Basic Settings

Click on the “Basic Settings” selection and the “Basic Settings” page will appear. This menu allows you to change the Wireless Network Name (ESSID*), from its default value, change the Operating Channel**, and enable one of several available security options***.

*ESSID is the network name assigned to the wireless network. The factory default setting is “ACTIONTEC.” The ESSID value can be modified if needed, using any combination of alphanumeric characters (i.e., A-Z, a-z, 0-9). All clients must have this same ESSID value. (For the Actiontec 802.11g Wireless PC Card, the ESSID value must be the same as the SSID value. The SSID value can also be called the Network Name.) Note that the ESSID is case sen- sitive.

s** Operating Channel assigns the frequency band at which the Access Point communicates. In the United States, use channels 1-11. (The factory default value is set to 1.)

***Security Options on the “Basic Settings” page allow you to activate the following security options by selecting the appropriate buttons on the con- trol panel page:

Off - or no encryption enabled. This is the Access Point’s default security set- ting, Selecting this option allows any computer with wireless capability and the correct ESSID value to join the wireless network.

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) - This is an encryption method used with the 802.11g standard to ensure data security over wireless networks. After acti- vating WEP on the Access Point, a client can join the network only if these same keys are entered in that client’s wireless encryption scheme.

To Activate WEP, select the “WEP” button, and then click on the “Next” button. Your browser will then display the “WEP Key” menu page.

Although WEP only uses one key at a time, the WEP Key menu allows you to store up to four keys which can be activated for use by clicking the button next to the key you wish to use. You can choose from two levels of WEP encryption (64-bit and 128-bit) from the pull-down menus alongside each key entry.