HP ProCurve 420 User manual

hp procurve
wireless access point 420
installation and
getting started guide
www.hp.com/go/hpprocurve

HP ProCurve
Wireless Access Point 420
Installation and Getting Started Guide

Hewlett-Packard Company
8000 Foothills Boulevard, m/s 5552
Roseville, California 95747-5552
http://www.hp.com/go/hpprocurve
© Copyright 2004 Hewlett-Packard Development Company,
L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change
without notice.
This document contains proprietary information, which is
protected by copyright. No part of this document may be
photocopied, reproduced, or translated into another language
without the prior written consent of Hewlett-Packard.
Publication Number
5990-6005
May 2004
Edition 3
Applicable Products
Disclaimer
HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY MAKES NO WARRANTY
OF ANY KIND WITH REGARD TO THIS MATERIAL,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Hewlett-Packard shall not be
liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential
damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use
of this material.
The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in
the express warranty statements accompanying such products and
services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an
additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial
errors or omissions contained herein.
Hewlett-Packard assumes no responsibility for the use or
reliability of its software on equipment that is not furnished by
Hewlett-Packard.
Warranty
See the Customer Support/Warranty booklet included with the
product.
A copy of the specific warranty terms applicable to your Hewlett-
Packard products and replacement parts can be obtained from your
HP Sales and Service Office or authorized dealer.
Safety
Before installing and operating these products, please read the
“Installation Precautions” in chapter 2, “Installing the Access
Point 420”, and the safety statements in appendix C, “Safety and
Regulatory Statements”.
HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420 na (J8130A)
HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420 ww (J8131A)

i
Contents
1 Introducing the HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420
Top of the Access Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Back of the Access Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Console Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Network Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Power Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Reset Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Access Point Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
2 Installing the Access Point 420
Included Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Installation Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Installation Precautions: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
1. Prepare the Installation Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
2. Verify the Access Point Passes the Self Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
LED Behavior: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
3. Mount the Access Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Wall Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Horizontal Surface Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
4. Connect the Access Point to a Power Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
5. Connect the Network Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Using the RJ-45 Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
6. Position the Antennas on the Access Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
7. (Optional) Connect a Console to the Access Point 420 . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Terminal Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Direct Console Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Sample Network Topologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Ad Hoc Wireless LAN (no access point) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

ii
Infrastructure Wireless LAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Infrastructure Wireless LAN for Roaming Wireless PCs . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
3 Getting Started With Access Point Configuration
Recommended Minimal Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Using the Command Line Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Where to Go From Here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Using the IP Address for Remote Access Point Management . . . . . 3-8
Starting a Telnet Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Starting a Web Browser Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
4 Using an External Antenna with the Access Point 420
External Antenna Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Installation Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
1. Plan the Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
2. Mount the Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
3. Connect Pigtail Cables to the Access Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
4. Configure the Antenna Mode and Transmit Power Control Limits 4-6
Setting the Antenna Mode Using the CLI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Setting the Antenna Mode Using the Web Interface . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Setting Transmit Power Limits Using the CLI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Setting Transmit Power Limits Using the Web Inteface . . . . . . . 4-10
5 Troubleshooting
Basic Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Diagnosing with the LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Proactive Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Hardware Diagnostic Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Testing the Access Point by Resetting It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Checking the Access Point’s LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Checking Event Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Testing Twisted-Pair Cabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Testing Access Point-to-Device Network Communications . . . . . . . . 5-7
Testing End-to-End Network Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7

iii
Restoring the Factory Default Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Downloading New Access Point Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
HP Customer Support Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Before Calling Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
A Specifications
Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
EMC Compliance (Class B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Radio Signal Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Immunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3
Receiver Sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3
B Access Point Port and Network Cables
Access Point Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
Twisted-Pair Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
Twisted-Pair Cable/Connector Pin-Outs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2
Straight-Through Twisted-Pair Cable for
10 Mbps or 100 Mbps Network Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Cable Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Crossover Twisted-Pair Cable for
10 Mbps or 100 Mbps Network Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
Cable Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
C Safety and EMC Regulatory Statements
Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
EMC Regulatory Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-9
Index

— This page is intentionally unused. —

1-1
Introducing the HP ProCurve
Wireless Access Point 420
1
Introducing the HP ProCurve
Wireless Access Point 420
The HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420 is a wireless repeater that seam-
lessly integrates with existing wired networks to support connectivity for
mobile users or wireless workstations. This solution offers fast, reliable
wireless connectivity with considerable cost savings over wired LANs. Just
install enough wireless access points to cover your network area, plug wire-
less cards into your notebooks or install wireless adapters into your desktops,
and start networking.
hp procurve
wireless
access point
420
Link/Activity
Wireless
10/10 0 -TX
Pow e r
HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420 na (J8130A)
HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420 ww (J8131A)

1-2
Introducing the HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420
Introducing the HP ProCurve
Wireless Access Point 420
Throughout this manual, this access point will be abbreviated as the
Access Point 420.
The Access Point 420 has one 10/100Base-TX RJ-45 port. This port also
supports Power over Ethernet (PoE) based on the IEEE 802.3af standard. The
access point supports wireless connectivity at speeds up to 54 Mbps based on
the IEEE 802.11g standard.
This access point is designed to be used primarily for connecting wireless
clients to an enterprise network. This access point allows wireless clients to
connect directly to each other, or to connect to other computers or network
resources located on the wired network.
This chapter describes your HP Access Point 420 including:
■Top and back of the access point
■Access point features

1-3
Introducing the HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420
Top of the Access Point
Introducing the HP ProCurve
Wireless Access Point 420
Top of the Access Point
hp procurve
wireless
access point
420
Link/Activity
Wireless
10/10 0 -TX
Pow e r
hp procurve
wireless
access point
420
Link/Activity
Wireless
10/100-TX
Power
Power,
10/100-TX Link,
and Wireless
Link LEDs
HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420
Antennas
Indicator Panel
Power LED Ethernet LED Wireless LED

1-4
Introducing the HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420
Top of the Access Point
Introducing the HP ProCurve
Wireless Access Point 420
LEDs
Table 1-1. Access Point LEDs
Access Point
LEDs
State Meaning
Power
(green)
On The access point is receiving power.
Off The access point is NOT receiving power.
Blinking* The access point is undergoing self test or downloading software.
The self test and initialization are in progress after you have power cycled or reset
the access point. The access point is not operational until this LED stops blinking.
Blinking*
(prolonged)
A component of the access point has failed its self test.
10/100-TX On (green) The RJ-45 port is enabled and receiving a link indication from a 100 Mbps device.
On (amber) The RJ-45 port is enabled and receiving a link indication from a 10 Mbps device.
Off The RJ-45 port has no active network cable connected, or is not receiving a signal.
Otherwise, the port may have been disabled through the access point console, or the
web browser interface.
Blinking* The RJ-45 port is transmitting or receiving traffic.
Wireless On The wireless interface is enabled and receiving a link indication from a wireless client
Off The wireless interface is not receiving a signal. Otherwise, the wireless interface may
have been disabled through the access point console, or the web browser interface.
Blinking* The wireless interface is transmitting or receiving traffic.
* The blinking behavior is an on/off cycle once every 1.6 seconds, approximately.

1-5
Introducing the HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420
Back of the Access Point
Introducing the HP ProCurve
Wireless Access Point 420
Back of the Access Point
Antennas
The access point includes diversity antennas for wireless communications.
These antennas are detachable and can be replaced by various external
antenna options. For further information, see chapter 4, “Using an External
Antenna with the Access Point 420”.
Lock
The access point includes a Kensington security slot on the rear panel, marked
with the lock symbol ( ). You can prevent unauthorized removal of the
access point by wrapping the Kensington security cable (not provided) around
an unmovable object, inserting the lock into the slot, and turning the key.
3.3V 4A
Reset
10/100Base-TX
Console
hp procurve
wireless AP
420 na
J8130A
Reset button
Antennas
HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420
Network port
10/100Base-TX RJ-45
port and PoE input
DC power connector
Console port
Lock

1-6
Introducing the HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420
Back of the Access Point
Introducing the HP ProCurve
Wireless Access Point 420
Console Port
This port connects a console to the access point using a serial cable. This
connection is described under “Connect a Console to the Access Point” in
chapter 2, “Installing the Access Point 420”. The console can be a PC or
workstation running a VT-100 terminal emulator, or a VT-100 terminal.
Network Port
The access point includes one 10/100Base-TX port. This port uses MDI
(i.e., internal straight-through) pin configuration. You can therefore use
straight-through twisted-pair cable to connect this port to most network
interconnection devices such as a switch or router that provide MDI-X ports.
However, if you need to connect the access point to a workstation or other
device that only has MDI ports, then use crossover twisted-pair cable.
Ports on most HP switches have the “HP Auto MDIX” feature, which means
that you can use either straight-through or crossover twisted-pair cables to
connect the access point to these switches.
Refer to the following section for information on supplying power to the
access point through its RJ-45 port from a network device, such as a switch,
that provides Power over Ethernet (PoE).
Power Connector
The Access Point 420 does not have a power switch; it is powered on when
connected to the AC power adapter, and the power adapter is connected to
an active AC power source. The access point's power adapter automatically
adjusts to any voltage between 100--240 volts and either 50 or 60 Hz. There are
no voltage range settings required.
Caution Use only the AC power adapter supplied with the access point. Use of other
adapters, including adapters that came with other HP network products, may
result in damage to the equipment.
The access point may also receive Power over Ethernet (PoE) from a switch
or other network device that supplies power over the network cable based on
the IEEE 802.3af standard.
Note that if the access point is connected to a PoE source device and also
connected to a local power source through the AC power adapter, PoE will
be disabled.

1-7
Introducing the HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420
Back of the Access Point
Introducing the HP ProCurve
Wireless Access Point 420
Reset Button
This button is used to reset the hardware or restore the factory defaults:
■To Reset the Access Point While it is Powered On – This action clears
any temporary error conditions that may have occurred and executes the
access point self test.
■To Restore Factory Default Configuration – When the Reset button
is pressed for more than five seconds, any configuration changes you may
have made through the access point console or the web browser interface
are removed, and the factory default configuration is restored to the
access point. For the specific method to restore the factory default
configuration, see “Restoring the Factory Default Configuration” in
chapter 5, “Troubleshooting” of this manual.

1-8
Introducing the HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420
Access Point Features
Introducing the HP ProCurve
Wireless Access Point 420
Access Point Features
The wireless features of the Access Point 420 include:
■supports up to 128 wireless clients
■IEEE 802.11g Compliant – interoperable with multiple vendors
■precise control over signal transmission power and data rate
■advanced security through 64/128/152-bit WEP encryption, Wi-Fi
Protected Access (WPA), IEEE 802.1x, remote authentication via a
RADIUS server, and MAC address filtering features to protect your sensi-
tive data and authenticate only authorized users to your network
■remote logging of system messages
■time synchronization via SNTP server for message logs
■auto channel selection – simplifies access deployment by testing all
available channels and selecting the best channel based on signal-to-noise
ratio
■international country configuration – select the appropriate country and
the access point automatically configures radio operation to match regu-
latory requirements (model J8131A only)
The other basic features of the Access Point 420 include:
■one 10/100Base-TX RJ-45 port
■supports Power over Ethernet based on the IEEE 802.3af standard
■full-duplex operation for the 10/100 RJ-45 port
■easy management of the access point through several available interfaces:
•console interface—a full featured, easy to use, VT-100 terminal
interface that is especially good for out-of-band access point manage-
ment or for Telnet access to the access point
•web browser interface—an easy to use built-in graphical interface
that can be accessed from common web browsers
■support for up to 64 IEEE 802.1Q-compliant VLANs (as specified for each
client in the RADIUS server) so that wireless clients can join the appro-
priate logical grouping for the network user's needs
■support for many advanced features to enhance network performance—
for a description, see the Management and Configuration Guide, which
is on the Documentation CD-ROM that is included with your access point.
■download of new access point software for product enhancements or
software updates
■dual flash images – enables auto-recovery upon unsuccessful download

2-1
Installing the
Access Point 420
2
Installing the Access Point 420
The HP Access Point 420 is easy to install. It comes with an accessory kit that
includes a bracket for mounting the access point on a wall. The bracket is
designed to allow mounting the access point in a variety of locations and
orientations.
This chapter shows you how to install your Access Point 420.
Included Parts
The Access Point 420 has the following components shipped with it:
■HP ProCurve Wireless Access Point 420 Installation and Getting
Started Guide (J8130A-90001), this manual
■HP ProCurve Product Documentation CD-ROM
(contains PDF file copies of the documentation for the Access Point 420,
including the Management and Configuration Guide)
■Customer Support/Warranty booklet
■Accessory kit (5069-5700)
• four 5/8-inch number 12 wood screws to attach the access point to a
wall
• four plastic wall plugs for mounting on a brick or concrete wall
• four rubber feet
■Antenna (5092-0723)
■Mounting bracket (5092-0711)
■AC power adapter (5092-0728)
■AC power cord, one of the following:
United States/Canada/Mexico
Continental Europe
United Kingdom/Hong Kong/Singapore
Australia/New Zealand
Japan
China
Denmark
Switzerland
8120-0740
8121-0731
8121-0739
8121-0730
8121-0736
8121-0742
8121-0733
8121-0738

2-2
Installing the Access Point 420
Installation Procedures
Installing the
Access Point 420
Installation Procedures
Summary
Follow these easy steps to install your access point. The rest of this chapter
provides details on these steps.
1. Prepare the installation site (page 2-4). Make sure that the physical
environment into which you will be installing the access point is properly
prepared, including having the correct network cabling ready to connect
to the access point and having an appropriate location for the access
point. Please see page 2-2 for some installation precautions.
2. Verify that the access point passes self test (page 2-5). This is a
simple process of plugging the access point into a power source, or
connecting it to a switch that provides Power over Ethernet, and
observing that the LEDs on the access point’s top panel indicate correct
access point operation.
3. Mount the access point (page 2-7). The Access Point 420 can be
mounted on a wall, or on a horizontal surface.
4. Connect power to the access point (page 2-9). Once the access point
is mounted, plug it into a nearby main power source, or connect it to a
switch that provides Power over Ethernet.
5. Connect to the network (page 2-10). Using the appropriate network
cable, connect the access point to a network connection point, such as a
switch. The network connection can also be used to provide power to the
access point through its PoE feature.
6. Position the antennas on the access point (page 2-10). Position
each antenna along a different axis to enhance signal coverage.
7. Connect a console to the access point (optional—page 2-11). You
may wish to modify the access point’s configuration, for example, to
configure an IP address so it can be managed using a web browser or
through a Telnet session. Configuration changes can be made easily by
using a console cable to connect a PC to the access point’s console port.
At this point, your access point is fully installed. See the rest of this chapter if
you need more detailed information on any of these installation steps.

2-3
Installing the Access Point 420
Installation Procedures
Installing the
Access Point 420
Installation Precautions:
Follow these precautions when installing your HP Access Point 420:
Cautions ■Make sure that the power source circuits are properly grounded, then use
the power adapter supplied with the access point to connect it to the
power source.
■You can alternatively power the access point through a network connec-
tion to a switch or other network connection device that provides Power
over Ethernet. However, note that if the access point is connected to a
power source using its AC power adapter, Power over Ethernet is
disabled.
■Use only the AC power adapter supplied with the access point. Use of
other adapters, including adapters that came with other HP network
products, may result in damage to the equipment.
■When using the acess point's AC power adapter, note that the AC outlet
should be near the access point and should be easily accessible in case
the access point must be powered off.
■Ensure that the access point does not overload the power circuits, wiring,
and over-current protection. To determine the possibility of overloading
the supply circuits, add together the ampere ratings of all devices installed
on the same circuit as the access point and compare the total with the
rating limit for the circuit. The maximum ampere ratings are usually
printed on devices near the AC power connectors.
■Do not install the access point in an environment where the operating
ambient temperature might exceed 40°C (104°F).
■Make sure the air flow around the sides of the access point is not
restricted.

2-4
Installing the Access Point 420
Installation Procedures
Installing the
Access Point 420
1. Prepare the Installation Site
■Cabling Infrastructure - Ensure that the cabling infrastructure meets
the necessary network specifications. See the following table for cable
types and lengths, and see appendix B, “Access Point Port and Network
Cables” for more information.
Table 2-1. Summary of Cable Types to Use With the Access Point
■Installation Location - Before installing the access point, plan its loca-
tion and orientation relative to other devices and equipment:
• Try to place the access point in the center of your wireless network.
Normally, the higher you place the antenna, the better the perfor-
mance. You may need to reposition the access point after testing the
signal strength on several wireless clients to ensure that the access
point’s location provides optimal reception throughout your office.
• At the back of the access point, leave at least 7.6 cm (3 inches) of
space for the twisted-pair cabling and the power cord.
• On the sides of the access point, leave at least 7.6 cm (3 inches) for
cooling.
Port Type Cable Type Length Limits
Twisted-Pair Cables
10/100Base-TX • 10 Mbps operation:
Category 3, 4, or 5, 100-ohm unshielded
twisted-pair (UTP)
• 100 Mbps operation:
Category 5, 100-ohm UTP or shielded
twisted-pair (STP) cable.
100 meters
Note: Since the 10Base-T operation is through
the 10/100Base-TX port on the access point, if
you ever want to upgrade the ports on other
devices to 100Base-TX, it would be best to
cable the 10/100Base-TX port on the access
point initially with category 5 cable.
The 10/100-Base-TX port on the
Access Point 420 uses an MDI pin
configuration, which requires you to use
straight-through cable when connecting to
another device that has an MDI-X port, or
crossover cable when connecting to a device
that has an MDI port. However, if the device to
which you are connecting supports auto-
MDIX, then you can use either a straight-
through or crossover cable.