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Airport Extreme wireless, adding new client

I'm trying to add a new wireless client to my wired Airport Extreme network. The instructions say to "Select PIN to enter the eight-digit number provided by the client requesting network access." Would someone please expand on this? First, I can't find that option in the Airport utility. Then, what 8 digit number? Both the Mac address and the IP number have more than 8 digits. My previous router's admin software allowed me to specify the MAC address of the Windows XP client computer to allow it access, but I can't figure out how to do this with the Airport Utility. Is this method of access approval no longer being used for some reason? Also, how does the Windows XP client determine if her computer supports WPA2?

I'm using my wired Mac Pro to administer the network, and my wired second Mac has been automatically accepted by the router.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.11), Also G4, OS 9.2

Posted on Dec 5, 2007 3:49 PM

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4 replies

Dec 5, 2007 4:22 PM in response to pae94037

The instructions say to "Select PIN to enter the eight-digit number provided by the client requesting network access." Would someone please expand on this?


What is giving you these instructions?

My previous router's admin software allowed me to specify the MAC address of the Windows XP client computer to allow it access, but I can't figure out how to do this with the Airport Utility.


If you want your network to be secure use WPA. Using an access control list (MAC address filtering) adds no real security.

...and my wired second Mac has been automatically accepted by the router.


The access control list does not apply to Ethernet connected devices.

Dec 5, 2007 5:01 PM in response to Duane

Thanks, Duane,
That quote about selecting PIN was in the Airport Utility Help file, and the same sentence is in the "Designing Airport Networks" file and the "Airport Extreme Setup Guide."

I didn't realize that limiting access to a specific Mac address doesn't improve security. My intent here is to disallow access to all except designated computers. What would the best way be to accomplish this? A related question then is whether there is a way to block unapproved computers from the wired connection access, should that occur.
Thanks

Dec 5, 2007 8:48 PM in response to pae94037

A related question then is whether there is a way to block unapproved computers from the wired connection access, should that occur.


The only way is to block physical access.

The instructions say to "Select PIN to enter the eight-digit number provided by the client requesting network access." Would someone please expand on this? First, I can't find that option in the Airport utility.


According to the guide:

(1) Select your base station and choose Manual Setup from the Base Station menu. Enter the base station password if necessary.

(2) Choose Add Wireless Clients from the Base Station menu.

Then, what 8 digit number?


You make it up. Then you give it to the client which wants to attach wirelessly.

Dec 29, 2007 8:41 AM in response to pae94037

The AirPort Extreme supports "Wi-Fi Protected Setup," a standard that makes it easy to setup a wireless network without sharing the network's security passphrase.

Unfortunately, it does not appear that the current AirPort client firmware shipping with current Macs supports this. If it did, it would either have a static eight-digit PIN, or would generate a new PIN on the fly when attempting to authenticate to the network.

Details here: http://www.wi-fi.org/wifi-protected-setup/

Airport Extreme wireless, adding new client

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