Routers are also commonly known as gateways and setting up one is easy peasy to a geek but to the layman, it's a little bit more hectic when you need to know the settings. There are 3 kinds of routers commonly known to the end user, an ADSL router where it's connected to the phone line, a Cable Modem Router and a Wireless Router. Older generations also include the dial up modem routers and ISDN ones. Today we look into setting up the 3 common known ones, as opposed to the geeky CISCO or other routers which requires alot of knowledge. WiMAX modem routers are more typically plug and play but proprietary to the Operator.
The most easiest of them all are setting up a CABLE MODEM ROUTER which means get connected to your cable tv network. Motorola is the leading DOCSIS Modem Manufacturer with DOCSIS 3.0 standards in place, allowing fast ethernet connection up to 100Mbps (Mega Bit per second) It's commonly set up with the router connected to the modem which connects to the CATV network. Unless it's an integrated one, there will be one RJ45 Lan Ethernet cable connected from the router to the modem and the Cable TV connection.
We are assuming that the access to the router will be either Ethernet RJ45 or WiFi. To access the router, we must know the IP address of the router *(Linksys,AzTech,D-Link,USRobotics,Motorola,HuaWei etc). To find out your ip address, go to the dos prompt by start->run-> CMD
After we get the dosprompt, enter ROUTE PRINT which will show the gateway IP. NORMALLY it will be 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 . In certain times, the IP address will faill, which means that the boot strap is having issues. A hard reset will do the trick, otherwise refer to the manual. To logon, the username would be admin or administrator or root with password of blank, admin, administrator or root. Alcatel modems will show the master logon password on the label of the modem near the serial number. Otherwise, refer to the manuals of the manufacturer.
In a Cable Modem Router system, there should be NO NEED OF A USERID and PASSWORD to access the network, unless stated by the ISP. It's simply plug and play. To setup the WIFI, please go to the tab where it says WIFI SECURITY and set a channel where unused by the neighbours such as 13. WEP Key is useful to deter someone from leeching on your network. A good password would be the simplest, like your phone number as it needs 10 hex key (0123456789ABCDEF) so some uses would be A1B2C3D4E5 or similar. REMEMBER THAT KEY as that would be used to logon from your Wifi device such as iPhone , Blackberry , PDA or what nots.
For ADSL Router Modems (integrated), the connection will be RJ11 from the phone socket to an ADSL Splitter and another RJ11 to the Modem and from there on, your own connection, WiFi or RJ45. There are a few aspects to remember: ADSL needs logon! If you use a dialer, means only one user can be online at one time. So much of it be a hassle that the credentials are locked onto the system. If you need a seperate modem, then the modem sits between the RJ11 and RJ45 to the router.
Username for your service will be YOUR-ID@YOUR-ISP without the periods. Password as they told you. There are some things you need to know, the Multiplexing (LLC or Virtual Circuit VC -common), the VPI and VCI codes. Normally would be about 0 and 35 respectively if the modem can't auto detect the settings. The MTU should just be about 1490 or between ranges of 1450 to 1500. The lower it is, the chances it may work.
For WIRELESS GATEWAYS like the HuaWei E961 series, there is an integrated WiFi and RJ45 connected to the network via a SIM CARD on 3G or better networks.There would be a POTS RJ11 point for you to use it as a normal phone. The operator would just have set the APN and username and password into it, otherwise check with them. Users of Blackberry Internet Service uses APN of BLACKBERRY.NET without a username and password. The SIM CARD may be a GSM or CDMA module, depending on the device and locale. Malaysia, Singapore, UAE, Korea, China are known to use these gateways for remote offices or likewise. Also on the bus,trains and trams providing customers Internet on the move.If you wish to use the device to send faxes and dialups, please contact the operator for the DATA and FAX services. To find out if it's activated on your phone, call your voicemail and it will say " This is the Voice and Fax mailbox for the number ...."
Unless someone had boot strapped the routers with a bad firmware, then it would be at ease, how much the issue will be. Otherwise, Linksys is a preferred choice as it talks directly to the Cisco routers on the ISP system.