D-Link DWL-AG650 [4/43] Introduction

Introduction

The D-Link Air Xpert DWL-AG650 Tri-mode Dualband Wireless Cardbus Adapter is an

802.11a/802.11b/draft 802.11g high-performance, wireless adapter that supports high-

speed wireless networking at home, at work or in public places.

In addition to offering faster data transfer speeds when used with other 802.11a or draft

802.11g products, the DWL-AG650 has the newest, most advanced security features

available today, using the draft 802.11i security standard. These additional security

features are optional. You may choose to continue using the familiar WEP security, or

you may not wish to utilize security features at all. However, if you do choose to use the

DWL-AG650’s powerful security features with other WPA (WiFi Protected Access) and

802.1x compatible products in a network with a RADIUS server, the security features

will include:

WPA*: A new security feature, Wi-Fi Protected Access authorizes and identifies users

based on a secret key that changes automatically at a regular interval.

WPA uses TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) to change the temporal

key every 10,000 packets (a packet is a kind of message transmitted over a

network). This ensures much greater security than the standard WEP security.

(By contrast, the older WEP encryption required the keys to be changed

manually).

802.1x: Authentication is a first line of defense against intrusion. In the Authentication

process the server verifies the identity of the client attempting to connect to the

network. Unfamiliar clients would be denied access.

Users that choose not to incorporate a RADIUS server in their network may also use the

optional enhanced security features, or they may wish to continue using the standard

WEP security, or they may choose to use no security at all. However, if you do wish to

experience the enhanced security of the DWL-AG650 in conjunction with other draft

802.11i compatible products, without a RADIUS server, the Pre Shared Key mode of

WPA will assign a new security key every time the DWL-AG650 connects to the draft

802.11i Access Point. If you choose to enable the enhanced security features of the

DWL-AG650, you need only to input your encryption information once in the configuration

menu. No longer will you have to manually change the WEP key to ensure security -

with the DWL-AG650, you will automatically receive a new key every time you connect,

vastly increasing the safety of your communications.

*WPA will be available Q3 2003 as a driver download

Featuring a breakthrough all-in-one tri-mode dualband design, the new D-Link Air Xpert

DWL-AG650 is a next generation laptop PC adapter that connects to 802.11a (in the

5GHz band) and draft 802.11g networks (in the 2.4GHz band) at 54 Mbps and 802.11b

networks (in the 2.4GHz band) at 11Mbps.

When used with other 802.11a or 802.11g devices, the DWL-AG650 will achieve data

transfer rates of up to 54Mbps. 802.11b devices will communicate at 11Mbps.