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Wi-Fi create a group. What is a Wi-Fi network and how to set it up at home

Wi-Fi is a ubiquitous technology; in apartments on the Internet, a wireless Wi-Fi network is a must-have. Some pluses: inexpensive - one, without wires - two, reliable - three. It is also easy to manage the grid with your own hands, up to independent solution problems "why the Internet does not work on Wi-Fi?".

There are many misconceptions about Wi-Fi. Especially for those who have not closely encountered wireless Internet. So questions are born: how to connect Wi-Fi? Which provider should I contact?

Correct answers: connect exclusively with your own hands - it's easier and more reliable; Any provider is suitable - preferably one that already serves your apartment. The details are below, moreover, in simple language.

Quick educational program: Wi-Fi for beginners

Wi-Fi is ordinary computer network. The usual wired "grid" - only without wires. In the Caucasus and Central Asia, it is customary to call a wireless network cheerfully, but with love - “wai-wai”, or even “wah-wah”.

Strictly speaking, Wi-Fi is just a technology for wireless data transmission. But in everyday life, under this word, we habitually understand the presence of the Internet - there is “wi-wai”, which means there is an Internet. And the Internet is a network, and any network must have some kind of link that connects everything to each other. In a Wi-Fi network, this link is a router.

A router can be compared to a radio station and a receiver, only it combines both: it transmits data and receives it. Devices, such as a laptop, are connected to it over the air (Wi-Fi) and communicate with it. The router in this case becomes an intermediary "translator" between the laptop and the Internet provider - it establishes a dialogue between them. Other devices can also be added to this connection, for example desktop computer. And now the router connects the provider (Internet), laptop and computer, and they all communicate with each other.

Scheme - how a router connects the Internet and computers ...

Wireless router - the heart of the Wi-Fi network

At WiFi networks there is a center - a router (it is also a router). A nice box the thickness of a cigarette pack, with antennas and "light bulbs" - LEDs.

What is included in the tasks WiFi router?

receive Internet from the provider;
distribute the received Internet to smartphones and laptops, tablets and desktops - in general, to all devices with WiFi support. Within a radius of up to 30-50 meters. No more - in the conditions of urban concrete-brick buildings and several walls;
link several devices with Wi-Fi to each other - create a network between them.

The heart of Wi-Fi is the wireless router

Router price- 15-60 dollars. The desired range is 20-40. More expensive models, starting at $50-60, are needed for specific needs: connect a printer or an external HDD, hang a torrent client on it or do other techno-geek interesting things.

Any device can connect to the router: tablets, smartphones. Also connected to the Wi-Fi network modern TVs, video surveillance systems, and even refrigerators with vacuum cleaners. With every Wi-Fi-enabled device, the router finds its language automatically and no drivers are needed for this.

How to choose a router for Wi-Fi: criteria and parameters

home router price

Preferably $20 to $50 modern model. Cheap devices are famous for "sores", say, from overheating. More expensive models are needed only when their owner knows what non-standard functions he really needs (like a torrent client, Internet broadcasts from 2-3 sources at once instead of one).

Router brand/brand

TP-Link devices have proven themselves well: cute, reliable, technologically advanced - for every taste. They, like representatives of D-Link products, belong to the “plug and play” class for several years. In principle, finding a very low-quality router for sale is a matter of trying. The device is quite simple, and therefore only very cheap “Chinese” have frank farts.

How many antennas do you need?

The bigger, the better? Not at all. Speed and range will not be better (unless paired with a three-antenna router, an equally three-antenna mobile phone or other device). Other times it's just marketing.

Routers by connection type

Where does the internet come from? That's right, from the provider, but what type of connection does it have? Among the options:

optical fiber(in fact - a network LAN cable), it is also Ethernet. Typical speeds are from 5-10 Mbps to theoretical gigabit. The fiber optic line itself is not led to the apartment / computer, but to the entrance, to the provider's "box". From this “box” the usual copper LAN cable winds into the apartment. Its connector is very similar to a standard telephone, only larger;

Above is a LAN network connection port, below is an ADSL “telephone” connector. It is through them that the Internet “comes” to the router and is “distributed” via Wi-Fi.

It is very important to choose modem routers according to their connection type. The ADSL router will not work with mobile providers. The LAN router will also be a saboteur if you try to make it work with a dedicated line / 4G.

So, you need to know the type of your Internet connection - and accordingly choose a wireless router according to this parameter. There are also universal routers with two or more connection types: say, a 3/4G router gets along well with both ADSL and LAN cable. You can use only one provider, and keep the second connection as a spare (in case of emergency, when moving or when changing Internet provider). However, usually the second type of connection in the router is idle for years, and costs an additional 5-15 dollars upon purchase.

Finally, there are wireless Wi-Fi routers that do not provide for connection to external networks and the Internet at all. Home / office devices work fine with each other and with such an “isolated” router, but are not able to access the Internet through it.

Routers by types of ports and connectors

The Wi-Fi router is a real mini-computer. Its functionality goes far beyond a simple connector. The more connectors and ports it has, the more functional it is.

Among the standard connectors of the router:

From left to right: antenna connector, power, factory reset button, USB port, WAN port, antenna connector, LAN network ports - and again the antenna connector.

power connector: This is usually a round plug. It is always present, but speech, in fact, is not about him;
LAN network ports: as a rule, there are from 1 to 4 of them (not counting the WAN port for connecting to the provider). The most convenient thing is when you have one stationary computer at home without a Wi-Fi adapter. We connect this computer to the network by wire - and save on the purchase wireless adapter. It's great when LAN ports support today's high-speed 1 Gbps connection - and it's bad (albeit cheap) when they are limited to the rapidly aging speed of 100 Mbps. This speed is not “external”, but internal: it is with this maximum speed that your wired computers will communicate with each other and with the wireless segment;
USB ports: 1, rarely 2 or 3. Excellent connection solution network printer, or flash drives, or - external hard drive. Is it convenient to download torrent files without including the main PCs? Or print documents on a printer that is always connected to the local wireless network. Sometimes USB ports support connection of 3G (4G) modems from operators mobile communications: it's great to have a backup communication channel at hand;
sim card slot- usually present in routers designed to connect to the mobile Internet.

Selecting a Wi-Fi network standard

There are such:

801.11ac: most modern and fastest wifi standard. A router of this class can be recommended for purchase, as well as the next n-standard. To cost such a model a little more is an investment with an eye on a faster device. Yes - it's not certain that your current devices will be able to run at the speeds of the standard ac. In theory, this is up to a gigabit, or even one and a half - but only in theory: under ideal conditions, short distances, a bunch of antennas (on the router and on the receivers).
801.11n: This standard is quite modern. Works great with ancient networks b And g(and therefore often denoted by letters b/g/n). With data transfer rates it is more difficult than it was in the g-class era, but in practice you can count on a 2-4-fold increase in practical speed with the same range. Devices (receivers) with 801.11n support are the most common on the market even in 2017.
801.11g: enable legacy standard support b, supports speeds up to 54 Mbps. Routers in this category were common until about 2010, then they began to die out ...
801.11b: they say that someone even saw this dinosaur from the deep past "alive" ...

So - according to the standard of the Wi-Fi network, the router should be chosen either completely modern 801.11 n, or ultra-modern 801.11 ac. And ignore the:

legacy 801.11g.
marketing gimmicks like Gigabit WAN, 1000 Mbit and other WiGig. Although there is an interesting 801.11ad standard: the highest speed, but at minimum distances (5-8 meters) within the line of sight. A specific device for special needs, such standards are enough.

First Time Wi-Fi Setup

The router is selected, purchased and unpacked; The provider has been supplying home Internet for more than a year. How do you connect Wi-Fi with your own hands?

Power supply (included in the kit) - into the outlet and into the router itself.
LAN cable (should also be included, up to a meter long) - one end to a computer / laptop, the other to a router.
The router power button is in the "on" position. That's it, the process of switching on and setting has gone!

Router indicators - the most useful information for setting up and using

Router indicators, from left to right: power on (Power), Internet connection, Wi-Fi distribution, connections via network cables (1-4). Other models may have different indicators (or be absent), also - the location of the indicators varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

The "bulbs" of the device are very useful. The user needs them like a driver needs a speedometer. Indicators are responsible for displaying the following information:

power: the presence of current in the wires and microcircuits of the device. Normal indication - constant, even light;
ADSL/3G/WAN: the presence of at least some signal from the provider: it is not yet the Internet, but ... Normal indication: either a steady light or “blinking”;
Internet: the on (or blinking) indicator indicates the presence of the Internet already in the “box” of the router. On first power-ups and before setting up, this LED is normally off;
LAN (1-4): the presence of "communication" between the router and the computer with which the router is connected by a network cable. Normal indication - frequent flickering of the port to which the cable is connected (and, accordingly, the computer).
WiFi: LED blinking means distribution of Wi-Fi. It often works already at the first turn on, even before setting up the network.

You can configure and manage a Wi-Fi network exclusively through a browser. All access to the “control panel” and router chips is carried out in this way - through the web interface. No more difficult than access to mailbox e-mail.

Why do I need to set up a Wi-Fi router: a password and other goodies

You need to do three things with the future Wi-Fi network (in principle, it has already appeared within the walls of the house):

protect connections with a password so that only you and your loved ones can connect to this network;
set a convenient name for the network and other parameters (optional);
"make friends" the Internet from the provider with your own wireless network.

How to enter the router

You need to open a browser and go to the address of the router in the newly created local network(it was "born" when you connected the router to the computer via a LAN cable). This address is always written either on the case itself or in the wiring instructions. There are usually two options: 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.0 (dots between numbers, no dots at the end). "www" and "http://" do not need to be entered - the browser itself will substitute the necessary characters.

Entered in the address bar? Press Enter on the keyboard and get into the "security zone" of the router. Here you need to enter a username and password to access. This data is also present either on the body of the device, or in the "manual" instructions. The most popular "pair" for authorization from all manufacturers:

login: admin
password: admin

And here we are "inside" the router. Although the setting interfaces are different from model to model, there are general principles. Having understood the setting of one router, the user can easily work with completely different models, and even the language barrier will not hurt. By the way, oddly enough, it is preferable to work with the English interface: even eminent manufacturers have such “jambs” in translation that you are amazed. In English, everything is standard, and the words are familiar.

ADSL settings main window router TP-Link. We are interested in the menu on the left. Namely - the section Wireless (wireless network).

The settings section necessary for working with Wi-Fi is located on the left in the menu - this is Wireless(wireless connection). For other models, a similar section may be called WiFi or WLAN- synonyms, what can you do.

Basic Wi-Fi network settings

The three checkmarks at the top indicate:

Turn on (enable) wireless network. Default, WiFi already switched on;
Hide (hide) broadcast the name of the wireless network. Paranoid mode: foreign devices will not "see" your wireless network without special preparation. The problem is that you will have to connect your new devices not the most in a simple way. We do not recommend this mode for the home: what's wrong with neighbors knowing the name of the Wi-Fi network?
Isolate devices from each other (Clientsisolation): an infrequent feature, when enabled, each device will only be able to work with a router (receive Internet from it), but will not be available to other devices. The husband's laptop will not be visible from the wife's smartphone, and vice versa. Convenient for organizing public access points, but looks strange for a home.

Below is a field for specifying the name of your network (SSID / Wireless network name) - it is convenient not to get confused among the numerous neighbors "Connection_28153", "TP-Link_2343434", "Dlink-124". The home network of the author of the article is called Home. Boring and unoriginal, but illustrative.

Create another network with the unpronounceable name TP-Link_CA8458 among dozens of neighbors? No, it's better to have something more of your own. Home ("home") in our case.

Frequently asked questions about Wi-Fi routers

1. Do I need to turn off the router at night?

No, it doesn't make much sense. And the power consumption is minimal.

2. Buy Wi-Fi routers at your local store.

Ordering from abroad or from the capitals is a thankless task. The reason is that local sellers offer goods that are adapted specifically to local conditions. What is the use of an expensive router brought from America, which does not know how to work with the Omsk frequency bands of a mobile provider (a real and frequent case from practice). Local sellers are usually able to guarantee the smooth operation of their goods with local ISPs.

3. What is the maximum number of devices that can be connected to the Wi-Fi router?

In short: a maximum of 10-15 devices.

Theoretically, the limits are very small. Because everything is limited to the number of devices with a unique IP in the current network. Each new device receives its own unique IP and the entire range of such IPs is: 192.168.1.1 , 192.168.1.2 … 192.168.1.253, 192.168.1.254 . That is, theoretically, you can connect more than 200 devices. But in practice, no router can withstand so many operations. A router is a small computer with narrow tasks, and in order to communicate devices it has to encode and decode signals. If there are a lot of such signals, then the router processor simply cannot cope with the task, and it will freeze. Routers of course are different: strong and weak, expensive and cheap. Therefore, it is difficult to say for sure, but from experience I can say this: you can connect up to 10-15 devices. If more, then even with their slight activity, the router will not withstand ...

3. What can you say about Apple or Google branded Wi-Fi routers?

Funny devices with stupid limitations. About how to make a separate electrical outlet from the same Apple to connect Macbooks. And fasten it with kosher screws with an apple brand (yes, this is banter). The benefits, to put it mildly, are few. However, there are “bitten fans”, such routers are made just for them ...

If you use at home not only one computer, but also other similar devices, then they can be combined into a home network. In this case, you can create a home network through a router, which will have access to the Internet.

A local network through a router will allow you to simply connect all your devices. You can then exchange files over the local network, play games or use for other purposes.

To do this, you need to purchase only a special device - a router (router). With the help of a router, communication between devices connected to the network is established, and a home network is created through wifi router. If your devices use the same router to access the Internet, then there is a network between these devices. It does not matter how your devices are connected, using a network cable or via wireless Wi-Fi.

To create a local network through a router, you need to connect necessary devices directly to the router, or use a wireless connection. In all modern routers, you can use a wired or wireless connection option. But you can also use a router to connect several networks to each other.

Creating a home network through a router is usually done using the star principle. When connecting according to this scheme, all devices that you plan to use must be independently connected to the router. The router in this case is such a center of the resulting star, or rather the network. At the same time, the router itself connects to the provider's network and can distribute the Internet to devices connected to it. schematically this compound can be seen in the figure below.

Connection with a router of the "Star" type

Router for home network

The router is the main device for creating a network. Before you create a network through a router, you must select a suitable router model. You need to know exactly what type of connection your ISP is using ( cable connection either by telephone channel). If a cable connection is used, then the router must be selected with a WAN connector, and if a telephone line, then there must be an ADSL connector.

In addition, more options are possible when using a 3G / 4G modem, telephone (“STREAM”) or cable modem (“AKADO”). When using the last two options, a special modem is also required. Such a modem can be a separate device or built into the router itself. You can see the scheme for connecting devices and creating a network through a router in the figure below.

On the back or side of the router are the device ports used for connection. The port that is used to connect to the Internet is called the WAN port. Ports for wired connection of a computer, network drive or other devices to a local network are called LAN ports. There are several such ports, but basically there are four of them. If the number of ports does not suit you and you need to connect more devices, you can use a network switch. When installing such a switch with eight ports, you connect one port to the router, and you can use the remaining seven to connect your devices. Switches are 100-megabit and gigabit. The use of a gigabit switch makes sense if you need to quickly connect a computer to network drive. This will not affect the speed of the Internet itself. Network configuration through the router can be performed through the settings in the web interface of the router.

In addition to wired connection of devices using Ethernet technology, other options are possible. The network can be created via electrical wiring (HomePlug). But most often a wifi network is created through a router using a wireless connection. These methods differ in different maximum speeds and these characteristics can be seen in the table below.

When choosing a router for a home network with WIFI, the best results are obtained by a router using 802.11n, since it provides, compared to 802.11g technology, better performance and signal coverage. In addition, you should pay attention to other useful features, such as the built-in FTP client or USB port, which can be used to connect a USB flash drive, printer or network drive.

How to make a network through a router

Opening a port on a TP-LINK TL-WR841N router

For example, here we will describe setting up a home network through a router using a TP-Link TL-WR841N router model that connects to the Internet. In this case, one of the computers will be connected to the router using a network cable, and the second computer via a wireless connection. The local network can also be configured to large quantity computers. On each computer, you need to share the right resources to be able to access them from every device on the network.

First, you need to check that the Internet is supplied to the router. When you connect the cable from the provider to the WAN port on the router, the corresponding indicator on the front panel should flash. If the indicator is not lit, then you need to update the firmware of the router. To do this, download the latest firmware from the manufacturer's website. And maybe bad connection cable and you need to re-crimp the cable connector. If everything works fine, then you can start creating a local network through a router.

Checking the physical connection

It is necessary to check the connection between computers before setting up a network through a router. You need to ping between them. For this check, you need to go to the router menu from the computer and find the value of the IP address of another computer in the settings.

To do this, type the network address of the router in the browser, usually 192.168.1.1 and go to the router settings. Open the settings tab called "DHCP", and then "DHCP Clients List". In this window, you will see the devices connected to your router. Remember the address assigned to the second computer in order to ping it. Then you need to click the computer's Start menu and type cmd in the search bar to find a utility with that name and run it.

In the window that appears, you need to enter ping command and write the address of the second computer. After that, press enter and see the result of the command. If the packet exchange goes through, then the connection between the computers is established and it is already possible to set up a home network through a router.

If there is no packet transmission, then the router does not see the network. Maybe the reason is in the settings. antivirus program. Then you need to disable the firewall and antivirus. You can go to the antivirus network settings and find the option to change the network security mode for the computer. There you need to check the option to allow sharing.

Setting up a local network through a router

First you need to check which workgroup each of the computers is connected to, and set the name accordingly. It is necessary to see that the name is written in Latin characters and, if necessary, change it. To do this, you need to right-click on the My Computer icon and select Properties. Then select the option Additional settings and open the item Computer name there. Here you can change the computer name and group. After all the settings, you need to click Ok and restart the computer. Now you can configure the local network through the router.

All these steps must be performed on all connected computers that will use the local network through a wifi router. After that, you need to open the computer's start menu and open the Control Panel item. Here we are interested in the Network Control Center. It is important that the Home network is selected in the network settings. If so, you can click the Ready to Create button.

Now you need to click the appropriate button to create a homegroup.

Now you need to specify which elements you want to share.

After that, a window with a password will open, you need to write it down and click Done. In the next window, you need to click the button to change additional parameters.

In the advanced sharing settings, you need to disable the option to require a password on the local network. Then the General tab also opens and this item is disabled with password protection. Now don't forget to click Save Changes.

Now the basic settings of the local network are done, and you need to restart all configured computers. Check if all configured computers can see each other in the created network. To do this, you just need to go to My Computer and click on Network. All computers connected to the network, both wired and wireless, using the wifi network through the router should be displayed.

Now you can use the network through the wi fi router. But, if you go to another computer over the network, you will only get access to public folder. To access some disk or individual files, you need to make the appropriate settings.

Setting up sharing

To set up shared access to a folder or drive, you need to open the folder or drive, respectively, and click on Sharing, and then select the advanced settings item.

In the window that appears, select the option to open sharing by checking the box there and clicking Ok. Optionally, you can also specify a name for the share.

After this setting, all devices connected to your network will have shared access to the specified resource. When you set up a local network, it is recommended that you save backup network configuration on the computer. This will save you from repeating the steps taken.

Two routers on the same network

Sometimes it becomes necessary to connect two routers to a network. This can be done by connecting several routers together.

Before you create a router router network, you need to imagine the end result of such work. Routers can be connected to connect two local networks, can be used as a shared Internet access point or to connect to a second router various devices over a wired or wireless connection.

You can connect two routers using a network cable or a wireless WiFi connections and set up a wifi network through a router. When choosing a wired connection of routers, when one of them is connected to the Internet, you need to perform the following steps.

First you need to connect one end of the network cable to the LAN port of the router that is accepted as the main one. You must connect the other end of the cable to the WAN port of the second router.

Setting up a home network router router begins with setting up the main router. You must enable the DHCP function in the settings. After that, you need to open the “IP address” menu for the second router and check the item to automatically obtain an IP address.

If you need to connect two routers wirelessly, then in the settings of the second router you need to enable the search option wireless networks. Now you can connect to the Wi-Fi network created by the first router. To complete the setup, you also need to enable the DHCP function in the router settings, and then configure automatic receipt IP addresses. Now you know how to connect the router to WiFi networks created by another router.

network printer via router

you can customize network access to the printer. A method that is suitable for a printer that does not have a special built-in Wi-Fi module will be described here. All you need to connect is a router that has a built-in USB printer port. For the above connection, an ASUS WL-520GU and Xerox Workcenter PE114e router will be used.

The printer can only be connected via a USB port, so the standard connection to a computer using sharing imposes some restrictions. To always access the printer, the host computer to which the printer is connected must always be on. This is not always convenient and in such a situation it is better to use the connection of the printer to the router.

To properly configure the connection of the printer to your router, you need to open the computer's Start menu and select the Devices and Printers item there. In this window, you need to open the Add Printer item. When a new window opens, you need to select the type of printer to be added (local) and click Next to continue the setup.

Now you need to configure the printer port. You need to select the option -Create new port, and select the port type as Standard TCP, as shown in the figure below, and then click Next to continue the configuration.

In the next window, you need to enter the printer's network IP address. Here you need to enter the address of the router, which in our case will be 192.168.1.1. The value of the port name can be entered any name, but you can leave what will be the default after entering the printer's IP address (network address of the router). The option to poll the printer and select a driver can be left enabled (tick below). This option will not affect the speed of the process.

The computer will then take some time to find the TCP/IP Port you specified. This will be indicated by the corresponding window.

If the port is not found, a window will appear asking you to enter additional information about the port. In this case, you must select Device Type - Custom by ticking the appropriate box and click Next.

If everything went well, a window with port settings will open. Make sure that all settings are set as shown in the figure below.

In the next printer driver installation window, you need to select the name of your printer and its model. It is possible that you will not find the name of your printer in the list. Then you just need to click the button to install the printer driver from the disc. In this case, you must specify the exact path to the driver file in the appropriate field. latest version You can download drivers on the Internet from the website of the printer manufacturer.

If you have already installed drivers for such a printer, a corresponding window will appear asking which version of the driver to use. It is recommended to leave the default selection and use the installed driver.

After that, you can set any suitable name for the printer, which will then be visible in the Devices and Printers menu. You can leave the name for the printer and the one that will be the default, and then click Next.

Network printer name

In the next window, you can set up printer sharing. But since the printer will already be connected to your router, you can not use the printer sharing option. It is recommended to leave the default value, do not use sharing.

You can allow the printer to be used over the network

On the last page Printer settings You can leave or remove the option to use a custom printer by default. After that, you can check the printer and print a test page. Click Finish to complete printer setup.

Your computer is now configured to access the printer. To access the printer from other computers, you need to repeat the same settings for each of your computers.

Good day!

Eh, if in the 90s of the last century a computer was a luxury, now many people have not one, but several computers / laptops at home. If you connect computers to a local network (in which there will even be only 2 devices), you can get undeniable advantages:

the ability to open files located on another PC, work with them, etc. Now you do not need to run back and forth with a flash drive or disk;
the ability to make a network printer (scanner, CD / DVD drive, etc.), and use it from all PCs in the local network;
the ability to play network games (this is a separate and most interesting opportunity, which can be talked about for a long time).

In this article, I wanted to consider the issue of building a home local network (and setting it up), which will be useful to all novice users. I will follow the path of step-by-step analysis, I will start with the question of connecting one PC to another, then I will consider Windows setup, and how, in fact, to share (make available to the local network) folders, printers, etc. So...

When creating a home local network, most often, two options are used:

connect two computers (PC to laptop, PC to PC, etc.) using a cable (it is often called twisted pair);
get a special "box" called a Wi-Fi router. A PC is connected to the router using a network cable, and laptops, phones, tablets, etc. devices get Internet access via Wi-Fi (the most popular option today).

Option number 1 - connecting 2 PCs using twisted pair

Pros: simplicity and cheapness (you need 2 things: Network Card, And network cable); providing a sufficiently high speed that not every router is able to issue, a smaller number of radio waves in the room.

Cons: extra wires create confusion, get in the way; after reinstalling Windows OS - network setup is required again; for Internet access to be on the second PC (2), the first PC (1) must be enabled.

What is needed: that each PC has a network card, a network cable. If you plan to connect more than 2 PCs to a local network (or so that one PC is connected to the Internet and is on the local network at the same time), one of the PCs must have 2-3 or more network cards.

In general, if both PCs have network cards, and you have a network cable (also called an Ethernet cable), then connecting them with it is not difficult. I don't think there is much to consider here.

Note: Please note that network cards usually start to turn green (amber) LED when you connect a cable to it.

Another important point!

Network cables for sale are different: and not only in color and length. The fact is that there are cables for connecting a computer to a computer, and there are those that are used to connect a PC to a router.

For our task needed crossed network cable (or cable pressed in a cross way- here who calls it).

In a crossover cable - on the end connectors, the yellow and green pairs are reversed; in the standard (for connecting a PC to a router) - the colors of the contacts are the same.

In general, if two PCs are turned on, working, you connected them with a cable (the LEDs on the network cards blinked), the network icon next to the clock stopped displaying a red cross, which means the PC has found the network and is waiting for it to be configured. This is what we will do in the second section of this article.

Option number 2 - connecting 2-3 or more PCs using a router

Pros: most devices: phones, tablets, laptops, etc. will have access to a Wi-Fi network; fewer wires "underfoot", after reinstalling Windows- Internet will work.

Cons: purchase of a router (after all, some models are far from cheap); "complicated" device setup; router radio waves ., lower ping and freezes (if the router can not cope with the load).

What you need: a router (it usually comes with a network cable to connect one PC to it).

With the connection of the router, as a rule, there are also no big problems: the cable coming from the Internet provider is connected to the special. router connector (it is often called "Internet"), and local PCs are connected to other connectors ("Lan-ports"). Those. the router becomes an intermediary (an example diagram is shown in the screenshot below. By the way, in this diagram there may not be a modem on the right, it all depends on your Internet connection) .

By the way, pay attention to the LEDs on the router case: when you connect the Internet cable from the provider, from the local PC, they should light up and blink. In general, setting up a Wi-Fi router is a separate big topic, besides, for each router, the instructions will be slightly different. Therefore, it is hardly possible to give universal recommendations in one single article ...

By the way, when connecting through a router, the local network is usually configured automatically (that is, all computers connected via a network cable should already be on the local network, there will be a couple of small touches (about them below)). The main task after that is to set up WiFi connection and internet access. But since this article is about the local network, I do not focus on this ...

LAN setup (Windows 7, 8, 10)

In this subsection of the article, I will give universal instructions, regardless of how your local network is organized: connected via a network cable, or using a router. Where the settings will relate to a specific option - there will be notes.

Note: all settings are relevant for Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10.

Computer name and workgroup

Allegory: each person has his own name, surname, patronymic, date of birth, city, etc. - No two people are the same. It is the same in the network - there should not be computers with the same name ...

The first thing to do when setting up a local network is to check and configure name working group And computer name. Moreover, you need to do this on each computer in the local network!

To find out the computer name, open the panel Windows controls by the address: Control Panel\System and Security\System (screen below). Next, make sure the following:

PC name and slave. the group must be in Latin;
each PC / laptop in the local network should have its own unique name(for example: PC1, PC2, PC3);
Every PC/Laptop should have same working group (for example: WORKGROUP).

To change the name and working group - click the "Change settings" button.

Change workgroup and PC name

In general, when you bring all the names in accordance with the requirements above, you can proceed to the next step of the setup.

Turn on printer and folder sharing

Relevant for connecting through a router, and directly ...

This innovation appeared in Windows 7, supposedly provides greater security for the OS (in my opinion, it only creates the need for additional local network settings). The bottom line is that, by default, Windows blocks and does not allow access to open and share folders, a printer, etc., until the security policy is "softened".

To remove this lock and enable sharing, you need to:

Setting up IP addresses, DNS, masks, gateways

For a network organized using a router

In general, for PCs connected to a local network using a router, usually nothing needs to be configured (everything works by default). If something is wrong, just in case, I recommend that you go in and check the connection properties.

To do this, you first need to open "network connections" . This is done simply:

first open the window "Run"- combination of buttons Win+R;
then enter the command ncpa.cpl and press Enter(works in all Windows versions 7, 8, 10).

How to open network connections // ncpa.cpl

Local Area Connection Properties

To connect PC to PC via network cable

PC 1

By PC 1, I mean a computer that has two network cards: one of them is connected to the ISP's Internet cable, and the second is a local network cable that goes to PC 2.

Note: although, the Internet cable from the provider does not have to be. If it is not there, choose PC 1 and PC 2 - arbitrarily ...

And so, we open network LAN connection properties(how this is done - see a little higher in the article).

IP address: 192.168.0.1;
subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 (see screenshot below);
save your settings.

IN properties of IP version 4 (TCP/IPv4) second PC, you need to set the following parameters:

IP address: 192.168.0.2,
subnet mask: 255.255.255.0;
default gateway: 192.168.0.1;
preferred DNS server: 192.168.0.1 (see screenshot below);
save your settings.

Actually, the local network setup itself is finished. Now you can proceed to the most interesting part - sharing and using the shared resources of the local network. Exactly what we were going for...

Sharing Internet access on a second PC

Relevant for PCs connected directly by LAN cable...

You need to configure PC 1 (i.e. the one to which we have the provider's Internet cable connected).

First we open network connections : press combination Win+R, enter ncpa.cpl, Further Enter .

How to open network connections //ncpa.cpl

Next, open the tab "Access", and check the box next to "Allow other network users to use your Internet connection this computer" . Save your settings.

Allow other users to access the internet

If everything is done correctly, the Internet will be on both computers.

Note: of course, for the Internet to be on PC 2 - PC 1 must be turned on! This, by the way, is one of the inconveniences of such a local network, when connected through a router - the Internet will be regardless of which PC is on / off.

Sharing folders/files for public access

3) Set the resolution: read or read and write.

Note:

allowed to read: users can only copy your files to themselves (neither delete nor change - they can't!);
read and write allowed: LAN users will have full control over files in folders: they can delete all files, change any of them, etc. In general, I would not recommend giving such access to important and large folders (to transfer files, it is better to have a separate folder, to which you give full access).

5) After a few seconds, Windows will report that the folder has been shared. So everything went well.

6) To access the folder:

open the explorer;
then open the "Network" tab (on the left, at the bottom of the window);
open computer name, on which the folder was shared. As you can see in the screenshot below, it is shared, you can go into it and start copying (reading) any files.

Printer sharing (shared network printer)

1) The first thing to do is open the control panel: control panel/hardware and sound/devices and printers.

3) Then open the tab "Access" and check the box "Sharing this printer" . Save the settings (see screenshot below). Actually, now the printer is shared and it can be used by other PCs / laptops / tablets and other devices on the local network.

How to share a printer

4) To connect a network printer, open conductor, select computer name , on which the printer is shared. Next you should see it: click on it right click mice and select the option from the menu connections .

How to connect a network printer

5) Then you can open any document, press Ctrl+P (File/Print), and try to print a friend page.

Note: By default, Windows typically lists a different printer (not the one you have connected over the network). Do not forget when printing - change it.

Regarding the local network printer - I recommend that you read my detailed article on this topic. It covers some of the points in more detail. Link below.

"Creating" a network printer -

I am finishing the article on this. Good luck and fast setup.

Today, Wi-Fi networks (wi-fi) are widespread. Cafes, restaurants, shopping centers and even banks - everywhere you can catch the network using a laptop or smartphone. This article will describe how to create a Wi-Fi.

Connection instructions

In order to create a Wi-Fi network, you need to purchase some equipment. Namely, a router that will directly distribute the network. The router will come with 2 cords: one for connecting to a computer, the second for an Internet outlet. We connect the cords. We turn on the router. We are waiting for the lights on the device panel to light up. After that, a Wi-Fi network should appear. We check its presence using a laptop or smartphone.

wifi hotspot

Almost any laptop with an Internet connection can become a Wi-Fi hotspot. For example, if the Internet is connected to the car through a cord. In order to distribute Wi-Fi in this way, you need to turn on the access point. The instructions for Windows OS will be given below.

Go to "Start" → "cmd" → "Run as administrator"
We check the compatibility of Wi-Fi modules on devices. To do this, in the window that appears, enter in command line netsh wlan show drivers. Press Enter.
Further in the same place we write "netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=name key=password". Here "name" is the name of the Wi-Fi network. Think of any. Similarly with the column "password". Create your own for your network. You need to write only in Latin letters. Press Enter.
We start Wi-Fi to work with the “netsh wlan start hostednetwork” command in the same line.
Next, you should set up access for other users to the Internet. To do this, go to the "Network Control Center". Next, look for the adapter settings and click the "Access" tab. We are looking for an item that allows other users to use the Internet, and put a tick in front of it. We are looking for the item "Connecting to a home network" and here we select the creation of a virtual router. Click OK.

Checking the functionality of Wi-Fi. To do this, we are trying to find and connect to the network from another device.

Hotspot from Android smartphone

If there are no other options, and the Internet is needed, then the smartphone can also distribute the network. How to create a Wi-Fi connection using a smartphone with Android OS?

Go to "Settings" → "Advanced settings".
select the item "Modem and hotspot" and make the item "Portable hotspot" active.

After that, a notification about the name of the network and the password from it will appear on the screen.

Setting up a router is an essential procedure when starting and deploying a home LAN. In this article, you will learn how to configure the router yourself and get acquainted with the key parameters of its interface.

Introduction

In the previous parts of the “Do-it-yourself local network” cycle of materials, we learned: what components and devices a home computer network consists of, what details and characteristics you should pay attention to when choosing a router, and also figured out the types of network cables and learned how to make them yourself.

After all the necessary equipment has been purchased and installed in its place, and the cables (if they are needed of course) are laid and connected to the proper devices, it's time to put the network into operation. But in order for everything to work as it should for us, it is not enough just to correctly connect all the components of the network to each other. In any case, you will have to configure the router using the built-in software.

In this material, we will consider only the basic settings of routers that allow you to bring your home local network into working condition. In fact, routers can have very wide functionality, and the number of settings in advanced models is too large to consider them all in one article.

Despite the fact that almost all modern routers have special “for dummies” modes that allow you to set its main parameters in a few short steps, without certain knowledge and understanding of some terms, even in this form, setting up a router can be an overwhelming task.

Unfortunately, it will not work to tell you specifically about the universal method for configuring all types of routers. Model lines of these devices are very diverse, as well as their functionality. The situation is aggravated by the fact that different manufacturers use completely different software (firmware) in their products, which can differ greatly in user interface, capabilities fine tuning and other important aspects.

Probably, for beginners in this matter, it's time to shrug, but you should not despair yet. No matter how clever programmers and manufacturers are, it is still possible to understand by the main generally accepted terms what this or that option in the router settings menu is responsible for. So, having dealt with basic concepts, used in the firmware of routers, you can easily correctly configure its main parameters for specific goals and objectives. Moreover, most mistakes are made precisely because the various options of the router are often configured without understanding the functions for which they are responsible.

IP- addressing andNAT

Before we start delving into the various settings of the router, let's make a small theoretical digression and figure out how computers communicate with each other within the network.

For the movement of information over the network, special software is responsible, called network protocols , which describe the rules for communication between machines. For data exchange in global network Internet in use TCP/IP protocol suite(Transmission Control Protocol). It is not by chance that I called it a set, since TCP / IP really consists of many different protocols, among which the following can be distinguished:

HTTP is a hypertext transfer protocol used by web servers and web browsers. It is with the help of this protocol that you have the ability to view numerous sites on the network.
FTP is a protocol used to transfer files over a network.
SMTP is an email protocol.
IP is a protocol for data transmission based on a network addressing system.

Let's take a closer look at the last protocol.

In order for computers, routers and other electronic devices could exchange information on the Internet or within any network, all of them must have their own unique personal number(identifier) or so-called IP address(Internet Protocol Address). At this address, the devices identify each other and can determine where the request came from and where the data should be sent.

Today, the Internet uses the fourth version of the IP protocol (IPv4) to route data packets, in which the IP address is a 32-bit number. IN binary system, which is used by computers, such a number consists of zeros and ones, and has 32 digits. As you understand, it is not at all easy for a person to perceive addresses in this form, so we, people, write it in a more convenient representation for us, as four decimal numbers with a value from 0 to 255, separated by dots. For example, the same IP address in the binary system will look like, and in the decimal system traditional for us, like 192.168.0.1.

The total number of unique IP addresses using the IPv4 protocol is 4,228,250,625 (255 4). Despite the fact that this figure looks impressive, this number of addresses is no longer enough for all devices participating in the global network. Indeed, today, not only computer devices, but also coffee makers, televisions, telephones and other various equipment can have an Internet connection.

The global depletion of IPv4 addresses was predicted in advance, so a number of technologies are already being used today to allow them to be spent more economically. We will not consider them all, but will focus only on the mechanisms of using dynamic And private(internal) IP addresses, understanding of which is important for setting up any router.

Unlike a static network address, which is usually assigned to a device by the user, a dynamic IP address is assigned to a host automatically when connected to the network for a limited period of time (for example, for one Internet connection session). The DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is responsible for the automatic distribution of IP addresses. Let's see how this works in practice.

Imagine that the provider has a pool of free IP addresses at its disposal. If a device is connected to the network, it is assigned a network address from this list by the DHCP server. After the user exits the network, the IP address is returned to the list and can be re-issued to another client. Thus, it is possible to increase the efficiency of using addresses and organize access to the Internet from one address for many devices at once, however, only one by one.

Another important point in saving address space is the NAT (Network Address Translation) technology, which can be used to convert the IP addresses of transit packets with data, and in particular private (internal)IP addresses in public (external) network addresses. This mechanism is used in almost any router and is the basis for organizing your own local network.

public or external An IP address is given if it can be used to exchange data directly within the Internet. Such an address is globally unique and can only be assigned to one device at a time, which can be accessed from anywhere on the World Wide Web. It is these addresses that are now in great short supply and require particularly economical use.

Private IP addresses are not assigned on the Internet and are intended for use only on local networks. Such addresses require uniqueness within one specific network and can be assigned simultaneously to several devices located in different networks. That is, you can use the same internal IP addresses in different local networks.

There are three ranges of private IP addresses:

From 10.0.0.1 to 10.255.255.254
From 172.16.0.1 to 172.31.255.254
From 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.255.254

Typically, home and small office networks use address ranges from 192.168.0.1 before 192.168.0.254 or from 192.168.1.1 before 192.168.1.254 , each of which allows you to combine up to 254 devices.

Now let's look at an example of how translation of private addresses into public addresses works. Let's imagine that you want to open a website and, after typing its address in your browser, you press the Enter key. At this point, your computer sends a request to the router, which, accepting it, looks at the destination IP address. If this address is local, that is, it falls within the address range of your local network, then the router immediately sends the packet to the local device. In our case, this is not the case, which means that the request must be sent out to the global network.

But the fact is that a local (private) address is specified as the return address of the sender, which will not be available from the global network, since it cannot be used on the Internet. Therefore, the router changes the information in the packet, substituting the public address issued by the provider instead of the local address, records the operation performed with this packet in a special internal table, and only then sends it out. After the packet returns with a response, the router, referring to the table, finds the local address from which it was sent and forwards it desired device local network. Subsequently, when the client and server finish exchanging packets, the router deletes the entries in its table, freeing up space for the following operations.

Thus, thanks to this mechanism, to access the Internet, all devices on the local network use only one public address, which is assigned to the external network interface of the router. This allows not only to significantly save external IP addresses, which are now worth their weight in gold, but also provides high level confidentiality of data circulating within the local network. After all, packages designed for internal devices, are never forwarded to the outside, and a computer with an internal IP address cannot be accessed from the global web without the permission of the router.

Connecting to a router

Now, having dealt with IP addressing and some important definitions, we go directly to the router settings. Obviously, in order to configure the router, you first need to connect to it. To do this, we need a regular network cable (patch cord), which, as a rule, always comes with a router. One end must be connected to the computer's network card, and the other end plugged into any LAN port of the router.

After turning on the router, on the computer, you need to check in the settings of the local network connection properties that automatic retrieval of IP parameters is enabled (set by default) and along the way find out the IP address of the internal network interface of the router itself, which we need to connect to it. For this in Control panels select item Networks and the Internet, then Network and Control Center public access and further in the left column Change adapter settings. In the window that opens, find the desired LAN connection and double click on it. In the next window, click the button Properties.

In the local connection properties window, select Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and press the button again Properties.

In the window that opens, check that the option is selected ReceiveIP address automatically. Next, here and in the previous window, click the button OK.

Back to the window Status - Local Area Connection click on the button Intelligence.

In the window, we are primarily interested in the value of the property Default gatewayIPv4, since this IP address is the network address of the LAN interface of the router. Having written down or remembered the gateway address (in our example it is 192.168.1.1), we open any browser ( Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Safari, etc.) and type it into address bar. If everything is done correctly, then a window should open in front of you asking for a login (username) and password to enter the router settings menu.

As a rule, the login (UserName) and password (Password), set by default at the manufacturer's factory, are indicated on the bottom of the router and / or in the instructions that come with it. By the way, the IP address of the connection to the router is also indicated there, so look at it in the information about network connection not at all necessary. The most common login option is admin, password - admin or 1234 . The most common IP addresses to connect to are 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 .

Router menu

To manage all the settings of the router, a web interface is used, which will open in front of you immediately after entering the correct username and password. At the same time, each of the developers has their own opinion on how this very interface should look and what kind of menu hierarchy it should have. Therefore, the menu items behind which the same settings are hidden can be called completely different by different manufacturers of routers and located in different places. Nevertheless, in all this diversity, you can still find some common logic, so let's figure it out.

To better understand the general patterns, this material will use screenshots as illustrative examples. user interfaces ASUS routers RT-N66U and ASUS WL-520GU, which are strikingly different from each other, both in design and menu language.

As a rule, all the main menu items of the router interface are located on the left in a separate column. By clicking on them, additional submenus can be opened, which are placed either as a list in the same column, or in a separate horizontal menu at the top of the screen. central part window is reserved for setting the parameters of the menu items you select.

After completing the settings of any parameters, it is always necessary to accept (save) the changes made. To do this, there is a button at the bottom of the window. Save (other options: apply, Finish, Save, Apply, End ). In many cases, to save the new settings, you will need to reboot the router, which will happen automatically.

Internet connection setup

To configure Internet access settings, select the appropriate menu item in the left column, which can be called as: Internet Setup, IP Config, WAN, Connection Setup, Network or in Russian - Internet, Basic settings, Internet connection .

In the Internet connection settings window, select Type WAN connections (WAN Connection Type) from the dropdown menu. This is always done on the basis of information provided to you by your ISP. Depending on the type of connection, the settings fields and the amount of information to be entered will change.

The main connection types you may encounter are as follows:

Automatic IP ( dynamic ip, DHCP, Automatic ) is the easiest type of connection for the user that does not require any settings from him. In this case, you receive a dynamic public network address from the provider, which is always assigned automatically and may change over time.

Static IP (Static) - a type of connection in which the provider allocates you a unique external address that does not change over time. As a rule, you have to pay an additional monthly fee for such addresses. subscription fee. Using a static public address is justified if you need to connect to local network devices from anywhere on the global web, for example, in order to manage your home household appliances from the office.

To set up a connection with a static IP address, you will need to fill in the following fields:

IP address (IP address)- a static public network address given to you by your ISP;
Subnet Mask
Default Gateway- the address is reported by the provider;
DNS Server (DNS server)- address of the server that converts alphabetic domain names to IP addresses and vice versa. Selected automatically or reported by the provider.

PPTP, L2 TP - tunnel protocols used within the technology of virtual private networks (VPN) to create secure connections between network nodes. This type connections is very common among Russian "last mile" providers, especially using the L2TP protocol. In this case, the external network interface of the router can be assigned both a dynamic public IP address (mostly) and a static one, but in order to connect to the Internet, you will have to enter the following additional parameters issued by the provider:

Username (userName orlogin)
Password (password)
The addressservers(Server IP/Name, VPN Server)

The remaining settings in most cases are left by default, unless of course the provider specifies the values specifically required for them.

PPPoE - a link-layer network tunneling protocol used primarily in xDSL modems/routers to connect to the Internet using telephone lines. Here, too, both a dynamic and a static public address can be used. Additional parameters require input Username (userName orlogin) And password (password) issued by your Internet Service Provider. The rest of the parameters are usually left as default.

In many routers, in the Internet access settings window, at the bottom there is a field with the name MAC address ( MAC Address) . What it is? A MAC address (in Russian MAC-address) is a unique physical address assigned to all computer network devices, including interfaces of routers and network cards. The router's own physical address is indicated on the bottom of the case.

Most providers use MAC addresses to identify computers, thereby eliminating the possibility of unauthorized access to their network from equipment that has not been registered. That is, in order for any device to be able to access the Internet, the provider must add its MAC address to a special list of allowed addresses.

For example, in your home for a long time there was one computer that was connected to the Internet via an ISP cable and that's it. network settings were performed automatically. But now you decide to change your PC to a more modern model, but when you connect a network cable to a new purchase, you find that the Internet does not work, and the problem is not in the settings. The fact is that the network card of the new computer has a different MAC address, which is not listed by the provider and therefore does not receive any access to the global network. The same goes for the router. Put a router instead of a computer, and it will also not access the World Wide Web, as it has its own unique physical address. So what to do in this situation?

Of course, you can call the provider and tell him the MAC address of the new equipment in order for it to be included in the allow list, or you can change it yourself. If we are talking about a router, then the above field can come to your aid. MAC address . Many models of modern routers allow you to clone the physical addresses of other devices. Thus, you can programmatically change the real MAC address of the router to any other. Enter the desired address into this field, and the router will always substitute it for its own during requests.

In most cases, the above information will be enough for you to set up any type of Internet connection. It is possible that in certain situations there may be nuances that we have not mentioned here, but these are already particulars, which will always help you to understand technical support Internet Service Provider.

After completing all the settings, do not forget to save them for the changes to take effect.

Setting up a wireless networkWiFi

Behind wifi settings networks in the main menu of the router the tab answers Wireless or WirelessSettings (other options: Wi-Fi, Wireless network, Wireless network settings, Options wireless connection ). Please note that here often the main tab may contain several secondary ones (submenus). We will not indicate their names, since there may be a lot of options. Simply, when finding the necessary parameters, do not forget about them.

To create and launch your own wireless network, you need to fill in just a few key fields:

enable Wireless - enable/disable the wireless network. This item is not found in all models of routers.

SSID (Network name, Wireless network name) - an arbitrary name of the wireless network that you come up with yourself.

Security Mode( Encryption, Security, Security Settings, Encryption, Authentication Method) - enable/disable and select the wireless network security mode. Security mode is disabled by default, so we strongly recommend that you enable it to prevent unauthorized access to your local network. In fact, choosing a Wi-Fi network security mode comes down to choosing the type of encryption from the drop-down list:

WEP(WiredEquivalentprivacy)- an outdated encryption algorithm, the use of which is not recommended today.
WPA And WPA2(Wi-Fi Protected Access) - modern technology protection of wireless networks. In home routers, its simplified mode is more often used. Pre-Shared Key (WPA-PSK,WPA2-PSK,WPA-personal,WPA2-personal) where a password is required to access the network. Choose the type of encryption from these options. Preferred modes - WPA2,WPA2/WPA or WPA-Auto.

Cipher type (WPA Encryption, WPA Algorithms, WPA Encryption) - type of encryption used in WPA technology. It can be of two types: TKIP And AES. TKIP is an obsolete option used in the first version of WPA. More secure WPA2 uses encryption AES. Based on this, the choice of this parameter is obvious: either AES, or a more general version TKIP+AES.

WPA Pre- shared key( network key, Password, Network Key, Key WPA) - network key (code word or password), which will need to be specified when connecting to a wireless network. Keyword is invented independently from Latin letters and numbers and can include from 8 to 63 characters.

Other wifi settings networks on initial stage can be left unchanged. In most cases, you will hardly need to configure them.

Recently, routers capable of deploying wireless networks in two bands simultaneously - 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz - are becoming more widespread. These networks are configured each individually on separate menu tabs, although the settings themselves are identical and are listed above.

Configuring LAN settingsLAN

The item is responsible for configuring the wired LAN parameters in the router menu. LAN (Local Area Network, LAN). It can be located both in the main menu and in the submenu of the main network settings, adjacent to the WAN tab. As a rule, there is no particular need to configure the LAN interface, but some parameters are still worth paying attention to.

IP address - IP address of the internal network interface of the router, by which you can access it and enter the settings menu. Also, this address is the main gateway through which data is exchanged between the external and local networks. Typically, the default is 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 .

Based on the value of this IP address, the rank of your local network is set and the range of private IP addresses that will be assigned to devices within it. For example, if the default gateway IP address is 192.168.1.1, then all devices on that LAN must have addresses in the range 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.254.

In principle, you are free to assign any address to your local network from the three reserved ranges of private IP addresses (we discussed this above). But, as a rule, there is no particular need to change the default values. Indeed, at home, you are unlikely to create several subnets or use more than 254 devices within the same network.

DHCP server ( DHCP server) - a tool that allows the router to distribute IP addresses to devices on the local network in automatic mode. By default, the DHCP server is enabled and is capable of issuing up to 253 addresses (from 2 to 254) within a single local area network. Please note that when you disable DHCP, all nodes on your home or office network will have to manually assign IP addresses.

Also in the DHCP server settings, you can independently define the range (pool) of IP addresses that can be assigned to devices in automatic mode and set the network address lease time.

SettingIPTV

In recent years, Internet television has been developing at a rapid pace. Today, almost any major provider, in addition to providing Internet access, offers users the opportunity to view various TV channels via network technologies. This option in many cases becomes a good alternative to low-quality cable TV or expensive satellite.

To organize television broadcasts in the network, not the traditional IP-addressing technology is used, but the multicast technology Multicast. Support of this technology by a local network - necessary condition for work IPTV.

In routers, IPTV support can be organized in two ways. In the first case, the router is endowed with the Multicast function and organizes multicast data transmission to all LAN ports using its own hardware and software tools. Checkbox responsible for enabling/disabling the option Multicast streaming( IPTV, IGMP, Multicast Routing) , can be located on completely different tabs, ranging from settings WAN or LAN (Local Area Network) and ending Additional settings (Advanced) . So look for the brute-force method and read the instructions for your model.

Unfortunately, many router models do not have the most outstanding specifications and debugged software, resulting in multicast failures. This is especially true for broadcasting high-definition television (HDTV) channels, which can be shown with highly noticeable distortion, pixelation and interruptions.

But there is another way to transfer a multicast stream through a router to devices on a local network. Some routers have the ability to change the functionality of one or more LAN ports, making them end-to-end. That is, for certain ports, you can disable the IP address translation (NAT) mechanism, making it possible for the network flow to pass through them without any conversions, as happens in a conventional switch. If you connect a set-top box to such a port, it will receive the “multicast” stream incoming from the provider without changes. But, most importantly, the load on the router in this case is minimal, which means that its hardware component practically ceases to affect the quality of the television picture.

As in the previous option, the choice ports STB IPTV can be carried out in completely different options of the router. And yet, most often IPTV is configured in the parameters of the main menu items. The local network ( lan, Network, Home network), WAN or Advanced (Advanced settings) on the extra tab IPTV (other options: IP TV , Advanced ).

Depending on the router model, it may have either the Multicast function, or the function of assigning ports for IPTV (bridge), or both of these functions at once, or not have them at all (for example, in ASUS WL-520GU). In some advanced routers, multicast data transmission (Multicast) can also be organized for wireless networks (for example, in ASUS RT-N66U).

Firmware update

The functionality of the router depends not only on its hardware, but also on the software with which it is controlled. Moreover, the quality of the router firmware affects the stability of this key device. Unsuccessful firmware can make a router even with the most advanced technical stuffing a useless piece of iron.

Realizing this, developers are trying to constantly improve the firmware for routers, periodically releasing updated firmware versions that fix errors and "bugs" of previous editions. Also, a newer firmware can increase the performance of the router and give it new useful features. Therefore, from time to time, it is worth checking for new software versions for your router model.

The firmware update is carried out in two stages. First, you download the new firmware to your computer. Then in the menu of the router we find the item System Setup (other options: System, Administration, Administration, Maintenance, Maintenance, Tools ) and inside it the option Firmware Upgrade (other options: Firmware update, Software update, Firmware update ). Next, in the window that opens, you must specify the path to the file with new firmware and press the button Upload ( ).

Conclusion

Developers have long sought to make it easy to configure router settings, making it accessible even to novice users. In most cases, when you first enter the router menu, a wizard is launched that offers a quick step by step setup its main parameters. This option relieves beginners from searching for the necessary options among the numerous sections of the menu. If necessary, the installation wizard can also be launched manually using the item Quick Setup (other options: Setup Wizard, Setup Wizard, Quick Setup ).

True, please note that using the installation wizard it is not always possible to correctly configure the router, since in this case some important parameters selected automatically is not always correct. Also, in certain situations, connecting to the Internet may require special settings, the possibility of entering which is simply not available in the wizard mode. Therefore, in many cases, the use of manual parameter setting cannot be avoided.