Apply to save your changes.




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          Note: If you are configuring the firewall from a wireless computer and you change the
          firewall’s SSID, channel, or security settings, you will lose your wireless connection
          when you click on Apply. You must then change the wireless settings of your computer
          to match the firewall’s new settings.

8.   Configure and test your computers for wireless connectivity.
     Program the wireless adapter of your computers to have the same SSID and channel that you
     configured in the router. Check that they have a wireless link and are able to obtain an IP
     address by DHCP from the firewall.

     Warning: The Network Name (SSID) is case sensitive. If NETGEAR is the Network Name
     (SSID) in your wireless router, you must enter NETGEAR in your computer's wireless
     settings. Typing nETgear will not work.

Once your computers have basic wireless connectivity to the firewall, you can configure the
advanced wireless security functions of the firewall.


How to Configure WEP
To configure WEP data encryption, follow these steps:


          Note: If you use a wireless computer configure WEP settings, you will be disconnected
          when you click on Apply. You must then either configure your wireless adapter to match
          the wireless router WEP settings or access the wireless router from a wired computer to
          make any further changes.

1. Log in to the WGR624v3 firewall at its default LAN address of http://www.routerlogin.net
   with its default user name of admin and default password of password, or using whatever
   LAN address and password you have set up.
2. Click Wireless Settings in the main menu of the WGR624v3 firewall.
3. From the Security Options menu, select WEP. The WEP options display.




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4.   Select the Authentication Type and Encryptions strength from the drop-down lists.




Figure 4-5.      Wireless Settings encryption menu

5. You can manually or automatically program the four data encryption keys. These values must
   be identical on all computers and Access Points in your network.
   • Automatic - Enter a word or group of printable characters in the Passphrase box and click
       the Generate button. The passphrase is case sensitive; NETGEAR is not the same as
       nETgear. The four key boxes will be automatically populated with key values.
   • Manual - Enter ten hexadecimal digits (any combination of 0-9, a-f, or A-F). These entries
       are not case sensitive; AA is the same as aa.
       Select which of the four keys will be active.
   Please refer to “WEP Wireless Security” on page D-4 for a full explanation of each of these
   options, as defined by the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication standard.
6. Click Apply to save your settings.

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How to Configure WPA-PSK Wireless Security

Note: Not all wireless adapters support WPA. Furthermore, client software is also required.
Windows XP and Windows 2000 with service pack 3 do include WPA support. Nevertheless, the
wireless adapter hardware and driver must also support WPA. For instructions on configuring
wireless computers or PDAs for WPA-PSK security, consult the documentation for the product
you are using.

To configure WPA-PSK, follow these steps:
1.   Click Security Settings in the Setup section of the main menu and select WPA-PSK for the
     Security Type.




Figure 4-6: WPA Settings menu

2. Enter a word or group of 8-63 printable characters in the Password Phrase box.
3. Click Apply to save your settings.


How to Restrict Wireless Access by MAC Address

To restrict access based on MAC addresses, follow these steps:



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1.   Log in to the WGR624v3 firewall at its default LAN address of http://www.routerlogin.net
     with its default user name of admin and default password of password, or using whatever
     LAN address and password you have set up.


          Note: When configuring the firewall from a wireless computer whose MAC address is
          not in the Trusted PC list, if you select Turn Access Control On, you will lose your
          wireless connection when you click on Apply. You must then access the wireless router
          from a wired computer or from a wireless computer which is on the access control list to
          make any further changes.

2.   Click Advanced Wireless Setup in the main menu of the WGR624v3 firewall.
3.   From the Wireless Settings menu, click Setup Access List to display the Wireless Access
     menu shown below.




Figure 4-7: Wireless Card Access List Setup


4.   Click Add to add a wireless device to the wireless access control list. The Available Wireless
     Cards list displays.


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5.   Click the Turn Access Control On check box.
6.   Then, either select from the list of available wireless cards the WGR624v3 has found in your
     area, or enter the MAC address and device name for a device you plan to use. You can usually
     find the MAC address printed on the wireless adapter.
     Note: You can copy and paste the MAC addresses from the firewall’s Attached Devices menu
     into the MAC Address box of this menu. To do this, configure each wireless computer to
     obtain a wireless link to the firewall. The computer should then appear in the Attached
     Devices menu.
7.   Click Add to add this wireless device to the Wireless Card Access List. The screen changes
     back to the list screen. Repeat these steps for each additional device you wish to add to the list.
8.   Be sure to click Apply to save your wireless access control list settings.
Now, only devices on this list will be allowed to wirelessly connect to the WGR624v3.




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                                                                       Chapter 5
                                                                 Content Filtering


This chapter describes how to use the content filtering features of the 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall
Router WGR624v3 to protect your network. These features can be found by clicking on the Content
Filtering heading in the Main Menu of the browser interface.


Content Filtering Overview

The 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router WGR624v3 provides you with Web content filtering options,
plus browsing activity reporting and instant alerts via e-mail. Parents and network administrators can
establish restricted access policies based on time of day, Web addresses and Web address
keywords. You can also block Internet access by applications and services, such as chat or games.
To configure these features of your router, click on the subheadings under the Content Filtering
heading in the Main Menu of the browser interface. The subheadings are described below:




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Blocking Access to Internet Sites

The WGR624v3 router allows you to restrict access based on Web addresses and Web address
keywords. Up to 255 entries are supported in the Keyword list. The Block Sites menu is shown in
Figure 5-1 below:




Figure 5-1: Block Sites menu


To enable keyword blocking, select either “Per Schedule” or “Always”, then click Apply. If you
want to block by schedule, be sure that a time period is specified in the Schedule menu.

To add a keyword or domain, type it in the Keyword box, click Add Keyword, then click Apply.

To delete a keyword or domain, select it from the list, click Delete Keyword, then click Apply.

Keyword application examples:
•     If the keyword “XXX” is specified, the URL <http://www.badstuff.com/xxx.html> is blocked.

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•   If the keyword “.com” is specified, only Web sites with other domain suffixes (such as .edu or
    .gov) can be viewed.
•   If you wish to block all Internet browsing access during a scheduled period, enter the keyword
    “.” and set the schedule in the Schedule menu.

To specify a Trusted User, enter that PC’s IP address in the Trusted User box and click Apply.
    You may specify one Trusted User, which is a PC that will be exempt from blocking and
    logging. Since the Trusted User will be identified by an IP address, you should configure that
    PC with a fixed IP address.


Blocking Access to Internet Services

The WGR624v3 router allows you to block the use of certain Internet services by PCs on your
network. This is called services blocking or port filtering. The Block Services menu is shown
below:




Figure 5-2: Block Services menu


Services are functions performed by server computers at the request of client computers. For
example, Web servers serve Web pages, time servers serve time and date information, and game
hosts serve data about other players’ moves. When a computer on your network sends a request for
service to a server computer on the Internet, the requested service is identified by a service or port
number. This number appears as the destination port number in the transmitted IP packets. For
example, a packet that is sent with destination port number 80 is an HTTP (Web server) request.

To enable service blocking, select either Per Schedule or Always, then click Apply. If you want to
block by schedule, be sure that a time period is specified in the Schedule menu.


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To specify a service for blocking, click Add. The Add Services menu will appear, as shown below:




Figure 5-3: Add Services menu


From the Service Type list, select the application or service to be allowed or blocked. The list
already displays several common services, but you are not limited to these choices. To add any
additional services or applications that do not already appear, select User Defined.


Configuring a User Defined Service
To define a service, first you must determine which port number or range of numbers is used by
the application. The service numbers for many common protocols are defined by the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF) and published in RFC1700, “Assigned Numbers.” Service
numbers for other applications are typically chosen from the range 1024 to 65535 by the authors of
the application. This information can usually be determined by contacting the publisher of the
application or from user groups of newsgroups.

Enter the Starting Port and Ending Port numbers. If the application uses a single port number, enter
that number in both boxes.

If you know that the application uses either TCP or UDP, select the appropriate protocol. If you are
not sure, select Both.



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Configuring Services Blocking by IP Address Range
Under “Filter Services For”, you can block the specified service for a single computer, a range of
computers (having consecutive IP addresses), or all computers on your network.


Scheduling When Blocking Will Be Enforced

The WGR624v3 router allows you to specify when blocking will be enforced. The Schedule menu
is shown below:




Figure 5-4: Schedule menu


•   Use this schedule for blocking content. Check this box if you wish to enable a schedule for
    Content Filtering. Click Apply.
•   Days to Block. Select days to block by checking the appropriate boxes. Select Everyday to
    check the boxes for all days. Click Apply.
•   Time of Day to Block. Select a start and end time in 23:59 format. Select All day for 24 hour
    blocking. Click Apply.

Be sure to select your Time Zone in the E-Mail menu.

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Viewing Logs of Web Access or Attempted Web Access

The log is a detailed record of what Web sites you have accessed or attempted to access. Up to 128
entries are stored in the log. Log entries will only appear when keyword blocking is enabled, and
no log entries will be made for the Trusted User. An example is shown below:




Figure 5-5: Logs menu


Log entries are described in Table 5-1

Table 5-1.      Log entry descriptions

Field               Description

Number              The index number of the content filter log entries. 128 entries
                    are available numbered from 0 to 127. The log will keep the
                    record of the latest 128 entries.
Date and Time       The date and time the log entry was recorded.
Source IP           The IP address of the initiating device for this log entry.
Action              This field displays whether the access was blocked or allowed.
                    The name or IP address of the Web site or newsgroup visited or
                    attempted to access.


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Document Created: 2005-03-25 16:00:34
Document Modified: 2005-03-25 16:00:34

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