Using Wi-Fi Protected Setup* Wizard to Setup and Manage a Network
The Wi-Fi Protected Setup* Wizard lets you easily configure a new network and add devices to it. Wi-Fi Protected Setup* simplifies the set-up process and at the same time helps ensure that the network is configured securely. With Wi-Fi Protected Setup*, you can easily do the following tasks:
The following instructions also let you add another device to an existing network, at the registrar:
How to Access the Wi-Fi Protected Setup* Wizard
There are two ways to access the Wi-Fi Protected Setup* Wizard:
- Click the alert message that displays when a network with Wi-Fi Protected Setup capability is detected:
Devices with Wi-Fi Protected setup capability are within range of your computer. Click to connect.
- Click on the WiFi network list on Intel® PROSet/Wireless WiFi Connection Utility main window.
The following terms are used in this discussion.
- Access Point: A device that connects wireless devices to a network. The access point is configured with the necessary network name (SSID) and security credentials.
- Enrollee: A device that seeks to join an access point or wireless network, but does not have the password or key for the access point or network. Once the computer obtains the valid password or key, it becomes a member of the wireless network. The WiFi connection utility can be configured to operate as an enrollee for a supported access point.
- Registrar: A registrar is a device (usually a computer) that allows other devices (usually computers) to join the wireless network. The WiFi connection utility can be configured to operate as a registrar for a supported access point(s). The registrar securely transfers the access point key or password automatically.
A new wireless network is established by configuring the access point, connecting the desired computers equipped with WiFi adapters, and optionally attaching external network connectivity (i.e. the Internet, typically by connecting the access point to a DSL or cable modem, or equivalent).
As Enrollee: Acquire security settings and configure your computer/device to connect to an existing network
The following steps use the Wi-Fi Protected Setup* Wizard to connect an enrollee to an existing network. This assumes that the registrar computer is running the Intel® PROSet/Wireless WiFi Connection Utility.
NOTE: To achieve transfer rates greater than 54 Mbps on 802.11n connections, WPA2-AES security must be selected. No security (None) can be selected to enable network setup and troubleshooting.
- At the computer you that want to connect to the network, a message tells you that one or more access points with Wi-Fi Protected Setup capability is within range of your wireless computer. Click on this message. (Or, you can select the network from the WiFi Networks list in the WiFi connection utility main window.)
- The Wi-Fi Protected Setup* Wizard start up page opens. Here, select As Enrollee: Acquire security settings and configure your computer/device to connect to an existing network.
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Use the Available Networks list to select the network that you want to connect to (in this example it is MyWPS). Then click Next.
- The Discovery window opens. The enrollee that you want to connect to the network discovers the registrar for the network. Assuming that the Discovery process succeeds, the name of the registrar or access point is displayed.
- The next window appears, displaying the Device Password (enrollee password). The password displayed at the enrollee is a unique, randomly generated temporary password for the enrollee. This password is used to ask permission to connect to the network access point. (The password shown below is an example only.).
- At the registrar or access point, enter the password provided by the enrollee. Then click Next.
NOTE: This process assumes that the registrar is running the WiFi connection utility; the process and windows displayed at the registrar may be different for software from other vendors. Some access points may have a built in registrar.
- The next window lists the profile for this network. The selected profile will be sent to the enrollee, granting it access to the network. Only supported profiles are displayed. Supported profiles are those based on WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK, and Open (None) security. Select the profile and click Next to finalize the enrollment process.
- The last window shows that the enrollee registration with the registrar is complete. Click Finish.
- At the enrollee, click Next. At the enrollee, you are notified when you have Successfully connected to <name of wireless network>. Click Finish.
As Registrar: Configure security settings for a network’s access point and/or add another computer/device to the network
The following steps use the Wi-Fi Protected Setup* Wizard to configure this computer as a registrar for a secure network or access point. Perform these steps if you are creating a new network.
- Locate the device ownership password for the access point. This is set by the manufacturer of the access point. The password is often located on a label on the bottom of the device.
- Turn on the network access point.
- At the computer that you want to establish as the registrar, turn on the WiFi connection utility.
- The next message tells you that one or more compatible devices are within range of your computer. Click this message. (Or, you can select the network from the WiFi Networks list in the WiFi connection utility main window.)
- The Wi-Fi Protected Setup* Wizard start up page opens. Here, select As Registrar: Configure security settings for a network’s access point and/or add another computer/device to the network.
- At the next window, on the Available Networks list, select the network that you want to connect to. The list of networks depends on what is detected. Click Next.
- At the next window, enter the Device Ownership Password that you retrieved from the access point in step 1. Click Next to continue.
- The next window shown displays the Network Name, Security Type, and Password. If the access point is already configured, it is grayed out; proceed to step 10. If the access point is not configured (fields are not grayed out), proceed to step 11.
- After a few seconds the following message is displayed:
The access point is already configured. Do you want to reconfigure it?
If you do not want to reconfigure the access point, select No. The software joins the network, makes the connection, and creates a profile. It then exits and this procedure is completed. If you want to reconfigure the access point, select Yes.
- The next window is displayed. The first field shows the name of the access point. This is by default the Network Name (SSID). In this example we have reset it to MyWPS. You can name it whatever you want.
- In the Security Type field, select the security type you want.
- WPA* Personal requires manual configuration of a pre-shared key (PSK) on the access point and clients. This PSK authenticates a password or identifying code, on both the client station and the access point. An authentication server is not needed.
- WPA2* is the second generation of WPA security that provides enterprise and consumer wireless users with a high level of assurance that only authorized users can access their WiFi networks. Here we have selected WPA2 Personal security. You can use Intel® PROSet/Wireless WiFi Connection Utility profiles to obtain the WiFi network name (SSID) and WPA2-Personal pass phrase to use for a legacy device.
- The third field is the Password (Key). The password shown is randomly generated or pre-configured, but you can change it to whatever password you want. However you should use a robust key for improved security. It must have between 8 and 63 characters. When you have completed this step, click Next.
The following windows show the configuration of the access point and the registrar.
- After the network receives the Ownership Password, you are notified that you have Successfully connected to <name of wireless network>. Click Finish. This process completes configuration of the access point and the registrar.
- If you want to save these settings to a profile for future use by a legacy client, click Save wireless settings. The profile settings are saved to a text file (txt) on your local hard drive. The file is saved to your local C:\ drive by default. Accept the default save location or click Browse to choose another location on your computer.
Next, you can connect an enrollee (computer) to the network. You can do this by performing the procedure As Enrollee: Acquire security settings and configure your computer/device to connect to an existing network. Or if you want to only work at the network's registrar, perform the procedure At the Registrar, add another computer to the network.
At the Registrar, add another computer to the network
The following steps use the Wi-Fi Protected Setup* Wizard running on the registrar to connect another computer (an enrollee) to an existing network. This procedure is performed only at the registrar.
NOTE: This process assumes that the registrar is running the WiFi connection utility; the process and windows displayed at the registrar may be different for software from other vendors.
- Get the Device Password for the enrollee computer that you want to add to the network.
- At the registrar, at the task tray icon for the WiFi connection utility, right-click and select Add New Device.
- At the registrar, perform steps 6 through 9 of the procedure Connect an Enrollee to a Network or Access Point
