Intel 2011B User Manual

Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device

User’s Guide

Product Model

Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device product models: WUD2011BWW WUD2011BSG

Intel Corporation, 5200 N.E. Elam Young Parkway, Hillsboro, OR 97124-6497

Intel Corporation assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in this document. Nor does Intel make any commitment to update the information contained herein.

Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.

†Other product and corporate names mentioned herein may be trademarks of other companies and are used only for explanation and to the owners’ benefit, without intent to infringe.

Patents

This product is covered by one or more of the following U.S. and foreign patents:

U.S. Patent No.

4,360,798; 4,369,361; 4,387,297; 4,460,120; 4,496,831; 4,593,186; 4,603,262; 4,607,156; 4,652,750; 4,673,805; 4,736,095; 4,758,717; 4,816,660; 4,845,350; 4,896,026; 4,897,532; 4,923,281; 4,933,538; 4,992,717; 5,015,833; 5,017,765; 5,021,641; 5,029,183; 5,047,617; 5,103,461; 5,113,445; 5,130,520; 5,140,144; 5,142,550; 5,149,950; 5,157,687; 5,168,148; 5,168,149; 5,180,904; 5,216,232; 5,229,591; 5,230,088; 5,235,167; 5,243,655; 5,247,162; 5,250,791; 5,250,792; 5,260,553; 5,262,627; 5,262,628; 5,266,787; 5,278,398; 5,280,162; 5,280,163; 5,280,164; 5,280,498; 5,304,786; 5,304,788; 5,306,900; 5,321,246; 5,324,924; 5,337,361; 5,367,151; 5,373,148; 5,378,882; 5,396,053; 5,396,055; 5,399,846; 5,408,081; 5,410,139; 5,410,140; 5,412,198; 5,418,812; 5,420,411; 5,436,440; 5,444,231; 5,449,891; 5,449,893; 5,468,949; 5,471,042; 5,478,998; 5,479,000; 5,479,002; 5,479,441; 5,504,322; 5,519,577; 5,528,621; 5,532,469; 5,543,610; 5,545,889; 5,552,592; 5,557,093; 5,578,810; 5,581,070; 5,589,679; 5,589,680; 5,608,202; 5,612,531; 5,619,028; 5,627,359; 5,637,852; 5,664,229; 5,668,803; 5,675,139; 5,693,929; 5,698,835; 5,705,800; 5,714,746; 5,723,851; 5,734,152; 5,734,153; 5,742,043; 5,745,794; 5,754,587; 5,762,516; 5,763,863; 5,767,500; 5,789,728; 5,789,731; 5,808,287; 5,811,785; 5,811,787; 5,815,811; 5,821,519; 5,821,520; 5,823,812; 5,828,050; 5,850,078; 5,861,615; 5,874,720; 5,875,415; 5,900,617; 5,902,989; 5,907,146; 5,912,450; 5,914,478; 5,917,173; 5,920,059; 5,923,025; 5,929,420; 5,945,658; 5,945,659; 5,946,194; 5,959,285; D305,885; D341,584; D344,501; D359,483; D362,453; D363,700; D363,918; D370,478; D383,124; D391,250; D405,077; D406,581; D414,171; D414,172

Invention No. 55,358; 62,539; 69,060; 69,187 (Taiwan); No. 1,601,796; 1,907,875; 1,955,269 (Japan); European Patent 367,298; 367,299; 367,300; 414,281; UK 2,072,832; France 81/03938; Italy 1,138,713

A69522-002

ii Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device User’s Guide

About This Document

Reference Documents

This reference guide refers to the following documents:

Part Number Document Title

A69587-002 Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device Quick Install Guide

Conventions

Keystrokes are indicated as follows:

ENTER identifies a key. FUNC, CTRL, C identifies a key sequence. Press and release each key in turn.

Press A+B press the indicated keys simultaneously. Hold A+B press and hold the indicated keys while performing or waiting for another

function. Used in combination with another keystroke.

Typeface conventions used include.

About This Document

<angles> indicates mandatory parameters in syntax. [brackets] for command line, indicates available parameters; in configuration files,

brackets act as separators for options.

GUI Screen text

Italics indicates the first use of a term, book title, variable or menu title.

Bold indicates important user information, license provisions or warranty

Screen dialog

Screen text

Terminal text

Terminal textTerminal text

URL

indicates the name of a control in a GUI-based application.

conditions. indicates screen dialog and user input options, and the exact syntax of items. indicates text and data displayed in an application screen on a computer

monitor. indicates text shown in a radio terminal LCD screen. indicates a Uniform Resource Locator, such as a Web page address.

Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device User’s Guide iii

About This Document

This document uses the following for certain conditions or information:

indicates tips or special requirements.

indicates conditions that can cause equipment damage or data loss.

indicates a potentially dangerous condition or procedure that only Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device-trained personnel should attempt to correct or perform.

iv Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device User’s Guide

Contents

Product Model............................................................................................................................ ii

Copyright ................................................................................................................................... ii

Patents ........................................................................................................................................ ii

About This Document............................................................................................ iii

Reference Documents ............................................................................................................... iii

Conventions .............................................................................................................................. iii

Contents ...................................................................................................................v

Chapter 1. Introduction to wireless networking .......................................................................................1

1.1 Infrastructure Mode: A WLAN with Access Points.............................................................1

1.2 Peer-to-Peer Mode: A WLAN without Access Points..........................................................1

1.3 Identifying a WLAN.............................................................................................................2

1.4 Identifying Devices on a WLAN ..........................................................................................2

1.5 Wireless Security ..................................................................................................................2

1.6 Radio Basics..........................................................................................................................2

1.7 Intel® PRO/Wireless LAN USB Software...........................................................................3

Chapter 2. Using the Wireless LAN Configuration Utility ..................................................................4

2.1 Viewing the Status Icon........................................................................................................4

2.2 Viewing Information about the Network Connection...........................................................5

2.3 Changing Network Settings..................................................................................................6

2.4 Implementing Security..........................................................................................................8

2.5 Viewing Driver and Firmware Information..........................................................................9

2.6 Downloading Drivers and Firmware.....................................................................................9

Chapter 3. Troubleshooting..........................................................................................................................10

Chapter 4. Customer Support.......................................................................................................................12

4.1 Intel Automated Customer Support ....................................................................................12

4.1.1 User Guide on Your Product CD-ROM ...................................................................12

4.1.2 Web and Internet Sites..............................................................................................12

4.1.3 Customer Support Technicians.................................................................................12

4.2 Intel Software License Agreement......................................................................................13

4.3 Limited Hardware Warranty...............................................................................................15

Returning a Defective Product...................................................................................................15

4.3.1 Limitation of Liability and Remedies.......................................................................16

4.4 Product Registration............................................................................................................16

Chapter 5. Regulatory Compliance Information....................................................................................17

Index............................................................................................................................................................................19

Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device User’s Guide v

Contents

vi Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device User’s Guide

Chapter 1. Introduction to wireless networking

The Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device is an 802.11b wireless networking device that connects to a USB port on your computer. Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN network products are based on the IEEE 802.11b standard and connect computers together to form a wireless local area network (WLAN).

All Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN products interoperate with other IEEE 802.11b compliant wireless devices from other vendors. The WiFi certification logo indicates that the wireless device is 802.11b compliant.

The Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device operates in either infrastructure mode or peerto-peer mode.

1.1 Infrastructure Mode: A WLAN with Access Points

In infrastructure mode, wireless clients send and receive information through access points. When a wireless client communicates with another, it transmits to the access point. The access point receives the information and rebroadcasts it. Then the other device receives the information.

Access points are strategically located within an area to provide optimal coverage for wireless clients. A large WLAN uses multiple access points to provide coverage over a wide area. Access points can connect to a LAN through a wired Ethernet connection. Access points send and receive information from the LAN through this wired connection.

1.2 Peer-to-Peer Mode: A WLAN without Access Points

In peer-to-peer mode, also called Ad Hoc Mode, wireless clients send and receive information to other wireless clients without using an access point. In contrast to infrastructure mode, this type of WLAN only contains wireless clients.

You can use peer-to-peer mode to network computers in a home or small office, or to set up a

temporary wireless network for a meeting.

Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device Users Guide 1

Chapter 1. Introduction to wireless networking

1.3 Identifying a WLAN

All the devices on a WLAN use a Network Name, or Service Set Identifier (SSID) to identify the WLAN. In peer-to-peer mode, an Independent Basic Service Set Identifier (IBSSID) identifies a WLAN. In infrastructure mode, an Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID) identifies a WLAN. This guide uses SSID as a general term for both ESSID and IBSSID. All the devices on a WLAN must use the same SSID to communicate with other wireless devices. When installing an access point or wireless device in a wireless client, the software asks you to specify an SSID.

1.4 Identifying Devices on a WLAN

A Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) uniquely defines each wireless device. The BSSID is the Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) address of the wireless device installed in the wireless client. The MAC address is permanently set when the device is manufactured. MAC addresses determine the device sending or receiving data. A MAC address is a 48-bit number written as six hexadecimal bytes separated by colons. For example:

00:A0:F8:24:9A:C8

To view the MAC address of an Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB device, see the label on the back of the device.

1.5 Wireless Security

Wireless networking devices transmit information through the air. Without implementing security, it is easy for an unauthorized person to intercept the information.

A common way of implementing security and protecting information is encryption. Before sending information, the wireless client or access point encrypts or scrambles information using an encryption key. The device receiving the information uses the same key to decrypt or unscramble the information. The information is only readable to wireless devices that have the correct encryption key.

The IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN standard specifies the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption and decryption algorithm. The standard includes two levels of security, using a 40-bit key or a 128bit key. To implement WEP, use either one of these methods. For better security, use a 128-bit key. A 128-bit key has several trillion times as many possible combinations as a 40-bit key. For added security, change your keys often. Some vendors refer to 40-bit encryption as 64-bit. These are identical. A wireless device that claims to have 40-bit encryption interoperates with a device that claims to have 64-bit encryption.

The same device, host computer or front-end processor usually performs both encryption and decryption. The algorithm, like the pattern of a lock, is standardized and may be used by anyone, but the encrypted data is unreadable without the appropriate key, which is known only by the sender and receiver of the transmitted data. You should change your keys often for added security.

1.6 Radio Basics

IEEE 802.11 networking devices transmit and receive radio signals. Users communicate with the network by establishing radio links between mobile devices and access points, or between each other.

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