Setting Up a Wireless Network with a Wireless Access Point
Setting Up a Wireless Network with a Wireless Access Point
This section describes how to set up a wireless network for a home or small business when you use a wireless AP (infrastructure mode). To secure your infrastructure mode home or small business wireless network, you must use open system authentication with WEP encryption or WPA preshared key authentication with TKIP encryption.
Configuring the Wireless AP
If your wireless AP does not support WPA, you must do the following when configuring your wireless AP:
Specify the wireless network name (SSID).
Enable open system authentication.
Enable WEP.
Select a WEP key format.
If you are typing the WEP key using keyboard characters, you must type five characters for a 40-bit WEP key and 13 characters for a 104-bit WEP key. If you are typing the WEP key using hexadecimal digits, you must type 10 hexadecimal digits for a 40-bit key and 26 hexadecimal digits for a 104-bit key. If you have the choice of the format of the WEP key, choose hexadecimal because hexadecimal digits allow more randomness for the WEP key. The more random your WEP key, the safer it is to use for a longer period of time.
Select the WEP encryption key number.
You must specify which key to use. IEEE 802.11b allows the use of up to four different WEP keys. A single WEP key is used when traffic is exchanged between the wireless AP and a wireless client. The key is stored in a specific memory position. In order for the receiver to correctly decrypt the incoming frame, both the sender and the receiver must use the same encryption key in the same memory position.
Although it is possible to configure your wireless AP with all four keys and have different clients use different keys, this process can lead to configuration confusion. Instead, choose a specific key and a specific memory position to use for the wireless AP and all the wireless clients.
The configuration of a specific encryption key is complicated by the fact that Windows XP (prior to Service Pack 1 [SP1]) refers to the encryption key memory positions using a key index and it numbers the key indexes starting at 0. Many wireless APs refer to the encryption key memory positions as encryption keys and number the keys starting at 1. In this case, you must make the Windows XP (prior to SP1) key index number indicate the same encryption key memory position as the encryption key number on the wireless AP; otherwise, the wireless AP and wireless clients cannot communicate. Table 12-1 shows this relationship.
The easiest configuration is to use the first encryption key memory position, which corresponds to Windows XP (prior to SP1) key index 0 (or Windows XP [SP1 and later] and Windows Server 2003 key index 1) and wireless AP encryption key 1.
Specify the WEP key.
NOTE
Windows XP (SP1 and later) and Windows Server 2003 number the encryption key index starting at 1, which matches the encryption key numbers of many wireless APs.
Windows XP (Prior to SP1) Key Index Number | Wireless AP Encryption Key Number |
0 | 1 |
1 | 2 |
2 | 3 |
3 | 4 |
If your wireless AP does support WPA, you must do the following when configuring your wireless AP:
Specify the wireless network name (SSID).
Enable WPA-PSK authentication.
Enable TKIP.
Specify the WPA preshared key.
Configuring the Windows Wireless Clients
Configuration of the Windows wireless clients depends on the following factors:
Whether the wireless network adapter driver supports the WZC service.
Whether the clients are running Windows XP (prior to SP1) or Windows XP (SP1 and later).
Whether or not you use WPA.
Configuring Wireless Clients with WEP
If WPA is either not supported or not enabled for your wireless network components, there are several different types of configuration for Windows wireless clients, as follows:
Your computer is running Windows XP (prior to SP1) and your wireless network adapter driver supports the WZC service.
Your computer is running Windows XP (prior to SP1) or Windows Server 2003, and your wireless network adapter driver supports the WZC service.
Your wireless network adapter driver does not support the WZC service.
Wireless Network Adapter Driver Supports the WZC Service with Windows XP (Prior to SP1)
Use the following procedure to configure Windows XP (prior to SP1) for your infrastructure mode wireless network when the wireless network adapter supports the WZC service:
Install your wireless network adapter in Windows XP, including installing the proper drivers for your wireless network adapter so it appears as a wireless connection in Network Connections.
When the computer is within range of the wireless AP operating in your home or small business, Windows XP should detect it and prompt you with a message in the notification area of your taskbar.
Click the notification message. If you are not notified, right-click the wireless network adapter in Network Connections and click View Available Wireless Networks.
In either case, you should see a Connect To Wireless Network dialog box.
Click Advanced.
In the wireless network adapter properties dialog box, click your wireless network name and click Configure.
In the Wireless Network Properties dialog box, clear the The Key Is Provided For Me Automatically check box.
In Key Format, select the encryption key format as configured on wireless AP.
In Key Length, select the key size as configured on the wireless AP.
In Network Key, type the key as configured on the wireless AP.
In Key Index, select the key index corresponding to the encryption key memory position as configured on the wireless AP.
Click OK to save changes to the wireless network.
Click OK to save changes to the wireless network adapter.
Figure 12-3 shows an example of the Wireless Network Properties dialog box for a home wireless network with the following configuration:
SSID is HOME-AP.
WEP is enabled.
Open system authentication is enabled.
The WEP encryption key is 104 bits long, is in hexadecimal format, uses key index 0 (the first encryption key position), and consists of the sequence 8e7cd510fba7f71ef29abc63ce.
Figure 12-3. Example of Windows XP (prior to SP1) configuration for an infrastructure mode wireless network.
Wireless Network Adapter Driver Supports the WZC Service with Windows XP (SP1 and Later)
Use the following procedure to configure Windows XP (SP1 and later) or Windows Server 2003 for your infrastructure mode wireless network when the wireless network adapter supports the WZC service:
Install your wireless network adapter in Windows XP. This process includes installing the proper drivers for your wireless network adapter so it appears as a wireless connection in Network Connections.
When the computer is within range of the wireless AP operating in your home or small business, Windows XP should detect it and prompt you with a message in the notification area of your taskbar.
Click the notification message. If you are not notified, right-click the wireless network adapter in Network Connections and click View Available Wireless Networks.
In either case, you should see a Wireless Network Connection dialog box.
Click Advanced.
In the wireless network adapter properties dialog box, click your wireless network name and click Configure.
On the Association tab of the Wireless Network Properties dialog box, clear the The Key Is Provided For Me Automatically check box.
In Network Key and Confirm Network Key, type the WEP encryption key as configured on the wireless AP.
In Key Index, select the key index corresponding to the encryption key memory position as configured on the wireless AP.
Click OK to save changes to the wireless network.
Click OK to save changes to the wireless network adapter.
Figure 12-4 shows an example of a Wireless Network Properties dialog box for a home wireless network with the following configuration:
SSID is HOME-AP.
Open system authentication is enabled.
WEP is enabled.
The WEP encryption key consists of the sequence 8e7cd510fba7f71ef29abc63ce and uses key index 0 (the first encryption key position).
Figure 12-4. Example of Windows XP (SP1 and later) properties of an infrastructure mode wireless network.
Wireless Network Adapter Driver Does Not Support the WZC Service
If your wireless network adapter driver does not support the WZC service, you notice the following:
The network adapter does not appear as a wireless connection in Network Connections; it appears as a LAN adapter, similar to an Ethernet connection.
The properties of the wireless connection do not have a Wireless Networks tab.
You do not receive a Windows XP notification area message indicating that wireless networks are available.
To get the most out of your Windows wireless experience, you should contact your wireless network adapter vendor to obtain the latest version of the drivers for Windows XP that support the WZC service. If new drivers are not available, or if you want to connect your computer to the wireless network while the drivers are being obtained, you must manually configure wireless network settings using the configuration software supplied with the wireless network adapter.
To configure your wireless network adapter, use the configuration software provided by the network adapter vendor to configure the following:
SSID of your wireless network.
The SSID must be the same as that configured on the wireless AP.
Open system authentication (enabled).
WEP encryption (enabled).
WEP key size.
Select the key size as configured on the wireless AP. If the wireless network adapter does not support the same encryption key length as the wireless AP, you must reconfigure the wireless AP. For example, if your wireless AP supports 40-bit and 104-bit WEP key sizes and your wireless network adapter supports only 40-bit keys, you must reconfigure the wireless AP to use a 40-bit WEP key.
WEP key format.
Select the same WEP key format as configured on the wireless AP. If the wireless network adapter does not support the same encryption key formats as the wireless AP, you must reconfigure the wireless AP. For example, if your wireless AP supports keyboard and hexadecimal WEP key formats, and your wireless network adapter supports only keyboard format, you must reconfigure the wireless AP to use keyboard format for the encryption keys.
WEP key.
Type the same encryption key as configured on the wireless AP.
WEP key number.
Specify the same encryption key number as configured on the wireless AP.
Configuring the Wireless Clients with WPA
This section describes how to configure your wireless client when WPA is supported and enabled on your wireless AP and your wireless clients.
NOTE
There is no procedure for configuring a computer running Windows XP (prior to SP1) for WPA. The Windows WPA Client can be installed only on computers running Windows XP (SP1 and later) and Windows Server 2003.
Wireless Network Adapter Driver Supports the WZC Service with Windows XP (SP1 and Later)
Use the following procedure to configure Windows XP (SP1 and later) for your infrastructure mode wireless network when the wireless network adapter supports the WZC service:
Install your wireless network adapter in Windows XP. This process includes installing the proper drivers for your wireless network adapter so it appears as a wireless connection in Network Connections.
When the computer is within range of the wireless AP operating in your home or small business, Windows XP should detect it and prompt you with a message in the notification area of your taskbar.
Click the notification message. If you are not notified, right-click the wireless network adapter in Network Connections and click View Available Wireless Networks.
In either case, you should see a Wireless Network Connection dialog box.
Click Advanced.
In the wireless network adapter properties dialog box, click your wireless network name and click Configure.
In Authentication in the Wireless Network Properties dialog box, select WPA-PSK. TKIP should already be selected in Data Encryption.
In Network Key and Confirm Network Key, type the WPA preshared key as configured on the wireless AP.
Click OK to save changes to the wireless network.
Click OK to save changes to the wireless network adapter.
Figure 12-5 shows an example of a Wireless Network Properties dialog box for a home wireless network with the following configuration:
SSID is HOME-AP.
WPA-PSK authentication is enabled.
The WPA preshared key is 32 characters long and consists of the sequence 8d(Xo2$j%nfK039ksSs#06I[_C3!1~9z.
Figure 12-5. Example of a WPA-enabled Windows XP (SP1 and later) configuration for an infrastructure mode wireless network.
Wireless Network Adapter Driver Does Not Support the WZC Service
To configure your wireless network adapter, use the configuration software provided by the network adapter vendor to configure the following:
SSID of your wireless network.
The SSID must be the same as configured on the wireless AP.
WPA preshared key authentication (enabled).
TKIP encryption (enabled).
WPA preshared key.
Type the same WPA preshared key as configured on the wireless AP.
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