Zebra ZXP Series 8 Secure Issuance Card Printer ZXP Series 7 and ZXP Series 8 Card Printer Wireless Reference Manual (en)

Cover

COVER

P1035089-003

ZXP Series 7™ and ZXP Series 8™

Card Printer

Wireless

Reference Manual

© 2013 ZIH Corp. The copyrights in this manual and the software and/or firmware in
the printer described therein are owned by ZIH Corp. and Zebra's licensors.
Unauthorized reproduction of this manual or the software and/or firmware in the
printer may result in imprisonment of up to one year and fines of up to $10,000
(17 U.S.C.506). Copyright violators may be subject to civil liability.

Proprietary Statement This manual contains proprietary information of Zebra
Technologies Corporation and its subsidiaries. It is intended solely for the information
and use of parties operating and maintaining the equipment described herein. Such
proprietary information may not be used, reproduced, or disclosed to any other parties
for any other purpose without the express, written permission of Zebra Technologies.

Product Improvements Continuous improvement of products is a policy of Zebra
Technologies. All specifications and designs are subject to change without notice.

Liability Disclaimer Zebra Technologies takes steps to ensure that it's published
Engineering specifications and manuals are correct; however, errors do occur. Zebra
Technologies reserves the right to correct any such errors and disclaims liability
resulting there from.

Limitation of Liability In no event shall Zebra Technologies or anyone else involved
in the creation, production, or delivery of the accompanying product (including
hardware and software) be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without
limitation, consequential damages including loss of business profits, business
interruption, or loss of business information) arising out of the use of, the results of
use of, or inability to use such product, even if Zebra Technologies has been advised
of the possibility of such damages. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or
limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion
may not apply to you.

Important Use only the supplied antenna. Unauthorized
antennas, modifications or attachments could damage
the transmitter and may violate FCC regulations or local
regulatory requirements in your country.

P1035089-003 Rev. A

Compliance and Regulatory Statements

FCC Compliance Statement (USA)

This device complies with Part 15 rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and

2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause

undesired operation.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for Class A Digital
Devices, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a residential
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the product manuals, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, the user is encouraged to do one or more of the following measures:

:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver
is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced RF service technician for help.

Important

1. The radio must be installed with a minimum 20 cm separation between the user and the

antenna.

2. The radio must not be co-located or used in simultaneous transmitting condition with

another radio.

3. The host system shall have a label to indicate that the system contains a certified module.

An example is “Contains FCC ID : I28-W2WLAN11G, IC ID: 3798B-W2WLAN11G.”

4. The radio is for indoor use only in the 2412-2472 MHz frequency range.

Modification Warning

The user is cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved by Zebra
Technologies could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. To ensure compliance,
this printer must be used with fully shielded communication cables.

RF Exposure Statement

This transmitter complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled
environment. The antenna(s) used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation
distance of at least 20 cm from all persons. This transmitter must not be co-located or
operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter, except in accordance with FCC
multi-transmitter product procedures.

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual 3

:

Approved Antenna information

Only Zebra approved antennas are allowed and cannot be replaced by the user.

802.11 b/g
Antenna PN: Laird Technologies WCR2400SMRP
Gain: 1.3 dBi @ 2.4 GHz
Impedance: 50 Ω

Mexico — NOM-121-SCT1-2009

Este equipo ha sido diseñado para operar con las antenas que enseguida se enlistan y para una
ganancia máxima de antena de 3.1 dBi. El uso con este equipo de antenas no incluidas en esta
lista o que tengan una ganancia mayor que 3.1 dBi quedan prohibidas. La impedancia
requerida de la antena es de 50 ohms.

Canadian DOC Compliance Statement

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

Industry Canada (IC) Warning

Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d’Industrie Canada applicables aux appareils radio
exempts de licence. L’exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes : (1) l’appareil
ne doit pas produire de brouillage, et (2) l’utilisateur de l’appareil doit accepter tout brouillage
radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage est susceptible d’en compromettre le
fonctionnement.

This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is
subject to the following two conditions: 1) This device may not cause interference., 2) This
device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation
of the device.

Brasil — Aviso da Anatel

Este equipamento opera em caráter secundário, isto é, não tem direito a proteção contra
interferência prejudicial, mesmo de estações do mesmo tipo, e não pode causar interferência a
sistemas operando em caráter primário.

“Este produto está homologado pela ANATEL, de acordo com os procedimentos
regulamentados pela Resolução 242/2000, e atende aos requisitos técnicos aplicados”

Para maiores informações, consulte o site da ANATEL www.anatel.gov.br

This equipment's operation is of a secondary character; that is, it doesn't have the right to
protection against damaging interference, even from stations of the same type, nor can it cause
interference to systems with a primary operating character.

4 Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003

Japan Restricted Frequencies

ሶቑ⛷㽱㟿ゾቒ*+]ቑ㡴㦻ቊⒸ䞷ቊሰቮሸቯቡሾቶᇭ

For 5.725 - 5.825 GHz, this frequency band will not be available in Japan.

Taiwan Restricted Frequencies

5.15-5.25 GHz, 崁櫊㹄⺖⦷咉䋲ₜ♾䞷ᇭ
For 5.15 - 5.25 GHz, this frequency band will not be available in Taiwan.

Korean Compliance Statement

넩韥韥鱉閵뇊끞 % 鞾 놹녅볁놶뼞韥韥ꈑ꫑늱ꈑ閵뇊꾅꫑ꩡ끞뼍鱉阸냹ꑞ놶냱ꈑ
뼍ꐥ ꑝ麕덵꾢꾅꫑ꩡ끞뼕ꯍ넽걪鱽鲙 

The equipment is for home use (Class A) and has acquired electromagnetic conformity
registration, so it can be used not only in residential area but other areas as well.

This radio device is not allowed to be used for human safety since it has possibility of radio
interference during operation.

:

European Regulatory Information

Note • Member states in the EU with restrictive use for this device are crossed out. This

device is also authorized for use in all EFTA member states (CH, IS, LI, NO).

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual 5

:

NCC

倢⨚㆞崜巘⚗㫋󱁻⇝┮䘖⺓櫊榊㳮᧨槭倢峀♾᧨⏻⚇ᇬ⟕壮㒥∎䞷劔⧖ₜ㈦㝔呹帙
㦃櫊䘖ᇬ┯⮶┮䘖㒥帙㦃☮岼岗󱁻䔈㊶♙┮厌ᇭ⇝┮䘖⺓櫊榊㳮󱁻∎䞷ₜ㈦㈀檎歪
咹⸘⏷♙㄁㞍⚗㽤抩≰᧷倢䤋䚍㦘㄁㞍䚍廰㣑᧨㑘䵚☂⋫䞷᧨₵㟈⠓咂䎰㄁㞍㣑㡈
㈦儋儛∎䞷ᇭⓜ檔⚗㽤抩≰᧨㖖∬榊≰㽤尞⸩⇫㯼󱁻䎰偩榊抩≰ᇭ⇝┮䘖⺓櫊榊㳮
檗㉜♦⚗㽤抩≰㒥ぴ㯼ᇬ䱠⸇♙携䣑䞷榊㽱懊⺓㊶榊㳮岼⌨󱁻㄁㞍ᇭ

According to “Administrative Regulations on Low Power Radio Waves Radiated Devices”
Without permission granted by the NCC, any company, enterprise, or user is not allowed to
change frequency, enhance transmitting power or alter original characteristic as well as
performance to an approved low power radio-frequency devices. The low power radio­frequency devices shall not influence aircraft security and interfere legal communications; If
found, the user shall cease operating immediately until no interference is achieved. The said
legal communications means radio communications is operated in compliance with the
Telecommunications Act.

The low power radio-frequency devices must be susceptible with the interference from legal
communications or ISM radio wave radiated devices.

WLAN Radio Specification

802.11 b

• 2.4 GHz

• DSSS (DBPSK, DQPSK and CCK)

• RF power 17 mW (ZebraNet n Print Server)

802.11 g

• 2.4 GHz

• OFDM (16-QAM and 64-QAM with BPSK and QPSK)

• RF power 17 mW (ZebraNet n Print Server)

6 Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003

Icons

:

Throughout this manual, different icons highlight important information, as follows:

Note • Indicates information that emphasizes or supplements important points of the

main text.

Important • Advises you of information that is essential to complete a task, or points out the

importance of specific information in the text.

Provides an example or scenario to demonstrate or clarify a section of text.

Electrostatic Discharge • Warns you of the potential for electrostatic discharge damage
to parts and assemblies.

Electric Shock • Warns you of a potential electric shock situation.

Hot Surface • Warns you of a situation where excessive heat could cause a burn.

Caution • Advises you that failure to take or avoid a specific action could result in

physical harm to you, or could result in physical damage to the hardware.

Zebra Contacts

Support and Services: http://www.zebra.com/contact

Knowledge Base: https://km.zebra.com

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual 7

8 Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003

Contents

1 • Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2 • Networking Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2.2 Channels and communication modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2.3 Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.4 Authentication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.5 Network name (SSID) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.6 Encryption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2.7 Media access control address authentication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

3 • Installing the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

4 • Configuring the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

4.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

4.2 Configuration Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

4.3 Network Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

4.4 Printer Web Page Option. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

4.5 ZXP Toolbox Option. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

4.6 Operator Control Panel Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

4.7 Using ZXP Toolbox Wireless Settings Load/Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

4.8 Using the RADIO CONTROL Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

4.9 Using the SET DEFAULTS Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

4.10 Simple Roaming Used During Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

4.11 Setting Up an Ad-Hoc ( Peer ) Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

4.12 Multi-homing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual iii

: Contents

5 • Monitor Wireless Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

5.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

5.2 Wireless Info Pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

5.3 Signal Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

5.4 Noise Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

5.5 Data Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

5.6 DHCP & MAC Address Info Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

5.7 Wireless Statistics Info Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

5.8 Wireless Statistics Success and Failure Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

5.9 Main Status Display Wireless Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

5.10 Viewing Wireless Information via Printer Web Page . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

5.11 Viewing Wireless Information via Driver Toolbox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

6 • Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

6.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

6.2 Wireless Troubleshooting Checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

6.3 Cannot Print Over Wireless Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

6.4 Improve Wireless Signal Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

6.5 PSK 4-way Handshake Timeout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

7 • Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

8 • Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

iv Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003

1.1 Overview

This manual provides the following information about installing and connecting ZXP Series 7
and ZXP Series 8 Card Printers to a wireless network:

1

Introduction

1. The Networking basics chapter contains overview information about wireless networking
and the wireless features of the Printer.

2. The information for installing to a wireless network will be useful if you are installing the
printer to a wireless network for the first time, or if you wish to change printer or network
settings after you have installed the printer.

3. The Troubleshooting chapter contains a checklist on how to quickly diagnose set-up and
configuration issues.

References to “the Printer” in this document apply to either the ZXP Series 7 Card Printer or
the ZXP Series 8 Card Printer.

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual 1

2 Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003

2.1 Overview

ZXP Series 7 and ZXP Series 8 Card Printers have an internal print server that supports both
wired and wireless Ethernet connectivity. The wired Ethernet capability is standard with the
printer while the wireless capability is an option that can be ordered as a factory-installed
printer option. The wireless option is field upgradeable by a Zebra-authorized field technician,
but requires partial disassembly of the printer to remove the wired daughter card and replace it
with a wired/wireless daughter card (see separate document that describes daughter card
installation in the printer).

2

Networking Basics

The printer supports simultaneous wired and wireless connections, a capability referred to as
multi-homing, in this case having two separate interfaces with separate IP addresses. To
connect to a wireless network, the printer uses wireless protocol IEEE 802.11b/g that
communicates data through radio transmission. After installing the printer to a wireless
network, cables are not required to communicate with the computers or devices that are part of
the network.

A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a collection of two or more computers, printers, and
other devices linked by radio waves. A WLAN uses high-frequency airwaves (radio) to
communicate information from one point to another.

To connect a computer or device to a wireless network, the computer or device must have a
wireless network adapter. The Printer uses an internal networking component that contains a
wireless radio. No cabling is necessary between networked devices that use wireless
technology, although it is possible to use a USB or wired Ethernet cable to configure your
printer for a wireless network.

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual 3

2: Networking Basics

Channels and communication modes

2.2 Channels and communication modes

The band of radio signals used for IEEE 802.11b/g wireless networking is segmented into
specific frequencies, or channels. For IEEE 802.11b/g wireless networks, 13 channels are
available. Each country/region specifies the channels that are authorized for use. For example,
in North America, only channels 1 through 11 are allowed. In Japan, channels 1 through 14
can be used (channel 14 – 802.11b only). In most of Europe, channels 1 through 13 are
allowed. Because existing standards change frequently, you should check with your local
regulatory agencies for authorized channel use. In most countries/regions channels 10 and 11
may be used without restriction.

Channel selection depends on the communication mode of the network. The communication
mode defines how devices (i.e., computers and printers) communicate on a wireless network.

There are two primary types of wireless communication modes: infrastructure and ad-hoc.

• In infrastructure mode, the printer communicates with network computers through a
wireless access point (AP) or a base station. The access point acts as a central hub or
gateway connecting wireless and, optionally, wired devices (most access points have
integrated Ethernet controller to connect to an existing wired-Ethernet network).

an

• In the ad-hoc mode, which is sometimes called peer-to-peer mode, the printer
communicates with your computer directly, rather than through an access point or base
station. Each device on an ad-hoc network must have a wireless network adapter. The
adapter enables each device to communicate with the other devices on the network.
Ad-hoc mode is usually limited to simple, small wireless networks because performance
degrades significantly after connecting too many network devices. This option is most
often used if you are connecting only two network devices that are not sharing an
Internet connection. Only WEP security is available in ad-hoc mode.

4 Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003

2.3 Security

As with other networks, security for wireless networks focuses on access control and privacy.
Traditional wireless network security includes the use of Service Set Identifiers (SSIDs), open
or shared-key authentication and static Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) keys or WiFi
protected access (WPA or WPA2).

It is highly recommended that you implement a wireless security scheme (preferably WPA2)
prior to setup. While the printer can connect to an open AP, running an open wireless AP may
allow anyone within range of the AP full access to all devices connected to the AP with
potentially damaging results. While WEP security is still in use today, WEP security has been
broken for many years. There are tools available on the Internet that will allow anyone with
even basic networking knowledge to break the WEP security and derive the WEP key within 3
minutes, giving them full access to devices on your network. The best security is obtained by
using WPA2 security with CCMP/AES encryption.

Authentication and encryption are two different mechanisms to network security.
Authentication verifies the identity of a user or device before granting access to the network,
making it more difficult for unauthorized users to access network resources. Encryption
encodes the data being sent across the network, making the data unintelligible to unauthorized
users. Both of these mechanisms are on wireless networks.

2: Networking Basics

Security

2.4 Authentication

The Printer supports Open System authentication. A network with Open System
authentication does not screen network users based on their identities and usually involves
supplying the correct SSID. Such a network might use Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
encryption to provide a first level of security, or WiFi protected access (WPA/WPA2) to
provide security by encrypting data sent over radio waves from one wireless device to another
wireless device. The printer allows for WEP, WPA or WPA2.

2.5 Network name (SSID)

Wireless devices are configured with the name of the network to which they will connect. The
network name is also called the SSID and identifies the ESS (Extended Service Set) that is
normally associated with larger infrastructure networks. The SSID should not be considered a
security feature because it can be easily identified. However, as a network administration or
management feature, it does provide basic network access control.

It is common practice to setup access points such that the SSID is not broadcast (i.e., hidden
invisible). The printer can connect to invisible access points, although the user must know

or
SSID name and correctly enter it into the printer. There is a belief that hiding the SSID

the
adds extra security to the network. This is, in fact, false as a device connecting to a network
must send the SSID in the clear and the SSID can be easily obtained from the association
management frame. Hiding the SSID makes it more error prone to connect to a network.

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual 5

2: Networking Basics

Encryption

2.6 Encryption

To reduce your network exposure to eavesdropping, establish a wireless security key for your
network. The printer supports the WEP RC4 encryption, WPA TKIP encryption and WPA2
CCMP encryption (a form of AES encryption), which hinders unauthorized users from
accessing data transmitted over the radio waves. For WEP, a single static WEP key (40 or
bits) is installed in the printer. Each computer or device is configured with the same key

104
communicate on that network. The most secure encryption is achieved using WPA2

to
CCMP.

with

WPA and WPA2 security provides the means to deploy dynamic encryption keys to devices on
the network. There are two approaches that are used for key deployment which are usually
referred to as Personal and Enterprise. In the Personal mode, a Pre-Shared Key (PSK) is
deployed on each network access point and device. The PSK is then used to derive Transient
Keys which are used between an access point and the devices which are connected to it. In the
Enterprise mode, an authentication server is used to deploy keys using one of several available
Extensible Authentication Protocols (EAP).

For WPA or WPA2 Personal, a single, 8 – 63 character passphrase is entered into the access
point. The same passphrase must be entered into the printer. The access point and printer each
derive the same 32 byte PSK from the passphrase using the password-based key derivation
function 2 (PBKDF2) from RFC 2898. The importance of picking a secure passphrase cannot
be overstressed. The most prevalent security attack against WPA-PSK is a brute force
dictionary attack, using a list of common words to “guess” your passphrase. So a passphrase
like “darthvader” could result in your security being quickly compromised.

When constructing your passphrase, keep the following suggestions in mind:

• Use more than 8 characters. The more characters, the more secure.

• Use a combination of uppercase, lower case, numeric and punctuation characters.

• Use random characters, avoid using recognizable words from any language.

2.7 Media access control address authentication

Some WLAN vendors support authentication based on the physical address, or MAC address,
of the client Network Interface Card (NIC). In this scenario, an access point allows association
by a client only if that client’s MAC address matches an address in an authentication table
used by the access point. This is not configurable through the printer.

6 Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003

3

Installing the Printer

Important • Only use the antenna that is shipped with the printer to ensure regulatory

compliance for the transmit power.

The printer with the wireless option ships with the wireless radio installed in the printer. An
antenna is shipped in the box with the printer. The antenna must be connected to the rear of the
printer before using the wireless interface. Lightly push the antenna onto the printer antenna
connector and rotate the knurled antenna connector until finger tight.

The antenna used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of at
least 20 cm (8 inches) from all persons and must not be co-located or operating in conjunction
with any other antenna or transmitter
during use the antenna is no closer than 20 cm to the body of any persons in the area of the
printer and that the during normal use of the printer the distance is maintained. The antennas
for any other transmitters should be separated from the printer antenna by at least 20 cm. This
is required for RF exposure compliance.

The antenna orientation is important to maximize the wireless signal strength. Inspect the
access point antenna(s) and try to put the printer antenna in a similar orientation.
connecting the printer to the wireless network, the antenna orientation can be adjusted to
maximize signal strength.

802.11b/g has an indoor open range of 100 ft at maximum data rate and 300 ft at minimum
data rate.
decreases. If there are intervening walls, unpredictable signal strength attenuation will occur.
Decreasing signal strength results in automatic data rate reduction. At the longest distance,
network traffic can become very slow.

As the distance between the printer and the access point increases, the signal strength

. This means that the printer must be positioned such that

After

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual 7

3: Installing the Printer

Printer location is important to ensure that adequate signal strength is achieved. Follow these
suggestions:

• Position the printer as close to the access point that it will connect to as possible.

• If possible, orient the printer such that there is a clear line of sight between the printer
antenna and the access point antenna.

• Locate the printer such that there are no intervening walls in the line of sight
antennas.

between

• Do not put the printer in a cabinet, especially not a metal one.

• Do not locate large metal objects close to the printer antenna.

• Do not locate the printer close to devices that emit RF radiation in the 2.4 GHz range.
Such devices might include: microwave ovens, cordless phones, wireless surveillance
cameras, baby monitors, wireless video transmitter and Bluetooth

Once you have your printer connected to a wireless network, the printer can provide
information on the quality of the connection to the network. If the quality is poor, there are
several approaches that can be taken to improve the quality.

® devices.

8 Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003

Configuring the Printer

4.1 Overview

To set up the printer for wireless printing, you need to know:

4

• The name of your wireless network, also known as the Service Set Identifier (SSID).

• If encryption was used to secure your network.

• The security key (WEP key, WPA passphrase, or hex key) that allows other devices to
communicate on the network if encryption was used to secure your network.

• If the access point you will connect to doesn’t broadcast the SSID, you will need to
know the BSSID (MAC Address of the wireless interface) for the AP. Make sure that
you have the correct MAC address, your AP may have several.

If your wireless access point is using Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security, the WEP key
should be exactly 10 or 26 hexadecimal characters. Hexadecimal characters are A–F, a–f,
0–9.

and

If your wireless access point is using WiFi Protected Access (WPA or WPA2) security, the
WPA passphrase should be from 8 to 63 ASCII characters. ASCII characters in a WPA
passphrase are case-sensitive.

If your wireless network is not using security, then you will not need a security key. Using a
wireless network with no security is not recommended because it can allow intruders to use
your network resources without your consent. Intruders could then read and decode your
transmissions with readily available tools found on the Internet.

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual 9

4: Configuring the Printer

Configuration Options

4.2 Configuration Options

Note • Make sure you copy down the security key and SSID exactly, including any capital

letters, and store it in a safe place for future reference. If you do not know the SSID of the
network that your computer is connected to, launch the wireless utility of the computer
network adapter and look for the network name. If you cannot find the SSID or the security
information for your network, see the documentation that came with the wireless access
point, or contact your network support person.

There are three ways to configure the printer to connect to a wireless network:

• Configure the printer through the printers Web Page using wired Ethernet; refer to

Section 4.4 on page 12 for details.

• Configure the printer through the Windows Printer Driver Toolbox using USB or
wired Ethernet; refer to Section 4.5 on page 16 for details.

• Configure the printer through the Operator Control Panel.; refer to Section 4.6 on
page 21 for details.

10 Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003

4.3 Network Settings

Every device connected to an Ethernet network must be assigned an IP Address, Subnet Mask
and Default Gateway Address. An IPv4 Address consists of a 32-bit binary number, which is
typically presented as four decimal numbers (one for each 8-bit byte) separated by decimal
points (for example: 192.168.0.100). The subnet mask determines what subnet an IP address
belongs to. A typical subnet would be 255.255.255.0. As applied to the previous example,
devices with IP Addresses in the range of 192.168.0.1 through 192.168.0.255 would all be in
the same subnet. The default gateway is the node connecting the internal networks and the
outside network (Internet).

In order to configure the printer, these settings must be known or DHCP must be used to
automatically configure the printer. If the network has a DHCP server, the printer can request
the network settings from the DHCP server after establishing a connection to the access point.
Otherwise, these settings must be known and manually entered into the printer. Check with
your network administrator if you are not sure about whether to use DHCP or manual settings.

When using DHCP, be aware that the DHCP server may periodically change the IP Address
assigned to the printer. If this happens, the Windows Printer Driver may no longer be able to
communicate with the printer. To prevent this, DHCP servers can be configured to lock an IP
Address to a specific MAC address. Obtain the wireless MAC address from the Operator
Control Panel (make sure you get the correct MAC Address, there are two, one for wired and
one for wireless) and use this to configure the DHCP server. Some DHCP servers are
configured to reject DHCP requests from unknown devices. Again, the MAC address can be
used to configure the DHCP server or access point to recognize the printer.

4: Configuring the Printer

Network Settings

If you plan to use both wired and wireless Ethernet interfaces at the same time, see the “Multi­homing Considerations” section. The configuration of the IP Address and Subnet Mask on
each interface must be set correctly depending upon whether the two interfaces are connected
to the same network or totally separate networks. Improperly configured network settings may
result in a communications failure.

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual 11

4: Configuring the Printer

Printer Web Page Option

4.4 Printer Web Page Option

Note • The screens shown in this section are for the ZXP Series 7 Card Printer; the screens

for the ZXP Series 8 are virtually identical.

Configuring Wireless through the Printer Web Page requires that the printer be connected to
a computer through wired Ethernet. Set the DHCP mode, IP
Default Gateway as needed for the wired interface.

If DHCP is enabled, use the OCP INFO soft-key to determine the IP Address for the wired
Ethernet. Open a browser window on a computer connected to the same network as the printer
and enter the printer IP address; e.g., http://10.1.23.26

The printer web page should then display:

Address, Subnet Mask, and

Click on the “Wireless Parameters” entry from the list of the left of the web page, and enter
User name (admin) and Password (1234).

12 Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003

The web page should look like:

4: Configuring the Printer

Printer Web Page Option

If the access point you want to connect to is not shown, Click Scan for Wireless Networks

until it is shown. Pick the desired access point using the Select radio button on the left of
the list.

Note that Scan for
Points. Update Scan for Wireless Networks appends additional Access Points found without
first clearing the Access Point list.

Note the Alternate Connect check box.

• If Alternate Connect is left unchecked, the printer automatically selects the highest
Security & Encryption available.

• If the Alternate Connect check box is checked, the user will be allowed to select the
Security & Encryption that will be used if more than one is available.

Click Connect

Wireless Networks clears the Access Point list and scans for Access

To Selected Wireless Network to proceed.

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual 13

4: Configuring the Printer

Printer Web Page Option

The web page changes to:

Enter any information required, like: SSID, Security, Encryption, and Passphrase (in the above
example, only the Passphrase needs to be entered as indicated by the edit box).

Click Connect.

Wait for connection to complete or for an error message.

14 Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003

4: Configuring the Printer

Printer Web Page Option

When successfully connected to the wireless network, the web page changes to:

The wireless parameters were automatically saved so that the printer will automatically
connect the next time the printer is powered on. The wired Ethernet connection can now be
disconnected if desired.

P1035089-003 Wireless Reference Manual 15

4: Configuring the Printer

ZXP Toolbox Option

4.5 ZXP Toolbox Option

This requires that the printer be connected to a computer through USB or wired Ethernet with
the Windows printer driver installed and functional. Refer to the appropriate Printer User’s
Manual for instructions on driver installation. Once the Windows printer driver is installed and
functioning, open the ZXP Toolbox. The following screen will be displayed:

Under the Configuration section, click on Wireless Settings.

16 Wireless Reference Manual P1035089-003