ZyXEL Communications NWD210N Wireless N USB Adapter User Manual SMG 700 User s Guide V1 00 Nov 2004

ZyXEL Communications Corporation Wireless N USB Adapter SMG 700 User s Guide V1 00 Nov 2004

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www.zyxel.comNWD210NWireless N USB AdapterUser’s GuideVersion 1.011/2007Edition 1

About This User's GuideNWD210N User’s Guide 3About This User's GuideIntended AudienceThis manual is intended for people who want to configure the NWD210N using the ZyXEL utility. You should have at least a basic knowledge of TCP/IP networking concepts and topology.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.• Supporting DiskRefer to the included CD for support documents.• ZyXEL Web SitePlease refer to www.zyxel.com for additional support documentation and product certifications.User’s Guide FeedbackHelp us help you. Send all User’s Guide-related comments, questions or suggestions for improvement to the following address, or use e-mail instead. Thank you!The Technical Writing Team,ZyXEL Communications Corp.,6 Innovation Road II,Science-Based Industrial Park, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.E-mail: techwriters@zyxel.com.tw

Document ConventionsNWD210N User’s Guide4Document ConventionsWarnings and NotesThese are how warnings and notes are shown in this User’s Guide. 1Warnings tell you about things that could harm you or your NWD210N."Notes tell you other important information (for example, other things you may need to configure or helpful tips) or recommendations.Syntax Conventions• The NWD210N may be referred to as the “NWD210N”, 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 ConventionsNWD210N User’s Guide 5Icons 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 WarningsNWD210N User’s Guide6Safety Warnings1For your safety, be sure to read and follow all warning notices and instructions.• 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).This product is recyclable. Dispose of it properly.

Contents OverviewNWD210N User’s Guide 7Contents OverviewIntroduction and Configuration ............................................................................................19Getting Started ........................................................................................................................... 21Tutorial ....................................................................................................................................... 27Wireless LANs ........................................................................................................................... 37Wireless Configuration .............................................................................................................. 47Maintenance .............................................................................................................................. 67Troubleshooting and Specifications ....................................................................................71Troubleshooting ......................................................................................................................... 73Product Specifications ............................................................................................................... 77Appendices and Index ...........................................................................................................79

Contents OverviewNWD210N User’s Guide8

Table of ContentsNWD210N User’s Guide 116.4 Problems Communicating with Other Computers ............................................................... 74Chapter 7Product Specifications ........................................................................................................... 77Part III: Appendices and Index.............................................................. 79Appendix A Setting up Your Computer’s IP Address.............................................................. 81Appendix B Wireless LANs .................................................................................................. 103Appendix C Windows Wireless Management ...................................................................... 117Appendix D Legal Information ..............................................................................................139Appendix E Customer Support.............................................................................................143Index....................................................................................................................................... 149

Table of ContentsNWD210N User’s Guide12

List of FiguresNWD210N User’s Guide 15Figure 82 Red Hat 9.0: DNS Settings in resolv.conf ..........................................................................100Figure 83 Red Hat 9.0: Restart Ethernet Card ................................................................................... 100Figure 84 Red Hat 9.0: Checking TCP/IP Properties ......................................................................... 101Figure 85 Peer-to-Peer Communication in an Ad-hoc Network ........................................................... 103Figure 86 Basic Service Set ................................................................................................................. 104Figure 87 Infrastructure WLAN ............................................................................................................. 105Figure 88 RTS/CTS ............................................................................................................................. 106Figure 89 WPA(2) with RADIUS Application Example ..........................................................................113Figure 90 WPA(2)-PSK Authentication ..................................................................................................114Figure 91 Vista: Start Menu ...................................................................................................................117Figure 92 Vista: The Connect To Window .............................................................................................118Figure 93 Vista: Additional Information ..................................................................................................118Figure 94 Vista: Enter Security Key .......................................................................................................119Figure 95 Vista: Connecting ..................................................................................................................119Figure 96 Vista: Successful Connection ............................................................................................... 120Figure 97 Vista: Choose a Connection Option ..................................................................................... 121Figure 98 Vista: Connect Manually ....................................................................................................... 121Figure 99 Vista: Successfully Added Network ...................................................................................... 122Figure 100 Vista: Set Up An Ad-hoc Network ....................................................................................... 123Figure 101 Vista: Ad-hoc Options ........................................................................................................ 123Figure 102 Vista: Ad-hoc Network Ready ............................................................................................ 124Figure 103 Windows XP SP1: Wireless Network Connection Status ................................................... 125Figure 104 Windows XP SP2: Wireless Network Connection Status ................................................... 125Figure 105 Windows XP SP1: Wireless Network Connection Properties ............................................. 126Figure 106 Windows XP SP2: Wireless Network Connection Properties ............................................. 126Figure 107 Windows XP SP2: WZC Not Available ............................................................................... 127Figure 108 Windows XP SP2: System Tray Icon ................................................................................. 127Figure 109 Windows XP SP2: Wireless Network Connection Status ................................................... 128Figure 110 Windows XP SP1: Wireless Network Connection Status ................................................... 128Figure 111 Windows XP SP2: Wireless Network Connection ............................................................... 129Figure 112 Windows XP SP1: Wireless Network Connection Properties ............................................. 130Figure 113 Windows XP SP2: Wireless Network Connection: WEP or WPA-PSK ............................... 130Figure 114 Windows XP SP2: Wireless Network Connection: No Security ......................................... 131Figure 115 Windows XP: Wireless (network) properties: Association .................................................. 131Figure 116 Windows XP: Wireless (network) properties: Authentication .............................................. 133Figure 117 Windows XP: Protected EAP Properties ............................................................................ 134Figure 118 Windows XP: Smart Card or other Certificate Properties ................................................... 135Figure 119 Windows XP SP2: Wireless Networks: Preferred Networks ............................................... 136Figure 120 Windows XP SP1: Wireless Networks: Preferred Networks .............................................. 136

List of FiguresNWD210N User’s Guide16

List of TablesNWD210N User’s Guide18

19PART IIntroduction and ConfigurationGetting Started (21)Tutorial (27)Wireless LANs (37)Wireless Configuration (47)Maintenance (67)

NWD210N User’s Guide 21CHAPTER 1 Getting StartedThis chapter introduces the NWD210N and prepares you to use the ZyXEL utility. The ZyXEL utility is a tool that helps you configure your NWD210N. 1.1 About Your NWD210N Your NWD210N is an IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 compliant wireless LAN adapter. It can also connect to IEEE 802.11b/g wireless networks. The NWD210N is WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) compliant. WPS allows you to easily connect to another WPS-enabled device. The NWD210N is a USB adapter which connects to an empty USB port on your computer.See your NWD210N’s Quick Start Guide for installation instructions, and see the chapter on product specifications for detailed information.1.1.1 HardwareThis section describes the NWD210N’s physical appearance.Figure 1 The NWD210NThe following table describes the NWD210N.Table 1 NWD210N External ViewLABEL DESCRIPTIONALEDA B C

Chapter 1 Getting StartedNWD210N User’s Guide22The following table describes the operation of the NWD210N’s LEDs.1.2 Application OverviewThis section describes some network applications for the NWD210N. You can either set the network type to Infrastructure and connect to an AP or use Ad-Hoc mode and connect to a peer computer (another wireless device in Ad-Hoc mode).1.2.1 Infrastructure To connect to a network via an access point (AP), set the NWD210N network type to Infrastructure (see Chapter 4 on page 56). Through the AP, you can access the Internet or the wired network behind the AP. B USB connectorC USB connector cap.Table 2 NWD210N LEDsLED COLOR STATUS DESCRIPTIONBlue On The NWD210N is turned on, connected to an AP, and is not transmitting or receiving data.Blinking regularly and rapidlyThe NWD210N is turned on, but is not connected to a wireless network.Blinking regularly and slowlyThe NWD210N is turned on, connected to a wireless network, and is not transmitting or receiving data.Blinking IrregularlyThe NWD210N is turned on, connected to a wireless network and is transmitting or receiving data.Off The NWD210N is turned off.Table 1 NWD210N External ViewLABEL DESCRIPTION

Chapter 1 Getting StartedNWD210N User’s Guide 23Figure 2 Application: Infrastructure 1.2.2 Ad-Hoc To set up a small independent wireless workgroup without an AP, use Ad-Hoc (see Chapter 4 on page 56).Ad-Hoc does not require an AP or a wired network. Two or more wireless clients communicate directly with each other."Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is not available in ad-hoc mode. Figure 3 Application: Ad-Hoc

Chapter 1 Getting StartedNWD210N User’s Guide241.3 Hardware and Utility InstallationFollow the instructions in the Quick Start Guide to install the ZyXEL utility and make hardware connections.1.3.1 ZyXEL Utility IconAfter you install and start the ZyXEL utility, an icon for the ZyXEL utility appears in the system tray."The ZyXEL utility system tray icon displays only when the NWD210N is installed properly."When you use the ZyXEL utility, it automatically disables Wireless Zero Configuration (WZC) in Windows XP.Figure 4 ZyXEL Utility: System Tray Icon The color of the ZyXEL utility system tray icon indicates the status of the NWD210N. Refer to the following table for details. 1.4 Configuration Methods To configure your NWD210N, 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. "Do NOT use Windows XP’s Wireless Zero Configuration tool at the same time you use the ZyXEL utility.Table 3 ZyXEL Utility: System Tray Icon COLOR DESCRIPTIONRed The NWD210N is not connected to a wireless network.Green The NWD210N is connected to a wireless network.

Chapter 1 Getting StartedNWD210N User’s Guide 251.4.1 Enabling Windows Wireless Configuration "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 NWD210N, 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 NWD210N.To reactivate the ZyXEL utility, double-click the ( ) icon on your desktop or click Start, (All) Programs, ZyXEL Wireless N USB Adapter Utility, ZyXEL Wireless N USB Adapter Utility.1.4.2 Accessing the ZyXEL Utility Double-click on the ZyXEL wireless LAN utility icon in the system tray to open the ZyXEL utility. The ZyXEL utility screens are similar in all Microsoft Windows versions. Screens for Windows XP are shown in this User’s Guide. "Click the icon (located in the top right corner) to display the online help window.

Chapter 1 Getting StartedNWD210N User’s Guide26

NWD210N User’s Guide 27CHAPTER 2 TutorialThe following sections show you how to join a wireless network using the ZyXEL utility, as in the following diagram. The wireless client is labeled C and the access point is labeled AP. Figure 6 Infrastructure Network2.1 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 NWD210N as the wireless client, and ZyXEL’s NBG334W as the Access Point (AP). "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 2.1.1 on page 27.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 NWD210N’s interface. See Section 2.1.2 on page 29. This is the more secure method, since one device can authenticate the other.2.1.1 Push Button Configuration (PBC)1Make sure that your access point is turned on and that it is within range of the computer with the NWD210N installed. 2Make sure that you have installed the NWD210N’s driver and utility on your computer.

Chapter 2 TutorialNWD210N User’s Guide283In the NWD210N’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. "It doesn’t matter which button is pressed first. You must press the second button within two minutes of pressing the first one. The AP sends the proper configuration settings to the NWD210N. This may take up to two minutes. Then the NWD210N 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 NWD210N.

Chapter 2 TutorialNWD210N User’s Guide 29Figure 7 Example WPS Process: PBC Method2.1.2 PIN ConfigurationWhen you use the PIN configuration method, you need to use both the NWD210N’s utility and the AP’s configuration interface.1In the NWD210N’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. 3Click the Start buttons on both the NWD210N utility screen and the AP’s configuration utility (the WPS Station screen on the NBG334W) within two minutes. The NWD210N 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 NWD210N securely. NWD210N APSECURITY INFOCOMMUNICATIONWITHIN 2 MINUTES

Chapter 2 TutorialNWD210N User’s Guide30The following figure shows you the example of configuring the wireless network and security on the NWD210N and the AP (ZyXEL’s NBG334W in this example) by using the PIN method.

Chapter 2 TutorialNWD210N User’s Guide 31Figure 8 Example WPS Process: PIN MethodAuthentication by PINSECURITY INFOWITHIN 2 MINUTESCOMMUNICATIONNWD210N AP

Chapter 2 TutorialNWD210N User’s Guide 33Figure 10 ZyXEL Utility: Security Settings 5The Summary window appears. Check your settings and click Save to continue.Figure 11 ZyXEL Utility: Summary6The 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 Info screen 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 4.2 on page 47 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

NWD210N User’s Guide 37CHAPTER 3 Wireless LANsThis chapter provides background information on wireless Local Area Networks.3.1 Wireless LAN Overview The following figure provides an example of a wireless network with an AP. See Figure 3 on page 23 for an Ad Hoc network example.Figure 19 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.• If two wireless networks overlap, they should use a different channel.

Chapter 3 Wireless LANsNWD210N User’s Guide38Like 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.3.2 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 NWD210N, the NWD210N’s wireless communications are accessible to any wireless networking device that is in the coverage area. "You can use only WEP encryption if you set the NWD210N to Ad-hoc mode.See the appendices for more detailed information about wireless security.3.2.1 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.3.2.1.1 WEP3.2.1.1.1 Data Encryption WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption scrambles all data packets transmitted between the NWD210N 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 NWD210N.• 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.

Chapter 3 Wireless LANsNWD210N User’s Guide 39Your NWD210N allows you to configure up to four 64-bit, 128-bit or 152-bit WEP keys. Only one key is used as the default key at any one time.3.2.1.1.2 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 NWD210N 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.3.2.1.2 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.3.2.1.2.1 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 NWD210N 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 103 for descriptions.For 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.3.2.1.3 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.

Chapter 3 Wireless LANsNWD210N User’s Guide40If 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 WPA2.3.3 WiFi Protected SetupYour NWD210N 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). Depending 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.3.3.1 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 NWD210N, see Section 4.5.1 on page 62).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.

Chapter 3 Wireless LANsNWD210N User’s Guide 413.3.2 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 need 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 NWD210N, see Section 4.5 on page 61).4Enter the client’s PIN in the AP’s configuration interface."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. "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.The following figure shows a WPS-enabled wireless client (installed in a notebook computer) connecting to the WPS-enabled AP via the PIN method.

Chapter 3 Wireless LANsNWD210N User’s Guide42Figure 20 Example WPS Process: PIN Method3.3.3 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 already 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.ENROLLEESECURE EAP TUNNELSSIDWPA(2)-PSKWITHIN 2 MINUTESCOMMUNICATIONThis device’s WPSEnter WPS PIN WPSfrom other device: WPS PIN: 123456WPSSTARTWPSSTARTREGISTRAR

Chapter 3 Wireless LANsNWD210N User’s Guide 43Figure 21 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 subsequent 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.3.3.3.1 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 1 are 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.SECURE TUNNELSECURITY INFOWITHIN 2 MINUTESCOMMUNICATIONACTIVATEWPSACTIVATEWPSWPS HANDSHAKEREGISTRARENROLLEE

Chapter 3 Wireless LANsNWD210N User’s Guide44Figure 22 WPS: Example Network Step 1In step 2, you add another wireless client to the network. You know that Client 1 supports 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 23 WPS: Example Network Step 2In 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.REGISTRARENROLLEESECURITY INFOCLIENT 1 AP1REGISTRARCLIENT 1 AP1ENROLLEECLIENT 2EXISTING CONNECTIONSECURITY INFO

Chapter 3 Wireless LANsNWD210N User’s Guide 45Figure 24 WPS: Example Network Step 33.3.4 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 4.3.1.2 on page 52 for information on pre-shared keys). Whether the network uses WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK depends on the device. You can check the configuration 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.CLIENT 1 AP1REGISTRARCLIENT 2EXISTING CONNECTIONSECURITY INFOENROLLEEAP1EXISTING CONNECTION

Chapter 3 Wireless LANsNWD210N User’s Guide46You 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.

Chapter 4 Wireless ConfigurationNWD210N User’s Guide 494.2.1 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 27 Link Info: Trend Chart The following table describes the labels in this screen. 4.3 The Site Survey Screen Use the Site Survey screen to scan for and connect to a wireless network automatically.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 NWD210N 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 DESCRIPTIONTable 6 Link Info: Trend Chart LABEL DESCRIPTIONTransmit This field displays the current data transmission rate in kilobits per second (Kbps).Receive This field displays the current data reception rate in kilobits per second (Kbps).

Chapter 4 Wireless ConfigurationNWD210N User’s Guide50Figure 28 Site Survey The following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 7 Site Survey LABEL DESCRIPTIONAvailable Network 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.SSID This field displays the SSID (Service Set IDentifier) of each wireless device.Channel This field displays the channel number used by each wireless device.Signal This field displays the signal strength of each wireless device.Scan Click Scan to search for available wireless devices within transmission range.Connect Click Connect to associate to the selected wireless device.Site Information Click an entry in the Available Network List table to display the information of the selected wireless device.Network Type This field displays the network type (Infrastructure or Ad Hoc) of the wireless device.Network Mode This field displays the wireless standard (802.11b, 802.11g or 802.11n) used by the selected wireless device.Channel This field displays the channel number used by each wireless device.Security This 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.

Chapter 4 Wireless ConfigurationNWD210N User’s Guide 514.3.1 Security Settings When you configure the NWD210N to connect to a network with wireless security activated and the security settings are disabled on the NWD210N, the screen varies according to the encryption method used by the selected network.4.3.1.1 WEP EncryptionFigure 29 Security Setting: WEP The following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 8 Security Setting: WEP LABEL DESCRIPTIONSecurity SettingsWEP Select 64 Bits or 128 Bits to activate WEP encryption and then fill in the related fields.Encryption Type Select an authentication method. Choices are Open and Shared.Refer to Section 3.2.1.1.2 on page 39 for more information.Pass Phrase Enter a passphrase of up to 32 case-sensitive printable characters. As you enter the passphrase, the NWD210N automatically generates four different WEP keys and displays the first in the key field below. Refer to Section 3.2.1.1.1 on page 38 for more information.Transmit Key Select a default WEP key to use for data encryption. The key displays in the adjacent field.Key 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.

Chapter 4 Wireless ConfigurationNWD210N User’s Guide524.3.1.2 WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSKFigure 30 Security Setting: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSKThe following table describes the labels in this screen. 4.3.1.3 WPA/WPA2The screen that displays when you select WPA or WPA2 differs, depending on the EAP Type you select (TLS, PEAP or TTLS)."The procedure to configure WPA or WPA2 is different in Windows Vista. See Section 4.6 on page 64 for information on setting up your NWD210N to use WPA or WPA2 in Vista.Back Click Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another network.Next Click Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen. Refer to Section 4.3.3 on page 55. Exit Click Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.Table 8 Security Setting: WEP (continued)LABEL DESCRIPTIONTable 9 Security Setting: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSKLABEL DESCRIPTIONEncryption Type The 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 3.2.1.3 on page 39 for more information.Pre-Shared Key Type 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.Back Click Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another network.Next Click Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen. Refer to Section 4.3.3 on page 55. Exit Click Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.

Chapter 4 Wireless ConfigurationNWD210N User’s Guide 53Figure 31 Security Settings: WPA/WPA2 The following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 10 Security Setting: WPA/WPA2LABEL DESCRIPTIONEncryption Type The 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 3.2.1.3 on page 39 for more information.EAP Type The 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 Name Enter a user name. This is the user name that you or an administrator set up on a RADIUS server.Password This field is not available when you select TLS in the EAP Type field. Enter the password associated with the user name above. Certificate This 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.Validate Server CertificateSelect this to verify the certificate of the authentication server. If you select this and click Next, the Server Certificate Setting screen displays. PEAP Inner EAP This 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 Protocol This 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.Back Click Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another network.Next Click Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen (refer to Section 4.3.3 on page 55.) If you selected Validate Server Certificate, the Server Certificate Setting screen displays (refer to Section 4.3.2 on page 55).Exit Click Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.

Chapter 4 Wireless ConfigurationNWD210N User’s Guide544.3.1.4 IEEE 802.1xConfigure IEEE 802.1x security with various authentication methods in this screen. "The procedure to configure 802.1x is different in Windows Vista. See Section 4.6 on page 64 for information on setting up your NWD210N to use 802.1x in Vista.Figure 32 Security Setting: 802.1x The following table describes the labels in this screen. Table 11 Security Settings: IEEE 802.1xLABEL DESCRIPTIONEncryption Type Select WEP if the access point is configured to use 802.1x with WEP encryption. A dynamic WEP key is generated automatically.Otherwise, select Disable (at the time of writing, this is not available in Windows Vista).EAP Type The 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 Name Enter a user name. This is the user name that you or an administrator set up on a RADIUS server.Password This field is not available when you select TLS in the EAP Type field. Enter the password associated with the user name above. Certificate This 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.Validate Server CertificateSelect this to verify the certificate of the authentication server. If you select this and click Next, the Server Certificate Setting screen displays. PEAP Inner EAP This 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.

Chapter 4 Wireless ConfigurationNWD210N User’s Guide 554.3.2 Server Certificate Setting ScreenThis screen displays if you selected Validate Server Certificate in the WPA, WPA2 or 802.1x screens.Figure 33 Server Certificate Setting ScreenThe following table describes the labels in this screen.4.3.3 Summary ScreenUse this screen to confirm and save the security settings.Back Click Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another network.Next Click Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen (refer to Section 4.3.3 on page 55.) If you selected Validate Server Certificate, the Server Certificate Setting screen displays (refer to Section 4.3.2 on page 55).Exit Click Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.Table 11 Security Settings: IEEE 802.1xLABEL DESCRIPTIONTable 12 Server Certificate SettingLABEL DESCRIPTIONCertificate Issuer Select the name of the certificate authority from the list.Back Click Back to return to the previous screen.Next Click Next to continue to the Summary screen.Exit Click Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.

Chapter 4 Wireless ConfigurationNWD210N User’s Guide624.5.1 WPS: PBC (Push Button Configuration) This screen allows you to use the WPS Push Button Configuration mode. See Section 3.3.1 on page 40 for more information. Select WPS and PBC (Push Button Configuration) in the Adapter screen. The following screen displays.Figure 43 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.Power Saving ModeSelect Fast Power Save to save power. This forces the NWD210N to go to sleep mode when it is not transmitting data.When you select Continuous Access Mode, the NWD210N will never go to sleep mode.At the time of writing, this field is not available in Windows Vista.WMM QoS Select this to enable Wi-fi MultiMedia Quality of Service on the NWD210N.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 NWD210N.PBC (Push Button Configuration)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 4.5.1 on page 62).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 NWD210N’s PIN in another WPS-enabled device.When you select this, the PIN - Use this Device’s PIN screen appears (see Section 4.5.2 on page 63).PIN - 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 NWD210N.When you select this, the PIN - Use the PIN From the AP or Wireless Router screen appears (see Section 4.5.3 on page 63).Save Click Save to save the changes to the NWD210N and return to the Link Info screen.Table 17 Adapter (continued)LABEL DESCRIPTION

Chapter 4 Wireless ConfigurationNWD210N User’s Guide 634.5.2 WPS: PIN - Use this Device’s PINThis screen allows you to use the WPS Personal Identification Number mode, by entering the NWD210N’s unique PIN in the configuration utility of the other WPS-enabled device. See Section 3.3.2 on page 41 for more information. Select WPS and PIN - Use this Device’s PIN in the Adapter screen. The following screen displays.Figure 44 WPS: PIN - Use this Device’s PINThe following table describes the labels in this screen. 4.5.3 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 NWD210N’s utility. See Section 3.3.2 on page 41 for more information. Select WPS and PIN - Use the PIN from the AP or Wireless Router in the Adapter screen. The following screen displays.Table 18 WPS: PIN - Use this Device’s PINLABEL DESCRIPTIONThis device’s PIN This is the NWD210N’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.Start Click this to start WPS. You must start WPS on the other WPS-enabled device within two minutes.

Chapter 4 Wireless ConfigurationNWD210N User’s Guide662In 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 48 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 49 Vista Security: Select Certificate"If you do not have the right certificate, or are not sure which certificate you should use, contact your network administrator.7Click OK. The Select Certificate screen disappears and the NWD210N tries to connect to the network. The ZyXEL utility’s Link Info screen displays, showing the connection status (see Section 4.2 on page 47). If the Link Info screen displays an active connection, you have successfully completed the procedure.

Chapter 5 MaintenanceNWD210N User’s Guide 67CHAPTER 5 MaintenanceThis chapter describes how to uninstall or upgrade the ZyXEL utility.5.1 The About Screen The About screen displays driver and utility version numbers of the NWD210N. To display the screen as shown below, click the about ( ) button.Figure 50 About The following table describes the read-only fields in this screen. Table 20 About LABEL DESCRIPTIONDriver Version This field displays the version number of the NWD210N driver.Utility Version This field displays the version number of the ZyXEL utility.

Chapter 5 MaintenanceNWD210N User’s Guide685.2 Uninstalling the ZyXEL Utility Follow the steps below to remove (or uninstall) the ZyXEL utility from your computer."Before you uninstall the ZyXEL utility, take note of your current wireless configurations.1Click Start, (All) Programs, ZyXEL Wireless N USB Utility, Uninstall ZyXEL Wireless N USB Adapter Utility.2When prompted, click OK or Ye s to remove the driver and the utility software.Figure 51 Uninstall: Confirm 3Click Finish to complete uninstalling the software and restart the computer when prompted.Figure 52 Uninstall: Finish 5.3 Upgrading the ZyXEL Utility"Before you uninstall the ZyXEL utility, take note of your current wireless configurations.

Chapter 5 MaintenanceNWD210N User’s Guide 69To 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 5.2 on page 68 to remove the current ZyXEL utility from your computer.3Restart your computer when prompted.4Disconnect the NWD210N from your computer.5Double-click on the setup program for the new utility to start the ZyXEL utility installation.6Insert the NWD210N and check the version numbers in the About screen to make sure the new utility is installed properly.

Chapter 5 MaintenanceNWD210N User’s Guide70

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