What is a Profile?

A profile is a saved group of network settings. Profiles are displayed in the Profile List. Profiles are useful when moving from one WiFi network to another. Different profiles can be configured for each WiFi network. Profile settings include the network name (SSID), operating mode, and security settings.

Note: Please see Create a new WiFi profile page for details on creating a new profile.


Personal Security Settings

Personal Security

Select to open the Personal Security settings. The security settings that are available are dependent on the Operating Mode selected in the Create WiFi Profile General Settings.

• Device to Device (ad hoc): In device to device mode, also called ad hoc mode, WiFi computers send information directly to other WiFi computers. You can use ad hoc mode to network multiple computers in a home or small office, or to set up a temporary WiFi network for a meeting.
  NOTE: Device to Device (ad hoc) networks are identified with a notebook image ( ) in the WiFi Networks and Profiles list.
  
• Network (Infrastructure): A Network (Infrastructure) network consists of one or more access points and one or more computers with WiFi adapters installed. At least one access point should also have a wired connection. For home users, this is usually a broadband or cable network.
  
  NOTE: Network (Infrastructure) networks are identified with an access point image ( ) in the WiFi Networks and Profiles list.

Security Settings

If you are configuring a Device to Device (ad hoc) profile, select one of the following data encryption settings:

• None: No authentication required.
• WEP - 64-bit: Passphrase - 5 characters or 10 hexadecimal values.
• WEP - 128-bit: Passphrase - 13 characters or 26 hexadecimal values.

If you are configuring a Network (Infrastructure) profile, select:

• None: No authentication required.
• WEP - 64-bit: Passphrase - 5 characters or 10 hexadecimal values.
• WEP - 128-bit: Passphrase - 13 characters or 26 hexadecimal values.
• WPA-Personal (TKIP) or WPA2-Personal (TKIP): Utilizes the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) for data encryption. The Security Password must be the same value used by the WiFi access point. It can be 8-63 characters or 64 hexadecimal values long.
• WPA-Personal (AES-CCMP) or WPA2-Personal (AES-CCMP): Utilizes a newer method for privacy protection of WiFi transmissions specified in the IEEE 802.11i standard, AES-CCMP. The Security Password must be the same value used by the WiFi access point. It can be 8-63 characters or 64 hexadecimal values long.

Advanced button:

Select to access the Advanced Settings to configure the following options:

• Application Auto Launch: Specify a program to start when a WiFi connection is made with this profile.
• Auto Connect:
  • Select Automatic to have Intel® PROSet/Wireless WiFi Connection Utility try to connect to this profile when not connected
  • Select On Demand to connect only when you select the network and click connect.
• Auto Import: Network administrator can export a profile on another computer.
• Band Selection:
  • Select Mixed band to have Intel® PROSet/Wireless WiFi Connection Utility try to connect this profile to an available network without matching network settings.
  • Select 2.4 GHz band or 5.2 GHz band to connect only to a network matching both network settings and band selection.
  • This setting is not applicable for an Intel® PRO/Wireless 2915ABG adapter or Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200BG adapter.
• Mandatory Access Point: Enter the Mandatory Access Point's MAC address (BSSID) to associate your WiFi adapter with this specific access point only. Valid entries are values between 0-9 and A-F.
• Password Protection: Prevent the settings in this profile from being viewed or changed by protecting this profile with a password. To make future changes, this password is required.
• Maintain Connection: Select to remain connected to a user profile after log off.

Back
View the prior page in the Profile manager.

OK
Closes the Profile manager and saves the profile.

Cancel
Closes the Profile manager and cancels any changes made.

Help?
Provides the help information for the current page.


Set up Data Encryption and Authentication

In a home WiFi network, you can use a variety of simple security procedures to protect your WiFi connection. These include:

• Enable Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)
• Change your password
• Change the network name (SSID)

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption provides protection for your data on the network. WPA uses an encryption key called a Pre-Shared Key (PSK) to encrypt data before transmission. Enter the same password in all of the computers and access points in your home or small business network. Only devices that use the same encryption key can access the network or decrypt the encrypted data transmitted by other computers. The password automatically initiates the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) for the data encryption process.

Network Keys
WEP encryption provides two levels of security:

• 64-bit key (sometimes referred to as 40-bit)
• 128-bit key (also known as 104-bit)

For improved security, use a 128-bit key. If you use encryption, all WiFi devices on your WiFi network must use the same encryption keys.

You can create the key yourself and specify the key length (64- or 128-bit) and key index (the location that a specific key is stored). The greater the key length, the more secure the key.

Key Length: 64-bit

• Pass phrase (64-bit): Enter five (5) alphanumeric characters, 0-9, a-z or A-Z.
• Hex key (64-bit): Enter 10 hexadecimal characters, 0-9, A-F.

Key Length: 128-bit

• Pass phrase (128-bit): Enter 13 alphanumeric characters, 0-9, a-z or A-Z.
• Hex key (128-bit): Enter 26 hexadecimal characters, 0-9, A-F.

With 802.11, a WiFi station can be configured with up to four keys (the key index values are 1, 2, 3, and 4). When an access point or a WiFi station transmits an encrypted message that uses a key stored in a specific key index, the transmitted message indicates the key index that was used to encrypt the message body. The receiving access point or WiFi station can then retrieve the key that is stored at the key index and use it to decode the encrypted message body.

Set up a Client with Open Authentication and No Data Encryption (None)

In device to device mode, also called ad hoc mode, WiFi computers send information directly to other WiFi computers. You can use ad hoc mode to network multiple computers in a home or small office, or to set up a temporary WiFi network for a meeting.

On the Intel® PROSet/Wireless main window, select one of the following methods to connect to a device to device network:

• Double-click an ad hoc network in the WiFi Networks list.
• Select a network in the WiFi Networks list. Click Connect. The Intel PROSet/Wireless software automatically detects the security settings for the WiFi adapter.
• Create a device to device (ad hoc) network profile as described below.

To create a profile for a WiFi network connection with no encryption:

1. Click Profiles on the Intel PROSet/Wireless main window.
2. On the Profile page, click Add to open the Create WiFi Profile General Settings.
3. Profile Name: Enter a descriptive profile name.
4. WiFi Network Name (SSID) : Enter the network identifier.
5. Operating Mode: Click Device to Device (ad hoc).
6. Click Next.
7. Click Personal Security to open the Security Settings.
8. Data Encryption: The default setting is None , which indicates that there is no security on this WiFi network.
9. Click OK. The profile is added to the Profiles list and connects to the WiFi network.

Set up a Client with WEP 64-bit or WEP 128-bit Data Encryption

When WEP data encryption is enabled, a network key or password is used for encryption.

You must enter the key and specify the length (64- or 128-bit) and key index (the location that a specific key is stored). The more complex the key (mixed letters and numbers), the more secure the key.

To add a network key to a device to device network connection:

1. On the Intel PROSet/Wireless main window, double-click a Device to Device (ad hoc) network in the WiFi Networks list or select the network and click Connect. When connected, a profile is added to the Profiles list.
2. Click Profiles to access the Profiles list. Select the network that you connected to in Step 1.
3. Click Properties to open the WiFi Profile Properties General Settings. The Profile name and WiFi Network Name (SSID) display. Device to Device (ad hoc) should be selected as the Operating Mode.
4. Click Next to access the Security Settings.
5. Click Personal Security.
6. Security Settings: The default setting is None, which indicates that there is no security on this WiFi network.

To add a password or network key:

1. Security Settings: Select either WEP 64-bit or WEP 128-bit to configure WEP data encryption with a 64- or 128-bit key.
   
   When WEP encryption is enabled on a device, the WEP key is used to verify access to the network. If the WiFi device does not have the correct WEP key, even though authentication is successful, the device is unable to transmit data.
   
2. Password: Enter the WiFi Security Password (Encryption Key)

   • Password: Enter the WiFi Security Password (Pass phrase) or Encryption Key (WEP key).
   • Pass phrase (64-bit ): Enter five (5) alphanumeric characters, 0-9, a-z or A-Z.
   • WEP key (64-bit): Enter 10 hexadecimal characters, 0-9, A-F.
   • Pass phrase (128-bit): Enter 13 alphanumeric characters, 0-9, a-z or A-Z.
   • WEP key (128-bit): Enter 26 hexadecimal characters, 0-9, A-F.
3. To add more than one password.
   
   • Select the Key Index number: 1, 2, 3, or 4.
   • Enter the WiFi Security Password.
   • Select another Key Index number.
   • Enter another WiFi Security Password.
4. Click OK to return to the Profiles list.

Set up a Client with WPA-Personal (TKIP) or WPA2-Personal (TKIP)Security Settings

WPA Personal Mode requires manual configuration of a pre-shared key (PSK) on the access point and clients. This PSK authenticates a user's password or identifying code, on both the client station and the access point. An authentication server is not needed. WPA Personal Mode is targeted to home and small business environments.

WPA2 is the second generation of WPA security that provides enterprise and consumer WiFi users with a high level of assurance that only authorized users can access their WiFi networks. WPA2 provides a stronger encryption mechanism through Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which is a requirement for home corporate and government users.

To configure a profile with WPA-Personal network authentication and TKIP data encryption:

1. On the Intel PROSet/Wireless main window, double-click an Infrastructure network in the WiFi Networks list or select the network and click Connect.
2. Click Profiles to access the Profiles list.
3. Click Properties to open the WiFi Profile Properties General Settings. The Profile name and WiFi Network Name (SSID) display. Network (Infrastructure) should be selected as the Operating Mode.
4. Click Next to access the Security Settings.
5. Security Settings: Select WPA-Personal (TKIP) to provide security to a small business network or home environment. A password, called a pre-shared key (PSK), is used. The longer the password, the stronger the security of the WiFi network.
   
   If your WiFi access point or router supports WPA2-Personal then you should enable it on the access point and provide a long, strong password. The longer the password, the stronger the security of the WiFi network. The same password entered in the access point needs to be used on this computer and all other WiFi devices that access the WiFi network.
   
   NOTE: WPA-Personal and WPA2-Personal are not interoperable.
   
6. WiFi Security Password (Encryption Key): Enter a text phrase with eight to 63 characters. Verify that the network key matches the password in the WiFi access point.
7. Click OK to return to the Profiles list.

Set up a Client with WPA-Personal (AES-CCMP) or WPA2-Personal (AES-CCMP) Security Settings

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a security enhancement that strongly increases the level of data protection and access control to a WiFi network. WPA enforces 802.1x authentication and key-exchange and only works with dynamic encryption keys. For a home user or small business, WPA-Personal utilizes either Advanced Encryption Standard - Counter CBC-MAC Protocol (AES-CCMP) or Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP).

To configure a profile with WPA2-Personal network authentication and AES-CCMP data encryption:

1. On the Profile page, select a profile.
2. Click Properties to open the WiFi Profile Properties General Settings. The Profile name and WiFi Network Name (SSID) display. Network (Infrastructure) should be selected as the Operating Mode.
3. Click Next. The Security Settings page opens.
4. Security Settings: Select WPA-Personal (AES-CCMP) to provide this level of security in the small network or home environment. It uses a password also called a pre-shared key (PSK). The longer the password, the stronger the security of the WiFi network.
   
   AES-CCMP (Advanced Encryption Standard - Counter CBC-MAC Protocol) is the new method for privacy protection of WiFi transmissions specified in the IEEE 802.11i standard. AES-CCMP provides a stronger encryption method than TKIP. Choose AES-CCMP as the data encryption method whenever strong data protection is important.
   
   If your WiFi access point or router supports WPA2-Personal then you should enable it on the access point and provide a long, strong password. The same password entered into access point needs to be used on this computer and all other WiFi devices that access the WiFi network.
   
   NOTE: WPA-Personal and WPA2-Personal are not interoperable.
   
   Some security solutions may not be supported by your computer's operating system. You may require additional software or hardware as well as WiFi LAN infrastructure support. Contact your computer manufacturer for details.
   
5. Set Password:
   
   1. WiFi Security Password (Encryption Key): Enter a text phrase (length is between eight and 63 characters). Verify that the network key used matches the WiFi access point key.
   2. Click OK to return to the Profiles list.
      

Operating System:

Windows* XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows* XP 64-Bit Edition, Windows* XP Professional, Windows* XP Home Edition, Windows* XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows* XP Media Center Edition

This applies to:

Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection Intel® PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Network Connection Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection Intel® WiFi Link 5300 and Intel® WiFi Link 5100 products Intel® WiMAX/WiFi Link 5350 Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN