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Appendix B: Wireless Security

What Are The Risks?

Wireless-G PrintServer for USB 2.0

The solution, then, is to segment your network up into multiple groups. If your network had 80 users and you

used four WEP keys, a hacker would have access to only ¼ of your wireless network resources. In this way,

multiple keys reduce your liability.

Finally, be sure to change your WEP key regularly, once a week or once a day. Using a “dynamic” WEP key, rather

than one that is static, makes it even harder for a hacker to break into your network and steal your resources.

WEP Encryption

There are two ways to enable WEP encryption for the PrintServer. The first way is through the Setup Wizard, and

the second way is through the web-based utility. To use the Setup Wizard, refer to “Chapter 4: Configuring the

PrintServer Using the Setup Wizard.” To use the web-based utility, follow these instructions:

1.

Click the

Wireless

tab of the web-based utility.

2.

Click the

Security tab

. See Figure B-2.

3.

From the

WEP Encryption

drop-down menu, select

64 Bit Keys (10 Hex chars)

or

128 Bit Keys (26 Hex

chars)

, depending on the level of encryption your wireless network uses.

4.

From the

Security Mode

drop-down menu, select your wireless network’s authentication type,

Open System

,

Shared Key

, or

Auto

. If you are not sure which type to choose, select

Auto

, which will enable the PrintServer

to automatically use Open System or Shared Key authentication, depending on the authentication being used

by your wireless network.

5.

Select the Default Transmit Key used by your wireless network.

6.

Enter a Passphrase in the

Passphrase

field, and click the

Generate Keys

button. The Passphrase is case-

sensitive and should have 16 alphanumeric characters or fewer.

7.

If you do not want to use a Passphrase, then enter the WEP keys manually in the

Key 1

to

Key 4

fields. Each

WEP key must consist of valid hexadecimal characters, the letters “A” through “F” and numbers “0” through

“9”. For 64-bit WEP encryption, the key must consist of exactly 10 hexadecimal characters. For 128-bit WEP

encryption, the key must consist of exactly 26 hexadecimal characters.

8.

Click the

Save

button to apply your changes.

Important:

Always remember that each

device in your wireless network MUST use

the same WEP encryption method and

encryption key or your wireless network will

not function properly.

Figure B-2: Wireless Tab - Security

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Appendix C: About Bi-Directional Printing

Wireless-G PrintServer for USB 2.0

Appendix C: About Bi-Directional Printing

Normal printing only sends print signals from a PC to a printer. Bi-directional printing, also called bitronic printing,

refers to a printer’s ability to do just the opposite—talk back to a PC to notify it of a print job status, paper jams, etc.

This two-way communication technology can be found in HP, IBM, Panasonic, and other laser or color printers where

close contact between the PC and printer is key. In color printing, for example, the printer “informs” the PC of its

constant status in order to mix color inks correctly for optimal quality output.

Bi-directional communication, communication from a printer to a PC, is normally handled by a combination of the

printer hardware and special software on your computer. Bi-directional printers generally have highly advanced

parallel interfaces. These printers often require special parallel ports in order to take full advantage of their features.

Using a bi-directional printer on a network poses unique challenges. Unlike a direct PC-to-printer connection during

which a bi-directional printer can easily send its signals back to the host PC through the computer’s parallel port

(which is normally located only a few feet away from the printer), a networked printer faces the problem of having to

route messages bound for a particular PC through a large array of hubs, switches, file servers, and computers.

Unfortunately, most printers are not equipped to handle the complexities of printer-to-PC communication across a

network. That does not mean that they can’t be used on a network, however.

Linksys designed the PrintServers to function with both regular as well as bi-directional printers. Standard print

servers cannot work with bi-directional printers, but the PrintServer features a custom design to support both parallel

as well as bi-directional parallel interfaces. However, the PrintServer cannot pass messages from the printer back to

the printing PC—this limitation is simply an industry standard, and not one of the PrintServer itself.

However, the PrintServer can check any printer’s online and printing status on the network using the Bi-Admin

management utility software packaged with the PrintServer. The status-checking feature built into the management

software does not require a bi-directional printer to function. If your printer came with special bi-directional software

allowing you to monitor printer status, do not use it with the PrintServer—the software is most likely not network-

capable. For best results, turn off the printer’s bi-directional function either by (1) removing any bi-directional printing

software from your network computers, and/or (2) turning off the printer’s bi-directional print feature inside of the

printer’s on-board menus (if it has menus). Your printer’s user guide should be able to provide specific instructions for

doing this.

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Appendix D: Upgrading Firmware

Wireless-G PrintServer for USB 2.0

Appendix D: Upgrading Firmware

The PrintServer’s firmware is upgraded through the Bi-Admin Management utility. Follow these instructions:

1.

Download the firmware from Linksys’s website at

www.linksys.com

.

2.

Open the Bi-Admin Management utility.

3.

Click

Main

=>

Upgrade Firmware

.

4.

Click the

Files...

button to browse for the file.

5.

The

Detected LAN Cards

screen will appear, as shown in Figure C-2. Select the LAN card the PrintServer is

connected to, and then click the

OK

button. Select the firmware file you want to use.

6.

View the

BIN File Information

screen, and click the

OK

button if you have selected the correct firmware file.

Click the

Cancel

button to select a different firmware file.

7.

On the

Upgrade

screen, click the

Upgrade

button. Click the

Cancel

button to cancel the firmware upgrade.

For more information, click the

Help

button.

Figure D-1: Upgrade Firmware

Figure D-2: Detected LAN Cards

Figure D-3: BIN File Information

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Appendix E: Windows Help

Wireless-G PrintServer for USB 2.0

Appendix E: Windows Help

All Linksys wireless products require Microsoft Windows. Windows is the most used operating system in the

world and comes with many features that help make networking easier. These features can be accessed through

Windows Help and are described in this appendix.

TCP/IP

TCP/IP is a set of instructions, or protocol, all PCs follow to communicate over a network. This is true for wireless

networks as well. Your PCs will not be able to utilize wireless networking without having TCP/IP enabled.

Windows Help provides complete instructions on enabling TCP/IP.

Shared Resources

If you wish to share printers, folder, or files over your network, Windows Help provides complete instructions on

utilizing shared resources.

Network Neighborhood/My Network Places

Other PCs on your network will appear under Network Neighborhood or My Network Places (depending upon the

version of Windows you're running). Windows Help provides complete instructions on adding PCs to your

network.

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Appendix F: Glossary

Wireless-G PrintServer for USB 2.0

Appendix F: Glossary

802.11a

- An IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 54Mbps and an

operating frequency of 5GHz.

802.11b

- An IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 11Mbps and an

operating frequency of 2.4GHz.

802.11g

- An IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 54Mbps, an

operating frequency of 2.4GHz, and backward compatibility with 802.11b devices.

Access Point

- Device that allows wireless-equipped computers and other devices to communicate with a wired

network. Also used to expand the range of a wireless network.

Adapter

- This is a device that adds network functionality to your PC.

Ad-hoc

- A group of wireless devices communicating directly with each other (peer-to-peer) without the use of

an access point.

Backbone

- The part of a network that connects most of the systems and networks together, and handles the

most data.

Bandwidth

- The transmission capacity of a given device or network.

Beacon Interval

- The frequency interval of the beacon, which is a packet broadcast by a router to synchronize a

wireless network.

Bit

- A binary digit.

Boot

- To start a device and cause it to start executing instructions.

Bridge

- A device that connects two different kinds of local networks, such as a wireless network to a wired

Ethernet network.

Broadband

- An always-on, fast Internet connection.

Browser

- A browser is an application program that provides a way to look at and interact with all the

information on the World Wide Web.

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