DSL Router Setup

This is a simple step by step guide and is intended to give you basic information on how to set up your DSL connection, in some cases you might find that your setup differs slightly to the one in the guide, but the basic principles apply to most Operating systems and Routers.

Connecting It All Up

• Connecting the Telephone Cable to router: Connect one end of the telephone cable to the DSL port on the router and the other end of the cable into the wall socket.
• Connecting the Power Adapter: Complete the process by connecting the power adapter to the Power input on the back of the router and then plug the other end of power adapter into a wall outlet or power strip. Then turn on the router, boot up your PC and any LAN devices, such as hubs or switches, and any computers connected to them.
• Connecting the Ethernet Cable: Connect one end of the Ethernet cable to one of the 4 LAN ports on the back of the router and attach the other end to an Ethernet Adapter or available Ethernet port on your computer. Alternatively, you can attach it to a switch / hub first and connect your computer to the switch / hub.

Setting Up the LAN (Local Area Network)
To use your web browser to access the web pages used to set up the router, your Computer must be configured to “Obtain an IP address automatically”, that is, you must change the IP network settings of your computer so that it is a DHCP client. If you are using Windows 2000, XP:

• From the Start menu on your desktop, go to control panel.
• In the Control Panel window click Network And Internet Connections.
• In the Network and Internet Connections, Click Network Connections.
• In the Network Connections windows, right-click on Local Area Connection, then click Properties.
• In the General tab of the Local Area Connection Properties window, highlight Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) by clicking it once, click on the properties.
• Select “obtain an IP address automatically” by clicking once in the circle.
• Select “Obtain DNS server automatically” by clicking once in the circle.
• Click Okay.
• Click Okay Again.
• Then Click Close.

Your Computer is now ready to use the Router via DHCP server.

Accessing the router
Open your web browser and enter the routers default IP (this you can find in the setup guide of the router) URL http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx in the address bar and press Enter.

You will then be prompted for a User Name and Password, by default on most of the routers you can use “admin” in the User Name field and “admin” or “administrator” in the Password field (this can also be found in the setup Guide of the router)

Router Setup

The setup procedure of routers may vary, but the basic input options should not differ, while doing the setup you might be asked to input certain values, below is a list of basic options used in South Africa.

PPP Username and Password
PPP username and password is the username that you chose during setting up your account online or on the application form.

Device Setup
You can configure the DSL Router IP address and Subnet Mask for the LAN interface to correspond to your LAN’s IP Subnet. If you want the DHCP server to automatically assign IP addresses, then enable the DHCP server and enter the range of IP addresses that the DHCP server can assign to your computers. Disable the DHCP server if you would like to manually assign IP addresses, in most cases it is better to leave DHCP enabled, this makes adding future computers to the network a breeze.

• VPI: Virtual Path Identifier. Should be set to 8.
• VCI: Virtual Channel Identifier. Should be set to 35.
• Service Category: Should be set to UBR.
• Quality of Service: Enabled.
• Service Type: PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE).
• Bridging: This will be set to enable if you are creating Broadband Connections from within Windows.
• Dial on demand: Allows you to manually connect to the Internet so you are not permanently connected. Idle timeout timer is included.
• Keep alive: Keeps you connected to your ISP even when no activity is present for a certain period of time.
• NAT: Select enable if you wish to share one WAN IP address for multiple computers on your LAN.
• Enable Firewall: Select if you wish to enable the router’s firewall for security.
• Enable IGMP Multicast: Select enable if you wish to be able to provide multicasts, mostly used in video streaming.
• DNS Server Configuration: By Default set your router to obtain the DNS server automatically, The Telkom SAIX network will issue you a DNS server address once your router authenticates with us.
• Network Address Translation Settings: This is set to on by default in most routers, if not, set it to Enabled or on.

Wireless

NB: If you are not using a wireless device please make sure to turn the wireless function off in the router. This is for security as it stops wireless users possibly attacking your router, stealing your bandwidth and personal information.

Below are a few basic steps of how to set up the wireless connection on your computer to connect to your router.

A wireless router
The router converts the signals coming across your Internet connection into a wireless broadcast, sort of like a cordless phone base station. Be sure to get a wireless router, and not a wireless access point. Wireless access point’s are used to connect several wireless computers or devices together WITHOUT an internet connection, were as a wireless router can do the same but also connect you to the internet through the same unit.

A wireless network adapter
Network adapters wirelessly connect your computer to your wireless router. If you have a newer computer you may already have wireless capabilities built in. If this is the case, then you will not need a wireless network adapter. If you need to purchase an adapter for a desktop computer, buy a USB wireless network adapter for easy of installation, if you are bit more on the adventurous side you can buy a PCI internal Wireless card and install it (this would require you to open up your PC – it is highly advisable to have a qualified technician do this for you), if you have a laptop, buy a PC card-based network adapter. Make sure that you have one adapter for every computer on your network.

Note: To make setup easy, choose a network adapter made by the same vendor that made your wireless router there are many different standards when it comes to wireless, for instance, if your wireless router only supports 802.11g and your computers wireless card only supports 802.11b even though they are both wireless they will not connect to each other, for example, if you find a good price on a Linksys router, choose a Linksys network adapter to go with it. To make shopping even easier, buy a bundle, such as those available from D-Link, Netgear, Linksys. If you have a desktop computer, make sure that you have an available USB port to plug the wireless network adapter into. If you don’t have any open USB ports, buy a hub to add additional ports.

Connect your wireless router
Connect your wireless router to your modem, in most cases your modem and wireless router are combined into one unit. Later, after you’ve hooked everything up, your computer will wirelessly connect to your router, and the router will send communications through your modem to the Internet.

Configure your wireless router
Using the network cable that came with your wireless router, you should temporarily connect your computer to one of the open network ports on your wireless router (any port that isn’t labelled Internet, WAN, or WLAN). If you need to, turn your computer on. It should automatically connect to your router.

Next, open Internet Explorer and type in the address to configure your router.

You might be prompted for a password. The address and password you use will vary depending on what type of router you have, so refer to the instructions included with your router.

Internet Explorer will show your router’s configuration page. Most of the default settings should be fine, but you should configure three things:

• Your wireless network name, known as the SSID. This name identifies your network. You should choose something unique that none of your neighbours will be using.
• Wireless encryption (WEP) or Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), which help protect your wireless network. For most routers, you will provide a passphrase that your router uses to generate several keys. Make sure your pass phrase is unique and long (you don’t need to memorize it).
• Your administrative password, which controls your wireless network. Just like any other password, it should not be a word that you can find in the dictionary, and it should be a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Be sure you can remember this password, because you’ll need it if you ever have to change your router’s settings.

The exact steps you follow to configure these settings will vary depending on the type of router you have. After each configuration setting, be sure to click Save Settings, Apply, or OK to save your changes.

Now, you should disconnect the network cable from your computer.

Connect your computers
If your computer does not have wireless network support built in, plug your network adapter into your USB port, and place the antenna on top of your computer (in the case of a desktop computer), or insert the network adapter into an empty PC card slot (in the case of a laptop). Windows XP will automatically detect the new adapter, and may prompt you to insert the CD that came with your adapter. The on-screen instructions will guide you through the configuration process.

Note: The steps below only apply if you’re using Windows XP Service Pack 2. If you’re running Windows XP and you don’t have Service Pack 2 yet, plug your computer into your wireless router and download and install Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Windows XP should show an icon with a notification that says it has found a wireless network.

Follow these steps to connect your computer to your wireless network:

• Right-click the wireless network icon in the lower-right corner of your screen, and then clicks View Available Wireless Networks. If you run into any problems, consult the documentation that came with your network adapter. Don’t be afraid to call their tech support.
• The Wireless Network Connection window should appear and you should see your wireless network listed with the network name you chose. If you don’t see your network, click Refresh network list in the upper-left corner. Click your network, and then click Connect in the lower-right corner.
• Windows XP prompts you to enter a key. Type the encryption key (WAP or WEP) that you setup earlier in both the Network key and Confirm network key boxes, and then click Connect.
• Windows XP will show its progress as it connects to your network. After you’re connected, you can now close the Wireless Network Connection window. You’re done.

Note: If the Wireless Network Connection window continues to show Acquiring Network Address, you may have mistyped the encryption key, or the DHCP in the router is set to disabled.

After you apply the configurations, it will return to the Setup screen showing the new configurations, if all your settings have been entered in correctly you should be able to surf the net.