Linksys WRT51AB User Manual page 29

2.4GHz, 802.11b
Beacon Interval The Beacon Interval value indicates the frequency interval of
the beacon. Enter a value between 20 and 1000. A beacon is a packet broadcast
by the Router to synchronize the wireless network. The default value is 100.
RTS Threshold Should you encounter inconsistent data flow, only minor
reduction of the default value, 2346, is recommended. If a network packet is
smaller than the preset RTS threshold size, the RTS/CTS mechanism will not
be enabled. The Router sends Request to Send (RTS) frames to a particular
receiving station and negotiates the sending of a data frame. After receiving an
RTS, the wireless station responds with a Clear to Send (CTS) frame to
acknowledge the right to begin transmission. The RTS Threshold value should
remain at its default value of 2346.
Fragmentation Threshold This value specifies the maximum size for a pack-
et before data is fragmented into multiple packets. If you experience a high
packet error rate, you may slightly increase the Fragmentation Threshold.
Setting the Fragmentation Threshold too low may result in poor network per-
formance. Only minor reduction of this value is recommended. In most cases,
it should remain at its default value of 2346.
Preamble Type The preamble defines the length of the CRC block for com-
munication between the Router and a roaming wireless network adapter. Select
the appropriate preamble type for your wireless network. (High network traffic
areas should use the shorter preamble type.) The default is Long Preamble.
Transmission Rate The rate of data transmission should be set depending on
the speed of your wireless network. You can select from a range of transmission
speeds (1, 2, 5.5, or 11Mbps), or you can select Best to have the Router auto-
matically use the fastest possible data rate and enable the Auto-Fallback fea-
ture. Auto-Fallback will negotiate the best possible connection speed between
the Router and a wireless client. The default setting is Best.
To apply any of the settings you change on this page, click the Apply button. To
cancel any changes you've entered on this page, click the Cancel button. To get
more information about the features, click the Help button.
802.1x Configuration
802.1x Configuration Click the 802.1x Configuration button to customize
the Router's 802.1x feature (see Figure 6-20).
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Instant Wireless Series
®
Dual-Band Wireless A+B Broadband Router
Note: If your wireless network does not have a RADIUS server, the
802.1x feature is not applicable to your network. (802.1x is an
advanced data security measure and not essential for router operation.)
802.1x Configuration
The 802.1x Configuration screen allows you to alter the 802.1x settings for
your wireless network(s). Based on the Extensible Authentication Protocol
(EAP), the 802.1x standard specifies an authentication framework for a
wireless client to access a network, so network security is enhanced.
To access a network with 802.1x enabled, wireless clients, such as PCs,
must use 802.1x client software or Windows XP, which supports 802.1x.
Note: For more details about 802.1x, refer to "Appendix C:
Configuring Wireless Security."
Figure 6-20
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