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Setting up your wireless router

When to use b only Mode–In some cases, older 802.11b clients may not be compatible with 802.11g wireless. These adapters tend to be of inferior design and may use older drivers or technology. Switching to this mode can solve problems that sometimes occur with these clients. If you suspect that you are using a client adapter that falls into this category of adapters, first check with the adapter vendor to see if there is a driver update. If there is no driver update available, switching to b only mode may fix your problem. Please note that switching to b only mode will decrease 802.11g performance.

QoS (Quality of Service) Configuration–QoS prioritizes important data on your network such as multimedia content and Voice over IP (VoIP) so it will not be interfered with by other data being sent over the network. Based on 802.11e, you can turn this feature on or off by selecting it from the drop-down menu (3) and choosing the acknowledgement mode you want to use. If you plan to stream multimedia content or use VoIP on your network, we recommend that you enable the QoS feature.

Changing the Wireless Channel

There are a number of operating channels you can choose from. In the United States, there are 11 channels. In Australia, the United Kingdom, and most of Europe, there are 13 channels. In a small number of other countries, there are other channel requirements. Your Router is configured to operate on the proper channels for the country you reside in. The default channel is 11 (unless you are in a country that does not allow channel 11). The channel can be changed if needed. If there are other wireless networks operating in your area, your network should be set to operate on a channel that is different than the other wireless networks. For best performance, use a channel that is at least five channels away from the other wireless network. For instance, if another network is operating on channel 11, then set your network to channel 6 or below. To change the channel, select the channel from the list, then click Apply Changes. The change is immediate.

Using the Broadcast SSID Feature

Note: This advanced feature should be employed by advanced users only.

For security, you can choose not to broadcast your network's SSID. Doing so will keep your network name hidden from computers that are scanning for the presence of wireless networks. To turn off the broadcast of the SSID, remove the check mark from the box next to Broadcast SSID, then click Apply Changes. The change is immediate. Each computer now needs to be set to connect to your specific SSID; an SSID of ANY will no longer be accepted. Refer to the documentation of your wireless network adapter for information on making this change.

Protected Mode Switch–As part of the 802.11g specification, Protected mode ensures proper operation of 802.11g clients and access points when there is heavy 802.11b traffic in the operating environment. When Protected mode is ON, 802.11g scans for other wireless network traffic before it transmits data. Therefore, using this mode in environments with HEAVY 802.11b traffic or interference achieves best performance results. If you are in an environment with very little-or no-other wireless network traffic, your best performance will be achieved with Protected mode OFF.