Introduction - D-Link Air Xpert DWL-AG520 Manual

Introduction

The D-Link Air X pert DWL-AG520 Tri-Mode Dualband Wireless PCI Adapter, when
installed into your desktop PC, provides you a versatile way to wirelessly connect to any
one of three available wireless networks - 802.11b and the newer, faster 802.11g and
802.11a that operate in two discrete, non-interfering frequency bands, 2.4GHz and 5GHz.
The versatile 802.11a/b/g compatible DWL-AG520 gives you an immediate way to expand
to your existing 802.11b network and protect your overall wireless network investment.
When you add an 802.11a/b/g access point (D-Link Air Xpert DWL-7000AP) or router (D-
Link Air Xpert DI-774), your network will be capable of handling up to four times the user
load of your current 802.11b network.
Along with compatibility to earlier 802.11b networks, the DWL-AG520 also offers the
robust speed (up to 54Mbps) of the newer 802.11g and 802.11a standards, so that
everyone can work faster and more efficiently. Additionally, the 802.11a 5GHz band
offers a way to quickly transfer data in a frequency range that does not experience
interference or interruptions from cordless phones, microwave ovens and other devices
that use the 2.4GHz frequency band.
In addition to offering faster data transfer speeds when used with other 802.11a or draft
802.11g products, the DWL-AG520 has the newest, most advanced security features
available today, using the draft 802.11i security standard. These additional security
features are optional. You may choose to continue using the familiar WEP security, or
you may not wish to utilize security features at all. However, if you do choose to use the
DWL-AG520's powerful security features with other WPA (WiFi Protected Access) and
802.1x compatible products in a network with a RADIUS server, the security features
will include:
WPA*: A new security feature, Wi-Fi Protected Access authorizes and identifies users
based on a secret key that changes automatically at a regular interval.
WPA uses TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) to change the temporal
key every 10,000 packets (a packet is a kind of message transmitted over a
network). This ensures much greater security than the standard WEP security.
(By contrast, the older WEP encryption required the keys to be changed
manually).
802.1x: Authentication is a first line of defense against intrusion. In the Authentication
process the server verifies the identity of the client attempting to connect to the
network. Unfamiliar clients would be denied access.
Users that choose not to incorporate a RADIUS server in their network may also use the
optional enhanced security features, or they may wish to continue using the standard
WEP security, or they may choose to use no security at all. However, if you do wish to
experience the enhanced security of the DWL-AG520 in conjunction with other draft
802.11i compatible products, without a RADIUS server, the Pre Shared Key mode of
WPA will assign a new security key every time the DWL-AG520 connects to the draft
802.11i Access Point. If you choose to enable the enhanced security features of the
DWL-AG520, you need only to input your encryption information once in the configuration
menu. No longer will you have to manually change the WEP key to ensure security -
with the DWL-AG520, you will automatically receive a new key every time you connect,
vastly increasing the safety of your communications.
*WPA will be available Q3 2003 as a driver download
TM
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