5GHz, 802.11a

Instant Wireless® Series

2.4GHz 802.11b Wireless To enable 2.4GHz, 802.11b wireless networking, make sure the Enable radio button is selected. Click the Change 2.4GHz Settings button to customize the 802.11b configuration (see Figure 6-11).

The 5GHz, 802.11a screen allows you to configure your 5GHz, 802.11a network settings.

Figure 6-9

SSID The SSID is the network name shared among all points in a wireless network. The SSID must be identical for all points in the wireless network. It is case-sensitive and must not exceed 32 characters (use any of the char- acters on the keyboard). Make sure this setting is the same for all points in your wireless network. For added security, you should change the default SSID (linksys) to a unique name.

Dual-Band Wireless A+B Broadband Router

Turbo Mode This enables high-speed connections, but severely limits range. Turbo Mode must be enabled on both the Router and the wireless PCs to function. Turbo Mode is not compatible with Windows XP and functions only with Linksys 5GHz, 802.11a wireless adapters.

Select Enable to increase the speed of your wireless transmissions up to 72 Mbps. Keep in mind that the Router’s range diminishes in Turbo Mode. If you do not wish to utilize Turbo Mode, select Disable.

Channel Select the appropriate channel from the list provided to corre- spond with your network settings, between 36 and 64. All devices in your wireless network must use the same channel in order to function correctly. If you want the Router to automatically scan for a clear channel, then click the checkbox.

Note: If Turbo Mode is enabled, then auto-scan will not function, and

you must select one of the following channels: 42, 50, or 58.

Note: If auto-scan is enabled, then you cannot specify a channel setting.

WEP (Encryption) An acronym for Wired Equivalent Privacy, WEP is an encryption method used to protect your wireless data communications. WEP uses 64-bit, 128-bit, or 152-bit keys to provide access control to your network and encryption security for every data transmission. To decode a data transmission, each device in a network must use an identical key. Higher encryption levels offer higher levels of security, but due to the com- plexity of the encryption, they may decrease network performance. Click the Edit WEP Settings button to configure the WEP keys for your 5GHz, 802.11a network (see Figure 6-10).

Check all the values, and click the Apply button to save your 5GHz, 802.11a settings. To cancel any changes you’ve entered on this page, click the Cancel button. To get more information about the features, click the Help button.