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Wireless Broadband Router

Assuming that most of us know what a router is, let's move on to the topic of concern-wireless (Wi-Fi) broadband routers. A wireless router enables you to do the same and more without having a tangled mess of cables running everywhere. There are a number of Wi-Fi routers available in the market, manufactured by various hardware vendors. For this story, we've used the WRT54G wireless broadband router made by Linksys.

Application:- We've discussed the main intent of a Wi-Fi router, but in this scenario, it plays a major role in creating a wireless home environment. Our project is hi-tech yet very simple and useful. You'll have a clearer picture of it as we move on.The router, when connected to different devices in your home, enables you to operate those devices from one single point of contact. A major plus point is that other computers connected to the network can also share those devices. Be it entertainment, security or business, you can operate a number of gadgets wirelessly. If you have a Wi-Fi enabled laptop or a desktop with a Wi-Fi PCI card installed,you can connect to the wireless network and use all the devices seamlessly

Installation and configuration:-
Because this is the most important device in the project, make sure it is set up and configured properly.
Although the bundled user manual and the CD will be sufficient for you to have a decent understanding, we at CHIP would like to give you a head-start. So let's go for it!
Physical Connections:- The model that we've used is the WRT54G. This router has five RJ45 ports; one is where the line from your ISP goes in, and the others are for regular wired Ethernet connections. Anyone of these ports can be used to connect your computer. The reset button at the back restores the router to its factory settings. The only other thing you'll see on the back panel is a power jack.
IP settings:- The ISP that provides you the Internet connection assigns an externallP address for your machine that you have to use with the LAN card in your computer. When your computer is connected to the Internet, it is mapped to this IP, which enables it to communicate with the outside world-the World Wide Web. This is part one.
Now, when you unplug your computer from this connection and hook it up to your router instead, the router takes on that external IP address assigned to you.

When you purchase a router,
it comes with a default internal IP address-192.168.1.1 in the case of our Linksys model. After you hook up your Internet connection to it, there are two IP addresses on the router; an external one and an internal one. The router uses the external IP address to communicate with the Internet. The internal IP is used to communicate with all the other devices or workstations connected to it. In technical terms, it acts as a gateway to other devices or workstations attached to the wired/wireless network that you create.
You can assign different IP addresses to all the devices on the network. These IP addresses are dependent on the router's internal IP, and must follow a set of international conventions.
There are two ways to configure the router, automatic and manual.

Automatic configuration:-
* Go to 'Start menu I Settings I Network connections'.

* Right-click on 'Local Area Connection' and select 'Properties' from the context menu. This will bring up the 'Local Area Connection Properties' dialog box.
* Double-click on Internet Protocol (TCP/ IP) to bring up the 'Internet Protocol Properties' dialog box.
* Here, select the first option, which says 'Obtain an IP address automatically' and click on 'Ok'.
Manual configuration:-
* To configure manually, repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 of 'Automatic configuration'.
* Here, select the option 'Use the following IP address'.
* In the 'IP address' field, type 192.168.1.x (where 'x' stands for a number between 2 and 255)
* In the 'Default gateway' field enter the router's internal IP address, that is 192.168.1.1 unless you've changed it.
During automatic configuration, the router assigns a dynamic IP address to your machine. The same goes for the other wireless devices in range, provided they are in the DHCP mode.
Testing the connection:-
Once the settings are in place, you can start using your wireless setup. Now,
with the connection established, you can browse a couple of sites to check whether the Internet connection is working. Make sure that all the settings pertaining to your ISP in your computer have been set up on the router, and that your computer now points to the router instead.