This document provides a sample configuration that shows how to set up a basic wireless LAN (WLAN) connection with the use of a Cisco Aironet Access Point (AP) and computers with Cisco-compatible client adapters. The example uses the GUI and Console mode.
Requriement
Ensure that you meet these requirements before you attempt this configuration:
Familiarity with basic wireless radio frequency (RF) technology
Basic understanding of how to access a Cisco AP
This document assumes that the drivers of the wireless client cards for the PCs or laptops are already installed.
Component Used
The information in this document is based on these software and hardware versions:
One Aironet 1200 Series AP that runs Cisco IOS� Software Release 12.3(7)JA
Three Aironet 802.11a/b/g Client Adapters that run firmware 2.5
Note: This document uses an AP that has an integrated antenna. If you use an AP which requires an external antenna, ensure that the antennas are connected to the AP. Otherwise, the AP is unable to connect to the wireless network. Certain AP models come with integrated antennas, whereas others need an external antenna for general operation. For information on the AP models that come with internal or external antennas, refer to the ordering guide/product guide of the appropriate device.
The information in this document was created from the devices in a specific
lab environment. All of the devices used in this document started with a cleared
(default) configuration. If your network is live, make sure that you understand
the potential impact of any command or setup in the GUI.
This document uses this network setup:
The network diagram is three Aironet 802.11a/b/g Client Adapters that are connected to a 1200 AP. This document depicts the configuration of the client adapters to communicate with each other via wireless interface through the AP.
The AP uses these settings:
Service Set Identifier (SSID): SCSWIRELESS
Basic authentication: Open authentication with Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption
This document explains the configuration on the AP and the client adapters.
Configuration
You can configure the AP with the use of any of these:
The console port
GUI
Command-line interface (CLI), after you establish a Telnet session
Note: In order to connect to the AP through the console port, connect a nine-pin, straight-through DB-9 serial cable to the RS-232 serial port on the AP and to the COM port on a computer. Set up a terminal emulator in order to communicate with the AP. Use these settings for the terminal emulator connection:
9600 baud
8 data bits
No parity
1 stop bit
No flow control
Note: These settings are the default settings. If you cannot access the device after you set the terminal program to the settings, the problem can be that the device is not set to the defaults. Try different settings, and start with the baud rate.
Follow the steps:
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ap#config t����������
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ap(config)#int bvi1��
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ap(config-if)#�������������
ap(config-if)#ip address 138.238.128.13 255.255.255.0
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ap(config-if)#exit
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ap(config)#exit
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ap#config t
ap(config)#ip default-gateway 138.238.128.1
ap(config)#
ap(config)#exit
ap#
ap#wr mem
Building configuration...
[OK]
ap#exit
ap#
How to configure the AP with the use of the GUI.
There are two ways to access the AP with the use of the GUI:
Assign an IP address to the device before you connect through the GUI.
Obtain an IP address with the use of DHCP.
The different models of Aironet APs exhibit different default IP address behaviors. When you connect an Aironet 350, 1130AG, 1200, or 1240AG series AP with a default configuration to your LAN network, the AP requests an IP address from your DHCP server. If the AP does not receive an address, it continues to send requests indefinitely.
When you connect an Aironet 1100 series AP with a default configuration to your LAN, the AP makes several attempts to get an IP address from the DHCP server. If the AP does not receive an address, it assigns itself the IP address 10.0.0.1 for 5 minutes. During this 5-minute period, you can browse to the default IP address and configure a static address. If after the 5 minutes the AP is not reconfigured, the AP discards the 10.0.0.1 address and requests an address from the DHCP server. If the AP does not receive an address, it sends requests indefinitely. If you miss the 5-minute window to browse to the AP at 10.0.0.1, you can power cycle the AP in order to repeat the process.
The network in this document uses a 1200 series AP. A login through the console configures the AP with a static IP address of 10.0.0.1.
After configuration of the IP address, you can access the AP through the browser in order to configure the AP to accept client association requests from the client adapter.
Complete these steps:
1. In order to access the AP with the GUI and get the Summary Status window, complete these steps:
a. Open a web browser and enter 10.0.0.1 in the address line.
b. Press Tab in order to bypass the Username field and advance to the Password field.
The Enter Network Password window displays.
c. Enter the case-sensitive password Cisco, and press Enter.
The Summary Status window displays, as this example
shows:
2. Click Express Setup in the menu on the left.
The Express Setup window displays. You can use this window to configure some of the basic parameters that are necessary to establish a wireless connection. Use the Express Setup window on the AP 1200 in order to configure the acceptance of wireless client associations. Here is an example of the window:
3. Enter the configuration parameters in the appropriate fields in the Express Setup window.
The configuration parameters include these parameters:
The host name of the AP
IP address configuration of the AP, if the address is a static IP
Default gateway
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) community string
Role in the radio network
SSID
This example configures these parameters:
IP address: 138.238.128.?
Host name: SCSAP1
SSID: SCSWIRELESS
Note: SSIDs are unique identifiers that identify a WLAN network. Wireless devices use SSIDs to establish and maintain wireless connectivity. SSIDs are case-sensitive and can contain up to 32 alphanumeric characters. Do not use any spaces or special characters in an SSID.
Note: The other parameters are left with the default values.
4. Click Apply in order to save your settings.
5. Complete these steps in order to set up the radio settings:
Click Network Interfaces in the menu on the left in order to browse to the Network Interfaces Summary page.
a. Select the radio interface that you want to use.
This example uses interface Radio0-802.11B. The action allows you to browse to the Network Interfaces: Radio Status page.
b. Click the Settings tab in order to browse to the Settings page for the radio interface.
c. Click Enable in order to enable the radio.
d. Leave all the other settings on the page with the default values.
e. Scroll down and click Apply at the bottom of the page in order to save the settings.
6. In order to configure the SSID and open authentication with WEP encryption, complete these steps:
Choose Security > SSID Manager in the menu on the left.
The SSID Manager page displays.
a. Select the SSID that you created in Step 3 from the Current SSID List menu.
This example uses SCSWIRELESS as the SSID.
b. Under Authentication Settings, choose Open Authentication.
c. Leave all other parameters with their default values.
d. Click Apply at the bottom of the page.
7. In order to configure the WEP keys, complete these steps:
Choose Security > Encryption Manager.
a. Click WEP Encryption under Encryption Modes, and choose Mandatory from the drop-down menu.
b. Enter the encryption key for WEP in the Encryption Keys area.
The WEP encryption keys can be 40 bits or 128 bits in length. This example uses the 128-bit WEP encryption key 1234567890abcdef1234567890.
c. Click Apply in order to save the settings.