Optimizing Wireless Performance
The speed and operating distance or range of your wireless connection can vary significantly based
on the physical placement of the wireless router. You should choose a location for your router that
will maximize the network speed.
Note: Failure to follow these guidelines can result in significant performance degradation
or inability to wirelessly connect to the router. For complete range and
performance specifications, click the link to the online document “Wireless
Networking Basics” in Appendix B.
The following list describes how to optimize wireless router performance.
• Identify critical wireless links.
If your network has several wireless devices, decide which wireless devices need the highest
data rate, and locate the router near them. Many wireless products have automatic data-rate
fallback, which allows increased distances without loss of connectivity. This also means that
devices that are farther away might be slower. Therefore, the most critical links in your
network are those where the traffic is high and the distances are great. Optimize those first.
• Choose placement carefully.
For best results, place your router:
– 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).
– Avoid obstacles to wireless signals.
– Keep wireless devices at least 2 feet from large metal fixtures such as file cabinets,
refrigerators, pipes, metal ceilings, reinforced concrete, and metal partitions.
– Keep away from large amounts of water such as fish tanks and water coolers.
• Reduce interference.
– Avoid windows unless communicating between buildings.
– Place wireless devices away from various electromagnetic noise sources, especially those
in the 2400–2500 MHz frequency band. Common noise-creating sources are:
• Computers and fax machines (no closer than 1 foot)
• Copying machines, elevators, and cell phones (no closer than 6 feet)
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• Microwave ovens (no closer than 10 feet)
• Choose your settings.
– Use a scanning utility to determine what other wireless networks are operating nearby, and
choose an unused channel.
– Turn off SSID broadcast, and change the default SSID. Other nearby devices might
automatically try to connect to your network several times a second, which can cause
significant performance reduction.
• Use WMM to improve the performance of voice and video traffic over the wireless link.
Changing the MTU Size
The Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) is the largest data packet a network device transmits.
When one network device communicates across the Internet with another, the data packets travel
through many devices along the way. If any device in the data path has a lower MTU setting than
the other devices, the data packets must be split or “fragmented” to accommodate the one with the
smallest MTU.
The best MTU setting for NETGEAR equipment is often just the default value, and changing the
value might fix one problem but cause another. Leave MTU unchanged unless one of these
situations occurs:
• You have problems connecting to your ISP, or other Internet service, and either the technical
support of the ISP or of NETGEAR recommends changing the MTU size. These might require
an MTU change:
– A secure Web site that will not open, or displays only part of a Web page
– Yahoo e-mail
– MSN
– America Online’s DSL service
• You use VPN and have severe performance problems.
• You used a program to optimize MTU for performance reasons, and now you have
connectivity or performance problems.
Note: An incorrect MTU setting can cause Internet communication problems such as the
inability to access certain Web sites, frames within Web sites, secure login pages,
or FTP or POP servers.
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If you suspect an MTU problem, a common solution is to change the MTU size to 1400. If you are
willing to experiment, you can gradually reduce the MTU size from the maximum value of 1500
until the problem goes away. Table 5-1 describes common MTU sizes and applications.
Table 5-1. Common MTU Sizes
MTU Application
1500 The largest Ethernet packet size and the default value. This is the typical setting for non-
PPPoE, non-VPN connections, and is the default value for NETGEAR routers, adapters,
and switches.
1492 Used in PPPoE environments.
1472 Maximum size to use for pinging. (Larger packets are fragmented.)
1468 Used in some DHCP environments.
1460 Usable by AOL if you do not have large e-mail attachments, for example.
1436 Used in PPTP environments or with VPN.
1400 Maximum size for AOL DSL.
576 Typical value to connect to dial-up ISPs.
To change the MTU size:
1. In the main menu, under Advanced, select WAN Setup.
2. In the MTU Size field, enter a new size between 64 and 1500.
3. Click Apply to save the new configuration.
Overview of Home and Small Office Networking
Technologies
Common connection types and their speed and security considerations are:
• Broadband Internet. Your Internet connection speed is determined by your modem type,
such as ADSL or cable modem, as well as the connection speed of the sites to which you
connect, and general Internet traffic. ADSL and cable modem connections are asymmetrical,
meaning they have a lower data rate to the Internet (upstream) than from the Internet
(downstream). Keep in mind that when you connect to another site that also has an
asymmetrical connection, the data rate between your sites is limited by each side’s upstream
data rate. A typical residential ADSL or cable modem connection provides a downstream
throughput of about 1 to 3 megabits per second (Mbps). Newer technologies such as ADSL2+
and Fiber to the Home (FTTH) will increase the connection speed to tens of Mbps.
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• Wireless. Your N 150 Wireless Router WNR1000 v2h2 provides a wireless data
throughput of up to 150 Mbps. With the introduction of the newer WPA and WPA2 encryption
and authentication protocols, wireless security is extremely strong.
To get the best performance, use RangeMax NEXT adapters such as the WN511B for your
computers. Although the WNR1000 v2h2 router is compatible with older 802.11b and 802.11g
adapters, the use of these older wireless technologies in your network can result in lower
throughput overall (typically less than 10 Mbps for 802.11b and less than 40 Mbps for
802.11g). In addition, many older wireless products do not support the latest security
protocols, WPA and WPA2.
• Powerline. For connecting rooms or floors that are blocked by obstructions or are distant
vertically, consider networking over your building’s AC wiring. NETGEAR’s Powerline HD
family of products delivers up to 200 Mbps to any outlet, while the older-generation XE
family of products delivers 14 Mbps or 85 Mbps. Data transmissions are encrypted for
security, and you can configure an individual network password to prevent neighbors from
connecting.
The Powerline HD family of products can coexist on the same network with older-generation
XE family products or HomePlug 1.0 products, but they are not interoperable with these older
products.
• Wired Ethernet. As gigabit-speed Ethernet ports (10/100/1000 Mbps) become common on
newer computers, wired Ethernet remains a good choice for speed, economy, and security.
Gigabit Ethernet can extend up to 100 meters with twisted-pair wiring of Cat 5e or better. A
wired connection is not susceptible to interference, and eavesdropping would require a
physical connection to your network.
Note: Actual data throughput will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors,
including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and
network overhead, can lower actual data throughput rate.
Assessing Your Speed Requirements
Because your Internet connection is likely to operate at a much lower speed than your local
network, faster local networking technologies might not improve your Internet experience.
However, many emerging home applications require high data rates. For example:
• Streaming HD video requires 10 to 30 Mbps per stream. Because latency and packet loss can
disrupt your video, plan to provide at least twice the capacity you need.
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• Streaming MP3 audio requires less than 1 Mbps per stream and does not strain most modern
networks. Like video, however, streaming audio is also sensitive to latency and packet loss, so
a congested network or a noisy link can cause problems.
• Backing up computers over the network has become popular due to the availability of
inexpensive mass storage. Table 5-2 shows the time to transfer 1 gigabyte (1 GB) of data using
various networking technologies.
Table 5-2. Theoretical Transfer Time for 1 Gigabyte
Network Connection Theoretical Raw Transfer Time
Gigabit wired Ethernet 8 seconds
RangeMax NEXT Wireless-N 26 seconds
Powerline HD 40 seconds
100 Mbps wired Ethernet 80 seconds
802.11n wireless 45 seconds
802.11g wireless 150 seconds
802.11b wireless 700 seconds
10 Mbps wired Ethernet 800 seconds
Cable modem (3 Mbps) 2700 seconds
Analog modem (56 kbps) 144,000 seconds (40 hours)
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Chapter 6
Using Network Monitoring Tools
This chapter describes how to use the maintenance features of your N 150 Wireless Router
WNR1000 v2h2.
This chapter includes the following sections:
• “Viewing Wireless Router Status Information”
• “Viewing a List of Attached Devices” on page 6-7
• “Managing the Configuration File” in Chapter 6
• “Updating the Router Firmware” on page 6-9
• “Enabling Remote Management Access” on page 6-12
• “Traffic Meter” on page 6-14
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6-1
Viewing Wireless Router Status Information
To view router status and usage information:
1. Select Router Status under Maintenance in the main menu. The Router Status screen
displays.
Figure 6-1
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Table 6-1 describes the router status fields.
Table 6-1. Wireless Router Status Fields
Field Description
Hardware Version The hardware version of the router.
Firmware Version The version of the current software installed in the router. This will
change if you update your router.
Internet Port. The following settings apply to the Internet (WAN) port of the router.
MAC Address The Media Access Control address. This is the unique physical
address being used by the Internet (WAN) port of the router.
IP Address The IP address being used by the Internet (WAN) port of the router. If
no address is shown, or is 0.0.0.0, the router cannot connect to the
Internet.
DHCP If set to None, the router is configured to use a fixed IP address on
the WAN. If set to DHCP Client, the router is configured to obtain an
IP address dynamically from the ISP.
IP Subnet Mask The IP subnet mask being used by the Internet (WAN) port of the
router. For an explanation of subnet masks and subnet addressing,
click the link to the online document “TCP/IP Networking Basics” in
Appendix B.
Domain Name Server The Domain Name Server addresses being used by the router. A
Domain Name Server translates human-language URLs such as
www.netgear.com into IP addresses.
LAN Port. The following settings apply to the Ethernet (LAN) port of the router.
MAC Address The Media Access Control address. This is the unique physical
address being used by the LAN port of the router.
IP Address The IP address being used by the Ethernet (LAN) port of the router.
The default is 192.168.1.1.
DHCP Identifies whether the router’s built-in DHCP server is active for the
LAN-attached devices.
IP Subnet Mask The IP subnet mask being used by the Ethernet (LAN) port of the
router. The default is 255.255.255.0.
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Table 6-1. Wireless Router Status Fields (continued)
Field Description
Wireless Port. The following settings apply to the wireless port of the router.
Name (SSID) The wireless network name (SSID) being used by the wireless port of
the router. The default is NETGEAR.
Region The geographic region where the router is being used. It might be
illegal to use the wireless features of the router in some parts of the
world.
Channel Identifies the channel of the wireless port being used. Click the link to
the online document “Wireless Networking Basics” in Appendix B for
the frequencies used on each channel.
Mode Indicates the wireless communication mode:
• Up to 54 Mbps.
• Up to 65 Mbps.
• Up to 150 Mbps.
Wireless AP Indicates whether the radio feature of the router is enabled. If not
enabled, the Wireless LED on the front panel is off.
Broadcast Name Indicates whether the router is broadcasting its SSID.
Wi-Fi Protected Setup Indicates whether the router’s PIN is enabled and whether the router
is configured for Push ‘N’ Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup). For more
information, see “Using Push 'N' Connect (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)” on
page 2-13.
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2. Click Connection Status to display the connection status.
Figure 6-2
Table 6-2 describes the connection status settings.
Table 6-2. Connection Status Settings
Item Description
IP Address The IP address that is assigned to the router.
Subnet Mask The subnet mask that is assigned to the router.
Default Gateway The IP address for the default gateway that the router communicates with.
DHCP Server The IP address for the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server that provides
the TCP/IP configuration for all the computers that are connected to the router.
DNS Server The IP address of the Domain Name Service server that provides translation of
network names to IP addresses.
Lease Obtained The date and time that the lease was obtained.
Lease Expires The date and time that the lease will expire.
a. Click the Release button to release the connection status items (that is, all items return to
0).
b. Click the Renew button to renew to the connection status items (that is, all items are
refreshed).
c. Click the Close Window button to close the Connection Status screen.
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3. Click Show Statistics to display router usage statistics.
Figure 6-3
Table 6-3 describes the router statistics.
Table 6-3. Router Statistics
Item Description
System Up Time The time elapsed since the router was last restarted.
Port The statistics for the WAN (Internet) and LAN (Ethernet) ports. For each port, the
screen displays the following:
Status The link status of the port.
TxPkts The number of packets transmitted on this port since reset or manual clear.
RxPkts The number of packets received on this port since reset or manual clear.
Collisions The number of collisions on this port since reset or manual clear.
Tx B/s The current transmission (outbound) bandwidth used on the WAN and LAN ports.
Rx B/s The current reception (inbound) bandwidth used on the WAN and LAN ports.
Up Time The time elapsed since this port acquired the link.
Poll Interval The intervals at which the statistics are updated in this screen.
To change the polling frequency, enter a time in seconds in the Poll Interval field, and click
Set Interval.
To stop the polling entirely, click Stop.
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Viewing a List of Attached Devices
The Attached Devices screen contains a table of all IP devices that the router has discovered on the
local network. Select Attached Devices under Maintenance in the main menu to view the table.
Figure 6-4
For each device, the table shows the IP address, NetBIOS host name or device name (if available),
and the Ethernet MAC address. To force the router to look for attached devices, click Refresh.
Note: If the router is rebooted, the table data is lost until the router rediscovers the
devices.
Managing the Configuration File
The configuration settings of the WNR1000 v2h2 router are stored within the router in a
configuration file. You can back up this file to your computer, restore it, or reset it to the factory
default settings.
Select Backup Settings under Maintenance in the main menu to display the Backup Settings.
Figure 6-5
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The following sections describe the three available options.
Backing Up and Restoring the Configuration
The Restore and Backup options in the Settings Backup screen let you save and retrieve a file
containing your router’s configuration settings.
To save your settings, click Backup. Your browser extracts the configuration file from the router
and prompts you for a location on your computer to store the file. You can give the file a
meaningful name at this time, such as comcast.cfg.
Tip: Before saving your configuration file, change the administrator password to the
default, password. Then change it again after you have saved the configuration file.
If you forget the password, you will need to reset the configuration to factory
defaults.
To restore your settings from a saved configuration file, enter the full path to the file on your
computer, or click Browse to browse to the file. When you have located it, click Restore to send
the file to the router. The router then reboots automatically.
Warning: Do not interrupt the reboot process.
Erasing the Configuration
Under some circumstances (for example, if you move the router to a different network or if you
have forgotten the password) you might want to erase the configuration and restore the factory
default settings. After an erase, the router’s username is admin, the password is password, the
LAN IP address is 192.168.1.1 (or www.routerlogin.net), and the router’s DHCP server is
enabled.
To erase the configuration, click the Erase button in the Settings Backup screen.
To restore the factory default configuration settings when you do not know the login password or
IP address, you must use the restore factory settings button on the rear panel of the router (see
“Restoring the Default Configuration and Password” on page 7-12).
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