User Manual

17
Wireless Channel
A wireless network uses specific channels in the wireless spectrum to handle communication between clients.
Some channels in your area may have interference from other electronic devices. Choose the clearest
channel to help optimize the performance and coverage of your wireless network.
802.11 Mode
If all of the wireless devices you want to connect with this router can connect in the same transmission mode,
you can improve performance slightly by choosing the appropriate "Only" mode. If you have some devices
that use a different transmission mode, choose the appropriate "Mixed" mode.
Channel Width
The "Auto 20/40 MHz" option is usually best. The other options are available for special circumstances.
Transmission Rate
By default the fastest possible transmission rate will be selected. You have the option of selecting the speed if
necessary.
Number of Spatial Streams
Selecting more than one spatial stream can increase throughput, but can in some cases decrease signal
quality. Select the option that works best for your installation.
Visibility Status
The Invisible option allows you to hide your wireless network. When this option is set to Visible, your wireless
network name is broadcast to anyone within the range of your signal. If you're not using encryption then they
could connect to your network. When Invisible mode is enabled, you must enter the Wireless Network Name
(SSID) on the client manually to connect to the network.
Security Mode
Unless one of these encryption modes is selected, wireless transmissions to and from your wireless network
can be easily intercepted and interpreted by unauthorized users.
WEP
A method of encrypting data for wireless communication intended to provide the same level of privacy as a
wired network. WEP is not as secure as WPA encryption. 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. A default key is selected for
use on the network.
Example:
64-bit hexadecimal keys are exactly 10 characters in length. (12345678FA is a valid string of 10 characters for
64-bit encryption.)
128-bit hexadecimal keys are exactly 26 characters in length. (456FBCDF123400122225271730 is a valid
string of 26 characters for 128-bit encryption.)
64-bit ASCII keys are up to 5 characters in length (DMODE is a valid string of 5 characters for 64-bit
encryption.)
128-bit ASCII keys are up to 13 characters in length (2002HALOSWIN1 is a valid string of 13 characters for
128-bit encryption.)
Note that, if you enter fewer characters in the WEP key than required, the remainder of the key is
automatically padded with zeros.
WPA-Personal and WPA-Enterprise