The Connectivity Tool in the Linksys Smart WiFi web interface allows you to manage your router's essential settings, including your WiFi name, password, internet connection type, and advanced local network routing.
1. Log in to the router's web interface.
2. Under the Router Settings menu, click on Connectivity.
3. Configure the Connectivity Tool according to your preference.
There are six tabs found in the Connectivity Tool, namely:
The Basic tab allows you to view and change the router settings.
1. Network Name and Password
What it does: Main WiFi: Displays and edits your main WiFi network name (SSID) and password.
When to change it: Main WiFi: Change this to personalize your network or update security.
2. Router Password
What it does: This section allows you to change the router password, which is used to access the router settings and features such as Guest Access and Parental Controls.
When to change it: Change this immediately during setup to prevent unauthorized setting changes. Follow these instructions on how to change the router password.
3. Router Firmware Update
What it does: Keeps your router's internal software updated automatically or manually.
When to change it: Keep Automatic checked. Use manual upload only if directed by tech support.
4. Time Zone
What it does: You can set the current time zone for your area and adjust the time for daylight saving time changes.
When to change it: Adjust this if your router's scheduled features are running at the wrong times.
5. Activity Lights
What it does: Allows you to set the router port lights ON or OFF.
When to change it: You may want to turn them OFF if the lights are visible and a distraction.
Allows you to configure the router to work with your internet connection. Your router ships with the most common settings, and several settings are configured during setup.
You may never have to change any of these settings.
IMPORTANT: If you do need to change these settings, contact your internet service provider (ISP) for assistance.
Settings are available for IPv4 and IPv6.
1. Internet Settings IPv4
Type of Internet Connection
Select the type of internet connection your ISP provides from the drop-down menu.
The different Connection Types are as follows:
- Automatic Configuration - DHCP: Select this if your ISP assigns IP addresses dynamically, meaning you get a different IP address each time you start your computer.
- Static IP: Select this if you're required to use the same IP address each time you connect to the internet. If so, enter the information for your internet address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS entries provided by your ISP. Follow these instructions to learn how to configure your router with a static IP.
- PPPoE: Select Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) if your ISP uses this method to establish an internet connection. PPPoE allows ISPs to manage accounts via a username and password.
- PPTP: Select this to use the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP). This enables the secure transfer of data from a remote client to a private enterprise server by creating a virtual private network (VPN) across TCP/IP-based data networks.
- L2TP: Select this to use the Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP). This combines Layer 2 Forwarding (L2F) and Microsoft's PPTP protocols.
- Bridge Mode: Select this to use Bridge Mode if your ISP requires it. You can choose to obtain an IP address automatically or enter the information for your internet address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS entries. This information is provided by your ISP.
NOTE: Some Linksys Smart WiFi Routers support Wireless Repeater and Wireless Bridge modes.
Optional Settings
These are optional settings you can configure on your router.
- Domain name: This displays the domain name for the router. Some ISPs, usually cable ISPs, require this as identification. You may have to check with your ISP to see if your broadband internet service has been configured with a domain name.
- Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU): Specifies the largest packet size permitted for internet transmission. Select Manual if you want to enter the largest packet size that is transmitted manually. To have the router select the best MTU for your internet connection, keep the default setting to Auto.
- MAC Address Clone: Provides the option to use the same MAC Address for your computer or router and not get a new one from your ISP.
2. Internet Settings IPv6
IPv6 is the "next generation" Internet Protocol (IP) standard. It replaces IPv4, the Internet Protocol currently used most extensively throughout the world. IPv6 supports a much larger address space and helps to enable new types of applications for communication and collaboration.
IMPORTANT: Leave this on IPv6 Automatic unless your ISP has provided you with specific custom tunnel configurations.
Type of Internet Connection
Select the type of internet connection your ISP provides from the drop-down menu.
The available types are:
- IPv6 Automatic: Select this to use native IPv6.
- DUID: The device user identification assigned by the router.
- 6rd tunnel: Select this to use 6rd tunnel.
- Prefix: The prefix address used for the tunnel, provided by your ISP.
- Prefix length: The prefix length used for the tunnel.
- Border relay: The border relay address used for the tunnel.
- IPv4 mask length: The IPv4 Address mask length used for the tunnel.
Optional Settings
These are optional settings you can configure on your router.
- Domain name: This displays the domain name for the router. Some ISPs, usually cable ISPs, require this as identification. You may have to check with your ISP to see if your broadband internet service has been configured with a domain name.
- Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU): Specifies the largest packet size permitted for internet transmission. Select Manual if you want to enter the largest packet size that is transmitted manually. To have the router select the best MTU for your internet connection, keep the default setting to Auto.
- MAC Address Clone: Provides the option to use the same MAC Address for your computer or router and not get a new one from your ISP.
Allows you to configure the router to work with your internet connection.
1. Router Details
IP address: This is the router's IP address.
Quick Tip: You may be able to change this address, but you will have to reconnect devices currently connected to your router. Follow these instructions to learn how to change the router's IP address via the web interface.
Subnet Mask: This is the router's subnet mask. It's used to divide a network into subnets so information can be routed correctly to your computers and devices. Your ISP will provide you with the subnet mask setting needed here.
2. DHCP Server
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is enabled by default on your router. DHCP assigns IP addresses to computers and devices on your network as needed.
- Start IP address: This is the starting IP address given to the first device that connects to the network.
- Maximum number of users: This is the total number of devices that can connect to your router. This number can't be greater than 253, and its default is 50.
- IP address range: The available IP addresses that can be used on the network.
- Client lease time: The amount of time (in minutes) a network user is allowed to connect to the router with their current IP address. When the time has expired, the user will be automatically assigned a new IP address, or the lease will be renewed.
- Static DNS 1-3: Domain Name System (DNS) is how the internet translates a domain or website name into an internet address or URL that you can access. Your ISP will provide at least one DNS server IP address. You can enter up to three.
- WINS: The Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) is responsible for managing each computer's interaction with the internet. If you use a WINS server, enter that server's IP address here. Otherwise, leave this blank.
- DHCP Reservations: This is where you can assign a unique, fixed IP address to a specific device on your network. This is helpful when you want your device to have the same IP address every time it connects to the network. Follow these instructions to learn how to configure DHCP reservations.
- NAT: Network Address Translation (NAT) allows the router to modify packets to allow multiple devices to share a single IP address. Select this option to enable NAT.
- Dynamic Routing: The Dynamic Routing feature can be used to automatically adjust to physical changes in the network's layout. The Router uses a dynamic RIP protocol. It determines the route that the network packets take based on the fewest number of hops between the source and the destination. The RIP protocol regularly broadcasts routing information to other routers on the network.
- Static Routing: Use this option to assign a specific IP address, subnet mask, and gateway address to a specific device. To add a route, click the Add static route button, then enter the device name and the information to use for that device, and click Save. To change information for a device, click Edit.
NOTE: Only the latest Linksys Smart WiFi Routers support this feature.
To establish a connection to the internet, some ISPs require a virtual LAN (VLAN) to be enabled on your router. Follow these instructions to learn how you can configure the VLAN settings.
1. Local Management Access
- HTTP/HTTPS: Use HTTP only, or select HTTPS to also use SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to encrypt data transmitted for higher security. Both HTTP and HTTPS are selected by default.
- Access via wireless: Select this to allow wireless access to your network.
2. UPnP
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) allows devices connected to a network to discover each other and automatically create working configurations. Examples of UPnP-capable devices include web cameras, online gaming applications, and VoIP devices. UPnP is enabled by default.
Select whether to allow users to change router settings or disable your local internet connection while using UPnP.
3. Application Layer Gateway
Select this to allow Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) packets. This is used by some VoIP service providers to go through your router's firewall.
4. Express Forwarding
Enabling the Express Forwarding feature can increase router performance as it bypasses protocols that add extra overhead to router processing, such as packet-level inspections, sorting, filtering, and queuing.
NOTE: This feature is not available on some models.
5. AllJoyn Notifications
AllJoyn® is an open, secure technology that allows AllJoyn-enabled devices on your network to discover, connect, and interact directly with each other.
If you turn on the notifications, your router will send notifications to AllJoyn-enabled devices on your network whenever a device is connected. The ability to receive the notifications and the notifications utility will be dependent on each device’s configuration and software capability.
NOTE: This feature is only available on the Linksys EA7500 model.
