NETGEAR WNDR3700v2 User Manual

N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router WNDR3700v2 Setup Manual

NETGEAR, Inc. 350 E. Plumeria Drive San Jose, CA 95134 USA

October 2010 208-10737-01 v1.0

Trademarks

NETGEAR and the NETGEAR logo are registered trademarks, and Smart Wizard is a trademark of NETGEAR. Inc. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other brand and product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.

Statement of Conditions

In the interest of improving internal design, operational function, and/or reliability, NETGEAR reserves the right to make changes to the products described in this document without notice.

NETGEAR does not assume any liability that may occur due to the use or application of the product(s) or circuit layout(s) described herein.

N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router WNDR3700 Setup Manual

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router................................................................................1

Unpacking Your New Wireless Router ..............................................................................1

Hardware Features ............................................................................................................2

Front Panel ..................................................................................................................3

Back Panel ..................................................................................................................5

Router Label ................................................................................................................6

Positioning Your Wireless Router ......................................................................................6

Installing Your Wireless Router .........................................................................................7

Updating Your Router Firmware ........................................................................................8

Installing Your Wireless Router Using

Smart Wizard...........................................................................................................................9

Installing Your Wireless Router Manually (Advanced and Linux Users)........................11

Connecting Your N600 Wireless Gigabit Router .............................................................11

Verifying Your Connection ...............................................................................................14

Setting Up Your Router for Internet Access ....................................................................15

Configuring Your Wireless Network...................................................................................19

Accessing Your Router After Installation and Checking for New Firmware .....................19

Configuring Your Wireless Settings and Security Options ..............................................20

Setting Your SSID and Wireless Security Manually ..................................................20

Using Push 'N' Connect (WPS) to Configure Your Wireless Network .......................23

Testing Basic Wireless Connectivity ................................................................................24

Troubleshooting...................................................................................................................26

Basic Setup Checklist ......................................................................................................26

Checking Basic Router Functions ...................................................................................27

Troubleshooting Login Problems .....................................................................................29

Contents iii

Checking the Internet Service Connection ......................................................................30

Obtaining an Internet IP Address ..............................................................................30

Troubleshooting PPPoE ............................................................................................31

Troubleshooting Internet Browsing ...........................................................................32

Troubleshooting Connectivity Using the Ping Utility ........................................................32

Testing the Path from a PC to Your Router ..............................................................32

Testing the Path from a PC to the Internet ................................................................33

Technical Specifications.....................................................................................................35

Default Configuration Settings .........................................................................................35

Restoring the Default Password and Configuration Settings ...........................................38

Related Documents .............................................................................................................39

Registration and Certifications............................................................................................40

Contents iv

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router

Congratulations on your purchase of the NETGEAR® N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router WNDR3700.

Before you begin installing your router, check the package contents (see “Unpacking Your New

Wireless Router” on page 1). Become familiar with the front and back panels of your router—

especially the LEDs—and the important information on the router label (see “Hardware Features”

on page 2). Then, read the section on “Positioning Your Wireless Router” on page 6 to ensure that

you have selected the best location to install your router.

Unpacking Your New Wireless Router

The product package should contain the following items:

• The N600 wireless gigabit router

• A slide-on stand for your N600 wireless gigabit router

• An AC power adapter (varies by region)

• A yellow Ethernet cable

• NETGEAR Installation Guide

• The Resource CD, which includes: – The Smart Wizard™ Installation Assistant (Autorun.exe)

– A PDF version of this manual – A link to the online User Manual

If any of the parts are incorrect, missing, or damaged, contact your NETGEAR dealer. Keep the carton, including the original packing materials, in case you need to return the product for repair.

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 1

To prepare your router for installation:

1. Carefully remove the protective film from the top of your router.

2. Set up your N600 wireless gigabit router by aligning the arrow on the base with the arrow on

the back of the case, and sliding the router onto the base.

Reset Factory Settings button

Figure 1

3. Place your router in an area suitable for installation (near an AC power outlet and accessible to

the Ethernet cables for your wired computers).

Hardware Features

Before you install and connect your router, take a moment to become familiar with the front and back panels of the router—especially the LEDs on the front panel.

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 2

Front Panel

Figure 2

The front panel has nine status lights that you can use to monitor and verify various conditions. There are also two switch buttons on the right (or at the bottom if the router is in its stand). The status lights are described in Table 1, and the switch buttons in Table 2.

Table 1. Status Light Descriptions

Item Function Activity Description

Power/Test Solid Amber The unit is starting up after being powered on.

Solid Green The unit startup has completed; the unit is ready. Blinking Green Firmware is corrupted. See “Checking Basic Router Functions” on

Blinking Amber

Off Power is not supplied to the router.

2.4 GHz Mode

5 GHz Mode

Off The 11n mode at 2.4 GHz is off. Solid Green The unit is operating in 11n mode at 2.4 GHz. Blinking Green Data is being communicated over a wireless network. Off The 11n mode at 5 GHz is off. Solid Blue The unit is operating in 11n mode at 5 GHz. Blinking Blue Data is being communicated over the wireless network.

page 27 for instructions on restoring your router firmware.

1. Firmware is upgrading.

2. Restore factory settings button pressed; restoring factory default settings.

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 3

Table 1. Status Light Descriptions (continued)

Item Function Activity Description

USB Off No USB device is connected, or the “Safely Remove Hardware”

Solid Green The USB device has been accepted by the Router and is ready to be

Fast Blinking Green

Internet Off No Ethernet cable is connected to the modem.

Solid Amber The Ethernet cable connection to the modem has been detected. Blinking Amber Initializing connection and obtaining an IP address. Solid Green An IP address has been received; ready to transmit data. Blinking Green Data is being transmitted and received.

LAN (Ports 1–4)

Solid Green The LAN port has detected a 1 Gbps link with an attached device. Blinking Green Data is being transmitted at 1 Gbps. Solid Amber The LAN port has detected a 10/100 Mbps link with an attached

Blinking Amber Data is being transmitted at 10/100 Mbps. Off No link is detected on this port.

button has been pressed and it is now safe to remove the attached USB device.

used. The USB device is in use.

device.

The WLAN and WPS switch buttons toggle the WLAN and WPS functions on and off.

Table 2. Switch Button Descriptions

Item Function Activity Description

WLAN

On/Off

WPS

On/Off

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 4

On Pressing the wireless LAN button turns on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

wireless radios, indicated by 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz LEDs being lit. Off The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios are off, and their LEDs are turned off. On The WPS function is turned on. The light below the WPS button

blinks green when the function is first turned on.

Before turning on the WPS button, be sure that the WLAN button is

on. If both wireless radios are off (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz LEDs are off),

the WPS will not work. Off The WPS function is turned off.

For more information on modes, see “Configuring Your Wireless Settings and

Security Options” on page 20, and the online Reference Manual, available on the

Resource CD.

Back Panel

The rear panel of the WNDR3700 router contains the items in the list that follows the figure.

Figure 3

The back of the N600 wireless gigabit router includes:

1. A Power On/Off button.

2. An AC power adapter outlet.

3. Four local (LAN) 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet ports for connecting the router to local

computers.

4. An Internet (WAN) 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet port for connecting the router to a cable or

DSL modem.

5. A USB 2.0 port (backward compatible to USB 1.0/1.1) for attaching a USB storage device.

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 5

Router Label

View the label on the bottom of the N600 wireless gigabit router to identify the security PIN, serial number, port connectors, status lights, and default login information.

Figure 4

Positioning Your Wireless Router

The N600 wireless gigabit router lets you access your network from virtually anywhere within the operating range of your wireless network. However, the operating distance or range of your wireless connection can vary significantly depending on the physical placement of your router. For example, the thickness and number of walls the wireless signal must pass through may limit the range. For best results, place your router:

• Near the center of the area where your computers and other devices will operate, preferably within line of sight to your wireless devices.

• Accessible to an AC power outlet and near Ethernet cables for wired computers.

• In an elevated location such as a high shelf, keeping the number of walls and ceilings between the N600 wireless gigabit router and your other devices to a minimum.

• Away from electrical devices which are potential sources of interference, such as ceiling fans, home security systems, microwaves, or the base for a cordless phone.

• Away from any large metal surfaces, such as a solid metal door or aluminum studs. Large expanses of other materials such as glass, insulated walls, fish tanks, mirrors, brick, and concrete can also affect your wireless signal.

Failure to follow these guidelines can result in significant performance degradation or an inability to wirelessly connect to the Internet.

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 6

Installing Your Wireless Router

To help you set up your router and get on the Internet quickly, the Resource CD contains a Smart Wizard™. The Smart Wizard walks you through the steps required to connect your router and PC(s); configure your internet settings; configure your wireless settings; and enable wireless security for your network. When you have finished, you will be Internet ready!

If you have a Linux system, you need to use the manual installation method (see

“Installing Your Wireless Router Manually (Advanced and Linux Users)” on page 11).

You can set up your N600 wireless gigabit router using one of two methods:

• Smart Wizard Setup: The Smart Wizard setup is available on your Resource CD. See

“Installing Your Wireless Router Using Smart Wizard” on page 9 to use the Smart Wizard.

– This is the easiest option. The wizard guides you through the setup process. It automates

many of the steps and verifies that the steps have been successfully completed.

– Smart Wizard requires a PC running Microsoft Windows.

Before running the Smart Wizard on a corporate PC to set up your home router, check with your company’s network support staff. Corporate network settings or Virtual Private Network (VPN) client software may conflict with the default settings of a home router. If you are unsure about whether there might be a conflict, use a different computer.

• Manual Setup: If you cannot or prefer not to use the Smart Wizard, see “Installing Your

Wireless Router Manually (Advanced and Linux Users)” on page 11. For example, if you are

using a Linux operating system or are technically knowledgeable, select this option. If you choose to use this option and install your router manually, for best results, install and set up your router in this order:

1. Install and connect your wireless router to your network (see “Connecting Your N600

Wireless Gigabit Router” on page 11).

2. Set up your wireless router for Internet access (see “Setting Up Your Router for Internet

Access” on page 15).

3. Configure your wireless network and select wireless security settings to protect your

wireless network (see “Configuring Your Wireless Network” on page 19).

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 7

Updating Your Router Firmware

NETGEAR is always improving the operability and features included with your router. To make it easy for you to receive the best, most up-to-date features of your router, NETGEAR provides a variety of methods for updating your product.

• The Smart Wizard installation assistant lets you check for and install updates as part of the setup activity.

• The router includes an update feature that lets you check for and install updates. You must be logged in to the router to use this feature (see the Reference Manual for details).

These options are discussed in “Installing Your Wireless Router Manually (Advanced and Linux

Users)” on page 11.

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 8

Installing Your Wireless Router Using

Smart Wizard

Prepare the following before you set up your router, making sure that:

• You are using a computer with either a Mac operating system or a Windows operating system (Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 2000, or Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or above).

• You have an Internet service connection through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

• Your PC has a wired Ethernet connection (not a wireless connection).

• For cable modem service, that you use the computer you first used to set up your Internet service.

The NETGEAR Smart Wizard takes you through the procedure to connect your router and PC(s). It then helps you to configure your wireless settings and enable wireless security for your network. The Smart Wizard guides you through the setup and configuration process by automating many of the steps. At each step in the setup process, the Smart Wizard checks to ensure that the steps you perform are successfully completed.

The wizard setup process takes about 20 minutes to complete.

To set up your router using the Smart Wizard:

1. To start the Smart Wizard:

• For Windows users,

– Insert the Resource CD into your PC. The CD will automatically start and detect the

language you are using on your PC. Select a different language option, if you prefer.

If the CD does not automatically start, browse the CD and double-click on .

– In the CD’s menu, click Setup to start the Smart Wizard.

• For Mac users, double-click the MacWizard program.

2. When the Smart Wizard prompts you to Check for Firmware Updates, click Yes to check the

NETGEAR website for new router firmware; or check No to check for updates later (see

“Accessing Your Router After Installation and Checking for New Firmware” on page 19).

Installing Your Wireless Router Using Smart Wizard 9

3. Follow the instructions and prompts to complete the installation.

The Smart Wizard guides you through installing your router, connecting your router to the Internet, configuring your wireless network settings, and selecting the optimum security protection for your network. If you choose not to select a security option during installation, you can always access the router’s user interface later to select a security option (see “Setting

Your SSID and Wireless Security Manually” on page 20 or “Using Push 'N' Connect (WPS) to Configure Your Wireless Network” on page 23).

To ensure optimum performance of your high-speed wireless router, the wireless adapter card for each computer in your network should support the same technology as your router (see the online User Manual for more information).

At the close of installation:

• For Windows users, the Smart Wizard places a Router_Setup.html file on your

computer’s desktop so that you can view the router settings. It also places the Router Login shortcut on the desktop for you to access the router’s main menu.

• For Mac users, the Smart Wizard places a Router_Setup.pdf file on your desktop. You are now connected to the Internet!

After connecting to the Internet, you can:

• Log in to the router and check for new firmware. Refer to the bottom label for the default login information, or see the steps in “Accessing Your Router After Installation and Checking for

New Firmware” on page 19.

• Set up additional wireless computers in your network for Internet access (see “Configuring

Your Wireless Settings and Security Options” on page 20).

For advanced features not covered in this manual, see the Reference Manual on your Resource CD. A link to the online Reference Manual also is available from the router interface.

The factory default state is restored when you use the restore factory settings button. See “Restoring the Default Password and Configuration Settings” on page 38 for more information about this feature.

Installing Your Wireless Router Using Smart Wizard 10

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