ActionTec Broadband Router MI408 User manual

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Table of Contents
1 Introduction 1
Package Contents 1
Minimum System Requirements 2
Features 2
Getting to Know the Router 3
2 Connecting the Router 7
Setting Up the Router 7
Computer Network Configuration 8
Configuring the Router 10
Home Page 12
3 Configuring My Network Settings 15
Accessing My Network 15
Using My Network 16
4 Using Network Connections 23
Network (Home/Office) 24
Ethernet Connection 29
Broadband Ethernet Connection 32
WAN PPPoE/WAN PPPoE 2 38
5 Configuring the Router’s Security 45
General 47
Access Control 49
Port Forwarding 52
DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) Host 53
Port Triggering 54
Remote Administration 56
Static NAT 58
Advanced Filtering 59
Security Log 62
6 Using Parental Controls 69
Activating Parental Controls 69
Advanced Parental Controls 71
7 Using Advanced Settings 73
Firmware Upgrade 75
Firmware Restore 77
Configuration File 78
System Settings 79
Date and Time 84

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Scheduler Rules 85
Routing 87
IP Address Distribution 89
Diagnostics 93
Restoring Default Settings 94
Reboot the Router 94
MAC Cloning 95
ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) Table 95
Users 96
QoS 97
Local Administration 97
Remote Administration 98
Dynamic DNS 98
DNS Server 100
Network Objects 102
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) 103
Protocols 105
8 Monitoring the Router 107
Router Status 107
Advanced Status 108
9 Troubleshooting 111
A Quality of Service 115
Traffic Priority 115
Traffic Shaping 119
B Specifications 131
General 131
LED Indicators 131
Environmental 132
Notices 133
Regulatory Compliance Notices 133
Modifications 133
Limited Warranty 135

1
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the Actiontec Broadband Router. The Router features
eight Ethernet ports, making it one of the most versatile routers available. If you
want to take your home or office networking to the next level, the Actiontec
Broadband Router is sure to be one of the keys to your success.
Package Contents
s Actiontec Broadband Router
s Black Power cord
s Yellow cable (Ethernet, 6 ft.)
s White cable (Ethernet, 10 ft.)
s Quick Start Guide
s Installation Guide
s User Manual CD
s Wall-mount template
s Vertical stand
s Warranty
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Chapter 1 Introduction
Minimum System Requirements
s Computer with Ethernet capability
s Microsoft Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, or XP; Mac OS 9 or greater; Linux/
BSD, Unix
s Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher; Netscape Navigator 7.0 or higher
s TCP/IP network protocol installed on each computer
Features
s Integrated wired networking with 8-port 10/100 Mbps Ethernet switch
s Enterprise-level security, including :
Fully customizable firewall with Stateful Packet Inspection
Content filtering with URL-keyword based filtering, parental control,
customizable filtering policies per computer, and E-mail notification
Denial of service protection against IP spoofing attacks, intrusion and
scanning attacks, IP fragment overlap, ping of death, and fragmentation
attacks
Event logging
Intrusion detection
MAC address filtering
NAT
DMZ hosting
Access control
ICSA certified
s Other Features
DHCP server option
DHCP server/PPPoE server auto-detection
DNS server
LAN IP and WAN IP address selection
MAC address cloning

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Chapter 1 Introduction
Port forwarding
PPPoE support
QoS support (end to end layer 2/3) featuring Diffserv, 802.1p/q prioriti-
zation, configurable upstream/downstream traffic shaping, random early
detection and pass-through of WAN-side DSCPs, PHBs, and queuing to
LAN-side devices
Remote management and secured remote management using HTTPS
Reverse NAT
Static NAT
Static routing
Time zone support
VLAN multicast support
VPN IPSec (VPN passthrough only)
Getting to Know the Router
This section contains a quick description of the Router’s lights (LEDs), ports, etc.
The Router features several indicator lights on its front panel, and a series of ports
and switches on its rear panel.
Front Panel
The front panel of the Router features 11 indicator lights: Power, Broadband,
Internet, and Ethernet (8).
Power
Broad
Band Internet Ethernet
1
234
1234
5678
5678

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Chapter 1 Introduction
Power Light
The Power light displays the Router’s current status. If the Power light glows
steadily green, the Router is receiving power and fully operational. When the
Power light flashes rapidly, the Router is initializing. If the Power light is not illu-
minated or glows red when the Power cord is plugged in and the Power switch is
turned on, the Router has suffered a critical error and technical support should
be contacted.
Broadband Light
The Broadband light illuminates when the Router is connected to a the Internet
via Ethernet. If flashing, data traffic is passing across the port.
Internet Light
When the Internet light glows steadily green, the Router is connected to the ISP
(Internet Service Provider). If it glows amber, there is a physical connection to
the ONT (Optical Network Terminator), but authentication has not taken place
(i.e., no IP address is present).
Ethernet Lights (1 - 8)
The Ethernet lights illuminate when the Router is connected to a local network
via one or more of its Ethernet ports. If flashing, data traffic is passing across
the port(s).

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Chapter 1 Introduction
Rear Panel
The rear panel of the Router features ten ports (Ethernet [8], Broadband, and
Power), as well as a Reset button and Power switch.
12VDC 1.2A
Reset
5
ON
OFF
678
123
4
100 10
Ethernet Ports (8)
The Ethernet ports connect devices to the Router via Ethernet cables to create
a local area network (LAN). The Ethernet ports are 10/100 Mbps auto-sensing
ports, and either a straight-through or crossover Ethernet cable can be used
when connecting to the ports.
Broadband Port
The Broadband port connects the Router to the ISP using an Ethernet cable.
Reset Button
To restore the Router’s factory default settings, press and hold the Reset button
for approximately ten seconds. The reset process will start about ten seconds
after releasing the button. When the Router resets, all the lights on the front
panel turn off, and then the lights start flashing. The Router has completed its
reset process when the Power light glows steadily green.
M Caution: Do not unplug the Power cord from the Router dur-
ing the reset process. Doing so may result in the loss of the
Router’s configuration information. If this occurs, reset the
Router again.

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Power Switch
The Power switch powers the Router on and off.
Power Port
The Power port connects the Router to an electrical wall outlet via the
Power cord.
M Caution: Do not unplug the Power cord from the Router dur-
ing the reset process. Doing so may result in the loss of the
Router’s configuration information. If this occurs, reset the
Router again.

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Connecting the
Router
Connecting a computer or local network to the Broadband Router is a simple
procedure, varying slightly depending on the computer’s operating system but
designed to seamlessly integrate the Router with the computer or local network.
Moreover, addition configuration to access the GUI is not required when taking
advantage of Universal Plug-and-Play support in Windows XP.
The Windows default network settings dictate that in most cases, the setup pro-
cedure described in the “Computer Network Configuration” will be unnecessary.
For example, the default DHCP setting in Windows 2000 is “client,” requiring no
further modification.
However, Actiontec advises following the setup procedure described below to verify all
communication parameters are valid and the physical cable connections are correct.
Setting Up the Router
There are three parts to setting up the Router: Connecting the Cables, Configuring
the Router, and Connecting Other Computers/Set Top Boxes.
Connecting the Cables
☞ Note: If a different router was being used, disconnect it. Remove
all router components, including power supplies and cables,
since they will not work with the Wireless Broadband Router.
1. Get the Router and black Power cord from the box.
2. Plug the black Power cord in the black port on the back of the Router and
then into a power outlet.
3. Turn the Router on.
4. Make sure the Power light on the front of the Router is glows steadily green.
5. Plug the yellow Ethernet cable from the box into one of the four yellow
Ethernet ports on the back of the Router.
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Chapter 2 Connecting the Router
6. Make sure the computer is powered on, then plug the other end of the yellow
Ethernet cable into an Ethernet port on the computer.
7. Make sure at least one of the Ethernet LAN lights on the front of the Router
glows steadily green. This may take a few moments.
8. Locate the Ethernet wall jack the phone company previously installed some-
where in the house.
9. Get the white Ethernet cable from the box and plug one end in the white port
on the back of the Router. Plug the other end of the white Ethernet cable into
the high-speed Ethernet jack.
10. Make sure the Ethernet WAN light on the front of the Router glows steadily
green. If connecting via coaxial cable, this may take a few minutes.
☞ Note: If the Ethernet WAN light does not illuminate, make sure
the Ethernet cable is connected properly at both ends.
Computer Network Configuration
Each network interface on the computer should either be configured with a stati-
cally defined IP address and DNS address, or instructed to automatically obtain an
IP address using the Network DHCP server. The Router is set up, by default, with
an active DHCP server, and Actiontec recommends leaving this setting as is.
Configuring Dynamic IP Addressing
To set up a computer to use dynamic IP addressing:
Windows XP
1. Select Network Connections in the Control Panel.
2. Right-click Ethernet Local Area Connection, then click Properties.
3. In the “General” tab, select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), then click
Properties.
4. The “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties” window appears.
5. Click the “Obtain an IP address automatically” radio button.

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Chapter 2 Connecting the Router
6. Click the “Obtain DNS server address automatically” radio button.
7. Click OK in the “(TCP/IP) Properties” screen, then click OK in the “Local
Area Connection Properties” screen to save the settings.
Windows 2000
1. Select Network and Dialing Connections in the Control Panel.
2. Right-click on the Ethernet connection’s icon, then click Properties.
3. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) component, then click Properties.
4. The “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties” window appears.
5. Click the “Obtain an IP address automatically” radio button.
6. Click the “Obtain DNS server address automatically” radio button.
Windows 98/Me
1. Select Network in the Control Panel.
2. Select the TCP/IP settings for the network card, then click Properties.
3. Click the “Obtain an IP address automatically” radio button in the “IP
Address” tab.
4. Click Disable DNS in the DNS configuration tab.
5. Click OK in the “TCP/IP Properties” screen.
6. Click OK in the “Network” screen to reboot and save the settings.
Windows NT
1. Click Network in the Control Panel. The “Network” window appears.
2. In the “Protocol” tab, select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) then click
Properties.

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Chapter 2 Connecting the Router
3. In the “IP Address” tab, click the “Obtain an IP address automatically” radio
button.
4. In the “DNS” tab, verify no DNS server is defined in the “DNS Service Search
Order” text box and no suffix is defined in the “Domain Suffix Search
Order” text box.
Linux
1. Login into the system as a super-user, by entering “su” at the prompt.
2. Type “ifconfig” to display the network devices and allocated IPs.
3. Type “pump -i <dev>,” where <dev> is the network device name.
4. Type “ifconfig” again to view the newly allocated IP address.
5. Make sure no firewall is active on device <dev>.
Configuring the Router
1. Open a web browser on the computer connected to the Router. In the
“Address” text box, type:
http://192.168.1.1
then press Enter on the keyboard.
2. The “Login” screen appears. Enter the default user name (admin) and pass-
word (password) in the appropriate text boxes, then click OK.

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Chapter 2 Connecting the Router
3. The “Login Setup” screen appears. Select a new user name and password and
enter them in the appropriate text boxes (the password must be entered twice,
for validation purposes). Write the new user name and password down on a
piece of paper and keep it in a safe place, since they will be needed to access
the Router’s MegaControl Panel™ in the future.
4. In the bottom part of the screen, select the correct time zone from the “Time
Zone” drop-down list, then click OK at the bottom of the screen.
The Router is now configured.
Connecting Other Computers/Set Top Boxes
The Router can connect to other computers via Ethernet. To do this:
1. Get an Ethernet cable and plug one end into one of the open yellow
Ethernet ports on the back of the Router.
2. Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into an Ethernet port on the computer.
3. Make sure the corresponding Ethernet LAN light on the front of the Router
glows steadily green.
4. Repeat these steps for each computer to be connected to the Router
via Ethernet.

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Chapter 2 Connecting the Router
Home Page
After logging into the Router’s MegaControl Panel (see “Configuring the Router”
at the beginning of this chapter), the “Home” screen appears.
The Home screen has a “Main Menu” that occupies the top of the screen. Below
that, the screen is divided into three columns: “My Router,” “My Network,” and
“Action Zone.”
Main Menu
The “Main Menu” contains links to all of the configuration options of the Router:
My Network (explained in chapter 4 of this manual), Firewall (chapter 5),
Parental Controls (chapter 6), Advanced (chapter 7), and System Monitoring
(chapter 8).

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Chapter 2 Connecting the Router
My Router
This section displays the status of the Router’s network and Internet connection.
A green light signifies the Router is connected; a yellow light means the Router is
attempting to connect; and a red light signifies the Router’s connection is down.
Broadband Connection
The “Broadband Connection” section of My Router displays the state of the
Router’s broadband connection (“Connected” or “Disconnected”) for the con-
nection option (“Ethernet Status”), and the WAN IP address of the broadband
connection.
Quick Links
The “Quick Links” section of My Router contains a list of frequently accessed
settings, including “Change Login User Name & Password,” “Enable Gaming,”
and “Logout.”
My Network
The “My Network” section of the Home screen displays the connection type, name,
and IP address of all devices connected to the Router’s network. The icon associated
with the device will be displayed normally (signifying an active device) or shaded
(signifying the device has not been active for at least 60 seconds). The user can also
configure the basic settings of each device by clicking on its icon. These settings are
described in more detail in chapter 3, “Configuring My Network Settings.”
Action Zone
This section contains links to various Verizon Web sites, and other informational
links. Clicking on the icon above “Go to Internet Now” connects the user to the
home page configured on the user’s web browser.

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Configuring My
Network Settings
Once the Broadband Router is physically connected and the MegaControl Panel’s
Home screen is displayed in a web browser, a list of the devices connected to the
Router’s network appears in the “My Network” section of the screen. From here,
some basic network settings can be configured.
Accessing My Network
To access My Network, click on “My Network” in the Home screen.
The “My Network” screen appears:
On the far right side of the screen, in the “Connected Devices” section, is list of the
devices currently connected to the network, listed by connection type and num-
ber. The rest of the screen contains the “My Network” section, which displays each
device connected to the network, and a series of configuration settings.
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Chapter 3 Configuring My Network Settings
Using My Network
Various settings can be accessed for a particular device, as follows.
Access Device
For devices that can be accessed (such as Internet cameras and networked hard
drives), locate it in the My Network column, then click Access Devices to use the
device over the network.
Access Shared Files
To access the shared files on a particular device, locate the device in the My
Network column, then click Access Shared Files. A list of shared files appears on
the screen.
Website Blocking
Clicking “Website Blocking” generates the “Parental Control” screen. For more
information about using parental controls, see chapter 6, “Using Parental
Controls.”
Block Internet Services
Internet services blocking is used to prevent a device on the network from access-
ing particular services on the Internet, such as receiving E-mail or downloading
from FTP sites. To set up Internet services blocking on a networked device, locate
the device in the My Network column, then click Block Internet Services. The
“Access Control” screen appears.

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Chapter 3 Configuring My Network Settings
1. Click Add in the “Networked computer/Device” column. The “Add Access
Control Rule” screen appears.
2. If this access control rule applies to all networked devices, select “Any” from
the “Networked Computer/Device” list box. If this rule applies to certain
devices only, select “Specify Address” and click Add. Then, add a network
object (for more details about adding network objects, see the “Advanced
Settings” chapter of this manual).
3. Select the Internet protocol to be blocked from the “Protocol” drop-down list.
4. If this rule will be active all the time, select “Always” from the “When should this
rule occur?” drop-down list. If the rule will only be active at certain times select
“Specify Schedule” and click Add. Then, add a schedule rule (for more details
about schedule rules, see the “Advanced Settings” chapter of this manual).
☞
Note: Make sure the Router’s date and time settings for your time
zone are set correctly for schedule rules to function properly.
5. Click Apply to save the changes. The Access Control screen will display a sum-
mary of the access control rule.
☞
Note: To block a service that is not included in the list select
“Specify Protocol” from the Protocol drop-down menu. The “Edit
Service” screen appears. Define the service, then click Apply. The
service will then be automatically added to the top section of the
“Add Access Control Rule” screen, and will be selectable.

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Chapter 3 Configuring My Network Settings
The user may disable an access control and the service made available without
having to remove the service from the Access Control table. This may be useful to
make the service available only temporarily, with the expectation that the restric-
tion will be reinstated later.
• To temporarily disable an access control clear the check box next to the net-
work computer/device.
• To reinstate the restriction at a later time select the check box next to the
network computer/device.
• To remove an access restriction from the Access Control table click the
Remove button for the service. The service will be removed from the Access
Control table.
☞
Note: When Web Filtering is enabled, HTTP services cannot be
blocked by access control.
Enable Application
Activating “Enable Application” (also known as port forwarding) allows the net-
work to be exposed to the Internet in certain limited and controlled ways, enabling
some applications to work from the local network (game, voice, and chat applica-
tions, for example), as well as allowing Internet access to servers in the network. To
set this up on a networked device, locate the device in the My Network column,
then click Enable Applications. The “Port Forwarding” screen appears.