Enabling WPA security

Solution

All Belkin products support the most common security standard, WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy).  Additionally, Belkin 802.11g products are equipped with WPA (Wireless Protected Access), the latest wireless security standard.  For ease of installation, wireless security is disabled by default. 

In most situations, WEP encryption is the best choice.  Click on the following link for instructions on enabling WEP security: Setting up wireless security

Note: To use WPA security, all your clients must be upgraded to drivers and software that support it.  At the time of this FAQ publication, a security patch download is available, for free, from Microsoft. This patch works only with the Windows XP operating system. 

Download the patch here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=009d8425-ce2b-47a4-abec-274845dc9e91&displaylang=en

You also need to download the latest driver for your Belkin Wireless 802.11g Desktop or Notebook Network Card from the Belkin support site. Other operating systems are not supported at this time. Microsoft’s patch only supports devices with WPA-enabled drivers such as Belkin 802.11g products

Download the latest driver for the F5D7000 here:

http://web.belkin.com/support/download/download.asp?download=F5D7000&lang=1&mode=

Download the latest driver for the F5D7010 here:

http://web.belkin.com/support/download/download.asp?download=F5D7010&lang=1&mode=

You must also have the correct firmware in your Router or Access Point. Any version above 2.00.00 will support WPA.

Click below to download the latest F5D7230-4 Router Firmware:

http://web.belkin.com/support/download/download.asp?download=F5D7230-4&lang=1&mode=

Click below to download the latest F5D7130 Access Point Firmware:

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=136486

Please follow the instructions below to enable WPA security.

Enabling WPA-PSK (no server) on a Belkin Router or Belkin Access Point

WPA-PSK (no server) is typically used for a Home Network.

1. From the “Security Mode” drop-down menu, select “WPA-PSK (no server)”.

2. For Encryption Technique, select “TKIP” or “AES”. This setting will have to be identical on the clients that you set up.

3. Enter your pre-shared key. This can be from 8 to 63 characters and can be letters, numbers, or symbols or spaces. This same key must be used on all of the clients that you set up. For example, your PSK might be something like: “Smith family network key”.

4. Click “Apply Changes” to finish. You must now set all clients to match these settings.

Enabling WPA (radius server) on a Belkin Router or Belkin Access Point

If your network uses a radius server to distribute keys to the clients, use this setting. This is typically used in a business environment.

1. From the “Security Mode” drop-down menu, select “WPA (with server)”

2. For Encryption Technique, select “TKIP” or “AES”. This setting will have to be identical on the clients that you set up.

3. Enter the IP address of the radius server into the “Radius Server” fields.

4. Enter the radius key into the “Radius Key” field

5. Enter the key interval. Key interval is how often the keys are distributed (in packets).

6. Click “Apply Changes” to finish. You must now set all clients to match these settings.

Enabling WPA security on a Belkin client cards to use WPA-PSK (no server)

Clients must use the same key that the Router or Access Point uses. For instance if the key is “Smith Family Network Key” in the Router or Access point, the clients must also use that same key.

1.      Double-click the Signal Indicator icon to bring up the Wireless Network screen. The Advanced button will allow you to view and configure more options of your card.

2. The “Advanced” button will allow you to view and configure more options of the card.

3. Once the advanced button is clicked the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility will appear. This Utility will allow you to manage all the advanced features of the Belkin wireless card.

1. Under the “Wireless Network Properties” tab, select a network name from the “Available networks” list and click the “Properties” button (h)

2. Under “Network Authentication” select “WPA-PSK (no server)

3. Type your WPA key in the “Network key” box

Important: WPA-PSK is a mixture of numbers and letters from A-Z and 0-9. For WPA-PSK you can enter 8 to 63 characters. This Network key needs to match the key you assign to your Wireless Router or Access Point.

4. Click “OK, then “Apply” to save the settings

Enabling WPA security on a Belkin client cards to use WPA (with radius server)

1.      Double-click the Signal Indicator icon to bring up the Wireless Network screen. The Advanced button will allow you to view and configure more options of your card.

2. The “Advanced” button will allow you to view and configure more options of the card.

3. Once the advanced button is clicked the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility will appear. This Utility will allow you to manage all the advanced features of the Belkin wireless card.

4. Under the “Wireless Network Properties” tab, select a network name from the “Available networks” list and click the “Properties” button (h)

5. Under “Network Authentication” select WPA

6. In the “ Authentication” tab, select the settings that are indicated by your network administrator.

5. Click “OK, then “Apply” to save the settings

Enabling WPA for a non-Belkin Wireless Desktop and Wireless Notebook Card

For non-Belkin WPA Wireless Desktop and Wireless Notebook Network Cards that are not equipped with WPA-enabled software, a file from Microsoft called “Windows XP Support Patch for Wireless Protected Access” is available for free download.

Note: The file that Microsoft has made available works only with Windows XP. Other operating systems are not supported at this time. You also need to ensure that the wireless card manufacturer supports WPA and that you have downloaded and installed the latest driver from their support site.

Supported Operating Systems:

• Windows XP Professional
• Windows XP Home Edition

Enabling WPA-PSK (no server)

1. Under Windows XP, click “Start > Control Panel > Network Connections”.
2. Right-click on “Wireless Networks” tab will display the following screen. Ensure the “Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings” check box is checked.

3. Under the Wireless Networks tab, click the “Configure” button, and you will see the following screen.

4. For a home or small business user, select “WPA-PSK” under “Network Administration”.

Note: Select “WPN” if you are using this computer to connect to a corporate network that supports an authentication server such as a radius server, please consult your network administrator for further information.

5. Select “TKIP” or “AES” under “Date Encryption”. This setting will have to be identical to the Wireless Router or Access Point that you set up.
6. Type in your encryption key in the “Network Key” box.

Important:  Enter your Pre-Shared key. This can be from 8 to 63 characters and can be letters, numbers, or symbols. This same key must be used on all of the clients that you set up.

7. Click “OK” to apply settings.