Sercomm AP51DA User manual

Dual-Band 802.11a/b/g
Wireless Access Point
User's Guide

i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1
Features of your Wireless Access Point...........................................................................1
Package Contents ..............................................................................................................2
Physical Details..................................................................................................................3
CHAPTER 2 INSTALLATION...............................................................................................5
Requirements.....................................................................................................................5
Procedure...........................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER 3 ACCESS POINT SETUP..................................................................................7
Overview ............................................................................................................................7
Setup using the Windows Utility......................................................................................7
Setup using a Web Browser............................................................................................10
System Screen..................................................................................................................13
Access Control.................................................................................................................14
2.4GHz Wireless Screens ................................................................................................17
Basic Settings – 2.4GHz Screen......................................................................................17
2.4GHz Security Settings................................................................................................19
Advanced Settings - 2.4GHz...........................................................................................30
5GHz Wireless Screens...................................................................................................32
Basic Settings – 5GHz (802.11a) Screen........................................................................32
5GHz Security Settings...................................................................................................34
Advanced Settings - 5GHz..............................................................................................46
CHAPTER 4 PC AND SERVER CONFIGURATION .......................................................48
Overview ..........................................................................................................................48
Using WEP.......................................................................................................................48
Using WPA-802.1x ..........................................................................................................49
802.1x Server Setup (Windows 2000 Server)................................................................50
802.1x Client Setup on Windows XP.............................................................................60
Using 802.1x Mode (without WPA)...............................................................................66
CHAPTER 5 OPERATION AND STATUS.........................................................................67
Operation .........................................................................................................................67
Status Screen....................................................................................................................67
CHAPTER 6 OTHER SETTINGS & FEATURES .............................................................73
Overview ..........................................................................................................................73
Admin Login Screen........................................................................................................73
Config File........................................................................................................................75
SNMP ...............................................................................................................................76
Firmware Upgrade..........................................................................................................77
APPENDIX A SPECIFICATIONS .......................................................................................78
Wireless Access Point......................................................................................................78
APPENDIX B TROUBLESHOOTING ................................................................................82
Overview ..........................................................................................................................82
General Problems............................................................................................................82
APPENDIX C WINDOWS TCP/IP.......................................................................................84
Overview ..........................................................................................................................84
Checking TCP/IP Settings - Windows 9x/ME:.............................................................84
Checking TCP/IP Settings - Windows NT4.0 ...............................................................86
Checking TCP/IP Settings - Windows 2000..................................................................88
Checking TCP/IP Settings - Windows XP ....................................................................90

ii
APPENDIX D ABOUT WIRELESS LANS..........................................................................92
Overview ..........................................................................................................................92
Wireless LAN Terminology............................................................................................92
P/N: "9560ND0001
Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved.
Document Version: 1.0
All trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

1
Chapter 1
Introduction
This Chapter provides an overview of the Wireless Access Point's features
and capabilities.
Congratulations on the purchase of your new Wireless Access Point. The Wireless Access
Point links your 802.11g or 802.11b Wireless Stations to your wired LAN. The Wireless
stations and devices on the wired LAN are then on the same network, and can communicate
with each other without regard for whether they are connected to the network via a Wireless or
wired connection.
Figure 1: Wireless Access Point
The auto-sensing capability of the Wireless Access Point allows packet transmission up to
54Mbps for maximum throughput, or automatic speed reduction to lower speeds when the
environment does not permit maximum throughput.
Features of your Wireless Access Point
The Wireless Access Point incorporates many advanced features, carefully designed to provide
sophisticated functions while being easy to use.
• Standards Compliant. The Wireless Router complies with the IEEE802.11g (DSSS)
specifications for Wireless LANs.
• Supports both 802.11b and 802.11g Wireless Stations. The 802.11g standard
provides for backward compatibility with the 802.11b standard, so both 802.11b and
802.11g Wireless stations can be used simultaneously.
• WEP support. Support for WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is included. Both 64 Bit
and 128 Bit keys are supported.
1

Wireless Access Point User Guide
2
• WPA support. Support for WPA is included. WPA is more secure than WEP, and
should be used if possible.
• 802.1x Support. Support for 802.1x mode is included, providing for the industrial-
strength wireless security of 802.1x authentication and authorization.
• Radius Client Support. The Wireless Access Point can login to your existing Radius
Server (as a Radius client).
• Radius MAC Authentication. You can centralize the checking of Wireless Station
MAC addresses by using a Radius Server.
• Dynamic WEP key Support.In 802.1x mode, either fixed or Dynamic WEP keys can
be used.
• Upgradeable Firmware. Firmware is stored in a flash memory and can be upgraded
easily, using only your Web Browser.
• Access Control. The Access Control feature can check the MAC address of Wireless
clients to ensure that only trusted Wireless Stations can use the Wireless Access Point to
gain access to your LAN.
• UAM Support. The Wireless Access Point supports UAM (Universal Access Method),
making it suitable for use in Internet cafes and other sites where user access time must be
accounted for.
• Simple Configuration. If the default settings are unsuitable, they can be changed
quickly and easily.
• DHCP Client Support. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol provides a dynamic IP
address to PCs and other devices upon request. The Wireless Access Point can act as a
DHCP Client, and obtain an IP address and related information from your existing DHPC
Server.
• NetBIOS & WINS Support. Support for both NetBIOS broadcast and WINS (Win-
dows Internet Naming Service) allows the Wireless Access Point to easily fit into your
existing Windows network.
• Password - protected Configuration. Optional password protection is provided to
prevent unauthorized users from modifying the configuration data and settings.
Package Contents
The following items should be included:
• Wireless Access Point
• Power Adapter
• Quick Start Guide
• CD-ROM containing the on-line manual and setup utility.
If any of the above items are damaged or missing, please contact your dealer immediately.

Introduction
3
Physical Details
Front Panel LEDs
Figure 2: Front Panel
Status On
- Error condition.
Off - Normal operation.
Blinking - During start up, and when the Firmware is being upgraded.
Power On - Normal operation.
Off - No power
LAN On - The LAN (Ethernet) port is active.
Off - No active connection on the LAN (Ethernet) port.
Flashing - Data is being transmitted or received via the corresponding
LAN (Ethernet) port.
5GHz/802.11a On - 802.11a Wireless connection is available.
Off - No 802.11a Wireless connection available.
Flashing - Data is being transmitted or received via the 802.11a Wire-
less band. Data includes "network traffic" as well as user data.
2.4GHz/802.11
b/g On - 802.11g and/or 802.11b Wireless connection is available.
Off - 802.11g and 802.11b Wireless connections are not available.
Flashing Data is being transmitted or received via the 802.11g/a Wire-
less band. Data includes "network traffic" as well as user data.

Wireless Access Point User Guide
4
Rear Panel
Figure 3 Rear Panel
Antenna One antenna (aerial) is supplied. Best results are usually obtained with
the antenna in a vertical position.
Power port Connect the supplied power adapter here.
Reset Button This button has two (2) functions:
• Reboot. When pressed and released, the Wireless Access Point
will reboot (restart).
• Reset to Factory Defaults. This button can also be used to clear
ALL data and restore ALL settings to the factory default values.
To Clear All Data and restore the factory default values:
1. Power Off the Access Point
2. Hold the Reset Button down while you Power On the Access
Point.
3. Continue holding the Reset Button until the Status (Red) LED
blinks TWICE.
4. Release the Reset Button.
The factory default configuration has now been restored, and the
Access Point is ready for use.
Ethernet Use a standard LAN cable (RJ45 connectors) to connect this port to a
10BaseT or 100BaseT hub on your LAN.
Console port DB9 female RS232 port.

5
Chapter 2
Installation
This Chapter covers the physical installation of the Wireless Access Point.
Requirements
Requirements:
• TCP/IP network
• Ethernet cable with RJ-45 connectors
• Installed Wireless network adapter for each PC that will be wirelessly connected to the
network
Procedure
1. Select a suitable location for the installation of your Wireless Access Point. To maximize
reliability and performance, follow these guidelines:
• Use an elevated location, such as wall mounted or on the top of a cubicle.
• Place the Wireless Access Point near the center of your wireless coverage area.
• If possible, ensure there are no thick walls or metal shielding between the Wireless
Access Point and Wireless stations. Under ideal conditions, the Wireless Access Point
has a range of around 150 meters (450 feet). The range is reduced, and transmission
speed is lower, if there are any obstructions between Wireless devices.
Figure 4: Installation Diagram
2. Use a standard LAN cable to connect the “Ethernet” port on the Wireless Access Point to
a 10/100BaseT hub on your LAN.
2

Wireless Access Point User Guide
6
3. Connect the supplied power adapter to the Wireless Access Point and a convenient power
outlet, and power up.
4. Check the LEDs:
• The Status LED should flash, then turn OFF.
• The Power, WLAN, and LAN LED should be ON.
For more information, refer to Front Panel LEDs in Chapter 1.

7
Chapter 3
Access Point Setup
This Chapter provides details of the Setup process for Basic Operation of
your Wireless Access Point.
Overview
This chapter describes the setup procedure to make the Wireless Access Point a valid device
on your LAN, and to function as an Access Point for your Wireless Stations.
Wireless Stations may also require configuration. For details, see Chapter 4 - Wireless Station
Configuration.
The Wireless Access Point can be configured using either the supplied Windows utility or your
Web Browser
Setup using the Windows Utility
A simple Windows setup utility is supplied on the CD-ROM. This utility can be used to assign
a suitable IP address to the Wireless Access Point. Using this utility is recommended, because
it can locate the Wireless Access Point even if it has an invalid IP address.
Installation
1. Insert the supplied CD-ROM in your drive.
2. If the utility does not start automatically, run the SETUP program in the root folder.
3. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
Main Screen
• Start the program by using the icon created by the setup program.
• When run, the program searches the network for all active Wireless Access Points, then
lists them on screen, as shown by the example below.
3

Wireless Access Point User Guide
8
Figure 5: Management utility Screen
Wireless Access Points
The main panel displays a list of all Wireless Access Points found on the network. For each
Access Point, the following data is shown:
Server Name The Server Name is shown on a sticker on the base of the device.
IP address The IP address for the Wireless Access Point.
MAC Address The hardware or physical address of the Wireless Access Point.
IEEE Standard The wireless standard or standards used by the Wireless Access Point
(e.g. 802.11b, 802.11g)
FW Version The current Firmware version installed in the Wireless Access Point.
Description Any extra information for the Wireless Access Point, entered by the
administrator.
Note: If the desired Wireless Access Point is not listed, check that the device is installed and
ON, then update the list by clicking the Refresh button.
Buttons
Refresh Click this button to update the Wireless Access Point device listing
after changing the name or IP Address.
Web Management Use this button to connect to the Wireless Access Point's Web-
based management interface.
Set IP Address Click this button if you want to change the IP Address of the
Wireless Access Point.
Exit Exit the Management utility program by clicking this button.

Setup
9
Setup Procedure
1. Select the desired Wireless Access Point.
2. Click the Set IP Address button.
3. If prompted, enter the user name and password. The default values are admin for the
User Name, and password for the Password.
4. Ensure the IP address, Network Mask, and Gateway are correct for your LAN. Save any
changes.
5. Click the Web Management button to connect to the selected Wireless Access Point using
your Web Browser. If prompted, enter the User Name and Password again.
6. Configure the following screens, using the on-line help if necessary.
The following section also provides more details about each of these screens.
• Wireless - Basic (Basic Wireless settings)
• Wireless - Security (Wireless Security)
• Management - Admin Login (Set login name and password)
7. Setup is now complete.

Wireless Access Point User Guide
10
Setup using a Web Browser
Your Browser must support JavaScript. The configuration program has been tested on the
following browsers:
• Netscape V4.08 or later
• Internet Explorer V4 or later
Setup Procedure
Before commencing, install the Wireless Access Point in your LAN, as described previously.
1. Check the Wireless Access Point to determine its Default Name. This is shown on a label
on the base or rear, and is in the following format:
SCxxxxxx
Where xxxxxx is a set of 6 Hex characters ( 0 ~ 9, and A ~ F ).
2. Use a PC which is already connected to your LAN, either by a wired connection or an-
other Access Point.
• Until the Wireless Access Point is configured, establishing a Wireless connection to it
may be not possible.
• If your LAN contains a Router or Routers, ensure the PC used for configuration is on
the same LAN segment as the Wireless Access Point.
3. Start your Web browser.
4. In the Address box, enter "HTTP://" and the Default Name of the Wireless Access Point
e.g. HTTP://SC2D631A
5. You should then see a login prompt, which will ask for a User Name and Password.
Enter admin for the User Name, and password for the Password.
These are the default values. The password (but not the user name) can and should be
changed. Always enter the current password, as set on the Admin Login screen.
Figure 6: Password Dialog
6. You will then see the Status screen, which displays the current settings and status. No data
input is possible on this screen.

Setup
11
7. From the menu, check the following screens, and configure as necessary for your envi-
ronment. Details of these screens and settings are described in the following sections of
this chapter.
• System
• Access Control
• 2.4GHz Wireless
• Basic
• Security
• Advanced
• 5GHz Wireless
• Basic
• Security
• Advanced
• Management
• Admin Login (Set login name and password)
• Config File
• SNMP
• Upgrade Firmware
8. Setup of the Wireless Access Point is now complete.
Wireless stations must now be set to match the Wireless Access Point. See Chapter 4 for
details.
If you can't connect:
It is likely that your PC’s IP address is incompatible with the Wireless Access
Point’s IP address. This can happen if your LAN does not have a DHCP Server.
The default IP address of the Wireless Access Point is 192.168.0.228, with a
Network Mask of 255.255.255.0.
If your PC’s IP address is not compatible with this, you must change your PC’s IP
address to an unused value in the range 192.168.0.1 ~ 192.168.0.254, with a
Network Mask of 255.255.255.0. See Appendix C - Windows TCP/IP for details
for this procedure.

Wireless Access Point User Guide
12
Status Screen
When you first connect, you will see the Status screen. This displays the current settings and
status of the Wireless Access Point. No data can be input on this screen.
Figure 7: Status Screen
For further details of this screen, refer to Status Screen in Chapter 5.

Setup
13
System Screen
Click System on the menu to view a screen like the following.
Figure 8: System Screen
Data - System Screen
Identification
Access Point
Name Enter a suitable name for this Access Point.
Description If desired, you can enter a description for the Access Point.
Country Domain Select the country or domain matching your current location.
IP Address
DHCP Client Select this option if you have a DHCP Server on your LAN, and you
wish the Access Point to obtain an IP address automatically.
Fixed If selected, the following data must be entered.
• IP Address - The IP Address of this device. Enter an unused IP
address from the address range on your LAN.
• Subnet Mask - The Network Mask associated with the IP Address
above. Enter the value used by other devices on your LAN.
• Gateway - The IP Address of your Gateway or Router. Enter the
value used by other devices on your LAN.
• DNS - Enter the DNS (Domain Name Server) used by PCs on
your LAN.

Wireless Access Point User Guide
14
WINS
Enable WINS If your LAN has a WINS server, you can enable this to have this AP
register with the WINS server.
WINS Server
Name/IP Ad-
dress
Enter the name or IP address of your WINS server.
HTTP
HTTP Port Enter the port number to be used when connecting to this interface.
The default value is 80.
Telnet
Enable Telnet
Management If desired, you can enable this option. If enabled, you will able to
connect to this AP using a Telnet client. You will have to provide the
same login data (user name, password) as for a HTTP (Web) connec-
tion.
Access Control
This feature can be used to block access to your LAN by unknown or untrusted wireless
stations.
Click Access Control on the menu to view a screen like the following.
Figure 9: Access Control Screen
Data - Access Control Screen
Enable Use this checkbox to Enable or Disable this feature as desired.
Warning ! Ensure you own PC is in the "Trusted Wireless Stations"
list before enabling this feature..
Trusted Stations This table lists any Wireless Stations you have designated as
"Trusted". If you have not added any stations, this table will be empty.
For each Wireless station, the following data is displayed:
• MAC Address - the MAC or physical address of each Wire-
less station.
• Connected - this indicates whether or not the Wireless station
is currently associates with this Access Point.

Setup
15
Buttons
Modify List To change the list of Trusted Stations (Add, Edit, or Delete a Wireless
Station or Stations), click this button. You will then see the Trusted
Wireless Stations screen, described below.
Read from File To upload a list of Trusted Stations from a file on your PC, click this
button.
Write to File To download the current list of Trusted Stations from the Access Point
to a file on your PC, click this button.
Trusted Wireless Stations
To change the list of trusted wireless stations, use the Modify List button on the Access Control
screen. You will see a screen like the sample below.
Figure 10: Trusted Wireless Stations
Data - Trusted Wireless Stations
Trusted Wireless
Stations This lists any Wireless Stations which you have designated as
“Trusted”.
Other Wireless
Stations This list any Wireless Stations detected by the Access Point, which
you have not designated as "Trusted".
Address The MAC (physical) address of the Trusted Wireless Station. Use
this when adding or editing a Trusted Station.
Buttons
<< Add a Trusted Wireless Station to the list (move from the "Other
Stations" list).
• Select an entry (or entries) in the "Other Stations" list, and
click the " << " button.
• Enter the Address (MAC or physical address) of the wireless
station, and click the "Add " button.

Wireless Access Point User Guide
16
>> Delete a Trusted Wireless Station from the list (move to the "Other
Stations" list).
• Select an entry (or entries) in the "Trusted Stations" list.
• Click the " >> " button.
Select All Select all of the Stations listed in the "Other Stations" list.
Select None De-select any Stations currently selected in the "Other Stations"
list.
Edit To change an existing entry in the "Trusted Stations" list, select it
and click this button.
1. Select the Station in the "Trusted Station" list.
2. Click the "Edit" button. The address will be copied to the
"Address" field, and the "Add" button will change to "Update".
3. Edit the address (MAC or physical address) as required.
4. Click "Update" to save your changes.
Add To add a Trusted Station which is not in the "Other Wireless
Stations" list, enter the required data and click this button.
Clear Clear the Address field.