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Using Profiles: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Network Connection User Guide



Profile Wizard Overview

Use the Profile Wizard to create a network profile for connection to a specific wireless network.

When the Intel Configuration Service detects an available network and the adapter is not associated to another wireless network, the “Connect to wireless network” page is displayed. From Intel PROSet/Wireless, select a network from the Available Network list, and click Configure.

  1. The General Settings page is displayed with the network name and operating mode for the selected network. The identified Wireless Network Name (SSID) cannot be modified, but you can change the Profile Name.

  1. Click Next to display the Profile Wizard Security Settings page. This starts the access point query process to determine the highest level of security required for the selected network. Refer to Setting up Security for more information on security options.

  2. After the required security is determined, click Next.

  3. The Security Settings page displays the required information that must be entered to connect to that particular network. For example, if an Infrastructure WEP network is selected, WEP encryption and key index information is displayed, but only the WEP Network Key needs to be entered. If you do not know the required network settings, contact your system administrator.


Creating a New Profile

Use the Profile Wizard to create a new profile.

If you select a network from the Available Networks list and click Configure, the Profile Wizard guides you through the necessary steps to create a profile and connect to the network. During this process, the Profile Wizard attempts to detect the appropriate security settings for you.

To create a new profile and connect to a wireless network:

  1. From the Intel PROSet/Wireless main window click Add. The Profile Wizard is launched and the General Settings page is displayed.

  1. Enter a profile name in the Profile Name text box.
  2. Enter the Wireless Network Name (SSID) in the text box.
  3. Select the Operating Mode: Network or Device to Device.
  4. Click Advanced for the following options: 

 

 

  1. From the General Settings page, Click Next. The Security Settings page is displayed

 

 

  1. The Security Settings page displays the current security status for the network access point. Click Next to set Network Authentication and Data Encryption options. 

  2. Select the Network Authentication and Data Encryption options. Enter the encryption key settings and configure the 802.1x settings as required. Refer to Security Settings for more information.
  3. Click OK when you have completed the profile settings. The Profile Wizard ends and you are returned to Intel PROSet/Wireless main window. To change or verify the profile settings, click the Back button.

  4. If you are not currently connected to a network, Intel PROSet/Wireless detects that a new profile has been added and automatically attempts to connect to this new profile.

  5. If you want to manually connect to this profile, click Connect to use this wireless network. The connection icon displays the current connection status. The network name, transmit and receive speed, and signal quality are also displayed.


Editing an Existing Profile

To edit an existing profile:

  1. Select the profile to edit from the Profiles List.
  2. Click Properties. The General Settings and Security Settings pages display all of the profile settings and parameters that can be modified.
  3. Click Next and Back to navigate through the General and Security Setting settings.

Removing a Profile

To remove a profile:

  1. Select the profile to be removed from the Profiles List.
  2. Click Remove to delete the profile.
NOTE: You cannot delete all profiles from the Profiles List. There must always be one profile displayed in the list.

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.

Export Profiles

To export profiles from your profile list:

  1. From the Intel PROSet/Wireless main window, click Import/Export on the Profiles menu.
  2. Select the profile or profiles from the list,
  3. Specify the destination folder on your hard drive. You can use the Browse button to navigate to a folder.
  4. Click OK after the profiles have been successfully exported.
  5. Click Close to close Intel PROSet/Wireless main window.

Import profiles

To add profiles to your profile list:

  1. From the Intel PROSet/Wireless main window, click Import/Export on the Profiles menu.
  2. Click Import.
  3. Locate the profile to import on your computer or enter the profile name in the file name field. The profile extension is either .profile or .p50. The profiles to import can be located in any directory you choose on your computer.
  4. Click Import to import the profile into the profile list.
  5. Click Close to return to the Intel PROSet/Wireless main window. The imported profile is displayed in the profile list and is ready to use.
     

Setting a Profile Password

Note:

A password protected profile can be imported and exported; however, before editing the profile, the password must be entered.

To set a password for an existing profile:

  1. From the Intel PROSet/Wireless main window, click Properties. The General Settings page is displayed.
  2. Click Advanced.
  3. Click Password protect this profile.
  4. Password: Type the password.
  5. Confirm Password: Re-type the password.
  6. Click OK to save the setting and return to the General Settings page.
  7. Click OK. The Intel PROSet/Wireless main window is displayed.

Administrator Profiles

Administrator Profiles are created using the Administrator Tool.

 

Administrator Profiles are profiles or shared profiles that are owned and managed by the network Administrator or the administrator of this computer. These profiles are common/shared by all users on this computer. However end users cannot modify these profiles, they can only be modified from the Administrator Tool which is password protected.

 

There are two types of Administrator Profiles: Persistent and Pre-logon/Common.

Persistent Connection

Persistent profiles are applied at boot time or whenever no one is logged on the computer. After a user logs off, a Persistent profile maintains a wireless connection either until the computer is turned off or a different user logs on.

Pre-Logon/Common Profiles

Pre-logon/Common profiles are applied once a user logs on. If Single Sign On (“Use Windows username and password”) support is installed, the connection is made as part of the Windows log on sequence (pre-logon). If Single Sign On support is not installed on the computer, the profile is applied once the user session is active. Pre-logon/Common profiles always appear at the top of a user’s profile list. A user can still prioritize their own profiles that they have created but they cannot re-prioritize Pre-logon/Common Profiles. Since these profiles appear at the top of the profile list, Intel PROSet/Wireless  automatically attempts to connect to the Administrator profiles first before any user created profiles.

Pre-Logon Connect Status

When the Single Sign On component is installed, you have Pre-Logon/Common support.

During the Windows log on sequence, a Pre-logon Status page is displayed. This page displays the progress of the network connection. After the wireless adapter is associated with the network access point, the Status page closes.


Administrator Export Properties

Use the Administrator Settings and Administrator Profiles options to configure shared profiles for exporting. Exported profiles and settings can be pushed to any Intel PROSet/ Wireless  'auto import' folder. They are exported as one package.

Administrator Export Preferences dialog

Name

Description

Export Administrator Preferences

Step 1: Select which preferences you want to export:

  • Administrator Settings: Export all the settings. These include control of Cache Credentials and Windows Microsoft XP Co-existence.

  • Administrator Profiles: Export all the Persistent and Pre-logon/Common Profiles.

Step 2: Select the destination file:

  • Browse button: Select the destination path and directory. The export destination file has a .sso extension. The directory path displays in the destination directory window.

Step 3: Export the selected preferences:

  • Export button: Start exporting your profiles to the assigned destination folder.

Close

Close page.

Help?

Displays the help information for this page.

Automatic Profile Distribution

The Enable Auto-Import feature allows a network administrator to distribute a profile automatically to computers connected to a network. These profiles can be automatically imported from the \Programs Files\Intel\Wireless\AutoImport directory on the client computer. Enable Auto-Import option is located on the the Advanced Settings page. Click Advanced on the Profile Wizard General Settings page to access the Advanced Settings.

The profile must 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 is automatically available from the Profiles List. If an attempt is made to edit a distributed profile that is password protected, a password prompt appears.

Automatically importing 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 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 is replaced. All imported profiles are placed at the bottom of the Profiles List, and the profile file is immediately deleted after the import whether the import was successful or not.

To import a profile into the Profiles List:

  1. Select the profile from the Profiles List, and click the Properties button.
  2. Click the Advanced button.
  3. Select Enable Auto-import.
  4. Click OK to save the setting and exit.
  5. Click OK to close the General Settings page.
  6. Export the profile from the Profiles List. Refer to Importing and Exporting Profiles for details.
  7. Copy the exported profile from its directory to the Programs Files\Intel\Wireless\AutoImport directory. The profile is now ready to distribute to other computers.

Single Sign On Support and Microsoft Windows XP Welcome Screen and Fast User Switching

The Fast User Switching and the Microsoft Windows XP Welcome Screen are disabled when Single Sign On support is installed.

Single Sign On (“Use Windows user name and password”) is targeted to the enterprise environment where users logon to their computer with a user name, password and typically a domain. Fast User Switching does not support domain log on.

 
Note:

Windows Fast User Switching is enabled by default if you are using Windows XP Home Edition. It is targeted for the home user; Fast User Switching is also available on Windows XP Professional if you install it on a stand alone or workgroup-connected computer. If a computer running Windows XP Professional is added to a domain, then Fast User Switching option is not available.


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