How to Setup a Broadband Router

Generally the router will come preconfigured or is configured using a setup disk provided by the ISP, and you don’t need to make any changes. To change the router configuration you need to connect to the computer using either an Ethernet connection or a USB port.

Connecting Using Ethernet

Because it is common to use this and also it will be the way that you make configuration changes later on this is the method I will cover here

Because you are using Ethernet you will need to know the IP address or name of the router (if you have used a setup cdrom from the ISP they usually configure a name access for mine I open the browser and type http://voyager.home which connect me with the router. (the router and PC need to be physically connected)

If you don’t know the name for the connection you can use the IP address of the router. To find out what it is either consult the manual that came with it or if the router is actually working it shows up on the computer setting as the default gateway.

Therefore go to any of the working computers and from start menu select run and type cmd

Type ipconfig at the command line and the following is displayed

Here the default gateway is 192.168.1.1. This is the IP address of the Router.

Logging in to the Router.

Almost all routers are configured using a web browser (Internet Explorer). Once the computer and router are physically connected open IE and in the address bar type the address of the router (see above table for examples) . This will connect you to the router.

Configure Router ISP Connection

When you sign up for a broadband account your provider will send you connection details, and usually a setup disk. If you are using router hardware not supplied by your ISP then use the router manufacturers setup guide. Most of the time the Router can detect the connections type and will configure itself.

All of the home network connections I have come across use PPPoe ( PPP over Ethernet). There is no need to worry about what it means but the result is that you will need to provide a
user name and password in order for the router to connect to the ISP. This user name and password is supplied in you ISP setup details.

A consequence of this is if you are asked to choose between connection types- usually PPPoe, Dynamic or shared then if your ISP provided a username/password with the setup details then the connection type is always PPPoe.

Note: A common problem is that people confuse the two username/password combinations:

One allows you to connect to the router (supplied by the router manufacturer) and the other allows the router to connect to the ISP (supplied
by the ISP).

Once the configuration is complete you may be requested to restart the router.