Configure an wireless station to Infrastructure mode

Introduction

Configuration Wireless Access Point to Infrastructure mode

Configuration Wireless Station to Infrastructure mode

Setup WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)

- Introduction

- Setting up the Access Point

- Setting up the Station

Introduction

The 802.11 standard describes the communication that occurs in wireless LANs.

The Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) algorithm is used to protect wireless communication from eavesdropping, because wireless transmissions are easier to intercept than transmissions over wired networks, and wireless is a shared medium, everything that is transmitted or received over a wireless network can be intercepted.

WEP relies on a secret key that is shared between a mobile station (e.g. a laptop with a wireless Ethernet card) and an access point (i.e. a base station). The secret key is used to encrypt packets before they are transmitted, and an integrity check is used to ensure that packages are not modified during the transition. The standard does not discuss how the shared key is established. In practice, most installations use a single key that is shared between all mobile stations and access points APs.

WEP employs the key encryption algorithm, Ron's Code 4 Pseudo Random Number Generator (RC4 PRNG). The same key is used to encrypt and decrypt the data.

WEP has defences against this attack. To avoid encrypting two cipher texts with the same key stream, an Initialisation Vector (IV) is used to augment the shared WEP key (secret key) and produce a different RC4 key for each packet, the IV is also included in the package. WEP key (secret key) are available in two types, 64-bits and 128-bits. Many times you will see them referenced as 40-bits and 104-bits instead. The reson for this misnomer is that the WEP key ( 40/104 bits ) is concatenated with the initialisation vector ( 24 bits ) resulting in a 64/128 bit total key size.

Setting up the Access Point

Most access points and clients have the ability to hold up to 4 WEP keys simultaneously. You need to specify one of the 4 keys as default Key for data encryption. To set up the Access Point, you will need to set the one of the following parameters:

- 64-bit WEP key (secret key) with 5 characters
- 64-bit WEP key (secret key) with 10 hexadecimal digits
- 128-bit WEP key (secret key) with 13 characters
- 128-bit WEP key (secret key) with 26 hexadecimal digits

You can set up the Access Point by SMT or Web configurator

- Setting up the Access Point from SMT Menu 3.5

B3000 hold up to 4 WEP Keys. You have to specify one of the 4 keys as default Key which be used to encrypt wireless data transmission.
For example,

`` Menu 3.5 - Wireless LAN Setup ESSID= B3000 Hide ESSID= No Channel ID= CH01 2412MHz RTS Threshold= 2432 Frag. Threshold= 2432 WEP= 64-bit WEP Default Key= 3 Key1= 2e3f4 Key2= 5y7js Key3= 24fg7 Key4= 98jui Edit MAC Address Filter= No Edit Roaming Configuration= No

Key settings

Hexadecimal digits have to preceded by '0x',

WEP Key type | Example
64-bit WEP with 5 characters | Key1= 2e3f4 Key2= 5y7js Key3= 24fg7 Key4= 98jui
64-bit WEP with 10 hexadecimal digits ('0-9', 'A-F') | Key1= 0x123456789A Key2= 0x23456789AB Key3= 0x3456789ABC Key4= 0x456789ABCD
128-bit WEP with 13 characters | Key1= 2e3f4w345ytre Key2= 5y7jse8r4i038 Key3= 24fg70okx3fr7 Key4= 98jui2wss35u4
128-bit WEP with 26 hexadecimal digits ('0-9', 'A-F') | Key1= 0x112233445566778899AABBCDEF Key2= 0x2233445566778899AABBCCDDEE Key3= 0x3344556677889900AABBCCDDFF Key4= 0x44556677889900AABBCCDDEEFF

Select one of the WEP key as default Key to encrypt wireless data transmission.
The receiver will use the corresponding key to decrypt the data.
For example, if access point use Key 3 to encrypt data, then station will use Key 3 to decrypt data.
So, the Key 3 of station has to equal to the Key 3 of access point.
Though access point use Key 3 as default key, but the station can use the other Key as its default key to encrypt wireless data transmission.

Access Point (encrypt data by Key 3) --------> Station (decrypt data by Key 3)

Access Point (decrypt data by Key 2) <-------- Station (encrypt data by Key 2)

In this case, access point transmits data to station which encrypt data by Key 3 of access point. The station will decrypt the data by its Key 3.

At the same time, when the station transmits data to access point which encrypt data by Key 2.
The access point will decrypt the data by its Key 2.

- Setting up the Access Point with Web configurator

Key settings

Select one WEP key as default key to encrypt wireless data transmission.

Setting up the Station

1. Double click on the utility icon in your windows task bar or right click the utility icon then select 'Show Config Utility'.

The utility will pop up on your windows screen.

Note: If the utility icon doesn't exist in your task bar, click Start -> Programs -> IEEE802.11b WLAN Card -> IEEE802.11b WLAN Card.

2. Select the 'Encryption' tab.
Select encryption type correspond with access point.
Set up 4 Keys which correspond with the WEP Keys of access point.
And select on WEP key as default key to encrypt wireless data transmission.

Key settings
The WEP Encryption type of station has to equal to the access point.
Check 'ASCII' field for characters WEP key or un check 'ASCII' field for Hexadecimal digits WEP key.
Hexadecimal digits don't need to preceded by '0x'.
For example,
64-bits with characters WEP key :
Key1= 2e3f4
Key2= 5y7js
Key3= 24fg7
Key4= 98jui

64-bits with hexadecimal digits WEP key :
Key1= 123456789A
Key2= 23456789AB
Key3= 3456789ABC
Key4= 456789ABCD

All contents copyright © 2002 ZyXEL Communications Corporation.

- Configure a Wireless Client to Ad hoc mode
  - Ad hoc Introduction
  - Configuration for wireless station A
  - Configuration for wireless station B

  - Introduction

  What is Ad Hoc mode ?
  Ad hoc mode is a wireless network consists of a number of stations without access points. Without using an access point or any connection to a wired network.

  A client unit in Ad hoc operation mode can communicate directly to other client units just as using a cross over Ethernet cable connecting 2 host together via a NIC card for direct connection when configured in Ad hoc mode without an access point being present. Ad hoc operation is ideal for small networks of no more than 2-4 computers. Larger networks would require the use of one, or perhaps several, access points.

  - Configuration for Wireless Station A

  To configure Ad hoc mode on your ZyAIR B-100/B-200/B-300 wireless NIC card please follow the following step.

  1. Double click on the utility icon in your windows task bar the utility will pop up on your windows screen.

  2. Select configuration tab.

  3. Select Ad hoc from the operation mode pull down menu, fill you an SSID and select a channel you want to use than press OK to apply.

  4. Since there is no DHCP server to give the host IP you must first designate a static IP for your station. From Windows Start select Control Panel >Network Connection>Wireless Network Connection.

  5. From general tab select TCP/IP and click property

  6. Fill in your network IP address and subnet mask and click OK to finish.

  - Configuration for Wireless Station B

  To configure Ad hoc mode on your ZyAIR B-100/B-200/B-300 wireless NIC card please follow the following step.

  1. Double click on the utility icon in your windows task bar the utility will pop up on your windows screen.

  2. Select configuration tab.

  3. Select Ad hoc from the operation mode pull down menu, fill you an SSID and select a channel you want to use than press OK to apply.

  4. Since there is no DHCP server to give the host IP you must first designate a static IP for your station. From Windows Start select Control Panel >Network Connection>Wireless Network Connection.

  5. From general tab select TCP/IP and click property

  6. Fill in your network IP address and subnet mask and click OK to finish.

  7. Station A now are able to connect to Station B.

  Introduction

What is Infrastructure mode ?

Infrastructure mode, sometimes referred to as Access Point mode, is an operating mode of an 802.11b/Wi-Fi client unit. In infrastructure mode, the client unit can associate with an 802.11b/Wi-Fi Access Point and communicate with other clients in infrastructure mode through that access point.

Configuration Wireless Access Point to Infrastructure mode using SMT.

To configure Infrastructure mode of your ZyAIR B-3000 wireless AP please follow the steps below.

1. From the SMT main menu, enter 3 to display Menu 3 – LAN Setup.

2. Enter 5 to display Menu 3.5 – Wireless LAN Setup.

`` Menu 3.5 - Wireless LAN Setup Operaing Mode= Access Point Edit MAC Address Filter= No ESSID= Wireless Edit Roaming Configuration= No Hide ESSID= No Edit Multiple ESS Configuration= N/A Channel ID= CH06 2412MHz Edit Bridge Link Configuration= N/A RTS Threshold= 2432 Block Intra-BSS Traffic= No Frag. Threshold= 2432 Number of Associated Stations= 32 WEP Encryption= N/A Breathing LED= Yes Default Key= N/A Output Power= 17dBm Key1= N/A Key2= N/A Key3= N/A Key4= N/A Authen. Meth od= N/A Press ENTER to Confirm or ESC to Cancel:

3. Configure ESSID, Channel ID, WEP, Default Key and Keys as yo desire.

Configuration Wireless Access Point to Infrastructure mode using Web configurator.

To configure Infrastructure mode of your ZyAIR B-3000 wireless AP please follow the steps below.

1. From the web configurator main menu, click advanced->wireless to display –Wireless LAN.

3. Configure the desired configuation on ZyAIR B-3000.

4. Finished.

- Configuration Wireless Station to Infrastructure mode

To configure Infrastructure mode on your ZyAIR B-100/B-200/B-300 wireless NIC card please follow the following steps.

1. Double click on the utility icon in your windows task bar the utility will pop up on your windows screen.

2. Select configuration tab.

3. Select Infrastructure from the operation mode pull down menu, fill in an SSID or leave it as any if you wish to connect to any AP than press Apply Change to take effect.

4. Click on Site Survey tab, and press search all the available AP will be listed.

5. Double click on the AP you want to associated with.

6. After the client have associated with the selected AP. The linked AP's channel, current linkup rate, SSID, link quality, and signal strength will show on the Link Info page. You now successfully associate with the selected AP with Infrastructure Mode.