Level One – a well-known in the computer market brand, owned by Digital Data Communications, which is known in the computer market since 1991 and specializes in network equipment. Today, Level One is known as a manufacturer of network equipment from different areas: wireless networking, network wiring, power transmission solutions over Ethernet, broadband routers, equipment, ADSL, print servers, VolP equipment and, of course, network adapters.
Our present material will be dedicated to just that hardware companies, which, of course, deserves respect. In the lab got a set of equipment Level One, consisting of a wireless router WBR-5400, and two client adapters – slot PCI WNC-0500 and for the slot PCMCIA WPC-0500. Looking ahead, we note that the equipment was quite interesting both in terms of functionality and in terms of speed, but first things first.
As for the possibilities, here we were pleased with the technology MIMO, which increases the speed of data transmission, as well as support for standard WPA2, designed to solve all the problems of security of wireless networks.
Technology MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output), which is spoken today nearly all publications, involves the use of multiple antennas to transmit and receive data. Multiple antennas can simultaneously transmit multiple signals, which, in turn, increases the aggregate bandwidth. In addition, this implementation can increase the stability of the channel and noise immunity. With regard to transmission, it happens on several different frequencies, ie stream is divided and connected to the transmission after the reception.
The second technology, which has only recently begun to appear in practical samples of wireless network equipment – WPA2. Since the adoption of 802.11 in 1999, when all that was offered to protect your data – is Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP – security, equivalent to a wired network). Unfortunately, the encryption scheme was weak and unreliable. If the first time the existence of WEP cracking it took a lot of effort, then later there were specialized tools. The next step was the emergence of standard WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), which used a more enduring protection, but, nevertheless, did not provide adequate data security. The next step was the emergence of WPA2, which, as the developers say, all the weak points are eliminated. Time will tell …
The company proposes to use Level One in the center of a small office or home network router WBR-5400, which will build a small home or office network with wired and wireless segments, as well as the ability to access the Internet. An equally important aspect is the fact that established on the basis of such a device network will not only fast, but how secure from attacks from the Internet (by means of built-in firewall) and an attack on a wireless network (any protocol to protect your wireless network up to WPA2).
Appearance and equipment
The router comes in a fairly compact cardboard box, made in a similar style with all the other participants testing – white background, full color graphics.
WBR-5400 is executed in silver-gray plastic housing with embossed logo mirror. The case looks quite stylish, despite the presence of the three-dipole antenna high power. That's three. A rare decision, earlier in these pages not seen any model with more than two antennas. However, the presence of three antennas – a necessity, due to technology, MIMO, which involves the use of separated paths for transmission to neighboring frequencies. In our case, a diagram of two receiving channels, one – the transfer of, respectively, an antenna is used for data transmission, two for receiving.
On the front panel of the router is reset button, which sunk deep into the body so that it can not be accidentally pressed, and a host of indicators: power, wireless network status, as well as two indicators for each of the WAN ports and four LAN (connection and the speed 10/100).
The back side carries the connectors for the antennas (right and left), power connector, four LAN ports and one – WAN.
Another antenna is mounted on the left side of the router. Note that all three antennas are used on the router are the same, so that when you install them you can not think about what kind of antenna to be connected.
At the bottom of the four rubber feet can be seen under two of which are hidden screws fastening the panel, and a sticker with the serial number and product information, unfortunately, loops for attaching the router to the wall is not provided.
If the standard antenna will not powerful enough, you can always connect any other benefit for their connection uses standard connectors RP-SMA.
Of course, we could not resist the temptation to disassemble the router. Inside we saw a board with a wireless module miniPCI. Antennas are connected to respective terminals wireless module, and, if necessary, can be easily disconnected from it. Marking of connectors indicates that the two antennas used to receive, one for transmission.
The wireless part is based on the solutions Ralink RT2661T. For the selected switching chip RTL 8305SC, the foundation is the same router CPU Amrisc 10000G.
Setting
To configure the WBR-5400 is proposed to use the built-in Web-based administration. To go to him we need to use your Internet browser and go to the address 192.168.123.254, of course, address of the computer from which the access must be in the same network, that is in the range of 192.168.123.1 to 192.168.123.253, mask 255,255. 255.0. The router has a built-in server DHCP, so if your computer IP parameters are automatically detected, it is enough to restart the computer and update them using the command ipconfig / renew.
In the transition to the address immediately the status of a window, performed in the dark. The interface has four languages: among them are English and German. In the first window displays the parameters IP, as well as information on past traffic through the router. To access the remaining information required authorization. The default password «admin». After its entry is allowed full access to the interface. Unfortunately, the interface is not very transparent. Note that at the first meeting is not clear how the navigation section. It turns out that for this are quite modest links at the top of the screen that look like normal text.
For the first configuration is convenient to use the wizard (Wizard). With the wizard you will be prompted to set the parameters consistently connect to the Internet (static and dynamic IP, Telstra BigPond, PPPoE, PPTP, L2TP), local connection options and the wireless network, including encryption.
After completing the wizard, the router is ready to work, however, for a deeper dive into the settings to the depth of the Web-interface.
The interface configuration has seven sections, each of which you can specify certain parameters. The first section is called the Title / Status and allows you to view information about the system. With the second section we are already familiar – it's Wizard / Wizard.
The third section – Basic Settings / Basic Settings. As the name implies, you can configure the most important parameters of the router. Thus, the marked sections to configure the address and type of external connection to configure the built-in server, DHCP, engaged in the distribution of the parameters IP, to set up a wireless network – with the possibility of a complete shutdown of the interface, and change parameters such as frequency channel, broadcast SSID, and, Of course, safety. In this section you can change the password to access the Web-based interface.
The next section – redirect rules / Forwarding Rules. As the name implies, this set up different types of port forwarding. The so-called virtual server – to accommodate the external network services such as WWW, FTP, working within the network, setting rules specific applications that are needed for dynamic port forwarding, which is required for some applications such as games or telephony. Anything that does not fit into these two points can be configured further – putting the computer you want the demilitarized zone, that is, allowing all traffic to it from port WAN, or if you are setting up an FTP server to run on non-standard port, you can just "tell" this router. Not without support UPnP, you can include in this section.
All the security settings in a separate section – Security Settings. In the first part of section configured packet filters. Note that you can use both ideologies – like the prohibition of all traffic, except for necessary and resolution of all but forbidden. Having defined the ideology should be used to create rules for applications that will use the output of the network. Pleasantly pleased with the inclusion of the schedule rules.
In the next section addresses configured filters. This setting is also proved to be quite flexible. Total permitted to establish their own rules of nine, the tenth predetermined rule – it applies to all packages. Options allow you to use a privileged range of addresses for requests from which the specified limits do not apply.
Blocking by URL is allocated to a separate part. You can create ten rules that will apply to all. Any blocking features are not provided.
The next part suggests you limit access by MAC address. Here you can configure clients to connect to the router to allow access for all and prohibiting only specific, or vice versa – banning all but given.
All that is not included in the previous security settings of the combined in the last – Advanced / Miscellaneous. So, here you can restrict access to the administrative interface to the address and port, specify a timeout disable, enable or disable the WAN interface responses to requests for ping, use a firewall SPI, enable detection of DoS attacks, as well as the transmission tunnel to allow PPTP and IPSec.
Section extra configuration combines the features and adjustability of the router settings. The system time can be set via NTP, take the current time from a computer or set manually. Options allow you to configure the logging to work with Syslog server or pereidicheski send logs to an email address. The router, like many others, support DDNS, you can choose one of four providers: DynDNS.org (Dynamic), DynDNS.org (Custom), TZO.com and dhs.org. In the same section is configured SNMP, whose work can be resolved, not only from the internal network, but also from the outside. In that case, if your network is not standard and must be sufficient to address specific requests to pass on some specific route – you must use the routing configuration. To do this you need to make an entry in the routing table. By the way, only you can make up to eight such records. Schedules that work with the rules specified in this section. To activate them you want to enable this option and specify at least one schedule.
And finally, the last section – Toolbox. It made all the tools needed to service the system: viewing logs, firmware upgrades, saving the configuration, reset, restart, as well as the ability to remotely turn on the computer (Wake-on-LAN) and the ability to check the availability of the host utility ping.