|
Version
1.17 01-SEP-2001
This page contains answers to
questions we are frequently asked about the Netgear RT311 and RT314
Gateway Routers.
We'll be updating the FAQ and adding many more questions/answers over the coming
weeks. We'd love to hear from you with suggestions,
corrections, and new questions. Send your feedback to support@fulton.net.au
Please report any problems you find,
including typos, missing or incorrect links, unclear or wrong
answers etc.
General
Discussion
Configuration
- General
Configuration
- Firmware
Configuration
- Hardware
Configuration
Specifics for BigPond Advance Cable
Configuration
Specifics for BigPond Advance ADSL
Configuration
Specifics for Optus@Home
Application
Compatibility
VPN
Compatibility
Router
Operations
Security
Syslog
Troubleshooting
General
Discussion
Configuration
- General
Configuration
- Firmware
Configuration
- Hardware
Configuration
Specifics for BigPond Advance Cable
Configuration
Specifics for BigPond Advance ADSL
Configuration
Specifics for Optus@Home
Application
Compatibility
VPN
Compatibility
Router
Operations
Security
Syslog
Troubleshooting
General
Discussion
What
networks have the RT311 and RT314 routers been tested on in
Australia?
RT311 and RT314 routers have been
extensively tested on, and are in use by many customers on the
following networks:
- Optus@Home Cable
- Telstra BigPond Advance Cable
(Motorola and DOCSIS)
- Telstra Bigpond Advance ADSL
How
difficult are they to install?
Not difficult at all, certainly
no more difficult than installing a software solution such as
WinRoute, and much less time consuming than setting up a Linux
gateway.
If you plan to do the
installation yourself, you will need to have some knowledge of
TCP/IP, routing, Network Address Translation (NAT) and
firewalls.
If you purchase your router from Fulton
Network Technologies, we will provide an individually tailored
Quick Start Guide that will have even the most novice networker up
and running in 30 minutes or less.
What
do they look like?
Here's a picture
of the the RT314. The RT311 is almost identical except that
it has only one set of local port LED's on the front panel.
How
big are they?
They're
about the size of a large paperback novel (but they definitely come with a
happy ending). To
be precise:
Width:
253 mm or 9.95 inches
Depth:
181 mm or 7.1 inches
Height:
35 mm or 1.4 inches
I'm
stuck - where can I get help?
- If you're technically minded,
you'll probably find all the answers you need in this FAQ.
- If you have time on your side,
and don't mind the occasional detour, you can check the
archives of, or post your question in, one of the newsgroups
like aus.net.access, bigpond.broadband.security,
bigpond.broadband.security or bigpond.broadband.users.
- If you would like individual
help, or consulting assistance, we (Fulton
Network Technologies) offer support on a flat fee,
per-call or on-site basis. Send us an email on support@fulton.net.au
for further information.
What's
the difference between the RT311 and the RT314?
There are only a few differences:
- The RT311 has only a single
10/100 port for the local lan, so most users need to use an
external hub or switch to connect their devices to the LAN.
- The RT314 has a built-in
4-port 10/100 Ethernet switch, which might be all the ports
you need for a small home or office network. This can
help you to avoid a mess of untidy cables.
- While both the RT311 and RT314
use compatible firmware, and have identical configuration
menus, the RT314 has a slightly faster CPU. This does
mean it could be faster in some circumstances, but any
difference is probably too small to be noticed in
practice.
Why
should I choose a Netgear router?
Before deciding to sell and
recommend the Netgear RT311 and RT314, we did an extensive
evaluation of these and competing products. In our opinion:
- The RT311 and RT314 provided
the best balance between price, performance and features in
their part of the market.
- The RT311 and RT314 (and
Netgear products generally) had a reputation for hardware and
software quality that was well ahead of several of their
competitors.
- While not always the easiest
routers to configure, this limitation is easily offset by
their greater capability and flexibility.
- The RT311 and RT314 have
enjoyed stunning success in the US where they were first
released.
How
many PC's can the RT311/RT314 support on the local lan?
It depends on the speed of your
connection and the usage patterns of your users. By default,
the
RT311/RT314 DHCP server will allocate up to 32 addresses on the
local lan, but this value is configurable up to 64 [as of
firmware version 3.24, previous versions allowed more], for the
default class C address. You can also connect more devices if you assign
some or all of the addresses statically.
Most installations we've seen
have been 2 and 20 PC's sharing their Cable or ADSL connection
without problems.
Do
you still need to run a login client like Telstra Launchpad?
No login client is required for
Optus@home or Telstra ADSL. Firmware
version 3.26 includes a built-in login client for BigPond Advance
Cable.
If you are using an earlier
version of firmware and connecting to BigPond
Advance Cable, you will either need to upgrade to 3.26
(recommended), or run a login client on 1
(only 1) PC behind the router. We recommend using Shane Hyde's BPALOGIN or
Scott Campbell's WINCABLE, rather than Telstra LaunchPad.
Why
should I buy my router from Fulton Network Technologies?
Deal
with the Netgear router experts, and receive:
- Your
RT311 or RT314 fully tested and pre-configured for the network
of your choice
- Fulton's
Quick Start Guide to get you up and running in minutes
- Expert
technical assistance and installation support
Do
you only operate in Sydney?
We're based in Sydney, but we
have customers throughout the country. In fact, more than
half our router business is from outside Sydney.
Overnight or same day shipment of
product, combined with quality email and telephone support means
that we can satisfy your needs, regardless of your location.
Other
resources.
The following additional sites
may be of interest:
Can
I create a link to this FAQ?
Yes! Our
copyright notice prohibits reproduction
or distribution of this document in any form. But, you are
welcome to create a hyperlink to the FAQ
itself or the www.fulton.net.au
home page without seeking permission.
Configuration
- General
What
should I set the router's hostname to be?
For the BigPond Advance Cable or
ADSL networks, you can choose any name that appeals to you, eg
RT311 or Matilda. For these networks, the hostname has no
affect on the operation of the router.
For Optus@Home, you need to set
the hostname to the Optus supplied system name. This will be
the name that the Optus installer changed your PC to during
installation. It will be something like CO12345678-A.
This name will be sent to the Optus DHCP server, and unless it
matches exactly, the DHCP server will not allocate an address.
I'm
having trouble using the Firstgear utility to configure my router
Do NOT attempt to use Firstgear
to configure your RT311 or RT314 router. There are two
reasons for this:
- Firstgear won't work with
routers running firmware versions 3.20 and higher. Use
the web-based configurator instead.
- Firstgear may cause problems
on PC's with certain PPPoE software installed. It may
even make your PC unbootable.
Do
I need to change the router password?
The default firewall filters only
allow access to the router's configuration menus from the local or
internal lan, not from the INTERNET or WAN port. So if you
trust everyone on the local lan, maybe not. But, it's easy
to change, and we strongly recommend that you do change it.
How
can I change the router password?
Use telnet to connect to the
router, login, and select menu 23:
Menu 23 - System Password
Old Password= ?
New Password= ?
Retype to confirm= ?
Enter here to CONFIRM or ESC to CANCEL:
With firmware versions 3.24 and
higher, the password can be changed using the web console.
Connect to the router, login, and select:
Advanced -> System
-> Password.
How
can set I set the date and time on the router?
You can set the time manually
using from the command prompt using:
rt314> sys time 21 42 20
Set time to 21:42:20
rt314> sys date 2000 12 07
Set date to 2000/12/07
rt314>
Note that sys adjtime is to be
for automatic adjustment using a network time server. As far
as I know, this is not properly supported in the Netgear firmware yet.
What
network addresses can I use on the local lan?
The router's default local
network is 192.168.0.0/24 or 192.168.0.0 with a netmask of
255.255.255.0 if you prefer that notation.
The router can be configured to
use any legal IP network or subnetwork for the local lan.
We recommend that you use the
defaults, unless you already have a substantial working network in
place that you want to connect to. This is for the following
reasons:
- By using the defaults, you
simplify setup of the router, and are less likely to cause
yourself problems during installation.
- You are probably more familiar
with configuring IP settings on client workstations than you
are configuring routers, so keep your life simple.
- In the future, if you ever
need to upgrade the firmware, the closer your config is to the
defaults, the easier this process will be.
On the other hand, if you are
purchasing your router from Fulton
Network Technologies, we specialise in making the router's
configuration match your existing or planned network. Our
individually tailored Quick Start Guide will ensure that your
installation and setup is quick and trouble-free.
What
address should I assign to the router itself?
We normally recommend that the
router be assigned an IP address at one end of the range assigned
to the local lan. This is to make it easy to remember, and
minimise the chance of a collision with another station's address.
Thus, for the default network,
you would use either 192.168.0.1 (the factory default) or
192.168.0.254.
Should
I used fixed IP addresses or DHCP-assigned addresses on the local
lan?
It's usually easier to use DHCP-assigned
addresses for client workstations on the local lan. This is
for a couple of reasons:
- It's easier to set up the
clients
- All the necessary parameters,
such as domain-name, gateway addresses, dns-server addresses
etc are automatically inherited via DHCP.
The exceptions are servers, which
should always have a static IP, and for BigPond Advance Cable
networks, the station running the login client.
Can
I run two DHCP servers on my local lan?
You can, but you probably don't
want to. Unless you really understand DHCP and what you're
trying to achieve, choose only one. In most cases, this
should be the router, as this will automatically inherit all the
client parameters from the upstream Cable or ADSL network and
assign them to the client workstations.
An exception might be when you
have the need to assign advanced or proprietary DHCP options, not
supported by the router's DHCP server, eg the addresses of WINS
servers.
Does
the router support SNMP?
Not at this time. Access to
management information is limited to syslog for firewall event
logging, and the telnet and web management consoles.
Configuration
- Firmware
What
does the firmware do?
The router is a simple computer
with a CPU and memory (but no disk drive!). The firmware is
the operating system that runs on the router. It is updated
from time to time by Netgear to fix bugs, and add new features.
Firmware updates are usually
released every six months or so.
How
do I find out what firmware version is installed on my router?
The easiest way to determine the
firmware version is to telnet to the router and select menu 24,
sub-menu 1. This will display something like:
Menu 24.1 - System Maintenance - Status
Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Cols Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN 10M/Half 126292 177290 0 0 0 84:32:49
LAN 100M/Full 152690 339133 0 261 92 84:32:46
Port Ethernet Address IP Address IP Mask DHCP
WAN 00:a0:c5:e1:ee:cd 144.132.180.48 255.255.240.0 Client
LAN 00:a0:c5:e1:ee:cc 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0 Server
System up Time: 84:32:55
Name: rt311.nsw.bigpond.net.au
Routing: IP
RAS F/W Version: V3.20(M.01)b2 | 8/18/2000
Press Command:
COMMANDS: 1-Drop WAN 9-Reset Counters ESC-Exit
If you are running version 3.20
or higher, the same information can be displayed using the
web-based configuration utility. Connect to the router,
login, and then select Maintenance and then System
Status in the left-hand menu bar.
What
do the different firmware version numbers mean?
The following table contains a
brief description of each released version. Follow the link
to the release notes for full details.
|
Version
number |
Description |
Recommended
Action |
|
2.30
(M.02) |
US
Release |
Upgrade
to 3.25 or 3.26 |
|
2.50
(M.02) |
Original
Australian Release.
DHCP
enhancements and bug fixes. First version to support
PPPoE. |
Upgrade
to 3.25 or 3.26 |
|
3.20
(M.00) |
First
version to support web-based configuration |
If
installing a new router, upgrade to 3.25 or 3.26.
If
router already installed, no need to upgrade unless you are
experiencing problems, or require access to new features. |
|
3.20
(M.01) |
RT311
only. Adds web configuration of SUA port mapping. |
If
installing a new router, upgrade to 3.25 or 3.26.
If
router already installed, no need to upgrade unless you are
experiencing problems, or require access to new features. |
|
3.20
(CA.1) or (CA.2) |
RT314
only. Adds web configuration of SUA port mapping. |
If
installing a new router, upgrade to 3.25 or 3.26.
If
router already installed, no need to upgrade unless you are
experiencing problems, or require access to new features. |
|
3.20
(M.01) J2 |
Interim
release of ADSL service-name bugfix, otherwise same as 3.20
(M.01) |
If
installing a new router, upgrade to 3.25 or 3.26.
If
router already installed, no need to upgrade unless you are
experiencing problems, or require access to new features. |
|
3.22
(M.01) |
Incorporates ADSL service-name bugfix |
If
installing a new router, upgrade to 3.25 or 3.26.
If
router already installed, no need to upgrade unless you are
experiencing problems, or require access to new features. |
|
3.24
(CA.0)
|
Major
enhancement to web console. All commonly used features
now accessible from a browser.
Also
allows future firmware upgrade via browser. |
If
installing a new router, upgrade to 3.25 or 3.26.
If
router already installed, no need to upgrade unless you are
experiencing problems, or require access to new features. |
|
3.25
(CA.0) |
Adds
support for port range mapping |
Recommended |
|
3.26
(CA.0) |
Adds
built-in login client for BigPond Cable |
Recommended
for BigPond Cable users.
Equivalent
to 3.25 for non BigPond Cable users. |
What
firmware version do you recommend?
We are now shipping all our
pre-configured routers with version 3.26.
If you purchased your router
unconfigured, or from
a retail store, it will almost certainly have older firmware
installed on it.
Our advice is as follows:
- If you are installing a new
router on BigPond Advance Cable, upgrade it to 3.26. This will give you access
to the built-in cable client, the latest bug-fixes and enhancements and reduce the
chances of encountering problems later.
- If you are installing a new
router on another network, upgrade it to 3.25 or 3.26. This will give you access
the latest bug-fixes and enhancements and reduce the
chances of encountering problems later.
- If you are currently running
version 2.50 or earlier, you should upgrade to version 3.25 or
3.26 as soon as practical. This will give you access to the web-based
configuration utility, as well as the latest bug-fixes and
enhancements.
- If you are already running
version 3.20 or later, not experiencing problems, and don't
need access to any of the enhancements made in more recent
releases, there is no need to rush into
upgrading.
Where
can I download the firmware from?
Version 3.22 firmware can be
downloaded from Netgear's website at http://www.netgear-support.com/ts/downloads/314v322.zip
Version 3.24 firmware can be
downloaded from Netgear's website at http://www.netgear-support.com/ts/downloads/314v324.zip
Version 3.25 firmware can be
downloaded from Netgear's website at http://www.netgear-support.com/ts/downloads/314v325.zip
Version 3.26 firmware can be
downloaded from Netgear's Australian website at http://www.netgear.com.au/downloads/314v326b.zip
How
do I update the firmware?
Download the file to a convenient
location, unzip it and you will have the following files:
| Filename |
Size |
Function |
| 314v326b.bin |
886,882 |
The firmware
image. Install on the router as the file ras. |
| romfile0.314 |
16384 |
The default
configuration file. Install on the router as the file rom-0 |
| ReleaseNotes.PDF (or
.DOC) |
varies |
Release notes
and installation instructions. |
[The table above and following
instructions show filenames and sizes for 3.26, substitute the
appropriate filenames for the name of the firmware image if you are installing
a different version]
Use ftp to connect to the router.
Login using the username "admin" and the password you
have set. Issue the commands:
ftp>
bin
ftp>
put 314v326.bin ras
ftp>
quit
Within
a minute or so after the ftp transfer the
router will automatically reboot. Do not power off the
router before this or the router may not have time to complete
programming its flash memory, and may be made unusable.
If
the router fails to reboot automatically, wait at least one more
minute before turning the power off.
If
you wish to reset the configuration, or you are upgrading from
version 2.50 or earlier, you will also need to install the default
configuration file.
Use ftp to connect to the router.
Login using the username "admin" and the password you
have set. Issue the commands:
ftp>
bin
ftp>
put romfile0.314 rom-0
ftp>
quit
The router will then automatically
reboot.
Read the Release Notes and
Resource Guide for further information. Click here
for information on keeping a backup copy of your configuration
file.
For users running version 3.24
firmware or later, future firmware upgrades can be done using the
web console. Connect to the router, login, and select:
Maintenance
-> Upgrade.
Can
I install RP114 firmware on the RT311/RT314?
No. The RP114 firmware will
not work on the RT314. Attempting to install this firmware
will cause the router to fail during startup. Recovery will
require re-installation of RT314 firmware and default
configuration file using the serial port.
Configuration
- Hardware
What
kind of cable do I use between the router and the Cable or ADSL
modem?
The cable connecting the INTERNET
port on the router to the Cable or ADSL modem should be a standard
(non-crossover) CAT-5 ethernet cable. These are normally
white or blue in colour.
A white CAT-5 cable is supplied
with the router and can be used for this connection.
If the correct cable has been
used, the LINK light should be lit on both the router and the
modem.
What
kind of cable do I use between my RT311 router and a directly
attached PC
The cable connecting the LOCAL
port on the RT311 to a directly attached PC should be a crossover
CAT-5 ethernet cable. These are often red in colour. A
red crossover cable is supplied with your RT311 router.
If the correct cable has been
used, the LINK light should be lit on both the router and the
attached device.
What
kind of cable do I use between my RT314 router and a directly
attached PC
The cable connecting one of the
four 10/100 switch ports to a directly attached PC should be a
standard (non-crossover) CAT-5 ethernet cable. These are
normally white or blue in colour.
If the correct cable has been
used, the LINK light should be lit on both the router and the
attached device.
What's
the serial port for?
The serial port can be used to
access the management console. The functionality provided is
identical to the management console when accessed via telnet.
Router firmware and configuration
files can also be uploaded via the serial port using the xmodem
file transfer protocol.
The serial port is not normally
used. Situations where it might be required include:
- The user has changed the
network configuration and is no longer able to access the
router via the telnet or web console.
- The password has been lost.
- The firmware has been
corrupted and the router no longer passes self test.
- An ftp or browser-based
firmware update has failed.
What
kind of a cable do I use to connect to the serial console port on
my RT311 or RT314 router?
Normally you will be connecting
to a DB-9 serial port on a PC. The cable is a
"straight-through" serial cable, with a male DB-9
connector on one end and a female DB-9 connector on the other.
All pins 1 through 9 should be
connected, 1 to 1, 2 to 2, etc.
These are often sold in computer
stores as serial-port "extension cables". If you
have trouble finding one, you can order one from us for $25, incl
GST.
What
port configuration should I use to connect via the serial port?
The standard port configuration
is:
- 9600 bps
- 8 data bits, no parity
Where's
my serial cable?
RT311 routers sold prior to
August 2000 included a serial cable in the standard package.
RT314 routers and RT311 routers
sold later than August 2000 do not include the cable in the
standard package, and you will need to purchase one separately if
required.
How
do I connect a hub or switch to my RT311 so I can have more ports
for local devices?
Connect the LOCAL port on the
RT311 to a standard (MDI) port on another hub or switch using a a
standard (non-crossover) CAT-5 ethernet cable. These are
normally white or blue in colour, or:
Connect the LOCAL port on the
RT311 to an UPLINK (MDI-X) port on another hub or switch using a a
crossover CAT-5 ethernet cable. These are often red in
colour.
If the correct cable has been
used, the LINK light should be lit on both the router and the
attached device.
How
do I connect a hub or switch to my RT314 so I can have more ports
for local devices?
Connect one of the four 10/100
switch ports on the RT314 to the UPLINK (MDI-X) port on another
hub or switch using a a standard (non-crossover) CAT-5 ethernet
cable. These are normally white or blue in colour, or:
Connect one of the four 10/100
switch ports on the RT314 to a standard (MDI) port on another hub
or switch using a a crossover CAT-5 ethernet cable. These
are often red in colour.
If the correct cable has been
used, the LINK light should be lit on both the router and the
attached device.
Why
is a switch better than a hub?
An ethernet switch is preferable
to a simple hub for the following reasons:
- An ethernet hub repeats all
traffic onto all its ports. A switch only transmits
traffic to a particular port if the destination address is
associated with that port. This helps minimise traffic
on individual segments which can improve performance on busy
networks.
- A switch is capable of
operating in Full-Duplex mode, where the device connected to
switch ports can send and receive simultaneously. With a
hub, only one station can receive or transmit at any one
time. Full-duplex mode only applies where a single
device is attached to the port, but this can also improve
performance for busy stations, eg fast servers.
- Switches appear to be less
prone to auto-sense failures, where one end of the link fails
to correctly detect and set either the speed or duplex
mode. If the speed is incorrectly matched, the station
is unlikely to work. If the duplex mode is mis-matched,
the station may well work, but performance may be very poor
due to a high collision rate.
Configuration
Specifics for BigPond Advance Cable
Do
you still need to run a login client like Telstra Launchpad?
No login client is required for
Optus@home or Telstra ADSL. If you are connecting to BigPond
Advance Cable, you will need to run a login client on 1
(only 1) PC. We recommend using Shane Hyde's BPALOGIN or
Scott Campbell's WINCABLE, rather than Telstra LaunchPad.
What
does the login client do?
The cable login client connects
to the authentications server, sends the username/password, and if
all is OK, the authentication server tells the
cable router to enable traffic to/from the IP that was logged on
from.
Before authentication, only a
small amount of traffic within the BPA network itself is allowed,
eg. DNS lookups, the authentication process itself, and ftp
traffic to update-server (needed for installing the Telstra
client).
The authentication server sends a
heartbeat message every 5 minutes, and the login client is
expected to respond to it. If the login client fails to
respond to the heartbeat, the authentication server tells the
cable router to disable traffic to/from the IP.
In the case of a NAT router like
the RT311/RT314, there is only one public IP used, and a single
instance of the login client is therefore able to authenticate all
users behind the router.
Why
do you recommend using BPALOGIN or WINCABLE rather than Telstra
Launchpad?
There are two main reasons:
- Both BPALOGIN and WINCABLE
will automatically attempt to reconnect after a network
failure. Telstra's LaunchPad client
requires you to reconnect manually and often hangs, times out
or causes other irritation when attempting to disconnect or
reconnect.
- Both BPALOGIN and WINCABLE
allow you to specify the local UDP port number that the login
client binds to. This makes it easier to set up the
router to handle the heartbeat traffic, and makes it easier to
keep your
network secure.
Where
can I obtain BPALOGIN or WINCABLE?
BPALOGIN is available from http://bpalogin.sourceforge.net/
WINCABLE is available from: http://users.bigpond.net.au/raven/info_wincable.html
Which
is best - BPALOGIN or WINCABLE?
Both work very well alongside
your RT311 or RT314 and we don't have any preference. Just
say NO to Telstra LaunchPad.
What
port number should I configure for BPALOGIN or WINCABLE?
It doesn't really matter, so long
as you configure the router to map the port you have chosen.
When configured for a fixed local
port, BPALOGIN defaults to port 5050, and this port number has
become widely used in the BPA community, both for BPALOGIN and
WINCABLE.
For consistency, you should
choose a port number in the non-priviledged range (ie greater than
1023) and you should leave a comfortable gap above the minimum
port number to be reasonably sure that no other application is
likely to grab it before the login client starts up. Any
port number above (say) 1500, and below the maximum (65535) should
be fine.
If in doubt, use 5050.
Why
do you recommend using a static IP for the PC running the login
client?
If you use a DHCP to assign the
IP address to the PC running the login client, it's possible that
it may change at some time in the future. If it does change,
this will mean that the router's SUA mapping will cause it to send
the heartbeat packets to the wrong PC, and your connection will
drop out after 5-10 minutes.
It's not very likely that the
DHCP-assigned address will change, but it may do so after (for
example) you upgrade the firmware and/or default config-file on
the router. This will cause the router to erase the
MAC-to-IP address mapping in the DHCP table, and you will probably
get a different IP address.
If this did occur, you would need
to edit the NAT/SUA mapping for the heartbeat.
What
BigPond Cable-specific configuration parameters do I need to
enter?
- Choose one PC to run the login
client, preferably BPALOGIN or WINCABLE.
- Assign a fixed IP address to
that station, with a domain-suffix (or search list entry) of
<your-state>.bigpond.net.au. Set the default
gateway to the IP address of the router. Set the dns-server
IP to the IP address of the router.
- Set all other client work
stations to use DHCP-assigned addresses.
- Configure the local port
number used by BPALOGIN or WINCABLE.
- On the router, in menu 15,
configure an SUA mapping for that port to the IP address of
the login client PC.
Configuration
Specifics for BigPond Advance ADSL
Do
I still need to use the Enternet (or another) login client?
No separate login (or PPPoE)
client is required when you use your RT311 or RT314 router to
manage your ADSL connection.
Until Telstra's Helpdesk becomes
a little more knowledgeable about routers, it might be prudent to
keep Telstra's Enternet client installed on one PC, in case you
have a problem with your connection, and you need to report the
fault to the helpdesk.
This would also enable you to
carry out some basic troubleshooting and fault isolation.
Be sure that the Enternet client
is not running when using your router, otherwise one or other of
them might get confused...
What's
PPPoE?
PPPoE stands for Point-to-Point
Protocol (PPP) Over Ethernet. PPP is the protocol normally
used to manage a connection made over a dial-up line. PPP
includes mechanism for establishing the connection, authenticating
the user, data compression and error correction.
In PPPoE, dial-up like PPP
packets are encapsulated inside Ethernet frames that are sent
between the router and the ADSL modem.
The use of PPPoE rather than just
raw ethernet (as used by the cable networks) means that the
authentication process is standardised, and there is no need for a
login client such as LaunchPad or BPALOGIN.
What
ADSL-specific configuration parameters do I need to enter?
ADSL setup is normally quite
straightforward:
- Ensure that the Encapsulation
Type is set to PPPoE
- Set the service-name to
"any"
- Enter your PPPoE username
exactly as supplied by Telstra, eg fred@bigpond
- Enter your PPPoE password
exactly as supplied by Telstra.
Test the connection using the
command dev dial 1 from the
command prompt (menu 24, sub-menu 8)
Why
does my external IP keep changing?
Because the PPPoE protocol used
by the ADSL network is much like that used by a dial-up network,
the PPPoE servers have been configured to allocate an IP address
randomly at connection time.
Each time a new connection is
made, you will most likely get a new IP.
This is different to the cable
networks, where the network (mostly) tries to re-allocate you the
same IP address each time you connect. In the cable
networks, the IP address is usually matched to the Ethernet (MAC)
address of the connected device.
We understand that Telstra plans
to offer static IP addresses to ADSL users some time during 2001.
Meantime, you may wish to
consider using one of the dynamic IP mapping services that are
available, eg www.dyndns.org
My
Router keeps hanging or continuously reboots when attempting to
connect to BigPond Advance ADSL
Most likely you are in Melbourne
and are hitting the firmware bug that mis-handles the very long
service-name list in that location.
Call your supplier and ask them to
upgrade the firmware to version 3.22 (M.01). Alternatively,
download the firmware from the Netgear
website and update it yourself.
Is
any MTU configuration required on client PC's?
No, the router is smarter in this
respect than software sharing like ICS.
Configuration
Specifics for Optus@Home
Do
I need to use a login client?
No separate login client is
required for the Optus@Home Network. Authentication is based
on the 11-character system supplied by Optus, eg CO1234567-A.
What
Optus-specific configuration parameters do I need to enter?
For Optus@Home, you need to set
the routers's hostname (menu 1) to the Optus supplied system name.
This will be
the name that the Optus installer changed your PC to during
installation. It will be something like CO1234567-A.
This name will be sent to the Optus DHCP server, and unless it
matches correctly, the DHCP server will not allocate an address.
Application
Compatibility
Filemaker
Pro
No special configuration is required
on the router to support outbound connections to a Filemaker Pro
server.
To accept inbound
connections to a Filemaker Pro server running behind a Netgear
RT311/RT314 router, you will need to create mappings as follows:
| Usage
Mode |
Port
Mapping Required |
| Direct
Access (non-web) |
5003 |
| Web
Access |
80
or 591 |
In
all cases, the port mapping is to the internal IP of the Filemaker
Pro server.
FTP
Server
For outbound
connections to an FTP server, no special configuration is required
on the router.
Depending
on the configuration of the ftp server (and/or server end
firewall), it may be necessary to use passive mode for file
transfer. Passive mode is selected in the ftp client, the
method varies from client to client.
In
this example with a unix ftp client, the command is
"passive":
$ ftp update-server
Connected to spr3.nsw-remote.bigpond.net.au.
220 spr3.nsw-remote.bigpond.net.au FTP server (Version 1.1.214.6 Wed Feb 9 08:0
3:34 GMT 2000) ready.
Name (update-server:username: ftp
331 Guest login ok, send your complete e-mail address as password.
230 Guest login ok, access restrictions apply.
Remote system type is UNIX.
Using binary mode to transfer files.
ftp> passive
Passive mode on.
ftp> dir
227 Entering Passive Mode (61,9,192,13,206,64)
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for /usr/bin/ls.
total 2
dr-xr-xr-x 9 root other 1024 Jan 19 08:03 dist
dr-xr-xr-x 2 root other 96 Jan 22 1997 etc
drwxr-xr-x 2 root sys 96 Feb 9 1999 tmp
dr-xr-xr-x 3 root other 96 Jan 22 1997 usr
226 Transfer complete.
ftp>quit
221 Goodbye.
$
To
configure an FTP server behind an RT311/RT314 router, it is
necessary to perform 2 steps:
-
Disable
the packet filter that protects the router management console
from external access on port 21. (Once the port has been
mapped, this filter is no longer required. If it is left
in place, it will prevent access to the FTP server).
In
firmware versions up to 3.24, the packet filter can only be
changed using the telnet console.
Telnet
to the router and select menu 21, submenu 3. Edit rule 2
(DP=21). Change Action Matched from
Drop to Forward.
Menu
21.3.2 - TCP/IP Filter Rule
Filter #: 3,2
Filter Type= TCP/IP Filter Rule
Active= Yes
IP Protocol= 6 IP Source Route= No
Destination: IP Addr= 0.0.0.0
IP Mask= 0.0.0.0
Port #= 21
Port # Comp= Equal
Source: IP Addr= 0.0.0.0
IP Mask= 0.0.0.0
Port #=
Port # Comp= None
TCP Estab= No
More= No Log= None
Action Matched= Forward
Action Not Matched= Check Next Rule
Press ENTER to Confirm or ESC to Cancel:
Note
that the modified filter rule could just be deleted, rather than
modified as shown above. We recommend that you modify the
rule and leave it in place, in case you ever want to
quickly
re-enable
the rule.
Half Life
There
have been reports of a problem where an RT311/RT314 router
will hang when the server list is refreshed playing the game Half
Life.
This
firmware
is a beta release for RT311/RT314 to fix the problem.
If you have not a user of this game or you have not encountered
this problem, you should NOT use this firmware.
Please note that neither we nor Netgear offer any formal support
on beta software. You can upgrade at your own risk. Feedback on
beta software is welcome at the email address unsupported@netgear.com.
The upgrade instruction is included in the zip file as readme.pdf.
ICQ2000b
No
changes should be required on the router. In the ICQ client:
Preferences > settings > connections >
General Tab
connection type = permanent (LAN,Cable etc)
firewall type = ICQ will determine IP address automatically
Server Tab
select: using firewall
select: not using proxy
tick: keep connection alive
click reset (to change the port no.): next to icq server host name
& port
number
Firewall & User Tab
No changes required
NetMeeting
For outbound NetMeeting
connections, no special configuration should be required.
To accept inbound NetMeeting
connections, you will need to create mappings for ports 1503
and 1720 to the (local) IP address of the PC running NetMeeting.
With NAT enabled, NetMeeting users within
the same LAN will not be able to connect to the same remote NetMeeting user (as the remote
user is not able to distinguish between local users with the same internet IP). But
NAT allows one local NetMeeting user
to connect to multiple Internet users at the same time.
pcAnywhere
For outbound
connections using pcAnywhere, no special configuration should be required.
To accept inbound
connections to a pcAnywhere "server" behind an RT311/RT314
router, you will need to create mappings for ports 5631 and 5632
to the (local) IP address of the PC running the pcAnywhere server.
If
you need to have more than one pcAnywhere server behind the
RT311/RT314 router, then you'll have to use ports other than the
default (5631, 5632) for the additional servers, and map
them accordingly.
[The
discussion above applies to pcAnywhere versions 7.5 and later.
Earlier versions used different port numbers]
Telnet
Server
For outbound
telnet connections no special configuration on the router is required.
To
configure a telnet server behind an RT311/RT314 router, it is
necessary to perform 2 steps:
-
Disable
the packet filter that protects the router management console
from external access on port 23. (Once the port has been
mapped, this filter is no longer required. If it is left
in place, it will prevent access to the telnet server).
In
firmware versions up to 3.24, the packet filter can only be
changed using the telnet console.
Telnet
to the router and select menu 21, submenu 3. Edit rule 1
(DP=23). Change Action Matched from
Drop to Forward.
Menu
21.3.1 - TCP/IP Filter Rule
Filter #: 3,1
Filter Type= TCP/IP Filter Rule
Active= Yes
IP Protocol= 6 IP Source Route= No
Destination: IP Addr= 0.0.0.0
IP Mask= 0.0.0.0
Port #= 23
Port # Comp= Equal
Source: IP Addr= 0.0.0.0
IP Mask= 0.0.0.0
Port #=
Port # Comp= None
TCP Estab= No
More= No Log= None
Action Matched= Forward
Action Not Matched= Check Next Rule
Press ENTER to Confirm or ESC to Cancel:
Note
that the modified filter rule could just be deleted, rather than
modified as shown above. We recommend that you modify the
rule and leave it in place, in case you ever want to
quickly
re-enable
the rule.
Note
also that running a publicly accessible telnet server is often considered to be a
significant security risk. It is recommended that
consideration be given to restricting the IP addresses allowed to
access the telnet server. Using SSH (secure shell) is often
recommended in place of telnet for greater security.
Timbuktu
For outbound
connections using Timbuktu Pro, no special configuration should be required.
To accept inbound
connections to a Timbuktu Pro "server" behind an RT311/RT314
router, you will need to create a port mapping for ports 407 to the (local) IP address of the PC running the
Timbuktu server.
Note
that the
discussion above applies to Timbuktu versions 5.2 and later.
Earlier versions used different port numbers.
Refer
to this Netopia
technote for more information.
VNC
For outbound
connections to a VNC server, no special configuration should be required.
By
default, a VNC server runs on port 5900. To accept inbound
connections to a VNC server behind an RT311/RT314
router, you will need to create a mapping for port 5900 to the (local) IP address of the PC running the
VNC server.
If
you need to have more than one VNC server behind the
RT311/RT314 router, then you'll have to use ports other than the
default (5900) for the additional servers, and map
them accordingly.
For
more information, see the VNC
FAQ.
Web
Server
For outbound
connections to a web server, no special configuration is required.
To
configure a web server behind an RT311/RT314 router, it is
necessary to perform 2 steps:
-
Disable
the packet filter that protects the router management console
from external access on port 80. (Once the port has been
mapped, this filter is no longer required. If it is left
in place, it will prevent access to the web server).
In
firmware versions up to 3.24, the packet filter can only be
changed using the telnet console.
Telnet
to the router and select menu 21, submenu 3. Edit rule 3
(DP=80). Change Action Matched from
Drop to Forward.
Menu
21.3.3 - TCP/IP Filter Rule
Filter #: 3,3
Filter Type= TCP/IP Filter Rule
Active= Yes
IP Protocol= 6 IP Source Route= No
Destination: IP Addr= 0.0.0.0
IP Mask= 0.0.0.0
Port #= 80
Port # Comp= Equal
Source: IP Addr= 0.0.0.0
IP Mask= 0.0.0.0
Port #=
Port # Comp= None
TCP Estab= No
More= No Log= None
Action Matched= Forward
Action Not Matched= Forward
Press ENTER to Confirm or ESC to Cancel:
Note
that the modified filter rule could just be deleted, rather than
modified as shown above. We recommend that you modify the
rule and leave it in place, in case you ever want to
quickly
re-enable
the rule.
If
your website uses SSL, it may also be necessary t | 
