The RG Setup program is very basic. You select "Typical" or "Custom" mode, enter the ID number of your RG (from a label on the rear of the RG... clearly indicated in the manual and in the setup program) and answer a few questions.  The "Custom" install option lets you change "Network Topology" settings, which include DHCP Server and Client settings and selecting NAT router or Bridge mode. The screen shots below give you a flavor of what the RG setup is like.

(click on an image to open a new window with a full-sized view)
 

Among the features you can control on the RG are:

• Set the AP channel (frequency)

• Set one 5 character ASCII Encryption key (40 bit encryption only)

But you can't:

• Set the AP Name, Group name, ESS-ID (same as "SSID", or "Service Area")

• Set the AP bit rate

• Set a Hex Encryption key

• Allow/disallow clients by MAC address

• Setup packet filters

• Set the DTIM Beacon interval to control client power saving.

• Get any network statistics

• Run any RG diagnostics

• Force a modem connect and disconnect

• Force a DHCP lease release / renew

Note that you have to step through each screen even if you just want to view the configuration of the RG and there is no way to just check the RG's status.

As I said previously, you may want to use the RG as a Bridge instead of a router.  Here's why:

• PPPoE is not supported, so many (most?) DSL users are out of luck (Update 3/26/01: PPPoE supported in Spring 2001 software update. Go here for info.)

• You can't specify either the Host Name or Domain Name, which @Home users need (Update 3/26/01: Host name supported in Spring 2001 software update. Go here for info.)

• You can't change the Ethernet port WAN address, which some MediaOne/RR users now need to do

• You can't forward ports, control access, or log traffic

• You can't control the DHCP server, other than to turn it on or off.

The above limitations don't matter if you use the RG as a Bridge, because your router would handle them.  All the RG would have to do is pass packets between the Ethernet and wireless parts of your LAN.

ORiNOCO says that the RG's DHCP server will hand out 50 IP addresses, but they also say that you shouldn't plan to have more than 10 clients connected, due to memory limitations in the RG.

Note that you can't control peer to peer wireless client communication from the RG (or any other Access Point!).  That's handled with the Client Manager program on the wireless clients, so let's move on to look at the LAN client cards.