How to Build a Wireless Access Point Using Windows CE

Platform Builder for Microsoft Windows CE 5.0

Windows CE enables you to build a Windows CE-based wireless access point (AP). You can create a Windows CE-based device that functions as a wireless gateway and access point and enables clients to connect to a wireless network.

Hardware and Software Requirements

This document makes the following assumptions:

Your Platform Builder installation includes CEPC x86 and Emulator x86 board support packages.
You have a CEPC already configured. For more information, see How to Set Up a CEPC and How to Use the IDE to Create, Customize, and Build a Run-Time Image.
The computers you are using for this scenario are connected to an existing public network through a hub.

The following table shows the devices that are required for this network.

Device name and function	Software	Configured as
Development workstation	Windows 2000 Professional Edition or later with Microsoft Windows CE Platform Builder installed.	Host computer for CEPC and wireless AP client
CEPC	Windows CE 5.0 or later	Wireless access point
Client computer with wireless network card	Windows 2000 Professional Edition or later	Wireless client computer

Additional Hardware Requirements

The following table shows the additional hardware you must have to use the wireless access point.

Item	Number
Wireless network adapter for client device.	1
Wireless AP network adapter for CEPC. This document uses an RTL 8180 Native Wi-Fi AP network adapter for reference.**	1
Additional wired network adapter for CEPC. This document uses an NE 2000-compatible network adapter for reference.**	1

**The non-Microsoft software and hardware referenced in this document are included for illustrative purposes only.

Illustrations that use such third-party software and hardware as examples are not intended to be an endorsement or recommendation of any of these products.

This example uses Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 or earlier to connect to the wireless access point. Some of the procedures may be different in Service Pack 2.

We provide this information only as a convenience for our customers for purposes of explaining a practical application and do not provide warranties of any kind, whether express, implied or statutory, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose.

To track your progress in the following table, select the check box next to each step.

	Step	Topic
	1. Create an OS design for a wireless access point.	Creating an OS Design for a Wireless Access Point
	2. Configure the access point registry.	Configuring the Access Point Registry
	3. Prepare to build the Access Point run-time image. Choose the Release configuration.	Levels of Debugging Support
	4. Build the OS design into a run-time image. From the Build OS menu, ensure that the following are selected: Clean Before Building Copy Files to Release Directory after Build Make Run-Time Image After Build From the Build OS menu, choose Sysgen.	Not applicable.
	5. Download your run-time image to the CEPC.	Downloading a Run-Time Image
	6. Configure your access point using the Web-based configuration page.	Using the Remote Configuration Tool to Configure the Access Point
	7. Connect a wireless client to your access point.	Connecting a Client to the Wireless Access Point

Hardware and Software Requirements

Additional Hardware Requirements

See Also