D-Link DWL-AG520 Product Manual - Page 4

Introduction The D-Link Air XpertTM 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 (DLink 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 4