Intel Wireless EthernetAccess Point User manual

Intel® Wireless Ethernet
Access Point
Installation Guide

2

2001, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
Xircom is a registered trademark of Xircom, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary
of Intel Corporation. All other brands and names are the property of their
respective owners.
Neither this publication nor any part of this publication may be copied,
photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or
machine-readable form without the prior written permission of Intel
Corporation.
Intel Corporation assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in this
document. Nor does Intel make any commitment to update the information
contained herein.
801-0313-001A Web release, September 2001

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Contents
Introduction 5
Step 1. Select a Location 6
Step 2. Connect and Power Access Point 6
Step 3. Set or Change IP Address 10
Step 4: Advanced Configuration 15
Troubleshooting 21
Specifications 24
Regulatory Notices 25
Limited Lifetime Warranty 28
Software License Agreement 31
Intel Access Point Wall Mount Template 32

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Blank Page

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Introduction
Your Intel® Wireless Ethernet Access Point, when
used with Intel PRO/Wireless LAN Adapters or other
802.11b-compliant wireless Ethernet adapters, offers
an easy and economical way to add secure wireless
connectivity to a wired local area network (LAN) within
a building or office.
Intel Wireless Ethernet Access Points conform to the
IEEE 802.11b specification, which supports roaming,
remote management, and speeds up to 11 Mbps over
secure and reliable connections.
Package Contents
The following items are supplied in the Intel Wireless Ethernet Access Point
package:
x
Intel Wireless Ethernet Access Point model APWE
x
Mounting hardware
x
Power supply and power cord
x
CD-ROM containing configuration software
x
Installation Guide (this manual), including wall mount template (at end of
this manual)
Additional Requirements
To add wireless connectivity to your existing office LAN, you may need
additional hardware, software, and network information not supplied with the
Intel Wireless Ethernet Access Point. Follow the steps in this Installation
Guide to install one or more Access Points in accordance with the
requirements of your network environment.

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Step 1. Select a Location
Where Should I Put the Access Points?
Wireless Ethernet Access Points should be positioned for maximum
throughput and range between Access Points and wireless client stations.
Range and performance are dictated by the distance between the Access
Point and client radios, and by obstacles that may be present in a specific
building or office environment. The following positioning guidelines are
suggested:
x
If you’re installing two or more Access Points to make up a single
wireless Ethernet network, all Access Points must be connected to the
same wired Ethernet segment and subnet and must use the same
network ID (SSID). If WEP security is used, all Access Points and clients
must use the same WEP key.
x
Make a chart documenting all the Accent Points and client adapters you
wish to include in your wireless network. Record the MAC address of
each, and fill out the chart with the IP addresses of each (when set), as
well as the network ID (SSID), subnet mask, gateway, and WEP key, if
used.
x
Wired LAN and power connections must be available for the Access
Point at the desired location
x
If building blueprints or floor plans are available, use them to define
potential client workstation locations and likely roaming areas
x
Identify possible obstacles or sources of interference that could affect
signal strength (for example, walls, metal objects)
x
Define preliminary Access Point positioning based on the range of
Access Points and client adapters, which is approximately 100 feet (30
meters) indoors (for maximum throughput).
x
Mount the Access Point in the desired location using the mounting
screws, anchors, and template supplied. See Step 2.
x
Once Access Points have been installed and configured, use site survey
and monitoring utilities supplied with the client adapters to test signal
strength at various locations. Modify the positioning of the Access Points
and client stations as required for optimum performance.
Step 2. Connect and Power Access Point
The following network components are needed to set up wireless access to
your existing wired LAN using the Intel Wireless Ethernet Access Point.

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What Components Do I Need?
To set up a wireless network you need at least one access point and at least
one wireless client workstation (a computer with a wireless Ethernet client
device installed).
A Intel Wireless Ethernet Access Point
x
Intel Wireless Ethernet Access Point model APWE
x
Access Point power supply and power supply cord
Note: On the bottom of the Access Point there is a 12-character
alphanumeric string called the “MAC”or hardware address. This
address identifies the Access Point. Make a note of this address for
each Access Points you plan to install.
An Existing Wired Network and Wired Workstation
x
A fully installed and operational wired Ethernet local area network
(LAN) running at 10 or 100 Mbps.
x
A shielded RJ-45 cable to connect the Access Point to the wired
LAN
x
DHCP or BOOTP server support on the network (optional)—if your
network supports DHCP or BOOTP, a network IP address will be
assigned automatically to the Access Point when it is connected to
the network and powered on. Without a DHCP or BOOTP server,
you will have to manually input a network IP address for the Access
Point using the “KickStart”software supplied with the Access Point.
x
An accessible RJ-45 wall or hub connection through which to
connect the Access Point to the wired LAN
x
An accessible wall outlet or other AC power source for connection
of the Access Point power supply
x
A workstation connected to the wired LAN and equipped with a CD-
ROM drive, running Microsoft Windows 2000, 98SE, ME, 95 OSR2,
or NT, with one of the following web browsers installed: Microsoft
Internet Explore 5.0 or 5.5, Netscape Navigator 4.78 or 6.0. This
workstation is required for configuration of the Access Point and
must be connected to the same Ethernet segment or subnet as the
Access Point being installed. (The Access Point cannot be
configured from a wireless workstation.)

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Wireless Client Stations
x
One or more client workstations equipped with an 802.11b-
compliant wireless client adapter. Client workstations must have the
same network configuration and WEP security key (if used) as the
Access Points they will connect to. (See the documentation
supplied with the client adapter for installation and configuration
instructions.)
Wired LAN workstation
for Access Point
management
Wireless Ethernet
Access Point
W
ireless workstation
w
ith client adapter (PC
C
ard)
W
ired LAN

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How Do I Install and Power On the Access Point?
x
Make a note of the 12-character MAC address on the bottom of the
Access Point before attaching the Access Point to a wall or other
surface. You will need this information during configuration (you can
configure the Access Point before permanently attaching it, as long as
it’s connected to the same network segment during and after
configuration).
x
Mount the Access Point on a desk or wall, using the mounting screws
and anchors supplied (a mounting template is provided at the end of this
manual), in the location defined in Step 1.
Desk location, antenna
at 90 degree angle
Wall mounted, lowered
antenna
Wall mounted, antenna
fully raised vertically
x
Place the antenna in vertical position for best radio performance.
x
Plug the power cord into the Access Point power supply and into a wall
outlet or other source of power. Plug the thin power supply cable into the
round connector to the right of the RJ-45 on the Access Point.
x
When the Access Point is powered on, the POWER LED will illuminate
green and the wireless Activity (ACT) LED will blink, indicating that the
Access Point is searching for a wireless client.

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x
Connect a shielded RJ-45 cable to the Access Point and to an Ethernet
hub or wall connection. The LINK indicator next to the RJ-45 connector
will light.
Power supply connector
Wireless
Activity Power Wired Link Reset button pinhole Ethernet connection
x
Continue with Step 3. Set or Change IP Address
Step 3. Set or Change IP Address
How do I configure the Access Point?
Two types of configuration software are supplied with the Intel Wireless
Ethernet Access Point.
KickStart - a utility program that must be used for preliminary configuration
of the Access Point, in particular to verify or configure the IP settings
required for communication on the network. Install KickStart from the Intel
Wireless Ethernet CD-ROM onto a computer connected to the same wired
network and same network segment and subnet as the Access Point, and
use it as described below. See Installing KickStart and the following
headings.
AP Configurator –a browser-based utility that resides on the Access Point
itself. This utility’s web interface can be accessed from a computer
connected to the Access Point, using a web browser such as Microsoft
Internet Explorer version 5.0 or 5.5 or Netscape Navigator version 4.78 or
6.0. Use the web address prefix http:// followed by the IP address of the
Access Point to display the AP Configurator. See Step 4: Advanced
Configuration. The browser and web interface will automatically open when
you click Finish in KickStart.

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How do I connect a computer to configure the Access
Point?
To install and run KickStart and to use the browser-based AP Configurator,
you will need a computer connected to the Access Point. There are two ways
to connect this computer:
x
If the Access Point and computer are connected to the same hub or to
Ethernet connections on the same network segment, use standard RJ-
45 cables for the connections.
x
If the Access Point and computer are connected directly, not through a
hub or network, use a “crossover”or “crosswire”cable to connect them.
Setting the IP address of the Access Point
The most important step after connecting the hardware and powering up the
Access Point is to assign an IP address to the Access Point. This address
identifies the Access Point on the wired LAN to which it is connected. The
Access Point must be on the same subnet mask as the wired network.
There are three ways to configure the IP address using the KickStart utility.
This utility must be run on a wired workstation connected to the same
network segment as the Access Point.
Ways of
setting the
IP address
When to use
Automatic If the wired LAN to which the Access Point is connected has
a DHCP server, an appropriate IP address will be assigned
to the Access Point. In this case, when you run KickStart and
scan for Access Points, the assigned IP address will be
displayed. Click Next in KickStart and Finish. This will start
your default web browser and display the AP Configurator
that will allow you to configure security and other advanced
options.
Auto IP
(APIPA) If there is no DHCP server on the wired LAN, KickStart will tentatively assign an IP address based on the IP address of
the computer on which KickStart is running. Consult your
network administrator to verify that the address assigned is
available and correct. Use KickStart to change this address if
necessary.
Manual If there is no DHCP server on the wired LAN, and the IP
address assigned by KickStart is not available, use KickStart
to manually enter an IP address supplied by your network
administrator.

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Installing KickStart
The KickStart application can be found on the Intel CD-ROM.
You can install KickStart on a PC connected to the network to which the
Access Point will be connected, on a PC directly connected to a hub to which
the Access Point is also connected, or on a PC connected directly to the
Access Point with a “crossover”RJ-45 cable.
x
Insert the Intel Wireless Ethernet Access Point CD-ROM into the CD-
ROM drive of the computer you will use to configure the Access Point..
x
User Start/Run or Windows Explorer to run SETUP.EXE from the folder
\KickStart on the Intel CD-ROM.
x
Follow InstallShield Wizard onscreen instructions to complete the
installation.
x
On the Setup Complete screen, check the box next to the phrase "Yes,
launch the program file" and click Finish.
x
The KickStart Welcome screen will display. Click Next. (You can also
launch KickStart by double-clicking the KickStart icon, by selecting Start,
Programs, Intel, KickStart, or by selecting Start, Run, and typing
“kickstart/a”)
x
The Select Wireless Ethernet Device screen will appear. KickStart will
search for all Access Points within range, whether they have been
configured to work with the Access Point or not. If the device you want
to manage does not appear, click Rescan.
The Select Wireless Ethernet Device screen
The columns on the Select Wireless Ethernet Device screen contain the
following information on the wireless devices found.
Column Description
MAC
address Every APWE on the same network has a unique MAC address that identifies it. This hardware address cannot be changed.
IP
address All devices on a TCP/IP-based network must have an IP address that identifies it to other devices on the same network. This
address can be set automatically by a DHCP server as soon as
the Access Point is connected to the network, provisionally by
the KickStart auto IP feature when KickStart is run (using the IP
address of the computer on which KickStart is being run), or
manually using the KickStart utility.

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Column Description
SSID The SSID or Service Set ID is also known as Network ID or
network name. It is the name of your wireless network. Only
clients and Access Points that share the same SSID are able to
communicate with each other. The factory default SSID of the
Access Point is “default.”
Location This is an optional text field. You can change its content via the
web interface. Content of this field does not affect operation of
the Access Point.
Contact This is an optional text field. You can change its content via the
web interface. Content of this field does not affect operation of
the Access Point.
Scanning and rescanning for devices
x
If the Access Point you want to manage is in the list, select it, and click
Next. If a DHCP server on the network has already assigned a valid IP
address, click Next and Finish. Otherwise, the Change IP Settings
screen will appear.
x
If you click the Rescan button, KickStart will search for Access Points
again. If the device that you want to configure does not appear on the
list, even after clicking the Rescan button, reset the Access Point by
pressing and holding the Reset button on the Access Point with the end
of a paperclip for 15 seconds, then run KickStart again. Allow several
minutes for the software to detect recently reset or powered Access
Points. Restarting the computer will allow recently reset Access Points
to be discovered.
The Change IP Settings Screen
On this screen you can select dynamic or static IP address settings.
KickStart attempts to assign an IP address based on the address of the
computer on which KickStart is running. You may see a message indicating
that KickStart was unsuccessful.
x
Select "Use dynamic IP settings (recommended)" when installing the
Access Point on a network with a DHCP server. Important: Do not
select this option unless you are sure the network the Access Point is on
has working DHCP support. If you select "Use dynamic IP settings" on a
network without a DHCP server, you will be unable to configure the
Access Point without resetting it to factory default values and starting
over with KickStart.
x
Select "Use static IP settings" when you want to configure the IP
address settings manually. Choose this option on networks without
automated DHCP support for IP address settings. Click the Next button.

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x
If you selected the option "Use dynamic IP settings" you will continue to
the screen Changing IP Settings.
x
If you selected the option "Use static IP settings" you will continue to the
screen Set IP Address of Wireless Device.
Static IP address settings
When you select the option Use static IP settings on the Change IP Settings
screen, you can manually insert the IP address and Subnet mask, or you can
click Suggest to let the system find the IP address settings.
Suggest IP settings
KickStart will look on the network for a free IP address. Although this will
normally be successful, there is a chance that a conflict will occur later. For
example, if a computer using the suggested IP address is currently turned off
or not connected to the network, a conflict will occur when that computer
comes back online. In this case you will have to reset the Access Point and
run KickStart again and reconfigure the IP address in accordance with
information provided by your network administrator.
Once the IP address is set manually or otherwise, click Next to continue to
the next screen. The screen Set Gateway of Wireless Device appears. In this
screen you can install the Gateway address of the wireless device. Setting a
Gateway is optional. The Gateway address must be on the same network
segment as the IP Address. For example, if the IP address is 192.168.2.33,
the gateway should be 192.168.2.1. Note: If you leave the gateway field
blank, the gateway will be set to xxx.xxx.xxx.1 where the x’s represent the
network segment address.
Click Next to continue to the next screen, Changing IP Settings.
Changing IP Settings
KickStart will install the proper IP address settings for the device.
If the IP address cannot be set, a warning is given. With the Back button you
can return to Change IP Settings where you can select another method for
configuring the IP address settings.
If the IP address configuration was successful, the Next button becomes
active. Click the Next button, and the screen Ready to start appears. Click
Finish.
Ready to start the browser interface
When you click Finish, KickStart will launch the default web browser on your
computer and open the Settings Summary page for the Access Point you
have chosen. Then KickStart quits. You must have one of the following

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browser versions installed: Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5.0 or 5.5 or
Netscape Navigator versions 4.78 and 6.0.
When you use KickStart to find an Access Point with the correct IP address
settings, KickStart will automatically launch the AP Configurator tool in your
default browser.
Important: The browser-based AP Configurator cannot be used to change
IP address settings. If you want to change IP settings, you have to rerun
KickStart, go to the screen Change IP Settings and make the changes there.
You may also have to reset the Access Point before running KickStart to
change the IP settings.
Step 4: Advanced Configuration
Starting the browser Interface
When there is no DHCP server in your network, you can assign an IP
address to the Access Point and start up the browser interface with the
KickStart application.
The KickStart application is needed when:
x
You start the Access Point for the first time, or
x
You have reset the Access Point to factory defaults (see Resetting to
the default factory settings) and must configure the IP address settings
again.
x
You need to change the IP address settings
Browser interface is launched
Once the KickStart application has finished and the Access Point is available
for configuration on the network, the browser interface application is
launched in your default web browser. Important: It is strongly
recommended that you bookmark the Access Point location in your browser.
If it is not bookmarked, you will have to type in the Access Point IP address
each time you wish to access the AP Configurator.
You can now edit the settings for the Access Point.
Launching browser interface manually
If you know the IP address of an Access Point, you can launch the browser
interface in a web browser for editing.
1. Open a web browser (Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5.0 or 5.5 or
Netscape Navigator versions 4.78 and 6.0)

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2. Insert the web address of the Access Point on the address bar as
follows:
http://IP address of the Access Point/
3. Bookmark the web address of the Access Point browser interface.
Contents of web interface
The browser interface application contains the following topics:
Page Description
Settings Summary On this page you will find an overview of the
current settings.
Wireless Settings The settings of the wireless device are displayed
here, and you can edit some of these settings.
Security against
unauthorized network
access
On this page you can allow or deny access to the
Access Point by wireless client workstations by
entering the MAC address of the client.
Security against
eavesdropping On this page you can install security methods to prevent eavesdropping on the connection to the
Access Point.
Security against
unauthorized
configuration
On this page you can manage the Write
Community String for the Access Point and lock
the management of the Access Point.
Identity Here the identity data of the Access Point are
displayed, and you can edit some of these data.
IP Settings The IP, subnet, and gateway addresses of the
Access Point are displayed here.
Settings Summary
To display the web page Settings Summary, click the Settings Summary
button in the left panel.
You cannot change any of the settings in this page. The table below contains
references to the pages where these settings can be changed.
Setting Refer to browser interface page
SSID Wireless Settings.
IP address IP address settings (to change these settings you will
need run the KickStart application)
Access Control Security against unauthorized network access

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Eavesdropping
mode Security against eavesdropping
Wireless Settings
On this page you can install items such as the identification of the device and
the radio channel.
To display the web page Wireless Settings, click the Wireless Settings
button.
The table below contains the descriptions of the options on this page.
Option Description
SSID This is the Service Set ID. Only Access Points and clients
that share the same SSID are able to communicate with
each other.
Radio
Channel This is the channel that the Access Point uses to transmit and receive information.
The channel that you select here is restricted to the channels
that can be used within your Regulatory domain.
Regulatory
Domain The Regulatory domain is displayed here. Every country has a Regulatory Domain defining radio channels that can be
used to transmit and receive signals. This setting is a factory
default that cannot be changed.
Security Against Unauthorized Network Access
To protect your network against unauthorized network access you can create
an Access Control List (ACL).
To display the web page Security Against Unauthorized Network Access,
click the button with that name.
You can choose to allow access to all clients or deny access to all clients,
and then create a list of exceptions for either option.
The changes to the Access Control List on this page are accepted when you
click the OK button.
All clients are
accepted When you select this option, you allow access to all PC Cards, except for ones that you specify in the Exception list.
This option can be useful if you do not want to keep track of
all PC Cards but you do know some PC Cards that need to
be denied access because, for example, they were stolen.
All clients are
denied When you select this option, you deny access to all PC Cards except the ones you specify in the Exception List.

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After you have decided whether to allow access to all clients or deny all
clients, you can create an Exception List. See instructions below on how to
add or delete a client.
Note. The title of the Exceptions list shows
x
Exception List (Denied Clients) when the exceptions are applicable to
the option Allow access to all clients.
x
Exception List (Accepted Clients) when the exceptions are applicable
to the option Deny access to all clients.
To add a client to the exception list
Follow these steps to add a client to the exception list:
1. Click Add client. A separate window opens
If you selected Allow access to all clients, type the MAC address of the
client to be denied access.
If you selected Deny access to all clients, type the MAC address of the
client to be allowed access.
2. Click OK. The client is now added to the exception list.
To delete a client from the exception list
Follow these steps to delete a client from the exception list:
1. Click Delete clients. A separate window opens displaying the exception
list .
2. Select the MAC address of each client to be removed from the list.
3. Click OK. The exception list is updated.
Security Against Eavesdropping
On this page you can install the encryption methods that secure the data
flow from and to the Access Point.
To display the web page Security Against Eavesdropping, click the button
with that name.
You can use different authentication methods. The table below describes the
available methods.
Option Description
IEEE
Authentication Select this method to allow clients to access to the Access Point either without security (Open Systems)
or with a Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security
method.

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Open System (No
authentication) When you select this option, clients have access without a password (for example, a WEP key).
WEP Change
Settings When you select this option, you can activate the WEP security method.
The dialog box Enter the WEP Settings appears.
Change WEP Key
When you have selected the option Change WEP Settings, the Enter the
WEP Settings window appears. Follow the instructions below to change the
WEP key:
1. Select the WEP method: 40-bit or 128-bit.
2. Enter a WEP key:
WEP 40-bits: the key must contain exactly 10 hexadecimal characters
(see below), no more and no fewer, with no spaces
WEP 128-bits: the key must contain exactly 26 hexadecimal characters
(see below), no more and no fewer, with no spaces
Note: Hexadecimal characters used for the WEP key can be any 10-
character or 26-character combination of the following numeric or
alphabetical characters. Use lower-case alphabetical characters only.
0 through 9
a through f
3. Click OK.
Security Against Unauthorized Configuration
On this page you can set or change a password, the “Write Community
String”that is required to make changes to the Access Point. You can also
Lock the Access Point.
To display the web page Security Against Unauthorized Configuration, click
the button with that name.
x
Change Password.
Click Change Password and a window opens in which you can enter a
password that is required to edit the settings of the Access Point with the
web Interface.
x
Lock Access Point.
Click Lock Access Point to lock it.

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A warning appears “Are you sure to lock the Access Point? This will
immediately prevent making configuration changes. You will still be able to
view the current settings.”
Click OK to lock the Access Point.
No more configuration changes to the Access Point are allowed.
To unlock the Access Point, insert the end of an unbent paper clip briefly (1-
2 seconds) into the Reset button on the end of the Access Point. See How to
Unlock and Reset the Access Point for details.
Identity
This page contains physical information on the Access Point.
To display the web page Identity, click the button with that name.
Option Description
Location This is a text field in which you can enter the location of the
Access Point (“Room 412”). You can put any text into this field;
the text has no influence on how the Access Point functions.
Contact This is a text field in which you can enter, for example, the
name of the systems administrator responsible for the Access
Point (“adm[email protected]om”). You can put any text into this
field; the text has no influence on how the Access Point
functions.
MAC
address The MAC address is displayed here.
Access
Point Type Information on your type of Access Point is displayed here.
Firmware
Version Here the version of the Access Point firmware is displayed.
When you have filled in or changed your data:
x
Click Cancel to discard the changes.
x
Click Apply to apply the changes to the Access Point.
IP Settings
To display the web page IP Settings, click the button with that name.
On this web page the following IP address settings are displayed:
x
IP Address