Linksys WRTU54G TM User Guide - Page 8

Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports Chapter 1: Introduction Welcome Thank you for choosing the Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports. The Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports 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 2 Phone Ports 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 2 Phone Ports, this access can be shared over the four switched ports or via the wireless broadcast at up to 11Mbps for Wireless-B or up to 54Mbps for Wireless-G. Use the WPA standard to secure your wireless network while the whole network is protected through a Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall and Network Address Translation (NAT) technology. Just run the Setup Wizard and it will guide you through the steps to set up your network. You can also access the Router's features 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 LAN, or 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. This is sometimes called a WLAN, or Wireless Local Area Network. The Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports bridges wireless networks of both 802.11b and 802.11g standards and wired networks, allowing them to communicate with each other. 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 2 Phone Ports protects your networks from unauthorized and unwelcome users. Linksys recommends using the Setup CD-ROM for first-time installation of 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 Chapter 1: Introduction Welcome NOTE: The Setup Wizard is not compatible with Mac® computers. Refer to Chapter 4: Connecting the Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports and Chapter 5: Configuring the Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports. wpa (wi-fi protected access): a wireless security protocol using TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) encryption, which can be used in conjunction with a RADIUS server. spi (stateful packet inspection) firewall: a technology that inspects incoming packets of information before allowing them to enter the network. firewall: Security measures that protect the resources of a local network from intruders. nat (network address translation): NAT technology translates IP addresses of a local area network to a different IP address for the Internet. lan (local area network): The computers and networking products that make up the network in your home or office. 1