ActionTec 11Mbps Wireless Access Point User Manual page 17

Actiontec 11Mbps Wireless Access Point User Manual
ESSID is the network name assigned to the wireless network. The factory
default setting is "ACTIONTEC." Although Actiontec recommends keeping
the default value intact, the ESSID value can be modified, using any combi-
nation of alphanumeric characters (i.e., A-Z, a-z, 0-9). All clients must have
this same ESSID value. (For the Actiontec 802.11b Wireless PC Card, the
ESSID value must be the same as the SSID value. The SSID value can also
be called the Network Name.) Note that the ESSID is case sensitive.
Channel assigns the frequency band at which the Access Point communicates.
In the United States, use channels 1-11. (The factory default value is set to 1.)
Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is an encryption method used with
the 802.11b standard to ensure data security over wireless networks. The
Access Point offers three levels of WEP: Off, 64-bit, and 128-bit. If encryp-
tion is not required, Actiontec recommends selecting Off (the factory
default setting). Encryption is not required for wireless operation, and can
reduce network performance. If selecting 64-bit or 128-bit encryption, acti-
vate click the respective radio button, then click Next.
Off disables encryption. Selecting this option allows any computer with
wireless capability and the correct ESSID value to join the wireless network.
64-bit WEP requires four separate keys. Each key comprises five hexadeci-
mal digit pairs. A hexadecimal digit consists of an alphanumeric character
ranging from 0-9 or A-F. An example of a 64-bit WEP key is: 4E-A3-3D-
68-72. To create a set of 64-bit WEP keys, enter five hexadecimal digit
pairs in each Key text box (Key 1, Key 2, Key 3, Key 4). After activating
64-bit WEP on the Access Point, a client can join the network only if these
same keys are entered in that client's wireless encryption scheme.
The WEP keys can also be entered in ASCII text. To do this, click the
ASCII WEP key check box, then enter the keys in ASCII text.
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