Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
If desired, you may connect manually to a WPS-enabled network.
Click on the “Advanced” tab to open the following window:
Enter in the encryption key and security method in order to join this network. The following section describes how to connect to a secure network that does not support WPS.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
The Belkin N Wireless Notebook Card supports the latest WPA security feature as well as the legacy WEP security standard. By default, wireless security is disabled.
To enable security, you will first need to determine which standard is used by the router (or access point). (See your wireless router’s or access point’s manual for directions on how to access the security settings.)
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To access the security settings on your Card, click the “My
Connections” tab and point to the connection for which you want to change security settings. Click “Edit” to change settings.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
WEP Setup
64-Bit WEP Encryption
1.
Select “WEP” from the “Data Encryption” drop-down menu.
2.
After selecting your WEP encryption mode, you can enter your key by typing in the hex key manually.
A hex (hexadecimal) key is a combination of numbers and letters from A–F and 0–9. For 64-bit WEP, you need to enter 10 hex keys.
For instance:
AF 0F 4B C3 D4 = 64-bit WEP key
3.
Click “Save” to finish. Encryption in the wireless router
(or access point) is now set. Each of your computers on your wireless network will now need to be configured with the same security settings.
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Installing and Setting up the Card
C. Configuration
Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
C.1
After restarting your computer, double-click the Belkin Wireless
Networking Utility icon on the desktop screen.
Note
: The Belkin Wireless
Networking Utility icon can also be found on the system tray.
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C.2
The Belkin Wireless Networking
Utility screen will appear.
C.3
Select a network to which to connect from the “Available
Networks” list and click “Connect”.
Note: In order to see your available networks, you must be near a working wireless router or access point.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
After successfully installing the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
(WNU), configurations for wireless connection and security are just a few easy clicks away.
Accessing the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility from the Windows System Tray
To access the WNU, simply place your mouse pointer and right-click over the WNU icon on the Windows task tray.
If the icon is not present, click on “Start > Programs > Belkin >
Belkin Wireless Utility”.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
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The WNU’s default screen is the “Current Status” tab. The
“Current Status” tab displays the current network status and available networks.
Network Status
This window displays the connectivity status of the current network. It even displays connectivity between the computer and router, and router and Internet. In the event of a connectivity problem, this window can be used to determine the problem’s source (e.g. computer, router, or
Internet/modem).
Available Networks
This window displays the available networks at the current location as well as their SSID, Signal Strength, Security Type, Channel, and
Network Type.
Lost Wireless Connection
If the current wireless connection is lost, a window will pop up and the
WNU will attempt to reconnect.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
Connection Failure
Other options will appear during attempts to reconnect. To stop connecting, click “Stop” and to reattempt connection, click “Retry”.
Network Status and Solution Tips
To further understand the current Network Status, click “Open Wireless Utility”.
The default screen will be the “Current Status” tab and the “Network Status” section determines which connections are good and/or faulty.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
The WNU also features a “Solution Tips” section that provides troubleshooting guidelines.
Setting Wireless Network Profiles
The “My Connections” tab on the WNU allows you to add, edit, and delete connection profiles. It also displays signal strength, security, and network type.
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Securing your Wi-Fi
®
Network
If you choose to connect to a secure network, determine the type of security (WPA or WEP*) and use the appropriate field in the dialog box.
*Note: Types of security
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
Note: When you select a network using encryption, you will first see the simple security screen. Click the “Advanced” button to see other security options (below).
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
is a less secure, but more widely adopted wireless security protocol. Depending on the security level (64- or 128-bit), the user will be asked to input a 10- or 26character hex key. A hex key is a combination of letters, a–f, and numbers, 0–9.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
Wireless Protected Access (WPA)
is the new standard in the wireless security. However, not all wireless cards and adapters support this technology. Please check your wireless adapter’s user manual to check if it supports WPA. Instead of a hex key, WPA uses only passphrases, which are much easier to remember.
The following section, intended for the home, home office, and small office user, presents a few different ways to maximize the security of your wireless network.
At the time of publication, four Encryption Methods are available:
Encryption Methods:
Name
Acronym
Security
Features
64-Bit Wired
Equivalent
Privacy
64-bit WEP
Good
Static keys
Encryption keys based on RC4 algorithm
(typically
40-bit keys)
128-Bit
Encryption
Wi-Fi Protected
Access
128-bit
Better
WPA-TKIP/AES
Best
Static keys
Added security over 64-bit
WEP using a key length of
104 bits, plus
24 additional bits of systemgenerated data
Dynamic key encryption and mutual authentication
TKIP (Temporal
Key Integrity
Protocol) added so that keys are rotated and encryption is strengthened
Wi-Fi
Protected
Access 2
WPA2-AES
Best
Dynamic key encryption and mutual authentication
AES
(Advanced
Encryption
Standard) does not cause any throughput loss
WEP
WEP
is a common protocol that adds security to all Wi-Fi-compliant wireless products. WEP gives wireless networks the equivalent level of privacy protection as a comparable wired network.
64-Bit WEP
64-bit WEP was first introduced with 64-bit encryption, which includes a key length of 40 bits plus 24 additional bits of system-generated data
(64 bits total). Some hardware manufacturers refer to 64-bit as 40-bit encryption. Shortly after the technology was introduced, researchers found that 64-bit encryption was too easy to decode.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
128-Bit Encryption
As a result of 64-bit WEP’s potential security weaknesses, a more secure method of 128-bit encryption was developed.
128-bit encryption includes a key length of 104 bits plus 24 additional bits of system-generated data (128 bits total). Some hardware manufacturers refer to 128-bit as 104-bit encryption.
Most of the new wireless equipment in the market today supports both 64-bit WEP and 128-bit WEP encryption, but you might have older equipment that only supports 64-bit WEP.
All Belkin wireless products will support both 64-bit WEP and
128-bit encryption.
Encryption Keys
After selecting either the 64-bit WEP or 128-bit encryption mode, it is critical that you generate an encryption key. If the encryption key is not consistent throughout the entire wireless network, your wireless networking devices will be unable to communicate with one another.
You can enter your key by typing in the hex key. A hex (hexadecimal) key is a combination of numbers and letters from A–F and 0–9. For
64-bit WEP, you need to enter 10 hex keys. For 128-bit WEP, you need to enter 26 hex keys.
For instance:
AF 0F 4B C3 D4 = 64-bit WEP key
C3 03 0F AF 0F 4B B2 C3 D4 4B C3 D4 E7 = 128-bit WEP key
Write down the hex WEP key from your wireless router (or access point) and enter it manually into the hex WEP key table in your Card’s configuration screen.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
WPA
WPA is a new Wi-Fi standard that improves upon the security features of WEP. To use WPA security, the drivers and software of your wireless equipment must be upgraded to support it. These updates will be found on your wireless vendor’s website. There are three types of WPA security: WPA-PSK (no server),WPA (with radius server), and WPA2.
WPA-PSK (no server) uses what is known as a pre-shared key as the network key. A network key is a password that is between eight and 63 characters long. It can be a combination of letters, numbers, or characters. Each client uses the same network key to access the network. Typically, this is the mode that will be used in a home environment.
WPA (with radius server) works best in a business environment, in which a radius server automatically distributes the network key to clients.
WPA2 requires Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for encryption of data, which offers much greater security than WPA. WPA uses both
Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) and AES for encryption.
Setting up your Belkin Wireless Router (or Access Point) to use Security
To start using security, you need to first enable WEP or WPA for your wireless router (or access point). For Belkin Wireless Routers (or
Access Points), these security features can be configured by using the web-based interface. See your wireless router’s (or access point’s) manual for directions on how to access the management interface.
IMPORTANT: You must now set all wireless network cards/adapters to match these settings.
Configuring your Card to use Security
At this point, you should already have your wireless router (or access point) set to use WPA or WEP. In order for you to gain wireless connection, you will need to set your N Wireless Notebook Card to use the same security settings.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
Changing the Wireless Security Settings
Your Belkin N Wireless Notebook Card supports advanced security technology, including Wi-Fi Protected Access TM 2 (WPA2 TM ), Wired
Equivalent Privacy (WEP), and Wi-Fi Protected Setup TM (WPS), which simplifies the setup of a wireless network. WPS uses familiar methodologies, such as typed Personal Identification Number (PIN) entry and push-button network-name configuration. This automatically enables strong WPA/WPA2 data encryption and authentication.
Using Wi-Fi Protected Setup
When attempting to connect to a WPS-enabled network, the following screen will appear:
1.
Personal Identification Number (PIN) Method: In this method, your
N Wireless Notebook Card generates a PIN to be entered into your router.
2.
Push-Button Configuration (PBC) Method.
3.
Advanced Configuration Method: For manual connection to a secured network.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
WPS uses WPA2 (described below) for encryption. It does not provide additional security. Instead, it standardizes the method for securing your wireless network. On your client utility, WPS-enabled networks are denoted with the key icon. You may use either the PBC method or PIN method to allow a device access to your wireless network. The two methods work as follows:
PBC: Push and hold the WPS button located on the back of your router for three seconds. Then, initiate the WPS procedure on the client utility within two minutes. Select the network name in the utility and click “Connect”. Your client will automatically exchange the security information and be added to your wireless network. The PBC method can also be initiated from the client device.
You will see the following message if the procedure is initiated from the router:
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
If the process is started from the client, you will see this message:
The client will be automatically enrolled into your wireless network within two minutes.
PIN: Your notebook computer has an 8-digit PIN that is associated with WPS. Select the WPS-enabled network and click “Connect” to start the WPS process. Choose the PIN-method option and complete the WPS procedure on your router’s setup utility.
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Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility
You will see the following message during the connection process:
The client will be automatically enrolled into your wireless network within two minutes.
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