3Com Router WL-537 User Manual

							
5
ROUTER CONFIGURATION
Navigating
Through the Router 
Configuration
PagesThis chapter describes all the screens available through the Router 
configuration pages, and is provided as a reference. To get to the 
configuration pages, browse to the Router by entering the URL in the 
location bar of your browser. The  default URL is http://192.168.1.1 but if 
you changed the Router LAN IP address during initial configuration, use 
the new IP address instead. When you ha ve browsed to the Router, log in 
using your system password (default admin).
Main Menu At the left side of all screens is a main menu, as shown in  Figure 29
 on 
page 46
. When you click on a topic from the main menu, that page will 
appear in the main part of the screen.
■Welcome — displays the firmware version of the Router, allows you to 
change your password, and launch the Wizard
■LAN Settings — allows you to confi gure IP address and subnet mask 
information, set up DHCP server parameters, and display the DHCP 
client list.
■Wireless Settings — enables /disables access from wireless computers, 
configures WPA or WEP encryption , and provides facilities for 
improving the security of the wireless network.
■Internet Settings — sets up Internet addressing modes such as PPPoE 
and PPTP connections, allows you to clone  the Router’s MAC address, 
and set up dynamic IP addre ss allocation and static IP address settings.
■Firewall — allows configuration of the Rou ter’s firewall features: 
Virtual Servers, Special Applications, PCs Privileges, URL Filtering, 
Content Filtering and SPI options
■System Tools — allows the admini strator to perform maintenance 
activities on the Router. 
						

							
46CHAPTER 5: ROUTER CONFIGURATION
■Advanced — allows you to monitor and configure the Router’s 
advanced features, including RIP, DDNS and Security.
■Status and Logs — displays the curren t status and activity logs of the 
Router.
■Support/Feedback — contains a comprehe nsive online help system 
and allows you to provide 3Com with feedback on your Router.
Option Tabs Each corresponding menu page may also  provide sub-sections which are 
accessed through the use of tabs (see  Figure 29
 for example). To access a 
sub-section, simply click on the required tab.
Getting Help
On every screen, a Help button is available which provides access to the 
context-sensitive online help system. Click  Helpfor further assistance and 
guidance relating to the current screen.
Welcome ScreenThe  Welcome  section allows you to view the Notice board and to change 
your Password. You can also gain access to the Configuration Wizard. 
Notice Board
Figure 29    Notice Board Screen 
						

							
Welcome Screen47
The Notice Board is used to disp lay configuration warning messages. For 
example, you would be warned if yo u had disabled wireless networking 
or wireless encryption.
Password
Figure 30    Password Screen
Changing the Administration Password
You can change the password to prevent unauthorized access to the 
Administration System. To do this:
1 Enter the current password in the  Old Password field 
2 Enter the new password in the  New Password field 
3 Enter the new password again in the  Confirm Password field 
4 Click  Apply  to save the new password 
The password is case sensitive.
If you have forgotten you r password you need to reset the Router.  
						

							
48CHAPTER 5: ROUTER CONFIGURATION
WizardFigure 31    Wizard Screen
Click WIZARD...  to launch the configuration wizard. Refer to  Chapter 4
for information on how to run the wizard.
LAN SettingsThe LAN Settings menu provides the following options:
Unit Configuration
Figure 32    Unit Configuration Screen 
						

							
LAN Settings49
The LAN Settings screen is used to specify the LAN IP address of your 
Router, and to configure the DHCP server.
1 Select  Unit Configuration  and then specify the Router  IP Address and 
Subnet Mask  in the LAN Settings section. Th e default IP address of the 
Router is 192.168.1.1.
2 If you want to use the Router as a DHCP Server, check the  Enable check 
box.
3 Clicking  Auto Range  will automatically choose the largest available range 
of addresses for your network. Alternatively, you can change the address 
range by changing the last digit(s) of the  IP Pool Start Address, or the IP
Pool End Address,  or both.
4 If you use 3Com NBX telephones, enter  the IP address of the NBX call 
processor at  3Com NBX Call Processor .
5 Check all of your settings, and then click  Apply.
The DHCP server will give out addresses to both wired and wireless 
clients.
Static DHCP
Assignment
Figure 33    Static DHCP Assignment Screen
Click on the  DHCP Client Tab  to display a list of all the DHCP clients in 
your network.DHCP Clients List 
						

							
50CHAPTER 5: ROUTER CONFIGURATION
The Wireless Settings menu provides options described in the following 
sections.
To improve the security of  your wireless network, 3 Com recommends 
that you:
1.Change the SSID from its default value
2.Enable Encryption
3.Enable Connection ControlWireless Settings 
						

							
LAN Settings51
Figure 34   Configuration Screen
Enable Wireless Networking
Use this check box to enable or disable the wireless secion of your LAN. 
When disabled, no wireless PCs can ga in access to either the internet or 
other PCs on your Wired or Wireless LAN through this Router.
Channel Selection
Select a number from the drip-down list to specify which Channel the 
Router will transmit and receive on. If  another access point or Router 
nearby is using the same Channel as yo u, there will be a reduction in the 
performance of your network. If this  seems to be the case, you should 
select a different channel number. Usually the Wireless computers will 
scan to find the correct channel, bu t if they don't you must configure 
them to use the same Channel number as the Router.
Choose the  Clear Channel Select  option to automatically choose the 
clearest channel. The Router will check for the clearest channel whenever 
it is rebooted, powered up, and when the  Clear Channel Select option is 
first applied.
Valid channels are country dependent.
Configuration 
						

							
52CHAPTER 5: ROUTER CONFIGURATION
Service Area Name/SSID
This allows you to name your Wireless network. The  Service Area 
Name/SSID  field will accept any alphanumeric string and has a maximum 
length of 32 characters. Your  Wireless computers must be configured 
with exactly the same name or you will not establish a connection. The 
Service Area Name may also be re ferred to as "ESSID" depending on your 
networking vendor. By default th e Router uses the name "3Com". 3Com 
recommends that you change the default name.
In order that your wireless computers can connect to the Router, you 
must:
■Use Infrastructure Mode  not Ad hoc Mode
■Have the same Service Area Name as the Router.
■Have the same Channel number as the Router.
■Use the same encryption type and keys as the Router.
■Ensure that the PC is included in the aouthorized Wireless PCs list if 
Connection Control is enabled.
Enable Broadcase SSID 
Disable this feature after you have installed your wireless network to 
improve the security of your netwo rk. When the check box is checked, 
the Router will broadcast the Service Area Name/SSID of your wireless 
network, whick reduces the security of  your Router as it allows any 
wireless client to see your wireless LAN.
If you have a wireless client that can detect all the available SSIDs in your 
area, your client will not list the Router SSID unless this feature is enabled. 
THe clients will still be able to connect, provided that they are supplied 
with the SSID.
3Com recommends that you install your wireless network with this 
feature enabled and than disable it on ce you have set up the Router and 
wireless clients.
SSID
If required, enter a name th at you want to use to uniquely identify the 
device at the  SSID prompt. 
						

							
LAN Settings53
EncryptionWhen setting up wireless networks,  it is important to remember that with 
encryption disabled, anyone with a Wireless PC can eavesdrop on your 
network. 3Com recommends that you get  the network working with 
encryption disabled first and then enable it as the last step. This will 
simplify setting up your network. 
You can configure wireless securi ty such as WEP or WPA encryption on 
this screen.  Note: it is recommended that you use WPA encryption over 
WEP if your wireless clients support WPA All of the wireless clients must 
use the same security settings in order to connecdt to the router.
■WPA — Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)  is a 256 bit encryption method 
with keys that change over time.
■WEP — Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is a 64 bit or 128 bit 
encryption method with  user configurable fixed keys.
WPA provides a higher level of security, provided by its longer key and 
dynamic changes made to the key over time. 3Com recommends that 
you use WPA with any clients which support it.
If you enable encryption on th e Router, you must reconfigure your 
wireless PCs to use exactly the same Encryption Type and Keys otherwise 
the devices will not understand each other. 
The encryption methods used  by the Router secure data transmitted 
through wireless communications  between the Router and its wireless 
clients. Enabling encryption has no secur ity effect on data transmitted 
through wired (Ethernet) connections or  through your connections to the 
Internet. 
						

							
54CHAPTER 5: ROUTER CONFIGURATION
WEP
To enable WEP, select  WEP from the  Security Mode .
Encryption : Choose from  64 bits or 128 bits
Passphrase :You can enter a passphrase and click on the  Generate
button and the router will automatically generate four WEP keys for you.
WEP Key1-4 :Manaually assign a passphrase for each key. If you selected 
64 bits  encryption, enter  10 HEX characters (0-F) for each key. If you 
selected 128 bits encrtpyion,enter  26 HEX characters (0-F) for each key.
TX Key :Select a key to be the active key.
Click  Save to save the setting