Linksys WRT54GS manual Introduction, Welcome

Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster

Chapter 1: Introduction

Welcome

Thank you for choosing the Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster. The Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster will allow you to network wirelessly better than ever, sharing Internet access, files and fun, easily and securely.

How does the Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster do all of this? A router is a device that allows access to an Internet connection over a network. With the Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster, this access can be shared over the four switched ports or via the wireless network, broadcast at either 11Mbps for Wireless-B or 54Mbps for Wireless-G. In addition, WEP encryption provides greater security opportunities while the whole network is protected through a Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall and NAT technology. All of these security features, as well as full configurability, are accessed through the easy-to-use browser-based utility.

But what does all of this mean?

Networks are useful tools for sharing computer resources. You can access one printer from different computers and access data located on another computer's hard drive. Networks are even used for playing multiplayer video games. So, networks are not only useful in homes and offices, they can also be fun.

PCs on a wired network create a Local Area Network. They are connected with Ethernet cables, which is why the network is called “wired”.

PCs equipped with wireless cards or adapters can communicate without cumbersome cables. By sharing the same wireless settings, within their transmission radius, they form a wireless network. The Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster bridges wireless networks of both 802.11b and 802.11g standards and wired networks, allowing them to communicate with each other. And since this Router has SpeedBooster technology, your wireless network performance increases by up to 30% from old 802.11g standards. In fact, even non-SpeedBooster-equipped devices on your network will see a speed improvement when communicating with SpeedBooster-enhanced equipment!

With your networks all connected, wired, wireless, and the Internet, you can now share files and Internet access—and even play games. All the while, the Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster protects your networks from unauthorized and unwelcome users.

You should always use the Setup CD-ROM when you first install the Router. If you do not wish to run the Setup Wizard on the Setup CD-ROM, then use the instructions in this Guide to help you connect the Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster, set it up, and configure it to bridge your different networks. These instructions should be all you need to get the most out of the Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster.

Chapter 1: Introduction

mbps: one million bits per second; a unit of measurement for data transmission

browser: an application program that provides a way to look at and interact with all the information on the World Wide Web.

lan (Local Area Network): The computers and networking products that make up the network in your home or office

802.11b: an IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 11Mbps and an operating frequency of 2.4GHz.

802.11b: an IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 54Mbps, an operating frequency of 2.4GHz, and backward compatibility with 802.11b devices.

1

Welcome