When I login to the administration GUI, a progress bar shows - what is the purpose of this progress bar?

Every time a users log into the router’s management GUI, the router will automatically check the NETGEAR server for the latest firmware updates. The progress bar shows up when the router is performing this check. If a firmware is available - the GUI prompts users for upgrade.

What is the Device Name at the Vista page of the management GUI?

This is a name representing the WGR614v8 router in the Network Map from Windows Vista. Also on the Network Explorer from Windows XP or any UPnP control point, this name represents the WGR614v8 router as an UPnP device.

On a Windows Vista machine, why do I sometimes see an AP device of WGR614v8 in the Network Explorer but sometimes I don’t?

There is an option, Allow a Registrar to configure this router, at the Vista page of router’s management GUI. If this option is checked, you can see the AP device of WGR614v8 in the Network Explorer. Basically with the out of box settings, or factory default setting, you should be able to see it.

I want to use the WPS function to configure the wireless settings of WGR614v8, but where can I find the WPS PIN number of the AP?

You can find the AP WPS PIN of WGR614v8 on the product label. The product label is located at the bottom of the router. On the label, you can find an 8-digit number marked as Security PIN, and that is the AP’s WPS PIN.

Why doesn’t the router accept some strings as a WPA/WPA2 passphrase? Is there a required format for a WPA/WPA2 passphrase?

• A WPA/WPA2 passphrase consists of either 63 printable ASCII characters or 64 hexadecimal digits. A printable ASCII character is like numerical digit 0~9, alphabetic character a~Z, and a special characters like ~!@#$%^&..., and a hexadecimal digit is like 0,1,2…,9,A,B,C,D,E, and F.
• A passphrase less than 64 characters (i.e. 8~63 characters) is treated as a string of printable ASCII characters.
• A passphrase of 64 characters is treated as a string of hex digits, and only a hex digit is allowed in the string.

n101689.asp Jul 17, 2007