Accessing AT&T U-verse Web Remote

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1 Accessing AT&T U-verse Web Remote How can I maximize my home networking connections? A wired network is the best way to get the maximum possible download and upload speeds because your computer is connected directly to your gateway via an Ethernet cable. While this method offers consistent high speeds, it is not necessarily convenient for running multiple PCs and laptops within your home. Fortunately, there are ways to increase the speeds on those computers that you wish to run wirelessly. Installing a wireless home network requires some basic equipment. You will need a wireless gateway, and wireless adapters (USB or PC Card). You must also consider where to locate the gateway in your home, how to keep it secure and how to reduce interference from other appliances. Finding the best location for the gateway will maximize its speed. Improving Your Wireless Home Networking Experience 1. Reduce the number of devices on the network If you have a large number of devices connected wirelessly to your personal network, see if there are some devices that you can either shut down or perhaps connect via Ethernet cable to the back of the gateway. This simple step will off load wireless traffic through a direct connection into the box. Most gateways have up to 5 ports available for this purpose. 2. Try to Broadcast in only one band Most current routers/gateways come in B, G/B or G band (recent gateways even have B/G/N band), meaning that they broadcast their signal to devices like PCs, cameras, iphonestm, and others within a certain range. If you know that the devices you have in your home all accept G band signals then you might find faster speeds and longer reach for your wireless connections by having your gateway broadcast in G band only. If however you find that some of your wireless devices no longer work after you make the switch, you may have a B band device. Options include either upgrading that device to G or, resetting the gateway to a B/G broadcast in order to still use that device. To set your 2Wire Gateway to an all G band broadcast: a. Open a browser and in the address bar, type the 2Wire Home page opens. c. At the bottom of the page, click the drop-down next to Wireless Mode and select the letter Band (802.11b/g, b, or g) that meets your needs. In this case, we want to select g. Once you select that Band, it will broadcast only in that Band. Click Save and close the browser.

2 3. Upgrade your Wireless cards on your PC and other devices If your wireless gateway has the capacity to run in only "G" mode, and you have an old laptop or PC that is running a b either as a wireless card or built into the system, this may be a good time to upgrade your cards to a g or even n. These upgrades will allow you to make the best usage of your wireless connections. You can purchase new wireless cards at your local electronics store or at the AT&T Equipment Shop. 4. Disable SSID Broadcasting In order for computers to talk to each other, two things are required. First an acknowledgement must occur via SSID (Service Set Identifiers), using the specific name of your gateway (i.e. 2wire 614), and second, the data encryption code must be turned on in order to surf the internet securely. Once you broadcast your SSID, then anyone close by, a neighbor or even a passing car, will be able to see that you have a wireless gateway and whether the data encryption is turned on. There are some programs that can even break the data encryption and allow anyone with that code to gain access to your gateway. One way to stop this unauthorized access is to shut off the SSID broadcasting of your gateway. You will still be able to connect any computers that you want to gain access to the gateway by keying in the network name manually. Steps to turn off your SSID: a. Open a browser and in the address bar, type the 2Wire Home page opens. c. In the Network section, at the drop-down next to SSID Broadcast, select Disabled and then select the Save button at the bottom of the page. By doing this, your gateway will no longer broadcast, but you can still set up new devices by entering your gateway name (ex. 2WIRE556). You must enter the gateway name by keying it in manually. Just keep your gateway name written down somewhere safe with your WEP code.

3 Tip: Finding your 2Wire SSID If you forget your SSID, you can always find the default name by taking the last three digits from your Serial number and placing 2WIRE in front of those 3 digits. 5. Make sure your WEP/WPA protection is turned on a. Open a browser and in the address bar, type the 2Wire Home page opens. c. In the Security section, ensure that the drop-down next to Wireless Security is set to Enabled. If not, change the setting and select the Save button at the bottom of the page.

4 Tip: Where to place the gateway Position devices on your network so signal goes straight through a wall rather than at an angle. 6. Get better range Depending on how your home is designed, your wireless gateway may not be able to reach certain parts of the home, but you may be able to improve access to those trouble spots. There are several companies that have developed wireless repeaters (sometimes called a signal booster), devices that can pick up the signal from your gateway and extend that signal to other parts of the house. It should be noted that any repeater has its own limitations and the greater your distance from the repeater the weaker your signal and the slower your speed will be. To find the best repeater for your needs, using your favorite search engine, search for wireless repeaters to see what devices are available. Next you will have to validate with the manufacturer that your gateway is compatible with the repeater you choose. Blog sites are also a source which can provide useful information about the exact model gateway you're considering. 7. When wireless may not work, HomePlugTM may If dead spots continue to be a problem, another possible alternative to improve your wireless access is HomePlug technology. Instead of using the air to carry your internet signal from the gateway to your PC, the AC outlets located in virtually every room in the house can be utilized for this purpose. This alternative requires a pair of Powerline Adapters, one that plugs into an AC outlet near your gateway. Then connect an Ethernet cable from the Powerline Adapter (HomePlug device) into one of the Ethernet ports on the back of your gateway. The other Powerline Adapter can be plugged into an AC outlet in any room of the house and the Ethernet cable from that adaptor is then plugged into your PC. If you decide to move rooms you can simply unplug the Powerline Adapter and plug it into another room of the house, or you can purchase other Powerline Adaptors for other parts of the house. It's that simple, the speed throughput you can get from Powerline adapters can run from 60Mbps upward towards 200Mbps, but remember your speed throughout can never surpass the internet connection to your home. Costs for Powerline Adaptors vary, but a pair of Powerline Adapters will usually cost approximately $60-$100 dollars. Homeplug can be purchased from the AT&T Equipment Shop. Example of Powerline Adapters 1 For more information about HomePlug Technology, visit the following sites:

5 8. Reduce Interference. Change your wireless channel You may experience weak or dropped signals if a cordless phone and wireless gateway share the same frequency channel or if two gateways sharing the same frequency channel are located relatively close to each other. A potential fix for this issue is to change the channel, thereby reducing frequency interference. The steps below show how to check which channel you're currently on and which channels are available for you. Trial and error testing may be required to find the right channel for you. a. Open a browser and in the address bar, type the 2Wire Home page opens. c. In the Network section, by clicking on the drop-down next to Wireless Channel, you are able to see all the channels available to you. At this point you can select another channel and see if there is any further interference with your connection. d. Selecting which channel will be dependent on what other WiFi devices are being broadcast by your neighbors. It may take more than one attempt to find the channel that works for you. Tip: Gateways need space Keep gateway at least 10 feet from cordless phones or microwaves. Place away from heat sources, moisture, excessive dust, extreme cold and large metal objects. 9. Make sure you are running the latest and greatest firmware and driver updates One of the easiest steps to improve your connection speed is to make sure you are running the latest software updates for your wireless adapter. If you are, the next step would be to check that card has been updated with the latest drivers.

6 To confirm that you have the latest drivers available, go to the wireless card manufacturer's website and look for a Support and/or Driver link. If you have a built in wireless client (one that cannot be removed from your PC), check to see if your PC manufacturer has issued any updates. 10. Move your wireless gateway off the floor In order to gain the maximum range for your wireless equipment, keep the equipment off the floor and place on an elevated surface such as a desk or shelf. 11. Wireless Bandwidth chart Below is a brief chart that covers the basic data points of the four wireless communication standards that you may encounter. 12. Direct Connection Remember that if your computer is set up in a permanent location, (desktop computer, or laptop docking station), the best possible speed will be obtained by connecting via an Ethernet cable. Connect an Ethernet cable from any available Ethernet port on the Gateway to the computer's Ethernet port.

7 We hope these tips have been helpful to your successful set up of home networking. We also offer a professional in-home consultation with experts who will set up your home network for you. Check out the AT&T ConnecTech link below. 13. Related Links AT&T ConnecTech Home Network Installation (connectech.att.com)- Let AT&T set up and support your own secure wireless home network. 3 AT&T Equipment Shop ( - for purchasing equipment such as Ethernet cables and wireless cards. 2 or For more information about HomePlug Technology 1 Notice regarding equipment described herein which may be purchased from third party vendors: AT&T does not endorse or certify any third party equipment or manufacturer and with respect to such equipment, AT&T assumes no liability and makes no warranties, express or implied. 2 Notice regarding hyperlinks to website: This site contains hyperlinks to websites owned or operated by a third party. AT&T does not endorse any such third party or make any representation concerning any products or services offered by such third party. Such linked sites are not under the control of AT&T and AT&T is not liable for any claim related to products or services referenced herein. 3 AT&T ConnecTech Services: Residential customers only. Not available in all areas. All offers are limited-time offers, taxes and surcharges extra, and service-specific terms and conditions apply. Wireless Network Set-up: Compatible hardware and software required. Support+ Technical Support: Service is an incident-specific, reasonable-effort troubleshooting and problem-resolution service for certain products and applications listed at AT&T is not responsible for loss of data.