The Connection Properties panel contains details about the active connection, wired or wireless. This information is particularly useful for troubleshooting problems with your network connection. Choose the step in the next procedure that applies to the current connection.

1. For detailed information about the wired connection, left-click the NWAM Manager Status Icon for the wired connection.
   
   The General tab of the Connection Properties panel is displayed.
   • Connection
     This section contains the name of the active interface and its status.
   • Activity
     This section lists how many packets are currently being received or being sent through this interface.
   • Configure network automatically checkbox
     In the previous example, the box is not selected. If you check this box, NWAM gives you the option of restarting the network configuration.
     The Support tab of the Connection Properties panel displays the IP address, broadcast address, and subnet mask for the currently active interface.
2. For detailed information about the wireless connection, left-click the NWAM Manager Status Icon for the wireless connection.
   
   The General tab of the Connection Properties panel is displayed. You receive information about the current active wireless connection.
   • Connection
     This section contains the name of the active interface and its status.
   • Activity
     This section lists how many packets are currently being received or being sent through this interface.
   • Wireless
     This section shows the status of the following items:
   • Network Name (ESSID)
     The name of the currently connected wireless network. In the previous example, the network name is WLAN.
   • Access Point (BSSID)
     The MAC address of the router that serves the current wireless network. In the previous example, the BSSID for the access point is 0:13:c3:58:84:f0.
   • Operational Mode
     One of two possible modes of operation for a wireless network: infrastructure or ad hoc. When NWAM connects to a wireless network, that network broadcasts its mode of operation.
     A wireless network in infrastructure mode, such as the Wifi network detected in the previous panel, is a formal network that controls access through its access point. A wireless network that operates in ad hoc mode, or computer to computer, is more informal, basically a group of systems that agree to exchange information among each other.
   • Security
     The values are WEP security, WPA security, or none. Wireless networks that are protected by WEP or WPA require you to type a WEP or WPA password before you can connect. Networks with a security value of none are open for connection by the public.
   • Authentication Mode
     The values for Authentication are open or shared. They work in tandem with the values for Security. A network with open authentication is open for connection by the public. A network with shared authentication requires you to supply a valid WEP or WPA password.
   • Signal Strength
     A graph that illustrates the signal strength of the particular network.
   • Configure network automatically check box
     In the previous example, the box is selected.
     The Support tab of the Connection Properties panel displays the IP address, broadcast address, and subnet mask for the currently active interface.