This is how to activate other regions (Europe, Japan, etc) in your Atheros chipset-based 802.11 b/g wireless network card in Windows XP, if you don't already have this feature. This is how the different global regions use the 802.11 b/g channels.
The Americas use Channels 1 through 11
Europe uses Channels 1 through 13
Japan uses Channels 1 through 14
To check to see if you already have this, go to Device Manager (right click on My Computer > click on Manage > Device Manager), double click on your wireless card, go to the Advanced tab, and look for Regional Domain under Property:
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If you don't see this, here's how to activate this.
Open up Registry Editor ( Start > Run... > regedit > OK)
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002bE10318}\ and look for your wireless card, mine is 0011. Take note of what your card's key is.
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Close the Registry Editor window.
Now copy the following bolded text, and paste it to a new blank text document:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002bE10318}\xxxx\NDI\params\ccode]
"ParamDesc"="Regional Domain"
"Base"="10"
"default"="US"
"type"="enum"
@="GB"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002bE10318}\xxxx\NDI\params\ccode\enum]
"DZ"="Africa"
"CN"="Asia"
"AU"="Australia"
"CA"="Canada"
"GB"="Europe"
"FR"="France"
"IL"="Israel"
"JP"="Japan"
"MX"="Mexico"
"BR"="South America"
"US"="United States"
Replace the 2 instances of xxxx with your wireless card's key number you found out in Registry Editor, then save it as a .reg file (such as ATHEROS_REGIONS.reg). Now right click on the .reg file, click on Merge, and verify you want to merge the file into the registry.
Reboot. Now you'll be able to change which global region you're in when you travel.
Do not use any region that activates channels above Channel 11 in the U.S. It is against FCC regulations.
Atheros: How To Activate Other Global Regions In XP
Discussion in 'Networking and Wireless' started by WackyT, May 2, 2008.