Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point User’s Manual Version: 1.1 Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 2 of 38 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 5 1.1 FEATURES & BENEFITS............................................................................................................................... 5 1.2 PACKAGE CONTENTS................................................................................................................................... 5 1.3 APPLICATIONS.............................................................................................................................................. 6 1.4 NETWORK CONFIGURATION....................................................................................................................... 7 2 UNDERSTANDING THE HARDWARE.....................................................................................................9 2.1 HARDWARE CONFIGURATION..................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 HARDWARE INSTALLATION........................................................................................................................ 9 2.3 DEFAULT IP ADDRESS ................................................................................................................................10 3 PC CONFIGURATION..................................................................................................................................10 3.1 TCP/IP CONFIGURATION..........................................................................................................................10 4 SWITCH BETWEEN BRIDGE & ACCESS POINT.............................................................................11 4.1 BRIDGE TO ACCESS POINT.........................................................................................................................11 4.2 ACCESS POINT TO BRIDGE.........................................................................................................................12 5 BRIDGE MODE – WEB CONFIGURATION .........................................................................................14 5.1 LOGGING IN ................................................................................................................................................14 5.2 SYSTEM.......................................................................................................................................................15 5.2.1 Administrator Settings...................................................................................................................16 5.2.2 Firmware Upgrade........................................................................................................................16 5.2.3 Configuration Tools.......................................................................................................................17 5.2.4 Status...............................................................................................................................................17 5.2.5 Operation.......................................................................................................................................18 5.2.6 Reset................................................................................................................................................19 5.3 LAN.............................................................................................................................................................19 5.3.1 LAN Settings..................................................................................................................................19 5.3.2 DHCP Settings..............................................................................................................................20 5.4 WIRELESS ...................................................................................................................................................20 5.4.1 General...........................................................................................................................................21 5.4.2 Advanced........................................................................................................................................21 5.4.3 WPA .................................................................................................................................................22 5.4.4 WEP.................................................................................................................................................23 6 ACCESS POINT MODE – WEB CONFIGURATION..........................................................................24 6.1 LOGGING IN ................................................................................................................................................24 6.2 SYSTEM.......................................................................................................................................................25 6.2.1 Administrator Settings...................................................................................................................25 6.2.2 Firmware Upgrade........................................................................................................................25 6.2.3 Configuration Tools.......................................................................................................................26 6.2.4 Status...............................................................................................................................................26 6.2.5 Operation.......................................................................................................................................27 6.3 LAN.............................................................................................................................................................28 6.3.1 LAN Settings..................................................................................................................................28 6.3.2 DHCP Settings..............................................................................................................................29 6.4 FILTERING...................................................................................................................................................30 6.4.1 MAC Filtering...............................................................................................................................30 6.5 WIRELESS ...................................................................................................................................................31 6.5.1 General...........................................................................................................................................31 Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 3 of 38 Table of Contents 6.5.2 Advanced........................................................................................................................................32 6.5.3 WPA .................................................................................................................................................33 6.5.4 802.1x..............................................................................................................................................33 6.5.5 WEP.................................................................................................................................................34 6.5.6 WDS.................................................................................................................................................35 APPENDIX A – SPECIFICATIONS ......................................................................................................................36 Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 4 of 38 Revision History Version Date Notes 1.0 September 15, 2003 Initial Version 1.1 October 1, 2003 Updated GUI Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 5 of 38 1 Introduction This chapter describes the features & benefits, package contents, applications, and network configuration. 1.1 Features & Benefits Features Benefits High RF Output Power More coverage of regular Multi-Client Bridge. IEEE 802.11b/g Compliant Fully Interoperable with IEEE 802.11b/ IEEE802.11g compliant. Point-to-point, Point -to-multipoint Wireless Connectivity Allows users to transfer data between multiple buildings. Plug and Play No driver needed, quickly and easily connects your Ethernet device to Wireless. Power-over-Ethernet Flexible Access Point locations and cost savings. 64 /128-bit WEP data encryption Powerful data security. Hide SSID (AP Mode) Avoids unauthorized users from sharing the bandwidth and increases efficiency of the network. DHCP Client/ Server Simplifies network administration. WDS (Wireless Distribution System) Configures wireless AP and Bridge mode simultaneously as a wireless repeater. MAC address filtering (AP Mode) Ensures secure network connections. Seamless Roaming Allows users to roam between APs without losing their network connection. 1.2 Package Contents † One Client Bridge/Access Point/Repeater † One Power Adapter † One CAT 5 UTP Cable † One Fast Start Guide † One CD-ROM with User’s Manual Included Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 6 of 38 1.3 Applications The wireless LAN products are easy to install and highly efficient. The following list describes some of the many applications made possible through the power and flexibility of wireless LANs: a) Difficult-to-wire environments There are many situations where wires cannot be laid easily. Historic buildings, older buildings, open areas and across busy streets make the installation of LANs either impossible or very expensive. b) Temporary workgroups Consider situations in parks, athletic arenas, exhibition centers, disaster-recovery, temporary offices and construction sites where one wants a temporary WLAN established and removed. c) The ability to access real-time information Doctors/nurses, point-of-sale employees, and warehouse workers can access real-time information while dealing with patients, serving customers and processing information. d) Frequently changed environments Show rooms, meeting rooms, retail stores, and manufacturing sites where frequently rearrange the workplace. e) Small Office and Home Office (SOHO) networks SOHO users need a cost-effective, easy and quick installation of a small network. f) Wireless extensions to Ethernet networks Network managers in dynamic environments can minimize the overhead caused by moves, extensions to networks, and other changes with wireless LANs. g) Wired LAN backup Network managers implement wireless LANs to provide backup for mission-critical applications running on wired networks. h) Training/Educational facilities Training sites at corporations and students at universities use wireless connectivity to ease access to information, information exchanges, and learning. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 7 of 38 1.4 Network Configuration To better understand how the wireless LAN products work together to create a wireless network, it might be helpful to depict a few of the possible wireless LAN network configurations. The wireless LAN products can be configured as: a) Ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) for departmental or SOHO LANs. b) Infrastructure for enterprise LANs. c) Wireless routing and IP sharing. a) Ad-Hoc (peer-to-peer) Mode This is the simplest network configuration with several computers equipped with the PC Cards that form a wireless network whenever they are within range of one another. In ad-hoc mode, each client is peer-to-peer, would only have access to the resources of the other client and does not require an access point. This is the easiest and least expensive way for the SOHO to set up a wireless network. The image below depicts a network in ad-hoc mode. b) Infrastructure Mode The infrastructure mode requires the use of an access point (AP). In this mode, all wireless communication between two computers has to be via the AP. It doesn’t matter if the AP is stand-alone or wired to an Ethernet network. If used in stand-alone, the AP can extend the range of independent wireless LANs by acting as a repeater, which effectively doubles the distance between wireless stations. The image below depicts a network in infrastructure mode. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 8 of 38 Extended-range independent WLAN using an AP as a repeater; if wired to an Ethernet network as shown below, the AP serves as a Bridge and provides the link between the server and the wireless clients. The wireless clients can move freely throughout the coverage area of the AP while remaining connected to the server. Since the AP is connected to the wired network, each client would have access to the server’s resources as well other clients. Access points have a finite range, on the order of 50 meters indoor and 100 meters outdoors. In a very large facility such as an enterprise, a warehouse, or on a college campus, it will probably be necessary to install more than one access point to cover an entire building or campus, as shown in the image below. In this scenario, access points hand the client off from one to another in a way that is invisible to the client, ensuring their connectivity. Wireless clients can roam seamlessly between different coverage areas and remain connected to the network. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 9 of 38 c) Wireless routing and IP sharing In infrastructure mode, in addition to acting as a Bridge between an Ethernet and wireless network, the AP can be configured as a wireless router and IP sharing device for Internet access as shown below. You don’t need to buy an expensive router. Nor do you need to buy several modems and set up phone lines. Just share one AP, one modem, a single dial-up account, and one phone line; dozens of network users can surf the Internet simultaneously. 2 Understanding the Hardware 2.1 Hardware Configuration † RJ-45 Ethernet Connector – Provides 10/100 Mbps connectivity to a wired Ethernet LAN. † Reset Button – By holding this down for more than five seconds, the AP will reset to its factory default settings. † Power Supply Connector – Connects to the power adapter. 2.2 Hardware Installation A. Configure your notebook or PC with a wireless LAN card. B. For a wired LAN, connect your PC’s Ethernet port to the AP’s LAN port via an Ethernet cable. C. For WLAN, position the Access Point in a proper location. D. Plug in the power cord into the power outlet. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 10 of 38 2.3 Default IP address This device can be configured as a Bridge or an Access Point. By default, this device is configured as a Bridge, and the default IP address in Bridge mode is: 192.168.1.1. The default IP address for Access Point mode is: 192.168.1.2. In order to switch between Bridge and Access Point modes refer to Chapter 4 – Switch Between Bridge & Access Point. 3 PC Configuration 3.1 TCP/IP Configuration Follow the steps below in order to configure the TCP/IP settings of your PC. A. In the Control Panel double click Network Connections, and then double click on the connection of your Network Interface Card (NIC). You will then see the following screen. B. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and then click on the Properties button. This will allow you to configure the IP address of your PC. You will then see the following screen. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 11 of 38 C. Select Use the following IP address radio button, and then enter an IP address and subnet mask for your PC. Make sure that the device and your PC are on the same subnet. D. Click on the OK button, your PC’s TCP/IP settings have been configured. 4 Switch Between Bridge & Access Point This device can be configured as a Bridge or an Access Point. By default, this device is configured as a Bridge, and the default IP address in Bridge mode is: 192.168.1.1. The default IP address for Access Point mode is: 192.168.1.2. This chapter will describe the steps to switch from Bridge to Access Point, and Access Point to Bridge. 4.1 Bridge to Access Point a. Enter the default IP address of the Bridge into the address bar of the webbrowser (192.168.1.1). Leave the user name and password fields blank, and click on the OK button. b. After you have logged into the Bridge, click on the System link on the navigation bar, and then click on the Operation link under it, as the image depicts below. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 12 of 38 c. Place a check in the Access Point check box, and then click on the Apply button. A message box will then appear asking you to confirm the switch. d. Click on the OK button to continue. You will then see the following page. e. This message indicates that the firmware has now changed to Access Point mode. After about 15 seconds you can re-launch you web-browser to the IP address of the Access Point (192.168.1.2) 4.2 Access Point to Bridge a. Enter the default IP address of the Access Point into the address bar of the web-browser (192.168.1.2). Leave the user name and password fields blank, and click on the OK button. b. After you have logged into the Access Point, click on the System link on the navigation bar, and then click on the Operation link under it, as the image depicts below. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 13 of 38 c. Place a check in the Bridge check box, and then click on the Apply button. A message box will then appear asking you to confirm the switch. d. Click on the OK button to continue. You will then see the following page. e. This message indicates that the firmware has now changed to Bridge mode. After about 15 seconds you can re-launch you web-browser to the IP address of the Access Point (192.168.1.1) Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 14 of 38 5 Bridge Mode – Web Configuration 5.1 Logging In † To configure the Bridge through the web-browser, enter the IP address of the Bridge (default: 192.168.1.1) into the address bar of the web-browser and press Enter. Make sure that the Bridge and your computers are on the same subnet. Refer to Chapter 3 in order to configure the IP address of your computer. † You will then see the login window. Leave the User name and Password fields blank and click on the OK button. † You can change the username and password under the Administrator Settings option. Refer to section 5.2.1 Administrator Settings to change the username and password. † After logging in, you will see the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the Bridge. The configuration is divided into three major parts: System, LAN, and Wireless. Each one is described in detail in the next few sections. † The Status page is the first page that is displayed, this page displays the settings of the Bridge, the IP addresses, and the Wireless settings. To understand more about the Status page, refer to section 5.2.4 Status. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 15 of 38 5.2 System Click on the System link on the navigation bar. You will then see the following options: Administrator Settings, Firmware Upgrade, Configuration Tools, Status, Operation, and Rest. Each option is described in detail below. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 16 of 38 5.2.1 Administrator Settings † Click on the Administrator Settings link under the System menu on the navigation bar. On this page you can configure a user name and password for the Bridge. The image below depicts the administrator settings screen. † User name: enter a new user name. † Administrator password: enter a new password in the first box, and then retype the password in the second box. † Click on the Save button to save the changes. 5.2.2 Firmware Upgrade † Click on the Firmware Upgrade link under the System menu on the navigation bar. Using this page you can upload a new firmware on the Bridge. The image below depicts the Firmware Upgrade screen. † Click on the Browse button to select the firmware, and then click on the Upload button. † The upload may take up to 60 seconds to complete. Do not power off the Bridge while the upgrade is in process. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 17 of 38 5.2.3 Configuration Tools † Click on the Configuration Tools link under the System menu on the navigation bar. Using this page you can reset the settings of the Bridge to its factory defaults. The image below depicts the Configuration Tools screen. † Click on the Reset button to reset the Bridge to its factory default settings. 5.2.4 Status † Click on the Status link under the System menu on the navigation bar. This page displays the current status of the Bridge. This includes information such as: connection state, SSID, channel number, transmission rate, communication strength, WEP, WPA, Bridge name, number of Bridged clients, IP address, MAC address and firmware version. This page also displays a list of Access Points in the area. The image below depicts the Status screen. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 18 of 38 5.2.5 Operation † Click on the Operation link under the System menu on the navigation bar. Using this page can switch from the Bridge mode to Access Point mode. The image below depicts the Operation screen. † Place a check in the Access Point check box, and then click on the Apply button. A message box will then appear asking you to confirm the switch. † Click on the OK button to continue. You will then see the following page. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 19 of 38 † This message indicates that the firmware has now changed to Access Point mode. After about 15 seconds you can re-launch you web-browser to the IP address of the Access Point (192.168.1.2) † In order to configure the Access Point, refer to Chapter 6. 5.2.6 Reset † Click on the Reset link under the System menu on the navigation bar. Using this page you can reset the bridge based on the current configuration. The image below depicts the Reset screen. † Click on the Reboot button to reset the bridge based on its current configuration. 5.3 LAN Click on the LAN link on the navigation bar. You will then see the following options: LAN Settings and DHCP Settings. Each option is described in detail below. 5.3.1 LAN Settings † Click on the LAN Settings link under the LAN menu on the navigation bar. Using this you can configure the local IP settings on the bridge. The image below depicts the LAN Settings screen. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 20 of 38 † Device name: enter a name for the bridge. † Default IP address: enter the IP address. † Default subnet mask: enter the subnet mask. † Default gateway: enter the IP address of the default gateway. The default IP address is 0.0.0.0. † Click on the Save button to confirm the changes. 5.3.2 DHCP Settings † Click on the DHCP Settings link under the LAN menu on the navigation bar. Using this you can configure this bridge as a DHCP client, meaning that the network will assign the IP address to it. † DHCP Client: select Disable or Enable. By enabling this option, the network will assign an IP address to the Bridge. † Click on the Save button to confirm the changes. 5.4 Wireless Click on the Wireless link on the navigation bar. You will then see the following options: General, Advanced, WPA and WEP. Each option is described in detail below. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 21 of 38 5.4.1 General † Click on the General link under the Wireless menu on the navigation bar. Using this page you can configure the wireless settings such as: wireless mode, SSID, channel, and transmission rate. The image below depicts the General Wireless screen. † Wireless Mode: select Point to Multi-Point or Point to Point from the dropdown list. Use Point to Multi-Point to connect to a wireless Access Point, or use Point to Point to connect to another Bridge or Station. † Peer MAC Address: enter the MAC address of the peer WLAN Bridge (P2P Tunnel). † Wireless Network Name (SSID): the SSID is a unique name shared among all points in your wireless network. The SSID must be identical for all points in the network. It is case sensitive and must not exceed 32 characters. † Channel: select a radio frequency from the drop-down list. † Transmission Rate (Mbits/s): select a transmission rate from the drop-down list. † Wireless Connection Mode: select a connection mode from the drop down list. Options available are 802.11g Only, 802.11g Only (Maximum Performance), 802.11b/g Mixed Mode Long, and 802.11b Only. † Click on the Save button to confirm the changes. 5.4.2 Advanced † Click on the Advanced link under the Wireless menu on the navigation bar. Using this page you can configure the cloning mode and threshold values. The image below depicts the Advanced Wireless screen. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 22 of 38 † Cloning Mode: select WLAN Card to set the MAC address of the bridge (as seen by the Access Point and other wireless devices) to be the MAC address of the WLAN card inside the bridge. Select Ethernet Client to set the MAC address to be that of the first Ethernet client that transmits data from behind the Bridge. † Fragmentation threshold: transmitted wireless packets larger than this size will be fragmented to maintain performance in noisy wireless networks. † RTS threshold: transmitted wireless packets larger than this size will use the RTS/CTS protocol to (a) maintain performance in noisy wireless networks and (b) prevent hidden nodes from degrading performance. † Maximum burst time: the amount of time the radio will be reserved to send data without requiring an ACK. Adding a burst time should help throughput for 802.11g clients when the Bridge is running in mixed mode. This number is in units of microseconds. A typical value would be 1000 microseconds. When the value if 0, bursting is disabled. † Click on the Save button to confirm the changes. 5.4.3 WPA † Click on the WPA link under the Wireless menu on the navigation bar. On this page you may configure WPA, an acronym for Wi-Fi Protected Access, which is a security protocol from the Wi-Fi alliance for 802.11 wireless networks. It uses the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) to provide stronger encryption than the earlier WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) method. Derived from, and a subset of, the IEEE 802.11i security standard, WPA includes 802.1x authentication. The image below depicts the configuration screen of the WPA option. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 23 of 38 † WPA Mode: select Disable or Enable for WPA. † PSK: leave this blank if the stations will be supplied a key by the 802.1x authentication server. If not, enter a pass-phrase between 8 and 63 characters. † WPA Multicast Cipher Type: currently TKIP is the only permitted setting. † WPA Pairwise Cipher Type: currently TKIP is the only permitted setting. † Click on the Save button to confirm the changes. 5.4.4 WEP † Click on the WEP link under the Wireless menu on the navigation bar. On this page you may configure WEP, which is an acronym for Wired Equivalent Privacy, a security protocol for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) defined in the 802.11 standard. WEP is designed to provide the same level of security as a wired LAN. The image below depicts the configuration screen of the WEP option. † WEP Mode: select Disable or Enable WEP encryption. † WEP key length: select a WEP key length from the drop-down list. Options available are 64-bit and 128-bit. † WEP key: enter the WEP key. If you use WEP you must specify the same key into the Access Point and wireless stations. For 64-bit keys you must enter 10 hex digits. For 128-bit keys you must enter 26 hex digits. A hex digit is either a number from 0 through 9 or a letter from A through F. Leaving the box blank indicates a key of all 0’s. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 24 of 38 † Default WEP key to use: select a default WEP key to use. † Authentication: select an authentication method. Options available are Open, Shared Key. If Open is selected any station can access the Bridge. If Shared Key is selected both communicating stations must have the encryption key. 6 Access Point Mode – Web Configuration 6.1 Logging In † To configure the Access Point through the web-browser, enter the IP address of the Access Point (default: 192.168.1.2) into the address bar of the web-browser and press Enter. Make sure that the Access Point and your computers are on the same subnet. Refer to Chapter 3 in order to configure the IP address of your computer. † You will then see the login window. Leave the User name and Password fields blank and click on the OK button. † You can change the username and password under the Administrator Settings option. Refer to section 6.2.1 Administrator Settings to change the username and password. † After logging in, you will see the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the Bridge. The configuration is divided into four major parts: System, LAN, Filtering, and Wireless. Each one is described in detail in the next few sections. † The Status page is the first page that is displayed, this page displays the settings of the Access Point, the MAC/IP addresses, and the Wireless settings. To understand more about the Status page, refer to section 6.2.4 Status. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 25 of 38 6.2 System Click on the System link on the navigation bar. You will then see the following options: Administrator Settings, Firmware Upgrade, Configuration Tools, Status, Operation, and Rest. Each option is described in detail below. 6.2.1 Administrator Settings † Click on the Administrator Settings link under the System menu on the navigation bar. On this page you can configure a user name and password for the Access Point. The image below depicts the administrator settings screen. † User name: enter a new user name. † Administrator password: enter a new password in the first box, and then retype the password in the second box. † Click on the Save button to save the changes. 6.2.2 Firmware Upgrade † Click on the Firmware Upgrade link under the System menu on the navigation bar. Using this page you can upload a new firmware on the Access Point. The image below depicts the Firmware Upgrade screen. Wireless Multi-Client Bridge / Access Point / Repeater Version 1.1 Page 26 of 38 † Click on the Browse button to select the firmware, and then click on the Upload button. † The upload may take up to 60 seconds to complete. Do not power off the Access Point while the upgrade is in process. 6.2.3 Configuration Tools † Click on the Configuration Tools link under the System menu on the navigation bar. Using this page you can reset the settings of the Access Point to its factory defaults. The image below depicts the Configuration Tools screen. † Click on the Reset button to reset the Access Point to its factory default settings. 6.2.4 Status † Click on the Status link under the System menu on the navigation bar. This page displays the current status of the Access Point. This includes information such as: AP name, MAC address, number of associated stations, IP address, SSID, WEP, and WPA.