Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

I've just been sold one of these for £30 by a clever sounding chap in Maplins who reckoned it'd easily solve my problems of setting up a very basic wired network to connect my 2 pcs via my standalone cable modem and give me wireless capability if/when I want it.

Having downloaded the 'manual', however, I'm a bit concerned that what he said was an easy task (and probably would be for him) won't be for me. The computers I want to connect are just a few feet apart so cable connections will be fine for now and once I feel more confident with all this I can explore the wi-fi stuff if I want to. The instructions seem to concentrate on setting up the wireless side (for obvious reasons) so I'm none the wiser about how to set this thing up for my requirements i.e. wired connections only. Do I have to go through the whole process and then disable wireless or can I go through a simpler procedure to set it up for wired connection only? Never having done any of this before it's a bit disconcerting and the jargon used throughout the manual is quite confusing. Since I rely on you guys to keep me in the 21st C (just) I don't want to cock everything up and then find I can't even get online to seek help.

So, any advice on how to set this thing up would be more than gratefully received.

Cheers as always.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

1) Plug PCs into router's LAN ports
2) Plug router into cable modem WAN port

Done.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

not forgetting the following steps....
0)power down modem.
3)power up modem and router.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Seriously guys, can it really be as simple as that? No need to use the supplied CD, configure things, set settings, enter codes, tweak, fiddle or faff about?.... The router has a wireless on/off button so when I connect everything and power the moden and router up will I need to switch the wireless off or won't it even be enabled at that point?

Oh one other question. The router comes with some ethenet cable to connect it to the cable modem I guess. I already have ethernet cable connecting that to this pc and presumably will need another length of the same for the other pc but can someone confirm what type I need.

Cheers :tu:

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Its that simple if you just want to connect your wired devices. If you want to disable wireless in software or add a key (May already have one) to stop unauthorised use then it gets a little more complicated. Though if it has a hardware wireless on/off switch then it should be as simple as switching that to the off position if you don't want any wireless connectivity at all for now.

And the cabling you need is standard Cat 5 or 5e Ethernet. There aren't really different types anymore just different grades. And Cat 6 doesn't seem to offer any improvements over cat 5e that any home user would notice.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Cheers ZrByte :tu:

I've just been in contact with VM about my services and upgraded to 10mb BB. They're going to send me a free Netgear wireless router so I'll wait to get that in a few days, follow your setup advice and then, hopefully, just return the one I bought to Maplin.

TVM

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Ahhhh..... The promised 'Netgear' router just arrived from VM and it turns out to be a D-Link DIR-615..... :confused:

There's no mention of simple wired connection via ethernet anywhere in the set-up manual, so can I assume the process is the same as above i.e. just turn everything off, connect the router to the cable modem and to the PC via one of its 4 ports then switch everything on starting from the modem and finishing with the PC?

When I then want to connect a second PC, is it just a case of turning off everything as above, connecting the second PC to another of the 4 router ports and then firing it all back up in sequence again? Once connected to the router, presumably each computer can access the web independently and at the same time as the others on the network.

Unlike the Netgear router, there's no simple wi-fi on/off button so do I assume connecting stuff as above doesn't activate the router's wi-fi side of things in the first place? If not, do I need to do something else to stop the router's wi-fi running away in the background when I don't need or want that? I'm just a tad worried about security issues etc.

Sorry to ask such simple questions but, when it comes to this stuff, simple is what I am... :D

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

I am shocked and surprised, Not.:D

Connect the router to the cable modem and to the PC via one of its 4 numbered ports then you go online by opening a browser and in the address bar you put 192.168.0.1 and press enter/return, you will then be asked for a username which is admin and password which you leave blank, and then click login and they will be presented with a Dlink screen on the left chose wireless setup and then go to manual setup at the bottom and you will be presented with the setup screen

At the top we have Wi-Fi Protected Setup also known as WCN2, remove the Enable Pin tick and then go the Wireless Network Settings section and go to the box with the SSID which by default will be dlink and change it to one of your own choice.

Then click on the security options drop down and choose WPA/WPA2 wireless security enhanced, then the Network key box will appear and in here they enter a password with a minimum length of 8 characters then click save settings and wait for it to finish.

You can now look for their newly named network and connect using their password.

You should now be connected and it should have taken between 5 and 10 minutes to achieve this and the disk will make a nice coaster.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Thanks Masque! Sorry but I don't understand much of that. Do I have to really do all that just to connect my PCs with wires? It's all that stuff that I wanted to avoid and I won't be using wireless at all. Is what I was told about setting up the Netgear router (with wired connections only) wrong? If not I am tempted just to use that router as installing it seems a lot simpler. :confused:

Cheers.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

The router has 5 ports on the back, one is blue and connects to the modem, the other four are grey and numbered 1 to 4 you connect any of these to the PC and now reboot the modem and wait until it settles after 2 minutes.

Then go online with the PC and click this link http://192.168.0.1/ you will then be asked for a username which is admin and password which you leave blank, and then click login and they will be presented with a Dlink screen on the left chose wireless setup and then go to manual setup at the bottom and you will be presented with the setup screen

At the top we have Wi-Fi Protected Setup also known as WCN2, remove the Enable Pin tick and then go the Wireless Network Settings section and go to the box with the SSID which by default will be dlink and change it to one of your own choice like Osem1234.

Then click on the security options drop down and choose WPA/WPA2 wireless security enhanced, then the Network key box will appear and in here they enter a network key/password with a minimum length of 8 characters then click save settings and wait for it to finish.

You can now look for their newly named network with the other machines and connect using the network key/password.

Try it you will be surprised at how easy it is to set up.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

You only have to power down the router and modem the first time you connect them together. Plugging other devices into the router wont require switching them off.
Unfortunately switching off the wireless or setting a key will require you to do what masque said unless the DIR-615 has a default random key or detachable antennas. (Though taking off the antennas doesn't stop access, just reduces the range and eliminates outdoor signal almost altogether).

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

The D Link DIR615 is an open network by default and setting up security is a must as the first job.

I would never use the disk as it makes a much better coaster which I tell all callers.;)

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Thanks so much for your patience Masque and ZrByte. :tu:

Just to be clear then, if I want to use the D-Link router from Virgin for purely wired use I need to follow Masque's instructions to set it all up as he described and then switch off wireless once everything else is running?

However, if I want to use the Netgear, wired only, I don't need to worry about set up discs, I just turn everything off, connect up the various ethernet cables then turn it all back on again as ZrByte wrote and just use the router's wi-fi on/off button to disable the wireless function?

If I do either of the above wired only options, when I power up the PC will it just connect to the internet when I click on the IE icon or do I have to do something else first?

Oh and just in case I manage to cock it all up and cannot connect can I just turn everything off, unplug the new router and restore my current PC to cable modem via ethernet connection to get back online or will I have to fiddle about with my computer/modem settings somewhere first?

TVM :tu:

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

My instructions give you wired and wireless access and you can just remove and reboot everything to get online.

Try the D Link set up above and you will be surprised how easy it is or just let your son do it for you.;)

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

HI...
I have a prepaid wireless broadband(4 a lappy) but have trouble most days getting connected. Will a wireless broadband router(booster) aid reception.
I've tried sittin' near windows-it don't work...};-)
Thanx 4any replies...
T1.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

All the above in your post are correct.
And to answer your questions....
Your PC should work as it did when it was straight to the modem i.e. when you power up the internet should just be on in the background (No login, No additional steps).
And if all else fails, turn everything off, put your cables as they where, then power the modem up first followed by any other device you want.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Thanx 4 the reply...did i mention this would be a wireless broadband modem purely 2 help boost my signal from my Lappy & that I'm using prepaid wireless broadband @the mo - just can't get connected very often...

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Cheers guys will be back in touch when I've given it a go.

:tu:

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

OK well I seem to be up and running. Did as advised and it all went very simply. This PC is connected by ethernet so I won't be testing the wi-fi side for now but hopefully it's there and will work when we need it.

Thanks so much to Masque and ZrByte for the advice and patience!

:tu:

ps. Can anyone tell me how my wife can log onto the network via her LG GT540 Optimus phone as that's probably the only wireless device we'll want to use in the near future.

TVM as always.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Turn the wifi on and look for your network click connect and it will ask for the password, put it in and connect job done.

Or ask the kids to do it for you.:D

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Shhhhh... Don't want our eldest to know about any of this just yet. ;)

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

More importantly have you connected the phone.;)

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Well all seems to be running OK via ethernet but how do I check if the wireless side is set up OK. I can't find any option to "search for available networks" so how do I do this using this PC (XP SP3) or indeed on our other PC (W7)? Cheers as always. :tu:

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

You can only search for wireless with a wirelessly enabled laptop or your wife's phone unless you have other devices that are wireless.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

I'm sure our W7 PC is wireless enabled and I think this one is but not sure how to check. The reason I didn't really want to use wireless is that both our pcs are within just a few feet of the modem and router so cable makes better sense. I would just like to see if the network is there, however, and possibly log in wirelessly just for the hell of it...

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Well you need to unplug the W7 PC from the router and then look for wireless networks in the bottom right corner.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Cheers matey. The other PC wasn't connected to the router/modem at all yet so I just turned it on and found the network search icon as you said then found our new network. Maybe this PC isn't wi-fi enabled after all and that's why I can't find anything about wi-fi network search.

:tu:

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

You do have the non wireless PC connected via cable though I expect.:)

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

Yes, this one's the machine we mainly use day to day and it's going to stay well and truly connected via ethernet. Don't know why I thought it had wi-fi built in but there we are.

Thanks again.

D-Link DIR-615 operating settings
 

Now I've set up the router's password and it's all up and running, do I need to worry about any other security related or other settings? I was wondering if it's a good idea to change the key periodically and I'm pretty sure I've heard about firewall settings with these things but I haven't got a clue what to do about that. So can anyone tell me if there's anything else I need to do and/or be aware of whilst using this setup?

Many thanks as always.

:tu:

Re: D-Link DIR-615 operating settings
 

It should be fine as most people ignore secure networks, you can keep changing it you may end up forgetting the password at some point.

If it is working leave well alone.

Re: Netgear N150 Cable Router set up - help required
 

TVM. As we've never used wi-fi before, are there any precautions we need to take or settings we should make on any the devices we may wish to connect to the router in this manner?