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NWD-270N
Wireless N-lite USB Adapter
User’s Guide
Version 1.0
07/2009
Edition 1
www.zyxel.com
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About This User's Guide
About This User's Guide
Intended Audience
This manual is intended for people who want to configure the NWD-270N using the ZyXEL
utility. You should have at least a basic knowledge of TCP/IP networking concepts and
topology.
Related Documentation
• Quick Start Guide
The Quick Start Guide is designed to help you get up and running right away. It contains
information on setting up your network and configuring for Internet access.
• Online Help
Embedded web help for descriptions of individual screens and supplementary
information.
• Support Disc
Refer to the included CD for support documents.
• ZyXEL Web Site
Please refer to www.zyxel.com
certifications.
for additional support documentation and product
User’s Guide Feedback
Help us help you. Send all User’s Guide-related comments, questions or suggestions for
improvement to the following address, or use e-mail instead. Thank you!
The Technical Writing Team,
ZyXEL Communications Corp.,
6 Innovation Road II,
Science-Based Industrial Park,
Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.
E-mail: techwriters@zyxel.com.tw
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Document Conventions
Document Conventions
Warnings and Notes
These are how warnings and notes are shown in this User’s Guide.
1 Warnings tell you about things that could harm you or your NWD-270N.
" Notes tell you other important information (for example, other things you may
need to configure or helpful tips) or recommendations.
Syntax Conventions
• The NWD-270N may be referred to as the “NWD-270N”, the “device”, the “system” or
the “product” in this User’s Guide.
• Product labels, screen names, field labels and field choices are all in bold font.
• A key stroke is denoted by square brackets and uppercase text, for example, [ENTER]
means the “enter” or “return” key on your keyboard.
• “Enter” means for you to type one or more characters and then press the [ENTER] key.
“Select” or “choose” means for you to use one of the predefined choices.
• A right angle bracket ( > ) within a screen name denotes a mouse click. For example,
Maintenance > Log > Log Setting means you first click Maintenance in the navigation
panel, then the Log sub menu and finally the Log Setting tab to get to that screen.
• Units of measurement may denote the “metric” value or the “scientific” value. For
example, “k” for kilo may denote “1000” or “1024”, “M” for mega may denote “1000000”
or “1048576” and so on.
• “e.g.,” is a shorthand for “for instance”, and “i.e.,” means “that is” or “in other words”.
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Icons Used in Figures
Figures in this User’s Guide may use the following generic icons.
Wireless Access Point Computer Notebook computer
Server Modem Telephone
Internet Wireless Signal
Document Conventions
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Safety Warnings
Safety Warnings
1 For your safety, be sure to read and follow all warning notices and instructions.
• Do NOT use this product near water, for example, in a wet basement or near a swimming
pool.
• Do NOT expose your device to dampness, dust or corrosive liquids.
• Do NOT store things on the device.
• Do NOT install, use, or service this device during a thunderstorm. There is a remote risk
of electric shock from lightning.
• Connect ONLY suitable accessories to the device.
• Ground yourself (by properly using an anti-static wrist strap, for example) whenever
working with the device’s hardware or connections.
• ONLY qualified service personnel should service or disassemble this device.
• Antenna Warning! This device meets ETSI and FCC certification requirements when
using the included antenna(s). Only use the included antenna(s).
This product is recyclable. Dispose of it properly.
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Contents Overview
Contents Overview
Introduction and Configuration ............................................................................................13
Getting Started ...........................................................................................................................15
Tutorial ...................................................... ............................................. .................................... 21
Wireless LANs ................................................................. ... ... .... ... ............................................. 31
Station Mode ..............................................................................................................................43
AP Mode .................................................................................................................................... 65
Maintenance ..............................................................................................................................75
Troubleshooting and Specifications ....................................................................................79
Troubleshooting ..................................................... .................................................................... 81
Product Specifications ............................................................................................................... 85
Appendices and Index ...........................................................................................................89
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Contents Overview
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
About This User's Guide..........................................................................................................3
Document Conventions............................................................................................................4
Safety Warnings ........................................................................................................................6
Contents Overview ...................................................................................................................7
Table of Contents......................................................................................................................9
Part I: Introduction and Configuration................................................. 13
Chapter 1
Getting Started........................................................................................................................15
1.1 Overview ............. .......................................................... ... .... ... ... .......................................... 15
1.1.1 What You Need to Know ........... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .................................................... 15
1.1.2 Before You Begin .......................................... ... ... ....................................................... 15
1.2 About Your NWD-270N ......................................................................................................16
1.2.1 Hardware .......................... ... ... .......................................................... ... .... ... ... .............16
1.3 Application Overview ....... ... ... .......................................................... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ....... 17
1.3.1 Infrastructure ................ .... ... ... ... ... ........................................................... ... ... ... ... ....... 17
1.3.2 Ad-Hoc ............................................. ... ... .......................................................... ... ....... 17
1.4 Hardware and Utility Installation ..........................................................................................18
1.4.1 ZyXEL Utility Icon .......................................................................................................18
1.5 Configuration Methods ... ... ... .... ... .......................................................... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ....... 19
1.5.1 Enabling Windows Wireless Configuration ................................................................ 19
1.5.2 Accessing the ZyXEL Utility ...................................................................................... 20
Chapter 2
Tutorial.....................................................................................................................................21
2.1 Overview ............. .......................................................... ... .... ... ... .......................................... 21
2.1.1 What You Can Do in This Tutorial .............................................................................. 21
2.1.2 What You Need to Know ........... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .................................................... 21
2.1.3 Before You Begin .......................................... ... ... ....................................................... 22
2.2 Connecting to an AP using Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) .................................................. 22
2.2.1 Push Button Configuration (PBC) ............. .... ............................................................. 22
2.2.2 PIN Configuration ................................................ ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ..........................23
2.3 Connecting to an AP Without Using WPS ........................................................................... 25
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Table of Contents
2.3.1 Manually Connecting to a Wireless LAN ................................................................... 25
2.3.2 Creating and Using a Profile ............................................... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .......27
2.4 Configuring the NWD-270N as an AP ................................. ... ............................................. 29
Chapter 3
Wireless LANs.........................................................................................................................31
3.1 Overview ............. .......................................................... ... .... ... ... .......................................... 31
3.1.1 What Yo u Can Do in This Section ..............................................................................31
3.1.2 What You Need to Know ........... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .................................................... 31
3.1.3 Before You Begin .......................................... ... ... ....................................................... 32
3.2 Wireless LAN Overview ..................................... .... ... ... ... .................................................... 32
3.3 Wireless LAN Security .................................... ... .... ... ... ....................................................... 33
3.3.1 User Authentication and Encryption ........................................... ... ... ... .... ... ................33
3.4 WiFi Protected Setup ........................................................................................................... 35
3.4.1 Push Button Configuration ......................................... ................................................ 35
3.4.2 PIN Configuration ................................................ ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ..........................36
3.4.3 How WPS Works ........................................................................................................ 37
3.4.4 Limitations of WPS ........................................... ... ... .... ... ... ... ....................................... 40
Chapter 4
Station Mode............................................................................................................................43
4.1 Overview ............. .......................................................... ... .... ... ... .......................................... 43
4.1.1 What Yo u Can Do in This Section ..............................................................................43
4.1.2 What You Need to Know ........... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .................................................... 43
4.1.3 Before You Begin .......................................... ... ... ....................................................... 44
4.2 ZyXEL Utility Screen Summary ...........................................................................................44
4.3 The Link Info Screen ...........................................................................................................45
4.3.1 Trend Chart .................. .... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... .......................................................... ... ....... 46
4.4 The Site Survey Screen ...................................................................................................... 47
4.4.1 Security Settings ...................................... .... ... ... ... .... ... .............................................48
4.4.2 Summary Screen ............. ... ... ... .......................................................... .... ... ... ... ..........53
4.5 The Profile Screen ...............................................................................................................53
4.5.1 Adding a New Profile ............................................................................... ... ... ... ... .... ... 55
4.6 The Adapter Screen ........ ... ... .... ... ... ... .............................................................. ... ... .............58
4.6.1 WPS: PBC (Push Button Configuration) .................................................... ... ... ... .... ... 59
4.6.2 WPS: PIN - Use this Device’s PIN ......................................... .... ... ... ... ....................... 60
4.6.3 WPS: PIN - Use the PIN from the AP or Wireless Router .......................................... 61
4.7 Security Settings in Windows Vista ........................... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .................................... 61
4.7.1 Using PEAP in Vista ...................................................................................................62
4.7.2 Using TLS in Vista .................... ... .... ... .......................................................... ... ..........63
Chapter 5
AP Mode...................................................................................................................................65
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Table of Contents
5.1 Overview ............. .......................................................... ... .... ... ... .......................................... 65
5.1.1 What Yo u Can Do in This Section ..............................................................................66
5.1.2 What You Need to Know ........... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .................................................... 66
5.1.3 Before You Begin .......................................... ... ... ....................................................... 67
5.2 AP Mode Screen Summary ................................................................................................. 67
5.3 The Link Info Screen ...........................................................................................................68
5.4 The Configuration Screen .................................................................................................... 69
5.4.1 Security Settings ...................................... .... ... ... ... .... ... .............................................70
5.5 The MAC Filter Screen ........................................................................................................ 73
Chapter 6
Maintenance............................................................................................................................75
6.1 Overview ............. .......................................................... ... .... ... ... .......................................... 75
6.1.1 What Yo u Can Do in This Section ..............................................................................75
6.1.2 What You Need to Know ........... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .................................................... 75
6.1.3 Before You Begin .......................................... ... ... ....................................................... 75
6.2 The About Screen ..................... ... ... ... .......................................................... .... ... ... ... ... ....... 76
6.3 Uninstalling the ZyXEL Utility .......................................... .................................................... 76
6.4 Upgrading the ZyXEL Utility ................................................................................................77
Part II: Troubleshooting and Specifications........................................ 79
Chapter 7
Troubleshooting......................................................................................................................81
7.1 Power, Hardware Connections, and LEDs .......................................................................... 81
7.2 Accessing the ZyXEL Utility ................................................................................................. 82
7.3 Link Quality ...................................... ... ... .... ... .......................................................... ............. 82
7.4 Problems Communicating with Other Computers ............................................................... 82
Chapter 8
Product Specifications...........................................................................................................85
Part III: Appendices and Index.............................................................. 89
Appendix A Wireless LANs ....................................................................................................91
Appendix B Windows Wireless Management.......................................................................105
Appendix C Legal Information..............................................................................................127
Appendix D Customer Support.............................................................................................131
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Table of Contents
Index.......................................................................................................................................137
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PART I
Introduction and
Configuration
Getting Started (15)
Tutorial (21)
Wireless LANs (31)
Station Mode (43)
AP Mode (65)
Maintenance (75)
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CHAPTER 1
Getting Started
1.1 Overview
The ZyXEL NWD-270N Wireless N-lite USB Adapter adapter brings you a better Internet
experience over existing 802.11 networks. With data rates of up to 150 Mbps, you can enjoy a
breathtaking high-speed connection at home or in the office. It is an excellent solution for
daily activities such as file transfers, music downloading, video streaming and online gaming.
This section includes:
• About Your NWD-270N on page 16
• Application Overview on page 17
• Hardware and Utility Installation on page 18
• Configuration Methods on page 19
1.1.1 What You Need to Know
The following terms and concepts may help as you read through this sectio n, and subsequently
as you read through the rest of the User’s Guide.
Access Point
An Access Point (AP) is a network device that acts as a bridge between a wired and a wireless
network. Outside of the home or office, APs can most often be found in coffee shops,
bookstores and other businesses that offer wireless Internet connectivity to their customers.
Infrastructure
An infrastructure network is one that seamlessly combines both wireless and wired
components. One or more APs often serve as the bridge between wireless and wired LANs.
Ad-Hoc
An Ad-Hoc wireless LAN is a self-contained group of computers connected wirelessly and
which is independent of any other networks and Access Points.
1.1.2 Before You Begin
• Read the Quick Start Guide for information on making hardware connections and using
the ZyXEL utility to connect your NWD-270N to a network.
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Chapter 1 Getting Started
1.2 About Your NWD-270N
Your NWD-270N is an IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 compliant wireless LAN adapter. It can also
connect to IEEE 802.11b/g wireless networks. The NWD-270N is WPS (Wi-Fi Protected
Setup) compliant. WPS allows you to easily connect to another WPS-enabled device.
The NWD-270N is a USB adapter which connects to an empty USB port on your computer.
See your NWD-270N’s Quick Start Guide for installation instructions, and see the section on
product specifications in this User’s Guide for detailed information.
1.2.1 Hardware
This section describes the NWD-270N’s physical appearance.
Figure 1 The NWD-270N
The following table describes the NWD-270N.
Table 1 NWD-270N External View
LABEL DESCRIPTION
A WPS button
BLED
C USB connector
D USB connector cap
The following table describes the operation of the NWD-270N’s LEDs.
Table 2 NWD-270N LEDs
LED COLOR STATUS DESCRIPTION
Green Slow Blinking The NWD-270N is turned on, connected to an AP, and is not
Rapid Blinking The NWD-270N is turned on, connected to an AP, and is
Off The NWD-270N is turned off.
transmitting or receiving data.
transmitting or receiving data. It also blinks when the WPS
feature is being used or a WPS connection is being initiated.
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1.3 Application Overview
This section describes some network applications for the NWD-270N. You can either set the
network type to Infrastructure and connect to an AP or use Ad-Hoc mode and connect to a
peer computer (another wireless device in Ad-Hoc mode).
1.3.1 Infrastructure
To connect to a network via an access point (AP), set the NWD-270N network type to
Infrastructure (see Chapter 4 on page 53). Through the AP, you can access the Internet or the
wired network behind the AP.
Figure 2 Application: Infrastructure
Chapter 1 Getting Started
1.3.2 Ad-Hoc
To set up a small independent wireless workgroup without an AP, use Ad-Hoc (see Chapter 4
on page 53).
Ad-Hoc does not require an AP or a wired network. Two or more wireless clients
communicate directly with each other.
" Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is not available in ad-hoc mode.
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Chapter 1 Getting Started
Figure 3 Application: Ad-Hoc
1.4 Hardware and Utility Installation
Follow the instructions in the Quick Start Guide to install the ZyXEL utility and make
hardware connections.
1.4.1 ZyXEL Utility Icon
After you install and start the ZyXEL utility, an icon for the ZyXEL utility appears in the
system tray .
" The ZyXEL utility system tray icon displays only when the NWD-270N is
installed properly.
" When you use the ZyXEL utility, it automatically disables Wireless Zero
Configuration (WZC) in Windows XP.
Figure 4 ZyXEL Utility: System Tray Icon
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Chapter 1 Getting Started
The color of the ZyXEL utility system tray icon indicates the status of the NWD-270N. Refer
to the following table for details.
Table 3 ZyXEL Utility: System Tray Icon
COLOR DESCRIPTION
Red The NWD-270N is not connected to a wireless network.
Green The NWD-270N is connected to a wireless network.
1.5 Configuration Methods
To configure your NWD-270N, use one of the following applications:
• Wireless Zero Configuration (WZC, the Windows XP wireless configuration tool) or
WLAN AutoConfig (the Windows Vista wireless configuration tool).
• The ZyXEL utility .
" Do NOT use Windows XP’s Wireless Zero Configuration tool at the same time
you use the ZyXEL utility.
1.5.1 Enabling Windows Wireless Configuration
" When you use the ZyXEL utility, it automatically disables Windows XP’s
wireless configuration tool.
If you want to use the Windows XP wireless configuration tool to configure the NWD-270N,
you need to disable the ZyXEL utility. Right-click the utility icon ( ) in the system tray and
select Exit.
Figure 5 Enable WZC
Refer to the appendices for information on how to use the Windows wireless configuration
tool to manage the NWD-270N.
To reactivate the ZyXEL utility, double-click the ( ) icon on your desktop or click Start >
(All) Programs > ZyXEL Wireless N-lite USB Adapter > ZyXEL Wireless N USB
Adapter Utility.
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Chapter 1 Getting Started
1.5.2 Accessing the ZyXEL Utility
Double-click on the ZyXEL wireless LAN utility icon in the system tray to open the ZyXEL
utility.
The ZyXEL utility screens are similar in all Microsoft Windows versions. Screens for
Windows XP are shown in this User’s Guide.
" Click the icon (located in the top right corner) to display the online help
window.
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CHAPTER 2
Tutorial
2.1 Overview
This tutorial shows you how to join a wireless infrastructure network using the ZyXEL utility .
The wireless client is labeled C and the Access Point is labeled AP.
Figure 6 Infrastructure Network
2.1.1 What You Can Do in This Tutorial
• Connect securely either to an infrastructure AP using the WPS protocol. See Section 2.2
on page 22 for details.
• Connect securely to an infrastructure AP using many of the strongest and most common
encryption protocols. See Section 2.3 on page 25 for details.
• Save a your settings so that you can later connect again to an infrastructure AP with a
single click. See Section 2.3.2 on page 27 for details.
• Configure your NWD-270N as an Access Point (AP), allowing other devices to connect to
it and share its network connections. See Section 2.4 on page 29 for details.
2.1.2 What You Need to Know
The following term may help as you read through this section.
WPS
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is a security protocol that lets two or more devices connect
securely to one another with a minimum amount of hassle on your part. It most cases,
establishing a secure connection with another WPS device is as easy as pushing a button.
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Chapter 2 Tutorial
2.1.3 Before You Begin
• Make sure that you have already familiarized yourself with the NWD-270N’s features and
hardware, as described in Chapter 1 on page 15.
• You should have valid login information for an existing network Access Point, otherwise
you may not be able to make a network connection right away.
2.2 Connecting to an AP using Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)
This section gives you an example of how to set up your wireless network using WPS. This
example uses the NWD-270N as the wireless client, and ZyXEL’s NBG334W as the Access
Point (AP).
" The Access Point must be a WPS-aware device.
There are two WPS methods for creating a secure connection. This tutorial shows you both.
• Push Button Configuration (PBC) - create a secure wireless network simply by pressing
a button. See Section 2.2.1 on page 22.This is the easier method.
• PIN Configuration - create a secure wireless network simply by entering a wireless
client's PIN (Personal Identification Number) in the NWD-270N’s interface. See Section
2.2.2 on page 23. This is the more secure method, since one device can authenticate the
other.
2.2.1 Push Button Configuration (PBC)
1 Make sure that your access point is turned on and that it is within range of the computer
with the NWD-270N installed.
2 Make sure that you have installed the NWD-270N’s driver and utility on your computer.
3 In the NWD-270N’s utility, click the Adapter tab, enable WPS and select PBC (Push
Button Configuration). In the screen that appears, click Start.
4 Log into the AP’s web configurator and locate its WPS settings section. On the
NBG334W, pres s the Push Button button in the Network > Wireless Client > WPS
Station screen.
" It doesn’t matter which button is pressed first. You must press the second
button within two minutes of pressing the first one.
22
The AP sends the proper configuration settings to the NWD-270N. This may take up to two
minutes. Then the NWD-270N is able to communicate with the AP securely.
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Chapter 2 Tutorial
The following figure shows you an example to set up wireless network and security by
pressing a button on both the AP (the NBG334W in this example) and the NWD-270N.
Figure 7 Example WPS Process: PBC Method
You
SECURITY INFO
COMMUNICATION
AP
WITHIN 2 MINUTES
2.2.2 PIN Configuration
When you use the PIN configuration method, you need to use both the NWD-270N’s utility
and the AP’s configuration interface.
1 In the NWD-270N’s Adaptor tab, select WPS and PIN - Use this Device’s PIN. Note
down the PIN in the screen that appears.
2 Enter the PIN number in the AP’s configuration interface. In the NBG334W, use the PIN
field in the Network > Wireless LAN > WPS Station screen.
3 Click the Start buttons on both the NWD-270N utility screen and the AP’s configuration
utility (the WPS Station screen on the NBG334W) within two minutes.
The NBG334W authenticates the wireless client and sends the proper configuration settings to
the wireless client. This may take up to two minutes. Then the wireless client is able to
communicate with the NBG334W securely.
The following figure shows you the example of configuring the wireless network and security
on the NWD-270N and the AP (ZyXEL’s NBG334W in this example) by using the PIN
method.
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Chapter 2 Tutorial
Figure 8 Example WPS Process: PIN Method
You
AP
24
WITHIN 2 MINUTES
Authentication by PIN
SECURITY INFO
COMMUNICATION
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2.3 Connecting to an AP Without Using WPS
There are three ways to connect the wireless client (the NWD-270N) to a network without
using WPS.
• Configure nothing and leave the wireless client to automatically scan for and connect to
any available network that has no wireless security configured.
• Manually connect to a network (see Section 2.3.1 on page 25).
• Configure a profile to have the wireless client automatically connect to a specific network
or peer computer (see Section 2.3.2 on page 27).
2.3.1 Manually Connecting to a Wireless LAN
This example illustrates how to manually connect your wireless client to an access point (AP)
configured for WPA-PSK security and connected to the Internet. Before you connect to the
access point, you must know its Service Set IDentity (SSID) and WPA-PSK pre-shared key. In
this example, the AP’s SSID is “SSID_Example3” and its pre-shared key is “ThisismyWPAPSKpre-sharedkey”.
After you install the ZyXEL utility and then insert the wireless client, follow the steps below
to connect to a network using the Site Survey screen.
Chapter 2 Tutorial
1 Open the ZyXEL utility and click the Site Survey tab to open the screen shown next.
Figure 9 ZyXEL Utility: Site Survey
2 The wireless client automatically searches for available wireless networks. Click Scan if
you want to search again. If no entry displays in the Available Network List, that means
there is no wireless network available within range. Make sure the AP or peer computer
is turned on, or move the wireless client closer to the AP or peer computer. See Table 4.4
on page 47 for detailed field descriptions.
3 To connect to an AP or peer computer, either click an entry in the list and then click
Connect or double-click an entry (SSID_Example3 in this example).
4 When you try to connect to an AP with security configured, a window will pop up
prompting you to specify the security settings. Enter the pre-shared key and leave the
encryption type at the default setting.
Use the Next button to move on to the next screen. You can use the Back button at any
time to return to the previous screen, or the Exit button to return to the Site Survey
screen.
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Chapter 2 Tutorial
Figure 10 ZyXEL Utility: Security Settings
5 The Summary window appears. Check your settings and click Save to continue.
Figure 11 ZyXEL Utility: Summary
6 The ZyXEL utility returns to the Link Info screen while it connects to the wireless
network using your settings. When the wireless link is established, the ZyXEL utility
icon in the system tray turns green and the Link Info screen displays details of the active
connection. Check the network information in the Link Info screen to verify that you
have successfully connected to the selected network. If the wireless client is not
connected to a network, the fields in this screen remain blank. See Table 4.3 on page 45
for detailed field descriptions.
Figure 12 ZyXEL Utility: Link Info
7 Open your Internet browser and enter http://www.zyxel.com or the URL of any other
web site in the address bar. If you are able to access the web site, your wireless
connection is successfully configured. If you cannot access the web site, check the
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Troubleshooting section of this User's Guide or contact your network administrator if
necessary.
2.3.2 Creating and Using a Profile
A profile lets you automatically connect to the same wireless network every time you use the
ZyXEL utility. You can also configure different profiles for different networks, for example if
you connect a notebook computer to wireless networks at home and at work.
This example illustrates how to set up a profile and connect the wireless client to an access
point configured for WPA-PSK security. In this example, the AP’s SSID is “SSID_Example3”
and its pre-shared key is “ThisismyWPA-PSKpre-sharedkey”. You have chosen the profile
name “PN_Example3”.
1 Open the ZyXEL utility and click the Profile tab to open the screen as shown. Click Add
to configure a new profile.
Figure 13 ZyXEL Utility: Profile
Chapter 2 Tutorial
2 The Add New Profile screen appears. The wireless client automatically searches for
available wireless networks, which are displayed in the Scan Info box. You can also
configure your profile for a wireless network that is not in the list.
Figure 14 ZyXEL Utility: Add New Profile
3 Give the profile a descriptive name (of up to 32 printable ASCII characters). Select
Infrastructure and either manually enter or select the AP's SSID in the Scan Info table
and click Select.
4 Choose the same encryption method as the AP to which you want to connect (In this
example, WPA-PSK).
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Chapter 2 Tutorial
Figure 15 ZyXEL Utility: Profile Security
5 This screen varies depending on the encryption method you selected in the previous
Figure 16 ZyXEL Utility: Profile Encryption
screen. In this example, enter the pre-shared key and leave the encryption type at the
default setting.
6 Verify the profile settings in the ready-only screen. Click Save to save and go to the next
screen.
Figure 17 ZyXEL Utility: Profile Summary
7 Click Activate Now to use the new profile immediately. Otherwise, click the Activate
Later button to go back to the Profile List scre en.
If you clicked Activate Later you can select the profile from the list in the Profile
screen and click Connect to activate it.
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" Only one profile can be activated and used at any given time.
Figure 18 ZyXEL Utility: Profile Activate
8 When you activate the new profile, the ZyXEL utility goes to the Link Info screen while
it connects to the AP using your settings. When the wireless link is established, the
ZyXEL utility icon in the system tray turns green and the Link Info screen displays
details of the active connection.
9 Make sure the selected AP in the active profile is on and connected to the Internet. Open
your Internet browser, enter http://www.zyxel.com or the URL of any other web site in
the address bar and press ENTER. If you are able to access the web site, your new profile
is successfully configured.
10If you cannot access the Internet, go back to the Profile screen. Select the profile you are
using and click Edit. Check the details you entered previously. Also, refer to the
Troubleshooting section of this User's Guide or contact your network administrator if
necessary.
Chapter 2 Tutorial
2.4 Configuring the NWD-270N as an AP
In access point mode, your NWD-270N allows you to set up your wireless network without
using a dedicated AP. See Chapter 5 on page 65 for more information.
After you install the ZyXEL Utility and then connect the NWD-270N to your computer,
follow the steps below to set up your NWD-270N as an AP.
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Chapter 2 Tutorial
1 Select AP Mode in the main ZyXEL Utility screen. The AP Mode version of the default
Figure 19 ZyXEL Utility - AP Mode
2 Under Status, you can view the current settings on the NWD-270N. In the Association
Link Info screen displays.
List, you can see if any wireless clients have connected to your NWD-270N.
Figure 20 ZyXEL Utility - AP Mode: Link Info
3 If you want to change the access point’s SSID and enable wireless security for your
NWD-270N, click the Configuration tab. See Section 5.4.1 on page 70 for detailed field
descriptions found on this screen.
Figure 21 ZyXEL Utility - AP Mode: Configuration
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CHAPTER 3
Wireless LANs
3.1 Overview
This section provides background information on wireless Local Area Networks.
3.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section
• Connect securely to an AP using many of the strongest and most common encryption
protocols. See Section 3.3 on page 33 for details.
• Connect securely either to an AP or computer-to-computer using WPS. See Section 3.4 on
page 35 for details.
3.1.2 What You Need to Know
The following terms and concepts may help as you read through this section.
Server
When two or more devices are connected digitally to form a network, the one that distributes
data to the other devices is known as the “server”. A RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In
User Service) is a kind of server that manages logins and logout, among other things, for the
network to which it is connected.
Client
When two or more devices are connected digitally to form a network, the one that contacts and
obtains data from a server is known as the “client”. Each client is designed to work with one or
more specific kinds of servers, and each server requires a specific kind of client. Wireless
adapters are clients that connect to a network server through an AP.
Authentication
Authentication is the process of confirming a client’s or user’s digital identity when they
connect to a network. Turning off authentication means disabling all security protocols and
opening your network to anyone with the means to connect to it.
Encryption
The process of taking data and encoding it, usually using a mathematical formula, so that it
becomes unreadable unless decrypted with the proper code or pass phrase.
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Chapter 3 Wireless LANs
3.1.3 Before You Begin
• You should have valid login information for an existing network Access Point, otherwise
you may not be able to make a network connection right away.
3.2 Wireless LAN Overview
The following figure provides an example of a wireless network with an AP. See Figure 3 on
page 18 for an Ad Hoc network example.
Figure 22 Example of a Wireless Network
32
The wireless network is the part in the blue circle. In this wireless network, devices A and B
are called wireless clients. The wireless clients use the access point (AP) to interact with other
devices (such as the printer) or with the Internet
Every wireless network must follow these basic guidelines.
• Every device in the same wireless network must use the same SSID.
The SSID is the name of the wireless network. It stands for Service Set IDentity.
• If two wireless networks overlap, they should use a different channel.
Like radio stations or television channels, each wireless network uses a specific channel,
or frequency, to send and receive information.
• Every device in the same wireless network must use security compatible with the AP or
peer computer.
Security stops unauthorized devices from using the wireless network. It can also protect
the information that is sent in the wireless network.
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Chapter 3 Wireless LANs
3.3 Wireless LAN Security
Wireless LAN security is vital to your network to protect wireless communications.
If you do not enable any wireless security on your NWD-270N, the NWD-270N’s wireless
communications are accessible to any wireless networking device that is in the coverage area.
" You can use only WEP encryption if you set the NWD-270N to Ad-hoc mode.
See the appendices for more detailed information about wireless security.
3.3.1 User Authentication and Encryption
You can make every user log in to the wireless network before they can use it. This is called
user authentication. However, every wireless client in the wireless network has to support
IEEE 802.1x to do this.
Wireless networks can use encryption to protect the information that is sent in the wireless
network. Encryption is like a secret code. If you do not know the secret code, you cannot
understand the message.
3.3.1.1 WEP
3.3.1.1.1 Data Encryption
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption scrambles all data packets transmitted between
the NWD-270N and the AP or other wireless stations to keep network communications
private. Both the wireless stations and the access points must use the same WEP key for data
encryption and decryption.
There are two ways to create WEP keys in your NWD-270N.
• Automatic WEP key generation based on a “password phrase” called a passphrase. The
passphrase is case sensitive. You must use the same passphrase for all WLAN adapters
with this feature in the same WLAN.
For WLAN adapters without the passphrase feature, you can still take advantage of this
feature by writing down the four automatically generated WEP keys from the Security
Settings screen of the ZyXEL utility and entering them manually as the WEP keys in the
other WLAN adapter(s).
• Enter the WEP keys manually.
Your NWD-270N allows you to configure up to four 64-bit or 128-bit WEP keys. Only
one key is used as the default key at any one time.
3.3.1.1.2 Authentication Type
The IEEE 802.11b/g standard describes a simple authentication method between the wireless
stations and AP. Three authentication types are defined: Auto, Open and Shared.
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Chapter 3 Wireless LANs
• Open mode is implemented for ease-of-use and when security is not an issue. The
wireless station and the AP or peer computer do not share a secret key. Thus the wireless
stations can associate with any AP or peer computer and listen to any transmitted data that
is not encrypted.
• Shared mode involves a shared secret key to authenticate the wireless station to the AP or
peer computer. This requires you to enable the wireless LAN security and use same
settings on both the wireless station and the AP or peer computer.
• Auto authentication mode allows the NWD-270N to switch between the open system and
shared key modes automatically. Use the auto mode if you do not know the authentication
mode of the other wireless stations.
3.3.1.2 IEEE 802.1x
The IEEE 802.1x standard outlines enhanced security methods for both the authentication of
wireless stations and encryption key management. Authentication can be done using an
external RADIUS server.
3.3.1.2.1 EAP Authentication
EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) is an authentication protocol that runs on top of the
IEEE 802.1x transport mechanism in order to support multiple types of user authentication. By
using EAP to interact with an EAP-compatible RADIUS server, an access point helps a
wireless station and a RADIUS server perform authentication.
The type of authentication you use depends on the RADIUS server and an intermediary AP(s)
that supports IEEE 802.1x. The NWD-270N supports EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS (at the time of
writing, TTLS is not available in Windows Vista) and EAP-PEAP. Refer to Appendix A on
page 91 for descriptions.
For EAP-TLS authentication type, you must first have a wired connection to the network and
obtain the certificate(s) from a certificate authority (CA). Certificates (also called digital IDs)
can be used to authenticate users and a CA issues certificates and guarantees the identity of
each certificate owner.
3.3.1.3 WPA and WPA2
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a subset of the IEEE 802.11i standard. WPA2 (IEEE
802.11i) is a wireless security standard that defines stronger encryption, authentication and
key management than WPA.
Key differences between WPA(2) and WEP are improved data encryption and user
authentication.
Both WPA and WPA2 improve data encryption by using Temporal Key Integrity Protocol
(TKIP), Message Integrity Check (MIC) and IEEE 802.1x. WPA and WPA2 use Advanced
Encryption Standard (AES) in the Counter mode with Cipher block chaining Message
authentication code Protocol (CCMP) to offer stronger encryption than TKIP.
If both an AP and the wireless clients support WPA2 and you have an external RADIUS
server, use WPA2 for stronger data encryption. If you don't have an external RADIUS server,
you should use WPA2-PSK (WPA2-Pre-Sh ared Key ) that only requires a single (identical)
password entered into each access point, wireless gateway and wireless client. As long as the
passwords match, a wireless client will be granted access to a WLAN.
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If the AP or the wireless clients do not support WPA2, just use WPA or WPA-PSK depending
on whether you have an external RADIUS server or not.
Select WEP only when the AP and/or wireless clients do not support WPA or WPA2. WEP is
less secure than WPA or WPA2.
3.4 WiFi Protected Setup
Your NWD-270N supports WiFi Protected Setup (WPS), which is an easy way to set up a
secure wireless network. WPS is an industry standard specification, defined by the WiFi
Alliance.
WPS allows you to quickly set up a wireless network with strong security, without having to
configure security settings manually. Each WPS connection works between two devices. Both
devices must support WPS (check each device’s documentation to make sure).
Depending on the devices you have, you can either press a button (on the device itself, or in its
configuration utility) or enter a PIN (a unique Personal Identification Number that allows one
device to authenticate the other) in each of the two devices. When WPS is activated on a
device, it has two minutes to find another device that also has WPS activated. Then, the two
devices connect and set up a secure network by themselves.
Chapter 3 Wireless LANs
3.4.1 Push Button Configuration
WPS Push Button Configuration (PBC) is initiated by pressing a button on each WPS-enabled
device, and allowing them to connect automatically. You do not need to enter any information.
Not every WPS-enabled device has a physical WPS button. Some may have a WPS PBC
button in their configuration utilities instead of or in addition to the physical button.
Take the following steps to set up WPS using the button.
1 Ensure that the two devices you want to set up are within wireless range of one another.
2 Look for a WPS button on each device. If the device does not have one, log into its
configuration utility and locate the button (see the device’s User’s Guide for how to do
this - for the NWD-270N, see Section 4.6.1 on page 59).
3 Press the button on one of the devices (it doesn’t matter which).
4 Within two minutes, press the button on the other device. The registrar sends the network
name (SSID) and security key through an secure connection to the enrollee.
If you need to make sure that WPS worked, check the list of associated wireless clients in the
AP’s configuration utility. If you see the wireless client in the list, WPS was successful.
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3.4.2 PIN Configuration
Each WPS-enabled device has its own PIN (Personal Identification Number). This may either
be static (it cannot be changed) or dynamic (in some devices you can generate a new PIN by
clicking on a button in the configuration interface).
Use the PIN method instead of the push-button configuration (PBC) method if you want to
ensure that the connection is established between the devices you specify, not just the first two
devices to activate WPS in range of each other. However, you need to log into the
configuration interfaces of both devices to use the PIN method.
When you use the PIN method, you must enter the PIN from one device (usually the wireless
client) into the second device (usually the Access Point or wireless router). Then, when WPS
is activated on the first device, it presents its PIN to the second device. If the PIN matches, one
device sends the network and security information to the other, allowing it to join the network.
Take the following steps to set up a WPS connection between an access point or wireless
router (referred to here as the AP) and a client device using the PIN method.
1 Ensure WPS is enabled on both devices.
2 Access the WPS section of the AP’s configuration interface. See the device’s User’s
Guide for how to do this.
3 Look for the client’s WPS PIN; it will be displayed either on the device, or in the WPS
section of the client’s configuration interface (see the device’s User’s Guide for how to
find the WPS PIN - for the NWD-270N, see Section 4.6 on page 58).
4 Enter the client’s PIN in the AP’s configuration interface.
" If the client device’s configuration interface has an area for entering another
device’s PIN, you can either enter the client’s PIN in the AP, or enter the AP’s
PIN in the client - it does not matter which.
5 Start WPS on both devices within two minutes.
" Use the configuration utility to activate WPS, not the push-button on the device
itself.
6 On a computer connected to the wireless client, try to connect to the Internet. If you can
connect, WPS was successful.
If you cannot connect, check the list of associated wireless clients in the AP’s
configuration utility. If you see the wireless client in the list, WPS was successful.
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Chapter 3 Wireless LANs
The following figure shows a WPS-enabled wireless client (installed in a notebook computer)
connecting to the WPS-enabled AP via the PIN method.
Figure 23 Example WPS Process: PIN Method
ENROLLEE
WPS
This device’s
WPS PIN: 123456
WPS
Enter WPS PIN
from other device:
REGISTRAR
3.4.3 How WPS Works
When two WPS-enabled devices connect, each device must assume a specific role. One device
acts as the registrar (the device that supplies network and security settings) and the other
device acts as the enrollee (the device that receives network and security settings. The registrar
creates a secure EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) tunnel and sends the network name
(SSID) and the WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK pre-shared key to the enrollee. Whether WPA-PSK
or WPA2-PSK is used depends on the standards supported by the devices. If the registrar is
already part of a network, it sends the existing information. If not, it generates the SSID and
WPA(2)-PSK randomly.
WPS
START
WITHIN 2 MINUTES
SECURE EAP TUNNEL
SSID
WPA(2)-PSK
COMMUNICATION
WPS
START
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Chapter 3 Wireless LANs
The following figure shows a WPS-enabled client (installed in a notebook computer)
connecting to a WPS-enabled access point.
Figure 24 How WPS works
ACTIVATE
WPS
WITHIN 2 MINUTES
WPS HANDSHAKE
SECURE TUNNEL
SECURITY INFO
COMMUNICATION
ACTIVATE
WPS
REGISTRARENROLLEE
The roles of registrar and enrollee last only as long as the WPS setup process is active (two
minutes). The next time you use WPS, a different device can be the registrar if necessary.
The WPS connection process is like a handshake; only two devices participate in each WPS
transaction. If you want to add more devices you should repeat the process with one of the
existing networked devices and the new device.
Note that the access point (AP) is not always the registrar, and the wireless client is not always
the enrollee. All WPS-certified APs can be a registrar, and so can some WPS-enabled wireless
clients.
By default, a WPS devices is “unconfigured”. This means that it is not part of an existing
network and can act as either enrollee or registrar (if it supports both functions). If the registrar
is unconfigured, the security settings it transmits to the enrollee are randomly-generated. Once
a WPS-enabled device has connected to another device using WPS, it becomes “configured”.
A configured wireless client can still act as enrollee or registrar in subsequent WPS
connections, but a configured access point can no longer act as enrollee. It will be the registrar
in all subsequent WPS connections in which it is involved. If you want a configured AP to act
as an enrollee, you must reset it to its factory defaults.
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3.4.3.1 Example WPS Network Setup
This section shows how security settings are distributed in an example WPS setup.
The following figure shows an example network. In step 1, both AP1 and Client 1 are
unconfigured. When WPS is activated on both, they perform the handshake. In this example,
AP1 is the registrar, and Client 1 is the enrollee. The registrar randomly generates the security
information to set up the network, since it is unconfigured and has no existing information.
Figure 25 WPS: Example Network Step 1
CLIENT 1
In step 2, you add another wireless client to the network. You know that Client 1 supports
registrar mode, but it is better to use AP1 for the WPS handshake with the new client since
you must connect to the access point anyway in order to use the network. In this case, AP1
must be the registrar, since it is configured (it already has security information for the
network). AP1 supplies the existing security information to Client 2.
Chapter 3 Wireless LANs
REGISTRARENROLLEE
SECURITY INFO
AP1
Figure 26 WPS: Example Network Step 2
EXISTING CONNECTION
CLIENT 1
ENROLLEE
R
U
C
E
S
CLIENT 2
REGISTRAR
AP1
O
F
N
I
Y
T
I
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Chapter 3 Wireless LANs
In step 3, you add another access point (AP2) to your network. AP2 is out of range of AP1, so
you cannot use AP1 for the WPS handshake with the new access point. However, you know
that Client 2 supports the registrar function, so you use it to perform the WPS handshake
instead.
Figure 27 WPS: Example Network Step 3
CLIENT 1
REGISTRAR
EXISTING CONNECTION
N
O
I
T
C
E
N
N
O
C
G
N
I
T
S
I
X
E
AP1
CLIENT 2
3.4.4 Limitations of WPS
WPS has some limitations of which you should be aware.
• WPS works in Infrastructure networks only (where an AP and a wireless client
communicate). It does not work in Ad-Hoc networks (where there is no AP).
• When you use WPS, it works between two devices only. You cannot enroll multiple
devices simultaneously, you must enroll one after the other.
For instance, if you have two enrollees and one registrar you must set up the first enrollee
(by pressing the WPS button on the registrar and the first enrollee, for example), then
check that it successfully enrolled, then set up the second device in the same way.
• WPS works only with other WPS-enabled devices. However, you can still add non-WPS
devices to a network you already set up using WPS.
WPS works by automatically issuing a randomly-generated WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK
pre-shared key from the registrar device to the enrollee devices (see Section 4.4.1.3 on
page 49 for information on pre-shared keys). Whether the network uses WPA-PSK or
WPA2-PSK depends on the device. You can check the configuration interface of the
registrar device to discover the key the network is using (if the device supports this
feature). Then, you can enter the key into the non-WPS device and join the network as
normal (the non-WPS device must also support WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK).
S
E
C
U
R
I
T
Y
I
N
F
O
ENROLLEE
AP1
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Chapter 3 Wireless LANs
• When you use the PBC method, there is a short period (from the moment you press the
button on one device to the moment you press the button on the other device) when any
WPS-enabled device could join the network. This is because the registrar has no way of
identifying the “correct” enrollee, and cannot differentiate between your enrollee and a
rogue device. This is a possible way for a hacker to gain access to a network.
You can easily check to see if this has happened. WPS works between only two devices
simultaneously , so if another device has enrolled your device will be unable to enroll, and
will not have access to the network. If this happens, open the access point’s configuration
interface and look at the list of associated clients (usually displayed by MAC address). It
does not matter if the access point is the WPS registrar, the enrollee, or was not involved
in the WPS handshake; a rogue device must still associate with the access point to gain
access to the network. Check the MAC addresses of your wireless clients (usually printed
on a label on the bottom of the device). If there is an unknown MAC address you can
remove it or reset the AP.
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CHAPTER 4
Station Mode
4.1 Overview
This section shows you how to configure your NWD-270N using the ZyXEL utility in
Windows.
" Some features available in Windows XP or Windows 2000 are not available in
Windows Vista.
4.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section
•On the Link Info screen, you can see your current connection details, monitor signal
strength and quality, and more. See Section 4.3 on page 45 for details.
•On the Site Survey screen, you can connect to any available unsecured wireless network
in range of the NWD-270N, or open the security settings screen for any secured wireless
network in range. See Section 4.4 on page 47 for details.\
•On the Profile screen, you can create, delete and manage your wireless network profiles.
See Section 4.5 on page 53 for details.
•On the Adapter screen, you can configure the NWD-270N hardware, such as activating
WPS mode or its power saving feature. See Section 4.6 on page 58 for details.
4.1.2 What You Need to Know
The following terms and concepts may help as you read through this section.
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encrypts data transmitted between wired and wireless
networks to keep the transmission private. Although one of the original wireless encryption
protocols, WEP is also the weakest. Many people use it strictly to deter unintentional usage of
their wireless network by outsiders.
Wi-fi Protected Access (WPA)
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a subset of the IEEE 802.11i standard. It improves data
encryption by using Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP), Message Integrity Check (MIC)
and IEEE 802.1x. WPA uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in the Counter mode with
Cipher block chaining Message authentication code Protocol (CCMP) to offer stronger
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Chapter 4 Station Mode
encryption than TKIP. WPA applies IEEE 802.1x and Extensible Authentication Protocol
(EAP) to authenticate wireless clients using an external RADIUS database. The WPA protocol
affords users with vastly stronger security than the WEP protocol. It comes in two different
varieties: WPA and WPA2. Always try to use WPA2 as it implements the full version of the
security standard while WPA does not.
Pre-Shared Key (PSK)
A pre-shared key is a password shared between the server and the client that unlocks the
algorithm used to encrypt the data traffic between them. Without the proper password, the
client and the server cannot communicate.
Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)
An enhanced security framework designed to improve an existing security protocol, such as
WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK.
4.1.3 Before You Begin
• Make sure the ZyXEL utility is already installed. See the Quick Start Guide for more.
4.2 ZyXEL Utility Screen Summary
This section describes the ZyXEL utility screens.
Figure 28 ZyXEL Utility Menu Summary
The following table describes the menus.
Table 4 ZyXEL Utility Menu Summary
TAB DESCRIPTION
Link Info Use this screen to see your current connection status, configuration and data rate
statistics.
Site Survey Use this screen to:
• scan for a wireless network.
• configure wireless security (if activated on the selected network).
• connect to a wireless network.
Profile Use this screen to add, delete, edit or activate a profile with a set of wireless and
security settings.
Adapter Use this screen to configure preamble type, enable power saving and use WiFi
Protected Setup (WPS).
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4.3 The Link Info Screen
When the ZyXEL utility starts, the Link Info screen displays, showing the current
configuration and connection status of your NWD-270N.
Figure 29 Link Info
Chapter 4 Station Mode
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 5 Link Info
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Wireless Network
Status
Profile Name This is the name of the profile you are currently using.
Network
Name (SSID)
AP MAC
Address
Network Type This field di splays the network type (Infrastructure or Ad-Hoc) of the wireless
Transmission
Speed
Receive
Speed
Security This field displays whether data encryption is activated (WEP / 802.1x / WPA /
Channel This field displays the radio channel the NWD-270N is currently using.
Statistics
Transmit Rate This field displays the current data transmission rate in kilobits per second (Kbps).
Receive Rate This field displays the current data receiving rate in kilobits per second (Kbps).
Authentication This field displays the authentication method of the NWD-270N.
Network Mode This field displays the wireless standard used by the selected wireless device. It
Total Transmit This field di splays the total number of data frames transmitted.
The SSID identifies the wireless network to which a wireless station is associated.
This field displays the name of the wireless device to which the NWD-270N is
associated.
This field displays the MAC address of the AP or peer computer to which the
NWD-270N is associated.
network.
This field displays the current transmission speed of the NWD-270N in megabits
per second (Mbps).
This field displays the current receive speed of the NWD-270N in megabits per
second (Mbps).
WPA-PSK / WPA2 / WPA2-PSK) or inactive (DISABLE).
shows B for 802.11b, G for 802.11g or N for 802.11n.
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Table 5 Link Info (continued)
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Total Receive This field displays the total number of data frames received.
Link Quality This field displays the signal strength of the NWD-270N.
Trend Chart Click this button to display the real-time statistics of the data rate in kilobits per
Signal Strength The status bar shows the strength of the signal. The signal strength mainly
Link Quality The status bar shows the quality of wireless connection. This refers to the
4.3.1 Trend Chart
Click Trend Chart in the Link Info screen to display a screen as shown below. Use this
screen to view real-time data traffic statistics.
Figure 30 Link Info: Trend Chart
second (Kbps).
depends on the antenna output power and the distance between your NWD-270N
and the AP or peer computer.
percentage of packets transmitted successfully. If there are too many wireless
stations in a wireless network, collisions may occur which could result in a loss of
messages even though you have high signal strength.
46
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 6 Link Info: Trend Chart
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Transmit This field displays the current data transmission rate in kilobits per second (Kbps).
Receive This field displays the current data reception rate in kilobits per second (Kbps).
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4.4 The Site Survey Screen
Use the Site Survey screen to scan for and connect to a wireless network automatically.
Figure 31 Site Survey
Chapter 4 Station Mode
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 7 Site Survey
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Available Network
List
,
,
or
SSID This field displays the SSID (Service Set IDentifier) of each wireless device.
Channel This field disp lays the channel number used by each wireless device.
Signal This field displays the signal strength of each wireless device.
Scan Click Scan to search fo r available wireless devices within transmission range.
Connect Click Connect to associate to the selected wireless device.
Site Information Click an entry in the Available Network List t able to display the information of the
Network Type This field displays the network type (Infrastructure or Ad Hoc) of the wireless
Channel This field disp lays the channel number used by each wireless device.
Security This field shows whether data encryption is activated (WEP, WPA, WPA-PSK,
MAC address This field displays the MAC address of the wireless device.
Surveyed at This field displays the time when the wireless device was scanned.
Click a column heading to sort the entries.
denotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode and the wireless
security is activated.
denotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode but the wireless
security is deactivated.
denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode and the wireless
security is activated.
denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode but the wireless
security is deactivated.
selected wireless device.
device.
WPA2, WPA2-PSK or 802.1x) or inactive (DISABLE).
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4.4.1 Security Settings
When you configure the NWD-270N to connect to a network with wireless security activated
and the security settings are disabled on the NWD-270N, the screen varies according to the
encryption method used by the selected network.
4.4.1.1 Security Type Selection
When you choose to connect to a network that has security, you are presented with is a security
selection screen. Choose the security of the network you are attempting to join.
Figure 32 Security Setting Selection
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 8 Security Setting: WEP
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Security Type Select the security type that matches the security setting of the network you’re
Back Click Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another
Next Click Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Security Settings
Exit Click Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.
4.4.1.2 WEP Encryption
Configure WEP security in this screen.
Figure 33 Security Setting: WEP
trying to join.
The options are: WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK, and 802.1x.
network.
screen that corresponds to the one you select here.
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The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 9 Security Setting: WEP
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Security Settings
WEP Select 64 Bits or 128 Bits to activate WEP encryption and then fill in the related
fields.
Authentication
Type
Pass Phrase Enter a passphrase of up to 32 case-sensitive printable characters. As you enter
Transmit Key Select a default WEP key to use for data encryption. The key displays in the
Key x (where x is
a number
between 1 and 4)
Select an authentication method. Choices are Open and Shared.
Refer to Section 3.3.1.1.2 on page 33 for more information.
the passphrase, the NWD-270N automatically generates four different WEP keys
and displays the first in the key field below. Refer to Section 3.3.1.1.1 on page 33
for more information.
adjacent field.
Select this option if you want to manually enter the WEP keys. Enter the WEP key
in the field provided.
If you select 64 Bits in the WEP field.
Enter either 10 hexadecimal digits in the range of “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9” (for
example, 11AA22BB33) for HEX key type.
or
Enter 5 ASCII characters (case sensitive) ranging from “a-z”, “A-Z” and “0-9”
(for example, MyKey) for ASCII key type.
If you select 128 Bits in the WEP field,
Enter either 26 hexadecimal digits in the range of “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9” (for
example, 00112233445566778899AABBCC) for HEX key type
or
Enter 13 ASCII characters (case sensitive) ranging from “a-z”, “A-Z” and “0-9”
(for example, MyKey12345678) for ASCII key type.
Note: The values for the WEP keys must be set up exactly the
same on all wireless devices in the same wireless LAN.
ASCII WEP keys are case sensitive.
Back Click Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another
network.
Next Click Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen. Refer
Exit Click Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.
to Section 4.4.2 on page 53.
4.4.1.3 WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK
Configure WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK security in this screen.
" The procedure to configure WPA or WPA2 is different in Windows Vista. See
Section 4.7 on page 61 for information on setting up your NWD-270N to use
WPA or WPA2 in Vista.
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Figure 34 Security Setting: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 10 Security Setting: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Encryption Type The encryption mechanisms used for WPA/WPA2 and WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK are
Pre-Shared Key Type a pre-shared key (same as the AP or peer device) of between 8 and 63
Back Click Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another
Next Click Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen. Refer
Exit Click Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.
the same. The only difference between the two is that WP A-PSK/WPA2-PSK uses
a simple common password, instead of user-specific credentials.
Select the encryption type (TKIP or AES) for data encryption.
Refer to Section 3.3.1.3 on page 34 for more information.
case-sensitive ASCII characters (including spaces and symbols) or 64
hexadecimal characters.
network.
to Section 4.4.2 on page 53.
4.4.1.4 WPA/WPA2
The screen that displays when you select WPA or WPA2 differs, depending on the EAP T ype
you select (TLS, PEAP or TTLS).
Figure 35 Security Settings: WPA/WPA2
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The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 11 Security Setting: WPA/WPA2
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Encryption Type The encryption mechanisms used for WPA/WPA2 and WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK are
EAP Type The type of authentication you use depends on the RADIUS server or AP.
Login Name Enter a user name.
Password This field is not available when you select TLS in the EAP Type field.
Certificate This field is only available when you select TLS in the EAP Type field.
the same. The only difference between the two is that WP A-PSK/WPA2-PSK uses
a simple common password, instead of user-specific credentials.
Select the encryption type (TKIP or AES) for data encryption.
Refer to Section 3.3.1.3 on page 34 for more information.
Select an authentication method from the drop down list. Options are TLS, PEAP
and TTLS (at the time of writing, TTLS is not available in Windows Vista).
This is the user name that you or an administrato r set up on a RADIUS server.
Enter the password associated with the user name above.
Click Browse to select a certificate.
Note: You must first have a wired connection to a network and
obtain the certificate(s) from a certificate authority (CA).
Consult your network administrator for more information.
PEAP Inner EAP This field is only available when you select PEAP in the EAP Type field.
The PEAP method used by the RADIUS server or AP for client authentication is
MS CHAP v2.
TTLS Protocol This field is available only when you select TTLS in the EAP Type field.
Select a TTLS protocol that the RADIUS server uses. Options are CHAP, MS-
CHAP, MS-CHAP-V2 and PAP.
Note: This feature is not available on Windows Vista.
Back Click Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another
Next Click Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen. Refer
Exit Click Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.
network.
to Section 4.4.2 on page 53.
4.4.1.5 IEEE 802.1x
Configure IEEE 802.1x security with various authentication methods in this screen.
" The procedure to configure 802.1x is different in Windows Vista. See Section
4.7 on page 61 for information on setting up your NWD-270N to use 802.1x in
Vista.
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Figure 36 Security Setting: 802.1x
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 12 Security Settings: IEEE 802.1x
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Encryption Type Select WEP if the access point is configured to use 802.1x with WEP encryption.
EAP Type The type of authentication you use depends on the RADIUS server or AP.
Login Name Enter a user name.
Password This field is not available when you select TLS in the EAP Type field.
Certificate This field is only available when you select TLS in the EAP Type field.
A dynamic WEP key is generated automatically.
Otherwise, select None (at the time of writing, this is not available in Windows
Vista).
Select an authentication method from the drop down list. Options are TLS, PEAP
and TTLS (at the time of writing, TTLS is not available in Windows Vista).
This is the user name that you or an administrato r set up on a RADIUS server.
Enter the password associated with the user name above.
Click Browse to select a certificate.
52
Note: You must first have a wired connection to a network and
obtain the certificate(s) from a certificate authority (CA).
Consult your network administrator for more information.
TTLS Protocol This field is available only when you select TTLS in the EAP Type field.
Select a TTLS protocol that the RADIUS server uses. Options are CHAP, MS-
CHAP, MS-CHAP-V2 and PAP.
Note: This feature is not available on Windows Vista.
PEAP Inner EAP This field is only available when you select PEAP in the EAP Type field.
The PEAP method used by the RADIUS server or AP for client authentication is
MS CHAP v2.
Validate Server
Certificate (Click
to Enable)
Back Click Back to go to the Site Survey screen to select and connect to another
Next Click Next to confirm your selections and advance to the Summary screen. Refer
Exit Click Exit to return to the Site Survey screen without saving.
Select this option to validate a server’s certificate when you select PEAP in the
EAP Type field.
network.
to Section 4.4.2 on page 53.
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4.4.2 Summary Screen
Use this screen to confirm and save the security settings.
Figure 37 Summary Screen
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 13 Summary Screen
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Network Name
(SSID)
Network Type This field displays the network type (Infrastructure or Ad-Hoc) of the wireless
Channel This field displays the channel number used by the profile.
Security This field shows whether data encryption is activated (WEP, WPA, WPA-PSK,
Back Click Back to return to the previous screen.
Save Click Save to save the changes back to the NWD-270N and display the Link Info
Exit Click Exit to discard changes and return to the Site Survey screen.
This field displays the SSID previously entered.
device.
WPA2, WPA2-PSK, 802.1x) or inactive (DISABLE).
screen.
Chapter 4 Station Mode
4.5 The Profile Screen
A profile is a set of wireless parameters that you need to connect to a wireless network. With a
profile activated, each time you start the NWD-270N, it automatically scans for the specific
SSID and joins that network with the pre-defined wireless security settings. If the specified
network is not available, the NWD-270N cannot connect to a network.
If you do not configure and activate a profile, each time you start the NWD-270N, the NWD270N uses the default profile to connect to any available network that has no security enabled.
The default profile is a profile that allows you to connect to any SSID that has no security
enabled.
Click the Profile tab in the ZyXEL utility program to display the Profile screen as shown next.
The profile function allows you to save the wireless network settings in this screen, or use one
of the pre-configured network profiles.
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Figure 38 Profile
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 14 Profile
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Profile List Click a column heading to sort the entries.
,
,
or
Profile Name This is the name of the pre-configured profile.
SSID This is the SSID of the wireless network to which the selected profile associate.
Connect To use and activate a previously saved network profile, select a pre-configured
Add To add a new profile into the table, click Add.
Delete To delete an existing wireless network configuration, select a profile in the table
Edit To edit an existing wireless network configuration, select a profile in th e table and
Profile Info The following fields display detailed information of the selected profile in the
Network Type This field displays the network type (Infrastructure or Ad-Hoc) of the profile.
SSID This field displays the network’s Service Set IDentity (the name of the network).
Channel This field displays the channel number used by the profile.
Security This field shows whether data encryption is activated (WEP, WPA, WPA-PSK,
Transmit Rate This field displays the transmission speed of the selected profile in megabits per
denotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode and the wireless
security is activated.
denotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode but the wireless
security is deactivated.
denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode and the wireless
security is activated.
denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode but the wireless
security is deactivated.
profile name in the table and click Connect.
and click Delete.
click Edit.
Profile List table.
WPA2, WPA2-PSK or 802.1x) or inactive (DISABLE).
second (Mbps).
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4.5.1 Adding a New Profile
Follow the steps below to add a new profile.
1 Click Add in the Profile screen. An Add New Profile screen displays as shown next.
Figure 39 Profile: Add a New Profile
Chapter 4 Station Mode
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 15 Profile: Add a New Profile
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Add New Profile
Profile Name Enter a descriptive name in this field.
SSID Select an available wireless device in the Scan Info table and click Select, or
enter the SSID of the wireless device to which you want to associate in this field
manually. Otherwise, enter Any to have the NWD-270N associate to any AP or
roam between any infrastructure wireless networks.
Network Type Select Infrastructure to associate to an AP. Select Ad-Hoc to associate to a peer
Next Click Next to go to the next screen.
Exit Click Exit to go back to the previous screen without saving.
Scan Info This table displays the information of the available wireless networks within the
,
,
or
SSID This field displays the SSID (Service Set IDentifier) of each AP or peer device.
computer.
transmission range.
denotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode and the wireless
security is activated.
denotes that the wireless device is in infrastructure mode but the wireless
security is deactivated.
denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode and the wireless
security is activated.
denotes that the wireless device is in Ad-Hoc mode but the wireless
security is deactivated.
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Table 15 Profile: Add a New Profile (continued)
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Scan Click Scan to search fo r available wireless devices within transmission range.
Select Select an available wireless device in the table and click Select to add it to this
2 If you select the Infrastructure network type in the previous screen, skip to step 3. If
you select the Ad-Hoc network type in the previous screen, a screen displays as follows.
Select a Channel number and Wireless Mode and click Next to continue.
profile.
Whenever you activate this profile, the NW D-270N associates to the selected
wireless network only.
" To associate to an ad-hoc network, you must use the same channel as the
peer computer.
Figure 40 Profile: Wireless Settings
56
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 16 Profile: Wireless Settings
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Wireless Settings
Channel Select a channel number from the drop-down list box. To associate to an ad-hoc
network, you must use the same channel as the peer computer.
3 If you selected Infrastructure network type in the first screen, select WEP, WPA,
WPA2, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK or 802.1x from the drop-down list box to enable data
encryption. If you selected Ad-Hoc network type in the first screen, you can use only
WEP encryption method. Otherwise, select DISABLE to allow the NWD-270N to
communicate with the access points or other peer wireless computers without any data
encryption, and skip to step 5.
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Figure 41 Profile: Wireless Settings
4 The screen varies depending on the encryption method you select in the previous screen.
The settings must be exactly the same on the AP or other peer wireless computers as they
are on the NWD-270N. Refer to Section 5.4.1 on page 70 for detailed information on
wireless security configuration.
Figure 42 Profile: Security Settings
5 This read-only screen shows a summary of the new profile settings. Verify that the
settings are correct. Click Save to save and go to the next screen. Click Back to return to
the previous screen. Otherwise, click Exit to go back to the Profile screen without
saving.
Figure 43 Profile: Confirm New Settings
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6 To use this network profile, click the Activate Now button. Otherwise, click the
Activate Later button. You can activate only one profile at a time.
" Once you activate a profile, the ZyXEL utility will use that profile the next time it
is started.
Figure 44 Profile: Activate the Profile
4.6 The Adapter Screen
To set the other advanced features on the NWD-270N, click the Adapter tab.
Figure 45 Adapter
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 17 Adapter
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Adapter Setting
Power Saving
Mode
WMM QoS Select this to enable Wi-fi MultiMedia Quality of Service on the NWD-270N.
Select Fast Power Save to save power. This forces the NWD-270N to go to sleep
mode when it is not transmitting data.
When you select Continuous Access Mode, the NWD-270N will never go to
sleep mode.
At the time of writing, this field is not available in Windows Vista.
At the time of writing, this field is not available in Windows Vista.
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Table 17 Adapter (continued)
LABEL DESCRIPTION
WPS (WiFi
Protected Setup)
PBC (Push
Button
Configuration)
PIN - Use This
Device’s PIN
PIN - Use the
PIN From the
AP or
Wireless
Router
Save Click Save to save the changes to the NWD-270N and return to the Link Info
Select this to enable Wi-fi Protected Setup on the NWD-270N.
Select this to use the PBC (Push-Button Configuration) WPS mode. When you
use the PBC mode you do not use a PIN.
When you select this, the PBC (Push Button Configuration screen appears (see
Section 4.6.1 on page 59).
Select this to use the PIN (Personal Identification Number) WPS mode. Use this
option when you want to enter the NWD-270N’s PIN in another WPS-enabled
device.
When you select this, the PIN - Use this Device’s PIN screen appears (see
Section 4.6.2 on page 60).
Select this to use the PIN (Personal Identification Number) WPS mode. Use this
option when you want to enter the PIN from another WPS-enabled device in the
NWD-270N.
When you select this, the PIN - Use the PIN From the AP or Wireless Router
screen appears (see Section 4.6.3 on page 61).
screen.
4.6.1 WPS: PBC (Push Button Configuration)
This screen allows you to use the WPS Push Button Configuration mode. See Section 3.4.1 on
page 35 for more information. Select WPS and PBC (Push Button Configuration) in the
Adapter screen. The following screen displays.
Figure 46 WPS: PBC (Push Button Configuration)
Press Start when you want to begin the WPS process. You must also press the button on the
other device within two minutes.
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4.6.2 WPS: PIN - Use this Device’s PIN
This screen allows you to use the WPS Personal Identification Number mode, by entering the
NWD-270N’s unique PIN in the configuration ut ility of the other WPS-enabled device. See
Section 3.4.2 on page 36 for more information. Select WPS and PIN - Use this Device’s PIN
in the Adapter screen. The following screen displays.
Figure 47 WPS: PIN - Use this Device’s PIN
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 18 WPS: PIN - Use this Device’s PIN
LABEL DESCRIPTION
This device’s PIN This is the NWD-270N’s Personal Identification Number (PIN). This
field is read-only. Enter the number that displays in this field into the
configuration interface of the other WPS-enabled device.
Note: Each time this screen displays, the PIN is
different. The PIN is valid for only one WPS
transaction.
Start Click this to start WPS. You must start WPS on the other WPS-
enabled device within two minutes.
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4.6.3 WPS: PIN - Use the PIN from the AP or Wireless Router
This screen allows you to use the WPS Personal Identification Number mode, by entering the
PIN from another WPS-enabled device into the NWD-270N’s utility. See Section 3.4.2 on
page 36 for more information. Select WPS and PIN - Use the PIN from the AP or Wireless
Router in the Adapter screen. The following screen displays.
Figure 48 WPS: PIN - Use the PIN from the AP or Wireless Router
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 19 WPS: PIN - Use the PIN from the AP or Wireless Router
LABEL DESCRIPTION
AP or Router’s PIN Enter the PIN from your AP or wireless router in this field before you
click Start.
Start Click this to start WPS. You must start WPS on the other WPS-
enabled device within two minutes.
4.7 Security Settings in Windows Vista
When you use the NWD-270N in Windows Vista, the procedure for setting up WPA, WPA2
and 802.1x security settings is different from that of other operating systems (other security
types are not affected).
The procedures for setting up WPA, WPA2 or 802.1x in Vista are the same. However, the
procedure differs depending on whether you use PEAP (Protected Extensible Authentication
Protocol) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption. Consult your network administrator
if you are unsure which type of encryption to use.
See Section 4.7.1 on page 62 to use PEAP, or see Section 4.7.2 on page 63 to use TLS.
" TTLS (Tunneled TLS) is not available when using Windows Vista, at the time
of writing.
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4.7.1 Using PEAP in Vista
Take the following steps to set up WPA, WPA2 or 802.1x security using PEAP in Windows
Vista.
1 Either select the AP to which you want to connect in the Site Survey screen (see Section
4.4 on page 47), or configure a profile in the normal way (see Section 4.5 on page 53).
2 In the WPA, WPA2 or 802.1x security screen (see Section 4.4.1.4 on page 50 and
Section 4.4.1.5 on page 51), select PEAP as the EAP Type. Note that the Login Name
and Password fields are greyed-out (not available).
3 Click Next.
4 In the Summary screen that appears, click Save.
5 A message similar to the following appears in the bottom-right of your screen. Click the
message.
Figure 49 Vista Security: Additional Information Required
6 The Enter Credentials screen displays. Enter your User name and Password for the
network to which you want to connect.
Figure 50 Vista Security: Enter Credentials
" If you are not sure what to enter, contact your network administrator.
62
7 Click OK. The Enter Credentials screen disappears and the NWD-270N tries to
connect to the network. The ZyXEL utility’s Link Info screen displays, showing the
connection status (see Section 4.3 on page 45). If the Link Info screen displays an active
connection, you have successfully completed the procedure.
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4.7.2 Using TLS in Vista
Take the following steps to set up WPA, WPA2 or 802.1x security using TLS in Windows
Vista.
1 Either select the AP to which you want to connect in the Site Survey screen (see Section
4.4 on page 47), or configure a profile (see Section 4.5 on page 53) in the normal way.
2 In the WPA, WPA2 or 802.1x security screen, select TLS as the EAP Type. Note that
the Login Name, Certificate and Validate Server Certificate fields are greyed-out (not
available).
3 Click Next.
4 In the Summary screen, click Save.
5 A message similar to the following appears in the bottom-right of your screen. Click the
message.
Figure 51 Vista Security: Additional Information Required
Chapter 4 Station Mode
6 The Select Certificate screen displays. Select the certificate you want to use in order to
authenticate with the server, and enter your username.
Figure 52 Vista Security: Select Certificate
" If you do not have the right certificate, or are not sure which certificate you
should use, contact your network administrator.
7 Click OK. The Select Certificate screen disappears and the NWD-270N tries to connect
to the network. The ZyXEL utility’s Link Info screen displays, showing the connection
status (see Section 4.3 on page 45). If the Link Info screen displays an active
connection, you have successfully completed the procedure.
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CHAPTER 5
AP Mode
5.1 Overview
This section shows you how to configure your NWD-270N in AP Mode using the Windows
version of the ZyXEL Utility.
" Some features available in Windows XP or Windows 2000 are not available in
Windows Vista.
AP Mode allows you to set up a wireless network without using a pre-existing AP. The
following figure shows a sample AP network set up.
Figure 53 AP Network Example .
Here, the NWD-270N is installed on computer A and set to operate in access point mode.
Computer A provides an Internet connection to the wireless LAN, so wireless stations B and C
can access the Internet.
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Chapter 5 AP Mode
Select the AP Mode option the ZyXEL Utility to have the device function as an access point.
Figure 54 ZyXEL Utility: Setting AP Mode .
5.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section
•On the Link Info screen, you can see your AP’s current transmission and security status
See Section 5.3 on page 68 for details.
•On the Configuration screen, you can set up the broadcast parameters for your access
point as well as its security options. See Section 5.4 on page 69 for details.
•On the MAC Filter screen, you can configure the NWD-270N to give exclusive access to
devices or exclude specific devices from connecting to the AP. See Section 5.5 on page 73
for details.
5.1.2 What You Need to Know
The following terms and concepts may help as you read through this section.
MAC Address
On a local area network (LAN) or other network, the MAC address is a computer's unique
hardware number. On an Ethernet LAN, it's the same as your Ethernet address. The MAC
layer frames data for transmission over the network, then passes the frame to the physical layer
interface where it is transmitted as a stream of bits.
See Also...
The terms and concepts introduced in Chapter 4 on page 43 apply to this chapter as well.
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5.1.3 Before You Begin
Make sure the ZyXEL Utility is already installed. See the Quick Start Guide for more.
T o bridge your wired and wireless network using the NWD-270N, the following requirements
must be met:
• The NWD-270N must be installed on a computer connected to the wired network.
• Either bridge the two interfaces (wireless and wired) on the computer (using the
Configuration screen) or configure network sharing.
• Set the wireless station’s IP address to be dynamic if you want the wireless stations to
access the wired network or the Internet through the NWD-270N. Refer to Appendix A on
page 97 for how to configure your computer’s IP address.
5.2 AP Mode Screen Summary
This section describes the ZyXEL Utility screens while in AP Mode.
Figure 55 ZyXEL Utility Menu Summary
Chapter 5 AP Mode
The following table describes the menus.
Table 20 ZyXEL Utility Menu Summary
TAB DESCRIPTION
Link Info Use this screen to see your current connection status, configuration and data rate
statistics.
Configuration Use this screen to configure wireless LAN settings.
MAC Filter Use this screen to configure which computer(s) you want access to the wireless
LAN through the NWD-270N.
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5.3 The Link Info Screen
When you enter AP Mode, the Link Info screen displays, showing the current configuration
and connection status of your NWD-270N access point.
Figure 56 Link Info
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 21 Link Info
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Status
SSID This field displays the name that identifies your NWD-270N in the wireless LAN
Current Channel
Transmission
Rate
Security This field shows whether data encryption is activated (WEP, WPA/WPA2, or WPA-
MAC This field displays the MAC address of the NWD-270N.
Output Power This field shows the strength of the NWD-270N’s antenna gain or transmission
Association List This table lists the wireless clients that are currently connected to the NWD-270N.
network.
This field displays the radio channel the NWD-270N is currently using.
This field displays the current transmission rate of the NWD-270N in megabits per
second (Mbps).
PSK/WPA2-PSK) or inactive (DISABLE).
power.
denotes a wireless client without wireless security.
68
denotes a wireless client with wireless security enabled.
MAC Address This field displays the MAC addresses of a wireless client that is currently con-
nected to the NWD-270N.
Refresh Click Refresh to update this screen.
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5.4 The Configuration Screen
The Configuration screen allows you to set up the broadcast parameters for your access point
as well as its security options.
Figure 57 The Configuration Screen
Chapter 5 AP Mode
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 22 Configuration
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Wireless Settings
SSID Enter a name for your AP This name is broadcast to all wireless-capable devices
in range and can be used to connect to your AP.
You can enter up to 32 printable ASCII characters in this field.
Hide SSID Select this option to keep your AP’s SSID private. Only users who explicitly enter
the SSID name in their connection window while connecting will be able to “see” it.
While effective at deterring the casual user from inadvertantly connecting to your
AP, it is the weakest of all wireless security. Anyone with a basic sniffer program
will be able to detect the channel.
Wireless
Mode
Channel Select a channel on which on broadcast your AP’s wireless signal.
This displays a list of available wireless modes. As of this writing, the NWD-270N
only supports 2.4 GHz.
If there are a high number of APs broadcast within range of one another, try to use
a channel that is either not in use or that has the fewest number of broadcasters.
Too many APs using the same chan nel can interfere with one another.
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Table 22 Configuration (continued)
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Output Power Set this field if you need to conserve power consumption (especially for notebook
Bridge Select the check box and an Ethernet adapter (network interface card (NIC)) on
Security type Select a security type for your AP. Options are DISABLE, WEP, WPA-PSK and
Save Click to save the changes.
Cancel Click to discard the changes.
computers). This control changes the strength of the NWD-270N’s antenna gain or
transmission power. Antenna gain, listed here as a percentage, is the increase in
coverage. Higher antenna gain improves the range of the signal for better commu-
nications.
• 100% - Sets the antenna gain at maximum output power. This has the highest
level of power consumption. If you are using the NWD-270N on a notebook
computer running on battery power, then using this power setting will drain the
battery the fastest.
• 75% - Sets the antenna gain to medium-high output pow er. This is a decent
comprimise between signal strength and power consumption.
• 50% - Sets the antenna gain to medium output power. The range is reduced
but the power consumption is much less.
• 25% - Sets the antenna gain to low output power . This significantly reduces the
transmission range but save considerable power.
• Lowest - Sets the antenna gain to minimal output power. You are trading
decent transmission range for significant power savings.
your computer from the drop-down list box. Thi s al l ow s yo u to con ne ct yo ur w ir eless network to the specified wired network.
Note: This feature is not supported in Windows 2000.
WPA2-PSK.
5.4.1 Security Settings
When you configure the NWD-270N to act as an AP and wireless security is activated, the
Configuration screen varies according to the encryption method used by your network.
5.4.1.1 Disable
This option indicates that no security services are enabled. Anyone within range of your AP
can connect to it without having to enter a pre-shared key.
" When security settings are disabled in AP Mode and if you have a shared
Internet connection via the Bridge feature (see page 70) or any shared folders
on the computer that is hosting the AP, they will be available to anyone who is
connected.
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5.4.1.2 WEP Encryption
Configure WEP security with these options.
Figure 58 Security Setting: WEP
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 23 Security Setting: WEP
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Security type Select WEP to enable this encryption type.
Authentication
Type
WEP Select 64 Bits or 128 Bits for your WEP encryption type.
Transmit Key Select a default WEP key to use for data encryption.
Chapter 5 AP Mode
Select an authentication method. Choices are Open System and Shared Key.
Note: This feature is not available in Windows Vista.
Pass Phrase If you select this transmit key option, enter a passphrase of up to 32 case-sensi-
tive printable characters.
As you enter the passphrase, the NWD-270N automatically generates four differ-
ent transmit keys and displays the first in the key field below.
Key 1-4 Select this option if you want to manually enter a transmit key. Enter the key in the
field provided.
If you select 64 Bits in the WEP field.
Enter either 10 hexadecimal digits in the range of “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9” (for
example, 11AA22BB33) for HEX key type.
or
Enter 5 ASCII characters (case sensitive) ranging from “a-z”, “A-Z” and “0-9”
(for example, MyKey) for ASCII key type.
If you select 128 Bits in the WEP field,
Enter either 26 hexadecimal digits in the range of “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9” (for
example, 00112233445566778899AABBCC) for HEX key type
or
Enter 13 ASCII characters (case sensitive) ranging from “a-z”, “A-Z” and “0-9”
(for example, MyKey12345678) for ASCII key type.
Note: The values for the WEP keys must be set up exactly the
same on all wireless devices in the same wireless LAN.
ASCII WEP keys are case sensitive.
Save Click to save the changes.
Cancel Click to discard the changes.
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Chapter 5 AP Mode
5.4.1.3 WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK
Configure WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK security with these options.
Figure 59 Security Setting: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 24 Security Setting: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Security Type Select either WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK to enable these encryption types.
Encryption Type Select the encryption type (TKIP or AES) for data encryption.
Pre-Shared Key Type a pre-shared key (same as the AP or peer device) of between 8 and 63 case-
Save Click to save the changes.
Cancel Click to discard the changes.
sensitive ASCII characters (including spaces and symbols) or 64 hexadecimal
characters.
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5.5 The MAC Filter Screen
The MAC Filter screen allows you to configure the NWD-270N to give exclusive access to
devices (Accept) or exclude devices from connecting to the NWD-270N (Reject). The MAC
address is assigned at the factory and consists of six pairs of hexadecimal characters, for
example, 00:A0:C5:00:00:02. You need to know the MAC address of the device(s) to
configure this screen.
Figure 60 The MAC Filter Screen
Chapter 5 AP Mode
The following table describes the labels in this screen.
Table 25 MAC Filter
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Filter Type Define the filter action for the list of MAC addresses in the MAC address filter table.
Select Disable to deactivate the MAC filter feature.
Select Reject to block access to the NWD-270N, MAC addresses not listed will be
allowed to access the NWD-270N.
Select Accept to permit access to the NWD-270N, MAC addresses not listed will
be denied access to the NWD-270N.
Filter MAC
Address 1-16
Save Click to save the changes.
Cancel Click to discard the changes.
Specify the MAC address(es) of the wireless station(s) that is allowed or denied
association to the NWD-270N.
Enter six pairs of hexadecimal digits (separated by colons) in the range of “A-F”,
“a-f” and “0-9” (for example, 00:A0:C5:00:00:02).
If you enter an invalid MAC address, once you click Save to save the values, a
warning screen will be displayed.
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Chapter 5 AP Mode
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CHAPTER 6
Maintenance
6.1 Overview
This section describes how to uninstall or upgrade the ZyXEL utility.
6.1.1 What You Can Do in This Section
• Learn which version of the ZyXEL utility and device driver you’re currently using. See
Section 6.2 on page 76 for details.
• Remove the ZyXEL utility from your computer. See Section 6.3 on page 76 for details.
• Upgrade the ZyXEL utility. See Section 6.4 on page 77 for details.
6.1.2 What You Need to Know
The following term may help as you read through this section.
Device driver
A system file that lets other programs interact with a piece of hardware, or “device.” You
should never try to locate and install or uninstall device drivers yourself since they are
modifications to an operating system at the core (or “kernel”) level. Doing so could irreparably
damage your installation.
6.1.3 Before You Begin
• Disconnect the NWD-270N if you are going to uninstall or upgrade the ZyXEL utility,
save your work in any other open programs, and then close them.
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Chapter 6 Maintenance
6.2 The About Screen
The About screen displays driver and utility version numbers of the NWD-270N. To display
the screen as shown below, click the About ( ) button.
Figure 61 About
The following table describes the read-only fields in this screen.
Table 26 About
LABEL DESCRIPTION
Driver Version This field displays the version number of the NWD -270N driver.
Utility Version This field displays the version number of the ZyXEL utility.
6.3 Uninstalling the ZyXEL Utility
Follow the steps below to remove (or uninstall) the ZyXEL utility from your computer.
" Before you uninstall the ZyXEL utility, take note of your current wireless
configurations.
1 Click Start > (All) Programs > ZyXEL Wireless N-lite USB Adapter > Uninstall
ZyXEL Wireless N-lite USB Adapter Utility.
2 When prompted, click OK or Yes to remove the driver and the utility software.
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Figure 62 Uninstall: Confirm
3 Click Finish to complete uninstalling the software and restart the computer when
prompted.
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Figure 63 Uninstall: Finish
Chapter 6 Maintenance
6.4 Upgrading the ZyXEL Utility
" Before you uninstall the ZyXEL utility, take note of your current wireless
configurations.
To perform the upgrade, follow the steps below.
1 Download the latest version of the utility from the ZyXEL web site and save the file on
your computer.
2 Follow the steps in Section 6.3 on page 76 to remove the current ZyXEL utility from
your computer.
3 Restart your computer when prompted.
4 Disconnect the NWD-270N from your computer.
5 Double-click on the setup program for the new utility to start the ZyXEL utility
installation.
6 Insert the NWD-270N and check the version numbers in the About screen to make sure
the new utility is installed properly.
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Chapter 6 Maintenance
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PART II
Troubleshooting
and Specifications
Troubleshooting (81)
Product Specifications (85)
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CHAPTER 7
Troubleshooting
This chapter offers some suggestions to solve problems you might encounter. The potential
problems are divided into the following categories.
• Power, Hardware Connections, and LEDs
• Accessing the ZyXEL Utility
• Link Quality
• Problems Communicating with Other Computers
7.1 Power, Hardware Connections, and LEDs
V The NWD-270N does not turn on. None of the LEDs turn on.
1 Make sure the NWD-270N is correctly installed (refer to your Quick Start Guide).
2 Restart the computer to which the NWD-270N is attached.
3 If the problem continues, contact the vendor.
V One of the LEDs does not behave as expected.
1 Make sure you understand the normal behavior of the LED. See Section 1.2 on page 16.
2 Check the hardware connection. See the Quick Start Guide and Section 1.2 on page 16.
3 Restart the computer to which the NWD-270N is attached.
4 If the problem continues, contact the vendor.
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Chapter 7 Troubleshooting
7.2 Accessing the ZyXEL Utility
V I cannot access the ZyXEL Utility
1 Make sure the NWD-270N is properly inserted and the LEDs are on. Refer to the Quick
Start Guide for information on how to properly connect the NWD-270N.
2 Use the Device Manager to check for possible hardware conflicts. Click Start >
Settings > Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager. Verify the status
of the NWD-270N under Network Adapter (steps may vary depending on the version
of Windows).
3 Install the NWD-270N on another computer.
4 If the error persists, you may have a hardware problem. In this case, you should contact
your vendor.
7.3 Link Quality
V The link quality and/or signal strength is poor.
1 Scan for and connect to another AP with a better link quality using the Site Survey
screen.
2 Move your computer closer to the AP or the peer computer(s) within the transmission
range.
3 There may be too much radio interference (for example from a microwave oven, or
another AP using the same channel) around your wireless network. Lower the output
power of each AP.
4 Make sure there are not too many wireless stations connected to a wireless network.
7.4 Problems Communicating with Other Computers
V The computer with the NWD-270N installed cannot communicate with the
other computer(s).
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In Infrastructure Mode
• Make sure that the AP and the associated computers are turned on and working properly.
• Make sure the NWD-270N computer and the associated AP use the same SSID.
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Chapter 7 Troubleshooting
• Change the AP and the associated wireless clients to use another radio channel if
interference is high.
• Make sure that the computer and the AP share the same security option and key. Verify
the settings in the Profile Security Setting screen.
• If you are using WPA(2) or WPA(2)-PSK security, try changing your encryption type
from TKIP to AES or vice versa.
In Ad-Hoc Mode
• Verify that the peer computer(s) is turned on.
• Make sure the NWD-270N computer and the peer computer(s) are using the same SSID
and channel.
• Make sure that the computer and the peer computer(s) share the same security settings.
• Change the wireless clients to use another radio channel if interference is high.
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CHAPTER 8
Product Specifications
Table 27 Product Specifications
PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
Product Name NWD-270N Wireless N-lite USB Adapter
Interface USB 2.0
Standards IEEE 802.11b
IEEE 802.11g
IEEE 802.11n (Draft 2.0)
Operating Frequency 2.4GHZ
Antenna Type Chip
Operating Temperature 0 - 50 degrees Celsius
Storage Temperature -30 - 70 degrees Celsius
Operating Humidity 20 - 90% (non-condensing)
Storage Humidity 10 - 90% (non-condensing)
Voltage 5V
Power Saving Mode Yes
Current Consumption Transmit: <300 mA
Receive: <160 mA
Weight 21g / 0.74oz
Dimensions 59 mm (L) x 24mm (W) x 13mm (H)
RADIO SPECIFICATIONS
Transmit Power 802.11b: Typical 18dBM
802.11g: Typical 15dBM
802.11n: Typical 15dBM
Receiver Sensitivity 802.11b: 11Mbps at -86dBm
802.11g: 54Mbps at -68dBm
802.11n: at -62dBm
WIRELESS STANDARDS
IEEE 802.11b Dynamically shifts between 11, 5.5, 2, and 1 Mbps network speed.
Operation Frequency 2.412GHz~2.472GHz
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Chapter 8 Product Specifications
Table 27 Product Specifications (continued)
Operation Channels N. America &Taiwan
IEEE 802.11g Dynamically shifts between 54, 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9 and 6 Mbps
Operation Frequency 2.412GHz~2.472GHz
Operation Channels N. America &Taiwan
IEEE 802.11n (draft 2.0)
Downstream data rate 150 Mbps
Upstream data rate 150 Mbps
Operation Frequency 2.412GHz~ 2.472GHz
Operation Channels N. America & Taiwan HT20
Networking Mode Infrastructure, Ad-Hoc, SoftAP Support
Approvals Safety
2.412GHz~ 2.462GHz 1-11
Euro ETSI
2.412GHz~ 2.472GHz 1-13
network speed.
2.412GHz~ 2.462GHz 1-11
Euro ETSI
2.412GHz~ 2.472GHz 1-13
2.412GHz~ 2.462GHz 1-11
N. America & Taiwan HT40
2.422GHz~ 2.452GHz 3-9
Euro ETSI HT20
2.412GHz~ 2.472GHz 1-13
Euro ETSI HT40
2.422GHz~ 2.462GHz 3-11
European Union: EN60950-1 (CE-LVD)
EMI
United States: FCC Part 15B Class B
Canada: ICES-003
European Union: CE EN 55022 Class B
EMS
European Union: CE EN55024
RF
United States: FCC Part 15C
Canada: RSS-210
European Union: CE EN 300 328
Taiwan: NCC LP0002
Wi-Fi Certification
11 b/g WPA/WPA2/WPS
Microsoft Certification
WHQL: Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows XP (32- and
64-bit), Windows 2000
86
SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS
Device Drivers Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit)
Windows XP (32- and 64-bit)
Windows 2000
Mac OS X (10.3/10.4/10.5)
WIRELESS FEATURES
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Chapter 8 Product Specifications
Table 27 Product Specifications (continued)
Wireless Security WEP 64bit, 128bit, WPA, WPA-PSK, WPA2, WPA2-PSK 802.1x
(EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS, EAP-PEAP), WPS.
Note: EAP-TTLS is not supported in Windows Vista
Wireless QoS Wi-Fi Multi Media (WMM)
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) Push button configuration
Use device's PIN
Use AP or Router's PIN
Other WMM power-saving support
Compatible with Windows Zero Configuration
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PART III
Appendices and
Index
" The appendices provide general information. Some details may not apply to
your NWD-270N.
Setting Up Your Computer’s IP Address (87)
Wireless LANs (91)
Windows Wireless Management (105)
Legal Information (127)
Customer Support (131)
Index (137)
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APPENDIX A
Wireless LANs
Wireless LAN Topologies
This section discusses ad-hoc and infrastructure wireless LAN topologies.
Ad-hoc Wireless LAN Configuration
The simplest WLAN configuration is an independent (Ad-hoc) WLAN that connects a set of
computers with wireless adapters (A, B, C). Any time two or more wireless adapters are within
range of each other, they can set up an independent network, which is commonly referred to as
an ad-hoc network or Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS). The following diagram show s an
example of notebook computers using wireless adapters to form an ad-hoc wireless LAN.
Figure 64 Peer-to-Peer Communication in an Ad-hoc Network
BSS
A Basic Service Set (BSS) exists when all communications between wireless clients or
between a wireless client and a wired network client go through one access point (AP).
Intra-BSS traffic is traffic between wireless clients in the BSS. When Intra-BSS is enabled,
wireless client A and B can access the wired network and communicate with each other. When
Intra-BSS is disabled, wireless client A and B can still access the wired network but cannot
communicate with each other.
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Appendix A Wireless LANs
Figure 65 Basic Service Set
ESS
An Extended Service Set (ESS) consists of a series of overlapping BSSs, each containing an
access point, with each access point connected together by a wired network. This wired
connection between APs is called a Distribution System (DS).
This type of wireless LAN topology is called an Infrastructure WLAN. The Access Points not
only provide communication with the wired network but also mediate wireless network traffic
in the immediate neighborhood.
An ESSID (ESS IDentification) uniquely identifies each ESS. All access points and their
associated wireless clients within the same ESS must have the same ESSID in order to
communicate.
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Figure 66 Infrastructure WLAN
Appendix A Wireless LANs
Channel
A channel is the radio frequency(ies) used by wireless devices to transmit and receive data.
Channels available depend on your geographical area. You may have a choice of channels (for
your region) so you should use a channel different from an adjacent AP (access point) to
reduce interference. Interference occurs when radio signals from different access points
overlap causing interference and degrading performance.
Adjacent channels partially overlap however. To avoid interference due to overlap, your AP
should be on a channel at least five channels away from a channel that an adjacent AP is using.
For example, if your region has 11 channels and an adjacent AP is using channel 1, then you
need to select a channel between 6 or 11.
RTS/CTS
A hidden node occurs when two stations are within range of the same access point, but are not
within range of each other. The following figure illustrates a hidden node. Both stations (STA)
are within range of the access point (AP) or wireless gateway, but out-of-range of each other,
so they cannot "hear" each other, that is they do not know if the channel is currently being
used. Therefore, they are considered hidden from each other.
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Appendix A Wireless LANs
Figure 67 RTS/C TS
When station A sends data to the AP, it might not know that the station B is already using the
channel. If these two stations send data at the same time, collisions may occur when both sets
of data arrive at the AP at the same time, resulting in a loss of messages for both stations.
RTS/CTS is designed to prevent collisions due to hidden nodes. An RTS/CTS defines the
biggest size data frame you can send before an RTS (Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send)
handshake is invoked.
When a data frame exceeds the RTS/CTS value you set (between 0 to 2432 bytes), the station
that wants to transmit this frame must first send an RTS (Request To Send) message to the AP
for permission to send it. The AP then responds with a CTS (Clear to Send) message to all
other stations within its range to notify them to defer their transmission. It also reserves and
confirms with the requesting station the time frame for the requested transmission.
Stations can send frames smaller than the specified RTS/CTS directly to the AP without the
RTS (Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake.
You should only configure RTS/CTS if the possibility of hidden nodes exists on your network
and the "cost" of resending large frames is more than the extra network overhead involved in
the RTS (Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake.
If the RTS/CTS value is greater than the Fragmentation Threshold value (see next), then the
RTS (Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake will never occur as data frames will
be fragmented before they reach RTS/CTS size.
" Enabling the RTS Threshold causes redundant network overhead that could
negatively affect the throughput performance instead of providing a remedy.
Fragmentation Threshold
A Fragmentation Threshold is the maximum data fragment size (between 256 and 2432
bytes) that can be sent in the wireless network before the AP will fragment the packet into
smaller data frames.
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A large Fragmentation Threshold is recommended for networks not prone to interference
while you should set a smaller threshold for busy networks or networks that are prone to
interference.
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If the Fragmentation Threshold value is smaller than the RTS/CTS value (see previously)
you set then the RTS (Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake will never occur as
data frames will be fragmented before they reach RTS/CTS size.
Preamble Type
Preamble is used to signal that data is coming to the receiver . Short and long refer to the length
of the synchronization field in a packet.
Short preamble increases performance as less time sending preamble means more time for
sending data. All IEEE 802.11 compliant wireless adapters support long preamble, but not all
support short preamble.
Use long preamble if you are unsure what preamble mode other wireless devices on the
network support, and to provide more reliable communications in busy wireless networks.
Use short preamble if you are sure all wireless devices on the network support it, and to
provide more efficient communications.
Use the dynamic setting to automatically use short preamble when all wireless devices on the
network support it, otherwise the NWD-270N uses long preamble.
Appendix A Wireless LANs
" The wireless devices MUST use the same preamble mode in order to
communicate.
IEEE 802.11g Wireless LAN
IEEE 802.11g is fully compatible with the IEEE 802.11b standard. This means an IEEE
802.11b adapter can interface directly with an IEEE 802.11g access point (and vice versa) at
11 Mbps or lower depending on range. IEEE 802.11g has several intermediate rate steps
between the maximum and minimum data rates. The IEEE 802.11g data rate and modulation
are as follows:
Table 28 IEEE 802.11g
DATA RATE (MBPS) MODULATION
1 DBPSK (Differential Binary Phase Shift Keyed)
2 DQPSK (Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying)
5.5 / 11 CCK (Complementary Code Keying)
6/9/12/18/24/36/48/54 OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)
Wireless Security Overview
Wireless security is vital to your network to protect wireless communication between wireless
clients, access points and the wired network.
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Appendix A Wireless LANs
Wireless security methods available on the NWD-270N are data encryption, wireless client
authentication, restricting access by device MAC address and hiding the NWD-270N identity.
The following figure shows the relative effectiveness of these wireless security methods
available on your NWD-270N.
Table 29 Wireless Security Levels
SECURITY
LEVEL
Least
S e c u r e
Most Secure
SECURITY TYPE
Unique SSID (Default)
Unique SSID with Hide SSID Enabled
MAC Address Filtering
WEP Encryption
IEEE802.1x EAP with RADIUS Server Authentication
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)
WPA2
" You must enable the same wireless security settings on the NWD-270N and
on all wireless clients that you want to associate with it.
IEEE 802.1x
In June 2001, the IEEE 802.1x standard was designed to extend the features of IEEE 802.11 to
support extended authentication as well as providing additional accounting and control
features. It is supported by Windows XP and a number of network devices. Some advantages
of IEEE 802.1x are:
• User based identification that allows for roaming.
• Support for RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial In User Service, RFC 2138, 2139) for
centralized user profile and accounting management on a network RADIUS server.
• Support for EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol, RFC 2486) that allows additional
authentication methods to be deployed with no changes to the access point or the wireless
clients.
RADIUS
RADIUS is based on a client-server model that supports authentication, authorization and
accounting. The access point is the client and the server is the RADIUS server. The RADIUS
server handles the following tasks:
• Authentication
Determines the identity of the users.
• Authorization
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Determines the network services available to authenticated users once they are connected
to the network.
• Accounting
Keeps track of the client’s network activity.
RADIUS is a simple package exchange in which your AP acts as a message relay between the
wireless client and the network RADIUS server.
Types of RADIUS Messages
The following types of RADIUS messages are exchanged between the access point and the
RADIUS server for user authentication:
• Access-Request
Sent by an access point requesting authentication.
• Access-Reject
Sent by a RADIUS server rejecting access.
• Access-Accept
Sent by a RADIUS server allowing access.
• Access-Challenge
Sent by a RADIUS server requesting more information in order to allow access. The
access point sends a proper response from the user and then sends another Access-Request
message.
Appendix A Wireless LANs
The following types of RADIUS messages are exchanged between the access point and the
RADIUS server for user accounting:
• Accounting-Request
Sent by the access point requesting accounting.
• Accounting-Response
Sent by the RADIUS server to indicate that it has started or stopped accounting.
In order to ensure network security, the access point and the RADIUS server use a shared
secret key, which is a password, they both know. The key is not sent over the network. In
addition to the shared key, password information exchanged is also encrypted to protect the
network from unauthorized access.
Types of EAP Authentication
This section discusses some popular authentication types: EAP-MD5, EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS,
PEAP and LEAP. Your wireless LAN device may not support all authentication types.
EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) is an authentication protocol that runs on top of the
IEEE 802.1x transport mechanism in order to support multiple types of user authentication. By
using EAP to interact with an EAP-compatible RADIUS server, an access point helps a
wireless station and a RADIUS server perform authentication.
The type of authentication you use depends on the RADIUS server and an intermediary AP(s)
that supports IEEE 802.1x. .
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Appendix A Wireless LANs
For EAP-TLS authentication type, you must first have a wired connection to the network and
obtain the certificate(s) from a certificate authority (CA). A certificate (also called digital IDs)
can be used to authenticate users and a CA issues certificates and guarantees the identity of
each certificate owner.
EAP-MD5 (Message-Digest Algorithm 5)
MD5 authentication is the simplest one-way authentication method. The authentication server
sends a challenge to the wireless client. The wireless client ‘proves’ that it knows the password
by encrypting the password with the challenge and sends back the information. Password is
not sent in plain text.
However, MD5 authentication has some weaknesses. Since the authentication server needs to
get the plaintext passwords, the passwords must be stored. Thus someone other than the
authentication server may access the password file. In addition, it is possible to impersonate an
authentication server as MD5 authentication method does not perform mutual authentication.
Finally, MD5 authentication method does not support data encryption with dynamic session
key. You must configure WEP encryption keys for data encryption.
EAP-TLS (Transport Layer Security)
With EAP-TLS, digital certifications are needed by both the server and the wireless clients for
mutual authentication. The server presents a certificate to the client. After validating the
identity of the server, the client sends a different certificate to the server. The exchange of
certificates is done in the open before a secured tunnel is created. This makes user identity
vulnerable to passive attacks. A digital certificate is an electronic ID card that authenticates the
sender’s identity. However, to implement EAP-TLS, you need a Certificate Authority (CA) to
handle certificates, which imposes a management overhead.
EAP-TTLS (Tunneled Transport Layer Service)
EAP-TTLS is an extension of the EAP-TLS authentication that uses certificates for only the
server-side authentications to establish a secure connection. Client authentication is then done
by sending username and password through the secure connection, thus client identity is
protected. For client authentication, EAP-TTLS supports EAP methods and legacy
authentication methods such as PAP, CHAP, MS-CHAP and MS-CHAP v2.
PEAP (Protected EAP)
Like EAP-TTLS, server-side certificate authentication is used to establish a secure connection,
then use simple username and password methods through the secured connection to
authenticate the clients, thus hiding client identity. However, PEAP only supports EAP
methods, such as EAP-MD5, EAP-MSCHAPv2 and EAP-GTC (EAP-Generic Token Card),
for client authentication. EAP-GTC is implemented only by Cisco.
LEAP
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LEAP (Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol) is a Cisco implementation of IEEE
802.1x.
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Appendix A Wireless LANs
Dynamic WEP Key Exchange
The AP maps a unique key that is generated with the RADIUS server. This key expires when
the wireless connection times out, disconnects or reauthentication times out. A new WEP key
is generated each time reauthentication is performed.
If this feature is enabled, it is not necessary to configure a default encryption key in the
wireless security configuration screen. You may still configure and store keys, but they will
not be used while dynamic WEP is enabled.
" EAP-MD5 cannot be used with Dynamic WEP Key Exchange
For added security, certificate-based authentications (EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS and PEAP) use
dynamic keys for data encryption. They are often deployed in corporate environments, but for
public deployment, a simple user name and password pair is more practical. The following
table is a comparison of the features of authentication types.
Table 30 Comparison of EAP Authentication Types
EAP-MD5 EAP-TLS EAP-TTLS PEAP LEAP
Mutual Authentication No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Certificate – Client No Yes Optional Optional No
Certificate – Server No Yes Yes Yes No
Dynamic Key Exchange No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Credential Integrity None Strong Strong Strong Moderate
Deployment Difficulty Easy Hard Moderate Moderate Moderate
Client Identity Protection No No Yes Yes No
WPA and WPA2
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a subset of the IEEE 802.11i standard. WPA2 (IEEE
802.11i) is a wireless security standard that defines stronger encryption, authentication and
key management than WPA.
Key differences between WPA or WPA2 and WEP are improved data encryption and user
authentication.
If both an AP and the wireless clients support WPA2 and you have an external RADIUS
server, use WPA2 for stronger data encryption. If you don't have an external RADIUS server,
you should use WPA2-PSK (WPA2-Pre-Sh ared Key ) that only requires a single (identical)
password entered into each access point, wireless gateway and wireless client. As long as the
passwords match, a wireless client will be granted access to a WLAN.
If the AP or the wireless clients do not support WPA2, just use WPA or WPA-PSK depending
on whether you have an external RADIUS server or not.
Select WEP only when the AP and/or wireless clients do not support WPA or WPA2. WEP is
less secure than WPA or WPA2.
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Appendix A Wireless LANs
Encryption
Both WPA and WPA2 improve data encryption by using Temporal Key Integrity Protocol
(TKIP), Message Integrity Check (MIC) and IEEE 802.1x. WPA and WPA2 use Advanced
Encryption Standard (AES) in the Counter mode with Cipher block chaining Message
authentication code Protocol (CCMP) to offer stronger encryption than TKIP.
TKIP uses 128-bit keys that are dynamically generated and distributed by the authentication
server. AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is a block cipher that uses a 256-bit
mathematical algorithm called Rijndael. They both include a per-packet key mixing function,
a Message Integrity Check (MIC) named Michael, an extended initialization vector (IV) with
sequencing rules, and a re-keying mechanism.
WPA and WPA2 regularly change and rotate the encryption keys so that the same encryption
key is never used twice.
The RADIUS server distributes a Pairwise Master Key (PMK) key to the AP that then sets up
a key hierarchy and management system, using the PMK to dynamically generate unique data
encryption keys to encrypt every data packet that is wirelessly communicated between the AP
and the wireless clients. This all happens in the background automatically.
The Message Integrity Check (MIC) is designed to prevent an attacker from capturing data
packets, altering them and resending them. The MIC provides a strong mathematical function
in which the receiver and the transmitter each compute and then compare the MIC. If they do
not match, it is assumed that the data has been tampered with and the packet is dropped.
By generating unique data encryption keys for every data packet and by creating an integrity
checking mechanism (MIC), with TKIP and AES it is more difficult to decrypt data on a Wi-Fi
network than WEP and difficult for an intruder to break into the network.
The encryption mechanisms used for WPA(2) and WPA(2)-PSK are the same. The only
difference between the two is that WPA(2)-PSK uses a simple common password, instead of
user-specific credentials. The common-password approach makes WPA(2)-PSK susceptible to
brute-force password-guessing attacks but it’s still an improvement over WEP as it employs a
consistent, single, alphanumeric password to derive a PMK which is used to generate unique
temporal encryption keys. This prevent all wireless devices sharing the same encryption keys.
(a weakness of WEP)
User Authentication
WPA and WPA2 apply IEEE 802.1x and Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) to
authenticate wireless clients using an external RADIUS database. WPA2 reduces the number
of key exchange messages from six to four (CCMP 4-way handshake) and shortens the time
required to connect to a network. Other WPA2 authentication features that are different from
WP A include key caching and pre-authentication. These two features are optional and may not
be supported in all wireless devices.
Key caching allows a wireless client to store the PMK it derived through a successful
authentication with an AP. The wireless client uses the PMK when it tries to connect to the
same AP and does not need to go with the authentication process again.
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Pre-authentication enables fast roaming by allowing the wireless client (already connecting to
an AP) to perform IEEE 802.1x authentication with another AP before connecting to it.
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