Skip to content

Infonetwork

  • narrow screen resolution
  • wide screen resolution
  • Increase font size
  • Decrease font size
  • Default font size
  • default color
  • black color
  • cyan color
  • green color
  • red color
Home Solutions Networking Wireless Networking
Wiireless
Wireless Networking PDF Print E-mail

If you've been in an airport, coffee shop, library or hotel in the last few years, chances are you've been in the middle of a wireless data networking, where you can see people on their laptops checking their emails and browsing the Internet. Many people also use wireless networking, ( WiFi or 802.11 networking) to connect their computers at home, and an increasing number of cities use the technology to provide free or low-cost Internet access to residents (WiMax). With the advent of 3G mobile phone network, wireless networking has become so widespread that you can access the Internet just about anywhere at any time, without using wires.
Read more...
 
Wireless Installation Considerations PDF Print E-mail

A wireless router lets you access your network using a wireless connection from virtually anywhere within the operating range of your wireless network. Keep in mind, however, that the number, thickness and location of walls, ceilings, or other objects that the wireless signals must pass through, may limit the range. Typical ranges vary depending on the types of materials and background RF (radio frequency) noise in your home or business. The key to maximizing wireless range is to follow these basic guidelines:

  • Keep the number of walls and ceilings between the D-Link router and other network devices to a minimum - each wall or ceiling can reduce your adapter's range from 3-90 feet (1-30 meters.) Position your devices so that the number of walls or ceilings is minimized.
  • Be aware of the direct line between network devices. A wall that is 1.5 feet thick (.5 meters), at a 45-degree angle appears to be almost 3 feet (1 meter) thick. At a 2-degree angle it looks over 42 feet (14 meters) thick! Position devices so that the signal will travel straight through a wall or ceiling (instead of at an angle) for better reception.
  • Building Materials make a difference. A solid metal door or aluminum studs may have a negative effect on range. Try to position access points, wireless routers, and computers so that the signal passes through drywall or open doorways. Materials and objects such as glass, steel, metal, walls with insulation, water (fish tanks), mirrors, file cabinets, brick, and concrete will degrade your wireless signal.
  • Keep your product away (at least 3-6 feet or 1-2 meters) from electrical devices or appliances that generate RF noise.
  • If you are using 2.4GHz cordless phones or X-10 (wireless products such as ceiling fans, lights, and home security systems), your wireless connection may degrade dramatically or drop completely. Make sure your 2.4GHz phone base is as far away from your wireless devices as possible. The base transmits a signal even if the phone in not in use.
 
WiFi Security PDF Print E-mail

There are different levels of security you can use to protect your data from intruders when using a wireless broadband connection.

What is WEP?

WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy. It is based on the IEEE 802.11 standard and uses the RC4 encryption algorithm. WEP provides security by encrypting data over your wireless network so that it is protected as it is transmitted from one wireless device to another.
To gain access to a WEP network, you must know the key. The key is a string of characters that you create. When using WEP, you must determine the level of encryption. The type of encryption determines the key length. 128-bit encryption requires a longer key than 64-bit encryption. Keys are defined by entering in a string in HEX (hexadecimal - using characters 0-9, A-F) or ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange - alphanumeric characters) format. ASCII format is provided so you can enter a string that is easier to remember. The ASCII string is converted to HEX for use over the network. Four keys can be defined so that you can change keys easily.

What is WPA?

WPA, or Wi-Fi Protected Access, is a Wi-Fi standard that was designed to improve the security features of WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy).
The two major improvements over WEP:

  • Improved data encryption through the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP). TKIP scrambles the keys using a hashing algorithm and, by adding an integrity-checking feature, ensures that the keys haven't been tampered with. WPA2 is based on 802.11i and uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) instead of TKIP.
  • User authentication, which is generally missing in WEP, through the extensible authentication protocol (EAP). WEP regulates access to a wireless network based on a computer's hardware-specific MAC address, which is relatively simple to be sniffed out and stolen. EAP is built on a more secure public-key encryption system to ensure that only authorized network users can access the network.

WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK uses a passphrase or key to authenticate your wireless connection. The key is an alpha-numeric password between 8 and 63 characters long. The password can include symbols (!?*&_) and spaces. This key must be the exact same key entered on your wireless router or access point.
WPA/WPA2 incorporates user authentication through the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). EAP is built on a more secure public key encryption system to ensure that only authorized network users can access the network.