NETWORK WORLD KEITH SHAW'S SOHO LIFE 09/01/04 Today's focus: Highs and lows with Apple's AirPort Express, Part 2
Dear [EMAIL PROTECTED], In this issue: * The bad news is the device conflicted with our WEP settings * Links related to SOHO Life * Featured reader resource _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Oracle An Economist Intelligence Unit White Paper: From Grid to Great? Grid computing is breaking out. Familiar mostly to academics, government groups, and scientific researchers, this technology that links together the power of diverse computers to create powerful, fast and flexible systems is beginning to catch on in the corporate world. Included in this white paper, results and interviews from a global survey among Sr Executives, click to download now http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=78713 _______________________________________________________________ IS SECURITY RIPE FOR OUTSOURCING? Security demands for online applications such as e-commerce and Web services are prompting more corporate customers to hand off security functions - such as intrusion detection and firewalls - to outside service providers. Find out if security should be outsourced in this Network World article: http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=78239 _______________________________________________________________ Today's focus: Highs and lows with Apple's AirPort Express, Part 2 By Keith Shaw Last time, we got the Apple AirPort Express to work, but only by creating a separate network (see editorial link below). We want the device to act as a client on our existing wireless network. Easier said than done. Using the AirPort Admin utility, we changed the network name of the AirPort Express to match our wireless network and entered the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) key. The device seemed to re-configure itself, but when we re-joined our wireless network with the PC, the AirPort Express seemed to vanish. The base station name that had appeared when we opened the tool disappeared from the pop-up window. When we checked the DHCP client list on our router, the AirPort Express wasn't there. Thinking the problem might stem from not having the AirPort Express Assistant installed on the PC, we put the utility on a new clean laptop, without iTunes software. This time, the AirPort Express Assistant installed properly, and we tried again to get it on our network. This time the process was different, but the results the same - the AirPort Express was nowhere to be found. A cryptic message on an Apple support board suggested that the Zero Wireless Configuration settings on Windows XP might need updating, which required us to install Windows Service Pack 1 on our iTunes-enabled machine. At this point, we gave up, not wanting to mess with our operating system just so we can play iTunes on the stereo. Instead, we spoke to the AirPort Express product manager, who blamed everybody's favorite culprit: WEP. He said AirPort Express was having trouble understanding 10-character WEP keys, and that if we inputted a five-character key, it would probably work. He was also perplexed that the Express Assistant refused to install and suggested we try to re-install it again (maybe after the Service Pack 1 upgrade, but we weren't going there). But when I checked the router (Linksys 802.11g wireless 4-port), we found no way to input a five-character key; WEP settings allow only for 10-character (64-bit) or 26-character (128-bit) WEP keys. It might have allowed for a five-character key, but the system wasn't going to give up its secrets that easily. So I disabled WEP to see if that was the problem, and somewhere my home security chief's (my wife) ears started to burn. By restoring the AirPort Express's default settings, I was now able to configure the base station to become a client on the wireless network - without the pesky WEP settings getting in the way. Using the new computer, the Express Assistant software restarted the base station and switched the PC over to the existing wireless network in one fell swoop. This let me boot up iTunes and begin playing songs on the stereo; only this time, I was on my (now unprotected) wireless network. Next, I dragged down my USB printer and attached that to the AirPort Express. After plugging it in, I went to the user guide, which offered perfect directions on how to connect a Windows XP PC to the now-networked printer (there's some IP addressing schemes that need to occur). My final challenge? To figure out whether to configure the network to use WPA. It's much more secure than WEP, and what the product manager suggested I do when I told him I couldn't input five-character keys. Yet again, I'm pressured to upgrade my network to add a new device. Having gone through that with some of the storage devices we tried out earlier, I was wary. On the other hand, the status quo - no security - is not acceptable. My security chief isn't happy that I traded a WEP-enabled network for an unsecured one, even if it means we get to play iTunes music in the living room and print wirelessly. Here are my options: 1) Leave the AirPort Express on the unsecured wireless network and face the chief's wrath; 2) Take the AirPort Express off the network and use the iTunes portion to listen to the music on a separate wireless network (sacrificing one of our PCs to do it); 3) Move to WPA; 4) Take the AirPort Express off the network and re-enable WEP. Seeing as WEP isn't really that secure anyway, I'm leaning towards implementing WPA. The headache will come in trying to figure out which wireless clients currently support WPA, and whether I'll need to update firmware, etc. Stay tuned. RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS Highs and lows with Apple's AirPort Express, Part 1 Network World, 08/16/04 http://www.nwfusion.com/net.worker/columnists/2004/0816shaw.html _______________________________________________________________ To contact: Keith Shaw Keith Shaw is Senior Reviews Editor at Network World. In addition, he writes the " Cool Tools <http://www.nwfusion.com/columnists/cooltools.html> " column, which looks at gizmos, gadgets and other mobile computing devices. You can reach Keith at <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Oracle An Economist Intelligence Unit White Paper: From Grid to Great? Grid computing is breaking out. Familiar mostly to academics, government groups, and scientific researchers, this technology that links together the power of diverse computers to create powerful, fast and flexible systems is beginning to catch on in the corporate world. Included in this white paper, results and interviews from a global survey among Sr Executives, click to download now http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=78713 _______________________________________________________________ ARCHIVE LINKS Archive of the SOHO Life newsletter: http://www.nwfusion.com/net.worker/columnists/ Breaking telework and SMB news: http://www.nwfusion.com/net.worker/ _______________________________________________________________ FEATURED READER RESOURCE NW FUSION PARTNERS' SITES NOW AVAILABLE Network World Fusion Partners is a collaborative effort between Network World and sponsoring Partner companies. Each microsite contains best-of-breed information as well as custom content not found anywhere else, including a custom email newsletter and special offers. It is current, top-of-mind information that is readily accessible and bundled into one comprehensive package.. 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