Building a wireless network at home now is easy with the wireless router such as with high performance D-Link DIR-855 router. The wireless router lets you access your network using a wireless connection from virtually anywhere within the operating range of your wireless network. Keep in mind, however, that the number, thickness and location of walls, ceilings, or other objects that the wireless signals must pass through, may limit the range. Typical ranges vary depending on the types of materials and background RF (radio frequency) noise in your home or business. The following are wireless Installation consideration guidelines – the key to maximizing wireless:

1. Keep the number of walls and ceilings between the wireless router and other network devices to a minimum – each wall or ceiling can reduce your adapter’s range from 3-90 feet (1-30 meters.) Position your devices so that the number of walls or ceilings is minimized.
2. Be aware of the direct line between network devices. A wall that is 1.5 feet thick (.5 meters), at a 45-degree angle appears to be almost 3 feet (1 meter) thick. At a 2-degree angle it looks over 42 feet (14 meters) thick! Position devices so that the signal will travel straight through a wall or ceiling (instead of at an angle) for better reception.
3. Building Materials make a difference. A solid metal door or aluminum studs may have a negative effect on range. Try to position access points, wireless routers, and computers so that the signal passes through drywall or open doorways. Materials and objects such as glass, steel, metal, walls with insulation, water (fish tanks), mirrors, file cabinets, brick, and concrete will degrade your wireless signal.
4. Keep your product away (at least 3-6 feet or 1-2 meters) from electrical devices or appliances that generate RF noise.
5. If you are using 2.4GHz cordless phones or X-10 (wireless products such as ceiling fans, lights, and home security systems), your wireless connection may degrade dramatically or drop completely. Make sure your 2.4GHz phone base is as far away from your wireless devices as possible. The base transmits a signal even if the phone in not in use.

Connect to Cable/DSL/Satellite Modem

The following steps are wireless installation consideration or guidelines in connecting the cable / DSL / Satellite modem to the routers.

1. Place the router in an open and central location. Do not plug the power adapter into the router.
2. Turn the power off on your modem. If there is no on/off switch, then unplug the modem’s power adapter. Shut down your computer.
3. Unplug the Ethernet cable (that connects your computer to your modem) from your computer and place it into the Internet port on the router.
4. Plug an Ethernet cable into one of the four LAN ports on the router. Plug the other end into the Ethernet port on your computer.
5. Turn on or plug in your modem. Wait for the modem to boot (about 30 seconds).
6. Plug the power adapter to the router and connect to an outlet or power strip. Wait about 30 seconds for the router to boot.
7. Turn on your computer.
8. Configure your router.

Wireless Installation Consideration in connecting the router to other router

If you are connecting the router to another router to use as a wireless access point and/or switch, you will have to do the following before connecting the router to your network:

• Disable UPnP
• Disable DHCP

Change the LAN IP address to an available address on your network. The LAN ports on the router cannot accept a DHCP address from your other router.

To connect to another router, please follow the steps below:

1. Plug the power into the router. Connect one of your computers to the router (LAN port) using an Ethernet cable. Make sure your IP address on the computer is 192.168.0.xxx (where xxx is between 2 and 254). If you need to change the settings, write down your existing settings before making any changes. In most cases, your computer should be set to receive an IP address automatically in which case you will not have to do anything to your computer.
2. Open a web browser and enter http://192.168.0.1 and press Enter. When the login window appears, set the user name to Admin and leave the password box empty. Click Log In to continue. Please advice the manual book of the router to see the default IP address, admin, and the password, but mostly the new routers are using the factory default like that (the default router IP address, password, and username).
3. Click on Advanced and then click Advanced Network. Uncheck the Enable UPnP checkbox. Click Save Settings to continue.
4. Click Setup and then click Network Settings. Uncheck the Enable DHCP Server checkbox. Click Save Settings to continue.
5. Under Router Settings, enter an available IP address and the subnet mask of your network. Click Save Settings to save your settings. Use this new IP address to access the configuration utility of the router in the future. Close the browser and change your computer’s IP settings back to the original values as in Step 1.
6. Disconnect the Ethernet cable from the router and reconnect your computer to your network.
7. Connect an Ethernet cable in one of the LAN ports of the router and connect it to your other router. Do not plug anything into the Internet port of the router.
8. You may now use the other 3 LAN ports to connect other Ethernet devices and computers. To configure your wireless network, open a web browser and enter the IP address you assigned to the router.

When you have completed the wireless network, make sure that you connect the network using the wireless security encryption WPA/WPA2, together with your dual firewall features, will help you protect against any types of network security threats.

See also:

• Wireless Router with dsl modem – one dsl solution
• The best XBOX adapter for wireless network
• Linksys wireless network – general guidelines