Atheros AR5BUB173 User Manual
Atheros 1X1 single band
802.11b/g/n module
Model AR5BUB173
March 2009
© 2000–2009 by Atheros Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Revision History
Revision Description of Changes
March 2009 Initial Release
4 • Atheros Communications, Inc.
COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Contents
Introduction...............................................................................................................7
System Requirements........................................................................................7
Profile Management.................................................................................................7
Create or Modify a Configuration Profile.......................................................7
Remove a Configuration Profile......................................................................8
Auto Profile Selection Management.......................................................................8
Switching to a Different Configuration Profile.....................................................9
Import and Export Profiles.......................................................................................9
Importing a Profile.....................................................................................................9
Exporting a Profile.....................................................................................................9
TCP/IP Configuration.............................................................................................9
Configuring the TCP/IP Address for the network device:....................................9
General Tab..............................................................................................................10
Advanced Tab.........................................................................................................10
Security Tab.............................................................................................................11
Using EAP-TLS Security.................................................................................12
Using EAP-TTLS Security...............................................................................12
Using PEAP (EAP-GTC) Security..................................................................13
Using PEAP-MSCHAP V2 Security...............................................................14
Using LEAP Security.......................................................................................15
Configuring LEAP....................................................................................................15
Pre-Shared Encryption Keys.................................................................................16
Defining pre-shared encryption keys:..................................................................16
Overwriting an Existing Static WEP Key.............................................................16
Disabling Static WEP..............................................................................................16
Using WPA Passphrase Security..........................................................................17
Zero Configuration.................................................................................................17
Wireless Network Configuration...........................................................................17
Check the Status Information or Diagnostics......................................................18
Current Status...................................................................................................18
Adapter Information Button.................................................................................19
Diagnostics Tab.......................................................................................................19
Transmitted Frames................................................................................................20
Received Frames....................................................................................................20
Scan Available Networks.......................................................................................20
Connecting to a different network.........................................................................20
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Display Settings......................................................................................................22
ACU Tools...............................................................................................................22
Tray Icon..................................................................................................................23
Color.........................................................................................................................24
Quality.......................................................................................................................24
RSSI*........................................................................................................................24
Ad Hoc Mode..........................................................................................................24
Ad Hoc Mode Profile Configuration.............................................................24
Infrastructure (Access Point) Mode......................................................................25
Infrastructure (Access Point) Mode Profile Configuration........................25
Uninstall an Old Driver.........................................................................................26
Additional Security Features................................................................................26
Message Integrity Check (MIC)............................................................................26
Advanced Status Information...............................................................................27
Regulatory Compliance Notices...........................................................................33
USA-Federal Communications Commission (FCC)..........................................33
European Community — CE Notice:...................................................................36
Taiwan DGT Radio Compliance:..........................................................................37
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Introduction
The card uses the Atheros Client Utility (ACU) which is a user-mode utility designed to
edit and add profiles for selected Atheros network interface adapters.
System Requirements
Laptop/ PC containing:
32-bit PCI Express Bus
32 MB memory or greater
300 MHz processor or higher
Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98 Second
Edition, Windows XP, or Windows NT 4.0 (with Service Pack 6)
Profile Management
Configure the wireless network adapter (wireless card) from the Profile Management tab
of the Atheros Client Utility.
Add a profile
Edit a profile
Import a Profile
Export a Profile
The wireless network adapter works in either infrastructure mode (which uses an access
point) or ad hoc mode (a group of stations participating in the wireless LAN).
Order profiles
Switch to a different profile
Remove a profile
Connect to a Different
Network
Create or Modify a Configuration Profile
To add a new configuration profile, click New on the Profile Management tab. To modify
a configuration profile, select the configuration from the Profile list and click the Modify
button.
The Profile Management dialog box displays the General tab. In profile management:
Edit the General tab.
Edit the Security tab.
Edit the Advanced tab.
To configure a profile for ad hoc or access point (infrastructure) mode, edit the Network
Type field on the Advanced tab.
Note that the ACU only allows the creation of 16 configuration profiles. After the
creation of 16 profiles, clicking the New button displays an error message. Remove an
old profile or modify an existing profile for a new use.
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Remove a Configuration Profile
1. Go to the Profile Management tab.
2. Select the profile to remove from the list of configuration profiles.
3. Click the Remove button.
Auto Profile Selection Management
Including a profile in the auto selection feature allows the wireless adapter to
automatically select that profile from the list of profiles and use it to connect to the
network.
Including a profile in auto profile selection:
1. On the Profile Management tab, click the Order Profiles button.
2. The Auto Profile Selection Management window appears, with a list of all created
profiles in the Available Profiles box.
3. Highlight the profiles to add to auto profile selection, then click Add. The profiles
appear in the Auto Selected Profiles box.
Ordering the auto selected profiles:
1. Highlight a profile in the Auto Selected Profiles box.
2. Click Move Up, Move Down, or Remove as appropriate. The first profile in the Auto
Selected Profiles box has highest priority, and the last profile has lowest priority.
3. Click OK.
4. Check the Auto Select Profiles box.
5. Save the modified configuration file.
When auto profile selection is enabled by checking Auto Select Profiles on the Profile
Management tab, the adapter scans for an available network. The profile with the
highest priority and the same SSID as one of the found networks is the one that is used
to connect to the network. If the connection fails, the adapter tries the next highest
priority profile that matches the SSID, and so on.
With auto profile selection enabled, the wireless adapter scans for available networks.
The highest priority profile with the same SSID as a found network is used to connect to
the network. On a failed connection, the adapter tries with the next highest priority
profile.
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Switching to a Different Configuration Profile
1. To switch to a different profile, go to the Profile Management tab.
2. Click on the profile name in the Profile List.
3. Click the Activate button.
The Profile List provides icons that specify the operational state for that profile. The list
also provides icons that specify the signal strength for that profile.
Import and Export Profiles
Importing a Profile
1. From the Profile Management tab, click the Import button. The Import Profile
window appears.
2. Browse to the directory where the profile is located.
3. Highlight the profile name.
4. Click Open. The imported profile appears in the profiles list.
Exporting a Profile
1. From the Profile Management tab, highlight the profile to export.
2. Click the Export button. The Export Profile window appears.
3. Browse to the directory to export the profile to.
4. Click Save. The profile is exported to the specified location.
TCP/IP Configuration
Configuring the TCP/IP Address for the network device:
1. After configuring the wireless network adapter properties, open the Control Panel and
open Network and Dial-up Connections.
2. Find the Local Area Connection associated with the wireless network adapter. Rightclick that connection, and click Properties.
3. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click Properties.
4. Click the radio button Use the following IP address, then enter an IP address and Subnet
mask. Assigning an IP address and Subnet mask allows stations to operate in access
point mode (infrastructure mode) or in ad hoc mode and to have Internet access. Default
gateway and DNS server information is also required. IP configuration information
(DHCP to assign the IP address, gateway and DNS server IP addresses) is usually
obtained from the corporate IT staff.
5. Click OK to finish.
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General Tab
In the Atheros Client Utility, access the General tab by clicking New or Modify on the
Profile Management tab. Edit the fields in the General tab to configure the configuration
profile. Make sure to also edit the Security and Advanced tabs.
Profile Name
Client Name
Network Names (SSIDs)
Advanced Tab
In the Atheros Client Utility, access the Advanced tab by clicking New or Modify on the
Profile Management tab, then clicking the Advanced tab in Profile Management. Edit
the fields in the Advanced tab of Profile Management to configure the profile.
Transmit
Power Level
Power Save
Mode
Selects the transmit power level in mW. Actual transmit power may be
limited by hardware.
Specify:
Identifies the configuration profile. This name must be
unique. Profile names are not case sensitive.
Identifies the client machine.
The IEEE 802.11 wireless network name. This field has a
maximum limit of 32 characters.
Configure up to three SSIDs (SSID1, SSID2, and SSID3).
Maximum mode causes the access point to buffer incoming messages
for the wireless adapter. The adapter periodically polls the access
point to see if any messages are waiting.
Normal uses maximum when retrieving a large number of packets,
then switches back to power save mode after retrieving the packets.
Off turns power saving off, thus powering up the wireless adapter
continuously for a short message response time.
Network Type
802.11b
Preamble
Authentication
Mode
10 • Atheros Communications, Inc.
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Specifies the network as either infrastructure or ad hoc.
Specifies the preamble setting in 802.11b. The default setting is Short &
Long (access point mode), which allows both short and long headers in
the 802.11b frames. The adapter can only use short radio headers if the
access point supports and uses them. Set to Long Only to override
allowing short frames.
Select the mode the wireless adapter uses to authenticate to an AP:
Auto causes the adapter to attempt authentication using shared, but
switches it to open authentication if shared fails.
Open enables an adapter to attempt authentication regardless of its
WEP settings. It will only associate with the access point if the WEP
keys on both the adapter and the access point match.
Shared only allows the adapter to associate with access points that
have the same WEP key.
For infrastructure (access point) networks, click the Preferred APs button to specify up to
four access points to which the adapter should attempt to associate.
Security Tab
In the Atheros Client Utility, access the Security tab by clicking New or Modify on the
Profile Management tab. Click the Security tab in the Profile Management window.
Edit the fields in the Security tab of Profile Management to configure the profile. To
define the security mode, select the radio button of the desired security mode. Make sure
to also edit the General and Advanced tabs.
WPA/WPA2
WPA/WPA2
Passphrase
802.1x
Enables the use of Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA).
Choosing WPA/WPA2 opens the WPA/WPA2 EAP drop-down
menu. The options include:
EAP-FAST
EAP-TLS
EAP-TTLS
PEAP (EAP-GTC)
PEAP (EAP-MSCHAP V2)
LEAP
Enables WPA/WPA2 Passphrase security. Click on the Configure
button and fill in the WPA/WPA2 Passphrase.
Enables 802.1x security. This option requires IT administration.
Choosing 802.1x opens the 802.1x EAP type drop-down menu. The
options include:
EAP-FAST
EAP-TLS
EAP-TTLS
PEAP (EAP-GTC)
PEAP (EAP-MSCHAP V2)
LEAP
If the access point that the wireless adapter is associating to has
WEP set to Optional and the client has WEP enabled, make sure that
Allow Association to Mixed Cells is checked on the Security Tab to
allow association. Note: If the Lock checkbox is checked, you cannot
change any values in this profile. See your system administrator.
Pre-Shared Key
(Static WEP)
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Enables the use of pre-shared keys that are defined on both the
access point and the station.
To define pre-shared encryption keys, choose the Pre-Shared Key
radio button and click the Configure button to fill in the Define PreShared Keys window.
If the access point that the wireless adapter is associating to has
WEP set to Optional and the client has WEP enabled, make sure that
Allow Association to Mixed Cells is checked on the Security Tab to
allow association.
None
No security (not recommended).
Using EAP-TLS Security
To use EAP-TLS security In the Atheros Client Utility, access the Security tab in the
Profile Management window.
1. On the Security tab, choose the WPA radio button.
OR: On the Security tab, choose the 802.1x radio button.
2. Choose EAP-TLS from the drop-down menu.
Enabling EAP-TLS security:
To use EAP-TLS security, the machine must already have the EAP-TLS certificates
downloaded onto it. Check with the IT manager.
1. If EAP-TLS is supported, choose EAP-TLS from the drop-down menu on the right,
then click the Configure button.
2. Select the appropriate certificate authority from the list. The server/domain name
and the login name are filled in automatically from the certificate information. Click
OK.
3. Click OK.
4. Activate the profile.
Using EAP-TTLS Security
To use EAP security In the Atheros Client Utility, access the Security tab in the Profile
Management window.
1. On the Security tab, choose the WPA/WPA2 radio button.
OR: On the Security tab, choose the 802.1x radio button.
2. Choose EAP-TTLS from the drop-down menu.
Enabling EAP-TTLS security:
To use EAP-TTLS security, the machine must already have the EAP-TTLS certificates
downloaded onto it. Check with the IT manager.
1. If EAP-TTLS is supported, choose EAP-TTLS from the drop-down menu on the right,
then click the Configure button.
2. Select the appropriate certificate from the drop-down list and click OK.
3. Specify a user name for EAP authentication:
Check Use Windows User Name to use the Windows user name as the EAP user
name.
OR: Enter an EAP user name in the User Name field to use a separate user name
and password and start the EAP authentication process.
4. Click Advanced and:
Leave the server name field blank for the client to accept a certificate from any
server with a certificate signed by the authority listed in the Network Certificate
Authority drop-down list. (recommended)
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