Router configuration help needed

I am expecting my Netgear RangeMax V1 WNDR3700 to arrive tomorrow. This is my first router and need heelp with setting it up. It;s only going to be hooked up to my desktop pc running Windows 7 Professional. Later I plan on purchasing a new 21" - 24" hdtv, Plaster Networks Powerline Starter Kit,Plaster Networks IX2 and a X-Box 360 to stream WMC to the hdtv. Any help on setting this router is appreciated, as I'm a newbie to routers.
System Specs. ECS A790GXM-A V1.0 mb
Phenom 2 965 BE 125 TDP cpu
Zalman CNPS 9900ALED Heatsink
Corsair TX750W psu
Crucial Ballistix DDR2 800 8 gbs. ram
2 WD Caviar Black 1 tb hard drives ( 1 OS & Programs 2 Personal Data)
XFX Radeon HD5770 video
Hauppage WinTV HVR-1850 tv tuner
2 Samsung SH223-C dvd-rw's
APC BackUPS E750G
22' Viewsonic LED montor

Well, the question is, how do you want it to be configured?

I'm not sure this is my first router. I don't really know much about them. I do know that I won't be purchasing a notebook or a smart phone. Maybe a netbook, but that's on the back burner. I'm going to get the hdtv in January, the pwerline kit in February and the X-Box 360 in March. I'm basically just going to be streaming Windows Media Center to the X-Box 360 to watch on the hdtv at the other side of the house. I want to make sure nobody unwanted can get onto my network. It's basically for me, nobody else. I know that routers are a hardware firewall, but I really don't know much about configuring them.

Well, then what you'll want is a mac adress filter so that only you can connect. Of course a wifi network. Maybe setting some fixed ips would be a good idea.

How do I found both of these ? I don't have the router yet. According to UPS tracking I'll have it sometime this afternnon. UPS' delivery in my house development is flaky at best. One day they arrive at 10:30 A.M. , then 2:30 P.M. and then 4:15 P.M. It's not like other area's I've lived where the time difference was maybe 10 - 15 minutes.

http://documentation.netgear.com/wnd...usermanual.pdf

There is the manual, You should read it first.
Do you have a wireless card for your PC? Otherwise why do you want wireless - just for the X-box?

Basically you physically attach it via network cable to your PC and program it physically connected. If you then want to put a wireless adapter into your PC you would disconnect the physical connection. You would set up WPA2-PSK (see manual p2-11). If you then go so far as to include MAC addresses then you will need the address for your X-Box (see manual p3-2). Eventually you will likely want to disable broadcasting as well but make sure you are working fine a few days first (p4-7,8)

Also note that most routers come with phone support; call them and they can walk you through it (after you wait on hold about an hour).

I plan on reading the manual. I'm just looking for any suggestions that the user manual doesn't cover. As far as wireless everything is going to be wired. When I get the hdtv and X-Box 360, they're both going to be in the same room on the other end of the house. My pc's on the opposite end about 60 - 70 feet away with a microwave oven 1 room before TV and X-Box 360. That's why I'm going the powerline route with the filter. I'm planning ahead as a cheap netbook is in the future 6 or 7 months from now. That'll be the only wireless device.

If you aren't going wireless you disable wireless completely; you won't need to set up encryption or mac addresses or anything else.

OK. Thanks TrainableMan. If I disable the wireless will that disable the router's firewall ?

No.

FC mentioned fixed IPs; even wired you may want to set it up static IPs but get it working first then read up on static IPs and determine if it is something you need.