Linksys CG7500 User manual

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USER GUIDE
AC1900 | 24x8
CABLE MODEM ROUTER
Model CG7500

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Contents
Product Overview......................................................................................... 3
Front view..................................................................................................................................... 3
Back................................................................................................................................................ 5
Installation ...................................................................................................... 6
Setup.............................................................................................................................................. 6
Setup Wizard............................................................................................................................... 8
Browser-Based Utility.............................................................................. 12
How to access the browser-based utility....................................................................... 12
How to use the browser-based utility.............................................................................. 13
System Status............................................................................................ 14
Status ......................................................................................................................................... 14
Configuration .............................................................................................. 16
Connectivity ............................................................................................................................. 16
Wi-Fi............................................................................................................................................. 19
External Storage..................................................................................................................... 23
Security...................................................................................................................................... 26
Administration ......................................................................................................................... 29
Parental Controls ...................................................................................... 33
Troubleshooting ......................................................................................... 34
Specifications............................................................................................. 37
Linksys GG7500..................................................................................................................... 37
Environmental.......................................................................................................................... 37

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Product Overview
Front view
From top to bottom
Power------Lights up green when the modem router is powered on.
Receive— Light blinks green while the modem router is searching for a connection over
the cable network. Light is solid green when the modem router is receiving data from the
cable network. Light is solid blue during multichannel bonding.
Send------Light blinks green while the modem router is searching for a connection over the
cable network. Light is solid green when the modem router is sending data to the cable
network. Light is solid blue during multichannel bonding.
Status— Lights up green when the modem router has an Internet connection. Flashes
green while the modem router is establishing the Internet connection.
Ethernet------Light is solid green when the modem router is connected to a device through
the LAN port.
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi—Light is solid green when broadcasting 2.4 GHz signal. Light blinks when
the modem router is actively sending or receiving data over the network.

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5 GHz Wi-Fi—Light is solid green when broadcasting 5 GHz signal. Light blinks when the
modem router is actively sending or receiving data over the network.
USB------ Light is solid green when the modem router is connected to a device through the
USB port.
WPS------Light is solid green when a Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ connection is successfully
established. Light blinks slowly while WPS is setting up a connection, and blinks rapidly if
an error occurs. Light is off when WPS is idle.

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Back
From top to bottom
USB port------Connect and share a USB drive on your network or on the internet.
Reset button------Press and hold for about five seconds to reset the modem router to
factory defaults.
Ethernet ports— Connect the modem router to computers and other devices with
ethernet cables (also called network cables).
Cable port------ Connect the modem router to an active cable signal with a coaxial cable.
Power port------Connect to the included power adapter.

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Installation
Setup
Disconnect any modems or modem routers before setting up your new modem router.
1. Connect a coaxial cable to the cable port on the modem router and a wall jack.
2. Connect the power adapter to the modem router and plug into a power source.

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3. Connect to the secure Wi-Fi name on the sticker in the Quick Start Guide that
came with your modem router. There is also a sticker on the bottom of the modem
router. (You can change these details later.) Select the option to automatically
connect to this network in the future. You will not have internet access until you
complete modem router setup.
4. Open a web browser and type http://192.168.1.1 in the address bar.
5. In the pop-up window, enter “admin” in the Password field. Click Log in. The web-
based setup page of your modem router will appear.
6. Make sure you are on the
Quick Start tab. Click Begin to start the setup wizard.

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Setup Wizard
1.
Accept the License Terms and click Next.
2.
Choose an internet service provider, activate your modem router and click Next.
3.
Create a Wi-Fi name and password and click Next.

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4.
Create an admin password and click Next.
5.
Write down your settings somewhere you’ll remember and click Save.
6.
Click Done and get online.

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When your modem router is ready, the top four lights (power, receive,
send, status) will be solid.
Advanced users can select “I want to skip the Setup and configure the router
manually.”

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If you choose to manually set up the modem router, you will need to have the
following information available for activation:
•Account number of your broadband subscription
•Phone number linked with your account
•Serial number of the modem router (on the back of the unit)
•MAC address of the modem router (on the back of the unit)
To activate:
Open a web browser from a computer that’s connected directly to the modem
router. This is where you will need the information above (account number of your
broadband service, phone number and new modem router device identifiers).
Some service providers have additional setup steps that will automatically appear
in the browser – if not, visit the appropriate link below. Follow the steps for your
internet provider or call them if you are unable to get online.
Note—The modem router may reboot several times during this process and
activation can take up to five minutes.
After activation, you should be able to connect to the internet wirelessly via your
modem router or a wired connection between your computer and the modem
router.
Helpful links:
•https://install.charter.com/
•https://activation.cox.net
•www.xfinity.com/activate

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Browser-Based Utility
If you would like to change the modem router’s advanced settings, use the browser-based
utility. For more help with the utility, click the Help link in the upper-right corner of the
screen or go to our support website www.linksys.com/support/cg7500.
How to access the browser-based utility
1. Launch the web browser on your computer, and enter the router’s default Internet
Protocol (IP) address, 192.168.1.1, in the address field. Press Enter.
2. In the Password field, enter the password created during setup. If you did not
change the password, the default is ‘‘admin’’.
3. Click Log in to continue.

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How to use the browser-based utility
Navigate the utility by using the tabs along the top of the screen and the corresponding
specific menus down the left side of the screen.
If you change any settings on a screen, you must click the Save button at the bottom of
the screen to apply your changes. Likewise, click Cancel to clear your changes.
Note—To learn more about any field, click the Help link in the upper-right corner of the
screen.

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System Status
Status
Status > Overview
Overview tells you how long the router has been working since its last restart (Router
Uptime), and how long it has been connected to the internet (Internet Uptime) in that
period. This screen also shows your Wi-Fi name and password, and some details on any Wi-
Fi devices managed by Parental Controls.
Status > System Information
System Information page shows basic information such as the MAC address, software
version, and the time that has elapsed since the last restart etc.

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Status > Wi-Fi
The Wi-Fi screen provides detail about all Wi-Fi bands, including Guest Wi-Fi. Clicking the
Wireless Clients button displays details about any connected Wi-Fi devices.

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Configuration
Connectivity
Connectivity > Local Network
Your router ships with the most common settings, and several settings are configured
during setup. You may never have to change these settings.
LAN IP Address
The router's IP address on your Wi-Fi. If you change this address, you’ll have to reconnect
your devices to your router.
Subnet Mask
The router’s subnet mask on your Wi-Fi. It is used to divide a network into subnets so
information can be routed correctly to computers and devices.
DHCP Server
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is enabled by default. DHCP assigns IP
addresses as needed to devices connected to your Wi-Fi.
DHCP Starting Address
The value that the DHCP server starts with when issuing IP addresses.
DHCP Ending Address
The value that the DHCP server ends with when issuing IP addresses.
DHCP Lease Time
The amount of time a Wi-Fi user is allowed connection to the router with her current IP
address. When the time has expired, the user will be automatically assigned a new IP
address, or the lease will be renewed.

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Static DNS 1-3
Domain Name System (DNS) is how the internet translates a domain or website name into
an internet address, or URL, that you can access. Your ISP will provide at least one DNS
server IP address. You can enter up to three.
WINS
Windows Internet Naming Services manages each computer’s interaction with the
internet. If you use WINS a server, enter the server’s IP address. Otherwise, leave it blank.
DHCP Reservations
Click to add or change the DHCP reservations used on your Wi-Fi. DHCP reservations
allow you to assign a unique, fixed IP address to a specific device on your Wi-Fi. This is
helpful when managing devices such as print servers, cameras, printers or game consoles.
A fixed IP address is also recommended if you want to use port forwarding for devices
that need to receive inbound date from the internet. To assign an IP address and MAC
address to a device, click Add and then enter the device name, IP address, and MAC
address. When finished, click Apply.
Connectivity > WAN Setup
WAN Information
Select your internet connection type. If you don’t know, call your ISP.
Automatic Configuration – DHCP—Select if your ISP assigns IP addresses dynamically,
meaning you get different IP addresses each time you start your computer.
Static IP------Select this if you use the same IP address each time you connect to the
internet. Enter your internet address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS entries. You
can get this information from your ISP.
Domain Name Server Address
Most users get a Domain Name Server address automatically from their ISP. If you
subscribe to your own DNS server, select Use These DNS Servers and complete the
field(s).

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Option
This section is for advanced users.
Connectivity > Advanced Routing
Click Add to assign a specific IP address, subnet mask, and gateway address to a specific
device. Click Apply.
Connectivity > Connected Devices
Information about devices connected to your Wi-Fi.

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Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi Settings
Wi-Fi Name
Personalize the Wi-Fi name that appears in the list of available networks.
Broadcast Wi-Fi Name
Allows Wi-Fi devices to detect your Wi-Fi name when they survey the local area for
available Wi-Fi. Not broadcasting your Wi-Fi name does not improve your Wi-Fi security.
Network Mode
Select the standard your Wi-Fi supports.
Bandwidth
The Auto setting provides the best performance with Wireless-B, Wireless G, and Wireless
N (2.4 GHz), Wireless-A, Wireless-N, Wireless-AC (5 GHz) devices. For a channel width of
20 MHz, select 20 MHz only.
Channel
Select the channel for Wireless-B, Wireless-G, Wireless-N, Wireless-A, or Wireless-AC
networking. If you’re not sure which one to use, choose Auto.
Security Mode
Each device on your Wi-Fi must use the same security mode.
Password
Wi-Fi devices must enter this password, sometimes called a security key, to connect to
your Wi-Fi.

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Wi-Fi > MAC Filtering
MAC filtering is a way to allow or deny access to your network by identifying specific MAC
addresses. It is not a good substitute for a secure Wi-Fi password. If you enable MAC
Filtering, Wi-Fi Protected Setup will be disabled automatically.
MAC Filters
Select Enabled to begin filtering Wi-Fi devices by MAC address.
Filter Options
Allow Access List limits access to devices whose MAC addresses are listed. All other
devices will be denied. Deny Access List allows you to create a list of MAC addresses that
cannot access your network. All devices not on that list will be able to connect to your
network.
Add MAC Address
Add a MAC address to your list.