User's Manual

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Wireless Network Overview
About Wireless Network Technology
What do I need to setup a Wireless Network?
Wireless Networking Basics
● What is a wireless network management utility?
● Network Name
● Profiles
● Security
● Configure a Wireless Network
● Identify a Wireless Network
● Select a Wireless Network Mode
How do I turn my radio on and off?
About Wireless Network Technology
A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connects computers without network cables.
Instead computers use radio communications to send data between each other. In a
WLAN, a radio communications device called an access point or wireless router
connects network computers and provides Internet or network access. You can
communicate directly with other wireless computers, or connect to an existing
network through a wireless access point. When you set up your wireless adapter,
you select the operating mode for the kind of wireless network you want. You can
use your Intel(R) PRO/Wireless Network Connection adapter to connect to other
similar wireless devices that comply with the 802.11 standard for wireless
networking.
What do I need to setup a Wireless Network?
To setup a wireless network, you need the following:
● Broadband internet service such as cable or DSL. This includes a broadband
modem
● A wireless router
● A wireless network adapter (wireless card) for each computer that you want
to connect to the wireless network.
Wireless Networking Basics
What is a wireless network manager or client utility?
The software application on your computer that is used to manage your wireless
connections is commonly referred to as a wireless network manager or client utility.
Your Dell portable computer ships with two client utilities installed: Intel PROSet/
Wireless and Microsoft Windows Zero Configuration. Intel PROSet is set by default
as the utility which controls the management of your wireless connections.
You can select which utility is the managing utility based on your preference.
However, it is important to understand that the wireless network connection settings
(profiles) created by each utility are only applied when that utility is managing. It is
a common error for users to inadvertently switch between the two utilities. This is a
problem because network settings created in one utility are not applied if the other
utility is managing the wireless connections. It is recommended that you choose one
client utility to manage your wireless connections, and stay with it.
Refer to Connect to a Network for more information.
Network Name
Each wireless network uses a unique Network Name to identify the network. This
name is called the Service Set Identifier (SSID). When you set up your wireless
adapter, you specify the SSID. If you want to connect to an existing network, you
must use the name for that network. If you set up your own network, you can make
up your own name and use it on each computer. The name can be up to 32
characters long and contain letters and numbers.
Profiles
A profile is a saved group of network settings. Profiles display in the Profiles list.
Profiles are useful when moving from one wireless network to another. Different
profiles can be configured for each wireless network. Profile settings can include the
network name (SSID), operating mode, and security settings. From the Intel(R)
PROSet/Wireless main window you can add, edit, and remove profiles.
Security
The 802.11 wireless networks use encryption to help protect your data. Wired
equivalent privacy (WEP) uses a 64- or 128-bit shared encryption key to scramble
data. Before a computer transmits data, it uses a secret encryption key to scramble
the data. The receiving computer uses this same key to unscramble the data. If you
connect to an existing network, use the encryption key provided by the
administrator of the wireless network. If you set up your own network, you can
make up your own key and use it on each computer.
The 802.1x authentication is independent of the 802.11 authentication process. The
802.1x standard provides a framework for various authentication and key-
management protocols. There are different 802.1x authentication types, each
providing a different approach to authentication, but all employing the same 802.1x
protocol and framework for communication between a client and an access point.
The 802.1x authentication methods include passwords, certificates and smart cards
(plastic cards that hold data). 802.1x authentication option can only be used with
Infrastructure operation mode.
Configure a Wireless Network
There are three basic components that must be configured for an 802.11 wireless
network to operate properly:
● Network Name: Each wireless network uses a unique Network Name to
identify the network. This name is called the Service Set Identifier (SSID).
When you set up your wireless adapter, you specify the SSID. If you want to
connect to an existing network, you must use the name for that network. If
you are setting up your own network you can make up your own name and
use it on each computer. The name can be up to 32 characters long and
contain letters and numbers.
● Profiles: When you set up your computer to access a wireless network, Intel
(R) PROSet/Wireless creates a profile for the wireless settings that you
specify. If you want to connect to another network, you can scan for existing
networks and make a temporary connection, or create a new profile for that
network. After you create profiles, your computer will automatically connect
when you change locations.
● Security: The 802.11 wireless networks use encryption to help protect your
data. Wired equivalent privacy (WEP) uses a 64-bit- or 128-bit shared
encryption key to scramble data. Before a computer transmits data, it uses a
secret encryption key to scramble the data. The receiving computer uses this
same key to unscramble the data. If you are connecting to an existing
network, use the encryption key provided by the administrator of the wireless
network. If you are setting up your own network you can make up your own
key and use it on each computer.
802.1x authentication is independent of the 802.11 authentication process.
The 802.1x standard provides a framework for various authentication and key-
management protocols. There are different 802.1x authentication types, each
providing a different approach to authentication but all employing the same
802.1x protocol and framework for communication between a client and an
access point
Refer to
Get Connected
Identify a Wireless Network
Depending on the size and components of a wireless network, there are many ways
to identify a wireless network:
● The Network Name or Service Set Identifier (SSID): Identifies a wireless
network. All wireless devices on the network must use the same SSID.
● Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID): A special case of SSID used to
identify a wireless network that includes access points.
● Independent Basic Service Set Identifier (IBSSID): A special case of
SSID used to identify a network of wireless computers configured to
communicate directly with one another without using an access point.
● Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID): A unique identifier for each wireless
device. The BSSID is the Ethernet MAC address of the device.
● Broadcast SSID: An access point can respond to computers sending probe
packets with the broadcast SSID. If this feature is enabled on the access
point, any wireless user can associate with the access point by using a blank
(null) SSID.
● Basic Service Set (BSS): Consists of two or more wireless nodes, or
stations, which have recognized each other and have established
communications.
● Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS): A mode of operation in an 802.11
system that allows direct communication between 802.11 devices without the
need to set up a communication session with an access point.
Select a Wireless Network Mode
Wireless networks can operate with or without access points, depending on the
number of users in the network. Infrastructure mode uses access points to allow
wireless computers to send and receive information. Wireless computers transmit to
the access point, the access point receives the information and rebroadcasts it to
other computers. The access point can also connect to a wired network or to the
Internet. Multiple access points can work together to provide coverage over a wide
area.
Device-to-Device mode, also called ad hoc mode, works without access points and
allows wireless computers to send information directly to other wireless computers.
You can use Device-to-Device mode to network computers in a home or small office
or to set up a temporary wireless network for a meeting.
How do I turn my radio on and off?
You can want to turn your wireless adapter's radio on and off to:
● Conserve your computer’s battery when not connected
● Meet the requirement to turn off radios on airplanes to prevent interference
There are two methods to turn the radio on and off:
● The hardware switch
● The Enable/Disable button in Intel PROSet/Wireless software
A common cause for users not being able to connect to a wireless network is due to
the radio being turned off. If you are unable to connect to a wireless network, verify
that your radio is turned on by both the hardware switch and the software Enable/
Disable button. Verify that you have checked both methods.
Refer to Enable or Disable the Wireless Radio for more information.
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