Initial LinkSys WAP-11 v2.2 Configuration

The WAP-11 (access poin) is configured via a Windows program, or a web interface. As best I can tell, there is no difference in the configuration options between the two. As supplied, it comes "ready to work", with a fixed IP address of 192.168.1.251, a factory supplied password for configuration access, no authentication/encryption and wide open access.

So the first step was to plug it into the second NIC on a test PC, and configure that NIC to use the 192.168.1.0 network. And disable forwarding, so that the wide open access point is not connected to the network! The NetGear ME-102 configuration page contains the details of doing this, with the one change being the configuration file contents should be.

DEVICE=eth1
BOOTPROTO=none
ONBOOT=no
BROADCAST=192.168.1.255
NETWORK=192.168.1.0
NETMASK=255.255.255.0
IPADDR=192.168.1.100
USERCTL=no

On this test machine, start your web browser (with java and/or javascript enabled) and connect to http://192.168.1.251/

Setting The Password

First step is to change the default password. The WAP-11 v2.2 allows configuration via the wireless link, if you know the IP address! Leaving a default password opens the door for all sorts of malicious mischief.

Click on the Password tab at the top of the page, and you should see the password setting page. Select a password and type it into both entry fields then click apply. You should see a new dialogue with a Continue button. Clicking that button returns to the password dialog required to connect to the AP.

Setting the ESSID

Click on the Setup tab, then type in the new ESSID into the SSID field. For this example, set the ESSID string to Foo waS hEre and again click on the 'Apply' button at the bottom of page.

The access point is now slightly more secure than before, and it's time to configure the client and make the two connect to one another.

Version: $Revision: 1.5 $; Updated at 15:47 EST on Tue Apr 11, 2006
Copyright (C) 2002 - 2006, Lindsay Harris