LAN OBJECTIVE: TO SHARE A BROADBAND INTERNET
CONNECTION VIA WIRED ETHERNET &/OR WIFI
Requirements:
- Broadband internet connection
(dsl, cable, wireless)
- Router (802.11 a,b,g, or
MIMO) Wired &/or WIFI to
distribute the LAN signal.
- Ethernet &/or WIFI network
adapter card ( NIC ) installed in each PC that will connect to the LAN.
This receives the LAN connection for your computer as a
modem
does for a phone connection. Two types are available:
Internal ethernet NIC 10/100/1000 or
External USB ethernet NIC 10/100, or MIMO
- CAT 5 Ethernet cable for each
wired PC connection to access the LAN via the router
- Power suppressor to protect the
router from surges & power lags
- Verify that your PC can browse the
web. Disconnect the cable from your PC that connects your pc to your Cable
modem. This cable then goes to the
LAN port on your router so it can then distribute the signal from the
digital modem to multiple pc’s. Connect your PC to one of the 4 LAN ports
on the router.
- Connect the power to your router.
***Insert
the CD (if instructed) to configure your router. Some router brands insist that
you install the software before you
connect the router-check your manual. Some offer a set up wizard by browsing to
the router as shown below or…
you can configure it manually as shown
below.
IP Address: Each machine connected to the Internet
has an address known as an Internet Protocol address (IP address). The IP
address takes the form of four numbers separated by dots, for example:
123.45.67.890
Double click
the icon for the active Local Area or WIFI Connection in the system tray (two
computers) to discover the IP information that your connection has been
assigned. Or refer to the router’s manual.
ALL routers
have a pre-assigned IP range, ex:
Belkin 192.168.2.xxx
DLink
192.168.0.xxx
Linksys
192.168.0.xxx
Click on the
SUPPORT tab to find the IP address of your router (Default Gateway).
Enter the gateway number in the address line of your browser, ex: 192,168.2.1
and click the ENTER key. If you
encounter a login, refer to the router manual for this info.
You are now in the configuration
screens of the router. The menu on the left lists the various information
screens. Your installation CD will have
an installation wizard that will ask you all of the relevant questions to
complete these screens. Or you can
access them manually if you wish to configure advanced settings.
If your ISP
requires a static IP (fixed) number
you denote that here. Most IPS’s do not require this.
My ISP does
not require a static (fixed) IP address so I select DYNAMIC.
Note that the
status shows NO CONNECTION at this
point even though our physical connections are in place!
Your router will lease IP numbers to your LAN devices (pc’s)
from this range of numbers. The subnet mask should not be modified. DHCP is the router’s utility that automatically
assigns IP numbers to connected PC’s on my LAN.
These assigned numbers should have an expiration date for security.
Assign a
unique identifier as your domain name
if available.
Accept the default settings for the wireless
channel but not for the SSID. This is the name that the WIFI network will
broadcast. Broadcasting the SSID is something I may want to
disable so my nearby neighbors or *WAR DRIVERS can’t detect my WIFI network.
*Wardriving is driving around searching for a Wireless
LAN (802.11) network and then logging into it while in motion.
ALL WIFI NETWORKS SHOULD BE SECURED.
I prefer the
128 encryption level-only the really
artful hackers can infiltrate it.
I let the router
generate the 128 bit key for me based off of a pass phrase. This key must then
be provided to the NIC on every device that intends to connect to the WIFI LAN
or they will not be able to connect.
The pass
phrase is translated into hexadecimal code that will then be used as your
encryption key.
It’s much
easier than trying to figure one out on your own!
my encryption key =
9c760c1260d3bd8e31a902e140
Once the key has been generated I immediately create a new
text document (start/run/write) and type the key in so I can save it in a
document. Then I can copy/paste it whenever necessary. It’s a lot easier than
typing it by hand and you’ll have it recorded!
MAC ADDRESS: Media Access Control (MAC) Address is a unique MAC address that each
network device has burned into it.
My ISP registered & stored the MAC identification number of my NIC as part of my account
info. They will not permit an unknown
device to connect. To avoid having to contact them to add the router’s MAC address
to, I tell the router to “clone the MAC
address” of the NIC. The ISP never realizes this has been done. Otherwise I
would have to contact them to register the device.
ALWAYS
change the default password
and provide your own password to keep your network secure!
Once you have
entered and saved all the changes (sometimes this is necessary on each screen) you will need to restart the router and the PC.
After the reboot
your PC should immediately detect the new network connection (wired or WIFI)
and attempt to retrieve an IP address from the router for that connection. A wired connection will automatically connect
but a secured WIFI connection will need to know the key to connect.
THE WIFI CONNECTION:
Once you have verified the wired
connectivity, disconnect the ethernet cable. Your WIFI network adaptor should
detect the new WIFI network.
Right click on
the WIFI icon and select VIEW AVAILABLE
WIRELESS NETWORKS.
Highlight the network name and then
click on CONNECT and you will be
prompted for the 128 bit key which will then be kept on record for subsequent
connections.
To test the internet connection open a fresh
web page that is not stored in your cache.
Ex: cnn.com,
ebay.com, etc.
Once you have successfully connected to the router your
firewall should ask you to approve the
new network for future access.
To manually add the network information,
add it as a trusted range. The range is always: xxx.xxx.xxx.1 –
255. That permits 254 devices to connect
to your LAN!
Your firewall should never again ask for approval of this networkJ
FINALLY…open
your browser and test to see if you can cruise the Internet.
***if you should ever lose your
wired or WIFI connectivity you should temporarily
shut down your firewall first to determine if it has interfered in some
way.
ROUTER: (row´ter) (n.) A device that forwards data
packets along networks. A router is
connected to at least two networks, commonly two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP’s network. Routers are
located at gateways,
the places where two or more networks connect.
ETHERNET
802.3: Wired ethernet standard, Current speeds range from 10 Mbps to 10
Gbps
ETHERNET
802.11X:
802.11 refers to a family of
spec’s developed by the IEEE
for wireless LAN
technology;
802.11
1 or 2 Mbps
802.11a 54 Mbps
802.11b 11 Mbps
802.11g 20+ Mbps
802.11n
(MIMO) 108, 240, and
350+ MHz
http://www.cnet.com.au/wireless/0,39028844,39151368,00.htm
http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/wireless80211/a/aa80211standard.htm
http://www.homenethelp.com/web/howto/family-access-control.asp
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1429&page=5
http://compnetworking.about.com/od/routers/