Solutions for the Common Router Problems

Nowadays, having access to wireless broadband is definitely an absolute necessity with regard to home offices and smaller businesses. And after greater than a decade of improvements, you would believe that the standard wireless gateway/router will be a picture-perfect product right now.

While many routers provide good features, most still include flaws that could make life a great deal harder, such because confounding setups or even limited security.

Below are six router issues that, quite frankly, I discover the most annoying. WE looked for feasible solutions, and while I missed one router which addressed all my personal concerns, I did uncover features — as well as routers — that may make things much easier.

1. Difficult settings

The problem: How long will it usually take you to setup your router? When was the final time you could get it directly on the first attempt? What about whenever you wanted to give a new PC for your wireless network? And what about getting your wireless printer for connecting to your system?

Let’s face this: Each network differs, and getting the best combination of settings could be confounding. For instance, even some fairly experienced PC hands might not understand the variations between security settings or realize that WPA-2 offers much better protection than WEP as well as ordinary WPA.

These along with other hitches are why establishing any router can be vexing, even for an experienced computer person. Some, such since the Buffalo AirStation Wireless-N 300Mbps Cable television Router WHR-HP-G300N ($53), have crowded selections with multiple layers which make navigation painful. Other people, such as the actual Netgear RangeMax Twin Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router WNDR3700 ($170), rely on the protected setup which has a long series associated with instructions that need to be followed to obtain a new PC in your network.

Possible options: Various vendors have tried to create things simpler along with easy-setup CDs or even one-click connection control keys, but they cannot cover every feasible circumstance. Buffalo’s and Netgear’s set up instructions go the additional mile by clearly detailing the purchase in which you have to you plug everything in before you decide to run the COMPACT DISC. (Cable modems particularly should be powered on before you decide to connect your router for them. ) That’s a pleasant touch — however it assumes you’ve browse the printed instructions that included the router. When was the final time you browse the manual before you plugged inside your new device?

Just about all routers have Web-based settings screens, and if you remember the device’s IP tackle, default username as well as password (which you ought to have changed when a person set it up), you will be able to get into the actual setup screens as well as make any adjustments you’ll need. It’s just the matter of determining which adjustments are essential.

The Cisco Valet M10($100), a part of Cisco’s recently launched Valet line, has a USB key which has the configuration software onto it. Once you setup one PC in your network, you use the important thing to run the actual configuration on every other PCs or Apple computers (the key additionally includes Mac software) and never have to write down the actual wireless encryption crucial or other info.

Cisco has additionally made it much easier to set upward other devices, for example wireless printers, by providing an overview screen with the relevant information regarding your wireless network that you could print out with regard to easy reference whenever you run the setup program about the USB key.

Buffalo has a pleasant diagnostic routine which checks to see for those who have Internet connectivity which your router is actually configured properly. You run it on the internet configuration console.

Apple’s AirPort Convey ($99) is simple to setup and has a few neat features, including a chance to share USB printers and also to share audio over the network to the connected stereo recipient. You can also extend the number of your current AirPort base train station, which is something which most Wi-Fi routers cannot easily do. But if you have a Windows COMPUTER, you’ve got to set up Bonjour, and adding a brand new PC to a current network isn’t because easy as it may be.

2. Enabling file sharing out of your router

The issue: Why spend money on the separate network-attached storage space (NAS) unit when you are able use your router with regard to sharing files? Many routers include USB ports to which you’ll connect an exterior USB drive with regard to simple backup or even file sharing.

Unfortunately, although plugging within an external drive ought to be as easy because — well, as just plugging within the drive — obtaining that drive setup isn’t always easy. The Linksys WRT610N Wireless-N Router ($200), for instance, has a complicated setup screen you’ll want to fill out whenever you attach a USB drive into it.

It would be nice to possess software that allows the sharing without lots of setup hassles. It ought to be easy to link the computers throughout your network for this shared storage, by utilizing either the router’s SSID title or IP tackle. You also need every single child password-protect your shared drive in order that it isn’t open for anybody who’s connected towards the network.

Possible options: Various routers consist of USB ports, for example those from Linksys, Belkin as well as Netgear.

It’s all the matter of what software can be used to configure the actual USB drive and whether you’ll need anything else about the Windows or Macintosh client end for connecting to the discussed drive.

Best obtainable routers: The Belkin N+ Cellular Router ($120) includes a separate software settings utility that functions for both Home windows and Mac systems and must be run only once to setup the external discussed drive. After which, you can connect with the shared generate by entering it’s IP address, for example \\192. 168. 1. 1\sharename. The merchandise isn’t perfect, although: There is not a way to password-protect the files about the shared drive.

The Netgear RangeMax doesn’t require any extra software and may password-protect the documents. It also offers a multitude of access methods, such as FTP and Internet sharing, from it’s setup screen.

3. Carrying out firmware updates

The issue: Router firmware is definitely an important first type of security defense in your network and must be kept up up to now. But finding firmware updates on the vendor’s Web site isn’t for everyone, and several vendors don’t allow it to be easy.

You need to bring up your own browser, go towards the vendor’s support site and attempt to track down the present version for your unique router model. After this you have to obtain the file for your PC and upload it for your router in the best place in the actual router’s Web manage panel screen.

In order to complicate matters, vendors usually have several different versions for every router model, simply because they make frequent improvements towards the router, often changing nick sets but maintaining the version number exactly the same.

Possible solutions: Make the revise automatic or a minimum of easily selectable, so it’s not necessary to go through the tortured procedure for downloading and importing the file.

Check the firmware revise section in every router’s Web setup screens to determine if the router may automatically upgrade by itself.

Best available routers: Belkin’s N+ Cellular and Netgear’s RangeMax both possess a menu-selectable software switch make it possible for the updates. Once this really is set, you can ignore it and be confident that you’ll always have the most recent firmware.

4. Allowing temporary wireless entry

The problem: For those who have visitors or clingy neighbors, do you actually want them to possess permanent access for your entire network? Even though you trust them in your network, do you realize how good their very own security is? (For instance, will your neighbor’s notebook find themselves in the hands associated with his teenager? ) Should you simply give the visitor your router pass word, then you probably have to change this info when he leaves your office or home — which is really a real pain.

Feasible solutions: A good idea is always to grant them short-term guest access that provides them just an Web connection and nothing else in your network, such because shared drives or even printers.

Vendors have begun make it possible for this on their routers in a number of ways. Belkin, for instance, has an choice it calls "Hotel-style, " and therefore users are directed to some Web landing web page where they enter a unique guest password. Other vendors allow it to be easy to setup separate wireless networks simply for guests. (If you utilize Apple’s AirPort Convey, on the additional hand, you’re out associated with luck — there’s no guest access. )

Greatest available routers: The USB key that you could create with Cisco’s Valet might help here as nicely. You need to operate an automated setup routine in the USB key (rather than on the internet UI) on all of your guest computer systems. Once you perform, it will setup a separate wireless network having a different name as well as password that only allows Access to the internet.

5. Determining who’s on your cellular network

The issue: Just because you believe your network is actually secure doesn’t mean that it’s. It’s probably smart to regularly check to determine who is making use of your router — particularly if you haven’t transformed your router’s default pass word. However, in a global where it’s hard enough to consider to back up your pc, it’s unlikely that just about everyone has the time or even inclination to regularly check that has been on the networks.

And even if you want to, it’s not usually easy. Typically, most router Internet UIs indicate who’s currently connected, however finding this away requires digging via many menus. Sometimes the vendors hide these details under a name like "DHCP customer list" and/or provide you with just the IP handles and host titles of current cable connections.

Wouldn’t it be helpful in case your router notified you each time someone connected? Better still, how about the historical view that teaches you when and who attached to your network during the last week?

Possible options: There are plenty of enterprise-class wireless checking tools, such because AirMagnet but, price-wise, these are typically from the reach of house and SMB customers.

Check out the screens which are usually labeled "Attached devices" or even "DHCP client list" to determine who is linked and using that IP addresses. A few companies, such because Buffalo, clearly show exactly how various clients possess connected and exactly what wireless devices they’re using.

Best obtainable routers: When Cisco bought the organization Pure Networks, it acquired a bit of software called System Magic. The Windows edition of Network Magic will highlight a pretty map and also a more useful system histogram timeline revealing that has connected when.

For whatever reason, Cisco includes this software in certain of its Linksys routers although not the Valet M10 sequence. You can buy a license for approximately three PCs for $24 which will work with any kind of router. (The Mac version does not have the maps or even histograms.

6. Altering your DNS supplier

The problem: After you have set up your own network, you probably do not give your Website name System settings any more thought. If you’ve got a cable or DSL modem, you hook it up also it automatically gets it’s DNS settings in the cable or telephone company’s DNS machines. (If you’re managing a large enterprise system, typically you have your personal internal DNS server to supply this service. )

Home and small-business users might want to look into finding an alternative solution DNS provider. The reason why bother? Two reasons: better browsing overall performance and better protection against known phishing as well as malware-infected domains. (Your actual performance will be different widely, depending in your Internet provider as well as, if you are utilizing a cable modem, exactly how congested your cable television line is. )

Feasible solutions: Individuals and smaller businesses are in possession of several alternative providers which are worth considering, such as OpenDNS and Search engines Public DNS, amongst others.

Getting your router vendor to aid these servers may also be tricky. A couple of routers, such as 2Wire’s House Portal 3000 sequence that comes whenever you order service through AT&T U-verse, do not even support option DNS settings. Making matters harder, most of the actual automated setup programs that routers include don’t permit you to enter your personal DNS provider.

So if you’ve went with an option, first make certain your router facilitates alternative DNS configurations. If you’re unsure, see if you are able to enter your personal DNS address in your router’s Web-based setup screens rather than using what your online provider gives a person.

Then try this out, including installing it’s software to optimize your own PC, before messing with all of your router’s settings. Once you make the change for your DNS, there is the Java tool that may test your speed to determine if it is important. Depending on how you’re attached to your Internet supplier, it can help whether lot or very little at all. If it does not help, consider returning to your unique settings.