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Appendix A – Wireless Basics 

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D-Link DIR-524 User Manual                                                                                           

60

 

 

Wireless network is easy to setup, but if you’re installing it for the first time it could be quite a task not knowing 
where to start. That’s why we’ve put together a few setup steps and tips to help you through the process of 
setting up a wireless network. 

 

Tips

 

 

Here are a few things to keep in mind, when you install a wireless network. 

 

Centralize your router or Access Point

 

 

   

Make sure you place the router/access point in a centralized location within your network for the best 
performance. Try to place the router/access point as high as possible in the room, so the signal gets dispersed 
throughout your home. If you have a two-story home, you may need a repeater to boost the signal to extend the 
range. 

 

Eliminate Interference

   

 

   

Place home appliances such as cordless telephones, microwaves, and televisions as far away as possible from 
the router/access point. This would significantly reduce any interference that the appliances might cause since 
they operate on same frequency. 

 

Security

   

     

Don’t let you next-door neighbors or intruders connect to your wireless network. Secure your wireless network by 
turning on the WPA or WEP security feature on the router. Refer to product manual for detail information on how 
to set it up. 

 

 
 
 

Summary of Contents for DIR-524

Page 1: ......

Page 2: ... DSL Satellite Modem 8 Connect to Another Router 9 Configuration 11 Web based Configuration Utility 11 Internet Connection Setup Wizard 12 Manual Configuration 18 Static IP 18 Dynamic IP DHCP 19 PPPoE username password 20 Wireless Basic Settings 21 Wireless Security Settings 22 WDS Setting 24 Network Settings 25 Advanced configuration 26 Port Forwarding 26 Application Rules 27 Access Control 28 We...

Page 3: ...TEST 40 LOG SETTINGS 41 Status 42 Device Information 42 LOGS 43 Traffic Statistics 44 Wireless 45 Support 46 Wireless Security 47 What is WPA 47 Configure WPA Personal PSK 48 Connect to a Wireless Network 49 Using Windows Vista 49 Configure WPA WPA2 50 Using Windows XP 52 Troubleshooting 53 Wireless Basics 57 Wireless Modes 61 Networking Basics 62 Technical Specifications 64 ...

Page 4: ...d the warranty for this product The product must be used with the power adapter included with the device Note Always attach the power cord plug to the power supply before inserting the power cord and connected power supply to the wall outlet System Requirements Ethernet based Cable or DSL Modem Computers with Windows Macintosh or Linux based operating systems with an installed Ethernet adapter Int...

Page 5: ...an be scheduled to be active on certain days or for a duration of hours or minutes Secure Multiple Concurrent Sessions The DIR 524 can pass through VPN sessions It supports multiple and concurrent IPSec and PPTP sessions so users behind the DIR 524 can securely access corporate networks User friendly Setup Wizard Through its easy to use Web based user interface the DIR 524 lets you control what in...

Page 6: ...Section 1 Product Overview D Link DIR 524 User Manual 3 Hardware Overview Connections ...

Page 7: ...Section 1 Product Overview D Link DIR 524 User Manual 4 Hardware Overview LEDs ...

Page 8: ...em You can only use the Ethernet port on your modem If you were using the USB connection before using the router then you must turn off your modem disconnect the USB cable and connect an Ethernet cable to the Internet port on the router and then turn the modem back on In some cases you may need to call your ISP to change connection types USB to Ethernet If you have DSL and are connecting via PPPoE...

Page 9: ... is 1 5 feet thick 5 meters at a 45 degree angle appears to be almost 3 feet 1 meter thick At a 2 degree angle it looks over 42 feet 14 meters thick Position devices so that the signal will travel straight through a wall or ceiling instead of at an angle for better reception 3 Building Materials make a difference A solid metal door or aluminum studs may have a negative effect on range Try to posit...

Page 10: ...Section 4 Security D Link DIR 524 User Manual 7 Network Diagram ...

Page 11: ... place it into the Internet port on the router 4 Plug an Ethernet cable into one of the four LAN ports on the router Plug the other end into the Ethernet port on your computer 5 Turn on or plug in your modem Wait for the modem to boot about 30 seconds 6 Plug the power adapter to the router and connect to an outlet or power strip Wait about 30 seconds for the router to boot 7 Turn on your computer ...

Page 12: ...you need to change the settings write down your existing settings before making any changes In most cases your computer should be set to receive an IP address automatically in which case you will not have to do anything to your computer 2 Open a web browser and enter http 192 168 0 1 and press Enter When the login window appears set the user name to admin and leave the password box empty Click OK ...

Page 13: ...and connect it to your other router Do not plug anything into the Internet port of the D Link router 8 You may now use the other 3 LAN ports to connect other Ethernet devices and computers To configure your wireless network open a web browser and enter the IP address you assigned to the router Refer to the Configuration and Wireless Security sections for more information on setting up your wireles...

Page 14: ...tility Web based Configuration Utility To access the configuration utility open a web browser such as Internet Explorer and enter the IP address of the router 192 168 0 1 Select admin from the drop down menu and then enter your password Leave the password blank by default If you get a Page Cannot be Displayed error please refer to the Troubleshooting section for assistance ...

Page 15: ...e logged into the web interface of the router the WELCOME TO THE WIZARD page will appear Click the Wizard button to quickly configure your router using the setup wizard If you want to enter your settings without running the wizard click Manual and skip to page 23 Click Next to continue ...

Page 16: ...al 13 Select the Static IP Address Connection and then click Next to continue Fill in you IP information provided by you Internet Service Provider and then click Next to continue Set the Wireless Network Name SSID and then click Next to continue ...

Page 17: ...Security D Link DIR 524 User Manual 14 Select the Security Mode and then click Next to continue Click Save to Save your configuration Select the DHCP Connection Dynamic IP Address and then click Next to continue ...

Page 18: ...at was last connected directly to your modem If you are currently using that computer click Clone MAC Address and then click Next to continue The Host Name is optional but may be required by some ISPs The default host name is DIR 524 Set the Wireless Network Name SSID and then click Next to continue Select the Security Mode and then click Next to continue ...

Page 19: ...lect the Username Password Connection PPPoE and then click Next to continue Note Make sure to remove your PPPoE software from your computer The software is no longer needed and will not work through a router If you selected PPPoE enter your PPPoE username and password Click Next to continue ...

Page 20: ...ion 4 Security D Link DIR 524 User Manual 17 Set the Wireless Network Name SSID and then click Next to continue Select the Security Mode and then click Next to continue Click Save to Save your configuration ...

Page 21: ...ss Enter the IP address assigned by your ISP Subnet Mask Enter the Subnet Mask assigned by your ISP Default Gateway Address Enter the Gateway assigned by your ISP MTU Maximum Transmission Unit you may need to change the MTU for optimal performance with your specific ISP 1500 is the default MTU MAC Address The default MAC Address is set to the Internet port s physical interface MAC address on the B...

Page 22: ...ption is commonly used for Cable modem services Host Name The Host Name is optional but may be required by some ISPs MTU Maximum Transmission Unit you may need to change the MTU for optimal performance with your specific ISP 1500 is the default MTU MAC Address The default MAC Address is set to the Internet port s physical interface MAC address on the Broadband Router It is not recommended that you...

Page 23: ...sword in the next box PPPoE Service Name Enter the ISP Service Name optional Idle Time Enter a maximum idle time during which the Internet connection is maintained during inactivity To disable this feature enable Auto reconnect MTU Maximum Transmission Unit you may need to change the MTU for optimal performance with your specific ISP 1492 is the default MTU MAC Address The default MAC Address is s...

Page 24: ...2 characters The SSID is case sensitive Channel Indicates the channel setting for the DIR 524 By default the channel is set to 6 The Channel can be changed to fit the channel setting for an existing wireless network or to customize the wireless network SSID Broadcast When select on your wireless network name is broadcast to anyone within the range of your signal If you re not using encryption then...

Page 25: ...figuring the router with a wireless adapter you will lose connectivity until you enable WEP on your adapter and enter the same passphrase as you did on the router WEP is the wireless encryption standard To use it you must enter the same key s into the router and the wireless stations For 64 bit keys you must enter 10 hex digits into each key box For 128 bit keys you must enter 26 hex digits into e...

Page 26: ...ts that use both types use TKIP AES 3 Next to Pre Shared Key enter a key passphrase The key is entered as a pass phrase in ASCII format at both ends of the wireless connection The passphrase must be between 8 63 characters 4 Click Save Settings to save your settings If you are configuring the router with a wireless adapter you will lose connectivity until you enable the Security mode on your adapt...

Page 27: ... the WDS WDS MAC Set another AP s MAC address The MAC address must be the Wireless MAC address of the AP Bridge Restriction Selecting Disabled disables wireless bridge restriction Any wireless bridge including the ones listed in Bridges will be granted access Selecting Enabled enables wireless bridge restriction Only those bridges listed in Bridges will be granted access Bridge Link Detection Inte...

Page 28: ... the DHCP server s IP assignment Maximum DHCP Users Limiting number of DHCP users DHCP Lease Time The length of time for the IP address lease Enter the Lease time in minutes Add DHCP Reservation Enable Check the box to enable this function IP Address Enter the IP address you want to assign to the computer or device This IP Address must be within the DHCP IP Address Range MAC Address Enter the MAC ...

Page 29: ...a range of ports that you want to enable the port forwarding Traffic Type You can select TCP UDP BOTH IP Address Enter the IP address of the computer on your local network that you want to enable the function If your computer is receiving an IP address automatically from the router DHCP you computer will be listed in the Select DHCP Client drop down menu Select your computer and click Enable Selec...

Page 30: ...ions specify the port normally associated with an application in the Incoming Ports select the protocol type as TCP or UDP then enter the Outgoing ports associated with the Incoming ports to open them for inbound traffic Name Enter a name for the rule Incoming Port Start Incoming Port End Enter the port or a range of ports that you want to use application rules Traffic Type Select TCP UDP or BOTH ...

Page 31: ...rs to have network access and all other computers not to have network access Select Deny all to pass except the following settings if you want all computers to have network access except those computers in the list Policy Name Enter a name to your policy Time Filter Week Choose the day of the week you would like your policy to be applied Time Enter the time of the day you would like your policy to...

Page 32: ...Internet Enter URLs that you want to deny Keyword Filter You may choose some PCs based on Keyword to access Internet Enter keywords that you want to deny Example If you wanted to block LAN users from any website containing a URL pertaining to shopping you would need to enter shopping into the Website Filtering Rules list Sites like these will be denied access to LAN users because they contain the ...

Page 33: ...it is recommended that you enable the Block PING WAN option Ping is often used by malicious Internet users to locate active networks or PCs Block IDENT Block Identification used port 113 Port 113 is associated with the Internet s Ident Auth Identification Authentication service When a client program in your computer contacts a remote server for services such as POP IMAP SMTP or IRC that remote ser...

Page 34: ...nly a minor modification should be made DTIM Interval Delivery Traffic Indication Message 3 is the default setting A DTIM is a countdown informing clients of the next window for listening to broadcast and multicast messages Beacon Interval Beacons are packets sent by an Access Point to synchronize a wireless network Specify a value 100 is the default setting and is recommended Preamble Type The Pr...

Page 35: ...ID assigned by the manufacturer of the network adapter This feature can be configured to ALLOW or DENY wireless access If you choose ALLOW computers listed to access the wireless only those clients whose wireless MAC addresses are in the access control list will be able to connect to your wireless router When Deny computers listed to access the wireless is selected these wireless clients on the li...

Page 36: ...ty among networking equipment software and peripherals This is an UPnP enabled router meaning it will work with other UPnP devices software If you do not want to use the UpnP functionality you can disable it DNSMasq DNSMasq is a lightweight easy to configure DNS forwarder and DHCP server designed to provide DNS and optionally DHCP services to a small scale network When DNSMasq is enabled the clien...

Page 37: ...r router You can use static routing to allow different IP domain users to access the Internet through this device Destination IP Enter the routing destination IP address Subnet Mask Enter the routing subnet mask Gateway Enter the routing gateway Metric It means the number of the network equipment that the data will pass Interface Select the interface to transmit the data out the router ...

Page 38: ...ent allows the DIR 524 to be configured from the Internet by a web browser A username and password is still required to access the Web Management interface In general only a member of your network can browse the built in web pages to perform Administrator tasks This feature enables you to perform Administrator tasks from the remote Internet host IP Address range you can specify the IP address of t...

Page 39: ...y Chack the box and enter a start date and an end date for daylight saving time Enable NTP Server NTP stands for Network Time Protocol NTP synchronizes computer clock times in a network of computers Check this box to use a NTP server This will only connect to a server on the Internet not a local server NTP Server Enter the NTP server or select one from the drop down menu then the DIR 524 will sync...

Page 40: ... a location and file name for the settings Load from Local Hard Drive Use this option to load previously saved router configuration settings First use the Browse to find a previously save file of configuration settings Then click the Restore Configuretion from File button to transfer those settings to the router Restore to Factory Default s This option will restore all configuration settings back ...

Page 41: ... be new firmware for your router to improve functionality and performance To upgrade the firmware locate the upgrade file on the local hard drive with the Browse button Once you have found the file to be used click the Upgrade button below to start the firmware upgrade ...

Page 42: ...ders assign dynamic changing IP addresses Using a DDNS service provider your friends can enter in your domain name to connect to your server no matter what your IP address is Server Choose your DDNS provider from the drop down menu Host Name Enter the Host Name that you registered with your DDNS service provider Username Enter the Username for your DDNS account Password Enter the Password for your...

Page 43: ...u to verify the physical connectivity on both LAN and Internet interface Ping Test The Ping Test is used to send Ping packets to test if a computer is on the Internet Enter the IP Address that you wish to Ping and click Ping Ping Results The results of your ping attempts will be displayed here ...

Page 44: ... types of events you want to view and the level of the events to view This router also has external Syslog Server support so you can send the log files to a computer on your network that is running a Syslog utility Enable Log Select Enabled then the router will record the events in it s internal memory Enable Remote Log Check the box then the router will send these logs to another location And ent...

Page 45: ...Section 4 Security D Link DIR 524 User Manual 42 Status Device Information All of your Internet and network connection details are displayed on this page The firmware version is also displayed here ...

Page 46: ...Section 4 Security D Link DIR 524 User Manual 43 LOGS Display the captured log messages of the router activities these captured log meesages might be useful for troubleshooting and monitoring ...

Page 47: ...Section 4 Security D Link DIR 524 User Manual 44 Traffic Statistics Traffic Statistics display Receive and Transmit packets passing through the router ...

Page 48: ...Section 4 Security D Link DIR 524 User Manual 45 Wireless The Wireless Client table below displays Wireless clients Connected to the Router ...

Page 49: ...Section 4 Security D Link DIR 524 User Manual 46 Support ...

Page 50: ...ncryption Standard AES instead of TKIP User authentication which is generally missing in WEP through the extensible authentication protocol EAP WEP regulates access to a wireless network based on a computer s hardware specific MAC address which is relatively simple to be sniffed out and stolen EAP is built on a more secure public key encryption system to ensure that only authorized network users c...

Page 51: ... then click Wireless Settings on the left side and then click Manual Wireless Network Setup 2 Next to Security Mode select WPA Personal 3 Next to Cipher Type select TKIP and AES TKIP or AES If you have wireless clients that use both types use TKIP AES 4 Next to Pre Shared Key enter a key passphrase The key is entered as a pass phrase in ASCII format at both ends of the wireless connection The pass...

Page 52: ...the Windows Vista utility as seen below If you receive the Wireless Networks Detected bubble click on the center of the bubble to access the utility or Right click on the wireless computer icon in your system tray lower right corner next to the time Select Connect to a network The utility will display any available wireless networks in your area Click on a network displayed using the SSID and clic...

Page 53: ...ore configuring your wireless adapter If you are joining an existing network you will need to know the security key or passphrase being used 1 Open the Windows Vista Wireless Utility by right clicking on the wireless computer icon in your system tray lower right corner of screen Select Connect to a network 2 Highlight the wireless network SSID you would like to connect to and click Connect ...

Page 54: ...e same security key or passphrase that is on your router and click Connect It may take 20 30 seconds to connect to the wireless network If the connection fails please verify that the security settings are correct The key or passphrase must be exactly the same as on the wireless router ...

Page 55: ... option similar to the Windows XP utility as seen below If you receive the Wireless Networks Detected bubble click on the center of the bubble to access the utility or Right click on the wireless computer icon in your system tray lower right corner next to the time Select View Available Wireless Networks The utility will display any available wireless networks in your area Click on a network displ...

Page 56: ...must be on the same IP subnet to connect to the web based utility Make sure you have an updated Java enabled web browser We recommend the following Internet Explorer 6 0 or higher Netscape 8 or higher Mozilla 1 7 12 5 0 or higher Opera 8 5 or higher Safari 1 2 or higher with Java 1 3 1 or higher Camino 0 8 4 or higher Firefox 1 5 or higher Verify physical connectivity by checking for solid link li...

Page 57: ...his should open the login page for your the web management If you still cannot access the configuration unplug the power to the router for 10 seconds and plug back in Wait about 30 seconds and try accessing the configuration If you have multiple computers try connecting using a different computer 2 What can I do if I forgot my password If you forgot your password you must reset your router Unfortu...

Page 58: ... increments of ten Ex 1492 1482 1472 etc Note AOL DSL users must use MTU of 1400 To find the proper MTU Size you ll have to do a special ping of the destination you re trying to go to A destination could be another computer or a URL Click on Start and then click Run Windows 95 98 and Me users type in command Windows NT 2000 and XP users type in cmd and press Enter or click OK Once the window opens...

Page 59: ...h 1452 28 1480 Once you find your MTU you can now configure your router with the proper MTU size To change the MTU rate on your router follow the steps below Open your browser enter the IP address of your router 192 168 0 1 and click OK Enter your username admin and password blank by default Click OK to enter the web configuration page for the device Click on Setup and then click Manual Configure ...

Page 60: ...ead of wires Wireless LANs are used increasingly in both home and office environments and public areas such as airports coffee shops and universities Innovative ways to utilize WLAN technology are helping people to work and communicate more efficiently Increased mobility and the absence of cabling and other fixed infrastructure have proven to be beneficial for many users Wireless users can use the...

Page 61: ...u can access the network You must be within the wireless network range area to be able to connect your computer There are two different types of wireless networks Wireless Local Area Network WLAN and Wireless Personal Area Network WPAN Wireless Local Area Network WLAN In a wireless local area network a device called an Access Point AP connects computers to the network The access point has a small ...

Page 62: ... etc Gets rid of the cables around the house Simple and easy to use Small Office and Home Office Stay on top of everything at home as you would at office Remotely access your office network from home Share Internet connection and printer with multiple computers No need to dedicate office space Where is wireless used Wireless technology is expanding everywhere not just at home or office People like...

Page 63: ...rformance Try to place the router access point as high as possible in the room so the signal gets dispersed throughout your home If you have a two story home you may need a repeater to boost the signal to extend the range Eliminate Interference Place home appliances such as cordless telephones microwaves and televisions as far away as possible from the router access point This would significantly ...

Page 64: ...uter for peer to peer communication using wireless network adapters on each computer such as two or more DIR 524 wireless network Cardbus adapters An Infrastructure network contains an Access Point or wireless router All the wireless devices or clients will connect to the wireless router or access point An Ad Hoc network contains only clients such as laptops with wireless cardbus adapters All the ...

Page 65: ...P address please follow the steps below Click on Start Run In the run box type cmd and click OK Windows Vista users type cmd in the Start Search box At the prompt type ipconfig and press Enter This will display the IP address subnet mask and the default gateway of your adapter If the address is 0 0 0 0 check your adapter installation security settings and the settings on your router Some firewall ...

Page 66: ... represents your network adapter and select Properties Step 3 Highlight Internet Protocol TCP IP and click Properties Step 4 Click Use the following IP address and enter an IP address that is on the same subnet as your network or the LAN IP address on your router Example If the router s LAN IP address is 192 168 0 1 make your IP address 192 168 0 X where X is a number between 2 and 99 Make sure th...

Page 67: ...Mbps 40 5Mbps Safety Emissions 27Mbps 13 5Mbps FCC Part 15B 15C MPE 9Mbps 6Mbps IC RSS 210 NCC LP0002 5 5Mbps 2Mbps LED 1Mbps Power WLAN LAN INTERNET Security Dimensions WPA WPA2 64 128 bit WEP L 141 mm W 110 4mm H 31 7mm Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802 11g and Draft 802 11n specifications Actual data throughput will vary Network conditions and environmental factors inc...

Page 68: ...e interference by one of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help For detailed warranty information applicable to products purchased outside the ...

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