FRITZ WLAN-7170 Router Manual PDF (Setup & Configuration Guide)

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FRITZ!Box

61

Encryption

Changing the Encryption Method: Recommendations

If your WLAN adapter supports an encryption method that

is more secure than the one preconfigured in your

FRITZ!Box, you should select the more secure encryption

method in your FRITZ!Box.

To configure the best security settings possible with

FRITZ!Box and your WLAN adapter, please note the follow-

ing recommendations:

°

If your WLAN adapter supports WPA2 in accordance

with the 802.11i standard:

–

Enable WPA encryption.

–

Select

the

WPA

mode

“WPA2

(CCMP)”

or

“WPA+WPA2”.

–

Replace the WPA key with a new, unique value.

°

If your WLAN adapter supports the WPA mechanism,

but not the WPA2 mechanism:

–

Enable WPA encryption.

–

Select the WPA mode “WPA (TKIP)” or “WPA+WPA2”.

–

Replace the WLAN network key with a new, unique

value.

°

If your WLAN adapter supports neither the WPA nor the

WPA2 mechanism:

–

Enable WEP encryption.

–

Replace the WLAN key with a new, unique value.

We strongly recommend the use of a WLAN adapter that

supports WPA or WPA2 (for instance, the AVM FRITZ!WLAN

USB Stick). WEP is out of date and data encrypted with WEP

can be deciphered within a few hours.

Page 62 / 140

WLAN Radio Network Name (SSID)

FRITZ!Box

62

WLAN Radio Network Name (SSID)

The factory settings of FRITZ!Box include a value of

“FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7170” preset for the SSID (Service Set

Identifier).

If an additional device with the same network name is lo-

cated in the vicinity, it can occur that the WLAN adapter at-

tempts to register there. Therefore you should change the

SSID as soon as possible.

8.3

Frequency Range

WLAN uses the frequency range around 2.4 GHz in the ISM

band, or, alternatively, the area around 5 GHz.

2.4-GHz Range

WLAN in the 2.4-GHz frequency band works in the same ar-

ea as Bluetooth, microwave devices and many cordless

telephones. This means that interference may occur within

WLANs operated in the vicinity of such devices. Generally

the only adverse effects are to the transmission rate; abort-

ed connections and data losses are rare.

In Europe, 13 channels are provided for WLAN in the 2.4 GHz

range. One channel has a bandwidth of 22 MHz. A 5-MHz in-

terval is left empty between adjacent channels. That means

that channels located directly next to each other may overlap

and result in mutual interference. If several WLANs are oper-

ated within a small space, a distance of at least five channels

should be left empty between each two channels used. For

instance, if channel 1 is selected for one WLAN, the channels

7 through 13 can be selected for a second WLAN. This main-

tains the minimum distance between channels.

WLAN

Autochannel

With the WLAN Autochannel function, the FRITZ!Box auto-

matically searches for the channel subject to the least inter-

ference. Should problems with interference persist despite

this function, try to identify the source of interference and

switch it off manually.

Additional tips on interference in the WLAN radio network

are presented in the section “Eliminating Disturbances

Caused by Another WLAN Radio Network” from page 85.

Page 63 / 140

FRITZ!Box

63

Allocation of the WLAN Channels in the 2.4-GHz Range

8.4

Increasing the WLAN Range Using WDS

You can extend the range in your wireless network using

WDS (Wireless Distributed System). For this you need an-

other WLAN access point in addition to the FRITZ!Box. One

of the two WLAN access points works as the base station,

the other as a repeater. The base station and repeater are

connected to each other via WLAN. The base station then

can use the repeater to reach even computers that would

be located beyond its range without the repeater.

WDS: Expanding the WLAN range using a repeater

Please note:

°

In order to expand the range of your wireless network,

you need at least one additional WLAN access point.

The wireless network of your FRITZ!Box can be expand-

ed to a WDS (Wireless Distributed System) with up to

four WLAN access points.

Channel

Frequency (GHz)

Channel

Frequency (GHz)

1

2.412

8

2.447

2

2.417

9

2.452

3

2.422

10

2.457

4

2.427

11

2.462

5

2.432

12

2.467

6

2.437

13

2.472

7

2.442

Page 64 / 140

Increasing the WLAN Range Using WDS

FRITZ!Box

64

°

All WLAN access points implemented in the WDS must

support WDS and be configured for this technology.

°

All WLAN access points implemented as repeaters in

the WDS must be located within the range of the base

station.

°

When WDS in the FRITZ!Box is enabled, it can function

as a base station to establish the Internet connection

for other repeaters, or as a repeater to expand the

range of a base station.

°

Make sure that the WLAN connections in the wireless

network are encrypted for security.

°

Make sure that all WLAN access points in the WDS use

the same radio channel.

°

Every access point participating in the WDS fulfills the

tasks of a WLAN access point for its given WLAN cli-

ents. This means that the WLAN clients see each

WLAN access point with an individual name (SSID)

and individual encryption settings.

If you use the WLAN control software provided by the

Windows XP Service Pack 2 on your WLAN clients, you

can assign the same SSID and the same encryption

settings to different WLAN access points. Each client

can then automatically register at the WLAN access

point with the best availability.

°

Make sure that each IP address is assigned only once

in the wireless network.

Page 65 / 140

FRITZ!Box

65

Enabling WLAN in the FRITZ!Box

Make sure that the “Show expert settings” option is en-

abled in the “System / Expert Mode” menu.

Perform the following steps:

1.

Start your computer and open a web browser.

2.

Enter

fritz.box

or

192.168.178.1

in the ad-

dress line of your web browser and confirm by hitting

the enter key. The FRITZ!Box user interface opens.

3.

Click the “Settings” menu entry.

4.

Click the “WLAN” menu entry.

5.

Make sure that the wireless radio network (WLAN) is

enabled.

If necessary, enable the setting “Enable WLAN” in the

“WLAN / Radio Settings” menu and click the “Apply”

button.

6.

Click the “Repeater” menu command.

7.

Enable the “Enable support for WLAN repeater (WDS)”

setting.

Now WDS support is enabled in your FRITZ!Box.

The next step is to specify whether the FRITZ!Box is to work

as a base station or as a repeater. Continue with the follow-

ing section for instructions.

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