Reference Manual for Cable/DSL Wireless Router WGR614
Introduction 1-3
Security
The WGR614 router is equipped with several features designed to maintain security, as described
in this section.
• PCs Hidden by NAT
NAT opens a temporary path to the Internet for requests originating from the local network.
Requests originating from outside the LAN are discarded, preventing users outside the LAN
from finding and directly accessing the PCs on the LAN.
• Port Forwarding with NAT
Although NAT prevents Internet locations from directly accessing the PCs on the LAN, the
router allows you to direct incoming traffic to specific PCs based on the service port number
of the incoming request, or to one designated “DMZ” host computer. You can specify
forwarding of single ports or ranges of ports.
Autosensing Ethernet Connections with Auto Uplink
With its internal 8-port 10/100 switch, the WGR614 can connect to either a 10 Mbps standard
Ethernet network or a 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet network. Both the LAN and WAN interfaces are
autosensing and capable of full-duplex or half-duplex operation.
The router incorporates Auto UplinkTM technology. Each Ethernet port will automatically sense
whether the Ethernet cable plugged into the port should have a ‘normal’ connection such as to a
PC or an ‘uplink’ connection such as to a switch or hub. That port will then configure itself to the
correct configuration. This feature also eliminates the need to worry about crossover cables, as
Auto Uplink will accommodate either type of cable to make the right connection.
Extensive Protocol Support
The WGR614 router supports the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and
Routing Information Protocol (RIP). For further information about TCP/IP, refer to Appendix B,
“Network, Routing, Firewall, and Basics.”
• IP Address Sharing by NAT
The WGR614 router allows several networked PCs to share an Internet account using only a
single IP address, which may be statically or dynamically assigned by your Internet service
provider (ISP). This technique, known as NAT, allows the use of an inexpensive single-user
ISP account.