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This chapter explains how to use the Aironet Client Utility (ACU) to load new firmware, enable security features, configure your client adapter, and perform user-level diagnostics.
The following topics are covered in this chapter:
The Aironet Client Utility (ACU) can be used to perform a variety of functions. First, it enables you to upgrade your client adapter's firmware if necessary.
Second, it enables you to configure your client adapter for use in a wireless enterprise or home network. You can set parameters that prepare the adapter for network use, govern how the adapter transmits or receives data, control the adapter's operation within an infrastructure or ad hoc (or peer-to-peer) network, and control the level of security provided to your network.
The Aironet Client Utility screen appears (see Figure 2-1).
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Note For instructions on opening ACU from the Windows Start menu or a DOS window in Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, or Me, refer to the "Opening the Client Utilities" section. |
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Note This feature is available only for the Linux operating system. |
The Linux operating system allows you to choose between client adapters if more than one is installed in your computer. Up to two PC cards and up to five PCI client adapters can be supported.
If more than one client adapter is installed in your computer, the Select Radio screen (see Figure 2-2) appears the first time you run ACU.
Double-click the ethx button that corresponds to the client adapter you want to use, where x is the number of the adapter. The client adapters are numbered according to the order in which they are installed; therefore, the adapter that was installed first has the lowest number. A brief description of the client adapter that is being used appears in the bottom left-hand corner of the Aironet Client Utility screen (see Figure 2-1), and the Device field of the Status screen also indicates which adapter is being used.
After you initially select the client adapter you want to use, you can switch back and forth between the installed adapters at any time by selecting the Select Radio parameter from the Commands pull-down menu. The Select Radio screen appears, and you can select a different client adapter.
You can set parameters that control ACU operation. To do so, select Preferences from the Options pull-down menu (see Figure 2-3).
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Note Parameters that control the operation of ACU can be set only for the Windows operating systems. |
The Aironet Client Utility Preferences screen appears (see Figure 2-4).
Table 2-1 lists and describes the parameters that control ACU operation. Follow the instructions in the table to initially set or change any parameters.
| Parameter | Description | |
|---|---|---|
Specifies how often the Status and Statistics screens are updated. You can type a number in the edit box or use the slider to change this value. Range: 1 to 60 seconds between updates (in 1-second increments) Default: 1 second between updates | ||
Selecting this box causes the clock in the bottom right corner of the Aironet Client Utility screen (see Figure 2-1) to include seconds. Default: Deselected | ||
Specifies the units used to display signal strength on the Status, Linktest, and Site Survey screens Default: Percent | ||
Units | Description | |
Displays the signal strength as a percentage | ||
dBm | Displays the signal strength in decibels with respect to milliwatts | |
Note dBm can be selected only if your client adapter's firmware is version 3.92 or higher. | ||
Click OK at the bottom of the Aironet Client Utility Preferences screen to save any changes you have made.
Your client adapter's firmware is contained in the adapter's Flash memory, which allows it to be easily updated in the future. The current version of your adapter's firmware is provided in the Status screen. See the "Viewing the Current Status of Your Client Adapter" section for instructions on accessing this screen.
You can find the latest firmware version at http://www.cisco.com/public/sw-center/sw-wireless.shtml. Under "Wireless Software Products," select your client adapter's series (such as Cisco Aironet 340 Series) and copy the firmware image for radios to a floppy disk or to a directory on your computer's hard drive. Follow the instructions for your specific operating system to load the new firmware into your client adapter.
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Caution If a power failure occurs while you are loading new firmware, your client adapter may become inoperable. If this occurs, follow the instructions in the "Technical Assistance Center" section of the Preface to contact TAC for assistance. |
If your computer's operating system is Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, or Me, follow these steps.
Step 2 Select Load New Firmware from the Commands pull-down menu (see Figure 2-5).
The Open window appears (see Figure 2-6).
Step 3 Find the location of the new firmware in the Look in box.
Step 4 Click on the firmware image file (*.img) so that it appears in the File name box at the bottom of the Open window.
Step 5 Click the Open button. The selected image is loaded into the client adapter's Flash memory.
If your computer's operating system is Linux, follow these steps.
Step 2 Select Load New Firmware from the Commands pull-down menu (see Figure 2-5). The File Selection window appears (see Figure 2-7).
Step 3 Find the location of the new firmware in the Files box. Double-clicking the button at the top of the screen takes you to the directory indicated, and double-clicking the ../ and / symbols under Directories moves you up or down a directory, respectively.
Step 4 Under Files, click the new firmware image file (*.img) so that it appears in the Selection box at the bottom of the File Selection window.
Step 5 Click OK. The selected image is loaded into the client adapter's Flash memory.
The client adapter supports two principal security features to protect your data as it is transmitted through your wireless network: Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) keys and Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) or LEAP (also referred to as EAP - Cisco Wireless).
The Client Encryption Manager (CEM) utility enables you to set up to four encryption keys, called WEP keys, for your client adapter. WEP is an optional IEEE 802.11 feature that provides your client adapter and other devices on your wireless network with data confidentiality equivalent to that of a wired LAN. It involves packet-by-packet data encryption by the transmitting device and decryption by the receiving device.
To enable WEP for your client adapter, follow the steps below.
Step 2 Enable WEP by selecting the Enable WEP checkbox in the Network Security screen in ACU (see the Enable WEP parameter in Table 2-7).
EAP is an optional IEEE 802.1x security feature that is ideal for organizations with a large user base and access to an EAP-enabled Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server, such as Cisco Secure ACS 2.6. The RADIUS server uses EAP to provide server-based authentication for clients.
Server-based authentication can be enabled for your client adapter in one of two ways:
For Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, or Me or future Windows operating systems, the Aironet Client Utility setup program, which installs the client utilities, is used to enable LEAP or EAP. After LEAP or EAP is enabled and the computer is rebooted, the client adapter authenticates to the RADIUS server using the username and password entered by the user at the network logon. See the "Installing the Client Utilities and Enabling LEAP or EAP" section of the Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Adapters Hardware Installation Guide for instructions on using the Aironet Client Utility setup program to enable LEAP or EAP.
For Linux, LEAP is enabled through the Set LEAP Username and Password screen in ACU. The username and password entered in this screen are used by the client adapter to authenticate to the RADIUS server and must be re-entered at the start of each new session.
Follow the instructions below to enable LEAP for your client adapter if you are using the Linux operating system.
Step 2 Enter your username in the UserName field.
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Note Usernames and passwords are case sensitive and can contain up to 32 characters. |
Step 3 Enter a password in the Password field.
Step 4 Re-enter the password in the Verify Password field.
Step 5 Click OK. The following parameters in the Network Security screen (see Figure 2-13) are changed automatically:
Your client adapter authenticates to the RADIUS server using your username and password and receives a session-based WEP key.
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Note After LEAP is enabled, the Server Based Authentication parameter can be used to disable or enable LEAP as desired. |
ACU enables you to change the configuration parameters of your client adapter. The adapter's parameters are organized into two main categories depending on your network's configuration:
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Note Despite their name, the home networking parameters are not limited to use in a home network. For instance, these parameters, which are confined to one screen, provide a convenient way to minimally configure the client adapter. |
Table 2-2 enables you to quickly locate the instructions for modifying the client adapter's parameters.
| Parameter Category | Page Number |
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Enterprise | |
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Home networking |
The parameters in this section can be used to configure your client adapter for use in an enterprise network. If you are planning to use your client adapter in a home network, go to the "Setting Home Networking Parameters" section.
The System Parameters screen (see Figure 2-9) enables you to set parameters that prepare the client adapter for use in a wireless network. To access this screen, select Edit Properties from the Commands pull-down menu (see Figure 2-5) and click the System Parameters tab.
Table 2-3 lists and describes the client adapter's system parameters. Follow the instructions in the table to initially set or change any parameters.
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Note You should have set the client name and SSID when you installed the driver for your computer's operating system (if you are using a Windows operating system). Refer to the Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Adapters Hardware Installation Guide. |
| Parameter | Description | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
A logical name for your workstation. It enables an administrator to determine which devices are connected to the Access Point without having to memorize every MAC address. This name is included in the Access Point's list of connected devices. Range: Up to 16 characters Note Each computer on the network should have a unique client name. | ||||
The service set identifier (SSID) identifies the specific wireless network that you want to access. Range: Up to 32 characters (case sensitive) Note If you leave this parameter blank, your client adapter can associate to any Access Point on the network that is configured to allow broadcast SSIDs (see the AP Radio Hardware page in the Access Point Management System). If the Access Points with which you wish to communicate are not configured to allow broadcast SSIDs, the value of this parameter must match the SSID of the Access Points. Otherwise, you will not be able to access the network. | ||||
An optional SSID that identifies a second distinct network and enables you to roam to that network without having to reconfigure your client adapter. See the note below. Range: Up to 32 characters (case sensitive) | ||||
An optional SSID that identifies a third distinct network and enables you to roam to that network without having to reconfigure your client adapter. See the note below. Range: Up to 32 characters (case sensitive) | ||||
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Sets your client adapter to its optimum power consumption setting | ||||
Description | ||||
Keeps the client adapter powered up continuously so there is little lag in message response time Consumes the most power but offers the highest throughput. Is recommended for desktop computers and devices that use AC power. | ||||
Causes the Access Point to buffer incoming messages for the client adapter, which wakes up periodically and polls the Access Point to see if any buffered messages are waiting for it. The adapter can request each message and then go back to sleep. Conserves the most power but offers the lowest throughput. Is recommended for devices for which power consumption is the ultimate concern (such as small battery-powered devices). | ||||
Switches between a PSP mode and CAM, depending on network traffic. This mode switches to CAM when retrieving a large number of packets and switches back to PSP after the packets have been retrieved. Is recommended when power consumption is a concern but you need greater throughput than that allowed by Max PSP | ||||
Specifies the type of network in which your client adapter is installed Default: Infrastructure | ||||
Network Type | Description | |||
Often referred to as peer to peer. Used to set up a small network between two or more devices. For example, an ad hoc network could be set up between computers in a conference room so users can share information in a meeting. | ||||
Used to set up a connection to a wired Ethernet network (through an Access Point) | ||||
Specifies which network configuration (enterprise or home) your client adapter is to use. If your driver supports automatic configuration switching, this parameter is entitled Default Profile; otherwise, it is entitled Current Profile. Default: Use Enterprise Configuration Note Select Use Enterprise Configuration if your client adapter is to be used in an enterprise network. If you are planning to use your client adapter in a home network, go to the "Specifying a Home Network Configuration" section. | ||||
Selecting this checkbox enables the client adapter to switch between an enterprise and home network configuration (which you select through the Default Profile parameter above) when it travels out of range and loses association. Default: Deselected Note This parameter is supported only by the Windows operating systems and driver version 6.60 or greater. | ||||
Click OK at the bottom of the System Parameters screen to save any changes you have made.
The RF Network screen (see Figure 2-10) enables you to set parameters that control how and when the client adapter transmits and receives data. To access this screen, select Edit Properties from the Commands pull-down menu (see Figure 2-5) and click the RF Network tab.
Table 2-4 lists and describes the client adapter's RF network parameters. Follow the instructions in the table to initially set or change any parameters.
| Parameter | Description | |
|---|---|---|
Specifies the rate at which you want your client adapter to transmit or receive packets to or from Access Points (in infrastructure mode) or other clients (in ad hoc mode) Auto Rate Selection is recommended for infrastructure mode; setting a specific data rate is recommended for ad hoc mode. Default: Auto Rate Selection | ||
Data Rate | Description | |
Auto Rate Selection | Uses the 11-Mbps data rate when possible but drops to lower rates when necessary | |
1 Mbps Only | Offers the greatest range but the lowest throughput | |
2 Mbps Only | Offers less range but greater throughput than the 1 Mbps Only option | |
5.5 Mbps Only | Offers less range but greater throughput than the 2 Mbps Only option | |
11 Mbps Only | Offers the greatest throughput but the lowest range | |
Note Your client adapter's data rate must be set to Auto Rate Selection or must match the data rate of the Access Points (in infrastructure mode) or the other clients you wish to communicate with (in ad hoc mode). Otherwise, your client adapter may not be able to associate to them. | ||
Selecting this checkbox sets your client adapter to use short radio headers. However, the adapter can use short radio headers only if the Access Point is also configured to support them. Short radio headers improve throughput performance; long radio headers ensure compatibility with clients and Access Points that do not support short radio headers. Default: Deselected | ||
World Mode | Selecting this checkbox enables the client adapter to assume the legal transmit power level and channel set of the Access Point to which it is associated. This parameter is available only in infrastructure mode and is designed for users who travel between countries because it allows the adapter to be used in different regulatory domains. Default: Deselected Note When World Mode is enabled, only the transmit power levels supported by the country of operation's regulatory agency are available. | |
Specifies which frequency your client adapter will use as the channel for communications. These channels conform to the IEEE 802.11 Standard for your regulatory domain.
Range: Dependent on regulatory domain Default: Dependent on regulatory domain Note Refer to Appendix A for a list of channel identifiers, channel center frequencies, and regulatory domains for each channel. | ||
Defines the level at which your client adapter transmits power. This value must not be higher than that allowed by your country's regulatory agency (FCC in the U.S., DOC in Canada, ETSI in Europe, MKK in Japan, etc.). When World Mode is enabled, only the transmit power levels supported by the country of operation's regulatory agency are available. Range: 1, 5, 15, 20, 30, 50, or 100 mW (30 mW is the maximum power level supported by 340 series client adapters) Default: The maximum level allowed by your country's regulatory agency Note 15 mW is supported by 340 series client adapters only, and 20 mW is supported by 350 series client adapters only. Note Reducing the transmit power level conserves battery power but decreases radio range. | ||
Defines the number of times a packet will be resent if the initial transmission is unsuccessful Range: 1 to 128 Default: 16 Note If your network protocol performs its own retries, set this to a smaller value than the default. This way notification of a "bad" packet will be sent up the protocol stack quickly so the application can retransmit the packet if necessary. | ||
Defines the threshold above which an RF data packet will be split up or fragmented. If one of those fragmented packets experiences interference during transmission, only that specific packet would need to be resent. Throughput is generally lower for fragmented packets because the fixed packet overhead consumes a higher portion of the RF bandwidth. Range: 256 to 2312 Default: 2312 | ||
Click OK at the bottom of the RF Network screen to save any changes you have made.
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Note You can set advanced infrastructure parameters only if your client adapter has been set to operate in an infrastructure network. See the Network Type parameter in Table 2-3. |
The Advanced (Infrastructure) screen (see Figure 2-11) enables you to set parameters that control how the client adapter operates within an infrastructure network. To access this screen, select Edit Properties from the Commands pull-down menu (see Figure 2-5) and click the Advanced (Infrastructure) tab.
Table 2-5 lists and describes the client adapter's advanced infrastructure parameters. Follow the instructions in the table to initially set or change any parameters.
| Parameter | Description |
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Specifies the antenna that your client adapter uses to receive data
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Specifies the antenna that your client adapter uses to transmit data. See the Antenna Mode (Receive) parameter above for information on the options available for your client adapter. | |
Specifies the MAC addresses of up to four preferred Access Points with which you want to associate. If the specified Access Points are not found or you roam out of range, you may associate to another Access Point. You can enter the MAC addresses of the Access Points in the edit boxes or choose not to specify Access Points by leaving the boxes blank. Default: No Access Points specified Note This parameter should be used only for Access Points that are in repeater mode. For normal operation, leave these fields blank because specifying an Access Point slows down the roaming process. | |
Specifies the size of the data packet that the low-level RF protocol issues to a request-to-send (RTS) packet Setting this parameter to a small value causes RTS packets to be sent more often. When this occurs, more of the available bandwidth is consumed and the throughput of other network packets is reduced, but the system is able to recover faster from interference or collisions, which may be caused from a high multipath environment characterized by obstructions or metallic surfaces. Range: 0 to 2312 Default: 2312 Note Refer to the IEEE 802.11 Standard for more information on the RTS/CTS mechanism. | |
Specifies the number of times the client adapter will resend a request-to-send (RTS) packet if it does not receive a clear-to-send (CTS) packet from the previously sent RTS packet Setting this parameter to a large value decreases the available bandwidth whenever interference is encountered but makes the system more immune to interference and collisions, which may be caused from a high multipath environment characterized by obstructions or metallic surfaces. Range: 1 to 128 Default: 16 Note Refer to the IEEE 802.11 Standard for more information on the RTS/CTS mechanism. |
Click OK at the bottom of the Advanced (Infrastructure) screen to save any changes you have made.
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Note You can set advanced ad hoc parameters only if your client adapter has been set to operate in an ad hoc network. See the Network Type parameter in Table 2-3. |
The Advanced (Ad Hoc) screen (see Figure 2-12) enables you to set parameters that control how the client adapter operates within an ad hoc network. To access this screen, select Edit Properties from the Commands pull-down menu (see Figure 2-5) and click the Advanced (Ad Hoc) tab.
Table 2-6 lists and describes the client adapter's advanced ad hoc parameters. Follow the instructions in the table to initially set or change any parameters.
| Parameter | Description |
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Specifies the antenna that your client adapter uses to receive data
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Specifies the antenna that your client adapter uses to transmit data. See the Antenna Mode (Receive) parameter above for information on the options available for your client adapter. | |
Specifies the size of the data packet that the low-level RF protocol issues to a request-to-send (RTS) packet Setting this parameter to a small value causes RTS packets to be sent more often. When this occurs, more of the available bandwidth is consumed and the throughput of other network packets is reduced, but the system is able to recover faster from interference or collisions, which may be caused from a high multipath environment characterized by obstructions or metallic surfaces. Range: 0 to 2312 Default: 2312 Note Refer to the IEEE 802.11 Standard for more information on the RTS/CTS mechanism. | |
Specifies the number of times the client adapter will resend a request-to-send (RTS) packet if it does not receive a clear-to-send (CTS) packet from the previously sent RTS packet Setting this parameter to a large value decreases the available bandwidth whenever interference is encountered but makes the system more immune to interference and collisions, which may be caused from a high multipath environment characterized by obstructions or metallic surfaces. Range: 1 to 128 Default: 16 Note Refer to the IEEE 802.11 Standard for more information on the RTS/CTS mechanism. | |
Specifies the amount of time following a beacon that the client adapter stays awake to receive announcement traffic indication message (ATIM) packets, which are sent to the adapter to keep it awake until the next beacon This parameter is used only in Power Save Mode (Max PSP or Fast PSP). Refer to the Power Save Mode parameter in Table 2-3. Range: 5 to 60 Kµs Default: 5 Kµs Note Kµs is a unit of measurement in software terms. K = 1024, | |
Specifies the duration between beacon packets, which are used to help clients find each other in ad hoc mode Default: 100 Kµs |
Click OK at the bottom of the Advanced (Ad Hoc) screen to save any changes you have made.
The Network Security screen (see Figure 2-13) enables you to set parameters that offer varying degrees of security for the data that is passed throughout your wireless network. To access this screen, select Edit Properties from the Commands pull-down menu (see Figure 2-5) and click the Network Security tab.
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Note The Security Level bar graph is available only for the Windows operating systems. |
Table 2-7 lists and describes the client adapter's network security parameters. Follow the instructions in the table to initially set or change any parameters.
| Parameter | Description | |
|---|---|---|
Disables or enables LEAP (also referred to as EAP - Cisco Wireless) or the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) for your client adapter after LEAP or EAP has been enabled initially through the Aironet Client Utility setup program (in Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, or Me or future Windows operating systems) or the Set LEAP Username and Password screen (in Linux) Note Refer to the "EAP and LEAP" section for more information on server-based authentication. Default: Disable | ||
Server Based Authentication Option | | |
None | Disables LEAP or EAP for your client adapter | |
LEAP | Enables LEAP for your client adapter | |
EAP | Enables EAP for your client adapter. If your operating system does not have built-in EAP support, this option is not available. | |
Defines how your client adapter will attempt to authenticate to an Access Point Default: Open Authentication | ||
Authentication | Description | |
Open Authentication | Allows your client adapter, regardless of its WEP settings, to authenticate and attempt to communicate with an Access Point | |
Allows your client adapter to communicate only with Access Points that have the same WEP keys The Access Point sends a known unencrypted "challenge packet" to the client adapter, which encrypts the packet and sends it back to the Access Point. The Access Point attempts to decrypt the encrypted packet and sends an authentication response packet indicating the success or failure of the decryption back to the client adapter. | ||
Note If LEAP or EAP is enabled on your client adapter, Open Authentication is the only available option. Note The Shared Key Authentication option is available only if the client adapter has been assigned a WEP key in CEM and WEP is enabled. Refer to the "Entering a New WEP Key" section for instructions on setting a WEP key and the Enable WEP parameter in Table 2-7 for instructions on enabling WEP. | ||
Allow Association To Mixed Cells | If your network's Access Points are set to communicate with either WEP-enabled or WEP-disabled clients (that is, if the Use of Data Encryption by Stations parameter on the AP Radio Data Encryption screen is set to Optional), you must select this checkbox, even if your client adapter is not using WEP. If this setting is not enabled, your client adapter will not be able to establish a connection with the Access Point. Default: Deselected Note For security reasons, Cisco recommends that both WEP-enabled and WEP-disabled clients not be allowed in the same cell because broadcast packets will be sent unencrypted, even to clients running WEP. | |
Enables or disables WEP for your client adapter. This parameter can be used in two ways:
Default: Deselected | ||
Click OK at the bottom of the Network Security screen to save any changes you have made.
The parameters in this section can be used to configure your client adapter for use in a home (non-enterprise) network. If you are planning to use your client adapter in an enterprise network, go to the "Setting Enterprise Parameters" section.
The Home Networking screen (see Figure 2-14) enables you to set parameters that prepare the client adapter to operate in a home network. To access this screen, select Edit Properties from the Commands pull-down menu (see Figure 2-5) and click the Home Networking tab.
Table 2-8 lists and describes the client adapter's home networking parameters. Follow the instructions in the table to initially set or change any parameters.
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Note To ensure that your client adapter has the same settings as all of the other computers on your home network, you can load the settings from a 3.5-inch floppy disk, if you are running a Windows operating system and you created a home network configuration disk when you set up your home network. See the "Loading Settings from a Floppy Disk" section for instructions. |
| Parameter | Description | |
|---|---|---|
The client name for the home network. It is a logical name for your workstation. It enables you to determine which devices are connected to the base station (the home equivalent of an Access Point) without having to memorize every MAC address. This name is included in the base station's list of connected devices. Range: Up to 16 characters Note Each computer on the home network must have a unique computer name. | ||
SSID | The service set identifier (SSID) enables you to access the home network. Range: Up to 32 characters (case sensitive) Note Only one SSID can be set in a home network, and each device on the network must use the same SSID. | |
WEP Encryption Key Entry Method | Specifies whether the WEP key is entered in hexadecimal characters or ASCII text Default: Hexadecimal | |
WEP Encryption Key Entry Method | | |
Hexadecimal | Specifies that the WEP key be entered in hexadecimal characters, which include 0-9 A-F, and a-f Example: ACB224CAF0 | |
Specifies that the WEP key be entered in ASCII text, which includes alpha characters, numbers, and punctuation marks Example: ZZ18YXPRA3 | ||
WEP Encryption Key | The WEP key for the home network. Refer to Chapter 4 for information on WEP keys. Range: Up to 13 characters (case sensitive in ASCII format) Note Only one WEP key can be set in a home network, and each device on the network must use the same key. | |
Enable Encryption (WEP) | Selecting this checkbox enables WEP for your client adapter. This checkbox is inaccessible until you set an encryption key using the WEP Encryption Key parameter. Default: Deselected Note 40-bit client adapters cannot be used with the Cisco Aironet 340 Series Base Station. | |
Data Rate | Specifies the rate at which you want your client adapter to transmit or receive packets to or from other devices on the home network Default: Auto | |
Data Rate | Description | |
Auto | Uses the 11-Mbps data rate when possible but drops to lower rates when necessary | |
1 Mbps Only | Offers the greatest range but the lowest throughput | |
2 Mbps Only | Offers less range but greater throughput than the 1 Mbps Only option | |
5.5 Mbps Only | Offers less range but greater throughput than the 2 Mbps Only option | |
11 Mbps Only | Offers the greatest throughput but the lowest range | |
Note If the Network Type parameter is set to Base Station, the 1, 2, 5.5, and 11 Mbps options cannot be selected. Note If the Network Type parameter is set to No Base Station, your client adapter's data rate must match the data rate of the other devices on the home network. Otherwise, your client adapter may not be able to associate to them. | ||
Specifies the type of network in which your client adapter is installed Default: Base Station | ||
Network Type | Description | |
No Base Station | Also referred to as peer to peer. Used to set up a small network between two or more devices. For example, a network without a base station could be set up between computers in a room so information can be shared. | |
Used to set up a connection to a wired Ethernet network (through a base station) | ||
Radio Channel | Specifies which frequency your client adapter will use as the channel for communications. These channels conform to the IEEE 802.11 Standard for your regulatory domain.
Range: Dependent on regulatory domain Default: Dependent on regulatory domain Note Refer to Appendix A for a list of channel identifiers, channel center frequencies, and regulatory domains for each channel. | |
Click OK at the bottom of the Home Networking screen to save any changes you have made.
Go to the "Specifying a Home Network Configuration" section for instructions on activating a home network configuration.
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Note The Load From Floppy Drive parameter and the procedure that follows are supported only in the Windows operating systems. |
Follow the instructions below if you wish to copy the settings of any other computers on your home network to your client adapter by using a home network configuration disk, which was created using the Base Station Client Utility (BSCU). Refer to the Cisco Aironet 340 Series Base Station Software Configuration Guide for information on using this utility to create a home network configuration disk.
Step 2 In the Home Networking screen, click Load From Floppy Drive. The Open Home Wireless LAN Setup screen appears (see Figure 2-15).
Step 3 Find the A: drive in the Look in box.
Step 4 Click the setup file (*.rad) so that it appears in the File name box at the bottom of the Open Home Wireless LAN Setup screen.
Step 5 Click the Open button. The selected file is saved to the system.
Step 6 Go to the "Specifying a Home Network Configuration" section for instructions on activating a home network configuration.
After you have set the parameters to prepare your client adapter for use in a home network, you must specify a home network configuration. To do so, follow the instructions below.
Step 2 Select Use Home Network Configuration under Current Profile or Default Profile.
Step 3 Click OK to save this setting.
In addition to enabling you to configure your client adapter for use in various types of networks, ACU provides tools that enable you to assess the performance of the client adapter and other devices on the wireless network. ACU's diagnostic tools perform the following functions:
Table 2-9 enables you to quickly locate the instructions for using each of the diagnostic tools.
| Diagnostic Tool | Page Number |
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Status | |
Statistics | |
RF link test | |
Site survey |
ACU enables you to view the current status of your client adapter as well as many of the settings that have been configured for the adapter.
To view your client adapter's status and settings, select Status from the Commands pull-down menu (see Figure 2-5). The Status screen appears. Figure 2-16 shows the Status screen with the signal strength values displayed as percentages, and Figure 2-17 shows the bottom of the same screen with the signal strength values displayed in decibels with respect to milliwatts (dBm).
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Note Refer to the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information on selecting how signal strength is displayed. |
The status of the client adapter is continually updated at the rate specified by the Screen Update Timer. Instructions for changing the Screen Update Timer setting are provided in Table 2-1.
Table 2-10 describes each client adapter setting for which a status is displayed.
| Client Adapter Setting | Description |
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A description of your client adapter Note If your computer is using the Linux operating system and has more than one client adapter installed, this field also indicates which adapter is being used. | |
The manufacturer of your client adapter | |
The version of the firmware that is currently running on your client adapter | |
The version of the NDIS device driver that is currently installed on your computer Note This setting is applicable only to the Windows operating systems. | |
Default Profile | The network configuration for which your client adapter is configured Value: Enterprise or Home Note See the Current Profile or Default Profile parameter in Table 2-3 for information on setting the network configuration. |
Current Profile | The network configuration your client adapter is currently using (if your driver supports automatic configuration switching and you are running Windows) or the network configuration for which your client adapter is configured (if your driver does not support automatic configuration switching). Value: Enterprise or Home Note See the Current Profile or Default Profile parameter in Table 2-3 and the Enable Auto Configuration Switching parameter in Table 2-3 for information on setting the network configuration. |
Indicates whether your client adapter is set up to use short radio headers Value: Yes or No Note Refer to the Use Short Radio Headers parameter in Table 2-4 for information on using short radio headers. | |
Server Based Authentication | Indicates whether LEAP or EAP is enabled for your client adapter Value: Disabled, LEAP, or EAP Note Refer to the Server Based Authentication parameter in Table 2-7 for information on LEAP and EAP. |
Your client adapter's current WEP status Value: Enabled, Not Enabled, or Need Firmware Upgrade Note Refer to the Enable WEP parameter in Table 2-7 for instructions on enabling WEP. | |
Indicates whether the client adapter must share the same WEP keys as the Access Point in order to communicate or can communicate with the Access Point regardless of its WEP settings Value: Open or Shared Key Note Refer to the Access Point Authentication parameter in Table 2-7 for information on setting the authentication type. | |
The antenna mode that your client adapter is currently using Value: Diversity, Right Only, Left Only Note Refer to the Antenna Mode (Receive) and Antenna Mode (Transmit) parameters in Table 2-5 and Table 2-6 for information on setting the antenna mode. | |
The regulatory domain for which your client adapter is currently configured, such as North America. (For the Japan channel set, the Call ID is also displayed.) This value is not user selectable. Note Refer to Appendix A for a list of channel identifiers, channel center frequencies, and regulatory domains for each channel. | |
The name your client adapter uses when it associates to an Access Point Note Refer to the Client Name parameter in Table 2-3 for information on setting the client name. | |
MAC Address | The MAC address assigned to your client adapter at the factory |
Current Link Speed | The rate at which your client adapter is currently transmitting data packets Value: 1, 2, 5.5, or 11 Mbps |
The rate at which your client adapter has been configured to transmit or receive data packets Value: 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, 11 Mbps, or Auto Rate Selection Note Refer to the Data Rate parameter in Table 2-4 for information on setting the client adapter's data rate. | |
Current Power Level | The power level at which your client adapter is currently transmitting. The maximum level is dependent upon the radio installed in your client adapter and your country's regulatory agency. Value: 1, 5, 15, 20, 30, 50, or 100 mW (30 mW is the maximum power level supported by 340 series client adapters) Note 15 mW is supported by 340 series client adapters only, and 20 mW is supported by 350 series client adapters only. Note Refer to the Transmit Power parameter in Table 2-4for information on setting the client adapter's power level. |
The power levels at which your client adapter is capable of transmitting. The maximum level is dependent upon the radio installed in your client adapter and your country's regulatory agency. Value: 1, 5, 15, 20, 30, 50, or 100 mW (30 mW is the maximum power level supported by 340 series client adapters) Note 15 mW is supported by 340 series client adapters only, and 20 mW is supported by 350 series client adapters only. Note Refer to the Transmit Power parameter in Table 2-4 for information on the client adapter's available power levels. | |
The frequency that your client adapter is currently using as the channel for communications Value: Dependent on regulatory domain Note Refer to the Channel parameter in Table 2-4 for information on selecting the frequency for your client adapter. | |
The operational mode of your client adapter Value: Error, Configured, Associated, Not Associated, or | |
The SSID that your client adapter is currently using Note Refer to the SSID1 parameter in Table 2-3 for information on the client adapter's SSID. | |
The type of network in which your client adapter is being used Value: Infrastructure or Ad Hoc Note Refer to the Network Type parameter in Table 2-3 and Table 2-8 for information on setting the network type. | |
The client adapter's current power consumption setting Value: CAM, Max PSP, or Fast PSP Note Refer to the Power Save Mode parameter in Table 2-3 for information on setting the client adapter's power save mode. | |
Associated Access Point Name | The name of the Access Point to which your client adapter is associated. It is shown only if the Access Point was configured with a name and you are in infrastructure mode. |
Associated Access Point IP Address | The IP address of the Access Point to which your client adapter is associated. It is shown only if the Access Point was configured with an IP address and you are in infrastructure mode. |
Associated Access Point MAC Address | The MAC address of the Access Point to which your client adapter is associated. It is shown only if you are in infrastructure mode. |
Beacon Period | Specifies the duration between beacon packets, which are used to help clients find each other in ad hoc mode |
The amount of time (in hours:minutes:seconds) that the client adapter has been receiving power. If the adapter has been running for more than 24 hours, the time is displayed in days, hours:minutes:seconds. | |
Current Signal Strength |
Range: 0 to 100% or -95 to -45 dBm Note In Linux, the bar graph is not accompanied by a percentage or dBm value. The more green the bar graph is, the stronger the signal. |
Current Beacons Received
| The percentage of beacon packets received versus those expected to be received. The higher the value and the more green the bar graph is, the better the quality of the signal. Range: 0 to 100% Note This setting appears only if you are running Windows, your client adapter's firmware version is less than 4.05, and you selected signal strength to be displayed as a percentage. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
Current Signal Quality | The signal quality for all received packets. The higher the value and the more green the bar graph is, the clearer the signal. Range: 0 to 100% Note This setting appears only if you are running Windows, your client adapter's firmware version is 4.05 or greater, and you selected signal strength to be displayed as a percentage. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
Current Noise Level | The level of background radio frequency energy in the 2.4-GHz band. The lower the value and the more green the bar graph is, the less background noise present. Range: -100 to -45 dBm Note This setting appears only if you are running Windows and you selected signal strength to be displayed in dBm. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
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Value: Not Associated, Poor, Fair, Good, Excellent Note This setting appears only if you selected signal strength to be displayed as a percentage. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. | |
The difference between the signal strength and the current noise level. The higher the value, the better the client adapter's ability to communicate with the Access Point. Range: 0 to 55 dB Note This setting appears only if you are running Windows and selected signal strength to be displayed in dBm. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
ACU enables you to view statistics that indicate how data is being received and transmitted by your client adapter.
To view your client adapter's statistics, select Statistics from the Commands pull-down menu (see Figure 2-5). The Statistics screen appears (see Figure 2-18).
The statistics are calculated as soon as your client adapter is started or the Reset button is selected and are continually updated at the rate specified by the Screen Update Timer. Instructions for changing the Screen Update Timer setting are provided in Table 2-1.
Table 2-11 describes each statistic that is displayed for your client adapter.
| Statistic | Description |
|---|---|
| Receive Statistics | |
The number of multicast packets that were received successfully | |
The number of broadcast packets that were received successfully | |
The number of unicast packets that were received successfully | |
Bytes Received | The number of bytes of data that were received successfully |
Beacons Received | The number of beacon packets that were received successfully |
The number of all packets that were received successfully | |
Duplicate Packets Received | The number of duplicate packets that were received successfully |
The number of packets received when no receive buffers were available. These errors usually occur when the host does not read the received packets from the client adapter fast enough. | |
The number of times the client adapter started to receive an 802.11 physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) header but the rest of the packet was ignored due to a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) error in the header | |
The number of times an 802.11 PLCP header was received with a valid CRC but the rest of the packet was ignored due to an unknown value in the header | |
The number of times an 802.11 PLCP header was received but the rest of the packet was ignored due to an illegal header length | |
The number of packets that had a valid 802.11 PLCP header but contained a CRC error in the data portion of the packet | |
The number of fragments that were discarded because the entire packet was not received successfully | |
The number of times the client adapter tried to associate to an Access Point but was unable to because the adapter's SSID was not the same as the Access Point's | |
The number of times the client adapter tried to associate to an Access Point but was unable to because the Access Point was not the adapter's specified Access Point Note Refer to the Specified Access Point 1- 4 parameter in Table 2-5 for information on specifying Access Points. | |
The number of times the client adapter tried to associate to an Access Point but was unable to because the adapter's data rate was not supported by the Access Point Note Refer to the Data Rate parameter in Table 2-4 for information on supported data rates. | |
The number of times the client adapter tried to authenticate to an Access Point but was rejected | |
The number of times the client adapter tried to authenticate to an Access Point but was unable to because the Access Point did not respond fast enough (timed out) | |
The number of times the client adapter tried to associate to an Access Point but was rejected | |
The number of times the client adapter tried to associate to an Access Point but was unable to because the Access Point did not respond fast enough (timed out) | |
The amount of time (in hours:minutes:seconds) since the Reset button was selected. If the client adapter has been running for more than 24 hours, the time is displayed in days, hours:minutes:seconds. | |
Total Up Time (hh:mm:ss) | The amount of time (in hours:minutes:seconds) that the client adapter has been receiving power. The total up time continues to increment even if the Reset button is selected. If the adapter has been running for more than 24 hours, the time is displayed in days, hours:minutes:seconds. |
| Transmit Statistics | |
Multicast Packets Transmitted | The number of multicast packets that were transmitted successfully |
Broadcast Packets Transmitted | The number of broadcast packets that were transmitted successfully |
Unicast Packets Transmitted | The number of unicast packets that were transmitted successfully |
Bytes Transmitted | The number of bytes of data that were transmitted successfully |
Beacons Transmitted | The number of beacon packets that were transmitted successfully (in ad hoc mode only) |
Ack Packets Transmitted | The number of acknowledgment (Ack) packets that were transmitted in response to successfully received unicast packets |
RTS Packets Transmitted | The number of request-to-send (RTS) packets that were transmitted successfully |
CTS Packets Transmitted | The number of clear-to-send (CTS) packets that were transmitted in response to a successfully received RTS packet |
Single Collisions | The number of packets that had to be retransmitted once due to a collision |
Multiple Collisions | The number of packets that had to be retransmitted more than once due to additional collisions |
The number of packets that were able to be transmitted immediately without being delayed due to energy detect or protocol deferral | |
The number of packets that were delayed due to 802.11 protocol reasons (such as not enough time left to send the packet) | |
The number of normal data packets that were retransmitted | |
The number of request-to-send (RTS) packets that were retransmitted | |
The number of packets that failed to be transmitted successfully after exhausting the maximum number of retries | |
Packets Ack Received | The number of transmitted packets that had their corresponding acknowledgment (Ack) packet received successfully |
The number of transmitted packets that did not have their corresponding Ack packet received successfully | |
The number of clear-to-send (CTS) packets that were received in response to an RTS packet | |
The number of packets for which no CTS packet was received in response to a RTS packet | |
The number of packets that were discarded by the client adapter because they were not transmitted successfully within 5 seconds | |
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Note The RF link test is available only for the Windows operating systems. |
ACU's link test tool sends out pings to assess the performance of the RF link. The test is designed to be performed multiple times at various locations throughout your area and is run at the data rate set in the Edit Properties - RF Network section of ACU (see the Data Rate parameter in Table 2-4). The results of the link test can be used to determine RF network coverage and ultimately the required number and placement of Access Points in your network. The test also helps you to avoid areas where performance is weak, thereby eliminating the risk of losing the connection between your client adapter and its associated Access Point.
Because the link test operates above the RF level, it does more than test the RF link between two network devices. It also checks the status of wired sections of the network and verifies that TCP/IP and the proper drivers have been loaded.
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Note A link test can also be run from an Access Point through a Telnet session. Refer to Chapter 4 of the Cisco Aironet Access Point Software Configuration Guide for information. |
The following prerequisites are required before you can run an RF link test:
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Note See the Help section of your Windows operating system for information on installing and setting up TCP/IP. |
Follow the steps below to run an RF link test.
Step 2 In the IP Address of Access Point field, enter the IP address of the Access Point with which you want to test the RF link.
Step 3 You can set the link test to run until it has attempted to send a specific number of packets or to run until you stop it. Follow one of the steps below to determine how long the link test will run:
Step 4 Select the size of the data packet that is to be sent to the Access Point. You can type a number in the Packet Size field or use the slider to select this value.
Range: 64 to 2048
Default: 100
Step 5 Click the Start button to run the link test. While the test is running, statistics are displayed and updated periodically.
Figure 2-20 shows the Linktest screen with the signal strength values displayed as percentages, and Figure 2-21 shows the bottom of the same screen with the signal strength values displayed in dBm.
Table 2-12 interprets the statistics that are displayed on the Linktest screen while the link test is running.
| Linktest Statistic | Description |
|---|---|
The number of packets of the specified size that have been received successfully | |
The number of packets of the specified size that have been transmitted successfully | |
The operational mode of your client adapter Value: Error, Configured, Associated, Not Associated, or | |
Current Link Speed | The rate at which your client adapter is currently transmitting data packets Value: 1, 2, 5.5, or 11 Mbps |
Associated Access Point Name | The name of the Access Point to which your client adapter is associated. It is shown only if the Access Point was configured with a name and you are in infrastructure mode. |
Associated Access Point MAC Address | The MAC address of the Access Point to which your client adapter is associated. It is shown only if you are in infrastructure mode. |
Current Signal Strength |
Range: 0 to 100% or -95 to -45 dBm |
Current Beacons Received
| The percentage of beacon packets received versus those expected to be received. The higher the value and the more green the bar graph is, the better the quality of the signal. Range: 0 to 100% Note This setting appears only if you are running Windows, your client adapter's firmware version is less than 4.05, and you selected signal strength to be displayed as a percentage. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
Current Signal Quality | The signal quality for all received packets. The higher the value and the more green the bar graph is, the clearer the signal. Range: 0 to 100% Note This setting appears only if your client adapter's firmware version is 4.05 or greater and you selected signal strength to be displayed as a percentage. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
Current Noise Level |
Range: -100 to -45 dBm Note This setting appears only if you selected signal strength to be displayed in dBm. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
Overall Link Quality | The client adapter's ability to communicate with the Access Point, which is determined by the combined result of the adapter's signal strength and signal quality Value: Not Associated, Poor, Fair, Good, Excellent Note This setting appears only if you selected signal strength to be displayed as a percentage. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
The difference between the signal strength and the current noise level. The higher the value, the better the client adapter's ability to communicate with the Access Point. Range: 0 to 55 dB Note This setting appears only if you selected signal strength to be displayed in dBm. See the "Signal Strength Display Units" parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
Step 6 If you did not set the link test to run continuously, the test ends after the specified number of packets is sent, and the Stop button changes back to the Start button. To stop the link test at any time, click Stop, OK, or Cancel.
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Note The site survey feature is available only for the Windows operating systems. |
ACU's site survey tool operates at the RF level and is used to determine the best placement and coverage (overlap) for your network's Access Points. During the site survey, the current status of the network is read from the client adapter and displayed four times per second so you can accurately gauge network performance. The feedback that you receive can help you to eliminate areas of low RF signal levels that can result in a loss of connection between the client adapter and its associated Access Point.
The site survey tool can be operated in two modes:
The following guidelines should be kept in mind when preparing to perform a site survey:
Follow the steps below to activate the site survey passive mode and obtain current information about RF network traffic.
Figure 2-22 shows the Site Survey - Passive Mode screen with the signal strength values displayed as percentages, and Figure 2-23 shows the top of the same screen with the signal strength values displayed in dBm.
Table 2-13 interprets the information that is displayed on the Site Survey - Passive Mode screen.
| Statistic | Description |
|---|---|
The signal strength for all received packets. The higher the value and the more green the bar graph is, the stronger the signal. The histogram below the bar graph provides a visual interpretation of the current signal strength. Differences in signal strength are indicated by the following colors: green (strongest), yellow (middle of the range), and red (weakest). Range: 0 to 100% or -95 to -45 dBm | |
Beacons Received | The percentage of beacon packets received versus those expected to be received. The higher the value and the more green the bar graph is, the better the quality of the signal. The histogram below the bar graph provides a visual interpretation of the current quality of the signal. Differences in signal quality are indicated by the following colors: green (highest quality), yellow (middle of the range), and red (lowest quality). Range: 0 to 100% Note This setting appears only if your client adapter's firmware version is less than 4.05 and you selected signal strength to be displayed as a percentage. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
Signal Quality | The signal quality for all received packets. The higher the value and the more green the bar graph is, the clearer the signal. The histogram below the bar graph provides a visual interpretation of the current signal quality. Differences in signal quality are indicated by the following colors: green (highest quality), yellow (average), and red (lowest quality). Range: 0 to 100% Note This setting appears only if your client adapter's firmware version is 4.05 or greater and you selected signal strength to be displayed as a percentage. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
Noise Level | The level of background radio frequency energy in the 2.4-GHz band. The lower the value and the more green the bar graph is, the less background noise present. The histogram below the bar graph provides a visual interpretation of the current level of background noise. Differences in background noise level are indicated by the following colors: green (low noise), yellow (middle of the range), and red (high noise). Range: -100 to -45 dBm Note This setting appears only if you selected signal strength to be displayed in dBm. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. |
The rate at which your client adapter is receiving packets from its associated Access Point The Link Speed histogram provides a visual interpretation of the current rate at which your client adapter is receiving packets. Differences in link speed are indicated by the following colors: green (fastest), yellow (middle of the range), and red (slowest). Value: 1, 2, 5.5, or 11 Mbps | |
The client adapter's ability to communicate with the Access Point Value: Not Associated, Poor, Fair, Good, Excellent Note This setting appears only if you selected signal strength to be displayed as a percentage. See the Signal Strength Display Units parameter in Table 2-1 for information. | |
The difference between the signal strength and the noise level. The higher the value, the better the client adapter's ability to communicate with the Access Point. Range: 0 to 55 dB Note This setting |