Chapter 1: Introduction Welcome; Chapter 1: Introduction; Welcome - Linksys WRTU54G-TM User Manual

Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports

Chapter 1: Introduction

Welcome

Thank you for choosing the Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports. The Wireless-G Broadband
Router with 2 Phone Ports will allow you to network wirelessly better than ever, sharing Internet access, files and
fun, easily and securely.
How does the Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports do all of this? A router is a device that allows
access to an Internet connection over a network. With the Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports, this
access can be shared over the four switched ports or via the wireless broadcast at up to 11Mbps for Wireless-B
or up to 54Mbps for Wireless-G.
Use the WPA standard to secure your wireless network while the whole network is protected through a Stateful
Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall and Network Address Translation (NAT) technology. Just run the Setup Wizard and
it will guide you through the steps to set up your network. You can also access the Router's features through the
easy-to-use, browser-based utility.
But what does all of this mean?
Networks are useful tools for sharing computer resources. You can access one printer from different computers
and access data located on another computer's hard drive. Networks are even used for playing multiplayer video
games. So, networks are not only useful in homes and offices, they can also be fun.
PCs on a wired network create a LAN, or Local Area Network. They are connected with Ethernet cables, which is
why the network is called "wired".
PCs equipped with wireless cards or adapters can communicate without cumbersome cables. By sharing the
same wireless settings, within their transmission radius, they form a wireless network. This is sometimes called
a WLAN, or Wireless Local Area Network. The Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports bridges wireless
networks of both 802.11b and 802.11g standards and wired networks, allowing them to communicate with each
other.
With your networks all connected, wired, wireless, and the Internet, you can now share files and Internet
access—and even play games. All the while, the Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports protects your
networks from unauthorized and unwelcome users.
Linksys recommends using the Setup CD-ROM for first-time installation of the Router. If you do not wish to run
the Setup Wizard on the Setup CD-ROM, then use the instructions in this Guide to help you connect the
Chapter 1: Introduction
Welcome
NOTE: The Setup Wizard is not compatible with
®
Mac computers. Refer to Chapter 4: Connecting the
Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports and
Chapter 5: Configuring the Wireless-G Broadband
Router with 2 Phone Ports.
wpa (wi-fi protected access): a wireless security
protocol using TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol)
encryption, which can be used in conjunction with a
RADIUS server.
spi (stateful packet inspection) firewall: a technology
that inspects incoming packets of information before
allowing them to enter the network.
firewall: Security measures that protect the
resources of a local network from intruders.
nat (network address translation): NAT technology
translates IP addresses of a local area network to a
different IP address for the Internet.
lan (local area network): The computers and
networking products that make up the network in
your home or office.
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