I am writing this tutorial to help those people that, like me, bought the Linksys WMB54G Music Bridge and found the setup, setup wizard and acompanying literature to be confusing and totally inadequate at best.
Having said that, let's move on.
If you would like me to email you a complete PDF file with images, just send me a private message with your email.
I used to write tutorials in gaming forums when I was an avid mapmaker in multiplayer online game venues.
Admittedly, I've never written this type of tutorial but I'll do my best to describe things as clearly as possible,
Besides, it's got to be a helluva alot better than the setup literature that came with the WMB!!!
First, I am assuming that you, like me, have four major components:
1- A Linksys router with wireless capability. I have a new WRPT54G (Router with Vonage capability)
2- A WMB54G Music Bridge Adapter with power supply and ethernet cable.
3- A laptop with wireless capability that communicates with your existing home network.
4- A stereo system with RCA connector inputs (stereo) and input mode switcher (aux, tape, etc)
I also assume that you know a little bit about your components and how to access router setups via browser, change your network settings (which I'll explain) etc.
7/16/06 SPECIAL NOTE: It's important to note that most Linksys routers have the following default LAN IP as a starter....192.168.1.100 or 192.168.1.1
In this tutorial I am using my router's (WRTP54G) default IP which is 192.168.15.1 This is a new default IP in my experience with Linksys routers. So don't let this confuse you. If you are not using WRTP54G, like me, all references below to 192.168.15.1 should be applied to the normal Linksys router default IPs of 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.100.
First things first...Know your router data.
Access your router's setup page through your browser. In many cases this entails entering 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.15.1 depending on what router you have. THIS IS ONE OF THE CONFUSING PARTS of the WMB setup literature!
The default IP address of the WMB is 192.168.1.210. THIS will BE CHANGED later for it to work on your wireless network.
OK, open your router setup page.Make sure that you make a note about your IP octs, like 192.168.15.100 and how many LAN IPs you have allowed to be included in your network. For example, if you have 20 addresses (addys) allowed and they start with 192.168.15.100, then your max addy will be 192.168.15.119. If you have all the IPs used by the computers on your network, make sure that you make two available by making the number of allowed ips to 22 and you'll now have 192.168.15.120 and 192.168.15.121 free.
If you have a home network you probably have a couple of spare IP slots already.
Anyhow, whatever free IPs you have, jot them down. In this case, 192.168.15.120 and 192.168.15.121 for example purposes.
Also, jot down your GATEWAY IP...like 192.168.15.1
Next, if you use the wireless mode of your router, chances are that you have exercised good security by using an encryption protocol like WEP or WPA on your network. NOTE: The WMB lit can be confusing because it does not refer to WPA as WPA, but as PSK.
In fact, the WMB data sheet lists the unit's security as WEP and nothing else.
Anyhow, in the wireless security tab or such make a note of the SSID and paraphrase key that you use on your network.
You probably have this info memorized but I'm mentioning it in case you didn;t originally set up your router.
OK, once you've jotted all of this info, close the Router Setup page.
NEXT, prep your work area by having your laptop booted and your WMB unplugged with Ethernet cable ready.
Boot the Linksys Setup CD in your laptop and wait for the main display page that says "Click HERE to Start " or such.
Click NEXT after reading the User Agreement on the second page. Then follow the instructions on the subsequent pages...connect the Ethernet cab ble to your laptop and the WMB. Connect the power supply to the WMB.
The setup software will display a "detecting the Music Bridge" display or such with a progress bar. In my laptop, the search was somewhat slow and it took about 3 minutes.
Once it finds your WMB you'll get a page (display) that will show you the default settings of your WMB...
Name: WMB54G, Infrastructure mode, etc Click NEXT.
Ok. You can change the name of the WMB on top...I changed it from WMB54G to WMB.
Change the password from admin (default) to whatever you like.
Configure the Lost Password question...Then click NEXT
OK...you will get to a point where another progress bar will display and it'll say something like "searching for wireless networks"
After a few seconds a dialog box will show the wireless networks in your area. OK....I didn't select my network from the list. INSTEAD,
I clicked on the lower right hand corner where it says "MANUAL SETP". Click that.
Next page should give you a choice of IP Assignment.. Automatic or Static.
Static should be selected and the info in the spaces should be: IP= 192.168.1.210 and Subnet: 255.255.255.0 if that info isn't in there, fill it in. It'll do for now but we''l change it LATER.
Once you get through with that you should get to a page with another progress bar that says "Saving your Bridge Settings" or such.
Let it do it's thing. It may take a couple of minutes.
When it's finished, a dialog box will pop up that says "Congratulations, you have configured your music bridge (or such)...nothing could be farther from the truth!!!!!
"Please remove the Ethernet cable from the WMB and your laptop," Do so and click EXIT.
Review: We've changed the WMB settings to include: changing the default password, configuring the security settings, etc.
But the WMB will still NOT communicate with your router because it's IP address is NOT an addy (address) that is part of your network.
This is why when you start the WMB Utility and click "Search for Music Bridge" you won't get anything displayed.
Here's another point that is important that isn't in the Linksys Lit...There are three blue lights on the front of the WMB. (the lit mentions this).
What it doesn't tell you is that when the WMB is not connected to a laptop, or your network, the far right blue liht will blink every 6-8 seconds or so. WHEN IT IS CONNNECTED TO YOUR NETWORK THE LIGHT WILL BLINK EVERY 3 seconds or so.
However, a quick blinking light does not guarantee an operational connection. I'll explain later.
PHASE TWO: Configure the WMB through the Web Utility
OK...Now that you disconnected the WMB from your wireless laptop comes the tricky part.
We still have to configure the IP addy of the WMB and change it to one of the the spare IP ADDYs that we set up in the router earlier (192.168.15.120- 192.168.15.121)
We can change the IP in the WEB UTILITY . Do not confuse this with the Connection Utility that you'll use to connect your laptop to the WMB.
At this point: Make sure that you are connected wirelessly to your network. Make sure that you haven't accidentally locked into someone else's wireless network in your area.
Chances are, if you're like me, you have your laptop configured to Dynamically obtain an IP address in your network through DHCP.
However, that setting will NOT allow you to access the WMB Web Utility through your browser.
OK..Goto Start > Control Panel > Network Connections. A page will come up that will show you your connections LAN and/or wireless.
Right click on Wireless connection > Properties.
When the Properties display comes up, scroll down and highlight the TCP/IP option and click on the "Properties" button.
Now in the GENERAL tab you will have "Obtain IP automatically" selected. Click on the radio button below it so that the
"Use the Following IP" button is selected. You will now have the blank spaces to fill in IP info. Enter the FIRST free IP addy that
you jotted down earlier...192.168.15.120.
( on standard Linksys router this addy should be 192.168.1.120)
In the Subnet spaces, enter: 255.255.255.0 (if that was your subnet in your router)
I'm not sure if you need to fill in the default gateway, but I did anyway: 192.168.15.1
(Standard Linksys router Gateway labeled "Local IP Address" on main router setup page is 192.168.1.1 ) Linksys has a way of naming the same thing differently in different places. "Local IP Address" in my router equals "Default Gateway" in my WMB setup !)
Click OK, then OK and the network box should be closed.
This change is TEMPORARY so remember to CHANGE the settings back after the NEXT Step.
Alright, now reconnect the Ethernet cable to your laptop AND the WMB.
Open your Internet Explorer (browser) and type in 192.168.1.210 This is the DEFAULT IP o fthe WMB, remember?
A box will come up asking for user and password entries...
NOTE: if you changed the password when you were going through the WMB's setup wizard then you should enter it
in the password space. Leave the USER space blank. If you changed the password, enter your new password in the password space.
Click ENTER.
Now, you should be in the WMB WEB SETUP page. The following IS KEY TO THE WMB CONFIGURATION...
On the first page, you should see blanks for the WMBs IP, Subnet and Gateway...
Change the IP to the other blank IP that your router has.....192.162.15.121 (it will no longer be the default 192.168.1.210)..
If you have a standard Linksys router you should change the WMB addy to 192.168.1.121.
The Subnet will be 255.255.255.0 (or whatever subnet your router is configured to)
Make SURE YOU FILL IN THE GATEWAY....192.168.15.1 THIS IS IMPORTANT.
(If you have a standard Linksys Router the Gateway should be 192.168.1.1 )
If you omit this entry like I originally did, your WMB's right blue light will blink fast to indicate a conneciton but you WON'T get sound
out of a connected stereo amp!!!!!!!!!
Double check your security settings so that the WPA is OK, and your paraphrase key is the same as your router. It should be ok and found
in the security page of the Web Utility. Go back to the main page and click APPLY Changes or such at the bottom of the front page.
Then WAIT! The software will be upated in the WMB and after a couple of minutes you should be returned to the main page and a display will show you that the new IP address for the WMB is 192.168.15.121.
Close the browser.
Now, unplug the Ethernet cable from the WMB and the Laptop.
AND...Go back to...
Start>Settings>Control Panel > Network Connections
Right click the Wireless Icon> Properties
Network Settings/Attributes box opens
Scroll down to TCP/IP setting, Click PROPERTIES button.
RECLICK the "OBTAIN THE IP ADDRESS AUTOMATICALLY" (Cancelling the 192.168.15.120 addy, subnet and gateway that you had selected previously)
Click OK to accept changes and close box.
Close Network Attributes box by clicking OK.
Now, Plug your WMB into your stereo amp if you havent already.
Open your WMB Utility application.
Click SEARCH FOR MUSIC BRIDGE.
Hour glass and status bar will scroll.
You should now see your WMB in the center box!
If, for some reason, you don't see your WMB name "WMB" in the box after your search, just reboot your laptop.
Then open the utility again and do a SEARCH. You should see the name of your WMB in the box.
Select CONNECT. (Make sure that your stereo amp is set to the correct mode where you have the RCA input cables
connected...AUX, Tape, etc.) You will get a prompt that notifies you that the audio in your laptop will be disconnected or such.
Click YES or OK.
The right blue light should be blinking steadily every 4 seconds or so.
Open a test song in your WinAMp, Windows Media player, etc.
You should hear your tune through your stereo amp.
Woo Hoo!!!!
NOTE: The WMB firmware isn't very smart. If you disconnect your WMB form power, you may have to reboot your laptop and reconnect fresh.
If you click on "CONNECT TO PC SPEAKERS" on your utility after listening to music through your stereo amp, and you don't
hear your music through your laptop, just reboot it.
I hope that all of this helps you all. I know that it's confusing but once you get it down, it works fine. And There's a helluva lot more detail here than you'll find in the Linksys WMB manual!!!!
I've yet to test another system computer with the WMB. For now, however, I'm just happy that I got it to work on my laptop!
Let me know if any of this helped you. If you need images, also let me know. I can add them to this tutorial in the future. I'll also update this tutorial if/when needed.
Best
JosephB
PS: One more thing....the WMB is not easily interchangeable between networks.
If you remove your WMB and want to use it on another network, like a relative's network, I think you'll have to reconfigure it from scratch due to all the unique particulars in the settings.
Also...In your router...if you have the woreless devices filer by MAC addresses, make sure to ADD the MAC address of your WMB to the list, or else your router won't connect to the WMB.
