DrayTek VigorAP 918R Service Manual

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VigorAP 918R

802.11ac Outdoor AP

User’s Guide

Version: 1.0

Firmware Version: V1.3.0

Date: February 5, 2020

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Information

Copyrights

Trademarks

© All rights reserved. This publication contains information that is protected by copyright. No part may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language without written permission from the copyright holders.

The following trademarks are used in this document:

 Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp.  Windows, Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000, XP, Vista, 7 and Explorer are trademarks of Microsoft

Corp.

 Apple and Mac OS are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.  Other products may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers.

Safety Instructions and Approval

Safety Instructions

Warranty

 Read the installation guide thoroughly before you set up the modem.  The modem is a complicated electronic unit that may be repaired only be authorized and

qualified personnel. Do not try to open or repair the modem yourself.

 Do not place the modem in a damp or humid place, e.g. a bathroom.  The modem should be used in a sheltered area, within a temperature range of +5 to +40 Celsius.  Do not expose the modem to direct sunlight or other heat sources. The housing and electronic

components may be damaged by direct sunlight or heat sources.

 Do not deploy the cable for LAN connection outdoor to prevent electronic shock hazards.  Keep the package out of reach of children.  When you want to dispose of the modem, please follow local regulations on conservation of the

environment.

We warrant to the original end user (purchaser) that the modem will be free from any defects in workmanship or materials for a period of one (1) year from the date of purchase from the dealer. Please keep your purchase receipt in a safe place as it serves as proof of date of purchase. During the warranty period, and upon proof of purchase, should the product have indications of failure due to faulty workmanship and/or materials, we will, at our discretion, repair or replace the defective products or components, without charge for either parts or labor, to whatever extent we deem necessary tore-store the product to proper operating condition. Any replacement will consist of a new or re-manufactured functionally equivalent product of equal value, and will be offered solely at our discretion. This warranty will not apply if the product is modified, misused, tampered with, damaged by an act of God, or subjected to abnormal working conditions. The warranty does not cover the bundled or licensed software of other vendors. Defects which do not significantly affect the usability of the product will not be covered by the warranty. We reserve the right to revise the manual and online documentation and to make changes from time to time in the contents hereof without obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes.

Be a Registered

Web registration is preferred. You can register your Vigor modem via http://www.draytek.com.

Owner

Firmware & Tools Updates

Due to the continuous evolution of DrayTek technology, all modems will be regularly upgraded. Please consult the DrayTek web site for more information on newest firmware, tools and documents.

http://www.draytek.com

III

Table of Contents

Chapter I Installation ................................................................................................................................................VII

I-1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................................1

I-1-1 LED Indicators and Connectors.................................................................................................................................2

I-2 Mounting the Access Point..........................................................................................................................................................3

I-2-1 Antennas Installation ..................................................................................................................................................3

I-2-2 Connecting Ethernet Cable(s) ....................................................................................................................................4

I-2-3 Pole Mount Installation – for VigorAP 918RPD .......................................................................................................6

I-2-4 Pole Mount Installation – for VigorAP 918R ............................................................................................................8

I-2-5 Wall Mount Installation – for VigorAP 918R.............................................................................................................9

I-2-6 Grounding Access Point .......................................................................................................................................... 10

I-2-7 Powering Access Point............................................................................................................................................. 11

I-3 Network IP Configuration ......................................................................................................................................................... 12

I-3-1 Windows 10 IP Address Setup ................................................................................................................................ 12

I-4 Accessing to Web User Interface ............................................................................................................................................. 15

I-5 Changing Password ................................................................................................................................................................... 18

I-6 Dashboard .................................................................................................................................................................................. 19

I-7 Quick Start Wizard ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20

I-7-1 Settings for Access Point ......................................................................................................................................... 21

I-7-2 Settings for Mesh Root ............................................................................................................................................ 24

I-7-3 Settings for Mesh Node........................................................................................................................................... 29

I-7-4 Settings for Range Extender ................................................................................................................................... 30

Chapter II Connectivity ............................................................................................................................................. 35

II-1 Operation Mode........................................................................................................................................................................ 36

II-2 General Concepts for Wireless LAN (2.4GHz/5GHz) ............................................................................................................ 38

II-3 Wireless LAN (2.4GHz/5GHz) Settings for AP Mode............................................................................................................. 41

II-3-1 General Setup .......................................................................................................................................................... 42

II-3-2 Security ..................................................................................................................................................................... 45

II-3-3 Access Control ......................................................................................................................................................... 48

II-3-4 WPS ........................................................................................................................................................................... 49

II-3-5 Advanced Setting..................................................................................................................................................... 50

II-3-6 AP Discovery ............................................................................................................................................................ 53

II-3-7 WDS AP Status ......................................................................................................................................................... 54

II-3-8 Bandwidth Management........................................................................................................................................ 54

II-3-9 Airtime Fairness....................................................................................................................................................... 55

II-3-10 Station Control ...................................................................................................................................................... 57

II-3-11 Roaming ................................................................................................................................................................. 59

II-3-12 Band Steering (for Wireless LAN (2.4GHz)) ........................................................................................................ 61

II-3-13 Station List.............................................................................................................................................................. 66

II-4 Mesh Settings for Mesh Mode ................................................................................................................................................ 72

II-4-1 Mesh Setup .............................................................................................................................................................. 74

II-4-2 Mesh Status.............................................................................................................................................................. 79

II-4-3 Mesh Discovery ....................................................................................................................................................... 80

II-4-4 Basic Configuration Sync........................................................................................................................................ 81

II-4-5 Advanced Config Sync ............................................................................................................................................ 84

II-5 Universal Repeater Settings for Range Extender Mode...................................................................................................... 85

II-6 LAN ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 89

II-6-1 General Setup .......................................................................................................................................................... 89

II-6-2 Web Portal................................................................................................................................................................ 92

Chapter III Management ........................................................................................................................................... 95

III-1 System Maintenance............................................................................................................................................................... 96

III-1-1 System Status ......................................................................................................................................................... 97

III-1-2 TR-069 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 98

III-1-3 Administrator Password ..................................................................................................................................... 100

III-1-4 User Password...................................................................................................................................................... 101

III-1-5 Configuration Backup.......................................................................................................................................... 102

III-1-6 Syslog/Mail Alert................................................................................................................................................... 104

III-1-7 Time and Date ...................................................................................................................................................... 105

III-1-8 SNMP...................................................................................................................................................................... 106

III-1-9 Management......................................................................................................................................................... 107

III-1-10 Reboot System ................................................................................................................................................... 109

III-1-11 Firmware Upgrade ............................................................................................................................................. 110

III-2 Central AP Management....................................................................................................................................................... 111

III-2-1 General Setup ....................................................................................................................................................... 111

III-2-2 APM Log................................................................................................................................................................. 112

III-2-3 Overload Management ....................................................................................................................................... 113

III-2-4 Status of Settings.................................................................................................................................................. 114

III-3 Mobile Device Management ................................................................................................................................................ 115

III-3-1 Station List............................................................................................................................................................. 115

III-3-2 Station Statistics ................................................................................................................................................... 121

III-3-3 Station Nearby...................................................................................................................................................... 122

III-3-4 Policies ................................................................................................................................................................... 123

III-3-5 Station Control List .............................................................................................................................................. 124

Chapter IV Others .................................................................................................................................................... 125

IV-1 RADIUS Setting....................................................................................................................................................................... 126

IV-1-1 RADIUS Server ...................................................................................................................................................... 126

IV-1-2 Certificate Management ..................................................................................................................................... 127

IV-2 Applications............................................................................................................................................................................ 130

IV-2-1 Schedule ................................................................................................................................................................ 130

IV-2-2 Apple iOS Keep Alive............................................................................................................................................ 132

IV-2-3 Wi-Fi Auto On/Off................................................................................................................................................. 134

IV-2-4 Sensor.................................................................................................................................................................... 135

IV-3 Objects Setting ....................................................................................................................................................................... 137

IV-3-1 Device Object........................................................................................................................................................ 137

IV-3-3 Device Group ........................................................................................................................................................ 139

Chapter V Mobile APP, DrayTek Wireless............................................................................................................... 141

V-1 Introduction of DrayTek Wireless......................................................................................................................................... 142

V-2 Select a VigorAP ...................................................................................................................................................................... 143

V-3 Quick Start Wizard.................................................................................................................................................................. 144

V-4 Login......................................................................................................................................................................................... 153

Chapter VI Troubleshooting.................................................................................................................................... 157

V-1 Diagnostics .............................................................................................................................................................................. 158

V-1-1 System Log ............................................................................................................................................................. 159

V-1-2 Speed Test.............................................................................................................................................................. 159

V-1-3 Traffic Graph .......................................................................................................................................................... 160

V-1-4 WLAN (2.4GHz) Statistics...................................................................................................................................... 161

V-1-5 WLAN (5GHz) Statistics ......................................................................................................................................... 162

V-1-6 Interference Monitor ............................................................................................................................................ 163

V-1-7 Support Area.......................................................................................................................................................... 164

V-2 Checking the Hardware Status ............................................................................................................................................. 165

V-3 Checking the Network Connection Settings ....................................................................................................................... 166

V-3-1 For Windows .......................................................................................................................................................... 166

V-3-2 For Mac Os ............................................................................................................................................................. 168

V-4 Pinging the Device .................................................................................................................................................................. 169

V-4-1 For Windows .......................................................................................................................................................... 169

V-4-2 For Mac Os (Terminal) .......................................................................................................................................... 169

V-5 Backing to Factory Default Setting ....................................................................................................................................... 171

V-5-1 Software Reset....................................................................................................................................................... 171

V-5-2 Hardware Reset..................................................................................................................................................... 172

V-6 Contacting DrayTek ................................................................................................................................................................ 173

Index ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 174

VII

Chapter I Installation

I-1 Introduction

This is a generic International version of the user guide. Specification, compatibility and features vary by region. For specific user guides suitable for your region or product, please contact local distributor.

Thank you for purchasing VigorAP 918R series.

Easy install procedures allows any computer users to setup a network environment in very short time - within minutes, even inexperienced users. Just follow the instructions given in this user manual, you can complete the setup procedure and release the power of this access point all by yourself!

VigorAP 918RPD also is a Power over Ethernet Powered Device which adopts the technology of PoE for offering power supply and transmitting data through the Ethernet cable.

I-1-1 LED Indicators and Connectors

Before you use the Vigor modem, please get acquainted with the LED indicators and connectors first.

AP918R AP918RPD

LED Status Explanation

Off The system is not ready or has failed. ACT

Blinking The system is ready.

2.4G / 5G

5G Signal (For D Model)

Interface Description

Factory Reset Restore the default settings. Usage: Switch on the access point. Press and

PoE In Connector for receiving power from another device.

PoE Out (For D Model) Connector for supplying power to another device.

On Wireless function is ready.

Off Wireless function is not ready.

Blinking Data is being transmitted (sending/receiving).

The signal strength (excellent) > -50dBm.

The signal strength (good) is between -66dBm ~ -51dBm.

The signal strength (fair) is between -73dBm~ -67dBm.

No signal or the signal strength is <-73dBm.

hold reset button for at least 10 seconds. The router will restart with the factory default configuration.

Before pressing the button, the cover should first be removed by rotating it with a torque of 13 kgf-cm. After the access point has been reset, replace the cover and lock it with the same amount of torque.

Note:



For the sake of security, make the accessory kit away from children.

I-2 Mounting the Access Point

The VigorAP can be pole mounted depending on the installation environment. This section will guide you through installing the VigorAP.

Note:



For the sake of personal safety, only trained and qualified personnel should install this device.

I-2-1 Antennas Installation

1. Remove the protective cap.

2. Insert the antennas and fasten them by rotating clockwise.

Warning:



Do not open the top cover of the device.

Installation during thunderstorms could be dangerous.

I-2-2 Connecting Ethernet Cable(s)

Refer to the following steps to attach the Ethernet cable and waterproof head. (Take VigorAP 918RPD as an example.)

1. Remove the cable cover for Ethernet Port (e.g., Port 1 PoE In).

2. Before connecting, verify that the cable has a rubber seal and that it is not damaged.

To prevent the enclosure from water leakage, make sure the Ethernet cable gland and the rubber gasket are present and installed properly.

3. Inserting RJ-45 connector into the port.

4. Use an adjustable wrench and tighten the thread-lock sealing nut with torque 10 kgf-cm.

Note:



Do not pull the cable backwards; the force might break the plug.

Reconnecting Ethernet Cable

1. Loosen the thread-lock sealing nut.

2. Loosen the clamping claw and seal.

3. Loosen the body and washer.

4. Remove the cable.

5. To reattach the cable, follow the above steps in reverse.

Note:



The diameter for the Ethernet cable shall be limited between 4.3mm to 5.9mm.

I-2-3 Pole Mount Installation – for VigorAP 918RPD

1. Find a suitable location for installing the access point.

2. Select a mounting point on a pole.

3. Attach the mount kit assembly to the mounting plate by locking four screws with the torque of

10 kgf-cm.

4. Insert the pipe clamp into the mount kit assembly.

5. Press the pipe clamp to open it for clamping the pole.

Note:



The diameter for a pole shall be limited between 35mm to 60mm.

I-2-4 Pole Mount Installation – for VigorAP 918R

1. Find a suitable location for installing the access point.

2. Select a mounting point on a pole.

3. Insert the pipe clamp on the access point. Press the pipe clamp to open it for clamping the

pole.

I-2-5 Wall Mount Installation – for VigorAP 918R

Refer to the following steps to mount the access point on the wall.

1. Find a suitable location for installing the access point.

2. Insert two pieces of anchor to the wall.

3. Lock the screws on the anchors.

4. Hang the access point on the anchors.

I-2-6 Grounding Access Point

In outdoor installations and before powering the access point with AC power, VigorAP must be grounded prior to wire installation.

1. Take out the ground cable from the mount kit.

Ground Lug

2. Insert a ground rod on the ground.

3. Strip the insulation for the ground lug.

4. Use the appropriate crimping tool to crimp the ground cable to the grounding lug.

5. Connect the ground rod and the VigorAP using the ground cable.

Note:



Please consult an electrician if you are uncertain about the type of grounding that is required.

I-2-7 Powering Access Point

VigorAP 918R/RPD can be powered via the PoE input from an in-line power injector or a suitably powered switch port.

Before powering VigorAP, you should:

 Pay attention to local and national electrical codes.  Not place the power injector / VigorSwitch in outdoor environment without any protection.

Moisture might get into the power injector and cause a short circuit or possible fire.

 Not work on the system during periods of lighting activity to avoid the risk of electric shock, and

do not connect or disconnect the Ethernet cables under bad weather.

Below shows two examples of connecting power for VigorAP 918R and VigorAP 918RPD.

Example 1: AP918R

Example 2: AP918RPD

I-3 Network IP Configuration

After the network connection is built, the next step you should do is setup VigorAP 1000C with proper network parameters, so it can work properly in your network environment.

Before you can connect to the access point and start configuration procedures, your computer must be able to get an IP address in the same subnet as this AP. If it's not connected to the same DHCP Server with the AP or you're unsure, please follow the following instructions to configure your computer to use the static IP address in the same subnet as default IP address of this AP.

For the default IP address of this AP is set “192.168.1.2”, we recommend you to use “192.168.1.X (except 2)” in the field of IP address on this section for your computer. If the operating system of your computer is…

Windows 10 - please go to section I-3-1

I-3-1 Windows 10 IP Address Setup

Click the Start button (it should be located at lower-left corner of your computer), then click the Settings icon.

Double-click Network & Internet.

Next, click Change adapter options.

Click the local area connection.

Then, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.

Under the General tab, click Use the following IP address. Then input the following settings in respective field and click OK when finish.

IP address: 192.168.1.9

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

I-4 Accessing to Web User Interface

All functions and settings of this access point must be configured via web user interface. Please start your web browser (e.g., Firefox).

1. Make sure your PC connects to the VigorAP 918R correctly.

2. Open a web browser on your PC and type http://192.168.1.2. A pop-up window will open to

ask for username and password. Pease type “admin/admin” on Username/Password and click OK.

Note:



You may either simply set up your computer to get IP dynamically from the router or set up the IP address of the computer to be in the same subnet as the IP address of VigorAP 918R.

 If there is no DHCP server on the network, then VigorAP 918R will have an IP address of

192.168.1.2.

 If there is DHCP available on the network, then VigorAP 918R will receive it’s IP address via the

DHCP server.

 If you connect to VigorAP by wireless LAN, you could try to access the web user interface

through http://vigorap.com.

3. For the first time accessing VigorAP, the Quick Start Wizard for configuring wireless settings

will appear as follows. Refer to Section I-7 Quick Start Wizard for detailed information

4. If VigorAP has been configured previously, the Dashboard of VigorAP will appear as follows:

5. The web page can be logged out by clicking Log Out on the top right of the web page. Or,

logout the web user interface according to the chosen condition. The default setting is Auto Logout, which means the web configuration system will logout after 5 minutes without any operation. Change the setting of auto logout if you want.

Note:



If you fail to access the web configuration, please go to the section “Trouble Shooting” for detecting and solving your problem.

For using the device properly, it is necessary for you to change the password of web configuration for security and adjust primary basic settings.

I-5 Changing Password

1. Please change the password for the original security of the modem.

2. Go to System Maintenance page and choose Administration Password.

3. Enter the new login password on the field of Password. Then click OK to continue.

4. Now, the password has been changed. Next time, use the new password to access the Web

User Interface for this modem.

I-6 Dashboard

Dashboard shows system status including the number of client connected, throughput, gateway, physical connection status, radio (2.4GHz / 5GHz) status, backhaul network, recent activities, wireless network usage, and so on.

Click Dashboard from the main menu on the left side of the main page.

I-7 Quick Start Wizard

Quick Start Wizard will guide you to configure 2.4G wireless setting, 5G wireless setting and other corresponding settings for Vigor Access Point step by step.

Available operation mode includes:

 Access Point  Mesh Root  Mesh Node  Range Extender

In this page, the advanced settings pages will vary according to the operation mode specified.

I-7-1 Settings for Access Point

1. Choose Access Point as the operation mode and click Next Step.

2. In the following page, configure the settings for wireless LAN (for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz) and

click Next Step.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

WiFi Name Set a name for VigorAP 918R to be identified.

WiFi Password Type 8~63 ASCII characters, such as 012345678..(or 64 Hexadecimal

digits leading by 0x, such as "0x321253abcde...").

Enable 2nd Wireless

Enable Bandwidth Limit

Enable Station Control

Check the box to enable the second wireless setting.

Such feature is especially useful for free Wi-Fi service. For example, a coffee shop offers free Wi-Fi service for its guests for one hour every day.

2nd WiFi Name - Set a name for VigorAP 918R which can be identified and connected by wireless guest.

2nd WiFi Password - Set 8~63 ASCII characters which can be used for logging into VigorAP 918R by wireless guest.

Check the box to define the maximum speed of the data uploading/downloading which will be used for the guest connecting to Vigor device with the same SSID.

Upload Limit – Scroll the radio button to choose the value you want.

Download Limit –Scroll the radio button to choose the value you

want.

Check the box to set the duration for the guest connecting /reconnecting to Vigor device.

Connection Time –Scroll the radio button to choose the value you want.

Reconnection Time –Scroll the radio button to choose the value you want.

3. Change the default password for such device with new value. Then click Next Step.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Admin Password Enter a new password.

Confirm Enter the new password again for confirmation.

Password

4. A summary of settings configuration will be shown on screen. Click Finish.

I-7-2 Settings for Mesh Root

1. Choose Mesh Root as the operation mode and click Next Step.

2. Configure the settings for wireless LAN (for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz) and click Next Step.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

WiFi Name Set a name for VigorAP 918R to be identified.

WiFi Password Type 8~63 ASCII characters, such as 012345678..(or 64 Hexadecimal

digits leading by 0x, such as "0x321253abcde...").

Enable 2nd WiFi Check the box to enable the second wireless setting.

Such feature is especially useful for free Wi-Fi service. For example, a coffee shop offers free Wi-Fi service for its guests for one hour every day.

2nd WiFi Name - Set a name for VigorAP 918R which can be identified and connected by wireless guest.

2nd WiFi Password - Set 8~63 ASCII characters or 8~63 ASCII characters which can be used for logging into VigorAP 918R by wireless guest.

Enable Bandwidth Limit

Enable Station Control

3. Change the default password for such device with new value. Then click Next Step.

Check the box to define the maximum speed of the data uploading/downloading which will be used for the guest connecting to Vigor device with the same SSID.

Upload Limit – Scroll the radio button to choose the value you want.

Download Limit –Scroll the radio button to choose the value you

want.

Check the box to set the duration for the guest connecting /reconnecting to Vigor device.

Connection Time –Scroll the radio button to choose the value you want.

Reconnection Time –Scroll the radio button to choose the value you want.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Admin Password Enter a new password.

Confirm Password

4. A summary of settings configuration will be shown on screen. Click Finish.

Enter the new password again for confirmation.

5. After clicking Finish, the following web page appears. VigorAP will search for mesh node

around the network.

6. Available VigorAP devices will be shown on the screen. Select the device (as a mesh node) for

grouping under such mesh group and enter a device name for identification.

7. Click Apply and wait for a while.

8. Later, a summary page of mesh root with mesh node will be shown on the screen.

I-7-3 Settings for Mesh Node

1. Choose Mesh Node as the operation mode and click Next Step.

2. A summary of settings configuration will be shown on screen. Click Finish.

I-7-4 Settings for Range Extender

1. Choose Range Extender as the operation mode and click Next Step.

2. Configure the settings for wireless LAN (for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz) and click Next Step.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

WiFi Name Set a name for VigorAP 918R to be identified.

WiFi Password Type 8~63 ASCII characters, such as 012345678..(or 64 Hexadecimal

digits leading by 0x, such as "0x321253abcde...").

Enable 2nd WiFi Check the box to enable the second wireless setting.

Such feature is especially useful for free Wi-Fi service. For example, a coffee shop offers free Wi-Fi service for its guests for one hour every day.

2nd WiFi Name - Set a name for VigorAP 918R which can be identified and connected by wireless guest.

2nd WiFi Password - Set 8~63 ASCII characters or 8~63 ASCII characters which can be used for logging into VigorAP 918R by wireless guest.

Enable Bandwidth Limit

Enable Station Control

3. Change the default password for such device with new value. Then click Next Step.

Check the box to define the maximum speed of the data uploading/downloading which will be used for the guest connecting to Vigor device with the same SSID.

Upload Limit – Scroll the radio button to choose the value you want.

Download Limit –Scroll the radio button to choose the value you

want.

Check the box to set the duration for the guest connecting /reconnecting to Vigor device.

Connection Time –Scroll the radio button to choose the value you want.

Reconnection Time –Scroll the radio button to choose the value you want.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Admin Password Enter a new password.

Confirm Password

4. In the following page, click Search to find out neighboring access point. When all the available

access points appear on the page, click the one you want to connect. Corresponding settings (e.g., SSID, security key) of the selected device will be shown below. Then click Next Step.

Enter the new password again for confirmation.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

SSID/Security Key Once the access point specified above, the name / security key of the

AP will be shown automatically in these fields.

Channel

Security Mode There are several modes provided for you to choose. Each mode will

Encryption Type Available options will vary according to the selected Security Mode.

Means the channel frequency of the wireless LAN. You may switch channel if the selected channel is under serious interference.

bring up different parameters (e.g., WEP keys, Pass Phrase) for you to configure.

When Open is selected:

 Choose None to disable the WEP Encryption. Data sent to the AP

will not be encrypted.

 WEP Keys –To enable WEP encryption for data transmission,

please choose WEP. Four keys can be entered here, but only one key can be selected at a time. The format of WEP Key is restricted to 5 ASCII characters or 10 hexadecimal values in 64-bit encryption level, or restricted to 13 ASCII characters or 26 hexadecimal values in 128-bit encryption level. The allowed content is the ASCII characters from 33(!) to 126(~) except '#' and ','.

When Shared is selected:

 WEP Keys - To enable WEP encryption for data transmission,

please choose WEP. Four keys can be entered here, but only one key can be selected at a time. The format of WEP Key is restricted to 5 ASCII characters or 10 hexadecimal values in 64-bit

encryption level, or restricted to 13 ASCII characters or 26 hexadecimal values in 128-bit encryption level. The allowed content is the ASCII characters from 33(!) to 126(~) except '#' and ','.

When WPA/PSK or WPA2/PSK is selected:

 Select TKIP or AES as the algorithm for WPA.  Security Key - Select WEP, TKIP or AES as the encryption

algorithm.

Type 8~63 ASCII characters, such as 012345678..(or 64 Hexadecimal digits leading by 0x, such as "0x321253abcde...").

5. A summary of settings configuration will be shown on screen. Click Finish.

This page is left blank.

Chapter II Connectivity

II-1 Operation Mode

This page provides several available modes for you to choose for different conditions. Click any one of them and click OK. The system will configure the required settings automatically.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

AP This mode allows wireless clients to connect to access point and

exchange data with the devices connected to the wired network.

Mesh Mesh Root – VigorAP must connect to a gateway with an Ethernet

cable.

Mesh Node – VigorAP can connect to other mesh root via wireless connection. A mesh network creates one set of links automatically and calculates the most optimal wireless path through the wireless network back to a wired mesh root.

Range Extender VigorAP can act as a wireless repeater which will help you to extend

the networking wirelessly. The access point can act as Station and AP at the same time. It can use Station function to connect to a Root AP and use AP function to service all wireless clients within its coverage.

Note:



The Wireless LAN settings will be changed according to the Operation Mode selected here. For the detailed information, please refer to the section of Wireless LAN.

II-2 General Concepts for Wireless LAN (2.4GHz/5GHz)

VigorAP 918R is a highly integrated wireless local area network (WLAN) for 5 GHz 802.11ac or 2.4/5 GHz 802.11n WLAN applications. It supports channel operations of 20/40 MHz at 2.4 GHz and 20/40/80 MHz at 5 GHz. VigorAP 918R can support data rates up to 867 MBps in 802.11ac 80 MHz channels.

Note:



* The actual data throughput will vary according to the network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, network overhead and building materials.

VigorAP 918R plays a role as an Access Point (AP) connecting to lots of wireless clients or Stations (STA). All the STAs will share the same Internet connection via VigorAP 918R. The General Setup will set up the information of this wireless network, including its SSID as identification, located channel etc.

Security Overview

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is a legacy method to encrypt each frame transmitted via radio using either a 64-bit or 128-bit key. Usually access point will preset a set of four keys and it will communicate with each station using only one out of the four keys.

WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), the most dominating security mechanism in industry, is separated into two categories: WPA-personal or called WPA Pre-Share Key (WPA/PSK), and WPA-Enterprise or called WPA/802.1x.

In WPA-Personal, a pre-defined key is used for encryption during data transmission. WPA applies Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) for data encryption while WPA2 applies AES. The WPA-Enterprise combines not only encryption but also authentication.

Since WEP has been proved vulnerable, you may consider using WPA for the most secure connection. You should select the appropriate security mechanism according to your needs. No matter which security suite you select, they all will enhance the over-the-air data protection and /or privacy on your wireless network. The VigorAP 918R is very flexible and can support multiple secure connections with both WEP and WPA at the same time.

WPS Introduction

WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) provides easy procedure to make network connection between

wireless station and wireless access point (VigorAP 918R) with the encryption of WPA and WPA2.

It is the simplest way to build connection between wireless network clients and VigorAP 918R. Users do not need to select any encryption mode and type any long encryption passphrase to setup a wireless client every time. He/she only needs to press a button on wireless client, and WPS will connect for client and VigorAP 918R automatically.

Note:



Such function is available for the wireless station with WPS supported.

There are two methods to do network connection through WPS between AP and Stations: pressing the Start PBC button or using PIN Code.

On the side of VigorAP 918R series which served as an AP, press WPS button once on the front panel of VigorAP 918R or click Start PBC on web configuration interface. On the side of a station with network card installed, press Start PBC button of network card.

If you want to use PIN code, you have to know the PIN code specified in wireless client. Then provide the PIN code of the wireless client you wish to connect to the VigorAP 918R.

II-3 Wireless LAN (2.4GHz/5GHz) Settings for AP Mode

When you choose AP as the operation mode, the Wireless LAN menu items will include General Setup, Security, Access Control, WPS, Advanced Setting, AP Discovery, Bandwidth Management, Airtime Fairness, Station Control, Roaming, Band Steering and Station List.

Note:



Available settings for Wireless LAN (2.4GHz) and Wireless LAN (5Ghz) are almost the same, except for Band Steering.

The following figure shows how VigorAP runs as AP (Access Point)

II-3-1 General Setup

By clicking the General Setup, a new web page will appear so that you could configure the SSID, the wireless channel and WDS (for 5GHz only). Please refer to the following figure for more information.

Available for 5GHz Access Point Mode

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Enable Wireless LAN Check the box to enable wireless function.

Enable Client Limit Check the box to set the maximum number of wireless stations which

try to connect Internet through Vigor device. The number you can set is from 3 to 64.

Enable Client Limit per SSID

Mode At present, VigorAP 918R can connect to 2.4GHz stations with 11n

Channel Means the channel of frequency of the wireless LAN. You may switch

Extension Channel With 802.11n, there is one option to double the bandwidth per

Hide SSID Check it to prevent from wireless sniffing and make it harder for

Define the maximum number of wireless stations per SSID which try to connect to Internet through Vigor device. The number you can set is from 3 to 64.

only, Mixed (11b+11g), and Mixed (11b+11g+11n) simultaneously, or to 5GHz stations with 11a only, 11n only(5G), Mixed (11a+11n) and Mixed (11a+11n+11ac) simultaneously. Simply choose Mixed (11b+11g+11n) / Mixed (11a+11n+11ac)mode.

channel if the selected channel is under serious interference. If you have no idea of choosing the frequency, please select AutoSelect to let system determine for you.

channel. The available extension channel options will be varied according to the Channel selected above. Configure the extension channel you want.

unauthorized clients or STAs to join your wireless LAN. Depending on the wireless utility, the user may only see the information except SSID or just cannot see any thing about VigorAP 918R while site surveying. The system allows you to set four sets of SSID for different usage.

SSID Set a name for VigorAP 918R to be identified. Default settings are

DrayTek-LAN-A and DrayTek-LAN-B. When Enable 2 Subnet is enabled, you can specify subnet interface (LAN-A or LAN-B) for each SSID by using the drop down menu.

Isolate LAN Check this box to isolate the wireless connection from LAN. It can

make the wireless clients (stations) with remote-dial and LAN to LAN users not accessing for each other.

Isolate Member Check this box to make the wireless clients (stations) with the same

SSID not access for each other.

VLAN ID Type the value for such SSID. Packets transferred from such SSID to

LAN will be tagged with the number.

If your network uses VLANs, you can assign the SSID to a VLAN on your network. Client devices that associate using the SSID are grouped into this VLAN. The VLAN ID range is from 3 to 4095. The VLAN ID is 0 by default, it means disabling the VLAN function for the SSID.

PHY Mode Data will be transmitted via HTMIX mode.

Each access point should be setup to the same Phy Mode for connecting with each other.

Security Select WEP, TKIP or AES as the encryption algorithm.

Type 8~63 ASCII characters, such as 012345678..(or 64 Hexadecimal

digits leading by 0x, such as "0x321253abcde...").

Peer MAC Address Type the peer MAC address for the access point that VigorAP 918R

connects to.

After finishing this web page configuration, please click OK to save the settings.

II-3-2 Security

This page allows you to set security with different modes for SSID 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. After configuring the correct settings, please click OK to save and invoke it.

By clicking the Security Settings, a new web page will appear so that you could configure the settings.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Mode There are several modes provided for you to choose.

Disable - The encryption mechanism is turned off.

WEP - Accepts only WEP clients and the encryption key should be

entered in WEP Key.

WPA/PSK or WPA2/PSK or Mixed (WPA+WPA2)/PSK - Accepts only WPA clients and the encryption key should be entered in PSK. The WPA encrypts each frame transmitted from the radio using the key, which either PSK (Pre-Shared Key) entered manually in this field below or automatically negotiated via 802.1x authentication.

WEP/802.1x - The built-in RADIUS client feature enables VigorAP 918R to assist the remote dial-in user or a wireless station and the RADIUS server in performing mutual authentication. It enables centralized remote access authentication for network management.

The WPA encrypts each frame transmitted from the radio using the key, which either PSK (Pre-Shared Key) entered manually in this field below or automatically negotiated via 802.1x authentication. Select WPA, WPA2 or Auto as WPA mode.

WPA/802.1x - The WPA encrypts each frame transmitted from the radio using the key, which either PSK (Pre-Shared Key) entered manually in this field below or automatically negotiated via 802.1x authentication.

WPA2/802.1x - The WPA encrypts each frame transmitted from the radio using the key, which either PSK (Pre-Shared Key) entered manually in this field below or automatically negotiated via 802.1x authentication.

WPA Algorithms Select TKIP, AES or TKIP/AES as the algorithm for WPA. Such feature is

available for WPA2/802.1x, WPA/802.1x, WPA/PSK or WPA2/PSK or

Mixed (WPA+WPA2)/PSK mode.

Pass Phrase Type 8~63 ASCII characters, such as 012345678..(or 64 Hexadecimal

digits leading by 0x, such as "0x321253abcde..."). Such feature is available for WPA/PSK or WPA2/PSK or Mixed (WPA+WPA2)/PSK mode.

Key Renewal Interval WPA uses shared key for authentication to the network. However,

normal network operations use a different encryption key that is randomly generated. This randomly generated key that is periodically replaced. Enter the renewal security time (seconds) in the column. Smaller interval leads to greater security but lower performance. Default is 3600 seconds. Set 0 to disable re-key. Such feature is available for WPA2/802.1,WPA/802.1x, WPA/PSK or WPA2/PSK or

Mixed (WPA+WPA2)/PSK mode.

EAPOL Key Retry EAPOL means Extensible Authentication Protocol over LAN.

Click Enable to make sure that the key will be installed and used once in order to prevent key reinstallation attack.

Key 1 – Key 4 Four keys can be entered here, but only one key can be selected at a

time. The format of WEP Key is restricted to 5 ASCII characters or 10 hexadecimal values in 64-bit encryption level, or restricted to 13 ASCII characters or 26 hexadecimal values in 128-bit encryption level. The allowed content is the ASCII characters from 33(!) to 126(~) except '#' and ','. Such feature is available for WEP mode.

Click the link of RADIUS Server to access into the following page for more settings.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Use internal RADIUS Server

IP Address Enter the IP address of external RADIUS server.

Port The UDP port number that the external RADIUS server is using. The

Shared Secret The external RADIUS server and client share a secret that is used to

Session Timeout Set the maximum time of service provided before re-authentication.

After finishing this web page configuration, please click OK to save the settings.

There is a RADIUS server built in VigorAP 918R which is used to authenticate the wireless client connecting to the access point. Check this box to use the internal RADIUS server for wireless security.

Besides, if you want to use the external RADIUS server for authentication, do not check this box.

Please refer to the section, IV-1-1 RADIUS Server to configure settings for internal server of VigorAP 918R.

default value is 1812, based on RFC 2138.

authenticate the messages sent between them. Both sides must be configured to use the same shared secret.

Set to zero to perform another authentication immediately after the first authentication has successfully completed. (The unit is second.)

II-3-3 Access Control

For additional security of wireless access, the Access Control facility allows you to restrict the network access right by controlling the wireless LAN MAC address of client. Only the valid MAC address that has been configured can access the wireless LAN interface. By clicking the Access Control, a new web page will appear, as depicted below, so that you could edit the clients' MAC addresses to control their access rights (deny or allow).

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Policy Select to enable any one of the following policy or disable the policy.

Choose Activate MAC address filter to type in the MAC addresses for other clients in the network manually. Choose Blocked MAC address filter, so that all of the devices with the MAC addresses listed on the MAC Address Filter table will be blocked and cannot access into VigorAP 918R.

MAC Address Filter Display all MAC addresses that are edited before.

MAC Client’s MAC Address - Manually enter the MAC address of wireless

client.

Add - Add a new MAC address into the list.

Delete - Delete the selected MAC address in the list.

Edit - Edit the selected MAC address in the list.

Object In addition to enter the MAC address of the device manually, you can

Device Group - Select one of the existed device groups and click Add.

All the devices belonging to the selected group will be shown on the MAC Address Filter table.

Device Object - Select one of the existed device object and click Add. The MAC address of the device will be shown on the MAC Address Filter table.

Cancel Give up the access control set up.

Backup

Click it to store the settings (MAC addresses on MAC Address Filter table) on this page as a file.

Restore

After finishing this web page configuration, please click OK to save the settings.

II-3-4 WPS

Open Wireless LAN>>WPS to configure the corresponding settings.

Click it to restore the settings (MAC addresses on MAC Address Filter table) from an existed file.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Enable WPS Check this box to enable WPS setting.

WPS Configured Display related system information for WPS. If the wireless security

(encryption) function of VigorAP 918R is properly configured, you can see ‘Yes’ message here.

WPS SSID Display current selected SSID.

WPS Auth Mode Display current authentication mode of the VigorAP 918R. Only

WPA2/PSK and WPA/PSK support WPS.

WPS Encrypt Type Display encryption mode (None, WEP, TKIP, AES, etc.) of VigorAP 918R.

Configure via Push Button

Configure via Client PinCode

II-3-5 Advanced Setting

This page is to determine which algorithm will be selected for wireless transmission rate.

Click Start PBC to invoke Push-Button style WPS setup procedure. VigorAP 918R will wait for WPS requests from wireless clients about two minutes. Both ACT and 2.4G WLAN LEDs on VigorAP 918R will blink quickly when WPS is in progress. It will return to normal condition after two minutes. (You need to setup WPS within two minutes)

Type the PIN code specified in wireless client you wish to connect, and click Start PIN button. Both ACT and 2.4G WLAN LEDs on VigorAP 918R will blink quickly when WPS is in progress. It will return to normal condition after two minutes. (You need to setup WPS within two minutes).

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Channel Width 20 MHz- The device will use 20MHz for data transmission and

receiving between the AP and the stations.

Auto 20/40 MHz–The AP will scan for nearby wireless AP, and then use 20MHz if the number of AP is more than 10, or use 40MHz if it's not.

40 MHz- The device will use 40MHz for data transmission and

receiving between the AP and the stations. It is for wireless LAN

2.4GHz only.

Auto 20/40 /80 MHz - The device will use 20/40/80 MHz channel bandwidth for data transmission and receiving between the AP and the stations.

Antenna

(for 2.4GHz only)

Tx Power The default setting is the maximum (100%). Lowering down the value

Fragment Length Set the Fragment threshold of wireless radio. Do not modify default

RTS Threshold Minimize the collision (unit is bytes) between hidden stations to

Country Code VigorAP broadcasts country codes by following the 802.11d standard.

Auto Channel Filtered Out List

VigorAP can be attached with two antennas to have good data transmission via wireless connection. However, if you have only one antenna attached, please choose 1T1R.

may degrade range and throughput of wireless.

value if you don’t know what it is, default value is 2346.

improve wireless performance.

Set the RTS threshold of wireless radio. Do not modify default you don’t know what it is, default value is 2347.

However, some wireless stations will detect / scan the country code to prevent conflict occurred. If conflict is detected, wireless station will be warned and is unable to make network connection. Therefore, changing the country code to ensure successful network connection will be necessary for some clients.

The selected wireless channels will be discarded if AutoSelect is selected as Channel selection mode in Wireless LAN>>General Setup.

value if

IGMP Snooping Click Enable to enable IGMP Snooping. Multicast traffic will be

forwarded to ports that have members of that group. Disabling IGMP snooping will make multicast traffic treated in the same manner as broadcast traffic.

Isolate 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands

Isolate members with IP

WMM Capable

APSD Capable APSD (automatic power-save delivery) is an enhancement over the

The default setting is “Enable”. It means that the wireless client using

2.4GHz band is unable to connect to the wireless client with 5GHz band, and vice versa.

For WLAN 2.4GHz and 5GHz set with the same SSID name:

 No matter such function is enabled or disabled, clients using

WLAN 2.4GHz and 5GHz can communicate for each other if Isolate Member (in Wireless LAN>>General Setup) is NOT enabled for such SSID.

 Yet, if the function of Isolate Member (in Wireless

LAN>>General Setup) is enabled for such SSID, clients using

WLAN 2.4GHz and 5GHz will be unable to communicate with each other.

The default setting is “Disable”. If it is enabled, VigorAP will isolate different wireless clients according

to their IP address(es).

To apply WMM parameters for wireless data transmission, please click the Enable radio button.

power-save mechanisms supported by Wi-Fi networks. It allows devices to take more time in sleeping state and consume less power

to improve the performance by minimizing transmission latency.

The default setting is Disable.

MAC Clone

(for 2.4GHz only)

After finishing this web page configuration, please click OK to save the settings.

Click Enable and manually enter the MAC address of the device with SSID 1. The MAC address of other SSIDs will change based on this MAC address.

II-3-6 AP Discovery

VigorAP 918R can scan all regulatory channels and find working APs in the neighborhood. Based on the scanning result, users will know which channel is clean for usage. Also, it can be used to facilitate finding an AP for a WDS link. Notice that during the scanning process (about 5 seconds), no client is allowed to connect to VigorAP.

This page is used to scan the existence of the APs on the wireless LAN. Please click Scan to discover all the connected APs.

Each item is explained as follows:

Item Description

SSID Display the SSID of the AP scanned by VigorAP 918R.

BSSID Display the MAC address of the AP scanned by VigorAP 918R.

RSSI Display the signal strength of the access point. RSSI is the abbreviation

of Received Signal Strength Indication.

Channel Display the wireless channel used for the AP that is scanned by

VigorAP 918R.

Encryption Display the encryption mode for the scanned AP.

Authentication Display the authentication type that the scanned AP applied.

Scan It is used to discover all the connected AP. The results will be shown

on the box above this button

AP's MAC Address / AP's SSID

Add Click it to add the AP selected from the Access Point List (with the

II-3-7 WDS AP Status

VigorAP 918R can display the status such as MAC address, physical mode, power save and bandwidth for the working AP connected with WDS. Click Refresh to get the newest information.

It is available for wireless LAN (5GHz) only.

Display the MAC address and SSID of the AP selected from the Access Point.

same channel width) to the WDS Settings as peer' s setting.

II-3-8 Bandwidth Management

The downstream or upstream from FTP, HTTP or some P2P applications will occupy large of bandwidth and affect the applications for other programs. Please use Bandwidth Management to make the bandwidth usage more efficient.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

SSID Display the specific SSID name.

Enable Check this box to enable the bandwidth management for clients.

Upload Limit Define the maximum speed of the data uploading which will be used

for the wireless stations connecting to Vigor device with the same SSID.

Use the drop down list to choose the rate. If you choose User

defined, you have to specify the rate manually.

Download Limit Define the maximum speed of the data downloading which will be

used for the wireless station connecting to Vigor device with the same SSID.

Use the drop down list to choose the rate. If you choose User

defined, you have to specify the rate manually.

Auto Adjustment Check this box to have the bandwidth limit determined by the system

automatically.

Total Upload Limit When Auto Adjustment is checked, the value defined here will be

treated as the total bandwidth shared by all of the wireless stations with the same SSID for data uploading.

Total Download Limit When Auto Adjustment is checked, the value defined here will be

After finishing this web page configuration, please click OK to save the settings.

II-3-9 Airtime Fairness

Airtime fairness is essential in wireless networks that must support critical enterprise applications.

Most of the applications are either symmetric or require more downlink than uplink capacity; telephony and email send the same amount of data in each direction, while video streaming and web surfing involve more traffic sent from access points to clients than the other way around. This is essential for ensuring predictable performance and quality-of-service, as well as allowing 802.11n and legacy clients to coexist on the same network. Without airtime fairness, offices using mixed mode networks risk having legacy clients slow down the entire network or letting the fastest client(s) crowd out other users.

With airtime fairness, every client at a given quality-of-service level has equal access to the network's airtime.

The wireless channel can be accessed by only one wireless station at the same time.

The principle behind the IEEE802.11 channel access mechanisms is that each station has equal probability to access the channel. When wireless stations have similar data rate, this principle leads to a fair result. In this case, stations get similar channel access time which is called airtime.

treated as the total bandwidth shared by all of the wireless stations with the same SSID for data downloading.

However, when stations have various data rate (e.g., 11g, 11n), the result is not fair. The slow stations (11g) work in their slow data rate and occupy too much airtime, whereas the fast stations (11n) become much slower.

Take the following figure as an example, both Station A(11g) and Station B(11n) transmit data packets through VigorAP 918R. Although they have equal probability to access the wireless channel, Station B(11n) gets only a little airtime and waits too much because Station A(11g) spends longer time to send one packet. In other words, Station B(fast rate) is obstructed by Station A(slow rate).

To improve this problem, Airtime Fairness is added for VigorAP 918R. Airtime Fairness function tries to assign similar airtime to each station (A/B) by controlling TX traffic. In the following figure, Station B(11n) has higher probability to send data packets than Station A(11g). By this way, Station B(fast rate) gets fair airtime and it's speed is not limited by Station A(slow rate).

It is similar to automatic Bandwidth Limit. The dynamic bandwidth limit of each station depends on instant active station number and airtime assignment. Please note that Airtime Fairness of 2.4GHz and 5GHz are independent. But stations of different SSIDs function together, because they all use the same wireless channel. IN SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENTS, this function can reduce the bad influence of slow wireless devices and improve the overall wireless performance.

Suitable environment:

(1) Many wireless stations.

(2) All stations mainly use download traffic.

(3) The performance bottleneck is wireless connection.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Enable Airtime Fairness

Try to assign similar airtime to each wireless station by controlling TX traffic.

Airtime Fairness – Click the link to display the following screen of airtime fairness note.

Triggering Client Number –Airtime Fairness function is applied only when active station number achieves this number.

After finishing this web page configuration, please click OK to save the settings.

Note:



Airtime Fairness function and Bandwidth Limit function should be mutually exclusive. So their webs have extra actions to ensure these two functions are not enabled simultaneously.

II-3-10 Station Control

Station Control is used to specify the duration for the wireless client to connect and reconnect VigorAP. If such function is not enabled, the wireless client can connect VigorAP until it shuts down.

Such feature is especially useful for free Wi-Fi service. For example, a coffee shop offers free Wi-Fi service for its guests for one hour every day. Then, the connection time can be set as “1 hour” and reconnection time can be set as “1 day”. Thus, the guest can finish his job within one hour and will not occupy the wireless network for a long time.

Note:



Up to 300 Wireless Station records are supported by VigorAP.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

SSID Display the SSID that the wireless station will use it to connect with

Vigor router.

Enable Check the box to enable the station control function.

Connection Time / Reconnection Time

Display All Station Control List

After finishing all the settings here, please click OK to save the configuration.

Use the drop down list to choose the duration for the wireless client connecting /reconnecting to Vigor device. Or, type the duration manually when you choose User defined.

All the wireless stations connecting to Vigor router by using such SSID will be listed on Station Control List.

II-3-11 Roaming

The network signal for a single wireless access point might be limited by its coverage range. Therefore, if you want to expand the wireless network in a large exhibition with a quick method, you can install multiple access points with enabling the Roaming feature for each AP to reach the purpose of expanding wireless signals seamlessly.

These access points connecting for each other shall be verified by pre-authentication. This page allows you to enable the roaming feature and the pre-authentication.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

AP-assisted Client Roaming Parameters

When the link rate of wireless station is too low or the signal received by the wireless station is too worse, VigorAP 918R will automatically detect (based on the link rate and RSSI requirement) and cut off the network connection for that wireless station to assist it to connect another Wireless AP to get better signal.

Minimum Basic Rate – Check the box to use the drop down list to specify a basic rate (Mbps). When the link rate of the wireless station is below such value, VigorAP 918R will terminate the network connection for that wireless station.

Disable RSSI Requirement - If it is selected, VigorAP will not terminate the network connection based on RSSI.

Strictly Minimum RSSI - VigorAP uses RSSI (received signal strength indicator) to decide to terminate the network connection of wireless station. When the signal strength is below the value (dBm) set here, VigorAP 918R will terminate the network connection for that wireless station.

Minimum RSSI - When the signal strength of the wireless station is below the value (dBm) set here and adjacent AP (must be DrayTek AP and support such feature too) with higher signal strength value (defined in the field of With Adjacent AP RSSI over) is detected by VigorAP 918R, VigorAP 918R will terminate the network connection for

that wireless station. Later, the wireless station can connect to the adjacent AP (with better RSSI).

 With Adjacent AP RSSI over – Specify a value as a threshold.

Fast Roaming (WPA2/802.1x)

After finishing this web page configuration, please click OK to save the settings.

Enable – Check the box to enable fast roaming configuration.

PMK Caching - Set the expire time of WPA2 PMK (Pairwise master key)

cache. PMK Cache manages the list from the BSSIDs in the associated SSID with which it has pre-authenticated. Such feature is available for

WPA2/802.1 mode.

Pre-Authentication - Enables a station to authenticate to multiple

APs for roaming securer and faster. With the pre-authentication procedure defined in IEEE 802.11i specification, the pre-four-way-handshake can reduce handoff delay perceivable by a mobile node. It makes roaming faster and more secure. (Only valid in WPA2)

Enable - Enable IEEE 802.1X Pre-Authentication.

Disable - Disable IEEE 802.1X Pre-Authentication.

II-3-12 Band Steering (for Wireless LAN (2.4GHz))

Band Steering detects if the wireless clients are capable of 5GHz operation, and steers them to that frequency. It helps to leave 2.4GHz band available for legacy clients, and improves users experience by reducing channel utilization.

If dual-band is detected, the AP will let the wireless client connect to less congested wireless LAN, such as 5GHz to prevent from network congestion.

Note:



To make Band Steering work successfully, SSID and security on 2.4GHz also MUST be broadcasted on 5GHz.

Open Wireless LAN (2.4GHz)>>Band Steering to get the following web page:

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Enable Band Steering If it is enabled, VigorAP will detect if the wireless client is capable of

dual-band or not within the time limit.

Check Time…. – If the wireless station does not have the capability of 5GHz network connection, the system shall wait and check for several seconds (15 seconds, in default) to make the 2.4GHz network connection. Specify the time limit for VigorAP to detect the wireless client.

Wait Full Time to Check 5G Capability – If enabled, the client trying to connect to wireless network 2.4G has to wait for a few seconds (defined in Check Time... above) to check if the connecting device has the 5G capability. If no 5G capability, the client will be directed to the wireless 2.4G network.

5GHz Minimum RSSI – The wireless station has the capability of 5GHz network connection, yet the signal performance might not be satisfied. Therefore, when the signal strength is below the value set here while the wireless station connecting to VigorAP 920RP, VigorAP will allow the client to connect to 2.4GHz network.

Overloaded – If it is enabled, VigorAP will activate the band steering according to the conditions set below.

 2.4GHz Utilization Overload Threshold – The default setting is

70%. It can define the network congestion for 2.4GHz.

 5GHz Utilization Overload Threshold – The default setting is

70%. It can define the network congestion for 5GHz.

When the utilization of 2.4GHz is higher than the specified threshold and the utilization of 5GHz is lower than the specified threshold, VigorAP will steer the client to connect to 5GHz network.

After finishing this web page configuration, please click OK to save the settings.

Below shows how Band Steering works.

How to Use Band Steering?

1. Open Wireless LAN(2.4GHz)>>Band Steering.

2. Check the box of Enable Band Steering and use the default value (15) for check time setting.

3. Click OK to save the settings.

4. Open Wireless LAN (2.4GHz)>>General Setup and Wireless LAN (5GHz)>> General Setup.

Configure SSID as ap918r-BandSteering for both pages. Click OK to save the settings.

Same value

for 2.4GHz

and 5GHz

5. Open Wireless LAN (2.4GHz)>>Security and Wireless LAN (5GHz)>>Security. Configure

Security as 12345678 for both pages. Click OK to save the settings.

Same value

for 2.4GHz

and 5GHz

6. Now, VigorAP 918R will let the wireless clients connect to less congested wireless LAN, such as

5GHz to prevent from network congestion.

II-3-13 Station List

Station List provides the information related to the number of clients connecting to VigorAP, used bandwidth and the statistics of the AP device OS. Besides, users can create access control policies, device objects and set black & white list for

II-3-13-1 Connected Number

This page lists the graph for the number of wireless stations connected to this Access Point with different time phases.

II-3-13-2 Statistics

The number of detected devices and the number of device(s) passed/blocked according to the policy specified in Mobile Device Management>>Policy can be illustrated as doughnut chart.

II-3-13-3 Clients List

The client list displays all the stations connecting to VigorAP.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

+Access Control It is available after choosing one of the entries (clients) on Clients

List.

Wireless LAN - Specify the bandwidth for the access control list.

SSID Policy - Set the policy for each SSID as black list or white list or

disable.

From to list - Display the clients available for applying this access

control.

Apply to SSID - Check All to make the device apply the policies to all SSIDs. Or select the one(s) to make the device apply the policies to the selected SSIDs.

Close - Exit this page without saving any changes.

Save changes - Save the changes and exit this page.

+Device Object To add a device to device object list, choose one of the entries

(clients) on Clients List to enable the Device Object button. Click the button to open the following page.

Check the information listed on the page. Change the MAC address or name of the selected entry if required. Then click OK and exit the page.

Device Object list The existed device object profiles will be shown on the following

page.

Clients List Display the stations connecting to this Vigor device.

Total Usage - Display

Total Clients - Display the number of the clients using 2.4GHz

Name / MAC - Display the host name / MAC address of the connecting client.

Up Time - Display the connection time.

Link Speed- Display the link speed.

RSSI - Display the RSSI value.

SSID - Display the SSID the client used for connecting VigorAP.

OS - Display the OS of the client.

Usage - Display the bandwidth usage (up and down) of the client.

CH - Display the channel used by the client.

Action - Display the authentication method used by the client, and if

it is on block list or white list.

II-3-13-4 Block List

This page displays information of the stations under block list.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Device Object list Click it to open the Device Object List dialog for reference.

Name / MAC Display the host name / MAC Address for the connecting client.

SSID Display the SSID that the wireless client connects to.

Reason Display the reference information.

Action Display the action that you can execute for the station.

Unblock - Click to unblock the entry.

II-3-13-5 White List

This page displays general information of the stations under white list.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Device Object list Click it to open the Device Object List dialog for reference.

Name / MAC Display the host name / MAC Address for the connecting client.

SSID Display the SSID that the wireless client connects to.

Action Display the action that you can execute for the station.

Block - Click to block the entry.

II-4 Mesh Settings for Mesh Mode

When you choose Mesh as the operation mode, the Mesh menu with the settings of Mesh Setup, Mesh Status, Mesh Discovery and Configuration Sync will be shown on the screen.

Please note that, within VigorMesh network,

 the total number allowed for mesh nodes is 8 (including the mesh root)  the maximum number of hop is 3

Refer to the following figure:

For the mesh group set within VigorMesh network,

 It must be composed by “1” Mesh Root and “0~7” mesh nodes  (Roaming) Normally members in a mesh group use the same Wireless SSID/security  (Add) Only the mesh root can add a new mesh node into the mesh group  (Recover) A disconnected mesh node will automatically try to connect to another connected

mesh node of the same group

Mesh Root and Mesh Node

Mesh Root indicates that VigorAP would be other AP's uplink connection. As a Mesh Root, VigorAP must connect to a gateway with Ethernet cable first to have an internet connection.

As a Mesh Node, VigorAP can connect to the mesh root or mesh node within the same mesh group via wireless network or physical connection with an Ethernet cable.

The following figure shows how VigorAP runs as MESH ROOT:

The following figure shows how VigorAP runs as MESH NODE:

II-4-1 Mesh Setup

Such page can determine the role of the VigorAP connecting to the computer physically. For a mesh root, you can search and specify mesh nodes as members under current mesh group.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Role Mesh Root – When VigorAP is connected to a Vigor router with a

physical Ethernet cable, it can be set as mesh root to deliver the wireless signals to a mesh node AP.

Mesh Node – As a mesh node, such VigorAP can pass the wireless connection signal to other mesh node or a remote device (PC, CPE, mobile phone).

In addition, VigorAP can be searched by mesh root AP and join the mesh group of the root AP. The configuration set for mesh root can be applied to mesh node.

Group Name - Display the name of the current mesh group.

When Mesh Root is selected

When Mesh Node is selected

Log Level – Choose Basic or Detailed. Related information will be shown on the Diagnostics>>System Log.

Wired Uplink – Check the box if such VigorAP connects to an uplinked

mesh root or an uplinked mesh node with an Ethernet cable.

Wireless Uplink Band – Choose a wireless band for connecting with an uplinked mesh root or an uplinked mesh node.

Log Level – Choose Basic or Detailed. Related information will be shown on the Diagnostics>>System Log.

Mesh Group When the VigorAP is set as mesh root or is added to a mesh group,

the basic information including role, MAC address, and model name of the AP will be shown in this area.

Up to 8 entries (one mesh root and seven mesh nodes) will be shown on this field.

Reset - Click it to clear the Mesh Group information.

Delete - Click it to remove the selected entry.

Add Mesh Node Click Search to find out available mesh node on the network.

Check the one you want and click Apply. The selected AP will be added onto current mesh root.

Backup Mesh Config Backup – Click the button to save the configuration as a file.

Upload/Restore – Click the Upload button to specify a configuration

file. Then click Restore to apply the configuration.

When the MAC address of such VigorAP does not appear under the mesh group, the restore operation will not succeed and the error message, ”Device MAC is not in mesh group list”, will be shown instead.

How to set up a mesh group?

The following steps will guide you how to setup a Mesh Group (with mesh root and mesh node) from Mesh >> Mesh Setup.

1. Open Mesh>>Mesh Setup. Click Mesh Root and click OK for the VigorAP connected to PC

with Ethernet cable. At first, a Mesh Group is with only Mesh Root.

2. Click the Search button in the field of Add Mesh Node.

3. Wait until the searching result appears.

4. Choose the device(s) you want to add to the Mesh Group as mesh node(s) and define the

Device Name for each node. In this example, five devices are specified as mesh nodes.

5. Click the Apply button and wait for it to finish the procedure.

6. After finishing the mesh network configuration, refer to Mesh>>Mesh Status for viewing the

result. A mesh root with 5 mesh nodes is online.

II-4-2 Mesh Status

This page shows that one Mesh Group can contain up to 8 devices. In the following figure, the 7th Device with hop 0 is one special Ethernet Backhaul. It means this node will use Ethernet cable to join the mesh group while others use the wireless link.

Item Description

Local Status Display general information for such VigorAP.

Devices Display detailed information for this VigorAP (as mesh root) and mesh

node(s) in the group.

Index – Display the number of the device within a mesh group.

Status – Display the role of the device within a mesh group.

Device Name – Display the name of the device (for identification).

IP Address – Display the IP address of the device.

MAC Address – Display the MAC address of the device.

Hop – Display the level of the devices within a mesh group. “0” means

the access point is connected to a device by using Ethernet cable (wired). “1” to “3” means the level of the access point within a mesh group and it connects to other access point via wireless link.

Uplink – Display the MAC address of the device that the AP connects to.

Total number of Clients

Display the station list of all mesh devices.

II-4-3 Mesh Discovery

Before a Mesh Node is connected, it is unable to check the device status from Mesh Root. This page can help to discover all Mesh devices around and offer the Link Status and Operation Mode of each Mesh device.

For obtaining the list of devices around this VigorAP, click Scan. Later, surrounding VigorAP device(s) will be displayed on this page.

II-4-4 Basic Configuration Sync

If you add one Mesh Node in a mesh group, the Mesh Root will send the basic configuration to the device. This page could help you to change the Mesh Root settings and deliver the new configuration of the Mesh Root to all "connected" Mesh Nodes.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

System Maintenance /

Wireless LAN (2.4Hz) /

Wireless LAN (5GHz)

Tips for Mesh Network Setup

 Set up TWO mesh devices with uplink RSSI larger than -65dBm.  Upgrade the firmware version of Mesh devices through Mesh link, starting from the mesh

device with less hop number. For example, upgrade the firmware from the root, hop1 Mesh Node then hop2 Mesh Node, and so on.

 VigorMesh network supports up to 3 hops of mesh devices. However, it is suggested to connect

the mesh group with less than or equals to 2 hops.

For your reference, we make a real mesh environment test and get the following record. (Use VigorAP APP to do internet speed test with different hops mesh node.)

Internet Download Speed (for root and hop1 ~ hop3):

iPad connects to Root : 80Mbps

Check the item(s) you want to make configuration sync.

Apply – Click it to apply the settings configured by such AP to all connected mesh node. Note that this button is available only when such AP is in mesh root mode.

iPad connects to hop1 Node : 49Mbps (Uplink RSSI : -55dBm)

iPad connects to hop2 Node : 41Mbps (Uplink RSSI : hop2 -64dBm / hop1 -55dBm)

iPad connects to hop3 Node : 26Mbps (Uplink RSSI : hop3 -62dBm / hop2 -68dBm / hop1

-55dBm)

 It is not suggested to use a wireless Mesh Node with Ethernet cable connected to a Mesh Root.  If resetting a Mesh Root,

- All "connected" Mesh Nodes will be informed to reset.

- Group List and Group Key will be reset, too.

- For those Mesh Nodes unable to reset, reset them manually. Reset the Group List by web

or factory default.

 If resetting a Mesh Node,

- Group List and Group Key will be cleared.

- Link Status will become "New".

 Mesh network status also can be viewed and checked through the dashboard by clicking MESH

NETWORK.

 If Mesh Search / Apply / Discover is worked too fast or is done with empty result, your request

may be rejected. Please try again.

 Troubleshooting:

- Check the firmware version. Please make sure all APs within the mesh group are in the

newest firmware version.

- Check the OP (operation) Mode. Make sure new Mesh Node doesn't accidentally get DHCP

IP and becomes AP mode.

- Check the country code and channels. For example, it is impossible for connecting a

VigorAP 918R Mesh Root with 5G channel 36 to VigorAP920R Wireless Mesh Node in EU country code.

- Check the channel load. Make sure it is not over 70%.

- Collect some Mesh logs and send the result to DrayTek for analyzing.

II-4-5 Advanced Config Sync

If you add one Mesh Node in a mesh group, the Mesh Root will synchronize the advanced configuration to the device based on the setting results on this page.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Select All All item(s) will be selected for making configuration sync.

Bridge VLAN to Mesh Check to transmit the packets with VLAN tag to mesh nodes.

II-5 Universal Repeater Settings for Range Extender Mode

When you choose Range Extender as the operation mode, the Wireless LAN menu items (for

2.4GHz and 5GHz) will include General Setup, Security, Access Control, WPS, Advanced Setting, AP Discovery, WDS AP Status, Universal Repeater, Bandwidth Management, Airtime Fairness, Station Control, Roaming, Band Steering and Station List.

This section will introduce settings for Universal Repeater only.

For other wireless setting items (e.g., General Setup, Security, WPS, and etc.), please refer to II-3.

The following figure shows how VigorAP runs as Range Extender:

The access point can act as a wireless repeater; it can be Station and AP at the same time. It can use Station function to connect to a root AP and use AP function to serve all wireless stations within its coverage.

Note:



While using Universal Repeater mode, the access point will demodulate the received signal. Please check if this signal is noise for the operating network, then have the signal modulated and amplified again. The output power of this mode is the same as that of AP mode.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Universal Repeater Parameters

SSID Display the SSID defined for Range Extender operation mode in Quick

Start Wizard.

Change the name of SSID whenever you want.

MAC Address (Optional)

Channel Means the channel of frequency of the wireless LAN. You may switch

Security Mode There are several modes provided for you to choose. Each mode will

Type the MAC address of access point that VigorAP 918R wants to connect to.

channel if the selected channel is under serious interference. If you have no idea of choosing the frequency, please select AutoSelect to let system determine for you.

bring up different parameters (e.g., WEP keys, Pass Phrase) for you to configure.

Encryption Type for Open/Shared

This option is available when Open/Shared is selected as Security Mode.

Choose None to disable the WEP Encryption. Data sent to the AP will not be encrypted. To enable WEP encryption for data transmission, please choose WEP.

WEP Keys - Four keys can be entered here, but only one key can be selected at a time. The format of WEP Key is restricted to 5 ASCII characters or 10 hexadecimal values in 64-bit encryption level, or restricted to 13 ASCII characters or 26 hexadecimal values in 128-bit encryption level. The allowed content is the ASCII characters from 33(!) to 126(~) except '#' and ','.

Encryption Type for WPA/PSK and WPA2/PSK

Pass Phrase Type 8~63 ASCII characters, such as 012345678 (or 64 Hexadecimal

Range Extender Band Display which wireless band (2.4G/5G) is currently used for Universal

Enable AP Function If disabled, other stations cannot connect to this VigorAP even using

Universal Repeater IP Configuration

Connection Type Choose DHCP or Static IP as the connection mode.

Device Name This setting is available when DHCP is selected as Connection Type.

This option is available when WPA/PSK or WPA2/PSK is selected as Security Mode.

Select TKIP or AES as the algorithm for WPA.

digits leading by 0x, such as "0x321253abcde...").

Repeater.

None - No network connection.

the correct SSID.

Thus, VigorAP can be used as range extender but not as an access point.

In default, it is enabled.

DHCP – The wireless station will be assigned with an IP from VigorAP.

Static IP – The wireless station shall specify a static IP for connecting

to Internet via VigorAP.

Type a name for the VigorAP as identification. Simply use the default name.

IP Address This setting is available when Static IP is selected as Connection

Type.

Type an IP address with the same network segment of the LAN IP setting of VigorAP. Such IP shall be different with any IP address in LAN.

Subnet Mask This setting is available when Static IP is selected as Connection

Type.

Type the subnet mask setting which shall be the same as the one configured in LAN for VigorAP.

Default Gateway This setting is available when Static IP is selected as Connection

Type.

Type the gateway setting which shall be the same as the default gateway configured in LAN for VigorAP.

After finishing this web page configuration, please click OK to save the settings.

II-6 LAN

Local Area Network (LAN) is a group of subnets regulated and ruled by modem.

II-6-1 General Setup

Click LAN to open the LAN settings page and choose General Setup.

Note:



Such page will be changed according to the Operation Mode selected. The following screen is obtained by choosing AP as the operation mode.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

LAN IP Network Configuration

Enable DHCP Client – When it is enabled, VigorAP 918R will be

treated as a client and can be managed / controlled by AP Management server offered by Vigor router (e.g., Vigor2860).

DHCP Server Configuration

IP Address – Type in private IP address for connecting to a local

private network (Default: 192.168.1.2).

Subnet Mask – Type in an address code that determines the size of the network. (Default: 255.255.255.0/ 24)

Enable Management VLAN – VigorAP 918R supports tag-based VLAN for wireless clients accessing Vigor device. Only the clients with the specified VLAN ID can access into VigorAP 918R.

 VLAN ID – Type the number as VLAN ID tagged on the

transmitted packet. “0” means no VALN tag.

DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. DHCP server can automatically dispatch related IP settings to any local user configured as a DHCP client.

Enable Server - Enable Server lets the modem assign IP address to every host in the LAN.

 Start IP Address - Enter a value of the IP address pool for the

DHCP server to start with when issuing IP addresses. If the 1st IP address of your modem is 192.168.1.2, the starting IP address must be 192.168.1.3 or greater, but smaller than 192.168.1.254.

 End IP Address - Enter a value of the IP address pool for the

DHCP server to end with when issuing IP addresses.

 Subnet Mask - Type in an address code that determines the size

of the network. (Default: 255.255.255.0/ 24)

 Default Gateway - Enter a value of the gateway IP address for the

DHCP server.

 Lease Time - It allows you to set the leased time for the specified

PC.

 Primary DNS Server - You must specify a DNS server IP address

here because your ISP should provide you with usually more than one DNS Server. If your ISP does not provide it, the modem will automatically apply default DNS Server IP address: 194.109.6.66 to this field.

 Secondary DNS Server - You can specify secondary DNS server IP

address here because your ISP often provides you more than one DNS Server. If your ISP does not provide it, the modem will automatically apply default secondary DNS Server IP address:

194.98.0.1 to this field.

Relay Agent - Specify which subnet that DHCP server is located the relay agent should redirect the DHCP request to.

 DHCP Relay Agent - It is available when Enable Relay Agent is

selected. Set the IP address of the DHCP server you are going to use so the Relay Agent can help to forward the DHCP request to the DHCP server.

Disable Server - Disable Server lets you manually or use other DHCP server to assign IP address to every host in the LAN.

 WLAN Trusted DHCP Server

to assign IP address for wireless LAN user. However, you can specify another valid DHCP server on other VigorAP to make the wireless LAN client obtaining the IP address from the designated DHCP server.

–There is no right for such VigorAP

Specify a DHCP server in such field. All the IP addresses of the devices on LAN of VigorAP will be assigned via such specified server. It is used to avoid IP assignment interference due to multiple DHCP servers in one LAN.

DNS Server IP Address

After finishing this web page configuration, please click OK to save the settings.

Primary DNS Server - You must specify a DNS server IP address here

because your ISP should provide you with usually more than one DNS Server. If your ISP does not provide it, the modem will automatically apply default DNS Server IP address: 194.109.6.66 to this field.

Secondary DNS Server - You can specify secondary DNS server IP address here because your ISP often provides you more than one DNS Server. If your ISP does not provide it, the modem will automatically apply default secondary DNS Server IP address: 194.98.0.1 to this field.

II-6-2 Web Portal

This page allows you to configure a profile with specified URL for accessing into or display a message when a wireless/LAN user connects to Internet through this router. No matter what the purpose of the wireless/LAN client is, he/she will be forced into the URL configured here while trying to access into the Internet or the desired web page through this router. That is, a company which wants to have an advertisement for its products to users can specify the URL in this page to reach its goal.

Available settings are explained as follows:

Item Description

Index Display the number link which allows you to configure the profile.

Enable Check the box to enable such profile.

Comments Display the content (Disable, URL Redirect or Message) of the profile.

Applied Interface Display the applied interfaces of the profile.

Preview Open a preview window according to the configured settings.

After finishing this web page configuration, please click OK to save the settings.

DrayTek VigorAP 918R Service Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Chapter I Installation

I-1 Introduction

I-1-1 LED Indicators and Connectors

I-2 Mounting the Access Point

I-2-1 Antennas Installation

I-2-2 Connecting Ethernet Cable(s)

I-2-3 Pole Mount Installation – for VigorAP 918RPD

I-2-4 Pole Mount Installation – for VigorAP 918R

I-2-5 Wall Mount Installation – for VigorAP 918R

I-2-6 Grounding Access Point

I-2-7 Powering Access Point

I-3 Network IP Configuration

I-3-1 Windows 10 IP Address Setup

I-4 Accessing to Web User Interface

I-5 Changing Password

I-6 Dashboard

I-7 Quick Start Wizard

I-7-1 Settings for Access Point

I-7-2 Settings for Mesh Root

I-7-3 Settings for Mesh Node

I-7-4 Settings for Range Extender

Chapter II Connectivity

II-1 Operation Mode

II-2 General Concepts for Wireless LAN (2.4GHz/5GHz)

II-3 Wireless LAN (2.4GHz/5GHz) Settings for AP Mode

II-3-1 General Setup

II-3-2 Security

II-3-3 Access Control

II-3-4 WPS

II-3-5 Advanced Setting

II-3-6 AP Discovery

II-3-7 WDS AP Status

II-3-8 Bandwidth Management

II-3-9 Airtime Fairness

II-3-10 Station Control

II-3-11 Roaming

II-3-12 Band Steering (for Wireless LAN (2.4GHz))

II-3-13 Station List

II-4 Mesh Settings for Mesh Mode

II-4-1 Mesh Setup

II-4-2 Mesh Status

II-4-3 Mesh Discovery

II-4-4 Basic Configuration Sync

II-4-5 Advanced Config Sync

II-5 Universal Repeater Settings for Range Extender Mode

II-6 LAN

II-6-1 General Setup

II-6-2 Web Portal