User's Manual

unencrypted (“open” authentication) or that they be encrypted (“shared” authentication), or it

may allow stations to try both methods (“auto” determination of the authentication mode).

The default setting of the

Auth. Mode control is Open. If WEP is enabled on the WLAN, the

operator has a responsibility to tell you if you need to set this control to

Shared or Auto.

Key Input Method control: This control determines how the utility will interpret the key or keys

you type before it sends the actual bits to the adapter for use and storage. It can treat your

input as “hex” or as “ASCII.”

“Hex” is hexadecimal (base 16) numeric notation. When input in hex, a key can contain only

hex digits, that is, the numerals 0 through 9 and the letters A through F — no spaces, symbols,

punctuation marks, or letters other than A through F. Letters can be uppercase or lowercase;

“A” is interpreted the same way as “a” in hex.

If 64-bit WEP is used and the key input method is hex, each key must contain exactly 10 hex

digits. If 128-bit WEP is used and the key input method is hex, the key must contain exactly

26 hex digits. A 256-bit WEP key in hex format must contain exactly 58 hex digits.

“ASCII” (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) has become a synonym for

plain text, that is, whatever characters you can type on your keyboard, including spaces.

If 64-bit WEP is used and the key input method is ASCII, each key must contain exactly 5

characters. If 128-bit WEP is used and the key input method is ASCII, the key must contain

exactly 13 characters. A 256-bit WEP key in ASCII format must contain exactly 29

characters. Remember that 256-bit WEP can only be used by devices from the same product

family as your adapter.

Key 1, Key 2, Key 3, and Key 4 controls: These boxes are for typing in the key or keys used for

WEP encryption on the WLAN. If there is only one key, type it into the

Key 1 box.

To help ensure that your input is correct, the utility enforces the rules for length and

acceptable characters of the key input method currently selected. To help maintain the

security of the WLAN, after security settings are sent to the adapter or stored in a profile,

only asterisks appear in the key input boxes when the settings are viewed again.