Netgear orporated 13200232 Users Manual
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
User Manual
June 2013
CERTIFICATION DRAFT
Note: This draft is a certification document and
there might be some differences between
this user manual and the actual unit.
350 East Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134
USA
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Support
Thank you for choosing NETGEAR.
After installing your device, locate the serial number on the label of your product and use it to register your product
at https://my.netgear.com. You must register your product before you can use NETGEAR telephone support.
NETGEAR recommends registering your product through the NETGEAR web site. For product updates and web
support, visit http://support.netgear.com.
Phone (US & Canada only): 1-888-NETGEAR.
Phone (Other Countries): Check the list of phone numbers at
http://support.netgear.com/general/contact/default.aspx.
NETGEAR recommends that you use only the official NETGEAR support resources.
Trademarks
NETGEAR, the NETGEAR logo, and Connect with Innovation are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of
NETGEAR, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. Information is subject to change
without notice. © NETGEAR, Inc. All rights reserved.
Revision History
Publication Part Number Version Publish Date Comments
202-11229-01 v1.0 February 2013 First publication
2
Contents
Chapter 1 Hardware Setup
Chapter 2 Getting Started with NETGEAR genie
Unpack Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Hardware Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Back Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Label. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Position Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Cable Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Verify the Cabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Router Setup Preparation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Use Standard TCP/IP Properties for DHCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Gather ISP Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Wireless Devices and Security Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Types of Logins and Access. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
NETGEAR genie Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Use NETGEAR genie after Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Upgrade Router Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Router Dashboard (Basic Home Screen) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Change the Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Password Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Add Wireless Devices or Computers to Your Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Manual Method. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Chapter 3 genie Basic Settings
Internet Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Internet Setup Screen Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Basic Wireless Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Wireless Settings Screen Fields. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK, and WPA-PSK + WPA2-PSK Mixed Mode . . . 31
WPA/WPA2 Enterprise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
WEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Attached Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Parental Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Guest Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Chapter 4 genie Advanced Home
Setup Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
WPS Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Setup Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
WAN Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
WAN Setup Screen Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Default DMZ Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Change the MTU Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
LAN Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
LAN Setup Screen Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Manage the DHCP Server on the Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Set Up Address Reservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
QoS Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of Service for Wireless Traffic. . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Quality of Service Priority Rules and Internet Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Bandwidth Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Chapter 5 Security
Keyword Blocking of HTTP Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Exempt a Computer from Blocking and Logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Block Services (Port Filtering) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Schedule Blocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Security Event Email Notifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Chapter 6 Administration
Upgrade the Router Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
View and Configure Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Manage the Configuration File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Back Up Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Restore Configuration Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Erase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Chapter 7 Advanced Settings
Advanced Wireless Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Advanced Settings for Your Wireless Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Set Up a Wireless Schedule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Set Up the WPS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Set Up a Wireless Card Access List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Wireless Access Point (AP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Wireless Distribution System (WDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Set Up the Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Set Up a Repeater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Port Forwarding and Port Triggering Configuration Concepts . . . . . . . . . . 89
Remote Computer Access Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Port Triggering to Open Incoming Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Port Forwarding to Permit External Host Communications . . . . . . . . . .91
How Port Forwarding Differs from Port Triggering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Set Up Port Forwarding to Local Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Add a Custom Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Edit or Delete a Port Forwarding Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Application Example: Make a Local Web Server Public . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Set Up Port Triggering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
Dynamic DNS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Static Routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Remote Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Universal Plug and Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
IPv6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Requirements for Entering IPv6 Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
IPv6 Auto Detect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
IPv6 Auto Config. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
IPv6 6to4 Tunnel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
IPv6 Pass Through . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
IPv6 Fixed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
IPv6 DHCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
IPv6 PPPoE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Traffic Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Chapter 8 Monitoring
Router Status and Usage Information Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Router Information Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Internet Port Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Connection Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
Wireless Settings Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Guest Network Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
Chapter 9 Troubleshooting
Quick Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Sequence to Restart Your Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Check Ethernet Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Wireless Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Network Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Troubleshoot with the LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Power LED Is Off or Blinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Power LED Stays Amber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
All LEDs Remain Lit after Startup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Internet or LAN Port LEDs Are Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Wireless LED Is Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
The WPS (Push 'N' Connect) Button Blinks Amber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Cannot Log In to the Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Cannot Access the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Troubleshoot Internet Browsing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Troubleshoot a PPPoE Internet Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Changes Not Saved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Wireless Connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Wireless Signal Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Troubleshoot Your Network Using the Ping Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Test the LAN Path to Your Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133
Test the Path from Your Computer to a Remote Device . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Appendix A Supplemental Information
Factory Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Technical Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Appendix B Notification of Compliance
Index
6
1. Hardware Setup
Get to know your router
1
If you have not already set up your new router using the installation guide that comes in the box,
this chapter walks you through the hardware setup. Chapter 2, Getting Started with NETGEAR
genie explains how to set up your Internet connection.
This chapter contains the following sections:
• Unpack Your Router
• Hardware Features
• Position Your Router
• Cable Your Router
• Verify the Cabling
For more information about the topics covered in this manual, visit the support website at
http://support.netgear.com.
Firmware updates with new features and bug fixes are made available from time to time on
downloadcenter.netgear.com. Some products can regularly check the site and download new
firmware, or you can check for and download new firmware manually. If the features or behavior
of your product does not match what is described in this guide, you might need to update your
firmware.
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Unpack Your Router
Open the box and remove the router, cables, and installation guide.
N450 Wireless Router
Power adapter
Figure 1. Package contents
Your box contains the following items:
• N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
• AC power adapter (plug varies by region)
• Category 5e (Cat 5E) Ethernet cable
• Installation guide
If any parts are incorrect, missing, or damaged, contact your NETGEAR dealer. Keep the
carton and original packing materials, in case you need to return the product for repair
Ethernet cable
Hardware Features
.
Before you cable your router, take a moment to become familiar with the label and the front
and back panels. Pay particular attention to the LEDs on the front panel.
Hardware Setup
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Front Panel
The router front panel has the following status LEDs and button:
Power LED
Internet LED
Figure 2. Front panel
Table 1. Front panel LED descriptions
LED Description
Power
Internet
• Solid amber. The unit is starting up after being powered on.
• Solid green. The power is on, and the router is ready .
• Blinking amber. A firmware update
• Blinking green. The firmware is
• Off. Power is not supplied to the router.
• Solid amber. The IP address has not been acquired.
• Solid green. An IP address has been received; ready to transmit data.
• Off. No Ethernet cable is connected between the router and the modem.
Wireless LED
Hardware Setup
LAN LEDs
is in progress.
corrupt.
9
WiFi button
WPS button
and LED
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Table 1. Front panel LED descriptions (continued)
LED Description
Wireless
LAN ports
1–4
WPS
WiFi On/Off
button
WPS button Initiates a WPS wireless connection procedure.
• Solid blue. The wireless radio is operating.
• Off. The wireless radio
• Solid green. The LAN port has detected a 100 Mbps link with an attached device.
• Solid amber. The LAN port has detected a 10 Mbps link with an attached device.
• Off. No link is detected on the LAN port.
• Solid green. Indicates that wireless security is enabled.
• Blinking green. The router is attempting to use WPS to add a wireless device or computer to
the wireless network.
• Blinking green rapidly for about 5 seconds. WPS has failed to add a wireless device or
computer
• Blinking green rapidly and continuously.
locked state. For more information, see The WPS (Push 'N' Connect) Button Blinks
page 129.
• Off. No WPS connection exists.
Turns the wireless radio in the router on or off.
.
is off.
The router is in stuck in the temporary AP setup
Amber on
Hardware Setup
10
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Back Panel
The back panel has the following buttons, ports, and connector:
LAN ports
Internet port
AC power connector
Figure 3. Back panel
Table 2. Back panel button, port, and connector descriptions
Port or Button Description
WiFi On/Off button Turns the wireless radio in the router on or off.
LAN ports Four local area network (LAN) 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports for connecting the
router to your local computers.
Internet port Ethernet port for connecting the router to a cable broadband modem or DSL
broadband modem.
AC power connector AC power connector to connect the power adapter to the router.
Hardware Setup
The Internet port is also referred to as the WAN port.
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Label
The label on the back panel of the router shows the default login information, default WiFi
network name (SSID), network key (also referred to as wireless network password or
passphrase), serial number, MAC address, and other information.
Figure 4. Label on the back panel
For information about restoring factory settings, see Factory Settings on page 137.
Position Your Router
The 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 passes through can limit the range. For
best results, place your router:
• Near the center of the area where your computers and other devices operate, and
preferably within line of sight to your wireless devices.
• So it is 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 router and your other devices to a minimum.
• A
way from electrical devices that are potential sources of interference, such as ceiling
fans, home security systems, microwaves, computers, or the base of a cordless phone or
2.4 GHz 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.
Hardware Setup
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
To prepare your router for installation:
1. Carefully peel off the protective film covering your router.
placeholder
2. Place your router in a suitable area for installation (near an AC power outlet and accessible
to the Ethernet cables for your wired computers).
Hardware Setup
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Cable Your Router
The installation guide that came in the box has a cabling diagram on the first page. This
section describes how to connect the router, the computer, and the cable or DSL broadband
modem, and provides detailed illustrations.
1. Turn off and unplug the cable or DSL broadband modem. If your modem has a backup
battery, remove it as well.
2. Locate the Ethernet cable ( 1
1
) that connects your computer to the modem.
placeholder
2
3. Disconnect the cable from the modem ( 2). You will connect it to the router later.
4. Locate the Ethernet cable that came with the NETGEAR product. Securely insert the
Ethernet cable into your modem and into the Internet port of the router.
placeholder
Hardware Setup
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
5. Locate the cable you removed from the modem in Step 3. Securely insert that cable into a
LAN port on the router such as LAN port 4.
placeholder
Your network cables are connected, and you are ready to start your network. It is important
that you start your network in the correct sequence:
1. First, power on the modem.
2. After the modem finishes starting up, power on the router. Turn on the router by pressing
the Power On/Off button on the back.
Verify the Cabling
Verify that your router is cabled correctly by checking the router LEDs:
•
•
•
•
The Power LED is solid green when the router is turned on.
The Wireless LED is solid blue.
The Internet LED is solid green. If it is not, make sure that the Ethernet cable is
securely attached to the router Internet port, and that the modem is powered on.
The LAN LEDs (1 through 4) are solid green or solid amber for any computers cabled
to the router by an Ethernet cable.
Hardware Setup
15
2. Getting Started with NETGEAR
genie
2
Connect to the router
This chapter explains how to use NETGEAR genie to set up your router after you complete
cabling as described in the installation guide and in the previous chapter in this book.
This chapter contains the following sections:
• Router Setup Preparation
• Types of Logins and Access
• NETGEAR genie Setup
• Use NETGEAR genie after Installation
• Upgrade Router Firmware
• Router Dashboard (Basic Home Screen)
• Change the Password
• Password Recovery
• Add Wireless Devices or Computers to Your Network
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Router Setup Preparation
You can set up your router with NETGEAR genie automatically, or you can use the genie
menus and screens to set up your router manually. However, before you start the setup
process, you need to have your ISP information on hand and make sure the laptops,
computers, and other devices in the network have the settings described here.
Use Standard TCP/IP Properties for DHCP
If you set up your computer to use a static IP address, you need to change the settings so
that it uses Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).
Gather ISP Information
If you have DSL broadband service, you might need the following information to set up your
router and to check that your Internet configuration is correct. Your Internet service provider
(ISP) should have provided you with all of the information needed to connect to the Internet.
If you cannot locate this information, ask your ISP to provide it. When your Internet
connection is working, you no longer need to launch the ISP’s login program on your
computer to access the Internet. When you start an Internet application, your router
automatically logs you in.
• The ISP configuration information for your DSL account
• ISP login name and password
• Fixed or static IP address settings (special deployment by ISP; this is rare)
Wireless Devices and Security Settings
Make sure that the wireless device or computer that you are using supports WPA or WPA2
wireless security, which is the wireless security supported by the router. For information
about the router’s preconfigured security settings, see Basic Wireless Settings on page 28.
Types of Logins and Access
There are separate types of logins that have different purposes. It is important that you
understand the difference so that you know which login to use when.
• Router login logs you in to the router user interface from NETGEAR genie. For more
information, see Use NETGEAR genie after Installation on page 19.
• ISP login logs you in to your Internet service. Y
this login information in a letter or some other way. If you cannot find this login
information, contact your service provider.
our service provider has provided you with
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• Wireless network login. Your router is preset with a unique wireless network name
(SSID) and password for wireless access. This information is on the label located on the
back of your router.
NETGEAR genie Setup
NETGEAR genie runs on any device with a web browser. It is the easiest way to set up the
router because it automates many of the steps and verifies that those steps have been
successfully completed. It takes about 15 minutes to complete.
To use NETGEAR genie to set up your router:
1. Turn the router on by pressing the Power On/Off
2. Make sure that your device is connected with an Ethernet cable to your router.
3. Launch your Internet browser
• If this is the first time you are setting up the Internet connection for your router, the
browser automatically goes to http://www.routerlogin.net, and the NETGEAR genie
screen displays.
• If you already used NETGEAR genie, type
address field for your browser to display the NETGEAR genie screen. For more
information, see
4. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the NETGEAR genie setup.
NETGEAR genie guides you through connecting the router to the Internet.
If the browser cannot display the web page:
• Make sure that the computer is connected to one of the four LAN Ethernet ports, or
wirelessly to the router.
• Make sure that the router is fully up and running. Its Wireless LED should be lit.
• Close and reopen the browser to make sure that the browser does not cache the previous
page.
• Browse to http://routerlogin.net.
• If the computer is set to a static or fixed IP address (this is uncommon), change it to
obtain an IP address automatically from the router.
Use NETGEAR genie after Installation on page 19.
.
button, if not done yet.
http://www.routerlogin.net in the
If the router does not connect to the Internet:
1. Review the router’
typed everything correctly
2. Contact your ISP to verify that you have the correct configuration information.
3. Read Chapter 9, Troubleshooting. If problems persist, register your NETGEAR product and
contact NETGEAR technical support.
s settings to be sure that you have selected the correct options and
.
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18
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Use NETGEAR genie after Installation
When you first set up your router, NETGEAR genie automatically starts when you launch an
Internet browser on a computer that is connected to the router.
To use NETGEAR genie again if you want to view or change settings for the router:
1. Launch your browser from a computer or wireless device that is connected to the router.
2. T
ype http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www
The login window displays:
admin
********
.routerlogin.com.
3. Enter admin for the router user name and password for the router password, both in
lowercase letters.
Note: The router user name and password are different from the user name
and password for logging in to your Internet connection. For more information,
see Types of Logins and Access on page 17.
Upgrade Router Firmware
When you set up your router and are connected to the Internet, the router automatically
checks for you to see if newer firmware is available. If it is, a message is displayed on the top
of the screen. The message might be A router firmware upgrade is available, or a similar
message.
To upgrade the firmware after the router has detected newer firmware and displays a
message:
1. Click the message.
The Firmware Upgrade Assistant displays.
2. Click Yes.
The router upgrades to the latest firmware. After the upgrade, the router restarts.
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19
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
CAUTION:
Do not try to go online, turn off the router, shut down the computer, or do
anything else to the router until the router finishes restarting and the Power
LED has stopped blinking and has turned to steady green for several
seconds.
For more information about upgrading firmware, see Upgrade the Router Firmware on
page 72.
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Router Dashboard (Basic Home Screen)
The router Basic Home screen has a dashboard that lets you see the status of your Internet
connection and network at a glance. You can click any of the five sections of the dashboard
to view more detailed information. The left column has the menus, and at the top is an
Advanced tab that provides access to additional menus and screens.
Language
Dashboard
Menus
(Click the
Advanced tab
to view more)
Figure 5. Router Basic Home screen with dashboard, language, and online help
(Click to view
details)
Basic screen:
• Home. This dashboard screen displays when you log in to the router.
• Internet. Set, update, and check the ISP settings of your router.
• W
ireless
. View or change the wireless settings for your router.
• Attached Devices. View the devices that are connected to your network.
• Parental Controls. Download and set up parental controls to prevent objectionable
content from reaching your computers.
• Guest Network
. Set up a guest network to allow visitors to use your router’
s Internet
connection.
Help
Advanced tab. Set up the router for unique situations such as when remote access by IP
address or by domain name from the Internet is needed. For more information, see
Chapter 7,
Advanced Settings. Using this tab requires a solid understanding of networking
concepts.
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21
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Help & Support. Go to the NETGEAR support site to get information, help, and product
documentation. These links work once you have an Internet connection.
Change the Password
The default password that you use to log in to the router is admin. NETGEAR recommends
that you change this default password to a secure password.
Changing the default password is not the same as changing the password for wireless
access. The label on the back panel of your router shows your unique wireless network name
(SSID) and the passphrase (also referred to as the wireless network password or network
key) for wireless access (see Label on page 12).
To change the default password that you use to log in to the router:
1. Select Advanced > Administration > Set Password.
The Set Password screen displays:
2. Type the old password, and type the new password twice in the fields on this screen.
3. If you want to be able to recover the password, select the Enable Password Recovery
check box.
For more information, see the following section.
4. Click the Apply button.
Password Recovery
NETGEAR recommends that you enable password recovery if you change the password for
the router’s user name of admin. Then you have an easy way to recover the password if it is
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22
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
forgotten. This recovery process is supported in Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome
browsers, but not in the Safari browser.
To set up password recovery:
1. Select Advanced > Administration > Set Password
The Set Password screen displays.
2. Select the Enable Password Recovery check box.
3. Select two security questions and provide answers to them.
4. Click the Apply button.
When you use your browser to access the router, the login window displays. If password
recovery is enabled, when you click the Cancel button, the password recovery process starts.
Y
ou can then enter the saved answers to the security questions to recover the password.
.
Add Wireless Devices or Computers to Your Network
Choose either the manual or the WPS method to add wireless devices and other equipment
to your wireless network. For information about how to set up a guest network, see Guest
Network on page 38.
Manual Method
To connect manually:
1. Open the software that manages your wireless connections on the wireless device
(laptop computer, gaming device, iPhone) that you want to connect to your router.
This software scans for all wireless networks in your area.
2. Look for your network and select it. If you did not change the name of your network during
the setup process, look for the default WiFi network name (SSID) and select it.
The default SSID is located on the product label on the back panel of the router.
3. Enter the router wireless network password (passphrase) and click the Connect
The default router passphrase is located on the product label on the back panel of the
router.
4. Repeat steps 1–3 to add other wireless devices.
button.
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) Method
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) lets you connect to a secure WiFi network without typing its
password. Instead, press a button or enter a PIN. NETGEAR calls WPS Push 'N' Connect.
During the connection process, the client gets the security settings from the router so that
every device in the network has the same security settings.
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Some older WiFi equipment is not compatible with WPS. WPS works only with WPA2or WPA
wireless security.
To use WPS to join the wireless network:
1. Press the WPS button on the router front panel
.
The WPS LED (on the button) starts to blink green.
2. Within 2 minutes, press the WPS button on your wireless device, or follow the WPS
instructions that came with the device.
The device is now connected to your router.
3. Repeat steps 1–2 to add other WPS wireless devices.
Getting Started with NETGEAR genie
24
3. genie Basic Settings
Your Internet connection and network
This chapter describes the features that are available from the genie Basic Home screen:
3
Figure 6. genie Basic Home screen
This chapter contains the following sections:
• Internet Setup
• Basic Wireless Settings
• Attached Devices
• Parental Controls
• Guest Network
25
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Internet Setup
The Internet Setup screen is where you view or change ISP information.
To view or change the Internet setup:
1. From the Home screen, select Internet.
The Internet Setup screen displays:
The fields that display in the Internet Setup screen depend on whether your Internet
connection requires a login.
• Yes. Select the tunneling protocol, and enter the login name and password for your
ISP. If you want to change the login time-out, enter a new value in minutes.
• No. Enter the account and domain names, only if needed.
2. Enter the settings for the IP address and DNS server
The default settings usually work fine. If you have problems with your connection, check
the ISP settings.
3. Click the Apply button.
genie Basic Settings
26
.
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
4. Click the T est button.
Your Internet connection is tested. If the router does not detect the Internet connection
and the NETGEAR website does not display within 1 minute, see Chapter 9,
Troubleshooting.
Internet Setup Screen Fields
The following descriptions explain all of the possible fields on the Internet Setup screen. Note
that which fields display on this screen depends on whether an ISP login is required.
Does Your ISP Require a Login? Select either Yes or No.
These fields display when no login is required:
• Account Name (If Required). Enter the account name provided by your ISP.
also be called the host name.
• Domain Name (If Required). Enter the domain name provided by your ISP.
These fields display when your ISP does require a login:
• Internet Service Provider. As the ISP tunneling protocol, select PPTP, L2TP, or PPPoE
• Login. Enter the login name provided by your ISP.
• Password. Enter the password that you use to log in to your ISP.
• Service Name (If Required)
did not give you a service name, leave this field blank.
• Connection Mode
- Always On.
does not time out. If the connection is terminated for some reason, the router attempts
to bring up the connection.
- Dial on Demand
to the Internet and automatically terminates when the idle time-out period is
exceeded.
- Manually Connect. You
Internet, click the Advanced tab to display the Internet Port pane, click the Connection
Status button to display the Connection Status screen (see Connection Status on
page 123), and then click the Connect button.
out.
To disconnect from the Internet, click the Disconnect button. The Connect and
Disconnect buttons display only when the connection mode is Manually Connect.
• Idle Timeout (In Minutes). If you want to change the login time-out, enter a new value in
minutes.
there is no Internet activity from the LAN. Entering a value of 0 (zero) means never log
out.
This determines how long the router keeps the Internet connection active after
. Select the one of the following connection modes:
The connection automatically starts when you turn on the router and
. The connection automatically starts when there is outbound traf
. Enter the service name provided by your ISP. If your ISP
need to connect and disconnect manually. To connect to the
This is often an email address.
The manual connection does not time
This might
fic
.
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27
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Internet IP Address.
• Get Dynamically from ISP. Your ISP uses DHCP to assign your IP address. Your ISP
automatically assigns these addresses.
• Use Static IP Address. Enter the IP address, IP subnet mask, and the gateway IP
address that your ISP assigned to you. The gateway is the ISP’s router to which your
router should connect.
Domain Name Server (DNS) Address. The DNS server is used to look up site addresses
based on their names.
• Get Automatically from
automatically assigns these IP addresses.
• Use These DNS Servers. If you know that your ISP does not automatically transmit DNS
addresses to the router during login, select this option, and enter the IP address of your
ISP’s primary DNS server
Router MAC Address. The Ethernet MAC address used by the router on the Internet port.
Some ISPs register the MAC address of the network interface card in your computer when
your account is first opened.
This feature allows your router to use your computer’s MAC address (this is also called
spoofing or cloning).
• Use Default
• Use Computer MAC Address
computer that you are now using to configure the router. To configure the router, make
sure that you use the computer that is registered and allowed by the ISP.
• Use This MAC Address
Address
ISP. Your ISP uses DHCP to assign your DNS servers. Your ISP
. If a secondary DNS server address is available, enter it also.
They accept traffic only from the MAC address of that computer.
. Use the default MAC address.
. The router captures and uses the MAC address of the
. Enter the MAC address that you want to use.
Basic Wireless Settings
The Wireless Settings screen lets you view or configure the wireless network setup.
The router comes with preset WPA2-PSK security. This means that the WiFi network name
(SSID), wireless network password (also referred to as the passphrase or network key), and
security option (authentication and encryption protocol) are preset in the factory.
the preset SSID and password on the back panel of the router. The preset SSID and
password are uniquely generated for every device to protect and maximize your wireless
security.
WARNING:
NETGEAR recommends that you do not change your preset
security settings. If you do decide to change your preset security
settings, make a note of the new settings and store it in a safe
place where you can easily find it.
genie Basic Settings
28
You can find
N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Note: If you use a wireless computer to change the wireless network name
(SSID) or other wireless security settings, you are disconnected
when you click the Apply button. To avoid this situation, use a
computer with a wired connection to access the router.
To view or change basic wireless settings:
1. On the Basic Home screen, select Wireless to display the Wireless Settings screen.
Note: The screen sections, settings, and procedures are explained in the
following sections.
2. Make any changes that are needed.
3. Click the Apply button.
4. Set up and test your wireless devices and computers to make sure that they can connect
wirelessly
. If they do not, check the following:
• Is your wireless device or computer connected to your network or another wireless
network in your area? Some wireless devices automatically connect to the first open
network (without wireless security) that they discover
.
• Does your wireless device or computer show up on the Attached Devices screen? If it
does, then it is connected to the network.
• If you are not sure what the network name (SSID) or password is, look on the label on
the back panel of your router.
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N450 Wireless Router WNR2500
Note: The WEP option displays only if you select Up to 54 Mbps from the
Mode menu.
Wireless Settings Screen Fields
The following sections describe the fields of the Wireless Settings screen.
Wireless Network
Enable SSID Broadcast. This setting allows the router to broadcast its SSID so wireless
stations can see this wireless name (SSID) in their scanned network lists. This check box is
selected by default, but you can clear it to disable broadcast of the SSID.
Enable Wireless Isolation. If this check box is selected, then wireless clients (computers or
wireless devices) that join the network can use the Internet, but cannot access each other or
access Ethernet devices on the network.
Name (SSID). The SSID is also known as the wireless network name. The default SSID is
randomly generated. NETGEAR strongly recommends that you do not change the
default SSID. If you do decide to change the name, enter a 32-character (maximum) name in
this field.
Region
in the United States, the region is fixed to United States and is not changeable.
Channel
through 13. (For products in the North America market, only Channels 1 through 11 can be
operated.) Do not change the channel unless you experience interference (shown by lost
connections or slow data transfers). If this happens, experiment with different channels to see
which is the best. The default setting is Auto, which means that the router selects a channel
automatically.
Mode. Up to 150 Mbps is the default setting. Up to 54 Mbps supports 802.1
wireless devices. The 300 Mbps setting allows 802.11n devices to connect at this speed.
This field is case-sensitive.
.
The location where the router is used. Select from the countries in the list. Note that
. This setting is the wireless channel used by the gateway. Enter a value from 1
Note: When you use multiple access points, it is better if adjacent access
points use different channels to reduce interference. The recommended
channel spacing between adjacent access points is 5 channels (for example,
use Channels 1 and 6, or 6 and 11).
1g, and 1
1b
Security Options
The Security Options section of the Wireless Settings screen lets you change the wireless
authentication and encryption option and the passphrase (also referred to as the wireless
network password or network key). The security that you select encrypts data transmissions
and ensures that only trusted devices receive authorization to connect to your network.
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