Intel 3945ABG Network Card User Manual


 
Device-to-Device mode to network computers in a home or small office or to set up a
temporary wireless network for a meeting.
Configure a Wireless Network
There are three basic components that must be configured for an 802.11 wireless network
to operate properly:
Network Name: Each wireless network uses a unique Network Name to identify the
network. This name is called the Service Set Identifier (SSID). When you set up your
wireless adapter, you specify the SSID. If you want to connect to an existing network,
you must use the name for that network. If you are setting up your own network you
can make up your own name and use it on each computer. The name can be up to 32
characters long and contain letters and numbers.
Profiles: When you set up your computer to access a wireless network, Intel(R)
PROSet/Wireless creates a profile for the wireless settings that you specify. If you
want to connect to another network, you can scan for existing networks and make a
temporary connection, or create a new profile for that network. After you create
profiles, your computer will automatically connect when you change locations.
Security: The 802.11 wireless networks use encryption to help protect your data.
Wired equivalent privacy (WEP) uses a 64- or 128-bit shared encryption key to
scramble data. Before a computer transmits data, it uses a secret encryption key to
scramble the data. The receiving computer uses this same key to unscramble the
data. If you are connecting to an existing network, use the encryption key provided by
the administrator of the wireless network. If you are setting up your own network you
can make up your own key and use it on each computer.
802.1x authentication is independent of the 802.11 authentication process. The
802.1x standard provides a framework for various authentication and key-
management protocols. There are different 802.1x authentication types, each
providing a different approach to authentication but all employing the same 802.1x
protocol and framework for communication between a client and an access point
Identify a Wireless Network
Depending on the size and components of a wireless network, there are many ways to