NETGEAR N150 User guide

September 2010
208-10710-01
v1.0
NETGEAR, Inc.
350 E. Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134 USA
N150 Wireless Router
Setup Manual

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©2010 by NETGEAR, Inc. All rights reserved.
Trademarks
NETGEAR and the NETGEAR logo are trademarks of NETGEAR. Inc. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Wi-Fi Protected Setup is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Other
brand and product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.
Statement of Conditions
In the interest of improving internal design, operational function, and/or reliability, NETGEAR reserves the right to
make changes to the products described in this document without notice.
NETGEAR does not assume any liability that may occur due to the use or application of the product(s) or circuit
layout(s) described herein.

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Contents
N150 Wireless Router Setup Manual
Getting to Know Your Wireless Router................................................................................1
Unpacking Your New Router .............................................................................................1
Hardware Features ............................................................................................................2
Front Panel ..................................................................................................................2
Back Panel ..................................................................................................................4
Side Panel ...................................................................................................................4
Router Label ................................................................................................................5
Positioning Your Wireless Router ......................................................................................5
Installing Your Wireless Router .........................................................................................6
Updating Your Router Firmware ........................................................................................7
Installing Your Router Using the Smart Wizard..................................................................8
Using the Smart Wizard .....................................................................................................8
Accessing Your Router After Installation .........................................................................10
Manually Installing Your Router.........................................................................................11
Connecting Your Wireless Router ...................................................................................12
Verifying Your Connection ...............................................................................................15
Setting Up Your Router for Internet Access ....................................................................17
Configuring Your Wireless Network...................................................................................21
Specifying Wireless Settings ...........................................................................................21
Setting Your SSID and Wireless Security Manually ..................................................22
Using Push 'N' Connect (WPS) to Configure Your Wireless Network .......................23
Testing Basic Wireless Connectivity ................................................................................26
Troubleshooting...................................................................................................................28
Basic Setup Checklist ......................................................................................................28
Checking Basic Router Functions ...................................................................................29
Troubleshooting Login Problems .....................................................................................31

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Checking the Internet Service Connection ......................................................................32
Obtaining an Internet IP Address ....................................................................................32
Troubleshooting PPPoE ............................................................................................33
Troubleshooting Internet Browsing ...........................................................................34
Using the Ping Utility to Troubleshoot .............................................................................34
Testing the Path from Your Computer to Your Router ..............................................34
Testing the Path from a Computer to the Internet .....................................................35
Technical Specifications.....................................................................................................37
Default Configuration Settings .........................................................................................37
Restoring the Default Password and Configuration Settings ...........................................39
Related Documents .............................................................................................................40
Registration and Certifications............................................................................................41

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 1
Getting to Know Your Wireless Router
Congratulations on your purchase of a NETGEAR® high-speed wireless router, the N150
Wireless Router Model WGR614v11.
Before you begin installing your router, check the package contents (see “Unpacking Your New
Router” on page 1). Become familiar with the front and back panels of your router—especially the
status lights—and the important information on the router label (see “Hardware Features” on
page 2). Then, read the section on “Positioning Your Wireless Router” on page 5 to ensure that
you have selected the best location to install your router.
Unpacking Your New Router
Your product package should contain the following items:
• The N150 Wireless Router
• An AC power adapter (varies by region)
• A yellow Ethernet cable
•NETGEAR Installation Guide
• The Resource CD, which includes:
– The Smart Wizard Installation Assistant (Autorun.exe)
– A PDF version of this manual
– A link to the online User Manual
If any of the parts are incorrect, missing, or damaged, contact your NETGEAR dealer. Keep the
carton, including the original packing materials, in case you need to return the product for repair.
A link to the online User Manual is also available from the router interface,
after the router is installed. Click Documentation on the main menu.

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 2
To prepare your router for installation:
1. Carefully peel off any protective film covering the sides of your router.
2. Place your router in a suitable area for installation (near an AC power outlet and accessible to
the Ethernet cables for your wired computers).
Hardware Features
Before you install and connect your router, take a moment to become familiar with the front and
back panels of the router—especially the status lights on the front panel.
Front Panel
The router front panel, shown in Figure 1, contains status lights. (For more information on
interpreting the status lights, see “Verifying Your Connection” on page 15 and “Checking Basic
Router Functions” on page 29.)
Figure 1
12345

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 3
You can use the status lights to verify various conditions.
Table 1. Status Light Descriptions
Label Activity Description
1. Power
Solid Amber
Solid Green
Fast blink–Green
Slow blink–Green
Off
The router is performing the power-on self-test diagnostic.
The power is on and the router is ready.
A software update is in progress.
Firmware is corrupted. See “Checking Basic Router Functions” on
page 29 for instructions on restoring your router firmware.
Power is not being supplied to the router
2. Push 'N'
Connect
Solid Green
Blinking Green
Off
Indicates that wireless security is enabled.
WPS-capable devices can associate with the router within 2
minutes.
No WPS connection exists.
3. Internet
Solid Amber
Solid Green
Blinking Green
Off
No IP address acquired.
The wireless router has acquired an Internet address.
Data is being communicated with the Internet.
No Ethernet cable is connected to the modem.
4. Wireless
Solid Blue
Blinking Blue
Off
The wireless interface is enabled.
Data is being communicated over the wireless network.
The wireless interface is turned off.
5. LAN
(Ports 1–4)
Solid Green
Blinking Green
Solid Amber
Blinking Amber
Off
The local port is connected to a 100 Mbps device.
Data is being transmitted at 100 Mbps.
The local port is connected to a 10 Mbps device.
Data is being transmitted at 10 Mbps.
No link is detected on this port.

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 4
Back Panel
The router back panel, shown in Figure 2, contains port connections.
Viewed from left to right, the rear panel contains the following elements:
1. AC power adapter outlet for connecting the power adapter.
2. Power on/off push-button.
3. Internet/Wide Area Network (WAN) Ethernet port for connecting the router to a cable or DSL
modem.
4. Four Local Area Network (LAN) 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports for connecting the router to
your local computers.
5. Restore factory settings button. Press for approximately 5 seconds to reset the router to the
factory default settings.
Side Panel
The router side panel is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 2
Figure 3
14
235
1
2

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 5
1. WPS button – Turns Push ‘N’ Connect (WPS) security on and off. When wireless security is
enabled, the Push ‘N’ Connect LED on the front of the wireless router is solid green. See
“Push 'N' Connect” on page 3.
2. Wireless On/Off button – Turns the Wireless network on and off. When the Wireless
network is enabled, the Wireless LED on the front of the router is solid green. See “Wireless”
on page 3.
Router Label
The label on the bottom of the wireless router shows the router’s MAC address, serial number,
security PIN, and factory default login information.
The ports on the router are color-coded to distinguish your Internet port from the other four ports
that connect to the wired computer(s) on your Local Area Network (LAN).
Positioning Your Wireless Router
The wireless router lets you access your network from virtually anywhere within the operating
range of your wireless network. However, the operating distance or range of your wireless
connection can vary significantly depending on the physical placement of your router. For
example, the thickness and number of walls the wireless signal must pass through might limit the
range. For best results, place your router:
Figure 4

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 6
• Near the center of the area where your computers and other devices will operate, preferably
within line of sight to your wireless devices.
• Accessible to an AC power outlet and near Ethernet cables for wired computers.
• In an elevated location such as a high shelf, keeping the number of walls and ceilings between
the wireless router and your other devices to a minimum.
• Away from electrical devices which are potential sources of interference, such as ceiling fans,
home security systems, microwaves, or the base for a cordless phone.
• Away from any large metal surfaces, such as a solid metal door or aluminum studs. Large
expanses of other materials such as glass, insulated walls, fish tanks, mirrors, brick, and
concrete can also affect your wireless signal.
Installing Your Wireless Router
To help you set up your router and get on the Internet quickly, the Resource CD contains a Smart
Wizard™ Installation Assistant. The Installation Assistant walks you through the steps required to
connect your router, modem, and PC(s); configure your wireless settings; and enable wireless
security for your network. When you have finished, you will be Internet ready!
You can set up your wireless router using one of two methods:
•Smart Wizard Setup: The Smart Wizard Installation Assistant setup is available on your
Resource CD. See “Installing Your Router Using the Smart Wizard” on page 8 to use the
Smart Wizard Installation Assistant.
– This is the easiest option. The wizard guides you through the setup process. It automates
many of the steps and verifies that the steps have been successfully completed.
Failure to follow these guidelines can result in significant performance degradation
or an inability to wirelessly connect to the Internet.
NETGEAR does not recommend or support adding a NETGEAR router behind
another router, or replacing a gateway with a NETGEAR router.
If you have a Linux system, you need to use the manual installation method (see
“Manually Installing Your Router” on page 11).

Getting to Know Your Wireless Router 7
– Smart Wizard requires a PC running Microsoft Windows.
•Manual Setup: If you cannot or prefer not to use the Smart Wizard Installation Assistant, see
“Manually Installing Your Router” on page 11. For example, if you are connecting to a Linux
operating system, or are technically knowledgeable, select this option. If you choose to use
this option and install your router manually, for best results, install and set up your router in
this order:
1. Install and connect your wireless router to your network (see “Connecting Your Wireless
Router” on page 12).
2. Set up your wireless router for Internet access (see “Setting Up Your Router for Internet
Access” on page 17).
3. Configure your wireless network and select wireless security settings to protect your
wireless network (see “Configuring Your Wireless Network” on page 21).
Updating Your Router Firmware
NETGEAR is always improving the operability and features included with your router. To make it
easy for you to receive the best, most up-to-date features of your router, NETGEAR provides a
variety of methods for updating your product.
• The Smart Wizard Installation Assistant lets you check for and install updates as part of the
setup activity (see “Using the Smart Wizard” on page 8).
• The router includes an update feature that lets you check for and install updates. You must log
in to the router to use this feature see “Setting Up Your Router for Internet Access” on
page 17, or the online User Manual).
Before running the Smart Wizard Installation Assistant on a corporate PC to
set up your home router, check with your company’s network support staff.
Corporate network settings or Virtual Private Network (VPN) client
software might conflict with the default settings of a home router. If you are
unsure about whether there might be a conflict, use a different computer.

Installing Your Router Using the Smart Wizard 8
Installing Your Router
Using the Smart Wizard
The Smart Wizard setup procedure should take about 15 minutes to complete. Before using the
Smart Wizard, ensure that:
• You are using a PC with either a Mac operating systems or a Windows operating system
(Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 2000, or Windows XP with Service Pack 2), and with
a wired Ethernet connection, not a wireless connection.
• You have an Internet service connection through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
• You have the configuration information provided by your ISP.
Using the Smart Wizard
The NETGEAR Smart Wizard takes you through the procedure to connect your router, modem,
and PC(s). It then helps you to configure your wireless settings and enable wireless security for
your network. The Smart Wizard guides you through the setup process by automating many of the
steps. At each step in the setup process, the Smart Wizard checks to ensure that the steps you
perform are successfully completed.
To set up your router using the Smart Wizard:
1. To start the Smart Wizard:
• For Windows users,
– Insert the Resource CD into your PC. The CD will automatically start and detect the
language you are using on your PC. Select a different language option, if you prefer.
– In the CD’s menu, click Setup to start the Smart Wizard.
• For Mac users, double-click the MacWizard program.
If the CD does not automatically start, browse the CD and double-click
on .

Installing Your Router Using the Smart Wizard 9
2. When the Smart Wizard prompts you about updates, click Yes to check for updates for your
router, or No, to update later (for more information, see “Setting Up Your Router for Internet
Access” on page 17, or the online User Manual).
3. Follow the remaining instructions and prompts to complete the installation.
The Smart Wizard guides you through installing your router, connecting your router to the
Internet, configuring your wireless network settings, and selecting the optimum security
protection for your network. If you choose not to select a security option during installation,
you can always access the router’s user interface later to select a security option (see
“Configuring Your Wireless Network” on page 21).
At the close of installation:
•For Windows users, the Smart Wizard places a Router_Setup.html file on your
computer’s desktop so that you can view the router settings. It also places the Router
Login shortcut on the desktop for you to access the router’s main menu.
•For Mac users, the Smart Wizard places a Router_Setup.pdf file on your desktop.
You are now connected to the Internet!
To ensure optimum performance of your high-speed wireless router, the
wireless adapter card for each computer in your network should support the
same technology as your router. For more information, see the online User
Manual.
Figure 5

Installing Your Router Using the Smart Wizard 10
After connecting to the Internet, you can:
• Log in to the router and check for new firmware. Refer to the bottom label for the default login
information, or see the steps in “Configuring Your Wireless Network” on page 21.
• Set up additional wireless computers in your network for Internet access (see “Configuring
Your Wireless Network” on page 21).
For advanced features not covered in this manual, see the User Manual on your Resource CD. A
link to the online User Manual also is available from the router interface.
Accessing Your Router After Installation
The Smart Wizard only appears when you first install the router or when the router is in its factory
default state (for example, if you have reset the router to its default factory settings). If you want to
change the settings after installing and configuring your router using the Smart Wizard, you must
open a browser window and log in to the router. You will also be prompted to check for new router
firmware. For more information, see “Configuring Your Wireless Network” on page 21.
The factory default state is restored when you use the restore factory settings button.
See “Restoring the Default Password and Configuration Settings” on page 39 for more
information about this feature.

Manually Installing Your Router 11
Manually Installing Your Router
Before installing and connecting your router manually, review the list below and make sure that
you have all of the necessary information.
• Internet service connection through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
• The configuration information your ISP gave you. Depending on how your Internet account
was set up, you might need the following information to set up your wireless router and access
the Internet:
– Host and domain name
– Internet login name and password (frequently an email address and password)
– Domain Name Server (DNS) addresses
– Fixed or static IP address
Your ISP should have provided you with all the information needed to connect to the Internet.
If you cannot locate this information, ask your ISP.
• If you have cable modem service, make sure that you are using the same computer on which
you first set up your Internet account.
If you have not already done so:
• Check the package contents of your router to ensure that it is complete (see “Unpacking Your
New Router” on page 1).
• Select an optimum location for your wireless router after reviewing the guidelines presented in
“Positioning Your Wireless Router” on page 5.
Use the procedures in this topic if you are an advanced user, or a user of Linux
systems.

Manually Installing Your Router 12
Connecting Your Wireless Router
Before you install your wireless router, make sure that the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Property
settings on your computer are set to “automatically obtain an IP address” using DHCP and “Obtain
DNS server address automatically.” You can check these settings by looking at the TCP/IP
Properties of your Internal Network Connections, which are accessible through the Control Panel
of your computer. If you are unsure about this, refer to the documentation for your computer or see
the link to TCP/IP Addressing in “Related Documents” on page 40.
If you are replacing an existing router, disconnect it completely from your network and set it aside
before starting to install your new router. Then, skip to step 5 in the following procedure
There are two steps to setting up your wireless router:
1. Connect the Product Family to the ADSL or cable modem, and connect a computer to the
Product Family.
2. Configure the Product Family to use your Internet service.
To connect the wireless router, the computer, and the modem:
1. Turn off your computer.
2. Turn off and unplug the cable or DSL broadband modem.
3. Locate the cable (A) that connects your computer to the modem.
4. Disconnect the cable at the modem end only (B). You will connect it to the router later.
NETGEAR does not recommend or support adding a NETGEAR router behind
another router, or replacing a gateway with a NETGEAR router.

Manually Installing Your Router 13
5. Locate the Ethernet cable that came with your NETGEAR product. Securely insert one end of
the Ethernet cable into your modem (C) and the other end into the Internet port of the wireless
router (D). (The cable and the Internet port label are color coded.)
6. Locate the cable (A) that is still attached to your computer (see step 4). Securely insert that
cable into a port on the router, such as port 1 (E), as shown in Figure 8.
Figure 6
Figure 7
A
B
C
D

Manually Installing Your Router 14
7. Connect any additional wired PCs to your router by inserting an Ethernet cable from a PC into
one of the three remaining LAN ports.
8. Review that your network is now set up (as shown in Figure 9); you are ready to start your
network.
9. Start your network in the correct sequence, as described below.
Figure 8
Figure 9
A
E
1 2 3 4

Manually Installing Your Router 15
To start your network:
1. Plug in and turn on the cable or DSL modem. Wait 2 minutes.
2. Plug the end of the power adapter’s cord into the wall or a power strip, and into the power
adapter outlet of your wireless router (F), as shown in Figure 10. Wait 1 minute.
3. Turn on your computer. It will take several minutes for your router to establish a connection
with your computer and your Internet provider.
Verifying Your Connection
Verify that your router is connected correctly by checking the wireless router status lights (as
illustrated in Figure 11).
Failure to start or restart your network in the correct sequence could prevent you
from accessing the Internet.
Figure 10
For DSL customers, if software logs you in to the Internet, do not run that
software. You might need to go to the Internet Explorer Tools menu, Internet
Options, Connections tab and select “Never dial a connection.”
F

Manually Installing Your Router 16
Figure 11
Table 2. Status Lights After Installation
Label Description
1. Power The power light should turn solid green. If it does not, see “Checking Basic Router
Functions” on page 29.
2. Push 'N' Connect The WPS button/light will not be lit unless you push it to enable Push ‘N’ Connect
(WPS) security. See “Using Push 'N' Connect (WPS) to Configure Your Wireless
Network” on page 23.
3. Wireless The wireless light should be lit after turning on the wireless router.
4. Internet The Internet port light should be lit. If it is not, make sure the Ethernet cable is
securely attached to the wireless router Internet port and the modem, and that the
modem is powered on.
5. LAN
(Ports 1–4)
A LAN light should be lit for each connected computer on your network. Green
indicates that your computer is communicating at 100 Mbps; amber indicates
communication at 10 Mbps. If a LAN light is not lit for each connected Ethernet
cable, make sure that the Ethernet cable from the computer to the router is securely
attached at both ends, and that the computer is turned on.