Outdoor AP WHP-1100, WHP-1120 & WHP-1130 User’s Manual
TRADEMARKS All names mentioned in this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The manufacturer provides this document “as is,” without warranty of any kind, neither expressed nor implied, including, but not limited to, warranty of fitness for the particular purpose for which it is intended. The manufacturer may make improvements and/or changes in this manual or in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this manual at any time.
Packing List Your Outdoor Access Point package should contain the following items: • One Outdoor Access Point • One DC injector with RJ-45 LAN and ODU (outdoor unit) jacks • One power adapter for the DC injector • One mounting kit • One 25-meter Category 5 waterproof cable with RJ-45 plug and ODU connector • One 30-cm Reverse N(M)-N(M) RG400 cable • WLAN Management System software and outdoor access point user’s guide in electronic form (one CD-ROM) Outdoor Access Point
Contents INTRODUCTION .......................................................................1 RELATED PRODUCTS ..............................................................2 WLAN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ........................................................................... 3 AUTOMATIC DISCOVERY OF COMPATIBLE DEVICES ............................................. 3 WLAN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS .... 5 TERMINOLOGY USED IN THIS GUIDE .................................................
MONITOR ............................................................................................................ 35 Identity Information........................................................................................ 36 Statistics ......................................................................................................... 37 Stations ........................................................................................................... 37 RESTART ................................
FIGURES FIGURE 1. SIMPLE WIRELESS INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK....................................... 8 FIGURE 2. SINGLE-AP NETWORK ............................................................................. 9 FIGURE 3. MULTIPLE-AP NETWORK ......................................................................... 9 FIGURE 4-1. OUTDOOR ACCESS POINT AND DC INJECTOR ..................................... 12 FIGURE 4-2. OUTDOOR ACCESS POINT INSTALLATION ........................................... 13 FIGURE 5.
Introduction Congratulations on choosing an Outdoor Access Point. This guide gives comprehensive instructions on installing and using the Outdoor Access Point (AP), and also explains how to install and use the WLAN Management System (WMS) software.
Related Products 11-Mbps Wireless products provide an integrated solution to your wireless networking requirements. • For indoor applications: Access points, wireless workgroup bridges, wireless Ethernet clients, and wireless adapters with various bus interfaces (PCMCIA, USB, and PCI). • For outdoor applications: The Outdoor Bridge connects two independent Ethernet LANs via a radio link, making expensive outdoor cabling unnecessary.
WLAN Management System WLAN Management System (WMS) is a powerful network management system that is fully compatible with the industry-standard Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). It features: • Automatic discovery of all compatible devices that are configured within the same subnet • Individual and batch-mode remote management of compatible devices, including Multi-Monitor, Batch-Upgrade, Batch-Reset, and Batch-Load Default functions.
Windows 95/98 step 1. Click Start/Run, type winipcfg, and click OK. The IP Configuration dialog box will open. step 2. Select the network adapter you use to connect to the Outdoor AP. Click Release. step 3. Click Renew to retrieve new information (IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway address) from the DHCP server. Click OK to save the changes and exit the program. Windows NT 4.0 step 1. Click Start/Programs/Command Prompt. Type ipconfig /release (with a space after ipconfig) and press Enter.
WLAN Management System Hardware and Software Requirements System requirements for installing and operating the WLAN Management System are: • An x86-based microcomputer running Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me, NT 4.0, 2000, or XP • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 or later • A connection to an Ethernet network Particular versions of Windows have the following additional requirements: 1. On Windows 95, Microsoft DCOM95 must be installed. You can obtain DCOM95 from the following Microsoft Web page: http://www.
Terminology Used in this Guide BSSID, MAC ID The BSSID (Basic Service Set ID) is a factory-set ID unique to each wireless product. It is identical to the MAC ID (Media Access Control ID). It allows each wireless product to be identified on the wireless network. ESSID An Extended Service Set ID (often referred to as Service Set ID, or SSID) identifies the wireless LAN domain that an AP is in. A domain is generally composed of wireless APs you are most likely to communicate with.
How to Use this Guide This user’s guide gives complete instructions for installation and use of the Outdoor Access Point (AP). Wireless products are supplied with factory set default network settings. Use the WMS (WLAN Management System) tool to change the default settings before introducing a new Outdoor Access Point to an already-established wireless network.
Planning the Network Infrastructure Network Types An infrastructure network is formed by several wireless stations and one or more access points (APs), with the stations within radio range of the AP or APs. Figure 1 depicts a typical infrastructure network topology. There are three infrastructure network setups that are commonly used. It is a good idea to understand the possible network setups and configuration requirements before planning your wireless network. Type 1.
Wireless users have the same access to network resources as they would have if they were wired. Such a configuration is often used to allow roaming, or to extend an existing network into a hard-to-wire environment. Figure 2. Single-AP network Type 3. The third type of network is composed of multiple APs and multiple stations (Figure 3). Figure 3. Multiple-AP network The reasons for having multiple APs installed are: 1. To increase bandwidth in order to boost overall network performance 2.
Planning an Infrastructure Network This section explains some of the factors you need to consider when planning an infrastructure network. Setting up is a two-step process: 1. Install and configure the wireless products. 2. Decide the best physical location of the wireless products so as to optimize performance. The following section gives quick guidelines for these two steps. First, decide whether to have a single AP wireless network or a multiple AP network.
enables Station 1 to move from the AP 1 signal coverage area to the AP 2 signal coverage area without disconnecting from the network. The handover is achieved transparently; the Station 1 user would not realize he had moved from AP 1 to AP 2. The requirements for a roaming environment are: a) Multiple APs with overlapping signal coverage (see “Multiple AP Installation,”) b) The APs must be configured to have the same domain name (SSID) and security (WEP) settings (see “Config Window – Encryption Panel,”).
Hardware Description Figure 4-1.
Outdoor Access Point Figure 4-2.
Hardware Pre-configuration Before adding the Outdoor Access Point to an existing Ethernet network, you may need to set basic parameters — SSID, security (WEP, and possibly 802.1x), AP name, channel number, and IP address — to make the AP compatible with the existing network. Pre-configuration can also be carried out through WMS. As long as the AP and the management station are on the same physical Ethernet LAN, WMS’s Kick Start function will find the AP and let you set basic parameters.
Wireless Product Placement Guidelines A few tips to mention that are particularly significant in a radio wave communications system: 1. Radio waves reflect or refract from buildings, walls, metal furniture, or other objects. This could result in performance degradation due to the fluctuation of the received signal. 2. Microwave ovens use the 2.45 GHz frequency band. 11-Mbps wireless devices also functions in the 2.4 ~ 2.5 GHz band, and therefore shares some of the band with microwave ovens.
Figure 6. Welcome window step 3. Older operating systems may need to update some system files to function correctly with the WLAN Management System. If required, follow the on-screen instructions to download the required file. Click Next to open the Choose Destination Location window. Figure 7.
step 4. Click Next. Figure 8. Select Program Folder window step 5. Follow all on-screen instructions until the Setup Complete window appears. Figure 9. Setup Complete window step 6. 18 Check “I would like to launch Management System” (Figure 9) and click Finish.
Using the WLAN Management System Once the Outdoor AP is connected to an Ethernet network, a network administrator can connect to it from any PC on the same network via the WLAN Management System (WMS) utility. The WMS utility is a Windows-based SNMP management tool allowing network administrators to remotely configure and monitor the Outdoor AP through both an Ethernet and a wireless connection. To launch the WMS utility: step 1. Click Start > Programs > WLAN > Management System > WLAN Management System.
Figure 10. WMS Hosts View windows Kick Start Function If for any reason the AP does not yet have a reachable IP address, it can be discovered, and a suitable IP address assigned to it, using the Kick Start function. step 1. Click the Kick Start icon (a figure with one leg extended) in the top toolbar. The WLAN Kick Start window will appear. step 2. Open the WLAN Kick Start window’s Start menu and choose Find, or click the Find icon (a pair of binoculars), or press F5.
Figure 11. WLAN Kick Start window This window’s Tools menu also lets you test IP connectivity, reboot, reset the selected device, or change its password. The administrator password set on the device is “admin” as the default. The Edit menu is for manually adding and removing devices in the display. The Start menu, in addition to letting you initiate Kick Start discovery, lets you set preferences for the Kick Start and ping functions (timeout periods, number of tries, etc.).
Configuration step 1. For configuration, select the Outdoor AP on the Hosts View window. step 2. Right-click the Outdoor AP to open the popup menu (Figure 10). step 3. Click Config to go to the configuration window (Figure 12). Figure 12. Config window — IP panel Config Window – IP Panel IP Address Setting: The Outdoor AP is a DHCP client. It will automatically ask the DHCP server to assign it an IP address.
Subnet Mask Default Gateway Manually assigns a subnet mask to the Outdoor AP. Manually specifies the default gateway IP address (if required). Note: An Outdoor AP will directly transfer SNMP response packets (confirmation packets) to a WMS PC if it is within the same LAN (the same subnet mask). If an SNMP response packet from an Outdoor AP is destined for a WMS PC on another LAN, the SNMP response packet needs to be forwarded by routers. The default gateway is the closest router to the Outdoor AP.
From the Filter panel, some, all, or none of the protocols listed may be selected for filtering out: • IP Protocol • IPX Protocol • NetBEUI Protocol • AppleTalk Protocol • Other Protocols • Internet Multicast Frames Config Window – Wireless Panel The Wireless panel (Figure 14) provides access to the Wireless settings. Figure 14. Config window — Wireless panel These settings are explained in the following table.
SSID Broadcasts Transmission Rate Basic Rates existing domain name or create a new one that contains up to 32 characters. Click to enable or disable the SSID Broadcasts feature: If disabled, the Outdoor AP will: • Blocks a connection request from a station without the correct SSID. • Hides the SSID in outgoing beacon frames. A site-survey tool will not find the SSID. Sets the transmission rate at which data packets are transmitted by the Outdoor AP.
Config Window – MAC Access Control Panel This feature lets you limit access to the network through the access point. You can list up to 1000 stations that are to be granted or denied access. A drop-down box lets you select the method of access control: • Disabled: Disable MAC-address access control. This is the default setting. • Accepted List: Only wireless stations whose MAC addresses are on the list are allowed to connect through the access point.
disabled, and the access point will then refuse all connection attempts from that station. Clear the Not Use box to let the selected method of access control take effect on this station. MAC Address List: Status Disables or enables an individual entry Address The MAC address of a wireless station Identification Identification for the wireless station Config Window – Encryption Panel Click the Encryption tab (Figure 16) to set up the security options. Figure 16.
WEP-encrypted) • WEP: Enable, Authentication: Shared – Enable data encryption and use Shared Key authentication (such requests must be WEP-encrypted) • WEP: Enable, Authentication: Both – Enable data encryption and use both Open System and Shared Key authentication (all requests are processed) If enabled data encryption, there are two options in the pull-down Key Length box: • 64-Bit - Enable use of 64-bit WEP • 128-Bit - Enable use of 128-bit WEP Key Generation - There are two ways to generate a se
Figure 17. Config window — SNMP Access Control panel The New/Edit Address dialog box will open (Figure 18). Figure 18. New/Edit Address dialog box Two levels of access rights may be assigned: Read Read/Write Read-only rights. The user may read everything except the Access Control settings, but is not allowed to alter anything The user may read and alter all settings Note: Do not set all the stations in the Access Control table to Read only.
To set a stations access rights, enter a station’s IP address and password and choose Read or Read/Write. When a setting is made, click OK. Repeat the procedure for the next stations. When all settings are made, click OK in the configuration dialog box to make the changes effective. Config Window – IEEE 802.1X Panel The IEEE 802.1X panel allows you to set up 802.1x authentication on an Outdoor Access Point. Check Enable 802.1X Access Control box will activate the three subcategories of IEEE 802.
Fail Retries – This is the number of times the AP will restart the authentication process with the client before returning an error. Enable Reauthentication – If this control is checked, the AP will re-initiate authentication whenever the specified amount of time has passed. Enable WEP Key Delivery – If this control is checked, the AP will pass the WEP key to the client after the authentication procedure has finished.
RADIUS Settings Figure 21. IEEE 802.1X panel – RADIUS Settings Server IP – This is the RADIUS server’s IP address. This must be set in order for the AP to communicate with the server. Authentication Port, Accounting Port – These are the port numbers that the server is using to listen for incoming accounting and authenticating packets. These can be set manually on the server but must be set here as well. These are advanced options and the defaults will work without further configuration.
Click Apply IEEE 802.1X Settings button to turn on 802.1x support on the AP immediately without reset. Once this is done, normal traffic will not be forwarded without authentication. Config Window – Trap Server Panel When the Outdoor AP is powered on, or an Ethernet port becomes active, an event log will be generated indicating the time, the IP address of the reporting Outdoor AP, and the event. You can view and save the event logs from the station as a Trap Server.
Figure 23. Trap Server panel — Clear all address function Trap View To view trap log information, click the Start Trap View icon (a ringing telephone) in the upper left corner of the main WMS window. A window such as that shown below will appear (Figure 24). Figure 24.
The log shows the time, the IP address of the reporting Outdoor AP, and the event. You can save, open, and delete log files through the File menu. Config Window – Advanced Panel You may set the packet size of RES Thresholds and Fragmentation Thresholds in the Advanced panel. The panel also contains a Tx Power (mW) control with options for setting the AP’s transmitter power to 5, 10, 30, 50, or 100 mW. Important: Once all configurations have been completed, click OK.
Figure 26. Monitor command in pop-up menu An information window will appear. The first of three panels in this window, the Identity panel, will be visible (Figure 27). Figure 27. Monitor window — Identity panel Identity Information The information shown (see table below) is read-only.
Name S/W Version H/W Version Current Channel SSID Current BSSID Human-friendly name assigned by the user for easier identification Shows the device software version number Shows the device hardware version number Shows the wireless channel currently in use on the device Shows the SSID of the device Shows the BSSID of the device (same as the device MAC address) Statistics The Statistics window shows both Ethernet and wireless transmission/reception statistics.
Figure 29. Monitor window — Stations panel Restart Restating the Outdoor AP will take about 30 seconds (Figure 30). Figure 30. Warning before AP restart During this period, the WMS program will not be able to query the Outdoor AP via the SNMP protocol and the Outdoor AP will not be available to its client stations. If you try to access the device, the WMS program will display the message “Timeout! No response from agent.
Figure 31. Warning before Factory Reset Click Yes to return the Outdoor AP to the factory default settings. Upgrade Firmware The Outdoor AP’s embedded software is contained in “flash” ROM, and can be updated over your LAN via the WMS program. To download new embedded software to the device, click Upgrade Firmware. The Upgrade Firmware dialog box will open (Figure 32). Figure 32.
Advanced Settings Batch mode operation In order to maximize the efficiency of wireless LAN management, you can use batch mode operation to manage selected APs or other wireless devices. You can sort wireless devices by device type first. Then select the multiple APs or other devices you would like to manage. Next, click the right mouse button to open the tool bar; then choose the functional tool you would like to use to work on these specific APs or other devices. Figure 33.
Create Host Table via Automatic Discovery Click Automatic Discovery icon to find all compatible devices. Select the desired APs and other wireless devices (for example, located in building A). Click the right mouse button to open the popup menu. Choose Export Host Table to save the Host Table to a file (for convenience, you can save the Host table on a network disk for ease of access).
Exporting a Configuration Profile to a File The configuration file can be saved to a text file and safely kept. This configuration file can also be imported to recover the wireless Product’s setting, if there is an accident. This profile can also be copied to the other wireless product of the same kind. To do this, first click the Export button in the Configuration window. Then enter the file name for the configuration profile to be saved to. Figure 35.
On Step 2 screen, you can select or clear the sessions of the configuration profile to be imported. Click Next. Figure 37. Importing a configuration profile from a file (2) Encryption The configuration profile does not contain the security key settings. The attributes of security keys are externally write-only and cannot be saved into the configuration file.
On Step 3 screen, click Import. Figure 39.
FAQs The FAQs section attempts to answer the most commonly asked questions about Outdoor Access Points. Question Answer At what radio frequency In the U.S., wireless LAN radios transmit and receive does an AP on one of 11 channels in the 2.4-GHz frequency band. communicate? This is a public band, and does not require a license from the FCC. How do I secure the data crossing an AP's radio link? Enable the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) function to encrypt the payload of packets sent across a radio link.
Troubleshooting This section provides you with some troubleshooting info should you encounter installation or operation problems on Outdoor Access Point. If the problems still cannot be remedied after going through the Troubleshooting section, check the FAQs on page 45 of this manual. If your problems still cannot be remedied after going through the FAQs and this Troubleshooting section, contact your network equipment supplier for assistance (see “Technical Support,”).
Technical Support If assistance is required, call your supplier for help. Have the following information ready before you make the call. 1. LED status 2. A list of the product hardware (including revision levels), and a brief description of the network structure 3.
Limited Warranty Hardware The manufacturer warrants its products to be free of defects in workmanship and materials, under normal use and service, for a period of 12 months from the date of purchase from the manufacturer or its Authorized Reseller, and for the period of time specified in the documentation supplied with each product.
Limited Warranty Service Procedures Any product (1) received in error, (2) in a defective or non-functioning condition, or (3) exhibiting a defect under normal working conditions, can be returned to the manufacturer by following these steps: You must prepare: Dated proof of purchase Product model number and quantity Product serial number Precise reason for return Your name/address/email address/telephone/fax 1. Inform the distributor or retailer. 2.
Service after Warranty Period After the warranty period expires, all products can be repaired for a reasonable service charge. The shipping charges to and from the manufacturer’s facility will be borne by the purchaser. Return for Credit In the case of a DOA (Dead on Arrival) or a shipping error, a return for credit will automatically be applied to the purchaser’s account, unless otherwise requested.
Regulatory Domains and Channels This appendix lists the channels supported by the world’s regulatory domains. The channel numbers, channel center frequencies, and regulatory domains are shown in the table.
