MAC Filtering. Microsoft MN700 - Wireless 802.11g Base Station Router, MN-700

MAC Filtering

You can increase the security on your network by using MAC filtering. MAC filtering enables you to control wireless access to network resources, including your Internet connection and shared files and printers. You can configure the base station to permit or deny a wireless client access to network resources based on the MAC address of the adapter that the client uses. MAC filtering can only prevent computers from making a wireless connection to your network; it does not affect computers with an Ethernet connection to your network.

Note A MAC address is a unique alphanumeric identifier for a hardware device, such as a base station or adapter. You can find the MAC address for your Microsoft base station and any Microsoft network adapters you are using printed on the label of each device.

You have two options for implementing MAC filtering. You can:

O

Allow unspecified MAC addresses. This is a good option when you know the MAC addresses of the computers or other devices that you do not want to access your network. Any device whose MAC address you do not specify will be able to connect to your network with the appropriate wireless settings.

O Deny unspecified MAC addresses. This is a good option if you want to enforce the highest security level on your network, because it helps to prevent unknown wireless clients from being able to join your network. Only the clients to which you specifically grant permission can connect to the base station and use your network resources.

The following illustration shows that MAC Filtering page of the Base Station Management Tool.

MN-700 Base Station Configuration Guide 25