SmallNetBuilder

Setup and Administration

Setting up the AP 200 is pretty easy and done from its Ethernet port. It has a built-in DHCP server, so you just need to set the computer you plug in as a DHCP client. Once the computer connects, it will have an IP address in the 192.168.20.X subnet. Then just browse to 192.168.20.1 and you'll be presented with the Connect screen shown in Figure 5, except you won't be connected.

Figure 5: Connect screen

Clicking on the Advanced Config button takes you to the CPE Setup screen, the top half of which is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6: CPE Setup - Top half

The LAN Interface and DHCP Server entries set the IP address of the AP 200 itself and its DHCP server range. The Wireless Settings section is for the 200's wireless WAN connection. It comes with a default of MySSID entered. But if you blank that out, you'll be presented with a pick list of in-range AP's. The Channel Scanning Mode defaults to the Full mode, which looks at all channels for possible WLANs to connect to. You can also choose 1,6,11 or Single channel modes, but I didn't find that I needed to.

Authentication sets the security mode, which is chosen from the default Open or Static WEP, 802.1x with dynamic WEP, WPA/WPA2 Enterprise (RADIUS) or WPA/WPA2 Personal (PSK) modes. Note that authentication / encryption is set independently for the WWAN connection and built-in AP. So if the WLAN you're connected to is running WEP and you want to run WPA2-Personal, you can have at it.

Figure 7 shows the bottom half of the CPE Settings page. The AP Settings section refers to the access point function that is disabled by default. The Configure Manually option lets you set SSID, Authentication (Open, WEP, WPA/2 Personal only) and whether to broadcast the SSID. Note that there is also a Transmit Power adjustment that can step down transmit power in 1 dB steps from 1 to 15 dB.

Figure 7: CPE Setup - Bottom half

The WAI Redirection option provides a way to ease the task of reconnecting the WWAN connection, should the automatic reconnection fail. If the WWAN connection has dropped and redirection is enabled, any user trying to access the Internet will be redirected to the Connect page.

It's nice that the AP continues to function when the WWAN connection is down. But since the 200's Ethernet port doesn't allow a bridged LAN connection, associated wireless clients will be able to communicate only among themselves.

The admin interface requires no password by default, but the Web Password Protection option lets you lock it down. Note that there isn't an HTTPS option for the admin functions.