D-Link DWL-7100AP User Manual

D-Link

AirPremier™ AG

DWL-7100AP

802.11a/802.11g (2.4/5GHz) Wireless Access Point

Manual

Building Networks for People

Contents

Package Contents ................................................................................ 3

Introduction ........................................................................................... 4

Wireless Basics .................................................................................... 6

Installation Considerations ................................................................... 8

Getting Started ..................................................................................... 9

Using the Conﬁguration Menu ............................................................ 11

Using the AP Manager ....................................................................... 31

Networking Basics .............................................................................. 51

Troubleshooting .................................................................................. 64

Technical Speciﬁcations ..................................................................... 70

Contacting Technical Support ............................................................. 72

Warranty ............................................................................................ 73

Registration ........................................................................................ 76

Package Contents

Contents of Package:

D-Link AirPremierTM AG DWL-7100AP



802.11a/802.11g (2.4GHz/5GHz) Wireless Access Point

Power Adapter – 5V DC, 2.0A



Manual on CD



Quick Installation Guide



Ethernet Cable



Note: Using a power supply with a different voltage than the one included with the DWL-7100AP will cause damage and void the warranty for this product.

If any of the above items are missing, please contact your reseller.

System Requirements For Conﬁguration:



Computer with Windows, Macintosh, or Linux-based operating system with an installed Ethernet adapter



Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator version 6.0 or above, with JavaScript enabled

At least 128MB of memory and a 500MHz processor

Introduction

At up to ﬁfteen times the speed of previous wireless devices (up to 108Mbps* in Super AG mode), you can work faster and more efﬁciently, increasing productivity. With the DWL-7100AP, bandwidth-intensive applications like graphics or multimedia will beneﬁt signiﬁcantly because large ﬁles are able to move across the network quickly.

Inclusion of all three standards (802.11g; 802.11a; 802.11b) means that the DWL-7100AP is versatile enough to allow connection to almost any 802.11 network or device.

The DWL-7100AP has the newest, strongest and most advanced security features available today. When used with other 802.11 WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) compatible

products in a network with a RADIUS server, the security features include:

WPA: Wi-Fi Protected Access which authorizes and identiﬁes users based on a secret key that changes automatically at regular intervals. WPA uses TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) to change the temporal key every 10,000 packets (a packet is a kind of message transmitted over a network.) This ensures much greater security than the standard WEP security. (By contrast, the previous WEP encryption implementations

required the keys to be changed manually.)

For home users that will not incorporate a RADIUS server in their network, the security for the DWL-7100AP, used in conjunction with other WPA-compatible 802.11 products, will still be much stronger than ever before. Utilizing the Pre-Shared Key mode of WPA, the DWL-7100AP will obtain a new security key every time it connects to the 802.11 network. You only need to input your encryption information once in the conﬁguration menu. No longer will you have to manually input a new WEP key frequently to ensure security. With the DWL-7100AP, you will automatically receive a new key every time you connect, vastly increasing the safety of your communication.

*“Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11a and 80211g speciﬁcations. Actual data throughput will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network trafﬁc, building materials and construction, and network overhead lower actual data throughput rate.”

Features



Faster Wireless Networking with speeds up to 108Mbps* in Super AG mode



Compatible with 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g Devices - Fully compatible with the IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g standards, the DWL-7100AP can connect with existing 802.11b-, 802.11g- or 802.11a- compliant wireless network adapter cards.

Better security with WPA- The DWL-7100AP can securely connect to wireless



clients on the network using WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) providing a much higher level of security for your data and communications than has previously been available.

LEDs

LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode. The DWL-7100AP Wireless Access Point has 5

Green LEDs as shown below:

LED

Power

LAN (10/100)

WLAN (802.11a and

802.11b or

802.11g)

A steady light indicates a connection to a power source

A steady light indicates a connection to the Ethernet port; a blinking light indicates activity

A blinking light indicates activity in the respective wireless mode: 802.11a and/or 802.11b/802.11g

LED Activity

Wireless Basics

D-Link AirPremier easy-to-use and compatible high-speed wireless connectivity within your home, business or public access wireless networks. Strictly adhering to the IEEE standard, the D-Link AirPremier you want, when and where you want it. You will be able to enjoy the freedom that wireless networking delivers.

A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a cellular computer network that transmits and receives data with radio signals instead of wires. Wireless LANs are used increasingly in both home and ofﬁce environments, and public areas such as airports, coffee shops and universities. Innovative ways to utilize WLAN technology are helping people to work and communicate more efﬁciently. Increased mobility and the absence of cabling and other ﬁxed infrastructure have proven to be beneﬁcial for many users.

Wireless users can use the same applications they use on a wired network. Wireless adapter cards used on laptop and desktop systems support the same protocols as Ethernet adapter cards.

People use wireless LAN technology for many different purposes:

Mobility - Productivity increases when people have access to data in any location within

the operating range of the WLAN. Management decisions based on real-time information can signiﬁcantly improve worker efﬁciency.

Low Implementation Costs - WLANs are easy to set up, manage, change and relocate.

Networks that frequently change can beneﬁt from WLANs ease of implementation. WLANs can operate in locations where installation of wiring may be impractical.

AG wireless products are based on industry standards to provide

AG wireless family of products will allow you to securely access the data

Installation and Network Expansion - Installing a WLAN system can be fast and easy and

can eliminate the need to pull cable through walls and ceilings. Wireless technology allows the network to go where wires cannot go - even outside the home or ofﬁce.

Inexpensive Solution - Wireless network devices are as competitively priced as

conventional Ethernet network devices.

Scalability - WLANs can be conﬁgured in a variety of ways to meet the needs of speciﬁc

applications and installations. Conﬁgurations are easily changed and range from Peer-to-Peer networks suitable for a small number of users to larger infrastructure networks to accommodate

hundreds or thousands of users, depending on the number of wireless devices deployed.

Wireless Basics (continued)

Standards-Based Technology

The DWL-7100AP Wireless Access Point utilizes the 802.11a, 802.11b and draft 802.11g standard.

The IEEE 802.11g standard is an extension of the 802.11b standard. It increases the data rate up to 54Mbps* within the 2.4GHz band. The 802.11a standard also increases the data rate up to 54Mbps, but within the 5GHz band. Both 802.11a and 802.11g utilize OFDM technology.

This means that in most environments, within the speciﬁed range of this device, you will be able to transfer large ﬁles quickly or even watch a movie in MPEG format over your network without noticeable delays. This technology works by transmitting high-speed digital data over a radio wave utilizing OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) technology. OFDM works by splitting the radio signal into multiple smaller sub-signals that are then transmitted simultaneously at different frequencies to the receiver. OFDM reduces the amount of crosstalk (interference) in signal transmissions.

The DWL-7100AP offers the most advanced network security features available today, including WPA.

In addition to its compatibility with 802.11g and 802.11a devices, the DWL-7100AP is backward compatible with 802.11b devices. This means that if you have an existing

802.11b network, or a network with a mixture of 802.11g, 802.11a and 802.11b, the devices in that network will be compatible with the DWL-7100AP.

Wireless Basics (continued)

Installation Considerations

Desktop and laptop computers with wireless network adapters installed can access the D-Link AirPremierTM AG DWL-7100AP from virtually anywhere within its operating range. Keep in mind, however, that the number, thickness and location of walls, ceilings, or other objects that the wireless signals must pass through, may limit the range. Typical ranges vary depending on the types of materials and background RF (radio frequency) noise in your home or business. The key to maximizing wireless range is to follow these basic guidelines:

Keep the number of walls and ceilings between the DWL-7100AP and other network devices to a minimum - each wall or ceiling can reduce your D-Link wireless product’s range from 3-90 feet (1-30 meters.) Position your devices so that the number of walls or ceilings is minimized.

Be aware of the direct line between network devices. A wall that is 1.5 feet thick (.5 meters), at a 45-degree angle appears to be almost 3 feet (1 meter) thick. At a 2-degree angle it looks over 42 feet (14 meters) thick! Position devices so that the signal will travel straight through a wall or ceiling (instead of at an angle) for better reception.

Building materials can impede the wireless signal - a solid metal door or aluminum studs may have a negative effect on range. Try to position wireless devices and computers with wireless adapters so that the signal passes through drywall or open doorways and not other materials.

Keep your product away (at least 3-6 feet or 1-2 meters) from electrical devices or appliances that may generate extreme RF noise.

Getting Started

Right out of the box, with its default settings, the DWL-7100AP will automatically connect with other D-Link AirPremierTM AG products.

IP ADDRESS

Note: If you are using a DHCP-capable router in your network you will not need to assign a static IP address.

If you need to assign IP addresses to the computers on the network, please remember that the IP address for each computer must be in the same IP address range as all the computers in the network, and the subnet mask must be exactly the

same for all the computers in the network.

For example: If the ﬁrst computer is assigned an IP address of 192.168.0.2 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, then the second computer can be assigned an IP

address of 192.168.0.3 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, etc.

IMPORTANT: If computers or other devices are assigned the same IP address, one or more of the devices may not be visible on the network.

An Infrastructure wireless network contains a wireless access point or router. The Infrastructure Network example, shown on the following page, contains the following

D-Link network devices:

A wireless Access Point - D-Link AirPremierTM AG DWL-7100AP An Ethernet Router - D-Link DI-604 A laptop computer with a wireless adapter - D-Link AirPremierTM AG DWL-AG660 A desktop computer with a wireless adapter - D-Link AirPremierTMAG DWL-AG530

A Cable modem - D-Link DCM-201

Getting Started (continued)

An Infrastructure wireless network contains an access point or router. The Infrastructure Network example, shown here, contains the following D-Link network devices:

Ethernet Router

DWL-7100AP

DWL-AG660

DWL-AG530

For a typical wireless setup (as shown above,) please do the following:

You will need a broadband Internet access (Cable/DSL) subscription

Consult with your Cable/DSL provider for proper installation of the modem

Connect the modem to an Ethernet broadband router such as the DI-604. (See the Quick Installation Guide included with the DI-604.)

Connect the router to the D-Link AirPremierTM AG DWL-7100AP. (See the Quick Installation Guide included with the DWL-7100AP.)

If you are connecting a desktop computer in your network, you can install the D-Link AirPremierTM AG DWL-AG530 wireless PCI adapter into an available PCI slot.

(See the Quick Installation Guide included with the DWL-AG530.)

Install the drivers for the D-Link AirPremierTM AG DWL-AG660 into the laptop computer. (See the Quick Installation Guide included with the DWL-AG660.)

Using the Conﬁguration Menu

Whenever you want to conﬁgure your network or the DWL-7100AP, you can access the Conﬁguration Menu by opening the web-browser and typing in the IP address of the DWL-7100AP. The DWL-7100AP default IP address is shown below:

Open the web browser

Type in the IP address of

 

the access point

Note: if you have changed the default IP address assigned to the DWL-7100AP,

make sure to enter the correct IP address.



Type admin in the User Name ﬁeld

Leave the Password blank



Click Next



Home > Wizard

The Home>Wizard screen will appear. Please refer to the Quick Installation Guide for more information re g a r d i ng t h e Se t u p Wizard.

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Home > Wireless

Note: In the Conﬁguration screens that follow, you will be able to conﬁgure settings for 802.11a and 802.11g devices in your network. Settings that you input for 802.11g devices will also apply to 802.11b devices in your network.

Wireless Band-

SSID-

SSID Broadcast-

Channel-

Radio Frequency-

Apply-

Select 802.11g or 802.11a from the pulldown menu.

Service Set Identiﬁer (SSID) is the name designated for a speciﬁc wireless local area network (WLAN). The SSID’s factory default setting is default. The SSID can be easily changed to connect to an existing wireless network or to establish a new wireless network.

Enable or Disable SSID Broadcast. Enabling this feature broadcasts the SSID across the network.

52 is the default channel for 802.11a, and 6 is the default channel for

802.11g. All devices on the network must share the same channel.

The radio frequency will reﬂect the channel selection.

Click Apply to save the changes.

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Home > LAN

LAN is short for Local Area Network. This is considered your internal network. These are the IP settings of the LAN interface for the DWL-7100AP. These settings may be referred to as private settings. You may change the LAN IP address if needed. The LAN IP address is private to your internal network and cannot be seen on the Internet.

Get IP From-

IP Address-

Subnet Mask-

Default Gateway-

Apply-

Select Static (Manual) or Dynamic (DHCP) as the method you will use to assign an IP address to the DWL-7100AP.

The IP address of the LAN interface. The default IP address is: 192.168.0.50 (Note: You will need to use the AP Manager to

determine the IP address dynamically assigned to the access point.)

The default subnet mask is 255.255.255.0

This ﬁeld is optional. Enter in the lP address of the router on your network.

Click Apply if you have made any changes.

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Advanced > Mode

Choose 802.11a or 802.11g wireless band; then select from the following options:

Access Point: Select this

mode to create a WLAN ( w i re l es s l oc a l a r e a network).

PtP Bridge (Point to Point Bridge): This mode enables

y o u t o c o n n e c t t wo WLANS.

Remote AP MAC Address:

Input the remote AP MAC address of the AP with which the DWL-7100AP will associate.

PtMP Bridge (Point to MultiPoint Bridge): This mode

enables you to connect multiple WLANs

Remote AP MAC Address:

Input the remote AP MAC Addresses of the APs with which the DWL-7100AP will associate

FOR INFORMATION REGARDING CONFIGURATION OF THE AP REPEATER AND AP CLIENT MODE, PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING PAGE OF THIS MANUAL.

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Advanced > Mode > AP Repeater & AP Client

When you select AP Repeater or AP Client mode, the Site Survey tool will appear as shown below. Double-click on the SSID of the network of your choice to automatically input the values for both the Root AP MAC Address and the SSID.

AP Repeater: To extend the

range of the wireless network select this option and enter the MAC address of the remote AP within your network that will have its range extended. (Use the Site Survey tool, as described above.)

Root AP MAC Address: Enter the

MAC address of the remote AP within your network that will have its range extended. (Use the Site Survey tool, as described above.)

SSID: Ente r the SSI D that

identiﬁes the network. (Use the Site Survey tool, as described above.)

AP Client: will transform any IEEE802.3 Ethernet device (e.g., a computer, printer,

etc.) into an 802.11a or 802.11g wireless client when it communicates with another DWL-7100AP that is acting as an AP. Click to enable and enter the MAC address of the DWL-7100AP that is acting as the AP. (Use the Site Survey tool, as described above.)

Root AP MAC Address: Enter the MAC address of the DWL-7100AP that is acting as an

access point.(Use the Site Survey tool, as described above.)

Apply: Click Apply if you have made any changes.

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Advanced > Performance

Wireless Band:

Select 802.11a (up to 108Mbps speed in turbo mode in the 5GHz range) or

802.11g (up to 108Mbps speed in turbo mode in the 2.4GHz range)

Frequency:

The frequency will reﬂect the channel selection.

C h a n n el: The

default channel for 802.11a is 52. The default channel for 802.11g is 6.

Auto Channel Select: Select Enabled to enable the automatic selection of the most

advantageous channel for use within your network.

Data Rate: Select the transmission rate for the network

Beacon Interval: Beacons are packets sent by an access point to synchronize a wireless

network. Specify a Beacon interval value (20-1000.) Default (100) is recommended.

DTIM: (Delivery Trafﬁc Indication Message) Enter a value between 1 and 255 for the

Delivery Trafﬁc Indication Message (DTIM.) A DTIM is a countdown informing clients of the next window for listening to broadcast and multicast messages.

Fragment Length: This value should remain at its default setting of 2346. If you experience

a high packet error rate, you may slightly increase your Fragmentation Threshold within the value range of 256 to 2346. Setting the Fragmentation Threshold too low may result in poor performance.

RTS Length: This value should remain at its default setting of 2346. If you encounter

inconsistent data ﬂow, only minor modiﬁcations to the value range between 256 and 2346 are recommended.

Transmit Power: Adjust the transmission range here. This tool can be helpful for security

purposes if you wish to limit the transmission range.

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Advanced > Performance (continued)

Super Mode: Super Mode is available in both 802.11a and 802.11g, as follows:

Radio Wave: Select ON or OFF.

Apply: Click Apply if you have made any changes.

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Advanced > Filters > Wireless Access Settings

Wireless Band: IEEE 802.11a is selected here. You can select 802.11a or 802.11g.

Access Control:

Disabled - Disable the Access Control feature

Accept - Accept the MAC addresses in the list into the network

Reject - Reject the MAC addresses in the list from participating

in the network

MAC Address: Input the MAC address. Click Save to include in the MAC address list

below.

MAC Address (Media Access Control Address) A unique hardware address that identiﬁes a device on a network. It is assigned at the factory and cannot be changed. Usually you will ﬁnd this address on a sticker on the device or on the packaging. (Please use the following format

when entering the MAC address- xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx)

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Advanced > Filters > WLAN Partition

Wireless Band-

Internal Station Connection-

Ethernet to WLAN Access-

Internal Station Connection Between 802.11a and 802.11g-

Select IEEE802.11a or IEEE802.11g.

Enabling this feature allows wireless clients to communicate with each other. If this feature is disabled, wireless stations of the selected band are not allowed to exchange data through the access point.

Enabling this feature allows Ethernet devices to communicate with wireless clients. If this feature is disabled, all data from the Ethernet to associated wireless devices is blocked, but wireless devices can still send data to the Ethernet.

Select Connection Enabled to enable communication between the

802.11a and the 802.11g bands.

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Advanced > Encryption

Wireless Band-

Authentication-

Select IEEE 802.11g or IEEE 802.11a. 802.11a is selected here.

Select Open System to communicate the key across the network. Select Shared Key to limit communication to only those devices that

share the same WEP settings. Select Open System/Shared Key to allow either form of data

encryption. Select WPA-EAP to communicate using WPA encryption (with the use

of a RADIUS server). Select WPA-PSK to communicate using WPA encryption (without the

use of a RADIUS server).

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Advanced > Encryption (continued)

WPA mode-

Passphrase-

Cipher Type-

Group Key Update Interval-

RADIUS Server-

RADIUS Port-

RADIUS Secret-

Encryption-

Key Type-

Key Size-

Valid Key-

Key Table-

Apply-

PSK - The Pre-Shared Key mode of WPA does not require the

inclusion of a RADIUS server in your network.

EAP - Extensible Authentication Protocol is a general authentication protocol that is used in conjunction with a RADIUS server in the network.

If you selected PSK you will need to enter a Passphrase in this ﬁeld.

If you selected EAP you will need to select a Cipher (EAP) Type: Auto, AES, or TKIP.

If you selected PSK you will need to enter a ﬁgure in this ﬁeld.

Enter the IP address of the RADIUS server.

Enter the port on your AP dedicated to the RADIUS server.

Enter the secret phrase.

Select Disabled or Enabled.

Select HEX or ASCII.

Select 64-, 128-, 152-bits.

Select the 1st through the 4th key to be the active key.

Input up to four keys for encryption. You will select one of these keys in the valid key ﬁeld.

Click Apply to save changes.

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Advanced > Grouping

Load Balance: Select Enabled or Disabled.

When you Enable Load Balance you allow several DWL-7100APs to balance wireless

network trafﬁc and wireless clients among the DWL-7100APs in the network. Assign each access point a different non-overlapping channel (e.g., 1, 6, 11).

User Limit: Set the User Limit in this ﬁeld (0-64).

Link Integrity: Select Enabled or Disabled.

When Link Integrity is Enabled, whenever the Ethernet connection between the LAN and the AP is disconnected - then the wireless segment associated with the AP will also be disconnected from the AP.

Ethernet Link Status: This ﬁeld displays the Ethernet Link Status. Link Up indicates that

there is an Ethernet LAN connection to the AP.

Apply: Click Apply if you have made any changes.

Using the Conﬁguration Menu (continued)

Advanced > DHCP Server > Dynamic Pool Settings

DHCP Server Control-

Enable or Disable

the DHCP function here.

Dynamic Pool Settings-

IP Assigned From -

Enter the star ting IP address in the range.

The Range of Pool (1-255)-

Enter the number (the quant ity ) of IP address in the range.

SubMask-

Gateway-

Wins-

DNS-

Domain Name-

Lease Time-

Status-

Enter the subnet mask here.

Enter the IP address of the router on the network.

Windows Internet Naming Service is a system that determines the IP address of a network computer that has a dynamically assigned IP address.

Enter the IP address of the DNS server. The DNS server translates domain names such as www.dlink.com into IP addresses.

Enter the Domain Name of the DWL-7100AP.

Select the Lease Time here The Lease Time is the period of time before the DHCP server will assign new IP addresses.

Turn the Dynamic Pool Settings ON or OFF here.

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