ZyXEL Communications NWD2105 Wireless N-lite USB Adapter User Manual NWD2105 0531

ZyXEL Communications Corporation Wireless N-lite USB Adapter NWD2105 0531

Contents

UserMan-1_I88NWD2105

www.zyxel.comwww.zyxel.comNWD2105Wireless N-lite USB AdapterCopyright © 2010 ZyXEL Communications CorporationVersion 1.0Edition 1, 05/2010
About This User's GuideNWD2105 User’s Guide 3About This User's GuideIntended AudienceThis manual is intended for people who want to configure the NWD2105 using the ZyXEL utility. Tips for Reading User’s Guides On-ScreenWhen reading a ZyXEL User’s Guide On-Screen, keep the following in mind:•If you don’t already have the latest version of Adobe Reader, you can download it from http://www.adobe.com.•Use the PDF’s bookmarks to quickly navigate to the areas that interest you. Adobe Reader’s bookmarks pane opens by default in all ZyXEL User’s Guide PDFs.•If you know the page number or know vaguely which page-range you want to view, you can enter a number in the toolbar in Reader, then press [ENTER] to jump directly to that page.•Type [CTRL]+[F] to open the Adobe Reader search utility and enter a word or phrase. This can help you quickly pinpoint the information you require. You can also enter text directly into the toolbar in Reader.•To quickly move around within a page, press the [SPACE] bar. This turns your cursor into a “hand” with which you can grab the page and move it around freely on your screen.•Embedded hyperlinks are actually cross-references to related text. Click them to jump to the corresponding section of the User’s Guide PDF.Related Documentation•Quick Start Guide The Quick Start Guide is designed to help you get up and running right away. It contains information on setting up your network and configuring for Internet access.•Online HelpEmbedded web help for descriptions of individual screens and supplementary information.•Support DiscRefer to the included CD for support documents.Documentation FeedbackSend your comments, questions or suggestions to: techwriters@zyxel.com.tw
About This User's GuideNWD2105 User’s Guide4Thank you!The Technical Writing Team, ZyXEL Communications Corp.,6 Innovation Road II, Science-Based Industrial Park, Hsinchu, 30099, Taiwan.Need More Help?More help is available at www.zyxel.com. •Download LibrarySearch for the latest product updates and documentation from this link. Read the Tech Doc Overview to find out how to efficiently use the documentation in order to better understand how to use your product. •Knowledge BaseIf you have a specific question about your product, the answer may be here. This is a collection of answers to previously asked questions about ZyXEL products. •ForumThis contains discussions on ZyXEL products. Learn from others who use ZyXEL products and share your experiences as well.Customer SupportShould problems arise that cannot be solved by the methods listed above, you should contact your vendor. If you cannot contact your vendor, then contact a ZyXEL office for the region in which you bought the device. See http://www.zyxel.com/web/contact_us.php for contact information. Please have the following information ready when you contact an office.•Product model and serial number.•Warranty Information.•Date that you received your device.•Brief description of the problem and the steps you took to solve it.
Document ConventionsNWD2105 User’s Guide 5Document ConventionsWarnings and NotesThese are how warnings and notes are shown in this User’s Guide. Warnings tell you about things that could harm you or your NWD2105.Note: Notes tell you other important information (for example, other things you may need to configure or helpful tips) or recommendations.Syntax Conventions•The NWD2105 may be referred to as the “NWD2105”, the “device”, the “system” or the “product” in this User’s Guide.•Product labels, screen names, field labels and field choices are all in bold font.•A key stroke is denoted by square brackets and uppercase text, for example, [ENTER] means the “enter” or “return” key on your keyboard.•“Enter” means for you to type one or more characters and then press the [ENTER] key. “Select” or “choose” means for you to use one of the predefined choices.•A right angle bracket ( > ) within a screen name denotes a mouse click. For example, Maintenance > Log > Log Setting means you first click Maintenance in the navigation panel, then the Log sub menu and finally the Log Setting tab to get to that screen.•Units of measurement may denote the “metric” value or the “scientific” value. For example, “k” for kilo may denote “1000” or “1024”, “M” for mega may denote “1000000” or “1048576” and so on.•“e.g.,” is a shorthand for “for instance”, and “i.e.,” means “that is” or “in other words”.
Document ConventionsNWD2105 User’s Guide6Icons Used in FiguresFigures in this User’s Guide may use the following generic icons. Wireless Access Point Computer Notebook computerServer Modem TelephoneInternet Wireless Signal
Safety WarningsNWD2105 User’s Guide 7Safety Warnings•Do NOT use this product near water, for example, in a wet basement or near a swimming pool.•Do NOT expose your device to dampness, dust or corrosive liquids.•Do NOT store things on the device.•Do NOT install, use, or service this device during a thunderstorm. There is a remote risk of electric shock from lightning.•Connect ONLY suitable accessories to the device.•Ground yourself (by properly using an anti-static wrist strap, for example) whenever working with the device’s hardware or connections.•ONLY qualified service personnel should service or disassemble this device.•Antenna Warning! This device meets ETSI and FCC certification requirements when using the included antenna(s). Only use the included antenna(s).Your product is marked with this symbol, which is known as the WEEE mark. WEEE stands for Waste Electronics and Electrical Equipment. It means that used electrical and electronic products should not be mixed with general waste. Used electrical and electronic equipment should be treated separately.
Safety WarningsNWD2105 User’s Guide8
Contents OverviewNWD2105 User’s Guide 9Contents OverviewIntroduction and Configuration ............................................................................................15Getting Started ...........................................................................................................................17Tutorial .......................................................................................................................................23Wireless LANs ...........................................................................................................................37Station Mode ..............................................................................................................................49AP Mode ....................................................................................................................................75Maintenance ..............................................................................................................................85Troubleshooting and Specifications ....................................................................................89Troubleshooting .........................................................................................................................91Product Specifications ...............................................................................................................95Appendices and Index ...........................................................................................................99
Contents OverviewNWD2105 User’s Guide10
Table of ContentsNWD2105 User’s Guide 11Table of ContentsAbout This User's Guide..........................................................................................................3Document Conventions............................................................................................................5Safety Warnings........................................................................................................................7Contents Overview...................................................................................................................9Table of Contents....................................................................................................................11Part I: Introduction and Configuration.................................................15Chapter 1Getting Started........................................................................................................................171.1 Overview ..............................................................................................................................171.1.1 What You Need to Know ............................................................................................171.1.2 Before You Begin .......................................................................................................181.2 About Your NWD2105 .......................................................................................................181.2.1 Hardware ....................................................................................................................181.3 Application Overview ...........................................................................................................191.3.1 Infrastructure ..............................................................................................................191.3.2 Ad-Hoc .......................................................................................................................201.4 Hardware and Utility Installation ..........................................................................................201.4.1 ZyXEL Utility Icon .......................................................................................................201.5 Configuration Methods .......................................................................................................211.5.1 Enabling Windows Wireless Configuration ................................................................211.5.2 Accessing the ZyXEL Utility ......................................................................................21Chapter 2Tutorial.....................................................................................................................................232.1 Overview ..............................................................................................................................232.1.1 What You Can Do in This Tutorial ..............................................................................232.1.2 What You Need to Know ............................................................................................232.1.3 Before You Begin .......................................................................................................242.2 Connecting to an AP using Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) ..................................................242.2.1 Push Button Configuration (PBC) ..............................................................................242.2.2 PIN Configuration .......................................................................................................252.3 Connecting to an AP Without Using WPS ...........................................................................29
Table of ContentsNWD2105 User’s Guide122.3.1 Manually Connecting to a Wireless LAN ...................................................................292.3.2 Creating and Using a Profile ......................................................................................312.4 Configuring the NWD2105 as an AP ...................................................................................34Chapter 3Wireless LANs.........................................................................................................................373.1 Overview ..............................................................................................................................373.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section ..............................................................................373.1.2 What You Need to Know ............................................................................................373.1.3 Before You Begin .......................................................................................................383.2 Wireless LAN Overview ......................................................................................................383.3 Wireless LAN Security ........................................................................................................393.3.1 User Authentication and Encryption ...........................................................................393.4 WiFi Protected Setup ...........................................................................................................413.4.1 Push Button Configuration .........................................................................................423.4.2 PIN Configuration .......................................................................................................423.4.3 How WPS Works ........................................................................................................443.4.4 Limitations of WPS .....................................................................................................47Chapter 4Station Mode............................................................................................................................494.1 Overview ..............................................................................................................................494.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section ..............................................................................494.1.2 What You Need to Know ............................................................................................494.1.3 Before You Begin .......................................................................................................504.2 ZyXEL Utility Screen Summary ...........................................................................................504.3 The Link Info Screen ..........................................................................................................514.3.1 Trend Chart ................................................................................................................534.4 The Site Survey Screen .....................................................................................................544.4.1 Security Settings .......................................................................................................554.4.2 Summary Screen .......................................................................................................614.5 The Profile Screen ..............................................................................................................624.5.1 Adding a New Profile ..................................................................................................644.6 The Adapter Screen ...........................................................................................................684.6.1 WPS: PBC (Push Button Configuration) ....................................................................694.6.2 WPS: PIN - Use this Device’s PIN .............................................................................694.6.3 WPS: PIN - Use the PIN from the AP or Wireless Router ..........................................704.7 Security Settings in Windows Vista ....................................................................................714.7.1 Using PEAP in Vista ...................................................................................................724.7.2 Using TLS in Vista .....................................................................................................73Chapter 5AP Mode...................................................................................................................................75
Table of ContentsNWD2105 User’s Guide 135.1 Overview ..............................................................................................................................755.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section ..............................................................................765.1.2 What You Need to Know ............................................................................................765.1.3 Before You Begin .......................................................................................................775.2 AP Mode Screen Summary .................................................................................................775.3 The Link Info Screen ..........................................................................................................785.4 The Configuration Screen ...................................................................................................795.4.1 Security Settings .......................................................................................................805.5 The MAC Filter Screen ........................................................................................................83Chapter 6Maintenance............................................................................................................................856.1 Overview ..............................................................................................................................856.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section ..............................................................................856.1.2 What You Need to Know ............................................................................................856.1.3 Before You Begin .......................................................................................................856.2 The About Screen ...............................................................................................................866.3 Uninstalling the ZyXEL Utility ..............................................................................................866.4 Upgrading the ZyXEL Utility ................................................................................................87Part II: Troubleshooting and Specifications........................................89Chapter 7Troubleshooting......................................................................................................................917.1 Power, Hardware Connections, and LEDs ..........................................................................917.2 Accessing the ZyXEL Utility .................................................................................................927.3 Link Quality ..........................................................................................................................927.4 Problems Communicating with Other Computers ...............................................................93Chapter 8Product Specifications...........................................................................................................95Part III: Appendices and Index..............................................................99Appendix A Setting Up Your Computer’s IP Address...........................................................101Appendix B Wireless LANs..................................................................................................131Appendix C Windows Wireless Management......................................................................147Appendix D Wireless for Windows 7....................................................................................173
Table of ContentsNWD2105 User’s Guide14Appendix E Legal Information..............................................................................................179Index.......................................................................................................................................185
15PART IIntroduction and ConfigurationGetting Started (17)Tutorial (23)Wireless LANs (37)Station Mode (49)AP Mode (75)Maintenance (85)
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NWD2105 User’s Guide 17CHAPTER 1 Getting Started1.1 OverviewThe ZyXEL NWD2105 wireless N-lite USB adapter brings you a better Internet experience over existing 802.11 networks. With data rates of up to 150 Mbps, you can enjoy a breathtaking high-speed connection at home or in the office. It is an excellent solution for daily activities such as file transfers, music downloading, video streaming and online gaming.This section includes:•About Your NWD2105 on page 18•Application Overview on page 19•Hardware and Utility Installation on page 20•Configuration Methods on page 211.1.1 What You Need to KnowThe following terms and concepts may help as you read through this section, and subsequently as you read through the rest of the User’s Guide.Access PointAn Access Point (AP) is a network device that acts as a bridge between a wired and a wireless network. Outside of the home or office, APs can most often be found in coffee shops, bookstores and other businesses that offer wireless Internet connectivity to their customers.InfrastructureAn infrastructure network is one that seamlessly combines both wireless and wired components. One or more APs often serve as the bridge between wireless and wired LANs.
Chapter 1Getting StartedNWD2105 User’s Guide18Ad-HocAn Ad-Hoc wireless LAN is a self-contained group of computers connected wirelessly and which is independent of any other networks and Access Points.1.1.2 Before You Begin•Read the Quick Start Guide for information on making hardware connections and using the ZyXEL utility to connect your NWD2105 to a network.1.2 About Your NWD2105 Your NWD2105 is an IEEE 802.11n compliant wireless LAN adapter. It can also connect to IEEE 802.11b/g wireless networks. The NWD2105 is WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) compliant. WPS allows you to easily connect to another WPS-enabled device. The NWD2105 is a USB adapter which connects to an empty USB port on your computer.See your NWD2105’s Quick Start Guide for installation instructions, and see the section on product specifications in this User’s Guide for detailed information.1.2.1 HardwareThis section describes the NWD2105’s physical appearance.Figure 1 The NWD2105The following table describes the NWD2105.Table 1 NWD2105 External ViewLABEL DESCRIPTIONALED and also a WPS buttonBUSB connectorAB
Chapter 1Getting StartedNWD2105 User’s Guide 19The following table describes the operation of the NWD2105’s LEDs.1.3 Application OverviewThis section describes some network applications for the NWD2105. You can either set the network type to Infrastructure and connect to an AP or use Ad-Hocmode and connect to a peer computer (another wireless device in Ad-Hoc mode).1.3.1 Infrastructure To connect to a network via an access point (AP), set the NWD2105 network type to Infrastructure (see Chapter 4 on page 62). Through the AP, you can access the Internet or the wired network behind the AP. Figure 2 Application: Infrastructure Table 2 NWD2105 LEDsLED COLOR STATUS DESCRIPTIONOrangeSlow Blinking The NWD2105 is turned on, connected to an AP, and is not transmitting or receiving data.Rapid Blinking The NWD2105 is turned on, connected to an AP, and is transmitting or receiving data. It also blinks when the WPS feature is being used or a WPS connection is being initiated.OffThe NWD2105 is turned off.
Chapter 1Getting StartedNWD2105 User’s Guide201.3.2 Ad-Hoc To set up a small independent wireless workgroup without an AP, use Ad-Hoc (see Chapter 4 on page 62).Ad-Hoc does not require an AP or a wired network. Two or more wireless clients communicate directly with each other.Note: Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is not available in ad-hoc mode. Figure 3 Application: Ad-Hoc 1.4 Hardware and Utility InstallationFollow the instructions in the Quick Start Guideto install the ZyXEL utility and make hardware connections.1.4.1 ZyXEL Utility IconAfter you install and start the ZyXEL utility, an icon for the ZyXEL utility appears in the system tray.Note: The ZyXEL utility system tray icon displays only when the NWD2105 is installed properly.Note: When you use the ZyXEL utility, it automatically disables Wireless Zero Configuration (WZC) in Windows XP.Figure 4 ZyXEL Utility: System Tray Icon
Chapter 1Getting StartedNWD2105 User’s Guide 21The color of the ZyXEL utility system tray icon indicates the status of the NWD2105. Refer to the following table for details. 1.5 Configuration MethodsTo configure your NWD2105, use one of the following applications:•Wireless Zero Configuration (WZC, the Windows XP wireless configuration tool) or WLAN AutoConfig (the Windows Vista wireless configuration tool).•The ZyXEL utility. Note: Do NOT use Windows XP’s Wireless Zero Configuration tool at the same time you use the ZyXEL utility.1.5.1 Enabling Windows Wireless Configuration Note: When you use the ZyXEL utility, it automatically disables Windows XP’s wireless configuration tool. If you want to use the Windows XP wireless configuration tool to configure the NWD2105, you need to disable the ZyXEL utility. Right-click the utility icon ( ) in the system tray and select Exit.Figure 5 Enable WZCRefer to the appendices for information on how to use the Windows wireless configuration tool to manage the NWD2105.To reactivate the ZyXEL utility, double-click the ( ) icon on your desktop or click Start > (All) Programs > Wireless N-lite USB Adapter Utility >Wireless N USB Adapter Utility.1.5.2 Accessing the ZyXEL Utility Double-click on the ZyXEL wireless LAN utility icon in the system tray to open the ZyXEL utility. Table 3 ZyXEL Utility: System Tray Icon COLOR DESCRIPTIONRedThe NWD2105 is not connected to a wireless network.GreenThe NWD2105 is connected to a wireless network.
Chapter 1Getting StartedNWD2105 User’s Guide22The ZyXEL utility screens are similar in all Microsoft Windows versions. Screens for Windows XP are shown in this User’s Guide. Note: Click the icon (located in the top right corner) to display the online help window.
NWD2105 User’s Guide 23CHAPTER 2 Tutorial2.1 OverviewThis tutorial shows you how to join a wireless infrastructure network using the ZyXEL utility. The wireless client is labeled C and the Access Point is labeled AP.Figure 6 Infrastructure Network2.1.1 What You Can Do in This Tutorial•Connect securely either to an infrastructure AP using the WPS protocol. See Section 2.2 on page 24 for details.•Connect securely to an infrastructure AP using many of the strongest and most common encryption protocols. See Section 2.3 on page 29 for details.•Save a your settings so that you can later connect again to an infrastructure AP with a single click. See Section 2.3.2 on page 31 for details.•Configure your NWD2105 as an Access Point (AP), allowing other devices to connect to it and share its network connections. See Section 2.4 on page 34 for details.2.1.2 What You Need to KnowThe following term may help as you read through this section.WPSWi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is a security protocol that lets two or more devices connect securely to one another with a minimum amount of hassle on your part. It most cases, establishing a secure connection with another WPS device is as easy as pushing a button.
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide242.1.3 Before You Begin•Make sure that you have already familiarized yourself with the NWD2105’s features and hardware, as described in Chapter 1 on page 17.•You should have valid login information for an existing network Access Point, otherwise you may not be able to make a network connection right away.2.2 Connecting to an AP using Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)This section gives you an example of how to set up your wireless network using WPS. This example uses the NWD2105 as the wireless client, and ZyXEL’s NBG334W as the Access Point (AP). Note: The Access Point must be a WPS-aware device.There are two WPS methods for creating a secure connection. This tutorial shows you both.•Push Button Configuration (PBC) - create a secure wireless network simply by pressing a button. See Section 2.2.1 on page 24.This is the easier method.•PIN Configuration - create a secure wireless network simply by entering a wireless client's PIN (Personal Identification Number) in the NWD2105’s interface. See Section 2.2.2 on page 25. This is the more secure method, since one device can authenticate the other.2.2.1 Push Button Configuration (PBC)1Make sure that your access point is turned on and that it is within range of the computer with the NWD2105 installed. 2Make sure that you have installed the NWD2105’s driver and utility on your computer.3In the NWD2105’s utility, click the Adapter tab, enable WPS and select PBC(Push Button Configuration). In the screen that appears, click Start.4Log into the AP’s web configurator and locate its WPS settings section. On the NBG334W, press the Push Button button in the Network > Wireless Client >WPS Station screen. Note: It doesn’t matter which button is pressed first. You must press the second button within two minutes of pressing the first one.
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide 25The AP sends the proper configuration settings to the NWD2105. This may take up to two minutes. Then the NWD2105 is able to communicate with the AP securely. The following figure shows you an example to set up wireless network and security by pressing a button on both the AP (the NBG334W in this example) and the NWD2105.Figure 7 Example WPS Process: PBC Method2.2.2 PIN ConfigurationWhen you use the PIN configuration method, you need to use both the NWD2105’s utility and the AP’s configuration interface.1In the NWD2105’s Adaptor tab, select WPS and PIN - Use this Device’s PIN.Note down the PIN in the screen that appears. 2Enter the PIN number in the AP’s configuration interface. In the NBG334W, use the PIN field in the Network > Wireless LAN >WPS Station screen. You APSECURITY INFOCOMMUNICATIONWITHIN 2 MINUTES
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide263Click the Start buttons on both the NWD2105 utility screen and the AP’s configuration utility (the WPS Station screen on the NBG334W) within two minutes.The NBG334W authenticates the wireless client and sends the proper configuration settings to the wireless client. This may take up to two minutes. Then the wireless client is able to communicate with the NBG334W securely.
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide 27The following figure shows you the example of configuring the wireless network and security on the NWD2105 and the AP (ZyXEL’s NBG334W in this example) by using the PIN method.
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide28Figure 8 Example WPS Process: PIN MethodAuthentication by PINSECURITY INFOWITHIN 2 MINUTESCOMMUNICATIONYou AP
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide 292.3 Connecting to an AP Without Using WPSThere are three ways to connect the wireless client (the NWD2105) to a network without using WPS.•Configure nothing and leave the wireless client to automatically scan for and connect to any available network that has no wireless security configured.•Manually connect to a network (see Section 2.3.1 on page 29).•Configure a profile to have the wireless client automatically connect to a specific network or peer computer (see Section 2.3.2 on page 31).2.3.1 Manually Connecting to a Wireless LAN This example illustrates how to manually connect your wireless client to an access point (AP) configured for WPA-PSK security and connected to the Internet. Before you connect to the access point, you must know its Service Set IDentity (SSID) and WPA-PSK pre-shared key. In this example, the AP’s SSID is “SSID_Example3” and its pre-shared key is “ThisismyWPA-PSKpre-sharedkey”. After you install the ZyXEL utility and then insert the wireless client, follow the steps below to connect to a network using the Site Survey screen. 1Open the ZyXEL utility and click the Site Survey tab to open the screen shown next.Figure 9 ZyXEL Utility: Site Survey2The wireless client automatically searches for available wireless networks. Click Scan if you want to search again. If no entry displays in the Available Network List, that means there is no wireless network available within range. Make sure the AP or peer computer is turned on, or move the wireless client closer to the AP or peer computer. See Table 4.4 on page 54 for detailed field descriptions.
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide303To connect to an AP or peer computer, either click an entry in the list and then click Connect or double-click an entry (SSID_Example3 in this example). 4When you try to connect to an AP with security configured, a window will pop up prompting you to specify the security settings. Enter the pre-shared key and leave the encryption type at the default setting.Use the Next button to move on to the next screen. You can use the Back button at any time to return to the previous screen, or the Exit button to return to the Site Survey screen.Figure 10 ZyXEL Utility: Security Settings 5The Summary window appears. Check your settings and click Save to continue.Figure 11 ZyXEL Utility: Summary
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide 316The ZyXEL utility returns to the Link Info screen while it connects to the wireless network using your settings. When the wireless link is established, the ZyXEL utility icon in the system tray turns green and the Link Info screen displays details of the active connection. Check the network information in the Link Infoscreen to verify that you have successfully connected to the selected network. If the wireless client is not connected to a network, the fields in this screen remain blank. See Table 4.3 on page 51 for detailed field descriptions.Figure 12 ZyXEL Utility: Link Info 7Open your Internet browser and enter http://www.zyxel.com or the URL of any other web site in the address bar. If you are able to access the web site, your wireless connection is successfully configured. If you cannot access the web site, check the Troubleshooting section of this User's Guide or contact your network administrator if necessary.2.3.2 Creating and Using a ProfileA profile lets you automatically connect to the same wireless network every time you use the ZyXEL utility. You can also configure different profiles for different networks, for example if you connect a notebook computer to wireless networks at home and at work.This example illustrates how to set up a profile and connect the wireless client to an access point configured for WPA-PSK security. In this example, the AP’s SSID is “SSID_Example3” and its pre-shared key is “ThisismyWPA-PSKpre-sharedkey”. You have chosen the profile name “PN_Example3”.
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide321Open the ZyXEL utility and click the Profile tab to open the screen as shown. Click Add to configure a new profile.Figure 13 ZyXEL Utility: Profile2The Add New Profile screen appears. The wireless client automatically searches for available wireless networks, which are displayed in the Scan Info box. You can also configure your profile for a wireless network that is not in the list. Figure 14 ZyXEL Utility: Add New Profile3Give the profile a descriptive name (of up to 32 printable ASCII characters). Select Infrastructure and either manually enter or select the AP's SSID in the Scan Info table and click Select.
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide 334Choose the same encryption method as the AP to which you want to connect (In this example, WPA-PSK).Figure 15 ZyXEL Utility: Profile Security5This screen varies depending on the encryption method you selected in the previous screen. In this example, enter the pre-shared key and leave the encryption type at the default setting.Figure 16 ZyXEL Utility: Profile Encryption6Verify the profile settings in the ready-only screen. Click Save to save and go to the next screen. Figure 17 ZyXEL Utility: Profile Summary
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide347Click Activate Now to use the new profile immediately. Otherwise, click the Activate Later button to go back to the Profile List screen. If you clicked Activate Later you can select the profile from the list in the Profilescreen and click Connect to activate it.Note: Only one profile can be activated and used at any given time.Figure 18 ZyXEL Utility: Profile Activate8When you activate the new profile, the ZyXEL utility goes to the Link Info screen while it connects to the AP using your settings. When the wireless link is established, the ZyXEL utility icon in the system tray turns green and the LinkInfo screen displays details of the active connection. 9Make sure the selected AP in the active profile is on and connected to the Internet. Open your Internet browser, enter http://www.zyxel.com or the URL of any other web site in the address bar and press ENTER. If you are able to access the web site, your new profile is successfully configured.10 If you cannot access the Internet, go back to the Profile screen. Select the profile you are using and click Edit. Check the details you entered previously. Also, refer to the Troubleshooting section of this User's Guide or contact your network administrator if necessary.2.4 Configuring the NWD2105 as an APIn access point mode, your NWD2105 allows you to set up your wireless network without using a dedicated AP. See Chapter 5 on page 75 for more information.After you install the ZyXEL Utility and then connect the NWD2105 to your computer, follow the steps below to set up your NWD2105 as an AP.
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide 351Select AP Mode in the main ZyXEL Utility screen. The AP Mode version of the default Link Info screen displays. Figure 19 ZyXEL Utility - AP Mode 2Under Status, you can view the current settings on the NWD2105. In the Association List, you can see if any wireless clients have connected to your NWD2105.Figure 20 ZyXEL Utility - AP Mode: Link Info
Chapter 2TutorialNWD2105 User’s Guide363If you want to change the access point’s SSID and enable wireless security for your NWD2105, click the Configuration tab. See Section 5.4.1 on page 80 for detailed field descriptions found on this screen.Figure 21 ZyXEL Utility - AP Mode: Configuration
NWD2105 User’s Guide 37CHAPTER 3 Wireless LANs3.1 OverviewThis section provides background information on wireless Local Area Networks.3.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section•Connect securely to an AP using many of the strongest and most common encryption protocols. See Section 3.3 on page 39 for details.•Connect securely either to an AP or computer-to-computer using WPS. See Section 3.4 on page 41 for details.3.1.2 What You Need to KnowThe following terms and concepts may help as you read through this section.ServerWhen two or more devices are connected digitally to form a network, the one that distributes data to the other devices is known as the “server”. A RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) is a kind of server that manages logins and logout, among other things, for the network to which it is connected.ClientWhen two or more devices are connected digitally to form a network, the one that contacts and obtains data from a server is known as the “client”. Each client is designed to work with one or more specific kinds of servers, and each server requires a specific kind of client. Wireless adapters are clients that connect to a network server through an AP.AuthenticationAuthentication is the process of confirming a client’s or user’s digital identity when they connect to a network. Turning off authentication means disabling all security protocols and opening your network to anyone with the means to connect to it.
Chapter 3Wireless LANsNWD2105 User’s Guide38EncryptionThe process of taking data and encoding it, usually using a mathematical formula, so that it becomes unreadable unless decrypted with the proper code or pass phrase.3.1.3 Before You Begin•You should have valid login information for an existing network Access Point, otherwise you may not be able to make a network connection right away.3.2 Wireless LAN Overview The following figure provides an example of a wireless network with an AP. SeeFigure 3 on page 20 for an Ad Hoc network example.Figure 22 Example of a Wireless NetworkThe wireless network is the part in the blue circle. In this wireless network, devices A and B are called wireless clients. The wireless clients use the access point (AP) to interact with other devices (such as the printer) or with the InternetEvery wireless network must follow these basic guidelines.•Every device in the same wireless network must use the same SSID.The SSID is the name of the wireless network. It stands for Service Set IDentity.
Chapter 3Wireless LANsNWD2105 User’s Guide 39•If two wireless networks overlap, they should use a different channel.Like radio stations or television channels, each wireless network uses a specific channel, or frequency, to send and receive information.•Every device in the same wireless network must use security compatible with the AP or peer computer.Security stops unauthorized devices from using the wireless network. It can also protect the information that is sent in the wireless network.3.3 Wireless LAN Security Wireless LAN security is vital to your network to protect wireless communications.If you do not enable any wireless security on your NWD2105, the NWD2105’s wireless communications are accessible to any wireless networking device that is in the coverage area. Note: You can use only WEP encryption if you set the NWD2105 to Ad-hoc mode.See the appendices for more detailed information about wireless security.3.3.1 User Authentication and EncryptionYou can make every user log in to the wireless network before they can use it. This is called user authentication. However, every wireless client in the wireless network has to support IEEE 802.1x to do this.Wireless networks can use encryption to protect the information that is sent in the wireless network. Encryption is like a secret code. If you do not know the secret code, you cannot understand the message.3.3.1.1 WEP3.3.1.1.1 Data Encryption WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption scrambles all data packets transmitted between the NWD2105 and the AP or other wireless stations to keep network communications private. Both the wireless stations and the access points must use the same WEP key for data encryption and decryption.There are two ways to create WEP keys in your NWD2105.
Chapter 3Wireless LANsNWD2105 User’s Guide40•Automatic WEP key generation based on a “password phrase” called a passphrase. The passphrase is case sensitive. You must use the same passphrase for all WLAN adapters with this feature in the same WLAN.For WLAN adapters without the passphrase feature, you can still take advantage of this feature by writing down the four automatically generated WEP keys from the Security Settings screen of the ZyXEL utility and entering them manually as the WEP keys in the other WLAN adapter(s).•Enter the WEP keys manually.Your NWD2105 allows you to configure up to four 64-bit or 128-bit WEP keys. Only one key is used as the default key at any one time.3.3.1.1.2 Authentication Type The IEEE 802.11b/g standard describes a simple authentication method between the wireless stations and AP. Three authentication types are defined: Auto,Open and Shared.•Open mode is implemented for ease-of-use and when security is not an issue. The wireless station and the AP or peer computer do not share a secret key. Thus the wireless stations can associate with any AP or peer computer and listen to any transmitted data that is not encrypted.•Shared mode involves a shared secret key to authenticate the wireless station to the AP or peer computer. This requires you to enable the wireless LAN security and use same settings on both the wireless station and the AP or peer computer.•Auto authentication mode allows the NWD2105 to switch between the open system and shared key modes automatically. Use the auto mode if you do not know the authentication mode of the other wireless stations.3.3.1.2 IEEE 802.1x The IEEE 802.1x standard outlines enhanced security methods for both the authentication of wireless stations and encryption key management. Authentication can be done using an external RADIUS server.3.3.1.2.1 EAP Authentication EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) is an authentication protocol that runs on top of the IEEE 802.1x transport mechanism in order to support multiple types of user authentication. By using EAP to interact with an EAP-compatible RADIUS server, an access point helps a wireless station and a RADIUS server perform authentication. The type of authentication you use depends on the RADIUS server and an intermediary AP(s) that supports IEEE 802.1x. The NWD2105 supports EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS (at the time of writing, TTLS is not available in Windows Vista) and EAP-PEAP. Refer to Appendix B on page 131 for descriptions.
Chapter 3Wireless LANsNWD2105 User’s Guide 41For EAP-TLS authentication type, you must first have a wired connection to the network and obtain the certificate(s) from a certificate authority (CA). Certificates (also called digital IDs) can be used to authenticate users and a CA issues certificates and guarantees the identity of each certificate owner.3.3.1.3 WPA and WPA2 Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a subset of the IEEE 802.11i standard. WPA2 (IEEE 802.11i) is a wireless security standard that defines stronger encryption, authentication and key management than WPA. Key differences between WPA(2) and WEP are improved data encryption and user authentication.Both WPA and WPA2 improve data encryption by using Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP), Message Integrity Check (MIC) and IEEE 802.1x. WPA and WPA2 use Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in the Counter mode with Cipher block chaining Message authentication code Protocol (CCMP) to offer stronger encryption than TKIP.If both an AP and the wireless clients support WPA2 and you have an external RADIUS server, use WPA2 for stronger data encryption. If you don't have an external RADIUS server, you should use WPA2-PSK (WPA2-Pre-Shared Key) that only requires a single (identical) password entered into each access point, wireless gateway and wireless client. As long as the passwords match, a wireless client will be granted access to a WLAN. If the AP or the wireless clients do not support WPA2, just use WPA or WPA-PSK depending on whether you have an external RADIUS server or not.Select WEP only when the AP and/or wireless clients do not support WPA or WPA2. WEP is less secure than WPA or WPA2.3.4 WiFi Protected SetupYour NWD2105 supports WiFi Protected Setup (WPS), which is an easy way to set up a secure wireless network. WPS is an industry standard specification, defined by the WiFi Alliance.WPS allows you to quickly set up a wireless network with strong security, without having to configure security settings manually. Each WPS connection works between two devices. Both devices must support WPS (check each device’s documentation to make sure).
Chapter 3Wireless LANsNWD2105 User’s Guide42Depending on the devices you have, you can either press a button (on the device itself, or in its configuration utility) or enter a PIN (a unique Personal Identification Number that allows one device to authenticate the other) in each of the two devices. When WPS is activated on a device, it has two minutes to find another device that also has WPS activated. Then, the two devices connect and set up a secure network by themselves.3.4.1 Push Button ConfigurationWPS Push Button Configuration (PBC) is initiated by pressing a button on each WPS-enabled device, and allowing them to connect automatically. You do not need to enter any information. Not every WPS-enabled device has a physical WPS button. Some may have a WPS PBC button in their configuration utilities instead of or in addition to the physical button.Take the following steps to set up WPS using the button.1Ensure that the two devices you want to set up are within wireless range of one another. 2Look for a WPS button on each device. If the device does not have one, log into its configuration utility and locate the button (see the device’s User’s Guide for how to do this - for the NWD2105, see Section 4.6.1 on page 69).3Press the button on one of the devices (it doesn’t matter which).4Within two minutes, press the button on the other device. The registrar sends the network name (SSID) and security key through an secure connection to the enrollee.If you need to make sure that WPS worked, check the list of associated wireless clients in the AP’s configuration utility. If you see the wireless client in the list, WPS was successful.3.4.2 PIN ConfigurationEach WPS-enabled device has its own PIN (Personal Identification Number). This may either be static (it cannot be changed) or dynamic (in some devices you can generate a new PIN by clicking on a button in the configuration interface). Use the PIN method instead of the push-button configuration (PBC) method if you want to ensure that the connection is established between the devices you specify, not just the first two devices to activate WPS in range of each other. However, you
Chapter 3Wireless LANsNWD2105 User’s Guide 43need to log into the configuration interfaces of both devices to use the PIN method.When you use the PIN method, you must enter the PIN from one device (usually the wireless client) into the second device (usually the Access Point or wireless router). Then, when WPS is activated on the first device, it presents its PIN to the second device. If the PIN matches, one device sends the network and security information to the other, allowing it to join the network.Take the following steps to set up a WPS connection between an access point or wireless router (referred to here as the AP) and a client device using the PIN method.1Ensure WPS is enabled on both devices.2Access the WPS section of the AP’s configuration interface. See the device’s User’s Guide for how to do this. 3Look for the client’s WPS PIN; it will be displayed either on the device, or in the WPS section of the client’s configuration interface (see the device’s User’s Guide for how to find the WPS PIN - for the NWD2105, see Section 4.6 on page 68).4Enter the client’s PIN in the AP’s configuration interface.Note: If the client device’s configuration interface has an area for entering another device’s PIN, you can either enter the client’s PIN in the AP, or enter the AP’s PIN in the client - it does not matter which. 5Start WPS on both devices within two minutes. Note: Use the configuration utility to activate WPS, not the push-button on the device itself.6On a computer connected to the wireless client, try to connect to the Internet. If you can connect, WPS was successful.If you cannot connect, check the list of associated wireless clients in the AP’s configuration utility. If you see the wireless client in the list, WPS was successful.
Chapter 3Wireless LANsNWD2105 User’s Guide44The following figure shows a WPS-enabled wireless client (installed in a notebook computer) connecting to the WPS-enabled AP via the PIN method.Figure 23 Example WPS Process: PIN Method3.4.3 How WPS WorksWhen two WPS-enabled devices connect, each device must assume a specific role. One device acts as the registrar (the device that supplies network and security settings) and the other device acts as the enrollee (the device that receives network and security settings. The registrar creates a secure EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) tunnel and sends the network name (SSID) and the WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK pre-shared key to the enrollee. Whether WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK is used depends on the standards supported by the devices. If the registrar is ENROLLEESECURE EAP TUNNELSSIDWPA(2)-PSKWITHIN 2 MINUTESCOMMUNICATIONThis device’s WPSEnter WPS PIN WPSfrom other device: WPS PIN: 123456WPSSTARTWPSSTARTREGISTRAR
Chapter 3Wireless LANsNWD2105 User’s Guide 45already part of a network, it sends the existing information. If not, it generates the SSID and WPA(2)-PSK randomly.The following figure shows a WPS-enabled client (installed in a notebook computer) connecting to a WPS-enabled access point.Figure 24 How WPS worksThe roles of registrar and enrollee last only as long as the WPS setup process is active (two minutes). The next time you use WPS, a different device can be the registrar if necessary.The WPS connection process is like a handshake; only two devices participate in each WPS transaction. If you want to add more devices you should repeat the process with one of the existing networked devices and the new device.Note that the access point (AP) is not always the registrar, and the wireless client is not always the enrollee. All WPS-certified APs can be a registrar, and so can some WPS-enabled wireless clients.By default, a WPS devices is “unconfigured”. This means that it is not part of an existing network and can act as either enrollee or registrar (if it supports both functions). If the registrar is unconfigured, the security settings it transmits to the enrollee are randomly-generated. Once a WPS-enabled device has connected to another device using WPS, it becomes “configured”. A configured wireless client can still act as enrollee or registrar in subsequent WPS connections, but a configured access point can no longer act as enrollee. It will be the registrar in all SECURE TUNNELSECURITY INFOWITHIN 2 MINUTESCOMMUNICATIONACTIVATEWPSACTIVATEWPSWPS HANDSHAKEREGISTRARENROLLEE
Chapter 3Wireless LANsNWD2105 User’s Guide46subsequent WPS connections in which it is involved. If you want a configured AP to act as an enrollee, you must reset it to its factory defaults.3.4.3.1 Example WPS Network SetupThis section shows how security settings are distributed in an example WPS setup.The following figure shows an example network. In step 1, both AP1 and Client 1are unconfigured. When WPS is activated on both, they perform the handshake. In this example, AP1 is the registrar, and Client 1 is the enrollee. The registrar randomly generates the security information to set up the network, since it is unconfigured and has no existing information.Figure 25 WPS: Example Network Step 1In step 2, you add another wireless client to the network. You know that Client 1supports registrar mode, but it is better to use AP1 for the WPS handshake with the new client since you must connect to the access point anyway in order to use the network. In this case, AP1 must be the registrar, since it is configured (it already has security information for the network). AP1 supplies the existing security information to Client 2.Figure 26 WPS: Example Network Step 2REGISTRARENROLLEESECURITY INFOCLIENT 1 AP1REGISTRARCLIENT 1 AP1ENROLLEECLIENT 2EXISTING CONNECTION
Chapter 3Wireless LANsNWD2105 User’s Guide 47In step 3, you add another access point (AP2) to your network. AP2 is out of range of AP1, so you cannot use AP1 for the WPS handshake with the new access point. However, you know that Client 2 supports the registrar function, so you use it to perform the WPS handshake instead.Figure 27 WPS: Example Network Step 33.4.4 Limitations of WPSWPS has some limitations of which you should be aware. •WPS works in Infrastructure networks only (where an AP and a wireless client communicate). It does not work in Ad-Hoc networks (where there is no AP).•When you use WPS, it works between two devices only. You cannot enroll multiple devices simultaneously, you must enroll one after the other. For instance, if you have two enrollees and one registrar you must set up the first enrollee (by pressing the WPS button on the registrar and the first enrollee, for example), then check that it successfully enrolled, then set up the second device in the same way.•WPS works only with other WPS-enabled devices. However, you can still add non-WPS devices to a network you already set up using WPS. WPS works by automatically issuing a randomly-generated WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK pre-shared key from the registrar device to the enrollee devices (see Section 4.4.1.3 on page 57 for information on pre-shared keys). Whether the network uses WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK depends on the device. You can check the CLIENT 1 AP1REGISTRARCLIENT 2EXISTING CONNECTIONENROLLEEAP1
Chapter 3Wireless LANsNWD2105 User’s Guide48configuration interface of the registrar device to discover the key the network is using (if the device supports this feature). Then, you can enter the key into the non-WPS device and join the network as normal (the non-WPS device must also support WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK).•When you use the PBC method, there is a short period (from the moment you press the button on one device to the moment you press the button on the other device) when any WPS-enabled device could join the network. This is because the registrar has no way of identifying the “correct” enrollee, and cannot differentiate between your enrollee and a rogue device. This is a possible way for a hacker to gain access to a network.You can easily check to see if this has happened. WPS works between only two devices simultaneously, so if another device has enrolled your device will be unable to enroll, and will not have access to the network. If this happens, open the access point’s configuration interface and look at the list of associated clients (usually displayed by MAC address). It does not matter if the access point is the WPS registrar, the enrollee, or was not involved in the WPS handshake; a rogue device must still associate with the access point to gain access to the network. Check the MAC addresses of your wireless clients (usually printed on a label on the bottom of the device). If there is an unknown MAC address you can remove it or reset the AP.
NWD2105 User’s Guide 49CHAPTER 4 Station Mode4.1 OverviewThis section shows you how to configure your NWD2105 using the ZyXEL utility in Windows.Note: Some features available in Windows XP or Windows 2000 are not available in Windows Vista.4.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section•On the Link Info screen, you can see your current connection details, monitor signal strength and quality, and more. See Section 4.3 on page 51 for details.•On the Site Survey screen, you can connect to any available unsecured wireless network in range of the NWD2105, or open the security settings screen for any secured wireless network in range. See Section 4.4 on page 54 for details.•On the Profile screen, you can create, delete and manage your wireless network profiles. See Section 4.5 on page 62 for details.•On the Adapter screen, you can configure the NWD2105 hardware, such as activating WPS mode or its power saving feature. See Section 4.6 on page 68for details.4.1.2 What You Need to KnowThe following terms and concepts may help as you read through this section.Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encrypts data transmitted between wired and wireless networks to keep the transmission private. Although one of the original wireless encryption protocols, WEP is also the weakest. Many people use it strictly to deter unintentional usage of their wireless network by outsiders.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide50Wi-fi Protected Access (WPA)Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a subset of the IEEE 802.11i standard. It improves data encryption by using Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP), Message Integrity Check (MIC) and IEEE 802.1x. WPA uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in the Counter mode with Cipher block chaining Message authentication code Protocol (CCMP) to offer stronger encryption than TKIP. WPA applies IEEE 802.1x and Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) to authenticate wireless clients using an external RADIUS database. The WPA protocol affords users with vastly stronger security than the WEP protocol. It comes in two different varieties: WPA and WPA2. Always try to use WPA2 as it implements the full version of the security standard while WPA does not.Pre-Shared Key (PSK)A pre-shared key is a password shared between the server and the client that unlocks the algorithm used to encrypt the data traffic between them. Without the proper password, the client and the server cannot communicate.Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)An enhanced security framework designed to improve an existing security protocol, such as WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK.4.1.3 Before You Begin•Make sure the ZyXEL utility is already installed. See the Quick Start Guide for more.4.2 ZyXEL Utility Screen Summary This section describes the ZyXEL utility screens. Figure 28 ZyXEL Utility Menu Summary
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 51The following table describes the menus. 4.3 The Link Info Screen When the ZyXEL utility starts, the Link Info screen displays, showing the current configuration and connection status of your NWD2105.Figure 29 Link Info The following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 4 ZyXEL Utility Menu SummaryTAB DESCRIPTIONLink InfoUse this screen to see your current connection status, configuration and data rate statistics.Site SurveyUse this screen to: •scan for a wireless network.•configure wireless security (if activated on the selected network).•connect to a wireless network.ProfileUse this screen to add, delete, edit or activate a profile with a set of wireless and security settings.AdapterUse this screen to configure preamble type, enable power saving and use WiFi Protected Setup (WPS).Table 5 Link Info LABEL DESCRIPTIONWirelessNetwork StatusProfile NameThis is the name of the profile you are currently using.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide52NetworkName (SSID)The SSID identifies the wireless network to which a wireless station is associated. This field displays the name of the wireless device to which the NWD2105 is associated.AP MAC Address This field displays the MAC address of the AP or peer computer to which the NWD2105 is associated.NetworkType This field displays the network type (Infrastructure or Ad-Hoc) of the wireless network.Transmission Speed This field displays the current transmission speed of the NWD2105 in megabits per second (Mbps).Receive Speed This field displays the current receive speed of the NWD2105 in megabits per second (Mbps).Security This field displays whether data encryption is activated (WEP / 802.1x /WPA /WPA-PSK /WPA2 / WPA2-PSK) or inactive (DISABLE).ChannelThis field displays the radio channel the NWD2105 is currently using.StatisticsTransmit Rate This field displays the current data transmission rate in kilobits per second (Kbps).Receive Rate This field displays the current data receiving rate in kilobits per second (Kbps).Authentication This field displays the authentication method of the NWD2105.NetworkMode This field displays the wireless standard used by the selected wireless device. It shows Bfor 802.11b, Gfor 802.11g or Nfor 802.11n. Total Transmit This field displays the total number of data frames transmitted.Total Receive This field displays the total number of data frames received.Link Quality This field displays the signal strength of the NWD2105.Trend Chart Click this button to display the real-time statistics of the data rate in kilobits per second (Kbps).Signal Strength The status bar shows the strength of the signal. The signal strength mainly depends on the antenna output power and the distance between your NWD2105 and the AP or peer computer.Link Quality The status bar shows the quality of wireless connection. This refers to the percentage of packets transmitted successfully. If there are too many wireless stations in a wireless network, collisions may occur which could result in a loss of messages even though you have high signal strength.Table 5 Link Info (continued)LABEL DESCRIPTION
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 534.3.1 Trend Chart Click Trend Chart in the Link Info screen to display a screen as shown below. Use this screen to view real-time data traffic statistics.Figure 30 Link Info: Trend Chart The following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 6 Link Info: Trend Chart LABEL DESCRIPTIONTransmitThis field displays the current data transmission rate in kilobits per second (Kbps).ReceiveThis field displays the current data reception rate in kilobits per second (Kbps).
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide544.4 The Site Survey ScreenUse the Site Survey screen to scan for and connect to a wireless network automatically.Figure 31 Site Survey The following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 7 Site SurveyLABEL DESCRIPTIONAvailable Network List Click a column heading to sort the entries.,, ordenotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode and the wireless security is activated.denotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode but the wireless security is deactivated.denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode and the wireless security is activated.denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode but the wireless security is deactivated.SSIDThis field displays the SSID (Service Set IDentifier) of each wireless device.ChannelThis field displays the channel number used by each wireless device.SignalThis field displays the signal strength of each wireless device.ScanClick Scan to search for available wireless devices within transmission range.ConnectClick Connect to associate to the selected wireless device.SiteInformation Click an entry in the Available Network List table to display the information of the selected wireless device.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 554.4.1 Security Settings When you configure the NWD2105 to connect to a network with wireless security activated and the security settings are disabled on the NWD2105, the screen varies according to the encryption method used by the selected network.4.4.1.1 Security Type SelectionWhen you choose to connect to a network that has security, you are presented with is a security selection screen. Choose the security of the network you are attempting to join.Figure 32 Security Setting Selection The following table describes the labels in this screen. Network Type This field displays the network type (Infrastructure or Ad Hoc) of the wireless device.ChannelThis field displays the channel number used by each wireless device.SecurityThis field shows whether data encryption is activated (WEP,WPA,WPA-PSK,WPA2,WPA2-PSK or 802.1x) or inactive (DISABLE).MAC address This field displays the MAC address of the wireless device.Surveyed at This field displays the time when the wireless device was scanned.Table 7 Site Survey (continued)LABEL DESCRIPTIONTable 8 Security Setting: WEP LABEL DESCRIPTIONSecurity TypeSelect the security type that matches the security setting of the network you’re trying to join. The options are: WEP,WPA,WPA2,WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK, and 802.1x.BackClick Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another network.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide564.4.1.2 WEP EncryptionConfigure WEP security in this screen. Figure 33 Security Setting: WEPThe following table describes the labels in this screen. NextClick Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Security Settings screen that corresponds to the one you select here. ExitClick Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.Table 8 Security Setting: WEP (continued)LABEL DESCRIPTIONTable 9 Security Setting: WEP LABEL DESCRIPTIONSecurity SettingsWEPSelect 64 Bits or 128 Bits to activate WEP encryption and then fill in the related fields.Authentication Type Select an authentication method. Choices are Open and Shared.Refer to Section 3.3.1.1.2 on page 40 for more information.Pass PhraseEnter a passphrase of up to 32 case-sensitive printable characters. As you enter the passphrase, the NWD2105 automatically generates four different WEP keys and displays the first in the key field below. Refer to Section 3.3.1.1.1 on page 39 for more information.Transmit KeySelect a default WEP key to use for data encryption. The key displays in the adjacent field.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 574.4.1.3 WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSKConfigure WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK security in this screen.Note: The procedure to configure WPA or WPA2 is different in Windows Vista. See Section 4.7 on page 71 for information on setting up your NWD2105 to use WPA or WPA2 in Vista.Figure 34 Security Setting: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSKKey x (where x is a number between 1 and 4)Select this option if you want to manually enter the WEP keys. Enter the WEP key in the field provided.If you select 64 Bits in the WEP field.Enter either 10 hexadecimal digits in the range of “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9” (for example, 11AA22BB33) for HEX key type.orEnter 5 ASCII characters (case sensitive) ranging from “a-z”, “A-Z” and “0-9” (for example, MyKey) for ASCII key type. If you select 128 Bits in the WEP field,Enter either 26 hexadecimal digits in the range of “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9” (for example, 00112233445566778899AABBCC) for HEX key typeorEnter 13 ASCII characters (case sensitive) ranging from “a-z”, “A-Z” and “0-9” (for example, MyKey12345678) for ASCII key type.Note: The values for the WEP keys must be set up exactly the same on all wireless devices in the same wireless LAN. ASCII WEP keys are case sensitive.BackClick Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another network.NextClick Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen. Refer to Section 4.4.2 on page 61.ExitClick Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.Table 9 Security Setting: WEP (continued)LABEL DESCRIPTION
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide58The following table describes the labels in this screen. 4.4.1.4 WPA/WPA2The screen that displays when you select WPA or WPA2 differs, depending on the EAP Type you select (TLS,PEAP or TTLS).Figure 35 Security Settings: WPA/WPA2 Table 10 Security Setting: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSKLABEL DESCRIPTIONEncryption TypeThe encryption mechanisms used for WPA/WPA2 and WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK are the same. The only difference between the two is that WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK uses a simple common password, instead of user-specific credentials.Select the encryption type (TKIP or AES) for data encryption.Refer to Section 3.3.1.3 on page 41 for more information.Pre-Shared KeyType a pre-shared key (same as the AP or peer device) of between 8 and 63 case-sensitive ASCII characters (including spaces and symbols) or 64 hexadecimal characters.BackClick Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another network.NextClick Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen. Refer to Section 4.4.2 on page 61.ExitClick Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 59The following table describes the labels in this screen. 4.4.1.5 IEEE 802.1xConfigure IEEE 802.1x security with various authentication methods in this screen. Table 11 Security Setting: WPA/WPA2LABEL DESCRIPTIONEncryption TypeThe encryption mechanisms used for WPA/WPA2 and WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK are the same. The only difference between the two is that WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK uses a simple common password, instead of user-specific credentials.Select the encryption type (TKIP or AES) for data encryption.Refer to Section 3.3.1.3 on page 41 for more information.EAP TypeThe type of authentication you use depends on the RADIUS server or AP.Select an authentication method from the drop down list. Options are TLS,PEAP and TTLS (at the time of writing, TTLS is not available in Windows Vista).Login NameEnter a user name. This is the user name that you or an administrator set up on a RADIUS server.PasswordThis field is not available when you select TLS in the EAP Type field. Enter the password associated with the user name above. CertificateThis field is only available when you select TLS in the EAP Type field. Click Browse to select a certificate.Note: You must first have a wired connection to a network and obtain the certificate(s) from a certificate authority (CA). Consult your network administrator for more information.PEAP Inner EAPThis field is only available when you select PEAP in the EAP Type field.The PEAP method used by the RADIUS server or AP for client authentication is MS CHAP v2.TTLS ProtocolThis field is available only when you select TTLS in the EAP Type field. Select a TTLS protocol that the RADIUS server uses. Options are CHAP,MS-CHAP,MS-CHAP-V2 and PAP.Note: This feature is not available on Windows Vista.BackClick Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another network.NextClick Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen. Refer to Section 4.4.2 on page 61.ExitClick Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide60Note: The procedure to configure 802.1x is different in Windows Vista. See Section4.7 on page 71 for information on setting up your NWD2105 to use 802.1x in Vista.Figure 36 Security Setting: 802.1x The following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 12 Security Settings: IEEE 802.1xLABEL DESCRIPTIONEncryption TypeSelect WEP if the access point is configured to use 802.1x with WEP encryption. A dynamic WEP key is generated automatically.Otherwise, select NONE (at the time of writing, this is not available in Windows Vista).EAP TypeThe type of authentication you use depends on the RADIUS server or AP.Select an authentication method from the drop down list. Options are TLS,PEAP and TTLS (at the time of writing, TTLS is not available in Windows Vista).Login NameEnter a user name. This is the user name that you or an administrator set up on a RADIUS server.PasswordThis field is not available when you select TLS in the EAP Type field. Enter the password associated with the user name above. CertificateThis field is only available when you select TLS in the EAP Type field. Click Browse to select a certificate.Note: You must first have a wired connection to a network and obtain the certificate(s) from a certificate authority (CA). Consult your network administrator for more information.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 614.4.2 Summary ScreenUse this screen to confirm and save the security settings. Figure 37 Summary Screen The following table describes the labels in this screen. TTLS ProtocolThis field is available only when you select TTLS in the EAP Type field. Select a TTLS protocol that the RADIUS server uses. Options are CHAP,MS-CHAP,MS-CHAP-V2 and PAP.Note: This feature is not available on Windows Vista.PEAP Inner EAPThis field is only available when you select PEAP in the EAP Type field.The PEAP method used by the RADIUS server or AP for client authentication is MS CHAP v2.Validate Server Certificate (Click to Enable)Select this option to validate a server’s certificate when you select PEAP in the EAP Type field.BackClick Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another network.NextClick Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen. Refer to Section 4.4.2 on page 61.ExitClick Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.Table 12 Security Settings: IEEE 802.1xLABEL DESCRIPTIONTable 13 Summary ScreenLABEL DESCRIPTIONNetwork Name (SSID) This field displays the SSID previously entered.Network TypeThis field displays the network type (Infrastructure or Ad-Hoc) of the wireless device.ChannelThis field displays the channel number used by the profile.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide624.5 The Profile Screen A profile is a set of wireless parameters that you need to connect to a wireless network. With a profile activated, each time you start the NWD2105, it automatically scans for the specific SSID and joins that network with the pre-defined wireless security settings. If the specified network is not available, the NWD2105 cannot connect to a network.If you do not configure and activate a profile, each time you start the NWD2105, the NWD2105 uses the default profile to connect to any available network that has no security enabled. The default profile is a profile that allows you to connect to any SSID that has no security enabled. Click the Profile tab in the ZyXEL utility program to display the Profile screen as shown next.SecurityThis field shows whether data encryption is activated (WEP,WPA,WPA-PSK,WPA2,WPA2-PSK, 802.1x) or inactive (DISABLE).BackClick Back to return to the previousscreen.SaveClick Save to save the changes back to the NWD2105 and display the Link Info screen. ExitClick Exit to discard changes and return to the Site Survey screen.Table 13 Summary ScreenLABEL DESCRIPTION
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 63The profile function allows you to save the wireless network settings in this screen, or use one of the pre-configured network profiles.Figure 38 ProfileThe following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 14 ProfileLABEL DESCRIPTIONProfile ListClick a column heading to sort the entries.,, ordenotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode and the wireless security is activated.denotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode but the wireless security is deactivated.denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode and the wireless security is activated.denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode but the wireless security is deactivated.Profile NameThis is the name of the pre-configured profile.SSIDThis is the SSID of the wireless network to which the selected profile associate.Connect To use and activate a previously saved network profile, select a pre-configured profile name in the table and click Connect.Add To add a new profile into the table, click Add.DeleteTo delete an existing wireless network configuration, select a profile in the table and click Delete.EditTo edit an existing wireless network configuration, select a profile in the table and click Edit.Profile InfoThe following fields display detailed information of the selected profile in the Profile List table.Network TypeThis field displays the network type (Infrastructure or Ad-Hoc) of the profile.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide644.5.1 Adding a New ProfileFollow the steps below to add a new profile.1Click Add in the Profile screen. An Add New Profile screen displays as shown next. Figure 39 Profile: Add a New Profile The following table describes the labels in this screen. SSIDThis field displays the network’s Service Set IDentity (the name of the network).ChannelThis field displays the channel number used by the profile.SecurityThis field shows whether data encryption is activated (WEP,WPA,WPA-PSK,WPA2,WPA2-PSK or 802.1x) or inactive (DISABLE).Transmit RateThis field displays the transmission speed of the selected profile in megabits per second (Mbps).Table 14 Profile (continued)LABEL DESCRIPTIONTable 15 Profile: Add a New Profile LABEL DESCRIPTIONAdd New ProfileProfile NameEnter a descriptive name in this field.SSIDSelect an available wireless device in the Scan Info table and click Select, or enter the SSID of the wireless device to which you want to associate in this field manually. Otherwise, enter Any to have the NWD2105 associate to any AP or roam between any infrastructure wireless networks.Network TypeSelect Infrastructure to associate to an AP. Select Ad-Hoc to associate to a peer computer.NextClick Next to go to the next screen.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 652If you select the Infrastructure network type in the previous screen, skip to step3. If you select the Ad-Hoc network type in the previous screen, a screen displays as follows. Select a Channel number and Wireless Mode and click Next tocontinue.Note: To associate to an ad-hoc network, you must use the same channel as the peer computer.Figure 40 Profile: Wireless Settings ExitClick Exit to go back to the previous screen without saving.Scan InfoThis table displays the information of the available wireless networks within the transmission range.,, ordenotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode and the wireless security is activated.denotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode but the wireless security is deactivated.denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode and the wireless security is activated.denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode but the wireless security is deactivated.SSIDThis field displays the SSID (Service Set IDentifier) of each AP or peer device.ScanClick Scan to search for available wireless devices within transmission range.SelectSelect an available wireless device in the table and click Select to add it to this profile.Whenever you activate this profile, the NWD2105 associates to the selected wireless network only.Table 15 Profile: Add a New Profile (continued)LABEL DESCRIPTION
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide66The following table describes the labels in this screen. 3If you selected Infrastructure network type in the first screen, select WEP,WPA, WPA2,WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK or 802.1x from the drop-down list box to enable data encryption. If you selected Ad-Hoc network type in the first screen, you can use only WEP encryption method. Otherwise, select DISABLE to allow the NWD2105 to communicate with the access points or other peer wireless computers without any data encryption, and skip to step 5.Figure 41 Profile: Wireless Settings 4The screen varies depending on the encryption method you select in the previous screen. The settings must be exactly the same on the AP or other peer wireless computers as they are on the NWD2105. Refer to Section 5.4.1 on page 80 for detailed information on wireless security configuration.Figure 42 Profile: Security Settings Table 16 Profile: Wireless Settings LABEL DESCRIPTIONWirelessSettingsChannelSelect a channel number from the drop-down list box. To associate to an ad-hoc network, you must use the same channel as the peer computer.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 675This read-only screen shows a summary of the new profile settings. Verify that the settings are correct. Click Save to save and go to the next screen. Click Back to return to the previous screen. Otherwise, click Exit to go back to the Profilescreen without saving.Figure 43 Profile: Confirm New Settings 6To use this network profile, click the Activate Now button. Otherwise, click the Activate Later button. You can activate only one profile at a time. Note: Once you activate a profile, the ZyXEL utility will use that profile the next time it is started.Figure 44 Profile: Activate the Profile
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide684.6 The Adapter Screen To set the other advanced features on the NWD2105, click the Adapter tab. Figure 45 AdapterThe following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 17 Adapter LABEL DESCRIPTIONAdapter SettingPower Saving Mode Select Maximum or Normal to save power. This forces the NWD2105 to go to sleep mode when it is not transmitting data.When you select Off, the NWD2105 will never go to sleep mode.At the time of writing, this field is not available in Windows Vista.WMM QoSSelect this to enable Wi-fi MultiMedia Quality of Service on the NWD2105.At the time of writing, this field is not available in Windows Vista.WPS (WiFi Protected Setup)Select this to enable Wi-fi Protected Setup on the NWD2105.PBC (Push ButtonConfiguration)Select this to use the PBC (Push-Button Configuration) WPS mode. When you use the PBC mode you do not use a PIN. When you select this, the PBC (Push Button Configuration screen appears (see Section 4.6.1 on page 69).PIN - Use This Device’s PINSelect this to use the PIN (Personal Identification Number) WPS mode. Use this option when you want to enter the NWD2105’s PIN in another WPS-enabled device.When you select this, the PIN - Use this Device’s PIN screen appears (see Section 4.6.2 on page 69).
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 694.6.1 WPS: PBC (Push Button Configuration) This screen allows you to use the WPS Push Button Configuration mode. See Section 3.4.1 on page 42 for more information. Select WPS and PBC (Push Button Configuration) in the Adapter screen. The following screen displays.Figure 46 WPS: PBC (Push Button Configuration)Press Start when you want to begin the WPS process. You must also press the button on the other device within two minutes.4.6.2 WPS: PIN - Use this Device’s PINThis screen allows you to use the WPS Personal Identification Number mode, by entering the NWD2105’s unique PIN in the configuration utility of the other WPS-enabled device. See Section 3.4.2 on page 42 for more information. Select WPSPIN - Use the PIN From the AP or Wireless RouterSelect this to use the PIN (Personal Identification Number) WPS mode. Use this option when you want to enter the PIN from another WPS-enabled device in the NWD2105.When you select this, the PIN - Use the PIN From the AP or Wireless Router screen appears (see Section 4.6.3 on page 70).SaveClick Save to save the changes to the NWD2105 and return to the Link Info screen.Table 17 Adapter (continued)LABEL DESCRIPTION
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide70and PIN - Use this Device’s PIN in the Adapter screen. The following screen displays.Figure 47 WPS: PIN - Use this Device’s PINThe following table describes the labels in this screen. 4.6.3 WPS: PIN - Use the PIN from the AP or Wireless RouterThis screen allows you to use the WPS Personal Identification Number mode, by entering the PIN from another WPS-enabled device into the NWD2105’s utility. See Section 3.4.2 on page 42 for more information. Select WPS and PIN - Use Table 18 WPS: PIN - Use this Device’s PINLABEL DESCRIPTIONThis device’s PINThis is the NWD2105’s Personal Identification Number (PIN). This field is read-only. Enter the number that displays in this field into the configuration interface of the other WPS-enabled device.Note: Each time this screen displays, the PIN is different. The PIN is valid for only one WPS transaction.StartClick this to start WPS. You must start WPS on the other WPS-enabled device within two minutes.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 71the PIN from the AP or Wireless Router in the Adapter screen. The following screen displays.Figure 48 WPS: PIN - Use the PIN from the AP or Wireless RouterThe following table describes the labels in this screen. 4.7 Security Settings in Windows Vista When you use the NWD2105 in Windows Vista, the procedure for setting up WPA, WPA2 and 802.1x security settings is different from that of other operating systems (other security types are not affected).The procedures for setting up WPA, WPA2 or 802.1x in Vista are the same. However, the procedure differs depending on whether you use PEAP (Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption. Consult your network administrator if you are unsure which type of encryption to use.See Section 4.7.1 on page 72 to use PEAP, or see Section 4.7.2 on page 73 to use TLS.Note: TTLS (Tunneled TLS) is not available when using Windows Vista, at the time of writing.Table 19 WPS: PIN - Use the PIN from the AP or Wireless RouterLABEL DESCRIPTIONAP or Router’s PINEnter the PIN from your AP or wireless router in this field before you click Start.StartClick this to start WPS. You must start WPS on the other WPS-enabled device within two minutes.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide724.7.1 Using PEAP in VistaTake the following steps to set up WPA, WPA2 or 802.1x security using PEAP in Windows Vista.1Either select the AP to which you want to connect in the Site Survey screen (see Section 4.4 on page 54), or configure a profile in the normal way (see Section 4.5 on page 62).2In the WPA,WPA2 or 802.1x security screen (see Section 4.4.1.4 on page 58and Section 4.4.1.5 on page 59), select PEAP as the EAP Type. Note that the Login Name and Password fields are greyed-out (not available).3Click Next.4In the Summary screen that appears, click Save.5A message similar to the following appears in the bottom-right of your screen. Click the message.Figure 49 Vista Security: Additional Information Required6The Enter Credentials screen displays. Enter your User name and Passwordfor the network to which you want to connect.Figure 50 Vista Security: Enter CredentialsNote: If you are not sure what to enter, contact your network administrator.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 737Click OK. The Enter Credentials screen disappears and the NWD2105 tries to connect to the network. The ZyXEL utility’s Link Info screen displays, showing the connection status (see Section 4.3 on page 51). If the Link Info screen displays an active connection, you have successfully completed the procedure.4.7.2 Using TLS in Vista Take the following steps to set up WPA, WPA2 or 802.1x security using TLS in Windows Vista.1Either select the AP to which you want to connect in the Site Survey screen (see Section 4.4 on page 54), or configure a profile (see Section 4.5 on page 62) in the normal way.2In the WPA,WPA2 or 802.1x security screen, select TLS as the EAP Type. Note that the Login Name, Certificate and Validate Server Certificate fields are greyed-out (not available).3Click Next.4In the Summary screen, click Save.5A message similar to the following appears in the bottom-right of your screen. Click the message.Figure 51 Vista Security: Additional Information Required6The Select Certificate screen displays. Select the certificate you want to use in order to authenticate with the server, and enter your username.Figure 52 Vista Security: Select CertificateNote: If you do not have the right certificate, or are not sure which certificate you should use, contact your network administrator.
Chapter 4Station ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide747Click OK. The Select Certificate screen disappears and the NWD2105 tries to connect to the network. The ZyXEL utility’s Link Info screen displays, showing the connection status (see Section 4.3 on page 51). If the Link Info screen displays an active connection, you have successfully completed the procedure.
NWD2105 User’s Guide 75CHAPTER 5 AP Mode5.1 OverviewThis section shows you how to configure your NWD2105 in AP Mode using the Windows version of the ZyXEL Utility.Note: Some features available in Windows XP or Windows 2000 are not available in Windows Vista.AP Mode allows you to set up a wireless network without using a pre-existing AP. The following figure shows a sample AP network set up.Figure 53 AP Network Example .Here, the NWD2105 is installed on computer A and set to operate in access point mode. Computer A provides an Internet connection to the wireless LAN, so wireless stations B and C can access the Internet.
Chapter 5AP ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide76Select the AP Mode option the ZyXEL Utility to have the device function as an access point.Figure 54 ZyXEL Utility: Setting AP Mode .5.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section•On the Link Info screen, you can see your AP’s current transmission and security status See Section 5.3 on page 78 for details.•On the Configuration screen, you can set up the broadcast parameters for your access point as well as its security options. See Section 5.4 on page 79 for details.•On the MAC Filter screen, you can configure the NWD2105 to give exclusive access to devices or exclude specific devices from connecting to the AP. See Section 5.5 on page 83 for details.5.1.2 What You Need to KnowThe following terms and concepts may help as you read through this section.MAC AddressOn a local area network (LAN) or other network, the MAC address is a computer's unique hardware number. On an Ethernet LAN, it's the same as your Ethernet address. The MAC layer frames data for transmission over the network, then passes the frame to the physical layer interface where it is transmitted as a stream of bits.
Chapter 5AP ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 77See Also...The terms and concepts introduced in Chapter 4 on page 49 apply to this chapter as well.5.1.3 Before You BeginMake sure the ZyXEL Utility is already installed. See the Quick Start Guide for more.To bridge your wired and wireless network using the NWD2105, the following requirements must be met:•The NWD2105 must be installed on a computer connected to the wired network.•Either bridge the two interfaces (wireless and wired) on the computer (using the Configuration screen) or configure network sharing.•Set the wireless station’s IP address to be dynamic if you want the wireless stations to access the wired network or the Internet through the NWD2105. Refer to Appendix A on page 101 for how to configure your computer’s IP address.5.2 AP Mode Screen Summary This section describes the ZyXEL Utility screens while in AP Mode.Figure 55 ZyXEL Utility Menu Summary The following table describes the menus. Table 20 ZyXEL Utility Menu SummaryTAB DESCRIPTIONLink InfoUse this screen to see your current connection status, configuration and data rate statistics.ConfigurationUse this screen to configure wireless LAN settings. MAC FilterUse this screen to configure which computer(s) you want access to the wireless LAN through the NWD2105.
Chapter 5AP ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide785.3 The Link Info Screen When you enter AP Mode, the Link Info screen displays, showing the current configuration and connection status of your NWD2105 access point.Figure 56 Link Info The following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 21 Link Info LABEL DESCRIPTIONStatusSSIDThis field displays the name that identifies your NWD2105 in the wire-less LAN network.CurrentChannel This field displays the radio channel the NWD2105 is currently using.Transmis-sion Rate This field displays the current transmission rate of the NWD2105 in megabits per second (Mbps).SecurityThis field shows whether data encryption is activated (WEP,WPA,WPA2,WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK) or inactive (DISABLE).MACThis field displays the MAC address of the NWD2105.Output Power This field shows the strength of the NWD2105’s antenna gain or trans-mission power.Association ListThis table lists the wireless clients that are currently connected to the NWD2105. denotes a wireless client without wireless security. denotes a wireless client with wireless security enabled. MAC Address This field displays the MAC addresses of a wireless client that is cur-rently connected to the NWD2105.RefreshClick Refresh to update this screen.
Chapter 5AP ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 795.4 The Configuration Screen The Configuration screen allows you to set up the broadcast parameters for your access point as well as its security options.Figure 57 The Configuration Screen The following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 22 ConfigurationLABEL DESCRIPTIONWireless Set-tingsSSIDEnter a name for your AP This name is broadcast to all wireless-capable devices in range and can be used to connect to your AP.You can enter up to 32 printable ASCII characters in this field.Hide SSIDSelect this option to keep your AP’s SSID private. Only users who explicitly enter the SSID name in their connection window while con-necting will be able to “see” it. While effective at deterring the casual user from inadvertantly connect-ing to your AP, it is the weakest of all wireless security. Anyone with a basic sniffer program will be able to detect the channel.WirelessMode This displays a list of available wireless modes. As of this writing, the NWD2105 only supports 2.4 GHz.ChannelSelect a channel on which on broadcast your AP’s wireless signal.If there are a high number of APs broadcast within range of one another, try to use a channel that is either not in use or that has the fewest number of broadcasters. Too many APs using the same channel can interfere with one another.
Chapter 5AP ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide805.4.1 Security Settings When you configure the NWD2105 to act as an AP and wireless security is activated, the Configuration screen varies according to the encryption method used by your network.5.4.1.1 DisableThis option indicates that no security services are enabled. Anyone within range of your AP can connect to it without having to enter a pre-shared key. Note: When security settings are disabled in AP Mode and if you have a shared Internet connection via the Bridge feature (see page80) or any shared folders on the computer that is hosting the AP, they will be available to anyone who is connected. Output Power Set this field if you need to conserve power consumption (especially for notebook computers). This control changes the strength of the NWD2105’s antenna gain or transmission power. Antenna gain, listed here as a percentage, is the increase in coverage. Higher antenna gain improves the range of the signal for better communications.•100% - Sets the antenna gain at maximum output power. This has the highest level of power consumption. If you are using the NWD2105 on a notebook computer running on battery power, then using this power setting will drain the battery the fastest.•75% - Sets the antenna gain to medium-high output power. This is a decent comprimise between signal strength and power consump-tion.•50% - Sets the antenna gain to medium output power. The range is reduced but the power consumption is much less.•25% - Sets the antenna gain to low output power. This significantly reduces the transmission range but save considerable power.•Lowest - Sets the antenna gain to minimal output power. You are trading decent transmission range for significant power savings.Bridge Select the check box and an Ethernet adapter (network interface card (NIC)) on your computer from the drop-down list box. This allows you to connect your wireless network to the specified wired network.Note: This feature is not supported in Windows 2000.Security typeSelect a security type for your AP. Options are DISABLE,WEP,WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK.SaveClickto save the changes.CancelClickto discard the changes.Table 22 Configuration (continued)LABEL DESCRIPTION
Chapter 5AP ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 815.4.1.2 WEP EncryptionConfigure WEP security with these options. Figure 58 Security Setting: WEPThe following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 23 Security Setting: WEP LABEL DESCRIPTIONSecurity typeSelect WEP to enable this encryption type.Authentication Type Select an authentication method. Choices are Open System andShared Key.WEPSelect 64 Bits or 128 Bits for your WEP encryption type.Transmit KeySelect a default WEP key to use for data encryption.Note: This feature is not available in Windows Vista.Pass PhraseIf you select this transmit key option, enter a passphrase of up to 32 case-sensitive printable characters. As you enter the passphrase, the NWD2105 automatically generates four different transmit keys and displays the first in the key field below.
Chapter 5AP ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide825.4.1.3 WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSKConfigure WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK security with these options. Figure 59 Security Setting: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK The following table describes the labels in this screen. Key 1-4Select this option if you want to manually enter a transmit key. Enter the key in the field provided.If you select 64 Bits in the WEP field.Enter either 10 hexadecimal digits in the range of “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9” (for example, 11AA22BB33) for HEX key type.orEnter 5 ASCII characters (case sensitive) ranging from “a-z”, “A-Z” and “0-9” (for example, MyKey) for ASCII key type. If you select 128 Bits in the WEP field,Enter either 26 hexadecimal digits in the range of “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9” (for example, 00112233445566778899AABBCC) for HEX key typeorEnter 13 ASCII characters (case sensitive) ranging from “a-z”, “A-Z” and “0-9” (for example, MyKey12345678) for ASCII key type.Note: The values for the WEP keys must be set up exactly the same on all wireless devices in the same wireless LAN. ASCII WEP keys are case sensitive.SaveClickto save the changes.CancelClickto discard the changes.Table 23 Security Setting: WEP (continued)LABEL DESCRIPTIONTable 24 Security Setting: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSKLABEL DESCRIPTIONSecurity TypeSelect either WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK to enable these encryption types.Encryption TypeSelect the encryption type (TKIP or AES) for data encryption.
Chapter 5AP ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide 835.5 The MAC Filter ScreenThe MAC Filter screen allows you to configure the NWD2105 to give exclusive access to devices (Allow all) or exclude devices from connecting to the NWD2105 (Reject all). The MAC address is assigned at the factory and consists of six pairs of hexadecimal characters, for example, 00:A0:C5:00:00:02. You need to know the MAC address of the device(s) to configure this screen.Figure 60 The MAC Filter Screen Pre-Shared KeyType a pre-shared key (same as the AP or peer device) of between 8 and 63 case-sensitive ASCII characters (including spaces and symbols) or 64 hexadecimal characters.SaveClickto save the changes.CancelClickto discard the changes.Table 24 Security Setting: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSKLABEL DESCRIPTION
Chapter 5AP ModeNWD2105 User’s Guide84The following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 25 MAC Filter LABEL DESCRIPTIONFilter Type Define the filter action for the list of MAC addresses in the MAC address filter table.Select Disable to deactivate the MAC filter feature.Select Reject all to block access to the NWD2105, MAC addresses not listed will be allowed to access the NWD2105.Select Allow all to permit access to the NWD2105, MAC addresses not listed will be denied access to the NWD2105.Filter MAC Address 1-16 Specify the MAC address(es) of the wireless station(s) that is allowed or denied association to the NWD2105.Enter six pairs of hexadecimal digits (separated by colons) in the range of “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9” (for example, 00:A0:C5:00:00:02).If you enter an invalid MAC address, once you click Save to save the values, a warning screen will be displayed.SaveClickto save the changes.CancelClickto discard the changes.
NWD2105 User’s Guide 85CHAPTER 6 Maintenance6.1 OverviewThis section describes how to uninstall or upgrade the ZyXEL utility.6.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section•Learn which version of the ZyXEL utility and device driver you’re currently using. See Section 6.2 on page 86 for details.•Remove the ZyXEL utility from your computer. See Section 6.3 on page 86 for details.•Upgrade the ZyXEL utility. See Section 6.4 on page 87 for details.6.1.2 What You Need to KnowThe following term may help as you read through this section.Device driverA system file that lets other programs interact with a piece of hardware, or “device.” You should never try to locate and install or uninstall device drivers yourself since they are modifications to an operating system at the core (or “kernel”) level. Doing so could irreparably damage your installation.6.1.3 Before You Begin•Disconnect the NWD2105 if you are going to uninstall or upgrade the ZyXEL utility, save your work in any other open programs, and then close them.
Chapter 6MaintenanceNWD2105 User’s Guide866.2 The About Screen The About screen displays driver and utility version numbers of the NWD2105. To display the screen as shown below, click the About ( ) button.Figure 61 AboutThe following table describes the read-only fields in this screen. 6.3 Uninstalling the ZyXEL Utility Follow the steps below to remove (or uninstall) the ZyXEL utility from your computer.Note: Before you uninstall the ZyXEL utility, take note of your current wireless configurations.1Click Start > (All) Programs > Wireless N-lite USB Adapter Utility > Uninstall Wireless N-lite USB Adapter Utility.2When prompted, click OK or Yes to remove the driver and the utility software.Figure 62 Uninstall: Confirm Table 26 About LABEL DESCRIPTIONDriver VersionThis field displays the version number of the NWD2105 driver.Utility VersionThis field displays the version number of the ZyXEL utility.
Chapter 6MaintenanceNWD2105 User’s Guide 873Click Finish to complete uninstalling the software and restart the computer when prompted.Figure 63 Uninstall: Finish 6.4 Upgrading the ZyXEL UtilityNote: Before you uninstall the ZyXEL utility, take note of your current wireless configurations.To perform the upgrade, follow the steps below.1Download the latest version of the utility from the ZyXEL web site and save the file on your computer.2Follow the steps in Section 6.3 on page 86 to remove the current ZyXEL utility from your computer.3Restart your computer when prompted.4Disconnect the NWD2105 from your computer.5Double-click on the setup program for the new utility to start the ZyXEL utility installation.6Insert the NWD2105 and check the version numbers in the About screen to make sure the new utility is installed properly.
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89PART IITroubleshooting and SpecificationsTroubleshooting (91)Product Specifications (95)
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NWD2105 User’s Guide 91CHAPTER 7 TroubleshootingThis chapter offers some suggestions to solve problems you might encounter. The potential problems are divided into the following categories. •Power, Hardware Connections, and LEDs•Accessing the ZyXEL Utility•Link Quality•Problems Communicating with Other Computers7.1 Power, Hardware Connections, and LEDsThe NWD2105 does not turn on. None of the LEDs turn on.1Make sure the NWD2105 is correctly installed (refer to your Quick Start Guide).2Restart the computer to which the NWD2105 is attached.3If the problem continues, contact the vendor.One of the LEDs does not behave as expected.1Make sure you understand the normal behavior of the LED. See Section 1.2 on page 18.2Check the hardware connection. See the Quick Start Guide and Section 1.2 on page 18.3Restart the computer to which the NWD2105 is attached.4If the problem continues, contact the vendor.
Chapter 7TroubleshootingNWD2105 User’s Guide927.2 Accessing the ZyXEL UtilityI cannot access the ZyXEL Utility1Make sure the NWD2105 is properly inserted and the LEDs are on. Refer to the Quick Start Guide for information on how to properly connect the NWD2105.2Use the Device Manager to check for possible hardware conflicts. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Hardware >Device Manager. Verify the status of the NWD2105 under Network Adapter (steps may vary depending on the version of Windows). 3Install the NWD2105 on another computer.4If the error persists, you may have a hardware problem. In this case, you should contact your vendor.7.3 Link QualityThe link quality and/or signal strength is poor.1Scan for and connect to another AP with a better link quality using the SiteSurvey screen.2Move your computer closer to the AP or the peer computer(s) within the transmission range.3There may be too much radio interference (for example from a microwave oven, or another AP using the same channel) around your wireless network. Lower the output power of each AP.4Make sure there are not too many wireless stations connected to a wireless network.
Chapter 7TroubleshootingNWD2105 User’s Guide 937.4 Problems Communicating with Other ComputersThe computer with the NWD2105 installed cannot communicate with the other computer(s).In Infrastructure Mode•Make sure that the AP and the associated computers are turned on and working properly. •Make sure the NWD2105 computer and the associated AP use the same SSID.•Change the AP and the associated wireless clients to use another radio channel if interference is high.•Make sure that the computer and the AP share the same security option and key. Verify the settings in the Profile Security Setting screen.•If you are using WPA(2) or WPA(2)-PSK security, try changing your encryption type from TKIP to AES or vice versa.In Ad-Hoc Mode•Verify that the peer computer(s) is turned on.•Make sure the NWD2105 computer and the peer computer(s) are using the same SSID and channel.•Make sure that the computer and the peer computer(s) share the same security settings.•Change the wireless clients to use another radio channel if interference is high.
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NWD2105 User’s Guide 95CHAPTER 8 Product SpecificationsTable 27 Product Specifications PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTALProduct Name NWD2105 Wireless N-lite USB AdapterInterfaceUSB 2.0StandardsIEEE 802.11bIEEE 802.11gIEEE 802.11n Operating Frequency2.4GHZAntenna TypeChipOperating Temperature0 - 50 degrees CelsiusStorage Temperature-30 - 70 degrees CelsiusOperating Humidity20 - 90% (non-condensing)Storage Humidity 10 - 90% (non-condensing)Voltage5VPower Saving ModeYesCurrent ConsumptionTransmit: <300 mAReceive: <160 mADevice Weight3 g Device Dimensions18 mm (L) x 6 mm (W) x 36 mm (H)RADIO SPECIFICATIONS
Chapter 8Product SpecificationsNWD2105 User’s Guide96Transmit Power(+/- 1.5 dB)802.11b: 1/2/5.5/11M: 18.5 dBm 802.11g: 54/48M: 15dBm24/36M: 15dBm12/18M: 16dBm6/9M: 16.5 dBm802.11n: @ HT20MCS0~MCS07: 15.5 dBm@ HT40MCS0~MCS07: 15.5 dBmReceiver Sensitivity802.11b: 11Mbps at -82dBm802.11g: 54Mbps at -68dBm802.11n: HT20 at -64dBm HT40 at -62dBmWIRELESS STANDARDSIEEE 802.11bDynamically shifts between 11, 5.5, 2, and 1 Mbps network speed.Operation Frequency2.412GHz~2.472GHzOperation ChannelsN. America &Taiwan2.412GHz~ 2.462GHz 1-11Euro ETSI2.412GHz~ 2.472GHz 1-13IEEE 802.11gDynamically shifts between 54, 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9 and 6 Mbps network speed.Operation Frequency2.412GHz~2.472GHzOperation ChannelsN. America &Taiwan2.412GHz~ 2.462GHz 1-11Euro ETSI2.412GHz~ 2.472GHz 1-13IEEE 802.11nDownstream data rate 150 MbpsUpstream data rate 150 MbpsOperation Frequency 2.412GHz~ 2.472GHz 1-13Table 27 Product Specifications (continued)
Chapter 8Product SpecificationsNWD2105 User’s Guide 97Operation ChannelsN. America & Taiwan HT202.412GHz~ 2.462GHz 1-11N. America & Taiwan HT402.422GHz~ 2.452GHz 3-9Euro ETSI HT202.412GHz~ 2.472GHz 1-13Euro ETSI HT402.422GHz~ 2.462GHz 3-11Networking ModeInfrastructure, Ad-Hoc, SoftAP SupportApprovalsSafetyEuropean Union: EN60950-1 (CE-LVD)EMIUnited States: FCC Part 15B Class BCanada: ICES-003European Union: CE EN 55022 Class BAustralia: C-TickEMSEuropean Union: CE EN55024RFUnited States: FCC Part 15CCanada: RSS-210European Union: CE EN 300 328Taiwan: NCC LP0002Wi-Fi Certification11 b/g/n WPA/WPA2/WPSMicrosoft CertificationWHQL: Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows XP (32- and 64-bit), Windows 2000SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONSDevice DriversWindows 7 (32- and 64-bit)Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit)Windows XP (32- and 64-bit)Windows 2000Mac OS X (10.3/10.4/10.5)WIRELESS FEATURESWireless SecurityWEP 64bit, 128bit, WPA, WPA-PSK, WPA2, WPA2-PSK 802.1x (EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS, EAP-PEAP), WPS.Note: EAP-TTLS is not supported in Windows VistaTable 27 Product Specifications (continued)
Chapter 8Product SpecificationsNWD2105 User’s Guide98Wireless QoSWi-Fi Multi Media (WMM)Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) Push button configurationUse device's PINUse AP or Router's PINOtherWMM power-saving supportCompatible with Windows Zero ConfigurationTable 27 Product Specifications (continued)
99PART IIIAppendices and IndexNote: The appendices provide general information. Some details may not apply to your NWD2105.Setting Up Your Computer’s IP Address (101)Wireless LANs (131)Windows Wireless Management (147)Wireless for Windows 7 (173)Legal Information (179)Index (185)
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