Reusing My Netgear Router For O2 Broadband

I have just switched my broadband provider from AOL to O2. I have been with AOL for the last 8 years and this is the first time I have changed provider. O2's attractive offer for existing mobile customers and speedier connection were the factors why I have switched. My connection has improved from 3.1 MBPS (AOL) to 4.2 MBPS (O2) download speed, and from 0.254 MBPS (AOL) to 0.771 MBPS (O2) upload speed.

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The only thing I am not happy about is the router that comes with the package. It is a thompson brand and it seems like it's range is not as far as the netgear I have been using. The telephone access is downstairs and when we use the internet upstairs using wireless access, the signal from the router drops until it is no longer within range.

One of the solutions in mind to tackle this problem is to create a wired network using mains home plug wired LAN extenders which could costs at least £50 pounds. But the idea of wired access is not at all attractive, going wireless is cooler and more flexible. So I decided to reuse my aging netgear router.

Here's how it is done, it is easier than you thought!

The O2 broadband is already configured with the thompson router, and all I need to do is to use the netgear instead of the thompson. The idea then is to erase the AOL setting on the netgear to accomodate the new O2 configuration. Here's how!

1. Turn on the netgear router and connect the other end of ethernet cable into the router and the other end to your computer (obviously use laptops or PC's with ethernet port). At this time, do not plug in the telephone line into the netgear's socket yet.

2. Reset the netgear router into it's default setting by inserting a ballpen point or small paper clip into the tiny reset button hole. This will erase the setting from my previous AOL provider.

3. Open your web browser and type in http://192.168.0.1 (this is netgear's  address to get into it's settings)

• Default user name is admin
• Default password is password

4. Click Basic Setting (these settings are provided by O2)

•  Tick no for the question "Does your internet connection require's a log in?".
• Under internet IP address tick "Get Dynamically From ISP".
• Under Domain Name Server Address, tick "Get Automatically From ISP".
• Enable the Network Address Translation
• At Router Mac Address, tick "Use Default Address"
• Don't forget to  click "apply".

5. At the ADSL setting (these settings are provided by O2)

• Choose LLC Based at Multiplexing Method
• Set VPI to 0 value
• VCI is 101
• Click Apply

6. Secure your wireless connection

• Go to Wireless Setting 
• Type a name to your SSID e.g. EmpireNetwork(my home network)
• Select your region
• Select any channel
• Select g&b mode
• Tick "Enable Wireless Access Point"
• Tick "Allow Broadcast of SSID Name"
• Select your security options, (I did selected WPA-PSK)
• Then create network key (I did used 26 Hex digits here)
• Press OK or Apply

7. Connect the telephone socket into the netgear router. Wait about two minutes until the lights within the router turn into steady green.

Click Router Status to check the internet status. You should now be able to connect into the internet using the wired ethernet cable.

8. To connect wirelessly your computer into the newly configured wireless access, unplug the ethernet cable from the computer, and you need to remove your previous wireless connection for the netgear router by going to control panel, network and sharing, manage wireless networks, then highlight and  remove the network.

9. Then click the network connection icon and reconnect!

Type in the network key and you should be reconnected to the netgear's wireless network at this point!

This tutorial may only be applicable to O2 broadband and those that uses LLC's. If you have other broadband providers, you may need to contact your costumer service to provide you with the ISP details and to guide you the settings on how  to use other routers different  from the one they supplied .