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User's Guide
11Mbps Wireless LAN PC CardVersion 1.45
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INFORMATION TO USER
Federal Communications Commission Statement This product has been tested and complies with the specifications for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. The antenna used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of least 20 centimeters from all persons and must operate in conjunction with other antenna or transmitters. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used according to the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which is found by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Notice: The Part 15 radio device operates on a non-interference basis with other devices operating at this frequency. Any change or modification not expressly approved by the party responsible could void the user's authority to operate the device.
Regulatory
The wireless LAN PC Card must be installed and used in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. This device complies with the following radio frequency and safety standards.
USA - Federal Communications Commission (FCC) This device complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: 1. This device may not cause harmful interference. 2. This device must accept any interference that may cause undesired operation.
Europe - R&TTE Directive This device complies with the specifications listed below: 1. ETS 300-826 General EMC requirements for Radio equipment. 2. ETS 300-328 Technical requirements for Radio equipment. 3. EN60950 Safety requirements for Radio equipment.
EU Countries not intended for use The ETSI version of this device is intended for home and office use in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France (with Frequency channel restrictions). Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.
The ETSI version of this device is also authorized for use in EFTA member states Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. | ||||
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![]() Fig 2-2 Infrastructure Wireless LAN
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The adapter provides access to a wired LAN for wireless workstations. An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called an infrastructure configuration. A group of WLAN PC users and an Access Point compose a Basic Service Set (BSS). Each WLAN PC in a BSS can talk to any computer in the wired LAN infrastructure via the Access Point.(Fig 2-2) An infrastructure configuration extends the accessibility of a WLAN equipped PC to a wired LAN, and doubles the effective wireless transmission range for 2 WLANs PCs. Since the Access Point is able to forward data within its BSS, the effective transmission range in an infrastructure LAN is double.(Fig 2-3) | ||||||||||
Fig 2-3 The effective transmission range | ||||||||||
The use of a unique ID in a BSS is essential. All WLAN equipped PCs configured without roaming options in independent BSS must be configured with a BSS ID corresponding to the Access Point used in the BSS. Check your Access Point for its BSS ID or use the Access Point Browser Utility program to determine the BSS ID.(Fig 2-4) The infrastructure wireless LAN configuration is appropriate for enterprise-scale wireless access to a central database, or as a wireless application for mobile users.
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![]() Fig 2-4 Roaming in an Extended Service Set (ESS)
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Infrastructure mode also supports roaming capabilities for mobile users. More than one BSS can be configured as an Extended Service Set (ESS). The continuous network allows users to roam freely within an ESS. All WLAN PCs and Access Point within one ESS must be configured with the same ESS ID. Before enabling an ESS with roaming capability, it is recommended to select a feasible radio channel and optimum Access Point position. Proper Access Point positioning combined with a clear radio signal will greatly enhance performance. | ||||||||
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Chapter 3: Installing the Drivers and Configuration Utility for Windows 9X, ME, 2000 | |||||||||||
Running the Auto Driver & Utility Installation | |||||||||||
Before installing your card, insert the AutoInstall CD into your CD-ROM driver. Unless you have deactivated the autorun feature of Windows, the screen shown in Fig 3-1 should appear automatically. | |||||||||||
If this screen doesn't appear automatically, you can access the installation by clicking the Start button and choosing Run. In the drop-down box provided type D:\Setup.exe (where D: is the letter of your CD-ROM drive). Alternately, double-click My Computer and double-click the Setup.exe icon in the folder that appears. | |||||||||||
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1. Click "Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP Driver & Utility - PCMCIA" to install driver/utility for your PCMCIA WLAN Card. You will see Welcome to the InstallShield Wizard for 802.11 Wireless LAN. Click "Next >" (Fig 3-2).
2. After clicking "Next >", components' version of package will be shown on this screen. (Fig 3-3). | |||||||||||
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NOTE: You must install this software before installation of the hardware | ||||||||||
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Fig 3-2 Install WLAN Driver / Utility | Fig 3-3 Componets Version | |||||||||||||||
3. The installation provides you to install package Custom or Typical. (Fig 3-4) 4. If "Custom" be chosen, you can select package individually. If you choose "Typical", The 3 packages will be installed in your system. (Fig 3-5) The 3 packages mean Application, PCMCIA card driver, and USB adapter driver. (Fig 3-6). | ||||||||||||||||
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Fig 3-4 Setup Type |
Fig 3-5 Typical Setup | |||||||||||||||
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Fig 3-6 Custom Setup | ||||||||||||||||
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After installing PCMCIA WLAN Card driver and utility. Please insert the WLAN Card. You will see Found New Hardware. Please select "Intall the software automatically" then click "Next>" (Fig 3-10). The screen in Windows XP (Fig 3-11) will appear click "Countine Anyway". The Windows has finished installing software for the device. Click "Finish" to finish the installation.(Fig 3-12). Configuration Utility please see Chapter 4 | ||||||||||||||||
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Fig 3-10 Found New Hardware |
Fig 3-11 Windows XP Screen | |||||||||||||||
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Fig 3-12 Finish the installation | ||||||||||||||||
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Fig 4-2 | |||||||||||
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NOTE: When in Ad-Hoc mode, Signal Strength and Link Quality indicators will not be available. | ||||||||||
The Signal Strength field will display a bar indicating the percentage, between 0 and 100 percent, of the strength of the signal. The higher the percentage, the stronger the signal.
The Link Quality field will display a bar indicating the percentage, between 0 and 100 percent, of the quality of the link. The higher the percentage, the better the link.
The Change bottom, allows you to customize the setting for the WLAN PC Card and your wireless network.
The Operating Mode setting determines the architecture of your wireless network select Ad-Hoc or Infrastructure Mode depending on your network type. The Ad-Hoc mode is used for sample peer-to-peer network and allows the sharing of local resources only between Network PC Card without needing a Wireless Access Point. The Infrastructure mode allows a wireless network to be integrated into an existed, wired network through an Access Point. Infrastructure networks permit roaming between Access Points while maintaining a connection to all network resources.
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An acronym for Service Set Identifier, SSID is the unique name shared among all points in a wireless network. The SSID must be identical for all points in the network. It is case sensitive and must not exceed 32 characters. The Tx Rate field shows the current transfer rate for the Network PC Card. To optimize performance and range, the Tx Rate should be set to Auto, which will automatically adjust the transfer speed for best performance and longest range. The Channel setting specifies the channel used in wireless communication and should be set to the same channel as the other points in the wireless network. The setting can only be adjusted in Ad-Hoc mode. | ||||||||||||
Statistics | ||||||||||||
The Statistics screen (Shown in Fig 4-3) provides information about the Tx / Rx Data, Management, and rejected Packets. | ||||||||||||
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Fig 4-3 |
Fig 4-4 | |||||||||||
Site Survey | ||||||||||||
| The Site Survey screen shows some features of the available access points or other stations. Click on the desired access point / station. Then double click BSSID to connect or Re-Scan to search for more access points. (Shown in Fig 4-4) | |||||||||||
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Encryption | ||||||||||
On the Encryption screen, show in Fig 4-5, you can set the level of security with which you will be using the WLAN PC Card. Under the drop-down box, you can choose to have WEP encryption Disabled, 64-Bit, or 128-Bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is an encryption scheme use to protect wireless data communication. If you decide to use encryption, you can choose any of the available WEP keys (1 to 4). You also have option to select the WEP mode (Mandatory/optional). If you select "Mandatory", then not only WEP will be used, but also any other station needs to use WEP encryption in order to establish a communication with your station. This requirement is in line with the IEEE 802.11b standard. If, on the other hand, you choose "Option", then your station can communication with every other station regardless if they use WEP or not. The Disabled setting prevents the sharing of data with other computers on the WEP network. When Enable encryption for the WEP Key entry, enter the hexadecimal number (the letters "A" through "F" and the numbers "0" through "9") set by the other wireless WEP settings; these settings must be identical to the WEP encryption on all points in your wireless network in order to network to your WLAN PC Card. The security keys are four 10 digit key for the 64-Bit WEP setting and four 26 digit key for the 128-Bit WEP setting. | ||||||||||
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Fig 4-5 | ||||||||||
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NOTE: The WEP Key Entry must match the Key on all other devices on the wireless network or this device will be unable to transmit or receive data. |
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For Authentication Type, you may choose between Open System or Shared Key.
Shared Key is when both the sender and recipient share a secret key. Both units this key for an extended length of time, sometimes indefinitely. Any eavesdropper that discovers the key may decipher all packets unit the key is changed. | |||||||
Open System the default setting, is when the sender and the recipient do not share a secret key. Each party generates its own key-pair and asks the receiver to accept the (usually randomly) generated key. Once accepted, this key is use for short time only: then a new key is generated and agrees upon. | |||||||
Advanced | |||||||
The Advanced screen (Fig 4-6) allows you to set Fragmentation Threshold, the RTS/CTS Threshold, and the Preamble Type. The Fragmentation Threshold Value indicates how much of the network resources is devoted to recovering packet errors. The value should remain at its default setting of 2,346. If you experience high packet error rates, you can decrease this value but it will likely decrease overall network performance. Only minor modifications of this value are recommended. | |||||||
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Fig 4-6 | |||||||
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The RTS Threshold Value should remain at its default setting of 2,347. A preamble is a signal used to synchronize the transmission timing between two or more systems. A series of transmission pulses is sent before the data to indicate that "someone is about transmit data." this ensures that systems receive the information correctly when the data transmission stars. The Preamble Type should be set to Short (if the network environment is "noisy") or Long (if the environment is "clear") Click Submit to complete the configuration. | |||||||
Profiles | |||||||
Power Save, you can select then submit to allow your adapter to go to sleep mode while the adapter doesn't precede the datat transmission. Or unselect disabled to make the adapter never go to sleep mode. Click submit to save the settings. | |||||||
The Profiles screen (Fig 4-7) allows you can manage the profiles
that you have created for the wireless network at home, office and in public
places. You can create New file for Save a profile or Delete
and Rename the profiles. | |||||||
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Fig 4-7 | |||||||
About | |||||||
The About screen (Fig 4-8) shown the release information for the Driver Version, Firmware Version, Application Version, and MAC Address. User the "Exit" button in order to exit the application. | |||||||
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Fig 4-8 | |||||||||||
How to Uninstall the configuration & Monitor Utility | |||||||||||
In order to uninstall the Configuration & Monitor Utility from Windows 9X/ME/2000/XP, you can RUN Setup utility again then you will see Fig 4-9 then step by step remove all installed components. It is recommended to stop the WLAN adapter and "Exit" the application prior to staring the uninstallation procedure. | |||||||||||
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Fig 4-9 | |||||||||||
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3. In the "Network" settings window you will be prompted to install Windows NT Networking in case no network has been installed yet. Click "Yes" and follow the instruction on the screen. If networking had been already installed, you will see a dialog with several tabs. In the "Adapters" tab click the "Add" button. Windows NT Networking Setup will determine the type of network adapter card that you are going to use. (Fig 5-1). | |||||||||||||||||||
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Fig 5-1
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Fig 5-2 | ||||||||||||||||||
4. Click "Have Disk" (Fig 5-2), Select D: \ WLAN USB&PCMCIA\NT4 driver\Rev E (where D: is the letter of your CD-ROM drive). (Fig 5-3). 5. Select Adapter and Click "OK" (Fig 5-4). | |||||||||||||||||||
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Fig 5-3 |
Fig 5-4 | ||||||||||||||||||
6. Next Windows will start copying the files. In case there is a version conflict between one or more of the files being copied and files in your system, you should normally keep the latest version. | |||||||||||||||||||
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6. During the installation, a dialog box appears asking for the I/O base and IRQ resource information. In order to find out which values to use, go to Start uProgramsuAdministrative Tools uWindows NT Diagnosticsuselect the "Resources" tab upress the "IRQ" button. Select one free IRQ from the list. Next, press the button "I/O Port" and choose an 0x20 free I/O space. Add these values into the dialog box. If at any point after the installation you want to change these values, go to the Control PaneluNetwork, select the Adapters tab, press the Properties button, and fill in the new values.(Fig 5-5). | |||||||||||||||
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Fig 5-5 | |||||||||||||||
7. Finally, when the installation has been completed, (Fig 5-6). you will need to restart your computer. | |||||||||||||||
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Fig 5-6 | |||||||||||||||
NOTE: If the card is not working properly, after a restart procedure, you should make sure that your system has free resources ever it may shows them as being available. | |||||||||||||||
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Adapter Installation Problems | ||||
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Network Connection Problems | ||||
If the LED on the PC Card does not light, or if you can not access any network resources from the computer. Check the following:
disabled, or the SSID is the same as the Access Point for station with roaming enabled.
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Access Point- An internetworking device that seamlessly connects wired and wireless networks together.
Ad-Hoc- An Ad-Hoc wireless LAN is a group of computers each with wireless adapters, connected as an independent wireless LAN.
Backbone- The part of a network that connects most of the systems and networks together and handles the most data. The core infrastructure of a network, the portion of the network that transports information from one central location to another central location. The information in then off-loaded onto a local system.
Bit- A binary digit. The value - 0 or 1 used in the binary numbering system. Also, the smallest form of data.
BSS- Stands for Basic Service Set. An Access Point associated with several stations.
Domain- A subnetwork comprised of a group of clients and servers under the control of one security database. Dividing LANs into domains improves perfor -mance and security.
DSSS- Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum is very widely known and the most used of the spread spectrum types, owing most of its popularity to its ease of implemen- tation and high data rates.
Encryption- A security method that applies a specific algorithm to data in order to alter the data's appearance and prevent other devices from reading the information
ESS- Stands for Extended Service Set. More than one BSS can be configured as an Extended Service Set. An ESS basically a roaming domain.
Ethernet- A popular local area data communications network, originally developed by Xerox Corp., which accepts transmission from computers and terminals. Ethernet operates on 10 Mbps baseband transmission over shielded coaxial cable or over shielded twisted pair telephone wire.
Firmware- Code that is written onto read-only memory (ROM) or programmable read-only memory (PROM). Once firmware has been written onto the ROM or PROM, it is retained even when the device is turned off. | ||||
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Fragmentation- Breaking a packet into smaller units when transmitting over a network medium that cannot support the original size of the packet.
Infrastructure- An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called an infrastructure configuration.
IRQ- Interrupt ReQuest, A hardware interrupt on a PC. There are 16 IRQ lines used to signal the CPU that peripheral event has started or terminated. In most cases, two devices cannot use the same line.
PCMCIA- Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, which develops standards for PC cards, formerly known as PCMCIA cards, are available in three types which are about the same length and width as credit cards, but range in thickness from 3.3mm(Type I), 5.0mm(Type II), to 10.5mm(Type III). These cards can be used for many functions, including memory storage, as landline modems and as wireless LAN.
Roaming- A function that allow one to travel with a mobile end system (wireless LAN mobile station, for example) through the territory of domain(an ESS, for example) while continuously connecting to the infrastructure.
RTS- Request to Send, An RS-232 signal sent from the transmitting station to the receiving station requesting permission to transmit.
Throughput- The amount of data moved successfully from one place to another in a given time period.
Tx Rate- Transmission Rate.
WEP- Wired Equivalent Privacy, A data privacy mechanism based on a 64-bit or 128-bit shared key algorithm, as described in IEEE 802.11 standard. | ||||
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