NETGEAR RT311 with Efficient Networks SpeedStream 5260 and PPPoE

Table of Contents

1-Hardware connection
2-Software configuration
3-Advanced router setup
4-Firmware upgrade
5-RT314 notes



1) Hardware connection

Ensure DSL modem is connected to DSL circuit, and has power. If the DSL modem is connected to the DSL line, and is powered on, the first three lights (sys, atm, and dsl) should turn green within one minute of powering on the modem. If one or more of the first three lights does not turn green, there is a problem with the DSL line or the modem itself, please contact NETPLEX advanced technical support at 888-NETPLEX (press 1 then 4) to correct the problem.

Connect the ENET port on the back of the DSL modem with the Internet port on the back of the NETGEAR router via a "straight-through" network patch cable (CAT5 with RJ45 connectors). If building a cable yourself, please note that the cable is not really "straight-through", but uses the standard 10/100BT (TIA/EIA 568B) wiring scheme.

Connect the Local port on the back of the NETGEAR router to your network equipment. This equipment can be a single host machine, or a hub/switch. Use a "cross-over" network patch cable when connecting a single computer or connecting to most uplink ports on a hub/switch. Not all uplink ports will be usable to connect to the router. A "cross-over" cable reverses the pin configuration of the orange and green pairs on one end of the cable (TIA/EIA 568B <-> TIA/EIA 568A). On one end, green-white and green will be connected to pins 1 and 2, orange-white and orange will be connected to pins 3 and 6 (TIA/EIA 568A) instead of orange-white and orange on pins 1 and 2 and green-white and green on pins 3 and 6 (TIA/EIA 568B). When connecting to a normal port on a hub/switch, use a standard "straight-through" network patch cable.


2) Software configuration

Setup a workstation computer with a web browser installed. Configure the ethernet card for this machine to configure itself via DHCP (aka Obtain an IP address automatically). Then reboot the computer, or renew the IP address for that ethernet adapter.

Open the web browser on this computer, and enter "http://192.168.0.1/" as the web address in the Location/Address window. This should bring up a Username/ Password dialog box, if it does not, go back and check that the previous steps have been done correctly. If this is the first time configuring this router, enter "admin" for the Username, and enter "1234" for the Password (without quotes).

This will bring you into the configuration program for the NETGEAR router. Click on WIZARD SETUP in the left frame, this will bring up the General Setup screen. Leave Host Name blank and enter ntplx.net for the Domain Name, click Next. The ISP Parameters for Internet Access screen will now be displayed. Choose PPP over Ethernet from the Encapsulation list. This will change the ISP Parameters for Internet Access screen allowing you to enter more information. Leave Service Name Blank. Enter your User Name and Password in the next two entry boxes then click Next. The final screen will now be displayed in your browser window. Make sure that WAN IP Address Assignment is set to Get automatically from ISP, DNS Server Address Assignment is set to Get automatically from ISP, and WAN MAC address is set to Factory default. Click Finish. Click LOGOUT to log out of the configuration system.

Wait five minutes, then try to access a site on the internet such as http://www.ntplx.net/ If you are unable to access this site after five minutes, go back to the router configuration page, and click on WIZARD SETUP. Verify that the Encapsulation setting is set to PPP over Ethernet, and re-enter your User Name and Password. After finishing the configuration and clicking LOGOUT, wait another five minutes, then try to access http://www.ntplx.net/ in your web browser again. If you are still unable to access this site, your router will likely require a firmware upgrade. See section 4 to perform a firmware upgrade on your router.


3) Advanced router setup (port forwarding)

Port forwarding is not reccomended with the NETGEAR RT311 router at this time due to configuration issues. These issues may be resolved in later firmware versions (>3.22).


4) Firmware upgrade

The following instructions will demonstrate how to upgrade the firmware on your NETGEAR router. Firmware version 3.20 is believed to not work with NETPLEX's PPPoE equipment. If your router firmware is currently version 3.22 or higher a firmware upgrade is likely not needed, and not reccomended. To check your firmware version click on MAINTENANCE under ADVANCED on the router configuration page, the currently installed firmware version will be displayed near the top of that page.

Download the newest firmware available from NETGEAR. Go to http://www.netgear.com/, click on Customer Service, then Documentation and drivers, select Softwares(Driver/Firmware/Configuration) from the Select a Download Type menu, enter RT311 in the Keyword entry box, then click Submit to the right. This will display a list of currently available firmware upgrades for your router. Click on the link of the newest non-beta firmware version available.

Once the ZIP file has finished downloading, unzip it into a directory on your hard drive (ie X:\RT311). Open a MS-DOS Prompt window, and cd to the directory where you unziped the ZIP file (ie cd \RT311). Type "dir", and make a note of the names of two files, one that begins with ROM, and one that ends in .BIN. Type (without quotes) "ftp 192.168.0.1". Enter (without quotes) "admin" at the User prompt, and "1234" at the Password prompt. Type "binary" then press Enter. Type "put 314v???.bin ras" replacing ??? with the number that corresponds with the name of the .BIN file recorded earlier, press Enter. Once the transfer is complete, the router will automatically reboot itself. Once the reboot has completed, repeat all the steps above beginning with the "ftp 192.168.0.1" command, then for the last step, instead of "put 314v???.bin ras" type "put rom?????.??? rom-0" replacing ?????.??? with the remainder of the name of the ROM file recorded earlier, press Enter. Once this transfer has completed, the router should reboot itself again. Your router firmware has now been upgraded. This process will erase all configuration values previously entered for this router, see section 2 to reconfigure your router.

For further information, and specific procedures regarding the particular firmware version you downloaded, see the PDF files included in the ZIP file.

The exact location of the firmware upgrades may change if NETGEAR changes the layout of their site. If you are unable to connect to the internet other than through the router, contact NETGEAR customer support at 888-NETGEAR to obtain a firmware upgrade for your RT311.


5) RT314 notes

The only difference between the RT311 and RT314 is that the RT314 has a built in four port hub. This allows four computers to have simultaneous internet access without the use of an external hub/switch.


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