i-connect AP880G User Manual
802.11g 54 Mbps, 108Mbps Wireless LAN
User Manual
Router
4-port Switch
with
and
FCC Compliance
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates,
uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more 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.
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
No special accessory is required to enable the equipment to comply with the emission limits.
In order to comply with FCC RF Exposure requirements, the AP880G(i-connect Wireless Router)
must be installed and operated in such a way so as to maintain a minimum 20 cm separation
distance between the antenna and all persons, during normal operations.
Contents
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1
HE PRODUCT.................................................................................................................. 1
T
P
RODUCT FEATURES........................................................................................................ 1
B
ASIC IP NETWORKING ................................................................................................... 2
W
IRELESS LAN ............................................................................................................... 3
GETTING STARTED ...................................................................................................... 5
BOX CONTENTS ............................................................................................................... 5
C
ONNECTING THE ROUTER .............................................................................................. 5
QUICK START CONFIGURATION (FOR DSL MODEMS) ..................................................... 7
WEB CONFIGURATION ............................................................................................... 8
QUICK CONFIGURATION................................................................................................... 9
S
TATUS .......................................................................................................................... 10
S
TATISTICS .................................................................................................................... 11
LAN & DHCP C
WAN C
PPP C
B
RIDGE .......................................................................................................................... 16
W
ONFIGURATION ................................................................................................. 14
ONFIGURATION .................................................................................................... 14
IRELESS ...................................................................................................................... 18
NAT .............................................................................................................................. 22
DMZ C
SNTP C
P
ORT FORWARDING ....................................................................................................... 25
F
ILTER ........................................................................................................................... 27
W
A
F
IRMWARE UPDATE ....................................................................................................... 31
S
AVE CONFIGURATION .................................................................................................. 34
ONFIGURATION .................................................................................................. 23
ONFIGURATION ................................................................................................. 24
EB SECURITY CONFIGURATION................................................................................... 29
DMIN USERNAME AND PASSWORD .............................................................................. 30
ONFIGURATION................................................................................... 12
PC CONFIGURATION ................................................................................................. 35
DHCP IP A
DDRESS ....................................................................................................... 35
FACTORY RESET......................................................................................................... 37
INTRODUCTION
The Product
The product is based on the IEEE 802.11g standard, which is the latest 54Mbps Wireless LAN
(WLAN) standard. This standard is five times faster than the widely deployed WiFi (802.11b)
products that are found in homes, airport and public wireless hotspots. Because 802.11g uses the
same 2.4GHz frequency band, the product is fully interoperable with existing WiFi cards and
devices.
Having two wireless protocols in one product ensure that your investments are protected, while
enabling you to enjoy the fastest Wireless LAN speed.
The product is a combination of 3 devices:
a. Wireless LAN Access Point (AP) compliant to 802.11b and 802.11g standards.
b. 4-port Auto MDI/MDIX Switch
c. Router with NAT, DHCP Server built-in.
The product is an all-in-one device that allows multiple PCs to share a common broadband
(ADSL/Cable) modem. It can serve up to 4 Ethernet-PCs and many WLAN-notebooks. The builtin NAT and DHCP Servers ensure almost plug-and-play convenience for your home network.
Advanced features such as Firewall, DMZ, WPA Encryption and 802.1x Authentication make this
a product equally suitable for your office needs.
Product Features
Fully compatibility with IEEE 802.11g WLAN standard
Wireless data rate of up to 54Mbps
2.4GHz license-free frequency band
Router shares the broadband modem among multiple PCs and laptops.
4 Auto MDI/MDIX 10/100 Ethernet ports, 1 WAN port
Full backward compatibility with 802.11b standard (WiFi 11Mbps)
802.1x Authentication. Used with a RADIUS server to check and verify the identity of
WLAN users.
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). A simple WLAN encryption standard to protect wireless
data from sniffers.
WPA (WiFi Protected Access). An improved WLAN encryption standard where the secret
key changes automatically at regular intervals.
TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol). When used with a corporate RADIUS
server, the WLAN encryption key is changed regularly. Used for high security
enterprise networks.
Pre Shared Key. For the home user without a RADIUS server. A new key is
generated each time the PC connects.
Firewall protects your network from the Internet.
Built-in NAT and DHCP Servers greatly simplify the network setup.
Intuitive Web-based configuration
Access Control List provides added security
Page 1
Basic IP Networking
IP = Internet Protocol
IP stands for Internet Protocol. In an IP network, every device has a unique IP Address (For
example: 192.168.1.35) to identify itself. There are two ways of assigning an IP address to a PC
or Router: Static and Automatic (DHCP). Static IP addresses are keyed-in manually, while
Dynamic IPs are distributed by a DHCP Server.
Ports
Every packet of traffic is identified by its Source and Destination Addresses, which would ensure
that the packet arrives at the correct destination. A Port Number is also embedded in each
packet; to identify which software application that generated and uses that packet. Therefore, if
the Router blocks a certain port number, it denies the particular software from using the
connection.
Static IP Address
Static IP addressing ensures that the device will always have the same IP address. Static
addressing is commonly used for your servers.
Dynamic IP Address
A dynamic IP address is one that is automatically assigned to a PC. These IP addresses are
“dynamic” because they are only temporarily leased to the PC when it connects to the network.
This is the most convenient and common way of managing IP addresses in a network. The
Server that manages this pool of IP addresses is called the DHCP Server. The product has a
DHCP Server built-in to simplify the network management.
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
The PC obtaining an IP address from the Server is called the DHCP Client. If there is already a
DHCP Server running on your network, you must disable one of the two DHCP servers. Running
more than one DHCP server together will cause network problems!
What is a Router?
A router is a network device that connects two networks together, to let them communicate. All
the PCs in your home or office would be considered to be in one network: the Local Area Network
(LAN). The Internet (including the ADSL modem) is considered to be another network: the Wide
Area Network (WAN). The Router serves 2 purposes:
Connect all the PCs in the LAN together, allowing them to communicate with one
another. (File sharing, Printer sharing etc.)
Connect all the PCs in the LAN to the Internet, allowing them to simultaneously surf the
web and access e-mails.
The Router is connected to 2 networks at the same time. Therefore, it has two IP addresses: one
for the LAN, and one for the WAN. The Router’s LAN IP address can be configured, but it is best
to use the default settings. The WAN port is a DHCP client by default.
Page 2
Wireless LAN
A Wireless LAN (WLAN) is a computer network that transmits and receives data with radio
signals instead of using cables. WLANs have become common in homes, offices, airports and
public Hotspots. WLAN can support the same applications and software that run on a wired
network (LAN). Besides supporting the same software and functions, WLAN brings greater
convenience and eliminates the need to lay Ethernet cables in a home or office.
The Router is based on the finalised 802.11g standard. The IEEE 802.11g standard is an
improvement on the 802.11b (WiFi) standard. It increases the data rate up to 54 Mbps within the
2.4GHz band. As the 802.11b standard is also using the 2.4GHz frequency band, the product is
fully backward compatible with the older 802.11b devices. WiFi cards can be used to connect to
the Router at 11Mbps.
The Router can even support 108Mbps WLAN if the user is using a recommended Turbo-capable
Cardbus.
The Router is also known as the Wireless Access Point (AP). The PC using the Cardbus is
known as the Client. WLAN networking involves a few additional parameters to be configured:
SSID
The SSID is the “network name” for the WLAN network. The SSID is any name, and can be any
set of characters or numbers, and must be configured on both the AP and Client. The Client sniffs
the radio frequencies for an AP with the same SSID with itself. The client locks onto the AP and
they are “associated”.
To enable plug-and-play convenience, most client cards can sniff the frequencies to extract the
available SSIDs to let the user choose from. Alternatively, setting the client’s SSID to “ANY” can
allow it to connect to most APs regardless of the AP’s SSID setting.
Encryption
WLAN traffic can be captured by anybody to be read! The solution is to use encryption to make
the traffic appear as random characters to the eavesdropper. Both the AP and client must use the
same encryption standard and key to enable them to decode the “rubbish”. If the encryption
settings are mismatched, the client and AP cannot associate. WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is
the most common WLAN encryption standard.
MAC Address Control
Every client card has a unique MAC Address. This MAC Address can be input into the AP
(Router), such that the AP only allows this pool of MAC Addresses to use the WLAN.
Channel
There are a total of 13 channels in the 2.4GHz band. Depending on regulation, not all the
frequencies may be available in every country. Frequency is configured on the AP only. The client
searches for the AP and locks onto that AP’s channel.
Signal Strength
Radio signals drop in power over a distance. Even if all the settings are correct, a low signal
strength makes association impossible. The usable distance between the AP and client can
range from a few meters indoor to 200m outdoors maximum. When setting up the AP, make sure
that you:
Keep the distance from the AP to the clients as short as possible.
Page 3
Make sure that the WLAN signals do not have to pass through too many concrete walls
and metal structures to reach the client.
Make sure that APs are located far away from one another to avoid interference.
Interference
Interference happens when 2 APs with the same channels are placed near to one another. The
speed of the network drops and the signal strength fluctuates wildly.
Roaming
Association happens when the SSID, Encryption and MAC Address Control settings are correct
between the AP and client. If 2 APs with these same settings are located in the same area, the
client would choose to associate to the one which gives it a better signal strength. The client
would roam over to the 2nd AP when he moves nearer to it. The client switches AP and
frequency as he does so.
Page 4
GETTING STARTED
Box Contents
Kindly check the contents of the box:
802.11g Wireless Router
DC Adapter
Ethernet cable
CD Manual
Quick Start Guide
Connecting the Router
The router is connected to the WAN and LAN networks.
Internet
WAN
Modem
Router
LAN
Page 5
The cables are all connected to the back-panel of the Router. The PCs and Modem are
connected to the Router via Ethernet cables.
Antenna
DC Reset
Back Panel of Router
LAN 1 - 4
WAN/ DSL/
Cable
DC
Adapter
PC
Modem
Page 6
Quick Start Configuration (For DSL Modems)
This section is a quick-start guide applicable to most users. This assumes that the user is
connecting the WAN port to a ADSL modem.
1. Connect the network as shown previously.
Switch on the Modem BEFORE you switch on the Router. Every time.
Check that the WAN light on the Router lights up.
If your PC is connected via Ethernet cable, check that the
corresponding LAN LED lights up on the Router.
If your PC is wireless, check the PC’s card utility to make sure that the
signal strength is good.
2. Open a Web browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape etc.)
3. Type the Router’s LAN IP (10.0.0.1) address into the browser’s Address field.
4. The Quick Configuration page opens up.
5. Enable ADSL Modem/PPPoE.
6. Key in the ADSL Username and Password provided by your ISP.
7. Press Apply.
8. Reboot the Router.
Page 7
WEB CONFIGURATION
In every Router Web Configuration page, the left panel is the navigation menu containing the
main sections. The right-side frame is where the detailed configuration is done.
Navigation
panel
Remember that after every configuration change, it is necessary to:
- Click Apply on the page.
- Reboot the Router.
The changes take effect only AFTER Reboot.
Configuration
panel
Page 8
Quick Configuration
This page contains the most important settings to get the Router functioning in either a home/
small office environment. Basically, this page specifies what the WAN port is connected to.
DHCP Client: By default, or when you boot up the Router for the first time, the WAN port is in
DHCP Client mode. The WAN port will obtain an IP Address from an upstream DHCP Server or
Cable modem.
ADSL Modem / PPPoE: Select this option if the WAN is connected to an ADSL Modem. Key in
your ISP-provided Username and Password.
Static IP: This setting is for advanced users only. You assign a Static IP to the WAN port.
Connect/Disconnect: The buttons allow you to manually Connect/Disconnect the ADSL
connection. The status of the ADSL connection is also shown.
If ADSL Modem/PPPoE is selected, the Router automatically dials the
connection at every power up.
Page 9
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