Security; Placement And Range - NETGEAR HR314 Reference Manual

Reference Manual for the Model HR314 802.11a Hi-Speed Wireless Router

Security

Unlike wired network data, your wireless data transmissions can extend beyond your walls and
can be received by anyone with a compatible adapter. For this reason, NETGEAR strongly
recommends that you make use of the security features of your wireless equipment. As a minimum
security precaution, you should change the SSID setting of all devices on your network from the
factory setting to a unique password. Restricting access by MAC address filtering adds another
obstacle against unwanted hosts joining your network. To hinder a determined eavesdropper, you
should enable Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption. However, there may be a
significant degradation of the data throughput on the wireless link when WEP is enabled.

Placement and Range

The operating distance or range of your wireless connection can vary significantly based on the
physical placement of the wireless router. For best results, place your router:
• Near the center of the area in which your PCs will operate,
• In an elevated location such as a high shelf,
• Away from potential sources of interference, such as PCs, microwaves, and cordless phones,
• Away from large metal surfaces.
Warning: Failure to follow these guidelines can result in significant performance
degradation or inability to wirelessly connect to the router.
5-2 Wireless