Linksys WPC54A User's Manual
Contents
1. Ad Hoc Mode at this time If you want to specify a channel after you Unlike wired networks wireless networks have two different modes in which install the Wireless PC Card refer to Chapter 7 Configuration of the they may be set up Infrastructure and Ad Hoc Choosing between these two c modes depends on whether or not the wireless network needs to share data or Mn Ie E C AE eS ener ipherals with a wired network or not wae Be ee ee een eee eee 7 Enter in the name of your SSID Service Set Identifier for your Ad Hoc or If the computers on the wireless network need to be accessible by a wired net Infrastructure setting The SSID must be identical for all points in the net work or need to share a peripheral such as a printer with the wired network work The SSID may be up to 32 characters in length may include any computers the wireless network should be set up in the Infrastructure mode character on the keyboard but is case sensitive If you are unsure use the The basis of Infrastructure mode centers around an access point which serves default value of linksys Click the Next button See Figure 3 8 as the main point of communications in a wireless network see Figure 3 6 Access points transmit data to PCs that are equipped with wireless network cards which can roam within a cer tain radial range of the access point Multiple access points can be arranged to work in succession to List all Shrike Wie eral2. TCP IP each machine that can connect to the Internet needs a unique IP address When an organization sets up its computer users with a connection to the Internet an IP address must be assigned to each machine Without DHCP the IP address must be entered manually at each computer and if computers move to another location in another part of the network a new IP address must be entered DHCP lets a network administrator supervise and distribute IP addresses from a central point and automatically sends a new IP address when a computer is plugged into a different place in the network DHCP uses the concept of a lease or amount of time that a given IP address will be valid for a computer The lease time can vary depending on how long a user is likely to require the Internet connection at a particular location It s espe cially useful in education and other environments where users change frequently Using very short leases DHCP can dynamically reconfigure networks in which there are more computers than there are available IP addresses DHCP supports static addresses for computers containing Web servers that need a permanent IP address Domain A subnetwork comprised of a group of clients and servers under the control of one security database Dividing LANs into domains improves per formance and security Driver A workstation or server software module that provides an interface between a network interface card and the upper layer protocol
3. e Make sure that you have inserted the right card and installed the prop er driver If the Network PC Card does not function after attempting the above steps remove the card and do the following e Uninstall the driver software from your PC e Restart your PC and repeat the hardware and software installation as specified in this User Guide 3 1 cannot communicate with the other computers linked via the Ethernet in the Infrastructure configuration e Make sure that the notebook PC is powered on e Make sure that your Wireless PC Card is configured on the same channel and with the same security options as the other computers in the Infrastructure configuration vad Frequently Asked Questions 28 Instant Wireless Series Can run an application from a remote computer over the wireless network This will depend on whether or not the application is designed to be used over a network Consult the application s user guide to determine 1f it supports oper ation over a network Can play computer games with other members of the wireless network Yes as long as the game supports multiple players over a LAN local area net work Refer to the game s user guide for more information What is the IEEE 802 11a standard The IEEE 802 11la Wireless LAN standards subcommittee which is formulat ing a standard for the industry The objective is to enable wireless LAN hard ware from different manufacturers to communicate What IEEE 8
4. ESS This con e 64MB RAM Recommended tinuous network allows users to roam freely within an ESS All PCs that are e One Available Type II or Type III PCMCIA CardBus Slot equipped with an Wireless PC Card and are within one ESS must be config One CD ROM Drive ured with the same ESS ID e Pentium Class 200MHz or Faster Processor e Windows 98SE 2000 Me or XP Before enabling an ESS with roaming capability it is recommended to select a e 5 Mb of free disk space for utility and driver installation feasible radio channel and optimum Access Point position Proper Access Point positioning combined with a clear radio signal will greatly enhance perform ance Instant Wireless Series Chapter 3 Installation of the Drivers and WLAN Monitor for Windows 98SE Me and 2000 Before You Start Important for Windows XP users Do NOT run the Wireless Network Adapter Setup Wizard Proceed directly to Chapter 4 Installation of the Wireless PC Card This Wireless PC Card Setup Wizard will guide you through the Installation Procedures for Windows 98SE Me and 2000 Running the Automatic Driver Installation 1 Insert the Setup Wizard CD into your CD ROM Drive The Setup Wizard Should run automaticaly gp and Figure 3 1 should en Ts appear If it does not click TE Nrtentk PL Cand the Start button and m Er choose Run In the box a that appears enter Welcome D setup exe where D is Ara rat penean arrere the letter of
5. LINKSYS OFFERS CROSS SHIPMENTS A FASTER PROCESS FOR PRO CESSING AND RECEIVING YOUR REPLACEMENT LINKSYS PAYS FOR UPS GROUND ONLY ALL CUSTOMERS LOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND CANADA SHALL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES PLEASE CALL LINKSYS FOR MORE DETAILS 39 40 Instant Wireless Series For help with the installation or operation of this product contact Linksys Technical Support at one of the phone numbers or Internet addresses below Sales Information 800 546 5797 LINKSYS Technical Support 866 242 8558 RMA Issues 949 261 1288 Fax 949 261 8868 Email support linksys com Web http www linksys com FTP Site ftp linksys com WLINKSYS http www linksys com Copyright 2002 Linksys All Rights Reserved
6. check the Linksys web site at www linksys com 1 My computer does not recognize the Wireless PC Card Make sure that the Wireless PC Card is properly inserted into the PCMCIA slot Note that the card can be inserted either way but is correct only when it is inserted so that the Instant Wireless logo on the front of the card cannot be seen Ifin doubt try inserting the card both ways The card will slide in further when it is correct 2 The Wireless PC Card does not work properly e Reinsert the Wireless PC Card into your notebook s PCMCIA slot A beep should be heard if the card is properly inserted e For non Windows environments make sure that a PCMCIA card service driver is installed on your PC e Open the Control Panel and click on the PC Card Check whether it has a PCMCIA card in one of the sockets or not If you find the Network PC Card in one of the sockets it means the card has been detected properly If you see a yellow question mark the resources are conflicting e Right click on My Computer and select Properties Select the device man ager and click the Network Adapter You will find the Wireless PC Card if it 1s installed successfully If you see the yellow exclamation mark the resources are conflicting Click PCMCIA card and then click PCMCIA card service You will see the status of the Network PC Card If there is a yellow question mark please check the following e Make sure that your notebook has a free IRQ
7. temporary offices and at meetings A notebook computer sometimes called a laptop computer typ ically weighs less than five pounds and is three inches or less in thickness 35 36 Instant Wireless Series OFDM OFDM Orthogonal Frequency Division Muliplexing works by break ing one high speed data stream into a number of lower speed data streams which are then transmitted in parallel Each lower speed stream is used to modulate a subcarrier Essentially this creates a multi carrier transmission by dividing a wide frequency band or channel into a number of narrower frequency bands or sub channels Packet A unit of data routed between an origin and a destination in a network Passphrase Used much like a password a passphrase simplifies the WEP encryption process by automatically generating the WEP encryption keys for Linksys products PC Card A credit card sized removable module that contains memory I O or a hard disk PCMCIA The PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association is an industry group organized in 1989 to promote standards for a credit card size memory or I O device that would fit into a personal computer usually a notebook or laptop computer Plug and Play The ability of a computer system to configure expansion boards and other devices automatically without requiring the user to turn off the system during installation Roaming The ability to use a wireless device and be able to
8. the setup tab from the web browser to check the WEP encryption tab for the correct key entries If you are using other access points please check their user guides for more information on WEP encryption configuration About OO 0000s00 00 00 00 00 00000 ie Defaut Key fi Figure 7 7 ZO 26 Instant Wireless Series 6 The About tab as shown in Figure 7 9 shows you copyright and version information about the driver the application and the firmware The ver sion number of the driver may vary from this screen depending on which version was shipped with your Adapter You can always visit www linksys com for the latest version of the driver Click the X Close button in the upper right corner to complete the WLAN Monitor A LINKSYS rane instant Wiredpes eres CiE Wirelass PG Card 7 piztia WLAN MONOT venca ica About i Link Status doce Gye ler RJ imiu Series Wireless PC Card WLAN Monitor at Conme bone D Profihe Setiong E Fese varmn 071 0000 T ad Deve Versere 11 0000 00 picon Vener 1 08 i Copyright 2002 Loire All gots reparei i alana real ahs al Part abahan rerni WWWLINKSY S COM Figure 7 9 Wireless PC Card Appendix A Troubleshooting This chapter provides solutions to problems usually occurring during the instal lation and operation of the Wireless PC Card Read the description below to solve your problems If you can t find an answer here
9. your CD ROM ary Teen an pos drive j F Pns l Figure 3 1 e The Setup button begins the software installation process as shown on the next page e The User Guide button shows you a PDF file of the User Guide e The LINKSYS WEB button links you to the Linksys website e The Exit button allows you to the exit the Setup Wizard Wireless PC Card Note If you need to abort or terminate the installation press the Cancel button at any time during the installation Otherwise the installation will continue automatically 1 To install your Wireless PC Card click on the Setup button 2 After you see Figure 3 2 click the Next button to continue fected Wels PE Cad Adepia niaka Thani pou he dhnrg a Link a ee Seclapiea Phe Sete Wiri ell pea pmi mial the ireterd Wian PE Cad A Figure 3 2 Instant Wireless Series 3 Figure 3 3 shows the License Agreement screen Read the entire agreement by pressing the Page Down button on your keyboard or by using the on screen scroll bar Click on the Yes button if you agree and want to continue the installation or No to terminate the installation aired aha che T oes a be TUL TETT es Ph See tnt en et ri phere ag thie Figure 3 3 4 The InstallShield Wizard will automatically choose the folder where Setup Wizard will install the files Click the Next button Cheese Diiin Leveled G iml Tes meien iagh ell ronal hae aes Tas skal om i kiks c
10. 02 11 features are supported The product supports the following IEEE 802 11a functions e OFDM protocol e Multi Channel Roaming e Automatic Rate Selection e RTS CTS feature e Fragmentation What is Ad hoc An Ad hoc wireless LAN is a group of computers each with a WLAN adapter connected as an independent wireless LAN Ad hoc wireless LAN is applica ble at a departmental scale for a branch or SOHO operation What is Infrastructure An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called an Infrastructure configura tion Infrastructure is applicable to enterprise scale for wireless access to a cen tral database or wireless application for mobile workers What is Roaming Roaming is the ability of a portable computer user to communicate continu ously while moving freely throughout an area greater than that covered by a sin gle Access Point Before using the roaming function the workstation must make sure that it is the same channel number with the Access Point of dedicat ed coverage area Wireless PC Card To achieve true seamless connectivity the wireless LAN must incorporate a number of different functions Each node and Access Point for example must always acknowledge receipt of each message Each node must maintain contact with the wireless network even when not actually transmitting data Achieving these functions simultaneously requires a dynamic RF networking technology that links Access Points and nodes In such a system th
11. E OF THE PRODUCT ITS ACCOMPANYING SOFT WARE OR ITS DOCUMENTATION LINKSYS DOES NOT OFFER REFUNDS FOR ANY PRODUCT Linksys makes no warranty or representation expressed implied or statuto ry with respect to its products or the contents or use of this documentation and all accompanying software and specifically disclaims its quality performance mer chantability or fitness for any particular purpose Linksys reserves the right to revise or update its products software or documentation without obligation to notify any individ ual or entity Please direct all inquiries to Linksys P O Box 18558 Irvine CA 92623 FCC 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 rea sonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation The antenna used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 20 centimeters from all persons and must operate in conjunction with other antenna or trans mitters 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 tel evision reception wh
12. Frit SSD eat Set belie extend the roam Pease enter ther SSD of the wireless netevork you wil be using Make sure ihe ing range and can Baaien E CEON WA ANEN CEIC Na OU AAEE PETN YO O Aa be set up to com P papagaia aei ieiet an onthe dept i municate with UPEA GNAN a recoprized by he haiweri your Ethernet m hardware as well Figure 3 6 If the wireless network is relatively small and needs to share resources only with the other computers on the wireless network then the Ad Hoc mode can be used shown in Figure 3 7 Ad Hoc mode allows computers that are equipped with Wireless PC Cards to communicate directly with each other and eliminate the need for an access point The drawback of this mode is that wire less equipped computers are not able to communicate with computers on a wired network And communication Figure 3 8 between the wireless equipped computers is limited by the dis tance and interfer ence directly between them Figure 3 7 Instant Wireless Series 8 The screen shown in Figure 3 9 will appear next The Wizard will ask you to review your settings before starting to copy files Select Back to review or change any settings or select Next if you are satisfied with your settings Click the Cancel button if you need to stop the installation abat Cip Fii Thap ba nimpe bg Ba Hi anpra Siete AATE D A Pie EE EEn Heel io tegn ners viarbekaus Lekeat PE GARD Aiape WA
13. H hl genta iia L een Lieven Figure 3 9 9 The next screen is Figure 3 10 The InstallShield Wizard will begin copy ing the files The bar in the middle of the screen below shows the percent age of the files that are copied Figure 3 10 10 Wireless PC Card 10 The screen in Figure 3 11 may appear Click on the Yes button if you want to continue the installation Click on the No button if you want to cancel the installation Cel Gone Pe Pl Iw raan you we abou ka metal dee nol Corder a mpa Thame e a a thn raei vertu conc eh Inian 1 ETT peich a eu eer bo gee fee bere Ga agreed aren ctu Bh lated Ligeia ew a ate a jAi irera harab el cera cee he ee Pee a baie Figure 3 11 11 After the Wireless PC Card Setup Wizard is successfully installed the screen in Figure 3 12 will appear Ly i oy BELEJ PR b Bbi M rtiri PE i omi Congratulations Figure 3 12 You have now completed the installation of your Wireless PC Card Setup Wizard To Install the Wireless PC Card please go to Chapter 4 Installation of the Wireless PC Card 11 12 Instant Wireless Series Chapter 4 Installation of the Wireless PC Card Important for Windows 98SE Me and 2000 users You must install the Adapter s software before installation of the hardware F Important for Windows XP users You must install the Adapter s hardware before installation of the software 1 Locate an available Type II or T
14. Instant Wireless Series Wireless PC Card Sor CTE iy r I ing Use this Guide to install WPC54A WLINKSYS COPYRIGHT amp TRADEMARKS Copyright 2002 Linksys All Rights Reserved Instant Wireless is a registered trade mark of Linksys Microsoft Windows and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation All other trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective proprietors LIMITED WARRANTY Linksys guarantees that every Wireless PC Card is free from physical defects in material and workmanship for one year from the date of purchase when used within the limits set forth in the Specifications chapter of this User Guide If these products prove defective during this warranty period call Linksys Technical Support in order to obtain a Return Authorization Number BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE AND A BAR CODE FROM THE PRODUCT S PACKAGING ON HAND WHEN CALLING RETURN REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT PROOF OF PURCHASE When return ing a product mark the Return Authorization Number clearly on the outside of the pack age and include your original proof of purchase All Customers located outside of the United States of America and Canada shall be held responsible for shipping and han dling charges IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYS LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE PROD UCT FROM DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAM AGES RESULTING FROM THE US
15. aa me Opora Hadese Pare ate K ff 3 i ie Figure 6 1 J Note Before adding any network protocols verify that the protocol is not already installed Never install duplicate protocols 18 Wireless PC Card 2 From the Configuration tab select the WPC54A Wireless Network Adapter from the list and click the Add button lie hbesrg pec corpa me miad co Demi ba Piipari Hanik PLEA wi Haahi ejas FAF Sa oo Liei to Moc Aria E Dineen T Figure 6 2 3 Select Protocol and click the Add button Select Nelwork Component Type RR SN SN a o oU Protocol is a Tanguage g a compuler uses Computers must use the rame protocol to communicale Figure 6 3 19 Instant Wireless Series 4 Select Microsoft from the list of Manufacturers and TCP IP from the list of Network Protocols Click the OK button to close the Network window Repeat steps 2 through 4 to install other protocols such as NetBEUI or IPX SPX neiro Herak HE el E a thet ahu miri ak Di amp pear eg pare paap ry ea var DE pons hare Figure 6 4 Windows may start copying some files or ask you for your Windows installation files at this time Your Windows CD may be required After the files are copied Windows may ask you to restart Click Yes to restart and complete the installa tion process 20 Wireless PC Card Chapter 7 Configuration of the Wireless PC Card A
16. ad Spectrum Spread Spectrum technology is a wideband radio frequency technique devel oped by the military for use in reliable secure mission critical communica tions systems It is designed to trade off bandwidth efficiency for reliability integrity and security In other words more bandwidth is consumed than in the case of narrowband transmission but the trade off produces a signal that is in effect louder and thus easier to detect provided that the receiver knows the parameters of the spread spectrum signal being broadcast If a receiver is not tuned to the right frequency a spread spectrum signal looks like background noise There are two main alternatives Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum DSSS and Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum FHSS What is DSSS What is FHSS And what are their differences Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum FHSS uses a narrowband carrier that changes frequency in a pattern that is known to both transmitter and receiver Properly synchronized the net effect is to maintain a single logical channel To an unintended receiver FHSS appears to be short duration impulse noise Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum DSSS generates a redundant bit pattern for each bit to be transmitted This bit pattern is called a chip or chipping code The longer the chip the greater the probability that the original data can be recovered Even if one or more bits in the chip are damaged during trans mission statistical techniques
17. ar rier frequency Because a fixed frequency 1s not used illegal monitoring of spread spectrum signals is extremely difficult if not downright impossible depending on the particular method Firmware Code that is written onto read only memory ROM or programma ble read only memory PROM Once firmware has been written onto the ROM or PROM it is retained even when the device is turned off Fragmentation Breaking a packet into smaller units when transmitting over a network medium that cannot support the original size of the packet Gateway A device that interconnects networks with different incompatible communications protocols Hardware Hardware is the physical aspect of computers telecommunications and other information technology devices The term arose as a way to distinguish the box and the electronic circuitry and components of a computer from the program you put in it to make it do things The program came to be known as the software 33 34 Instant Wireless Series Hop The link between two network nodes IEEE The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers The IEEE describes itself as the world s largest technical professional society promoting the development and application of electrotechnology and allied sciences for the benefit of humanity the advancement of the profession and the well being of our members The IEEE fosters the development of standards that often become national and int
18. e user s end node under takes a search for the best possible access to the system First it evaluates such factors as signal strength and quality as well as the message load currently being carried by each Access Point and the distance of each Access Point to the wired backbone Based on that information the node next selects the right Access Point and registers its address Communications between end node and host computer can then be transmitted up and down the backbone As the user moves on the end node s RF transmitter regularly checks the sys tem to determine whether it is in touch with the original Access Point or whether it should seek a new one When a node no longer receives acknowl edgment from its original Access Point it undertakes a new search Upon find ing anew Access Point it then reregisters and the communication process con tinues What is BSS ID A specific Ad hoc LAN is called a Basic Service Set BSS Computers in a BSS must be configured with the same BSS ID What is ESS ID An Infrastructure configuration could also support roaming capability for mobile workers More than one BSS can be configured as an Extended Service Set ESS Users within an ESS could roam freely between BSSs while served as a continuous connection to the network wireless stations and Access Points within an ESS must be configured with the same ESS ID and the same radio channel 29 30 Instant Wireless Series What is Spre
19. embedded in the radio can recover the original data without the need for retransmission To an unintended receiver DSSS appears as low power wideband noise and is rejected ignored by most nar rowband receivers Would the information be intercepted while transmitting on air WLAN features two fold protection in security On the hardware side as with Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum technology it has the inherent security fea ture of scrambling On the software side WLAN offers the encryption function WEP to enhance security and Access Control What is WEP WEP is Wired Equivalent Privacy a data privacy mechanism based on a 40 bit shared key algorithm as described in the IEEE 802 1 la Wireless PC Card Appendix B Glossary Ad hoc Network An ad hoc network is a wireless network or other small net work in which some of the network devices are part of the network only for the duration of a communications session while in some close proximity to the rest of the network Architecture The total design and implementation of the network It includes the network s topology transmission technologies and communications proto cols management and security systems and any other attributes that give a net work a particular set of capabilities and functionalities Backbone The part of a network that connects most of the systems and net works together and handles the most data Bandwidth The transmission capacity of a given faci
20. ernational standards The organization publishes a number of journals has many local chapters and several large societies in special areas such as the IEEE Computer Society Infrastructure An infrastructure network is a wireless network or other small network in which the wireless network devices are made a part of the network through the Access Point which connects them to the rest of the network Internet Protocol IP The method or protocol by which data is sent from one computer to another on the Internet It is a standard set of rules procedures or conventions relating to the format and timing of data transmission between two computers that they must accept and use to be able to understand each other IP Address In the most widely installed level of the Internet Protocol IP today an IP address is a 32 binary digit number that identifies each sender or receiver of information that is sent in packet across the Internet When you request an HTML page or send e mail the Internet Protocol part of TCP IP includes your IP address in the message actually in each of the packets if more than one is required and sends it to the IP address that is obtained by looking up the domain name in the Uniform Resource Locator you requested or in the e mail address you re sending a note to At the other end the recipient can see the IP address of the Web page requestor or the e mail sender and can respond by sending another message using the IP addre
21. et works contain several levels of interconnection the most important of which include edge connections backbone connections and wide area connections 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 the IEEE 802 11 standard Workgroup Two or more individuals that share files and databases 37 Instant Wireless Series Standards IEEE 802 11a PCMCIA Cardbus Channels 8 Channels US Canada Operating Range Indoors Up to 328 ft 100M Outdoors Up to 1148 ft 350M Environmental Dimensions 4 4 x 2 13 x 0 4 110 mm x 54 mm x 10 mm Unit Weight 1 5 oz 42 g Power 275mA Tx 225mA Rx Certifications FCC Class B Operating Temp 0 C to 45 C 32 F to 113 F Storage Temp 20 C to 70 C 4 F to 158 F Operating Humidity 0 to 90 Non Condensing Storage Humidity 5 to 90 Non Condensing Wireless PC Card Appendix D Warranty Information BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE AND A BARCODE FROM THE PRODUCT S PACKAGING ON HAND WHEN CALLING RETURN REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT PROOF OF PURCHASE IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYS S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE PRODUCT FROM DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INCI DENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE PRODUCT ITS ACCOMPANYING SOFTWARE OR ITS DOCUMENTATION LINKSYS DOES NOT OFFER REFUNDS FOR ANY PRODUCT
22. etup Security WWW LIMK SYS COM Settings poplin Fa Figure 7 5 Under the Network Type you may choose either Infrastructure or Ad Hoc Infrastructure mode allows a wireless adapter to communicate with a wired network that employs an access point while the Ad Hoc mode allows wire less to wireless peer to peer communication If you choose Infrastructure the SSID should have the same name as the Access Point If you choose Ad Hoc all clients should share the same SSID name Click the Apply button to save the settings or click on the Advanced button for your WEP encryption settings Note In order to enable WEP encryption hexadeci mal values which are the letters A through F jand the numbers 0 through 9 must be entered 23 Instant Wireless Series Wireless PC Card 5 Ifyou click on the Advanced button the Advanced page will appear Under es the WEP drop down box you can choose to have WEP encryption ae Disabled 64 128 or 152 Bits If you choose 64 Bits the screen in Figure 7 6 will appear If you choose 128 Bits the screen in Figure 7 7 will appear If you choose 152 Bits the screen in Figure 7 8 will appear LA LINKSYS NS fnetanf birden Sariei L Hz Wireless PC Card 02 114 Advanced security Setlings optional Vir Equi Pray OEP ae econ eee ceed i WLAN Monitor wma ies Link Status Le Conrnechons A LINKSYS rE inetenf Eiri erie LT H Fj Wir
23. fter installation of the Wireless PC Card Windows 98SE Me 2000 and XP will automatically identify the Wireless PC Card Next you may need to con figure the Wireless PC Card s driver software Using the WLAN Monitor Important for Windows XP users Windows XP has built in config uration tools Use the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration in the system tray at the bottom of your screen to configure the Wireless PC Card See Chapter 5 Installation of the Drivers and Configuration of the Wireless PC Card for Windows XP 1 After installation of the Wireless PC Card the Wireless PC Card WLAN Monitor icon will appear on your system tray Double click on the icon of the monitor in Figure 7 1 and Figure 7 2 will appear EG 2 20PM Figure 7 1 A LINKSYS inctaaf Mredecg Geriee Hz Wireless PC Card f 02 114 i WEAN Monitor yenes ica Status Glick the prosia setting tab io change the settings CO Connected boc laviieye 00 0 25 AE F EB 2 C ee Hetmork Type Invractructure Tiinan Fike Oiga Curent Channet 52 5 26GHz Abut Encrppbortwe Pi Drnabbed Profile Setting WWW LINKSYS COM Figure 7 2 Figure 7 2 shows you the status of your current connection on the Link Status page Click the X Close button in the upper right corner to close the WLAN Monitor or click the Connections button to continue 21 22 Instant Wireless Series 2 The screen in Figure 7 3 shows you any ava
24. ich is found by turning the equipment off and on the user is encour aged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures e Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna e Increase the separation between the equipment or devices e Connect the equipment to an outlet other than the receiver s e Consult a dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for assistance UG WPC54A 032802NC BW Instant Wireless Series Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction The Wireless PC Card Features Package Contents System Requirements Chapter 2 Planning Your Wireless Network Network Topology Roaming Chapter 3 Installation of the Drivers and WLAN Monitor for Windows 98SE Me and 2000 Before You Start Running the Automatic Driver Installation Software and Driver Installation for Windows 98SE Me and 2000 Ad Hoc Versus Infrastructure Mode Chapter 4 Installation of the Wireless PC Card Chapter 5 Installation of the Drivers and Configuration for the Wireless PC Card for Windows XP Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration Chapter 6 Installation of Network Protocols Installation of the Network Protocols for Windows 98SE and Me Chapter 7 Configuration of the Wireless PC Card Using the WLAN Monitor N Nee m Ww W Ge Oon AAR 12 13 15 18 18 21 21 Wireless PC Card Appendix A Troubleshooting Common Problems and Solutions Frequently Asked Questions Appendix B Glossary Appendix C S
25. iek Haai Ta saaal iy loa hi cli Bremen ard akan oie ice Figure 3 4 Wireless PC Card 5 When the screen shown in Figure 3 5 appears the InstallShield Wizard will ask you to choose a wireless mode Choose the mode that applies to your network Ad Hoc Mode is used for simple peer to peer networking or the sharing of local resources between wireless Networked PCs and Infrastructure Mode allows a wireless network to be integrated into an existing wired network through an access point permitting roaming between access points while maintaining a connection to all network resources If you are unsure whether to choose Infrastructure or Ad Hoc refer to the next section for more information After you make your choice click the Next button beter el De Leal Lp il Pirejpga Hinge eect tee Drie ot vii Gee viui vi be arg fl hairt Sonnectedto an Acces Pare fhe ic conrected i a yered netevord then saech Hreciructune Mocks hansisa F you ara The Wiese Mode can be changed kater iry werg the WA AN Moriri 1E ieinmstrucure Moris Phare tik ee yi eriei bjpni bap ara ho aheri ith pompe on wour wired nahen using a sieaa Apoera Pori pach au pe Lian Acces Pargronrsnn D dhei AHH ee aire byad ur HFE DOR ei a aara bi i terres mei CE coer Figure 3 5 Instant Wireless Series Wireless PC Card Ad Hoc versus Infrastructure Mode 6 The Setup Wizard will automatically select a channel for your use in the l i l
26. iguration Important for Windows XP users Windows XP has built in config uration tools Use the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration in the system tray at the bottom of your screen to configure the Adapter 1 After installation of theWireless PC Card the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration icon will appear on your system tray See Figure 5 5 Double click the icon of the two monitors and Figure 5 6 will appear 19 Instant Wireless Series i Wireless Network Connection One or more Wireless networks are available To see a list of available networks click here Figure 5 5 2 The screen that appears will show any available Network Select a Network then click on the Connect button Connect to Wireless Network The following nebwork are avaiable To access a network select k from the list and then click Connect A ailable nebworks IF you are having difficuky conmectng to a network cick Advanced q Figure 5 6 16 Wireless PC Card 3 If your Access Point has enabled WEP encryption the screen in Figure 5 7 will appear Enter the WEP key in the Network Key Click the Connect button Connect to Wireless Network The Reena teon ae Aas To access a nelwork select it from the fet and than click Cornec This Lhe atic el large VERa To access thes nelwork bape the key and then cick Network key 1A2B3C4D5E lf
27. ilable wireless device for net work connection Select the wireless device and click the Connect button to connect or the Refresh button to search for more wireless devices Attempt Auto Connect to ANY network in range will connect you to the closest network within range Click the X Close button in the upper right corner to close the WLAN R Monitor or Linksys a click the cess Sein AA Profile ae to continue i e ee C nk States 0 Profile Setiiess CO Abou Ga Atiempt AutoConnect to ANY network in range WWW LIRKSYS COM Figure 7 3 3 When the screen in Figure 7 4 appears click on the New button to create a new profile or select a Profile and click on the Edit button to change an existing profile or Click on the Delete button to delete a profile Select a profile and click the Connect button to connect A LINKSYS Fa inetanf Miredece Sarias L I FI Fi Wireless PO Card H02 114 WEAN MOMHOT yenen ida Profile mans Lind Sinis Prafile i Cann hsne E About WW LINKS TA COM Figure 7 4 Wireless PC Card 4 If you click on the New or Edit button the screen in Figure 7 5 will appear You can enter a name for a new profile and change any of the set tings on this page e A LCONKSYS mgdan Mipi anien C z Wireless PC Card CARE WLAN Monitor v n 105 Profile Link Status Ceanheelleca Heteork Type trey xl O m e gt a Click the Acvanes to s
28. l ss PG Card r 02 114 P D About Advanced Security Setlinges optional Wired presen Preacy WEP as encrgion earthed io re po eee pee Fo ee i cae A ech Le te po WAOS E ephonen emael wae ine ervey LEP an od ai er Fahl AF A WLAN Monitor wmm tea Lini Statues Canrete tea tti m C Abou Figure 7 8 Important This hexadecimal number must match the Key on all other devices on the wireless network or this device will be unable to transmit or receive data Figure 7 6 l l Wired Equivalent Privacy WEP is an encryption scheme used to protect wireless data communication The Disabled setting prevents the sharing of data with other computers on the WEP network There are two ways to cre ate WEP Encryption keys Type the WEP Encryption keys in the available fields manually When manually typing the keys you must use Hexadecimal characters which are the letters A through F and the numbers 0 through 9 To find out the WEP encryption set by other A LINKSYS Pnstant wiretpcy Series Ci H Fi Wireless PC Card FARI E WLAN Monitor venues ica 24 Advanced Security Seluines optional fiir Tora Prey TP ie rcp Eee aed io BDE pod PRA E D yii RA L l EP aTi Pba aal ube t arr WEP Cae Ca pr iiiki The WEP Kay Pas Pach dag al H al F Link Salis je Cinrae bene r ps wireless products in your network such as the WAP54A go to
29. lity in terms of how much data the facility can transmit in a fixed amount of time expressed in bits per sec ond bps Bit A binary digit The value 0 or l used in the binary numbering system Also the smallest form of data BSS Basic Service Set A group of Instant Wireless Network PC Card users and an Access Point Buffer A buffer is a shared or assigned memory area used by hardware devices or program processes that operate at different speeds or with different sets of pri orities The buffer allows each device or process to operate without being held up by the other In order for a buffer to be effective the size of the buffer and the algorithms for moving data into and out of the buffer need to be considered by the buffer designer Like a cache a buffer is a midpoint holding place but exists not so much to accelerate the speed of an activity as to support the coordination of separate activities 31 32 Instant Wireless Series Database A database is a collection of data that is organized so that its contents can easily be accessed managed and updated Default Gateway The routing device used to forward all traffic that is not addressed to a station within the local subnet DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol A protocol that lets network administrators manage centrally and automate the assignment of Internet Protocol IP addresses in an organization s network Using the Internet s set of protocol
30. move from one access point s range to another without losing the connection RTS Request To Send An RS 232 signal sent from the transmitting station to the receiving station requesting permission to transmit Server Any computer whose function in a network is to provide user access to files printing communications and other services Software Instructions for the computer A series of instructions that performs a particular task is called a program The two major categories of software are system software and application software System software is made up of control programs such as the operating system and database management system DBMS Application software is any program that processes data for the user A common misconception is that software is data It is not Software tells the hardware how to process the data Wireless PC Card Spread Spectrum Spread Spectrum technology is a wideband radio frequency technique developed by the military for use in reliable secure mission critical communications systems It is designed to trade off bandwidth efficiency for reliability integrity and security In other words more bandwidth is consumed than in the case of narrowband transmission but the trade off produces a signal that is in effect louder and thus easier to detect provided that the receiver knows the parameters of the spread spectrum signal being broadcast If a receiver is not tuned to the right frequency a
31. nical Support 24 Hours a Day 7 Days a Week Toll Free US Calls e 1 Year Limited Warranty Instant Wireless Series Wireless PC Card Chapter 2 Planning Your Wireless Network A wireless LAN is exactly like a regular LAN except that each computer in the LAN uses a Wireless PC Card to connect to the network through a wireless connection Computers in a wireless LAN must be configured to share the same radio channel The Wireless PC Card provides LAN access for wireless workstations An inte grated wireless and wired LAN is called an Infrastructure configuration A group of Wireless PC Card users and an Access Point compose a Basic Service Set BSS Each PC equipped with a Wireless PC Card in a BSS can talk to any computer in a wired LAN infrastructure via the Access Point Package Contents An infrastructure configuration extends the accessibility of a Wireless PC Card PC to a wired LAN and doubles the effective wireless transmission range for Figure 1 1 e One Wireless PC Card IEEE 802 1 1a two PCs equipped with a Wireless PC Card Since the Access Point is able to e One Setup Utility CD ROM with User Guide forward data within its BSS the effective transmission range in an infrastruc e One Quick Installation Guide ture LAN is doubled e One Registration Card System Requirements Infrastructure mode also supports roaming capabilities for mobile users More than one BSS can be configured as an Extended Service Set
32. pecifications Environmental Appendix D Warranty Information Appendix E Contact Information 27 27 28 31 38 38 38 40 Wireless PC Card Chapter 1 Introduction Put the mobile back into mobile computing Whether you re at your desk or in the boardroom the Wireless PC Card allows you to share printers files and other resources anywhere within your LAN infrastructure increasing your pro ductivity and keeping you in touch The Wireless PC Card now has a new higher powered antenna that provides a greater range than ever The increased sensitivity helps filter out interference and noise to keep your signal clear Improved error correction in the chipset keeps you operating at higher transmission rates for longer distances And since you only need one Type II or II PCMCIA CardBus slot you re free to use your other slots for additional accessories Ready to run in Type II or II PCMCIA CardBus equipped notebook PCs run ning Windows 98SE Me 2000 and XP the Wireless PC Card 1s truly a must have for all notebook PC users e Up to 72Mbps Turbo Mode with Linksys WAPS54A only e Compatible with Virtually All Major Network Operating Systems e Plug and Play Operation Provides Easy Setup e Sturdy Metal Design with Integrated Antenna e Works with Virtually All Standard Internet Applications e Interoperable with 802 1 la Network Equipment e Capable of up to 152 Bit WEP Security e Free Tech
33. pou are having dilicuky connecting to a nelwerk chek Advanced Advanced conect Cancel Figure 5 7 In order to find out the WEP encryption set by other wireless products in your network such as the WAP54A run the the setup tab from the web browser to check the WEP encryption tab for the correct key entries If you are using other access points please check their user guides for more information on WEP encryption configuration 4 The screen in Figure 5 8 will appear next if your connection is successful i Wireless Network Connection Connected to linksys Signal Strength Excellent Le a 12 04PM Figure 5 8 For more information about WEP refer to the Router s User Guide or the KnowledgeBase on the Linksys Website For further information on Wireless Networking with Windows XP search the Windows XP Search Engine using the keyword wireless 17 Instant Wireless Series Chapter 6 Installation of Network Protocols Protocols are necessary for computers to be recognized on your network Windows 2000 and XP users need to check their Windows User Guides for pro tocol installation Installation of the Network Protocols for Windows 98SE and Me 1 From the Start Menu select Settings and bring up the Control Panel From the Control Panel double click on the Network icon See Figure 6 1 amp Cont Panzi Fie Ed Yee Hap 1 Sm S gl Acrespiiy Add Meer Sadem Sibe Damma D
34. rd Thies wad helps sou ital eolfvaare bor Ethereal Gonin Deru hanks cane wath an malalti CD CA a opp disk meen i mpa What dio wou man fhe wead bo do nial the soles automake A econmenced Sinia dom a bet or pecie location bAdeanced Cik Hado omiri o Figure 5 1 13 Wireless PC Card 2 Click the radio button next to Search for the best driver in these locations Select Include this location in the search and enter D Drivers in the location field if D is the letter of your CD ROM drive Click the Next button OF re eae oe ee er Le iaren eee ghee py eet ce papel eg ci epee eee reclame hee pl Chadi i ADAM Ba CT le aca i De EE r a a E Be Jek ee ee en ee met gees comet Figure 5 2 3 Windows will notify you that the driver has not passed Windows Logo test ing Since this product has been tested to work with Windows XP click the Continue Anyway button Haritecare netalan A Fha creaa e yra are rucialing br shes harias canara wi emah BL onraad Ph key r Tl Figure 5 3 14 Wireless PC Card 4 Windows will tell you when it has finished installation of the new driver Click the Finish button CE Pee Ha Gear E Completing the Foumi Hii Hardware Wirard ee a ed et PT Daia EP Ry dy Ery i WEDS Wiss FO pd ar Pee i as oh ie Figure 5 4 The Hardware Installation is complete Windows XP Wireless Zero Conf
35. software running in the computer it is designed for a specific NIC and is installed during the ini tial installation of a network compatible client or server operating system Wireless PC Card DSSS Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum DSSS generates a redundant bit pat tern for each bit to be transmitted This bit pattern is called a chip or chipping code The longer the chip the greater the probability that the original data can be recovered Even if one or more bits in the chip are damaged during transmis sion statistical techniques embedded in the radio can recover the original data without the need for retransmission To an unintended receiver DSSS appears as low power wideband noise and is rejected ignored by most narrowband receivers 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 infor mation ESS More than one BSS in a network Ethernet IEEE standard network protocol that specifies how data is placed on and retrieved from a common transmission medium Has a transfer rate of 10 Mbps Forms the underlying transport vehicle used by several upper level proto cols including TCP IP and XNS FHSS Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum FHSS continuously changes the center frequency of a conventional carrier several times per second according to a pseudo random set of channels while chirp spread spectrum changes the c
36. spread spectrum signal looks like background noise There are two main alternatives Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum DSSS and Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum FHSS Static IP Address A permanent IP address that is assigned to a node in an IP or a TCP IP network TCP Transmission Control Protocol A method protocol used along with the Internet Protocol IP to send data in the form of message units between com puters over the Internet While IP takes care of handling the actual delivery of the data TCP takes care of keeping track of the individual units of data called pack et that a message is divided into for efficient routing through the Internet TCP IP Transmission Control Protocol Internet Protocol The basic commu nication language or protocol of the Internet It can also be used as a communi cations protocol in a private network either an intranet or an extranet When you are set up with direct access to the Internet your computer is provided with a copy of the TCP IP program just as every other computer that you may send mes sages to or get information from also has a copy of TCP IP Throughput The amount of data moved successfully from one place to anoth er in a given time period Topology A network s topology is a logical characterization of how the devices on the network are connected and the distances between them The most common network devices include hubs switches routers and gateways Most large n
37. ss it received IPX Internetwork Packet EXchange A NetWare communications protocol used to route messages from one node to another IPX packets include network addresses and can be routed from one network to another IRQ Interrupt ReQuest A hardware interrupt on a PC There are 16 IRQ lines used to signal the CPU that a peripheral event has started or terminated In most cases two devices cannot use the same line ISM band The FCC and their counterparts outside of the U S have set aside bandwidth for unlicensed use in the ISM Industrial Scientific and Medical band Spectrum in the vicinity of 2 4 GHz in particular is being made available worldwide This presents a truly revolutionary opportunity to place convenient high speed wireless capabilities in the hands of users around the globe Wireless PC Card LAN A local area network LAN is a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line and typically share the resources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area for example within an office building Mbps MegaBits Per Second One million bits per second unit of measure ment for data transmission NetBEUI NetBIOS Extended User Interface The transport layer for NetBIOS NetBIOS and NetBEUI were originally part of a single protocol suite that was later separated NetBIOS sessions can be transported over NetBEUI TCP IP and SPX IPX protocols NetBIOS The na
38. tive networking protocol in DOS and Windows networks Although originally combined with its transport layer protocol NetBEUI NetBIOS today provides a programming interface for applications at the session layer layer 5 NetBIOS can ride over NetBEUI its native transport which is not routable or over TCP IP and IPX SPX which are routable protocols NetBIOS computers are identified by a unique 15 character name and Windows machines NetBIOS machines periodically broadcast their names over the net work so that Network Neighborhood can catalog them For TCP IP networks NetBIOS names are turned into IP addresses via manual configuration in an LMHOSTS file or a WINS server There are two NetBIOS modes The Datagram mode is the fastest mode but does not guarantee delivery It uses a self contained packet with send and receive name usually limited to 512 bytes If the recipient device is not listening for mes sages the datagram is lost The Session mode establishes a connection until bro ken It guarantees delivery of messages up to 64KB long Network A system that transmits any combination of voice video and or data between users Node A network junction or connection point typically a computer or work sta tion Notebook PC A notebook computer is a battery powered personal computer generally smaller than a briefcase that can easily be transported and convenient ly used in temporary spaces such as on airplanes in libraries
39. ype IHI PCMCIA CardBus slot on your notebook computer 2 With the Wireless PC Card s 68 pin connector facing the PCMCIA CardBus slot and the Wireless PC Card label facing up as shown in Figure 5 1 slide the Wireless PC Card completely into the PCMCIA CardBus slot while the computer is restarting and before the Windows desk top appears Figure 4 1 3 You may see several screens appear as the driver installation is finalized One may say that a digital signature has not been found This is normal No input should be necessary and the screens should disappear when the card is ready for use Click Yes to continue Click Finish to complete the installation The Hardware Installation is complete Your Wireless PC Card is set up and ready for use If using Windows XP continue to Chapter 5 otherwise con tinue reading to learn about the card s WLAN Monitor in Chapter 7 Instant Wireless Series Chapter 9 Installation of the Drivers and Configuration of the Wireless PC Card for Windows KP After installing the Wireless PC Card into your computer you will install the network driver 1 Windows XP will automatically detect the presence of the Wireless PC Card in your computer Insert the Setup Wizard CD into your CD ROM Drive Click the radio button next to Install from a list or specific location Advanced Then click the Next button to continue Pound Mew Hardware Wierd Welcome to the Found New Hardware Wira
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