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Using PROSet Profiles: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter User's Guide


Using Intel(R) PROSet Profiles


Setting up Network Profiles

A profile is a saved group of network settings. Profiles are displayed in the Profiles List in the wireless client manager General page. Profiles can be arranged in order of network connection priority. You can connect to one network using the first profile in the Profiles List, then automatically connect to another network using the next profile. This allows you to stay connected while roaming freely from one wireless network to another. Although you can assign multiple profiles to a single network, you can only use one profile per connection. To add a new profile, use the Profile Wizard sequence of dialogs to configure the profile contents. The following example uses all of the Profile Wizard dialogs. Some settings may not be required for all profiles.

Refer to the following to configure the profile connection preferences:

Profile Connection Preferences (Advanced Settings)

To access the profile connection preference option:

  1. From the General page, click the Networks tab.
  2. Click the Advanced button.
  3. Under the Auto-connection heading, click the one of the following options:

Profile Types

There are two types of profiles that can be used to connect to a wireless network. The profile types are enabled in the Advanced Settings dialog. The profile types are:

Note: Other users logged on to a system will not be able to view User Based profiles, whereas all users on a system, as well as all users of the wireless network will be able to view Common profiles (i.e. distinguish between users of the networks and multiple users logged on to a system).

Using a Common Profile for a Specific Connection

You can select a Common profile to use to connect to a specific wireless network. Using this mode will disable profile switching in the Profiles list.

Specify a Common profile to connect to a network:

  1. From the General page, click the Networks page.

  2. Click the Advanced button.

  3. Select Only connect with this profile.

  4. Select a Common profile (with or without Persistent Connect) from the list of profiles. Common profiles are indicated with an asterisk (*). Selecting this feature disables profile switching in the Profiles List. Deleting, renaming or changing the state of the profile (Common to User Based) will cause this feature to be disabled.

  5. Click OK to save.

  6. The selected Common profile displays in the Profiles List.

  7. Select the new profile that is positioned at the bottom of the Profiles List. Use the up and down arrows to position the priority of new profile in the priority list. Refer to Administrator Privileges and Restricted Users for information about how Common and Persistent profiles affect the Network page buttons.

  8. Click the Connect button to connect to the wireless network.

  9. Click OK to close the Intel(R) PROSet.

How to Password Protect the Advanced Settings dialog

To set a password for the Advanced Settings dialog:

  1. From the General page, click the Networks tab.
  2. Click the Advanced button.
  3. Click the Password button.
  4. Enter a password in the New Password text box.
  5. Enter the new password again in the Confirm Password text box. The entered password characters display as asterisks.
  6. Click OK to save the new password and close the dialog.
  1. Click OK to close the Advanced Settings dialog and return to the Networks page.

To change an existing password for the Advanced Settings dialog:

  1. From the General page, click the Networks tab.
  2. Click the Advanced button.
  3. Click the Edit button.
  4. Enter the existing password in the Old Password text box.
  5. Enter the new password in the New Password text box.
  6. Enter the new password again in the Confirm Password text box.
  7. Click OK to save the new password and close the dialog. Note that the Password button is not accessible.
  8. Click OK to close the Advanced Settings dialog and return to the Networks page.

Profiles using Single Sign On Features

The Single Sign On options include Pre-Logon Connect and Persistent Connect (for use with MD5 and LEAP profiles only). These features allow you to make fast wireless network connections automatically using pre-configured profile information and user credentials every time you make that connection.


Creating a New Profile

To add a new profile, use the Profile Wizard sequence of dialogs to configure the profile contents. The following example uses all of the Profile Wizard dialogs, although some of the settings may not be required.

Note: If this is the first time you have created a profile, click the profile named Default in the Profiles List, click the Edit button and rename the default profile in the Profile Name field on the General page.

To create a new profile and connect to a network:

General Settings

  1. From the General page, click the Networks tab.
  2. Click the Add button. The General Settings dialog displays.
  3. Enter a profile name in the Profile Name field.
  4. Enter the network SSID, in the Network Name (SSID) field.
  5. Click Infrastructure or Ad hoc for the operating mode.
  6. Click Password protect this profile to set a password for the profile. The password is entered in the Password Settings dialog (step 16).
  7. If you are using Cisco CCX, select the Enable Cisco Compatible Extensions option to enable Cisco CKIP data encryption on the Security Settings page. If you have checked the Cisco's "Mixed-Cell" box in the Advanced Setting, this option must also be checked.
  8. Click Next.

Security Settings

  1. Select Open, Shared, WPA or WPA-PSK in the Network Authentication options. Open, does not use any authentication method. Shared uses the WEP key as the authentication method.
  2. Select either None, WEP or CKIP (if Enable Cisco Compatible Extensions is enabled on the General Settings page) for the data encryption. 
  3. If WEP is selected, select either 64 or 128-bit for the Encryption Level.
  4. Select the key index 1, 2, 3 or 4.
  5. Enter the required pass phrase or hex key
  6. Click the 802.1x Enabled checkbox to enable the 802.1x security option.
  7. Select the appropriate 802.1x Authentication Type set by your system IT administrator.
  8. After selecting your authentication type, click the Configure button to open the Settings dialog. Enter the user name and password of the user you have created on the authentication server. The user name and password do not have to be the same as name and password of your current Windows user login. The "Server Identity" can be use the default setting. The "Client Certificate" should be the one obtained from your RADIUS server or other certification server.
Note: For details about using use the User Credentials options, 'Prompt for Credentials Connection', 'Use Windows logon', and 'Save User Credentials' when using MD5, TTLS, LEAP and PEAP authentication refer to the Single Sign On options in the Advanced Settings system-wide network connection preferences.
  1. Click Next. The Advanced Settings dialog displays.

Advanced Settings

  1. Refer to Advanced Settings for information.
  2. Click Next.
  3. Enter a password in the Password field. The Password Protection checkbox was checked on the General settings page,

  4. Re-enter the same password in the Confirm New Password field.

  5. Refer to Setting a Profile Password for instructions on how to add a password to a new or existing profile.

Connect to the Network

  1. Click the Back button to change or verify the settings or click Finish when you have completed the profile settings and return to the Networks page.
  2. Click the Advanced button to set the system-wide network connection preferences.
  3. Select the new profile name shown in the Profiles List.
  4. Click the Connect button to connect to the wireless network.
  5. Click OK to close the Intel(R) PROSet.

Importing and Exporting Profiles  

Note: A password protected profile can be imported and exported, however, before editing the profile, the password must be entered. Refer to Setting a Profile Password for more information.

To import profiles:

  1. From the General page, click the Networks tab.
  2. Click the Advanced button.
  3. Click the Import/Export button.
  4. Click the Import button.
  5. Locate the profile to import on your hard disk or enter the profile name in the File name field. The profile extension is .profile.
  6. Click the Import to import the profile into the Profiles List.
  7. Click OK twice to return to the Networks tab.
  8. Click OK to close the Intel(R) PROSet utility.

To export profiles:

  1. From the General page, click the Networks tab.
  2. Click the Advanced button.
  3. Click the profiles to export from the export Profiles List.
  4. Click the Browse button and select a directory to save the profiles in. Click OK to return to the previous dialog.
  5. Click the Export button to start exporting the profiles.
  6. Click OK twice to return to the Networks tab.
  7. Click OK to close the Intel(R) PROSet utility.

Setting a Profile Password

To set a password for an existing profile:

  1. Select the profile from the Profiles List in the Networks page, and click the Edit button.
  2. Click the Password tab.
  3. Click the check box next to "Password protect this profile" to enable profile password.
  4. Enter a ten character password in the Password field.
  5. Enter the new password again in the Confirm New Password field.
  6. Click OK to exit and return to the Networks tab.
  7. Click OK to close and exit the Intel(R) PROSet utility.

To password protect a new profile:

  1. Select the profile from the Profiles List in the Networks page, and click the Add button.
  2. Click the Password tab.
  3. Click the check box next to "Password protect this profile" to enable profile password.
  4. Enter a ten character password in the Password field.
  5. Enter the new password again in the Confirm New Password field.
  6. A message box displays that the new password was successfully applied. Click OK to close the message box. Note, if the new password is not successfully confirmed, click OK to close the message box and repeat step 4 and 5.
  7. Click OK to exit and return to the Networks tab.
  8. Click OK to close and exit the wireless Intel(R) PROSet utility.

Automatic Profile Distribution

The Enable Auto-Import feature allows a network administrator to distribute a profile automatically to computers connected to a network. The Enable Auto-Import option is located on the Advanced Settings page. Distribute a profile automatically the Enable Auto-Import must be selected then the profile can be copied to a specific directory on the host computer, from there it can be distributed to multiple computers. Once the profile is received by the remote computer it will automatically be available for use from the Profiles List. If a profile is sent with a password protected, the user will be prompted for the password before the profile can be used.

Automatically importing WLAN profiles is accomplished by monitoring the import folder on your hard disk for new profile files. Only profiles that have the Enable Auto-Import box checked on the Profile Wizard dialogs can be automatically imported. If a profile of the same name already exists in the Profiles List, a dialog is displayed from which you can either reject the import, or accept in which case the existing profile will be replaced. All imported profiles will be placed at the bottom of the Profiles List, and the profile file will be immediately deleted after the import whether the import was successful or not.

To import a profile into the Profiles List:

  1. Select a profile to be edited from the Profiles List in the Networks page, and click the Edit button or click the Add button to create a new profile using the Profile Wizard.
  2. Select the Advanced tab.

  3. Select the Enable Auto-Import checkbox.

  4. Click OK (Edit a profile) or Finish (Add a profile) to save the setting and close the dialog.

  5. Export the profile from the Profiles List. Refer to Importing and Exporting Profiles for details.
  6. Copy the exported profile from its directory to the Programs Files\Intel\PROSetWireless\PROSet\Import directory. The profile is now ready to distribute to other computers.

Editing an Existing Profile

To edit an existing profile:

  1. From the General page, click the Networks tab.
  2. Select the profile to edit from the Profiles List.
  3. Click the Edit button. The General page displays.
  4. Click on the General, Security, Advanced, and Password tabs to make the necessary changes for the network profile settings:
  5. Click OK on any of the pages to save all the settings and return to the Networks tab.
  6. Click the new profile name shown in the Profiles List. Use the up and down arrows to position the priority of new profile in the priority list.
  7. Click the Advanced button to set the network connection preferences.
  8. Click the Connect button to connect to the network.
  9. Click OK to close the Intel(R) PROSet utility.
Note: If you are a restricted user you cannot edit common profiles. However, you can use the Properties button to view the profile contents. Common profiles can only be edited if you have Administrator privileges. Refer to Administrator Privileges and Restricted Users for more information.

Deleting a Profile

To delete a profile:

  1. From the General page, click the Networks tab.
  2. Click the profile to be deleted from the Profiles List.
  3. Click the Delete button.
  4. Click Yes to permanently delete the profile.
Note: You cannot delete all profiles from the Profiles List. There must always be one profile displayed in the list. If you are a restricted user the Delete button is disabled if you select a Common profile. Common profiles can only be edited and deleted if you have Administrator privileges. Refer to Administrator Privileges and Restricted Users for more information.

Connecting to a Network without a Profile

To connect to an available network without a profile:

  1. From the General page, click the Networks tab.
  2. Click the Scan button.
  3. Select the network profile name with <no profile> shown, and click the Connect button.
  4. Click the No, connect me directly without creating a profile option. Note, you can click Yes, create a profile for this network now to create a profile to be used later.
  5. Click OK to connect.

Connecting to a Network if a Blank SSID displays

If the wireless adapter receives a blank network name (SSID) from a stealth access point, both the blank SSID and <no profile> display in the available networks list. To associate with a stealth access point, a new profile must first be created before connection. After connection both the blank SSID and the associated SSID can be viewed in the available networks list.

To connect to an access point that transmits a blank network name (SSID) in the Available Networks list:

  1. From the General page, click the Networks tab.
  2. Click the Scan button.
  3. Select the network name with a blank SSID and <no profile> shown in the Available Networks list.
  4. Click the Connect button.
  5. The Profile Wizard dialog displays. Enter a profile name and Network Name (SSID) and security settings if required. Click Next to save the profile settings and return to the Networks tab.
  6. Click Next.
  7. Click Finish.
  8. Select the new profile from the Profiles List and click Connect.

Loading a Profile from the Task Tray

To load a profile from the Task Tray:

  1. Right-click Intel(R) PROSet icon in the task tray.
  2. Select the Intel(R) PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3B Mini PCI Adapter.
  3. Click Select Profile and select the profile to be launched.

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