Local wi-fi network

These instructions cover setting up and configuring a private local wi-fi network.

The router

These instructions are specifically for a Linksys WRT310N Wireless-N Gigabit Router. Setting up other Linksys wi-fi routers should be very similar. For other brands of routers, the set up should be similar.

198.168.1.1 is the default IP address used by Linksys routers. We will use 198.168.1.100 for the IP address of the WeBWorK laptop server (maybe running off a flash memory drive).

192.168.0.1 is the default IP address usually used by D-Link and Netgear brands and 192.168.2.1 is the default IP address for SMC and Belkin brands. These IP addresses can be changed but if you have a router with a default IP address different than 198.168.1.1, it is probably best to keep the default and to adjust the IP addresses in these instructions accordingly.

Configure the router

1. You can configure the router from any computer. You do not need to install any software, e.g. you do not need to use the CD that comes with the router
2. Connect the ethernet cable from your computer to port 1 on router (actually you can use any port) and power up the router
3. Open a browser and connect to http://192.168.1.1
4. You will be required to enter a User Name and Password. For the WRT310N and most Linksys routers the default User Name is empty (i.e. just leave the box empty) and the default Password is "admin". See e.g. http://compnetworking.about.com/od/routers/qt/linksys_passwds.htm which comes up when you google "default linksys username and password"
5. Click on Administration in the upper row
   1. Click on Management in the lower row. Then enter "WeBWorK3" for the Router Password
   2. Click Save Setting. You will have to log in again with the new password
6. Click on Wireless in the upper row
   1. Click on on Basic Wireless Settings in the lower row. For the Configuration View select Manual and then enter "testwww" for the Network Name (SSID)
   2. Click on on Wireless Security in the lower row. Enter "WeBWorK2WeBWorK2" for the Passphrase
   3. Click Save Setting
7. Click on Applications & Gaming in the upper row
   1. Click on on Single Port Forwarding in the lower row. On the 6th row (the first non Application Name row), under External Port enter 80, under Internal Port enter 80, under Protocol keep Both, under To IP Address enter 100 (so that the full To IP Address is 192.168.1.100 ## Click Save Setting

The WeBWorK Server

Your WeBWorK server will probably be a laptop and may be running off of a flash memory drive. Regardless, you have configure networking (if it hasn't been pre-configured) so that it communicates with the wi-fi router.

1. Connect the ethernet cable from your laptop (or whatever you are using as your WeBWorK server) to port 1 on router (actually you can use any port)

We have a Linksys WRT310N Wireless-N Gigabit Router available for loan to be used when presenting a WeBWorK Demo Workshop. This router was set up