NETGEAR WPN111 user manual Appendix B Wireless Networking Basics, Wireless Networking Overview

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Appendix B

Wireless Networking Basics

This chapter provides an overview of wireless networking and security.

Wireless Networking Overview

The RangeMax™ WPN111 Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter conforms to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b standard for wireless LANs (WLANs) and a product update will bring the WPN111 into conformance to the 802.11g standard when it is ratified. On an 802.11b or g wireless link, data is encoded using direct-sequence spread-spectrum (DSSS) technology and is transmitted in the unlicensed radio spectrum at 2.5GHz. The maximum data rate for the 802.11b wireless link is 11 Mbps, but it will automatically back down from 11 Mbps to 5.5, 2, and 1 Mbps when the radio signal is weak or when interference is detected. The 802.11g auto rate sensing rates are 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 54 Mbps. Likewise, the 802.11a wireless link offers a maximum data rate of 54 Mbps, but will automatically back down to rates 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9, and 6 Mbps.

The 802.11 standard is also called Wireless Ethernet or Wi-Fi by the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA, see http://www.wi-fi.net), an industry standard group promoting interoperability among 802.11 devices. The 802.11 standard offers two methods for configuring a wireless network - ad hoc and infrastructure.

Infrastructure Mode

With a wireless access point, you can operate the wireless LAN in the infrastructure mode. This mode provides wireless connectivity to multiple wireless network devices within a fixed range or area of coverage, interacting with wireless nodes via an antenna.

In the infrastructure mode, the wireless access point converts airwave data into wired Ethernet data, acting as a bridge between the wired LAN and wireless clients. Connecting multiple access points via a wired Ethernet backbone can further extend the wireless network coverage. As a mobile computing device moves out of the range of one access point, it moves into the range of another. As a result, wireless clients can freely roam from one access point domain to another and still maintain seamless network connection.

W ire le ss N e tworkin g B a sics

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Contents NETGEAR, I n c Technical Support FCC Information to User Ta n d a rd s Teste d to C om p lyContents Troubleshooting Index Viii Audience, Scope, Conventions Chapter About This ManualHow to Print this Manual About the WPN111 Key FeaturesChapter Introduction What’s in the Box? Road Map for ‘How to Get There From Here’To le a rn a b ou t wire le ss On n e ct to a E n tify th e Wire le ss n e tworkWire le ss Wire le ss n etworkRowse r su ch a s Ctiva te m yVe rify m y n e twork Ca b le or D S L se rvice Twork Con n e ction Rovid e rs For you r ve rsion of W in d owsIgh b orh ood Wire le ss a n dTwork Con n e ct to th e wire le ss Wire d n etwork E P C I a m u sin g toD P rin t S h a rin g Wire le ss a n d Com p u te r su p p ort grou p sCom b in e d Twork n e e d s to b eVerifying System Requirements Chapter Basic SetupWhat You Need Before You Begin Observing Location and Range Guidelines Two Basic Operating ModesBasic Installation Instructions WPN111 Default Wireless Configuration SettingsSta llS h ie ld W iza rd For Windows XP Users Installing a WPN111Click Install Driver and Utility With a W in d ows X P L ogo te stin g V1 typ eOrt, you Is 1 4 M b p s wh e re a s th eSte p s, click th e H e lp b u tton in th e W P N 1 1 Th e se202-10076-01 N 1 1 1 R e sou rce C D Sta llS h ie ld W iza rd For Windows 2000 Users Installing a WPN111Ort is 4 8 0 M b p s N 1 1 1 S yste m Tra y I con Ou n d N e w H a rd wa re W iza rdSp e e d is 1 Tility Or re se t WPN111 Wireless Connection IndicatorsInterpreting the LED on the WPN111 Interpreting System Tray Icon Colors Using Configuration Profiles Chapter ConfigurationUnderstanding the Configuration Options Run the WPN111 Configuration Utility Connecting to an Access Point in Infrastructure ModeHow to Configure an Infrastructure Mode Profile Save your settings in a Profile Configure the wireless Network settingsVerify wireless connectivity to your network Connecting to Another PC in Ad-hoc ModeHow to Configure an Ad-hoc Mode Profile Windows Run program dialog box Configure the PC network settingsPing test results How to Start a Computer-to-Computer Ad-Hoc NetworkEnabling Wireless Security Features Configure the Security settings How to Configure WEP Encryption SecurityHow to Configure WPA-PSK Encryption Security Advanced Security StatisticsAdvanced Settings Advanced Settings202-10076-01 Basic Tips Chapter TroubleshootingGeneral Questions Frequently Asked QuestionsNew Hardware Wizard appears after installation has completed Rou b le s h ootin g Appendix a Technical Specifications Ch n ica l S p e cifica tion s Infrastructure Mode Appendix B Wireless Networking BasicsWireless Networking Overview Wireless Channels Ad Hoc Mode Peer-to-Peer WorkgroupNetwork Name Extended Service Set Identification Essid 802.11b/g Wireless Channels W for E u rop e Re qu e n cy G H z 5 5 2 5 5 2For U S For C a n a d aWPN111 user can use thirteen channels in non-turbomode 160 Wireless Security Overview152 Cisco Leap WEP AuthenticationWEP Overview 802.1xAuthentication Open System Steps Bit WEP WEP KeysWEP Key Configuration How to Use WEP Parameters802.1x Port Based Network Access Control Figure B-4 802.1x authentication WPA Wireless Security How Does WPA Compare to WEP? How Does WPA Compare to Ieee 802.11i? What are the Key Features of WPA Security?Figure B-5 WPA Overview Figure B-6 WPA/802.1x Authentication Sequence 202-10076-01 Michael WPA Data Encryption Key ManagementTemporal Key Integrity Protocol Tkip AES Support Is WPA Perfect?Product Support for WPA Wireless network adapters Wireless client programs 202-10076-01 Preparing Your Computers for TCP/IP Networking Appendix C Preparing Your PCs for Network AccessConfiguring Windows 98 and Me for TCP/IP Networking Install or Verify Windows Networking ComponentsRe p a rin g Y ou r P C s for N e twork a cce ss Locate your Network Neighborhood icon Choose Settings, and then Control PanelEnabling Dhcp in Windows 98 and Me Primary Network Logon is set to Windows logon Verifying TCP/IP Properties Selecting Windows’ Internet Access MethodConfiguring Windows 2000 or XP for TCP/IP Networking Dhcp Configuration of TCP/IP in Windows XP Dhcp Configuration of TCP/IP in Windows XP orTCP/IP details are presented on Support tab Verify that Obtain an IP address Dhcp Configuration of TCP/IP in WindowsObtain an IP address automatically is selected Verifying TCP/IP Properties for Windows XP or 202-10076-01 Glossary DSL Internet service provider Ssid Wins 202-10076-01 Numerics Index
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