User's Manual Part 1

48 CHAPTER 5: ROUTER CONFIGURATION
Choose the Clear Channel Select option to automatically choose the
clearest channel. The Router will check for the clearest channel whenever
it is rebooted, powered up, and when the Clear Channel Select option is
first applied.
Valid channels are country dependent. See “
Channels” on page 119 for a
list of channels approved by each country.
Service Area Name/SSID
This allows you to name your Wireless network. The field will accept any
alphanumeric string and has a maximum length of 32 characters. Your
Wireless computers must be configured with exactly the same name or
you will not establish a connection. The Service Area Name may also be
referred to as “ESSID” depending on your networking vendor. By default
the Router uses the name “3Com”. 3Com recommends that you change
the default name.
In order that your wireless computers can connect to the Router, you
must:
■ Use Infrastructure Mode not Adhoc Mode.
■ Have the same Service Area Name as the Router.
■ Have the same Channel number as the Router.
■ Use the same encryption type and keys as the Router.
■ Ensure that the PC is included in the authorized Wireless PCs list if
Connection Control is enabled. See page 53
.
Enable Broadcast SSID
This feature can be used to improve the security of your wireless network.
When the tickbox is checked, the Router will broadcast the Service Area
Name/SSID of your wireless network. This will allow unauthorized clients
from detecting your SSID and attempting to connect to your network.
If you have a wireless client that can detect all the available SSIDs in your
area, your client will not list the Router SSID unless this feature is enabled.
The clients will still be able to connect, provided that they are supplied
with the SSID.
3Com recommends that you install your wireless network with this
feature enabled and then disable it once you have set up the Router and
wireless clients.