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TM
Instant Wireless Series
Wireless Access
Point
Use this guide to install: WAP54A
User Guide
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COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARKS Copyright © 2002 Linksys, All Rights Reserved. Instant Wireless™ is a registered trade- mark of Linksys. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective proprietors. LIMITED WARRANTY Linksys guarantees that every Wireless Access Point is free from physical defects in material and workmanship under normal use for one year from the date of purchase. If
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TM Instant Wireless Series Wireless Access Point Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction TM The Instant Wireless Wireless Access Point Chapter 1: Introduction 1 TM The Instant Wireless Wireless Access Point 1 Don’t be bound by cabling restrictions any longer! The Instant Wireless™ Features 1 Package Contents 2 Wireless Access Point from Linksys delivers the freedom to configure your net- System Requirements 2 work your way. Utilization of “state-of-the-art” wireless technology gives you the ab
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TM Instant Wireless Series Wireless Access Point Chapter 2: Planning Your Wireless Network Network Topology A wireless LAN is a group of computers, each equipped with one Instant Wireless™ Series adapter. Computers in a wireless LAN must be configured to share the same radio channel. The Instant Wireless™ Series adapters provide access to a wired LAN for wire- less workstations. An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called an Infrastructure configuration. A group of Instant Wireless™ Series
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TM Instant Wireless Series Wireless Access Point The Wireless Access Point’s LEDs Chapter 3: Getting to Know the The Access Point’s LEDs, where information about the unit’s current status is displayed, are located on the Access Point’s front panel, as shown in Figure 3- Wireless Access Point 2. The Wireless Access Point’s Ports The Access Point’s ports, where a network cable is connected, are located on the Access Point’s rear panel, as shown in Figure 3-1. Figure 3-2 Figure 3-1 Power Green. The
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TM TM Instant Wireless Series Instant Wireless Series Chapter 4: Connecting the Chapter 5: Configuring the Wireless Access Point Wireless Access Point Important: Before configuring the Access Point, be sure to set 1. Locate an optimum location for the Access Point. The best place for the up the TCP/IP protocol on your wireless PCs. If this has not Access Point is usually at the center of your wireless network, with line of already been done, please refer to Appendix B: Setting Up the sight to
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TM Wireless Access Point Instant Wireless Series • Access Point Name. You may assign any name to the AccessPoint. • Wireless: Unique, memorable names are helpful, especially if you are employing multiple access points on the same network. Verify this is the name you • Turbo Mode. Click this button to increase the speed of your wireless trans- wish to use and click the Apply button to set it. missions (it will change from Off to On), keeping in mind that the Access Point’s range diminishes in Tur
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Wireless Network Access Point Wireless Access Point The Status Tab The “Status” tab, shown in Figure 5-5, will display the Access Point’s current MAC address and state as well as the state and MAC Address of each wireless point on your network associ- ated with it. Figure 5-4 This will open the WEP Key Setting screen, Figure 5-4. From this screen, you can select the type of WEP encryption to use. From the pull-down menu at the top of the screen, select 64-bit, 128-bit, or 152- bit encryption. T
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Instant Wireless™ Series Wireless Access Point The Advanced Tab The Filter Tab The “Filter” tab, shown in Figure 5-7, allows you to block or allow certain com- puters, by their MAC Address, from communicating with the Access Point. To enable filtering of computers by their MAC Addresses, select Enable from the drop-down menu. Next, click the Add button. This will bring up another screen, as shown in Figure 5-8, where you will specify the MAC Address you will allow or deny over your wireless netw
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TM Instant Wireless Series Wireless Network Access Point • Fragmentation Length. This specifies the maximum size a data packet will be before splitting and creating a new packet and should remain at its default setting of 2,346. A smaller setting means smaller packets, which will create more packets for each transmission. If you have decreased this value and experience high packet error rates, you can increase it again, but it will likely decrease overall network performance. Only minor modifica
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Instant Wireless™ Series Wireless Access Point make sure that it is the same channel number as the Access Point of the dedi- Appendix A: Troubleshooting cated coverage area. To achieve true seamless connectivity, the wireless LAN must incorporate a This chapter provides solutions to problems usually encountered during the number of different functions. Each node and Access Point, for example, must installation and operation of the Access Point. Read the description below to always acknowledge r
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Instant Wireless™ Series Wireless Access Point tuned to the right frequency, a spread-spectrum signal looks like background How do I resolve issues with signal loss? noise. There are two main alternatives, Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum There is no way to know the exact range of your wireless network without test- (DSSS) and Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS). ing. Every obstacle placed between an Access Point and wireless PC will cre- ate signal loss. Leaded glass, metal, concrete floor
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Instant Wireless™ Series Wireless Network Access Point What is the difference in Appendix B: Setting Up the TCP/IP Protocol range between 802.11a and Setting Up TCP/IP in Windows 802.11b products? Overall, range will be a little Before a computer can communicate with the Access Point, it must be config- ured with the TCP/IP protocol. If you know how to set up TCP/IP on your com- less in a typical environment, puters, do so now. Otherwise, use the guidelines below to help get TCP/IP while higher
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Wireless Access Point Wireless Network Access Point 3. When the Component Type window appears, select Protocol and click the 12. When the Network window reappears, click the Close button. Restart your Add button. computer when prompted. TCP/IP has now been successfully installed. 4. Select Microsoft in the Manufacturers list and choose TCP/IP in the TCP/IP Setup for Windows 2000 Network Protocols list. Then, click the OK button. 1. At the Windows 2000 desktop, right click My Network Places and
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TM Wireless Access Point Instant Wireless Series Buffer - A buffer is a shared or assigned memory area used by hardware Appendix C: Glossary devices or program processes that operate at different speeds or with different sets of priorities. The buffer allows each device or process to operate without being held up by the other. In order for a buffer to be effective, the size of the Adapter - Printed circuit board that plugs into a PC to add to capabilities or buffer and the algorithms for moving
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TM Wireless Access Point Instant Wireless Series DHCP uses the concept of a "lease" or amount of time that a given IP address ESS - More than one BSS in a network. will be valid for a computer. The lease time can vary depending on how long a user is likely to require the Internet connection at a particular location. It's espe- Ethernet - IEEE standard network protocol that specifies how data is placed cially useful in education and other environments where users change fre- on and retrieved from
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Wireless Network Access Point Wireless Access Point The IEEE fosters the development of standards that often become national and Network - A system that transmits any combination of voice, video and/or data international standards. The organization publishes a number of journals, has between users. many local chapters, and several large societies in special areas, such as the IEEE Computer Society. Node - A network junction or connection point, typically a computer or work station. Infrastructu
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Wireless Access Point Wireless Network Access Point Server - Any computer whose function in a network is to provide user access actual delivery of the data, TCP takes care of keeping track of the individual to files, printing, communications, and other services. units of data (called packet) that a message is divided into for efficient routing through the Internet. Software - Instructions for the computer. A series of instructions that performs a particular task is called a "program." The two m
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Wireless Access Point Wireless Access Point Appendix D: Specifications Appendix E: Warranty Information BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE AND A BARCODE Standards IEEE 802.11a, 802.3, 802.3u FROM THE PRODUCT’S PACKAGING ON HAND WHEN CALLING. RETURN REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT PROOF OF Channels 8 Channels (US, Canada) PURCHASE. Ports/Buttons One 10/100 Ethernet IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYS’S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICE One Reset Button PAID FOR THE PRODUCT FROM DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL
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TM Instant Wireless Series Appendix F: Contact Information For help with the installation or operation of this product, contact Linksys Technical Support at one of the phone numbers or Internet addresses below. Sales Information 800-546-5797 (LINKSYS) Technical Support 866-242-8558 RMA Issues 949-261-1288 Fax 949-261-8868 Email support@linksys.com Web http://www.linksys.com FTP Site ftp.linksys.com 34
