how do you boost a wireless network by connecting to it. What i mean is when your laptop connects to a wireless network is there anyway to boost the signal with/without or laptop connected to the network. Ie can the booster pick up the network and then i make the signal bigger.
Wireless Network?
you canot use your laptop to boost a wireless signal.
A range extender does not connect to the laptop or the router, it is mounted somewere in the home before the signal gets week and boosts that signal.
They cost anywere between 65 and 120 dollars.
Reply:Short of adding a new laptop compatible PC card that might have an external antenna plugin, no. But, keep in mind, wi-fi is at a high frequency, and has small tight waves, and many surfaces can deflect and reflect the signal, so try repositioning your lap top so as to help the internal antenna receive better signals. I hope this helps. :)
Reply:You can't boost the strength or signal of a wireless network without an external device like a range expander or router and adapter with speed booster abilities.
You can't make the signal bigger.You can select the proper settings and make it stronger.
Reply:You can use a wireless network to share Internet access, files, printers, and more. Or you can use it to surf the Web while you're sitting on your couch or in your yard. Plus, it's easier to install than you think.
There are 4 steps to creating a wireless network:
1.
Choose your wireless equipment
2.
Connect your wireless router
3.
Configure your wireless router
4.
Connect your computers
For Windows XP users, Windows XP Service Pack 2 is not required for wireless networking, but it does make things much easier. Service Pack 2 also helps protect you against hackers, worms, and other Internet intruders. To install Service Pack 2, visit the Protect Your PC site.
1.
Choose your wireless equipment
The first step is to make sure that you have the equipment you need. As you're looking for products in stores or on the Internet, you might notice that you can choose equipment that supports three different wireless networking technologies: 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g. We recommend 802.11g, because it offers excellent performance and is compatible with almost everything.
Shopping list
• Broadband Internet connection
• Wireless router
• A computer with built-in wireless networking support or a wireless network adapter
A wireless router
The router converts the signals coming across your Internet connection into a wireless broadcast, sort of like a cordless phone base station. Be sure to get a wireless router, and not a wireless access point.
A wireless network adapter
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Network adapters wirelessly connect your computer to your wireless router. If you have a newer computer you may already have wireless capabilities built in. If this is the case, then you will not need a wireless network adapter. If you need to purchase an adapter for a desktop computer, buy a USB wireless network adapter. If you have a laptop, buy a PC card-based network adapter. Make sure that you have one adapter for every computer on your network.
Note: To make setup easy, choose a network adapter made by the same vendor that made your wireless router. For example, if you find a good price on a Linksys router, choose a Linksys network adapter to go with it. To make shopping even easier, buy a bundle, such as those available from D-Link, Netgear, Linksys, Microsoft, and Buffalo. If you have a desktop computer, make sure that you have an available USB port to plug the wireless network adapter into. If you don't have any open USB ports, buy a hub to add additional ports.
2.
Connect your wireless router
Since you'll be temporarily disconnected from the Internet, print these instructions before you go any further.
First, locate your cable modem or DSL modem and unplug it to turn it off.
Next, connect your wireless router to your modem. Your modem should stay connected directly to the Internet. Later, after you've hooked everything up, your computer will wirelessly connect to your router, and the router will send communications through your modem to the Internet.
Next, connect your router to your modem:
Note: The instructions below apply to a Linksys wireless router. The ports on your router may be labeled differently, and the images may look different on your router. Check the documentation that came with your equipment for additional assistance.
• If you currently have your computer connected directly to your modem: Unplug the network cable from the back of your computer, and plug it into the port labeled Internet, WAN, or WLAN on the back of your router.
• If you do not currently have a computer connected to the Internet: Plug one end of a network cable (included with your router) into your modem, and plug the other end of the network cable into the Internet, WAN, or WLAN port on your wireless router.
• If you currently have your computer connected to a router: Unplug the network cable connected to the Internet, WAN, or WLAN port from your current router, and plug this end of the cable into the Internet, WAN, or WLAN port on your wireless router. Then, unplug any other network cables, and plug them into the available ports on your wireless router. You no longer need your original router, because your new wireless router replaces it.
Next, plug in and turn on your cable or DSL modem. Wait a few minutes to give it time to connect to the Internet, and then plug in and turn on your wireless router. After a minute, the Internet, WAN, or WLAN light on your wireless router should light up, indicating that it has successfully connected to your modem.
3.
Configure your wireless router
Using the network cable that came with your wireless router, you should temporarily connect your computer to one of the open network ports on your wireless router (any port that isn't labeled Internet, WAN, or WLAN). If you need to, turn your computer on. It should automatically connect to your router.
Next, open Internet Explorer and type in the address to configure your router.
You might be prompted for a password. The address and password you use will vary depending on what type of router you have, so refer to the instructions included with your router.
As a quick reference, this table shows the default addresses, usernames, and passwords for some common router manufacturers.
Router Address Username Password
3Com
http://192.168.1.1
admin
admin
D-Link
http://192.168.0.1
admin
Linksys
http://192.168.1.1
admin
admin
Microsoft Broadband
http://192.168.2.1
admin
admin
Netgear
http://192.168.0.1
admin
password
Internet Explorer will show your router's configuration page. Most of the default settings should be fine, but you should configure three things:
1.
Your wireless network name, known as the SSID. This name identifies your network. You should choose something unique that none of your neighbors will be using.
2.
Wireless encryption (WEP) or Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), which help protect your wireless network. For most routers, you will provide a passphrase that your router uses to generate several keys. Make sure your passphrase is unique and long (you don't need to memorize it).
3.
Your administrative password, which controls your wireless network. Just like any other password, it should not be a word that you can find in the dictionary, and it should be a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Be sure you can remember this password, because you'll need it if you ever have to change your router's settings.
The exact steps you follow to configure these settings will vary depending on the type of router you have. After each configuration setting, be sure to click Save Settings, Apply, or OK to save your changes.
Now, you should disconnect the network cable from your computer.
4.
Connect your computers
If your computer does not have wireless network support built in, plug your network adapter into your USB port, and place the antenna on top of your computer (in the case of a desktop computer), or insert the network adapter into an empty PC card slot (in the case of a laptop). Windows XP will automatically detect the new adapter, and may prompt you to insert the CD that came with your adapter. The on-screen instructions will guide you through the configuration process.
Note: The steps below only apply if you're using Windows XP Service Pack 2. If you're running Windows XP and you don't have Service Pack 2 yet, plug your computer into your wireless router and download and install Service Pack 2 from the Protect Your PC site.
Windows XP should show an icon with a notification that says it has found a wireless network.
Follow these steps to connect your computer to your wireless network:
1.
Right-click the wireless network icon in the lower-right corner of your screen, and then click View Available Wireless Networks. If you run into any problems, consult the documentation that came with your network adapter. Don't be afraid to call their tech support.
2.
The Wireless Network Connection window should appear and you should see your wireless network listed with the network name you chose. If you don't see your network, click Refresh network list in the upper-left corner. Click your network, and then click Connect in the lower-right corner.
3.
Windows XP prompts you to enter a key. Type the encryption key that you wrote down earlier in both the Network key and Confirm network key boxes, and then click Connect.
4.
Windows XP will show its progress as it connects to your network. After you're connected, you can now close the Wireless Network Connection window. You're done.
Note: If the Wireless Network Connection window continues to show Acquiring Network Address, you may have mistyped the encryption key.
Set up your computer for wireless networking
Wireless networking is integrated into Windows XP. You can use Windows XP automatic networking Setup to quickly set up a wireless network. You must have a 802.11b wireless adapter installed on the portable computer and you must have access to a 802.11b standard wireless network.
Install the wireless adapter
To install the wireless adapter:1. Insert the 802.11b wireless adapter into the portable computer PCMCIA slot.
The Automatic Wireless Configuration wizard starts.
2. Follow the steps in the Automatic Wireless Configuration wizard.
After the wizard finishes, your computer is ready to connect to the network.
Connect to the network
Windows XP automatically polls the area for available wireless access points. If one is present, Windows XP tries to connect to it. Sometimes, you find that even though there is a wireless network in the area, Windows XP cannot recognize it. If this situation occurs, you must manually add the wireless access point.
Install a wireless access point manually
1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Network Connections.
3. Right-click Wireless Network Connection, and then click Properties.
4. Click the Wireless Networks tab.
A list of wireless access points appears in the Available networks box.
5. Under Preferred networks, click Add.
6. In the Network Name (SSID) box, type the name of the access point and select the appropriate check boxes, according to your network requirements.
You may have to ask the LAN administrators for specific settings. If you are on a domain, you may have to request client certificates.
7. Click OK.
After you add the new access point, you can connect to the new network.
Roam to another network
When you bring your portable computer into another wireless network area, Windows XP automatically tries to connect to that network. If Windows XP does not recognize the new network, follow the instructions in this article to manually install the wireless network.
To set up automatic wireless network configuration
1.
Open Network Connections
2.
Right-click Wireless Network Connection, and then click Properties.
3.
On the Wireless Networks tab, do one of the following:
• To enable automatic wireless network configuration, select the Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings check box. This check box is selected by default. For information about what happens when you enable automatic wireless network configuration, see Notes.
• To disable automatic wireless network configuration, clear the Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings check box.
4.
To connect to an existing wireless network, do one of the following:
Access point (infrastructure)
• To connect to an existing access point (infrastructure) network, under Available networks, click the network name, and then click Configure.
In Wireless Network Properties, specify the wireless network key (Wired Equivalent Privacy) settings, or, if the network key is automatically provided for you (for example, the key is stored on the wireless network adapter given to you by your administrator), select the The key is provided for me automatically check box. If you are unsure about whether a network key is needed or which settings you need to enter, contact your network administrator or the wireless network adapter manufacturer.
Important
• If a network does not broadcast its network name, it will not appear under Available networks. To connect to an access point (infrastructure) network that you know is available but that does not appear under Available networks, under Preferred networks, click Add. In Wireless Network Properties, specify the network name (Service Set Identifier) and, if needed, the wireless network key settings.
Computer-to-computer (ad hoc)
• To connect to an existing computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network, under Available networks, click the network name, and then click Configure.
In Wireless Network Properties, specify the wireless network key (Wired Equivalent Privacy) settings, or, if the network key is automatically provided for you (for example, the key is stored on the wireless network adapter given to you by your administrator), select the The key is provided for me automatically check box. If you are unsure about whether a network key is needed or which settings you need to enter, contact your network administrator or the wireless network adapter manufacturer.
If you want to connect to a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network and both computer-to-computer and access point (infrastructure) networks are within range of your computer, click Advanced, and then click Computer-to-computer (ad hoc) networks only.
5.
To configure a new wireless network connection, click Add, and then do the following:
• In Wireless Network Properties, specify the network name (Service Set Identifier) and, if needed, the wireless network key settings.
• If the network connection that you are configuring is to a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network, select the This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network; wireless access points are not used check box.
6.
To change the order in which connection attempts to preferred networks are made, under Preferred networks, click the wireless network that you want to move to a new position on the list, and then click Move up or Move down.
7.
To change the wireless network connection settings for a network that is listed in Preferred networks, click the wireless network for which you want to change settings, click Properties, and then change the settings as needed.
8.
To remove a wireless network from the list of preferred networks, under Preferred networks, click the wireless network that you want to remove, and then click Remove.
9.
To update the list of available networks that are within range of your computer, click Refresh.
10.
To automatically connect to available networks that do not appear in the Preferred networks list, click Advanced, and then select the Automatically connect to non-preferred networks check box.
Note
• To open Network Connections, click Start, click Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections.
• When you enable automatic wireless network configuration, you can connect to an existing wireless network, change wireless network connection settings, configure a new wireless network connection, and specify preferred wireless networks. You will be notified when new wireless networks are available. After you select a wireless network, your wireless network adapter will be automatically configured to match the settings of that network, and a network connection attempt will be made. For more information, see Related Topics.
• To configure settings on the Wireless Networks tab, you must be logged on as an administrator, and you must use a wireless network adapter that supports the Wireless Zero Configuration service. If you are unsure whether your wireless network adapter supports the Wireless Zero Configuration service, contact your network administrator or the wireless network adapter manufacturer. For more information about automatic wireless network configuration, see Related Topics.
• If you are using third-party wireless networking software, clear the Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings check box.
• If you are unable to connect to an existing wireless network and the name of the network that you want to connect to appears under the Preferred networks list, click the preferred network name, and then click Properties. In Wireless Network Properties, review the settings to ensure that they are correct. If you are unsure whether the settings are correct, contact your network administrator or the wireless network adapter manufacturer.
• If the Preferred networks list includes both access point (infrastructure) and computer-to-computer (ad hoc) networks, you cannot move a computer-to-computer network to a position in the list that is higher than the position of an access point network.
• To provide enhanced security for 802.11 wireless networks and for wired Ethernet networks, IEEE 802.1x authentication is enabled by default. For more information about how to set up 802.1x authentication, see Related Topics.
To connect to an available wireless network
1.
Right-click the network connection icon in the notification area, and then click View Available Wireless Networks.
2.
In Connect to Wireless Network, under Available Networks, click the wireless network that you want to connect to.
3.
If a network key is required for Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), do one of the following:
• If the network key is automatically provided for you (for example, the key is stored on the wireless network adapter given to you by your administrator), leave Network Key blank.
• If the network key is not automatically provided for you, in Network key, type the key.
4.
Click Connect.
5.
To configure additional wireless network connection settings, or if you are having difficulty making a connection to the wireless network that you selected, click Advanced, and then configure the settings in the Wireless Networks tab.
Note
• On the Wireless Networks tab, you can view and configure additional settings for automatic wireless network configuration. However, to configure settings on the Wireless Networks tab, you must be a member of the local Administrators group, and you must use a wireless network adapter that supports the Wireless Zero Configuration service. If you are unsure whether your wireless network adapter supports the Wireless Zero Configuration service, contact your network administrator. For more information about how to set up automatic wireless network configuration, see Related Topics.
• WEP is a set of security services used to protect 802.11 wireless networks from unauthorized access. For more information about how to configure WEP settings for wireless network clients, see Related Topics.
To set up 802.1x authentication
1.
Open Network Connections
2.
Right-click the connection for which you want to enable or disable IEEE 802.1x authentication, and then click Properties.
3.
On the Authentication tab, do one of the following:
• To enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this connection, select the Network access control using IEEE 802.1X check box. This check box is selected by default.
• To disable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this connection, clear the Network access control using IEEE 802.1X check box.
4.
In EAP type, click the Extensible Authentication Protocol type to be used with this connection.
5.
If you select Smart Card or other Certificate in EAP type, you can configure additional properties if you click Properties and, in Smart Card or other Certificate Properties, do the following:
• To use the certificate that resides on your smart card for authentication, click Use my smart card.
• To use the certificate that resides in the certificate store on your computer for authentication, click Use a certificate on this computer.
• To verify that the server certificate presented to your computer is still valid, select the Validate server certificate check box, specify whether to connect only if the server resides within a particular domain, and then specify the trusted root certification authority.
• To use a different user name when the user name in the smart card or certificate is not the same as the user name in the domain to which you are logging on, select the Use a different user name for the connection check box.
6.
To specify whether the computer should attempt authentication to the network if a user is not logged on and/or if the computer or user information is not available, do the following:
• To specify that the computer attempt authentication to the network if a user is not logged on, select the Authenticate as computer when computer information is available check box.
• To specify that the computer attempt authentication to the network if user information or computer information is not available, select the Authenticate as guest when user or computer information is unavailable check box. This check box is selected by default.
Note
• To open Network Connections, click Start, click Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections.
• IEEE 802.1x authentication provides authenticated access to 802.11 wireless networks and to wired Ethernet networks. 802.1x minimizes wireless network security risks and uses standard security protocols, such as RADIUS. For more information about 802.1x and 802.11, see Related Topics.
• To configure settings on the Authentication tab, you must be a member of the local Administrators group.
• For wired and wireless network connections, the settings in the Authentication tab apply to the network to which you are currently connected. If you are currently connected to a wireless network, you can verify the name of the network by clicking the Wireless Networks tab. The name of the network will appear in Visible networks and Preferred networks, and it will be preceded by an icon with a circle around it.
Configuring wireless network clients
Automatic wireless network configuration supports the IEEE 802.11 standard for wireless networks and minimizes the configuration that is required to access wireless networks. When you enable automatic wireless network configuration on your computer, you can roam across different wireless networks without the need to reconfigure the network connection settings on your computer for each location. As you move from one location to a new location, automatic wireless network configuration searches for available wireless networks and notifies you when there are new wireless networks available for you to connect to. After you select the wireless network that you want to connect to, automatic wireless network configuration updates your wireless network adapter to match the settings of that wireless network, and attempts to connect to that wireless network.
With automatic wireless network configuration, you can create a list of preferred wireless networks, and you can specify the order in which to attempt connections to these wireless networks.
Wireless network types
You can choose from the following wireless network types:
Access point (infrastructure)
In access point wireless networks, wireless stations (devices with radio network cards, such as your portable computer or personal digital assistant) connect to wireless access points. These access points function as bridges between wireless stations and the existing network distribution system (network backbone). As you move from one location to another, and the signal for one wireless access point weakens, or the access point becomes congested with traffic, you can connect to a new access point. For example, if you work in a large corporation, your wireless device can connect to several different access points as you move between different floors of a building or different buildings in a campus. As a result, you maintain uninterrupted access to network resources.
Computer-to-computer (ad hoc)
In computer-to-computer wireless networks, wireless stations connect to each other directly, rather than through wireless access points. For example, if you are in a meeting with co-workers, and you do not need to gain access to network resources, your wireless device can connect to the wireless devices of your co-workers, and you can form a temporary network.
Any available network (access point preferred)
In access point preferred wireless networks, a connection to an access point wireless network is always attempted first, if there are any available. If an access point network is not available, a connection to a computer-to-computer wireless network is attempted. For example, if you use your laptop at work in an access point wireless network, and then take your laptop home to use in your computer-to-computer home network, automatic wireless network configuration will change your wireless network settings as needed, so that you can connect to your home network.
802.11 security
Security options for 802.11 include authentication services and encryption services based on the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) algorithm. WEP is a set of security services used to protect 802.11 networks from unauthorized access, such as eavesdropping (the capture of wireless network traffic). With automatic wireless network configuration, you can specify that a network key be used for authentication to the network. You can also specify that a network key be used to encrypt your data as it is transmitted over the network. When data encryption is enabled, secret shared encryption keys are generated and used by the source station and the destination station to alter frame bits, thus avoiding disclosure to eavesdroppers.
Open System and Shared Key authentication
802.11 supports two subtypes of network authentication services: Open System and Shared Key. Under Open System authentication, any wireless station can request authentication. The station that needs to authenticate with another wireless station sends an authentication management frame that contains the identity of the sending station. The receiving station then sends back a frame that indicates whether it recognizes the identity of the sending station. Under Shared Key authentication, each wireless station is assumed to have received a secret shared key over a secure channel that is independent from the 802.11 wireless network communications channel. To use Shared Key authentication, you must have a network key.
Network keys
When you enable WEP, you can specify that a network key be used for encryption. A network key can be provided for you automatically (for example, it might be provided on your wireless network adapter), or you can specify the key by typing it yourself. If you specify the key yourself, you can also specify the key length (40 bits or 104 bits), key format (ASCII characters or hexadecimal digits), and key index (the location where a specific key is stored). The longer the key length, the more secure the key. Every time the length of a key is increased by one bit, the number of possible keys doubles.
Under 802.11, a wireless station can be configured with up to four keys (the key index values are 0, 1, 2, and 3). When an access point or a wireless station transmits an encrypted message using a key that is stored in a specific key index, the transmitted message indicates the key index that was used to encrypt the message body. The receiving access point or wireless station can then retrieve the key that is stored at the key index and use it to decode the encrypted message body.
802.1x authentication
For enhanced security, you can enable IEEE 802.1x authentication. IEEE 802.1x authentication provides authenticated access to 802.11 wireless networks and to wired Ethernet networks. IEEE 802.1x minimizes wireless network security risks, such as unauthorized access to network resources and eavesdropping, by providing user and computer identification, centralized authentication, and dynamic key management. IEEE 802.1x supports Internet Authentication Service (IAS), which implements the Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) protocol. Under this implementation, a wireless access point that is configured as a RADIUS client sends a connection request and accounting messages to a central RADIUS server. The central RADIUS server processes the request and grants or rejects the connection request. If the request is granted, the client is authenticated, and unique keys (from which the WEP key is derived) can be generated for that session, depending on the authentication method chosen. The support that IEEE 802.1x provides for Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) security types allows you to use authentication methods such as smart cards, certificates, and the Message Digest 5 (MD5) algorithm.
With IEEE 802.1x authentication, you can specify whether the computer attempts authentication to the network if the computer requires access to network resources whether a user is logged on or not. For example, data center operators who manage remotely administered servers can specify that the servers should attempt authentication to access the network resources. You can also specify whether the computer attempts authentication to the network if user or computer information is not available. For example, Internet service providers (ISPs) can use this authentication option to allow users access to free Internet services, or to Internet services that can be purchased. A corporation can grant visitors with limited guest access, so that they can access the Internet, but not confidential network resources.
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