Bootstrap via Router Reconfiguration

Using the WiFi bootstrap method is a bit more procedural, but it doesn’t require you to install a device driver or a terminal program. All you need is a PC with access to the WiFi router through a hard Ethernet connection. You will need the password to get into your router setup and you will interrupt your WiFi  for your other devices temporarily during configuration.  So you should make sure that the family is not currently watching a Netflix movie while you do it.   If you have a “spare”  WiFi router laying around you could use it temporarily so you would not have to disturb your running network. The temporary router need not be connected to the internet.

In any case follow these steps to configure via WiFi:

  1. Connect a PC to your router via an Ethernet cable. On Laptops make sure you have the WiFi adapter turned off.
  2. Connect to your routers web-interface, usually at http://192.168.1.1
  3. Find the WiFi configuration page and set your SSID to “linksys” and the encryption parameter to “NONE”.
  4. Hit Save, reboot or whatever the router tells you to do to make the change effective.
  5. Power up the station,  if it was configured  before do a Factory Reset first.
  6. Observe the green LED, it should start blinking at one second interval after about 2 -5 seconds indicating it has established a connection.
  7. Point your browser at http://WXBOARD  — The stations web interface should appear.
  8. If the connection times out  wait a while and try again, NetBios name propagation can be slow.
  9. If that didn’t work, go  back to your router and check under WiFi clients and / or DHCP clients for a likely IP address of the station and try it.
  10. Assuming you can see the stations web interface go to Configure, (admin/admin by default) and set the WiFi SSID and encryption Password as desired.
  11. Hit Save and Reboot and then  unplug it .
  12. Point the browser back at your router and change to WiFi settings to what you just configured the station with. (Presumably what you had it set at in the first place)
  13. Do whatever the router tells you to  make the change effective.
  14. Check with your other WiFi clients that they can get back online again.
  15. Turn on the station and be patient! Depending on the encryption method chosen it will take up to one minute to work out the encryption key. The green LED is flashing rapidly during this phase and changes to blinking at one second interval when the connection is established.
  16. You should now be able to connect to your station via the Netbios name or it’s IP address.

Yes it’s long and arduous.  If you have a spare router you can save steps 12-14 and 3-4 if you do it more than once.