D-Link DIR-300: configuring the router. D-Link DIR-300 - user guide

Life without access to the Internet is hardly anyone today can imagine. We communicate with friends on the net, we work and have fun, using unique services available to every inhabitant of the planet, who has a computer and Internet access. Of course, it is with the latter most often there are problems.

And it's not just the providers, but also your own equipment. Take, for example, the company D-Link. It produces a lot of cheap and quite convenient routers, which can afford almost every consumer. But with their internal settings, sometimes it is extremely difficult to understand, but without it you can not get a stable and fast Internet without it.

In this article we will consider the D-Link DIR-300 model. Setting up a router of this type is an enduring headache for many of its owners, and therefore this topic deserves more detailed consideration. Immediately note that in all other respects this equipment is just perfect for organizing a home network. The disadvantages with regard to its configuration are related to software problems, and therefore do not affect the reliability of the router.

Why this model?

Our choice is by no means accidental: this equipment belongs to the budget category, and therefore is offered to users by almost every second provider company. Various modifications of this router support reception speed up to 150 Mbps. Note that there are old and new models of D-Link DIR-300 (firmware of different years), in which the web interface looks quite differently.

In general, today there are so many routers of this model on the market that only a few dozens of modifications are available. They differ most often only in the color of the case, and the internal layout is almost always the same.

Appearance and other

Suppose that you just removed the router from the shipping box. On the back panel there are 4 LAN ports, and also 1 WAN-port to which you will connect a cable from your provider. Thus, on a wired connection to this router, you can connect four computers at once. Important! The D-Link DIR-300 must only be connected with a working cable, with clean channels. You can not imagine how many nerves were spoiled due to the fact that dirt or banal dust has accumulated on the metal contacts!

Do not forget that you still have a Wi-Fi channel. Important! For old XP (without the SP3 package), the D-Link DIR-300 driver may be needed, since without it the probability that some hardware functions will work incorrectly is very high. For example, you probably will not be able to create a local home wireless network. But this is so convenient!

Initial settings

So, what do you need to do in order to enter the D-Link DIR-300 settings panel? The setup of the router starts from the most banal: connect the power supply to it, connect the Ethernet cable to the connector on the network card, and attach the "cord" from the provider to the corresponding port on the rear panel. Next, you need to change the IP of the network controller so that it can automatically receive all the necessary data.

Windows XP

In this system, you first need to click on "Start", go there to the "Control Panel", find the list "Local Area Connection". Select the desired one, then click on its icon with the right mouse button, and in the pop-up context menu click the left key on the "Properties". There should be a line "Protocol (TCP / IP)". D-Link DIR-300 will not be able to connect to the Internet without this, so this must be done!

Windows 7

Click on the "Start" button, go to the "Control Panel", click on the link "Control Center ...". In the left upper part of the working window there is an item "Change ... Adapter". Click on it with the left mouse button, you get into the same working connection window. Also search for TCP / IP, right-click, select "Properties" in the context menu.

After that, you need to set the checkboxes in the "Automatically get ... IP for this computer" item. After that, your system will independently determine its address on the network, as well as receive some other parameters for automatic configuration of the network connection.

We can say that this system is the most friendly to the given model of the router. As a rule, all necessary drivers are found by the OS itself, so users only need to connect and configure the equipment.

Update the firmware

In order for all further actions to succeed, we strongly recommend that you update the firmware to the latest version! This is done through the menu items Maintenance / Firmware update. To do this, enter the following in the address field of your browser: 192.168.1.1, then press Enter. It will be necessary to enter the user name and password. Typically, this is admin / admin, but it is better to check the instructions that came with the D-Link DIR-300 router. The instruction is most often found on the CD-ROM that comes with the equipment.

Then go to the manufacturer's website, and then download the latest version. Then go to the above path (if you have not already done so), click on the "Browse" button, and then in "Explorer" find the downloaded file. Double click on it with the mouse.

By the way, on the same site you can find the driver D-Link DIR-300, which is often required for its correct work with obsolete operating systems.

Attention! In no case during the next two minutes do not turn off the power or operate the router in any other way! During the operation, a timer with the remaining time will be displayed on the monitor. When the process is completed successfully, the corresponding message also appears on the monitor.

If you pull out the power cord at this moment, then the D-Link DIR-300 router, whose firmware we described, may well completely fail. Return it to life can only service center, and even then not in all cases. The matter is that with a sudden power failure at the time of software replacement, NAND memory is often damaged, and without it the router is not corny to boot.

Configuring the connection

What do I need to do to enter the network via D-Link DIR-300? The router setup begins with the Internet Setup option. The best option is to select the manual configuration option.

First we will be interested in the DHCP option. The advantage of this mode is that all the necessary data from the provider will be received automatically. Go into the Internet Connection Type field, and then set Dynamic IP (DHCP) there.

Other settings

If there is such a need, in the MAC Address field you can enter the corresponding value of your equipment. This may be necessary if the provider requires the binding of the MAC address to the client address. In particular, so technical support can instantly find out all your data, and you do not have to dictate them half an hour, rummaging around the apartment in search of documents for connecting your D-Link DIR-300. The instruction on its operation to you in this case also it is not required, as experts can remotely know the specific model of the router.

Especially for this, at the bottom of the working window there is an extremely convenient option for Clone MAC, after clicking which the address will automatically be picked up by the router. And our work continues: we enter the parameters of your DNS connection in the DNS Address field. These data should be specified in the office of the provider or in your contract with him.

Access point

With Point Mode, you can turn your D-Link DIR-300 router into an access point. Configuring the router in this case results in the LAN ports being completely disconnected, and the equipment connecting the devices to the Internet only via the wireless channel. To activate the access point, just put the Point Mode checkbox.

Click the Save Settings button, after which all your settings will be saved in the internal memory of the router. As you can see, setting up the D-Link DIR-300 in this mode is extremely simple, so even an absolutely inexperienced user can cope with it.

Configure PPTP VPN mode

Alas, but in this case it will take many more manipulations with the parameters than it was in the case of DHCP. Again, go to the point of manual adjustment.

The My Internet Connection option is set to Dual Access. Let us explain. In this mode, the router can maintain a connection to the internal resources of the provider, while successfully working on the Internet. The fact is that VPN-ports from domestic companies are very often located in completely different subnets, which makes it impossible for the equipment to operate correctly if standard settings are installed.

It is very important to fill in the routing table correctly. This is extremely important, because otherwise you can not connect to the internal resources of the provider, if there is no VPN connection. However, if you are deeply uninteresting of these resources, you can skip this configuration step with a clear conscience. If you need FTP or DC ++ services, we suggest you go to the Advanced / Routing path.

Configure the routing menu

In this field there are exactly 32 positions for entering in them all the necessary parameters. Which of the routes need to be configured in your case, again you should learn from your technical support. If you connect to a network in Dual Access, be sure to select the WAN connection (Physical Port), and for the Destination value, you need to specify the address of the specific route destination. Do not forget in the Subnet Mask item correctly to register the subnet mask of your provider, and in the Gateway field - without errors, specify the address of the local gateway.

As in the previous case, you need to click on the "Save" button to complete the configuration. After that, D-Link DIR-300 B7 will save all the changes you made.

Wireless network

As we said, this equipment supports a connection at a speed of 150 Mbps. To configure everything properly, go to the Setup / Wireless Setup path.

As in all other cases, we strongly recommend using the manual setting, as it will allow you to adjust dozens of parameters that will be bypassed when the "Setup Wizard" is running. This mode is also there, but it is only suitable for very inexperienced users. And now consider all the options available in this section. And almost all of them are quite important:

• Enable Wireless. This option allows you to enable or disable the wireless capability itself. Using the New Shelude button, you can manually set the time period during which the router can be connected through the wireless network.
• Wireless Network Name. Here you can set a meaningful name for your wireless network. This is very convenient if the neighboring apartments have the same routers with WiFi. D-Link DIR-300 in the amount of a dozen pieces can confuse anyone.
• Automatic channel selection. In this case, the communication channel is selected by the equipment in a fully automatic mode.
• Wireless Channel. On the contrary, if you set this option, you can select a specific channel in a completely manual mode. We do not recommend using the sixth channel, since it is at this frequency that most of the equipment that operates the wireless channel operates. It is best to choose 1/12, in order to reduce the amount of interference from neighboring networks.
• Transmission Rate. Here, nothing to touch is not necessary: this parameter regulates the speed. Leave the value of Best (automatic).
• Enable Hidden Wireless. Again, if there are many networks in your home, it is better to include this option. In this case, your equipment will be hidden, which will not tempt home-grown hackers to experience the durability of your password.

Finally, let's talk about the Security Mode field. In the Security Mode field, you must select the type of encryption with which your network will be protected from unauthorized interception of data. We strongly recommend using only (!) WPA / WPA2. All other modes have many known vulnerabilities that can be detected by other users. In general, the D-Link DIR-300 network password is extremely reliable, but it's better to be safe.

And it's not just that someone can get a great opportunity to use your Internet connection for free. What's more dangerous is that a potential attacker will go online under your IP. Imagine the consequences if he hacks some important resource! Most likely, you can not prove anything to the law enforcement bodies.

Advanced Encryption Options

In the same WPA / WPA2 field, you can try advanced encryption settings, the use of which will make your wireless network as secure as possible from outside attacks.

For example, the Cipher Type setting allows you to specify a specific type of WPA encryption. We recommend setting this field to Auto (TKIP / AES), since this option provides maximum compatibility with all household equipment that uses a wireless network to access the Internet. However, you can leave only the AES mode, as it provides maximum network stability to hacking. But before that, we strongly advise you to make sure that your devices support this option.

If you set the PSK / EAP value, you can select the Personal Mode option (intended for home networks), or Infrastructure (the mode is used in industrial plants).

In the "Password" field you can specify your preferred character set for network security. We recommend using passwords that are at least eight characters long. It is desirable to use alternating lowercase and uppercase letters, different symbols and numbers. This will increase the stability of your network many times. However, it is not recommended to come up with such 12-character passwords, since the information is already secure in any case, but you can get trivial or forget your ID code. As usual, after completing the work, click on Save Settings, saving all the changes you made.

By the way, if desired, the home wireless network can even be used to organize continuous video surveillance of your home. The transmission speed for this model of the router is quite enough.

What are the negative reviews associated with?

You can meet a fairly large number of reviews, the tone of which is hardly called especially benevolent. What is the reason for this? Strangely enough, but not so rarely are the users themselves to blame.

So, quite often they say that the transmission speed is bad. Ostensibly already in 10-15 meters the speed of the Internet is such that it is impossible to load any (even the most simple) site. But only users often forget that on these few meters there are often a couple of concrete walls. Note that the radio signal is extremely sensitive to such obstacles.

There are two ways out: either you transfer the router to a more spare place, or (as we already said) pull the cable. It is worth it inexpensively, so you will not spend much money on it. However, you can try using a specialized antenna to improve the transmitter power. That's just this model of the router does not have a connector for its connection, so you have to work with a soldering iron. If you have no idea even about the correct connection, do not take it.

In addition, in the case of power surges, it is not so rare that the router settings go off. To protect yourself from these troubles, we recommend purchasing UPS.

In conclusion

Finally, you need to say that, as a rule, users are told about the D-Link DIR-300 router. The testimonies indicate that we are facing a qualitative and inexpensive device. Most buyers note that no problems were observed throughout the operation.

Some "jams" are only with a large number of wireless networks in the house: the speed can be catastrophically falling. "It is treated" all this by manually setting the channel for communication. If this measure does not help, you will have to throw a normal cable.

In general, the modem D-Link DIR-300 is characterized by a rare unpretentiousness and adaptability to our realities. As a rule, it automatically picks up the settings of many providers.