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Business users have been among the first to
jump on the 802.11g bandwagon, as the new standard offers increased security
over the previously flawed implementations of WEP.
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Gigabyte GN-A17GU |
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Support for other standards
As you would expect, the GN-A17GU includes a
built-in DHCP server to assign IP addresses to connected clients. It also
supports SNMP for remote management.
The GN-A17GU is actually capable of supporting two
wireless networks with the addition of a Gigabyte PCMCIA card to the add-in slot
on the top of the unit.
According to the manual, it will accept either the
GN-WMAG wireless ‘g’ card (which we tested) or the 802.11a compatible
GN-WLMA101.
The ability to combine mutually incompatible network
types (802.11a with, well... anything else) adds a considerable amount of
flexibility and value to the unit.
Installation and software
Setting up the GN-A17GU proved quick
and trouble-free, through there are a few additional configuration steps that are
necessary. This is one circumstance where you do need to read the manual
before setting up the device!
Chiefly, the
computer that will be administering the access point needs to be set
up with a static IP address and default gateway in order to communicate
through Gigabyte’s AP manager software.
The default IP address that the access
point uses is 192.168.1.1, so you will need to assign an
initial address to your system in the 192.168.1.x range. Connecting the device to a PC
requires a patch (straight through) Ethernet cable, while a crossover cable is
required to plug the device into a hub or switch. Both cables are
conveniently included in the box.
The
Gigabyte GN-A17GU requires the use of Gigabyte’s Access Point Manager
software
in order to operate or for you to configure the device. A
single PC with the software installed can easily manage several access points on
the same subnet of the network. Installing the program itself is
straightforward.
 Once you have the AP manager installed and your system
configured with a static IP address, run the software to connect with your
access point(s). AP Manager itself is password protected, so you will need to
provide the default password (admin) to connect for the first time. Don’t forget
to change this password once you are into the program. In fact, don't forget to
check out PCstats' guide to securing your wireless network too.
AP Manager will search for all access points on the
network, then provide you with access to them via the left side of the
window. Compared to the typical configuration options of a home wireless
device, AP Manager offers a bewildering array of options. Let’s break them
down....
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