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Linksys WGA11B Wireless Game Adapter Setup Instructions, Tip, and Tricks
First, congratulations! You've taken the leap and purchased one of the most versatile networking products to come along in the last few years. You may not have realized it when you bought it, but what you have is actually a wireless network bridge, with some added features specifically designed for gamers. Though this device was marketed specifically for game consoles, it can be used to connect any Ethernet-ready device to a wireless network.
If you've come here at our request because you've been unable to correctly setup the device, take a deep breath, get your optimism back, and be prepared to have a working device, properly configured for your network. Just follow our instructions....
PLEASE NOTE: Because the level of familiarity and comfort with networking varies widely among users we are attempting to make this guide as detailed as possible. It's a constantly updated document that benefits from the input of users. If a section doesn't make sense or you think something should be made more clear or specific, please contact us with your suggestion.
Some warnings before we start:
- You cannot configure this device using Windows Vista or Windows 7 or through any MAC OS. It will not work - the software is not compatible. You need a PC running Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Windows Me, or Windows XP (Home or Pro) If you don't have a PC with any of those Windows versions, there's no solution for you other than to setup the device on a friend's Windows PC. (If your wireless network is open (unencrypted) this doesn't matter - read on.)
- If you purchased a New, Retail package version of this item (it comes in a big plastic package) there may be a flaw in the software on the Setup CD that Linksys packaged with the device. If you run the setup software and encounter the error "Connect Failed" or "Unable to Connect" you'll need to download the correct setup software from the Linksys website. Please refer to this document for more information. THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU UNLESS YOUR WGA11B CAME IN A BIG PLASTIC RETAIL PACKAGE
- Don't waste your time calling Linksys support. They don't offer support for this device that's worth your time. And please tell us you didn't call and give them $29 for help that they are apparently incapable of providing.
- If you already called Linksys and they told you the device is bad (or "too old" - I love it when I hear that one.), try to forget the time you wasted talking to them, and follow our instructions if you want a working device. The failure rate on this device is incredibly low and your device more than likely works just fine - it just needs to be configured properly.
- You more than likely will NEVER use the 1-11 channel settings on the device, also known as ad-hoc mode. These channels are only for talking to another identical device, and most people want this device to allow their game machine to talk to their wireless network. If you are using this device to connect to your wireless network to get your console on the Internet/Xbox Live/Playstation Network, then ignore Channels 1-11 on the device please. (If you are using 2 of these devices with 2 identical consoles to play head-to-head without a connection to the net however, just set each adapter to the same numbered channel and they'll be talking directly to one another.)
- This is an 802.11b wireless device and supports WEP encryption. It DOES NOT support WPA, or WPA-2 encryption methods. It's either no security or WEP if you want this device to work on your network. There's no way around this.
Understanding the WGA11B
The Linksys WGA11B is a wireless network bridge with a unique addition - the ability to control some of the wireless settings through a button on the outside of the unit. If you push the blue button on the side of the device you'll see the display cycle through various settings, channels 1-11, IN for Infrastructure, and P1, P2, and P3 for Custom Profile 1, 2, and 3.
Plug the adapter in and take a minute to push that button and flip through the settings and familiarize yourself with the device.
Here's what these different modes are for:
Ad-Hoc Mode - This allows the device to talk to another identical device that's running on the same channel (the 1-11 channels previously mentioned.) Because broadband internet is more widely available than it was when this device was originally designed this feature has become less attractive. An example of the use for this mode is 2 friends getting together in 1 place to play head to head XBOX or PS2 games just using their own 2 consoles, not the XBOX Live/Playstation online service. Instead of running a cable between the 2 units, each unit uses a WGA11B instead. You will never use these channel settings to connect your WGA11B to your wireless network to get access to the internet or XBOX Live/Playstation Network.
Infrastructure Mode - 'In' on the device display. This is the setting you would use to connect the WGA11B to any available open wireless network that has the SSID-broadcast turned on. (The default settings for most wireless network routers)
Custom Profile Mode - P1, P2, or P3 on the device display. If you have an encrypted wireless network, this is the setting for you. Once you've programmed your wireless network settings into the WGA11B, you'll set the device to one of these Custom Profiles (99% of the people with an encrypted wireless network will just use P1).
To the Left of the display that shows you the mode setting, you'll see 2 symbols with corresponding indicator lights. The one of the left of the device lights up when the device is connected to a device or LAN (Local Area Network) via CAT5 Ethernet cable. The indicator light on the right is for the wireless connection and lights up when your WGA11B is connected to a wireless network. When we're done setting up the device correctly, this indicator will be lit. That's the goal.
Understanding the Wireless Network that you're trying to connect to
It's pretty common for people to have little or no knowledge of how their wireless network actually works or is configured. This presents a bit of a problem when a network is encrypted and a user wants to add a device but doesn't really know how.
So, let's take this step by step.
First it's important to know exactly what your hardware layout is. For the purposes of this help page we're going to assume that you have the following:
---A cable or DSL or FIOS internet connection with a cable modem connected to a wireless network router, or a cable/DSL/FIOS gateway that has a wireless network router built-in.---
If you have some other exotic hardware layout, we're going to assume you're a bit of a network geek and you don't really need us....
By far, the most common layout is:
In the image above, the cable/DSL company has provided the modem and maybe even the wireless router. Alternatively, the cable/DSL provider may have given you just 1 box that does the job of both the modem and the wireless router. This is often referred to as a gateway.
Regardless of what devices you have that are creating the internet connection and the internal wireless network for you, we need to collect some basic info about how your wireless network is configured.
Here's the first big question:
Is your wireless network open or is it encrypted? Click on the link below to answer the question.
It's encrypted, I am certain it's encrypted
Let's start with Yes, it's open.
Great, this is easy. The WGA11B should be set to "In" (short for Infrastructure). You can change it to this setting by powering the device and then pushing the blue button on the side of the device until the display reads "In".
After a moment (the device kind of resets itself when you change the setting) the display will stabilize and the indicator light for wireless should light up. If it does, the device is ready to use. If it doesn't, you probably don't have an open network and you need to keep reading - click here.
(Caution: The WGA11B is designed to connect to ANY open wireless network. If you are using this device in an area with a number of wireless networks, it's possible that it could connect to an unsecured wireless network that's not under your control. This can cause problems as you might think that your device is connecting to your wireless network when it's actually connecting to a neighbor's network for example. This may lead to serious connectivity issues. The connection may seem fine and then not work minutes later. Or the network you were connected to may be secured by the owner, knocking your connection out. If you are unsure whether or not your wireless network is secured or not, I strongly recommend reading through the next section.
SPECIAL NOTE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO USE (2) WGA11Bs ON THE SAME NETWORK AT THE SAME TIME: Even if you're network is unsecured, if you want to use 2 of these at the same time on the same network, you'll need to program at least one of the units. Why? Because the default static IP address these devices use will be the same and this will cause a conflict on your network. So, if you have an open network, just go through the steps to program the 2nd unit as if it was going to be connected to a secured network, but the only thing you'll actually need to do is change the default IP address that the device uses. You'll still keep the device set to IN after you change it's IP address. If you're one of our customers and you run into trouble with this, just call or email us for help.
If you answered No, it's encrypted, or I Don't Know, we have a bit more work to do.
OK, So you're sure your wireless network is encrypted. OK, now we have 2 possibilities:
I know it's encrypted and I know all of the following settings:
1. The SSID/Network Name
2. That your SSID/Network Name is set to be broadcast by your router.
3. The Level of WEP Encryption (64 bit or 128 bit) (Note that the WGA11B only supports WEP encyption, not WPA/WPA-2)
4. The passphrase (can only be used if your router is made by Linksys) or the WEP Key (for any brand router including Linksys).
If you know all 4, click here to continue.
Or Click here:
I know it's encrypted, but I don't know what all those settings are.
Step 3 - How to get the information you need about your wireless network from your wireless router
Regardless of who made your wireless router/gateway, there are usually 2 main methods used to configure it or check the settings:
The device probably came with a Setup CD with a configuration wizard that will walk you through examining the setup of your router or changing the settings. If you have or can find the CD, great. If not:
Most wireless routers can also be configured through a web browser. (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc.) In order to configure the device/examine your settings through a web browser you need to know what the IP Address of the router is. This can be found in one of the following places:
The manual for the device.
If your wireless router/gateway was provided by your cable/DSL company, sometimes the default IP address is written on a label on the device itself. (Along with the name of the network/SSID and the encryption key!)
If you cannot find the manual and the IP address isn't written on the device, you can try calling your service provider if they provided the wireless router/gateway.
Try the most common wireless router default IP addresses:
2-Wire: http://gateway.2wire.net (The user's guide on the 2-Wire site has good info with screenshots.)
If none of these methods works you can also try this:
Within Windows, Click on Start, Find and Click on "Run". In the box that pops up type "cmd" (just the 3 letters) and Hit Enter. A black DOS-style text box will appear. In that window type "ipconfig" and Hit Enter. A list of data will appear. One item will be the Default Gateway. The number that appears beside it should be the IP address for your router. Write that number down. You'll need it in just a moment.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT IN THE PROCESS: If you are unsure of your network's settings and you cannot get into your router to determine what the settings are, it's not possible to move forward. If you want the benefits of a secured wireless network it's important to take the time to learn how this actually works so that you can add devices to your wireless network and be confident that they are properly configured. From this point forward we're assuming that you've got the setup CD or you've found the IP address for your router.
Wireless Router Configuration
For the purposes of this tutorial we're going to look at the browser-based setup screens for what is arguably the most common wireless router in use today, the Linksys WRT54G. (Most Linksys router setup screens look the same.) You will find similar screens and settings in your router's configuration utility, regardless of the brand. Do not be afraid to poke around inside your router's configuration screens. If you don't make changes you will not hurt your device or "screw up" your internet connection. You're just browsing. If you make and save changes, you might make things unpleasant for yourself though, so don't do that unless you're sure of what you're doing. (Common sense is the key.)
Note: Prior to this upcoming step we recommend disabling any personal firewall software you may have running on the PC you're working on. We realize some of you are a bit paranoid and won't be happy with this request. However, you've been terrorized a bit by the media. The router you are about to configure is a hardware firewall and is already all you really need to "hide" the PCs on your network from other curious or malicious users. Leaving the software firewall turned on may prevent you from being able to configure your router through it's browser-based setup because many of these internal utilities are based on Java script that these software firewalls block. (We'll stop short of telling you to uninstall your software firewall as some of these suites actually provide other useful features and they do often monitor outgoing traffic that hardware firewalls often do not address - none of this poses a risk while you're configuring your router however, so please turn the software firewall off.)
First you'll need to open Internet Explorer (or Firefox if you prefer) and type in the router's IP address and then hit 'Enter'. Here's an example of what that might look like:
Hint: The 'http://' isn't necessary. Just type in the numbers separated by periods.
Remember, it's not necessarily the numbers in the picture - scroll back up to the list of common default IP addresses or enter the IP address that you wrote down in previous steps.
Notice that a logon dialogue box appears. For Linksys products, the default username is often blank, and the password is 'admin' (Note: 95 out of 100 users have never changed this password even if they have WEP encryption turned on. This is akin to having an alarm system on your house, but leaving the front door wide open. If yours is the default, consider changing this to something a bit more secure.)
For other devices, if you are unsure of the username and password, try a Google search that contains the make and model of your router and 'default password'. Or you can try to find it here.
NOTE: I have been on dozens of support calls with people who simply could not remember what they changed their password to, nor did they ever write down their wireless/security settings. There is no dodging this one. You can either get in, or you can't. You either have the info, or you don't. If you cannot get in to your own router there is little choice but to hit hold the reset button on the back for 30+ seconds and wipe out the settings in the router so that the default password comes back. Doing this will wipe out all of your previous settings and restore the device to factory defaults. It very well may knock you off your ISP's network as well. So, a support call with your ISP may be in order first. When you get everything up and running again you may want to remember to write everything down this time. Put it on a sticker on your router. Unless someone breaks into your home to steal your router that data is perfectly safe there and you'll find it next time you need to configure a device to connect it to your wireless network.
Once you're in the setup you'll see a screen like this:
(Of course on a different brand of router/gateway you will see a screen that looks different and contains different info - use common sense please and poke around the menu options until you find similar settings.)
The only setting we're concerned with on this page is under Network Address Server Settings. We want to make sure that DHCP Server is enabled. If for some reason your router has DHCP disabled, you are using static IP addresses for all of your internal devices, and this is a somewhat advanced method of network configuration. If someone else setup your network, you may need their help adding this device and your game console to your network. (Let's be clear about this - the more advanced features you have in use on your router, the less this guide will help you. We'd expect that if you implemented advanced features in your router on your own, you'd have the networking savvy to not need a guide as much, right?)
If DHCP server is enabled, we can move on.
To the right of the Setup Tab heading you'll see the tab labeled "Wireless". Click on that. In other routers, poke around until you find the page with wireless settings.
This page shows us 3 key settings that you'll need to write down, and one that you need to make sure is set correctly:
The Wireless Network Mode - We want to see Mixed Mode. If your router is set for Performance Mode or G-only or N-only or N+G only, you need to change this setting to mixed mode or B+G or N+G+B.
The Wireless Network Name or SSID (interchangeable terms). Write this down. Use care, it's case-sensitive.
The state of SSID broadcast. Enabled or Disabled. SSID Broadcast MUST BE ENABLED.
(Note: There are many discussions on the web regarding the added security provided by turning the SSID broadcast off. This is a bit of dated advice. Anyone wanting to find and penetrate your wireless network using widely available WEP encryption breaking tools will be able to find your signal and extract the SSID (and the MAC addresses of all your wireless devices) Trying to "Hide" your network in this fashion is not an effective security measure and simply makes setting up your own network devices inconvenient.)
Note: If you change a setting here (from performance mode to mixed mode for example), you'll need to Save the Settings before leaving this page.
Once you've written these settings down (you can also print the screen) Click on "Wireless Security" (to the right of Basic Wireless Settings)
This page shows us the remainder of the settings that you need to write down:
The Security Mode - For the WGA11B the only 2 compatible settings are Disabled (off - no encryption) or WEP. If your router is set to some other encryption level (WPA - WPA2) you will need to switch to WEP instead - note that all your other wireless devices are affected by this change and will need to be reconfigured to connect to your network using the new settings - that is beyond the scope of this support page, and our responsibility to you.)
The Level of WEP Encryption - This can either be 64-bit or 128-bit.
The passphrase. - This may or may not be filled in. More on this in a moment
The encryption keys. - If the passphrase line is empty, it's likely that only Key 1 contains data. We'll cover this in depth next.
Note: As with the previous screen, if you change a setting here (from performance mode to mixed mode for example), you'll need to Save the Settings before leaving this page.
Let's take a minute with the last 2 settings. Unfortunately there is some variation in the terms that router manufacturers use here. In the case of the Linksys router (and many others) you'll notice that if you type something into the passphrase line and click on generate, the settings for Key 1-4 fill in automatically. If you have a Linksys router you can use this option with the WGA11B as it has a similar feature. But if your router is from another manufacturer, even though they may have a similar feature, we do not recommend using it as the algorithm used to generate the Keys from the Passphrase may be different.
To be safe, we're only going to use Key 1. Just be sure you write this setting down with care. 64-bit Keys are 10 characters long. 128-bit Keys are 26 characters long.
Some manufacturers, may call Key 1 the passphrase. This can obviously causes some confusion. The thing to remember when you're looking around your router's configuration screens looking for this information is that once you find the section that specifies WEP encryption and whether it's 64-bit or 128-bit, the key is generally located in the same section. If the device is using 64-bit WEP, the Key is 10 characters long and if it's 128-bit WEP, it's 26 characters long. Don't let terminology differences frustrate you. Just use common sense. (Having your router manual handy if you have it is helpful too.)
Once you've written all of these settings down, you can close the setup software or the browser window, being careful not to save any changes that you didn't intend to make. (And also taking care to make sure that YOU HAVE SAVED any changes that you DID INTEND to make.)
Now that you have all the necessary information about your wireless network we can move on to configuring your WGA11B.
Setting-Up the Linksys WGA11B Wireless-B Gaming Adapter
Note: If you've already tried setting up the WGA11B, especially if you've done so with the help of Linksys, before you start this part of the process we recommend that you reset the WGA11B to factory default settings. To do so, power the adapter and use a bent paperclip end to push in the recessed reset button on the side of the device for 10-15 seconds. If you've reset the device correctly, the light on the display will cycle off and on and the channel will revert to 06. (Don't read too much into it if your device reverts to something other than 06 though.)
1. Connect the WGA11B to the back of your desktop PC or to an open port on your router using the Ethernet cable that came with the device. If you don't have an open port on your router, temporarily disconnect one of the cables to free up a port. Just don't disconnect the PC that you intend to run the WGA11B configuration software on.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you do not have any PCs (laptops, desktops) that connect to your router by CAT5 Ethernet cable you'll need to change things up a bit. (If you do, skip down to 2.) For your scenario you need to connect the WGA11B directly to your desktop or laptop's Ethernet port using the included Ethernet cable instead of connecting it to your router. Then disable the wireless adapter you normally use to connect to your network. You can do this within Windows by clicking on the wireless network icon in the bottom lower right of your screen. (Make sure that your Ethernet port is enabled as well.) The reason you have to do this instead is that if you keep wireless enabled, the setup software will go out over the wireless connection and never find the adapter. So, you must disable your wireless connection and hard wire the adapter right to your computer to force the software to go out onto the only connection it possibly can. The rest of the instructions remain the same. 2. Power up the WGA11B by plugging in the AC Adapter that came with it.
3. Make sure that the wired connectivity (LAN) indicator light is lit. It's the one on the far left of the display. If it's not lit, flip the crossover switch on the side of the device. (For most connections it should be in the X position, but try the || position if the light isn't lit on X.)
Quick Tip: Don't worry about what wireless channel/setting is on the display on the device. That's important later. For now it can be on any setting. (Trust us.)
5. Insert the Setup CD that came with the adapter into your PC and run the Setup Wizard. (Remember - if you bought a retail package version of this item you may need to use the setup software that you downloaded directly from the Linksys support site - go back to the top of this page for more details.)
The initial screen will look like the image to the right:
Click on Setup.
The Setup Wizard will search for the adapter.
If the software cannot find the adapter, try it again. If you continue to have trouble at this step, start from step 1 again and double check your connections. (Is the Wired/LAN light lit? Your WGA11B is connected to your router or directly to your PC, right?)
You'll see this when the software is looking for the WGA11B:
When the software finds the adapter you'll see this screen:
Do not enter anything on this screen. Just click on Next at the bottom right of the screen.
A password dialogue box will appear. The default password is "admin".
(If you get a "Connect Failed" or "Unable to Connect" error at this step, are you using a new retail package adapter? Are you using the correct software? Go back to the top of this page for more help.)
The next page shows the Basic Settings for the Device.
If you are only using (1) WGA11B on your network, Make no changes to the settings on this page! (Using (2) WGA11Bs on the same network at the same time? You're an exception - see below please.)
Note: The settings in the screenshot get cutoff a bit, but the default settings should be as follows:
IP Address: 192.168.1.225
IP Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.1.1
If these settings are not the same, you need to exit the setup program, reset the device, and restart the setup process. This is frequently the case if you've already been through a support call (or 2 or 3) with Linksys. They may have had you change settings that you shouldn't. You need to undo that.
(Click here for the steps to reset.)
Just 1 WGA11B?: Just click on Next at the bottom right of the screen to take you to the next step.
Using (2) WGA11Bs on the same network at the same time? You'll need to change the IP address specified to something else for the 2nd unit you configure. If the first is 192.168.1.225 (the default), just change the 2nd to 192.168.1.224
Once you've made that change, Click on Next and on the next page just skip everything and click on No.
This is the most important step in the setup, and for most users, the only page that really matters - this is where it all goes right or all goes wrong.
By default the Mode should be set to Internet. Leave it on that setting.
Enter the SSID or Network name for your wireless network. Remember, it's case sensitive.
Choose 64 bit or 128 bit WEP encryption to match what you're using on your wireless network.
Leave the passphrase section blank. (We covered this in a previous section of this guide.)
Enter your WEP key. For 64 bit WEP this is a 10-digit sequence. For 128 bit WEP this is a 26-digit sequence.
Enter all of these settings with care. One mistake here can lead to lots of frustration for you.
When you are done and you've checked your work, click on "No" at the bottom right.
The image above is an example - do not fill in your blanks with the data in the image above - see the instructions to the left please.
Now we're ready to check our work.
Change the setting on the device by pushing the blue button on its side until the display reads P1.
Wait a moment.
You should now see P1 and both the wired connectivity and wireless connectivity indicator lights should be lit.
If the wireless light does not come on, the device has not been correctly programmed with your wireless network's settings. Start over. (Note: Give it a minute before giving up - on some networks there is a brief delay.) And when we say start over we don't mean put exactly the same settings in over and over again hoping that something different will occur - you more than likely got a setting wrong when you looked at your router's setup - go all the way back to the start...
If the wireless light is lit, move on to the next step.
Now we're ready to connect the adapter to your gaming console.
Be sure that after you've connected the adapter and powered on the console that the LAN indicator light is lit. If it's not, flip the crossover switch on the side of the device to see if that corrects the problem.
Make sure that the wireless light is still lit as well.
Note that the picture at right is just an example. You can connect the adapter to any console or network-ready device (desktop PC, laptop, network-ready printer, etc) using the included network cable.
We're finding that most people are using this device with the XBOX 360.
Here's how you test your network connectivity:
1. Get into the 360 Dashboard
2. Scroll over to the farthest blade on the right, called "System"
3. Scroll down that page and Select "Network Settings".
Scroll down that page and Select "Restore to Factory Defaults". We recommend this because many users have already tried poking around in their game console settings in an attempt to "just make it work already". This invariably causes trouble. So, let's reset it.
You'll see a confirmation screen indicating that you've restored your network settings.
On this screen select "Test Xbox Live"
The console will now test the connection to your router, the internet, and the XBOX Live servers.
If you've configured your WGA11B properly, you should see a screen that looks very similar to what you see to the right. If the IP address fails, there is something wrong with the configuration of the WGA11B and we'd recommend starting over and checking your work.
If you see IP address: Confirmed, but further settings fail, the solution for this generally is to cycle the power on your cable/dsl modem and wireless router. Just unplug both devices for a few minutes. Then plug the modem in and wait a few minutes. Then plug the router back in to power. Wait a few minutes. Then repeat the process of Restoring the 360 Network Settings to Factory defaults and testing the connection again.
Happy Gaming!
Note: If you are still unable to connect your game console or other device at this point, something isn't quite right. The wireless indicator light is lit on your device, right? That means it's talking to your wireless network. You're on the internet, right? Try browsing to a webpage on your PC - one you didn't recently visit. So you have a working adapter and internet connectivity and you still can't connect your console to the net? Something is very wrong somewhere. Time to start over - it goes much faster the 2nd time. Pay close attention to the WEP settings page. Make sure everything matches perfectly. Get a 2nd person to look at the settings (Fresh eyes spot errors.)
You've done this twice and you still don't have it working? Time to Troubleshoot.
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