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LEAP with TM1300?
Hi folks:
Can someone please explain what LEAP is and what hardware support I need to use it?
I have I5100 with TM1300 (latest DELL drivers) connecting to an Adaptec 802.11b AP. Is this setup enough, or does the AP need to support LEAP in hardware/firmware too?
TIA.
Rajiv
Herrflik
21 Posts
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July 18th, 2003 06:00
The hardware support you'd need would be, well, a Cisco AP (maybe also an authentication server, since its some sort of EAP implementation). The client also needs driver support for it (which it may or may not have, Cisco do licence the client software now: the profits on clients aren't high enough for them to want to make them themselves, so this is a useful way of indirectly locking people into Cisco kit).
For all that, the best advice is to dump it, its a historic scheme. WPA does it better, and in any case, WPA+PSK is a more useable choice for a home setup.
rpras
18 Posts
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July 18th, 2003 15:00
Thanks Herrflik. That does make sense. Since I have a home setup, I'm not willing to go through setting up authentication servers and the like. Getting locked into a proprietary scheme also sounds a little scary.
So, the next question is how do I do WPA-PSK with TM1300 and Adaptec 802.11b AP? I reread the Adaptec AP manual, and it only mentions WEP as the security encryption option. Will I need a wireless AP/router that supports WPA? Which ones do? If current APs don't support WPA, can it be upgraded via firmware updates assuming vendors release such updated firwares?
Thanks again.
Rajiv
ilkevinli
32 Posts
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July 18th, 2003 19:00
Herrflik
21 Posts
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July 21st, 2003 06:00
Straight WPA requires an authentication server (in fact, it uses 802.1X to handle the authentication). On the plus side, theres no need to type in encryption keys, they'll be created during authentication.
WPA-PSK is a pre-shared key form- you have to type in the keys yourself on both the access point and client (or type in a passphrase: since the key is 256-bit, that should be quite a bit easier). This was designed for "small" setups, and doesn't use the authentication server.
In either case, you'd need the client and access-point (or router) to have firmware that supports WPA (and theres no guarantee the maker will produce an update), and on top of that, you need WPA software for the PC (if you're using XP, that can be the WPA patch from windows update; if not, the only software I know of has to be bought).
rpras
18 Posts
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July 21st, 2003 19:00
Thanks guys, for making it more clear.
I've been doing some reading over the past few days and the research reveals these same points. Until 802.11i arrives, WPA (WPA-PSK) should be desirable over WEP. Now, the setup that I have is I5100 (Win XP Home) + TM1300 (Broadcom chipset, and Broadcom says this card supports WPA) + Adaptec Ultra Wireless AP (802.11b only).
With the WPA patch from Microsoft for XP (BTW, anyone know which patch number?), and the latest TM1300 drivers from DELL, the client (my I5100) seems ready for WPA-PSK. Research on the Adaptec AP reveals it has Intersil PRISM 3 chipset, but all other info on the web indicates that this particular AP cannot be upgraded from WEP to do WPA (-PSK). Rather a naive question: why? Intersil already released their WPA specs for PRISM 2.5 and later chipsets. When a manufacturer (even if it is someone other than Adaptec) releases a WPA-enabled firmware for the Intersil PRISM 2.5+ chipsets, will this firmware work for my Adaptec AP? I know this is hypothesizing at this point in time, but indications for or against will be helpful to plan whether I need to replace my lowly Adaptec AP with some other heavyweight like a Linksys or Belkin.
Thanks again and cheers.
Rajiv
jmpsmash
3 Posts
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October 31st, 2003 18:00
Some guy over at www.wifi-forum.com managed to get his TM1300 working with LEAP. Go check out his thread:
http://www.wifi-forum.com/wf/showthread.php?t=16