ASUSTeK Computer WL103B WIRELESS LAN PC CARD User Manual WL 103b 9 3 03 p65

ASUSTeK Computer Inc WIRELESS LAN PC CARD WL 103b 9 3 03 p65

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2ASUS WLAN CardNo part of this manual, including the products and software described in it,may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, ortranslated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentationkept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express writtenpermission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OFANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOTLIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OFMERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. INNO EVENT SHALL ASUS, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEESOR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL,OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSSOF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA,INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE), EVEN IF ASUS HASBEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISINGFROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT.Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired,modified or altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorizedin writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is defaced ormissing.Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not beregistered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are usedonly for identification or explanation and to the owners’ benefit, without intentto infringe.SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THISMANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, ANDARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE, ANDSHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUSASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORSOR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL,INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.Copyright © 2003 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.Copyright InformationProduct Name: ASUS WLAN Card (WL-103b)Manual Revision: 1Release Date: May 2003

ASUS WLAN Card 3Copyright InformationASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific)Address: 150 Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan 112General Tel: +886-2-2894-3447General Fax: +886-2-2894-3449General Email: info@asus.com.twTechnical SupportMB/Others (Tel):+886-2-2890-7121 (English)Notebook (Tel): +886-2-2890-7122 (English)Desktop/Server: +886-2-2890-7123 (English)Support Fax: +886-2-2890-7698Support Email: tsd@asus.com.twWeb Site: www.asus.com.twASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL (America)Address: 44370 Nobel Drive, Fremont, CA 94538, USAGeneral Fax: +1-510-608-4555General Email: tmd1@asus.comTechnical SupportSupport Fax: +1-510-608-4555General Support: +1-510-739-3777Web Site: www.asus.comSupport Email: tsd@asus.comASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Germany & Austria)Address: Harkortstr. 25, 40880 Ratingen, BRD, GermanyGeneral Email: sales@asuscom.de (for marketing requests only)Marketing Fax: +49-2102-9599-31Technical SupportSupport Hotline: Components: +49-2102-9599-0Support Hotline: Notebook PC:+49-2102-9599-11Support (Email): www.asuscom.de/kontakt (for online support)Web Site: www.asuscom.deSupport Fax: +49-2102-9599-11

4ASUS WLAN CardTable of Contents1. Introduction ............................................................................. 7Overview .............................................................................................. 7The ASUS Wireless LAN Family..................................................... 8System Requirements ........................................................................ 10The Product Package ......................................................................... 10Installation .......................................................................................... 11ASUS WLAN Utility Quick Start .......................................................... 15Reading the ASUS WLAN Status Indicators................................. 163. Software Reference .............................................................. 17Chapter Overview............................................................................... 17Windows XP Wireless Options ..................................................... 18Control Center Utility .......................................................................... 19Site Monitor Utility ......................................................................... 22Wireless Settings Utility ...................................................................... 24Status - Status Tab ....................................................................... 25Status - Connection Tab ............................................................... 29Status - IP Config Tab ................................................................... 30Config - Basic Tab ......................................................................... 31Config - Encryption Tab ................................................................ 33Survey - Site Survey Tab .............................................................. 36About - Version Info Tab ............................................................... 37Link State ...................................................................................... 38Exit Wireless Settings ................................................................... 38Mobile Manager Utility ........................................................................ 39New Configuration Wizard ............................................................ 43Edit Configuration ......................................................................... 44

ASUS WLAN Card 5Table of Contents5. Glossary ................................................................................. 484. Troubleshooting .................................................................... 586. Safety Information................................................................. 68Federal Communications Commission............................................... 68FCC Radio Frequency Interference Requirements ...................... 69FCC RF Exposure Guidelines (Access Points) ............................ 69FCC RF Exposure Guidelines (Wireless Cards)........................... 70Canadian Department of Communications ........................................ 70Operation Channel for Different Domains .......................................... 70France Restricted Frequency Band.................................................... 71

ASUS WLAN Card 7Chapter 1 - IntroductionChapter 11. IntroductionOverviewThank you for purchasing the ASUS WLAN Card. The ASUS WLAN Card is aPCMCIA compliant “wireless” network interface card (NIC) for any computer equippedwith a PC Card slot (available mainly in Notebook PCs).The ASUS WLAN Card is designed to be fully compliant with both the IEEE 802.11gand IEE802.11b wireless local area network (Wireless LAN) standards. As a result ofthe completion of the standard, the interoperability of Wireless LAN products amongmultiple manufacturers will be guaranteed. The ASUS WLAN Card product provideshigh-speed, standards-based Wireless LAN solutions.The ASUS WLAN Card is designed to be fully compliant with IEEE 802.11g wirelesslocal area networks (WLAN). 802.11g is an extension to 802.11b, used in majority ofwireless LANs today. 802.11g will broaden 802.11b's data rates to 54 Mbps within the2.4 GHz band using OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) technology.802.11g allows backward compatibility with 802.11b devices but only at 11 Mbps orlower depending on the range and presence of obstructions.The ASUS WLAN Card supports data rates up to 11 Mbps, with automatic fallback to5.5, 2, and 1 Mbps in 802.11b networks. It operates in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz frequenciescalled the Instrumentation, Science, and Medical (ISM) band. Unlicensed means freeof charge to users.The ASUS WLAN Card configuration utility is a user-friendly application that helpsyou quickly setup multiple roaming nodes using the ASUS WLAN Card. You can evenexport the configuration settings to a file and import them to other computers for fastmultiple installations using ASUS Mobile Manager. Wireless LANs are complementaryextensions to existing wired LANs, offering complete mobility while maintainingcontinuous network connectivity to both corporate and home Intranets. They add anew level of convenience for LAN users. PC users stay connected to the networkanywhere throughout a building without being bound by a LAN wires. This isaccomplished through the use of ASUS WLAN Access Points or ASUS WLAN HomeGateways. ASUS WLAN Home Gateways with built-in Internet gateway capability,allows your family to share a broadband Modem and one ISP account simultaneouslyfrom different rooms without wires! ASUS WLAN products can keep you connectedanywhere, any time.Overview

8ASUS WLAN CardChapter 1 - IntroductionChapter 1WLAN FamilyThe ASUS Wireless LAN FamilyThe ASUS Wireless LAN family contains a complete solution for wirelesslocal area networks in the office or at home.For 802.11b Wireless NetworksThe above illustrations are not to scale.The ASUS WLAN802.11b USB Client(WL-140) is an IEEE802.11b wirelessUSB LAN adapterthat connects to anycomputer’s USB portwith the benefit ofbeing able to placethe antenna anywherein order to maximizesignal strength.The ASUS WLAN802.11b CF Card (WL-110) is a IEEE 802.11bwireless LAN adapter thatfits into a Compact FlashType II slot in a PortableDigital Assistant (PDA).The ASUS WLAN802.11b Access Point(WL-300) creates awireless network using theIEEE 802.11b wirelessstandard.The ASUSWLAN802.11bGateway(WL-500)creates a wireless network using the IEEE802.11b wireless standard and allowssharing a single Internet connection.The ASUS WLAN 802.11bPC Card (WL-103b) is aIEEE 802.11b wireless LANadapter that fits into aPCMCIA Type II slot in aNotebook PC. This newversion presents a betterlooking design to replace theWL-100.

ASUS WLAN Card 9Chapter 1 - IntroductionChapter 1The above illustrations are not to scale.WLAN FamilyThe ASUS WLAN 802.11b/a Router(WL-600) creates a wireless network usingthe IEEE 802.11b and 802.11a wirelessstandards and allows sharing a singleInternet connection.The ASUS WLAN802.11b/a Cardbus Card(WL-200) is a dual band(IEEE 802.11a/b) wirelessLAN adapter that fits intoa Notebook PC’sPCMCIA Type II slot withCardbus support.The ASUS WLAN802.11b/a PCI Card(WL-230) is a dualband (IEEE 802.11a/b)wireless PCI card thatalso supports Bluetoothconnections.For 802.11b & 802.11a Wireless NetworksThe ASUS WLAN802.11g Access Point(WL-300g) creates awireless network usingthe IEEE 802.11g and802.11b wirelessstandards.For 802.11g & 802.11b Wireless NetworksThe ASUS WLAN802.11g PC Card (WL-103g) is a IEEE 802.11gand 802.11b wirelessLAN adapter that fits intoa PCMCIA Type II slot ina Notebook PC. This newversion presents a betterlooking design to replacethe WL-100g.

10 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 1 - IntroductionChapter 1System RequirementsTo begin using the ASUS WLAN Card, you must have the followingminimum requirements:• Windows XP/2000/ME/98SE• Standard PCMCIA Slot Type II• 32MB system memory or larger• 300MHz processor or higherThe Product PackageWhen you receive the ASUS WLAN Card package, it should contain thefollowing items:• ASUS WLAN Card (PCMCIA Type II)• ASUS WLAN Card Quick Start Guide• ASUS WLAN Card User’s Manual• CD-ROM Disc (Drivers, Utilities, Documentation)If any of the above items are not included or damaged, contact yourlocal dealer for instructions.Requirements

ASUS WLAN Card 11Chapter 1 - IntroductionChapter 1InstallationFollow these instructions to install WLAN card in your system.1. Install the software using the support CD.2. Insert the wireless LAN card.Note: Please install the Utility/Driver software first before insertingthe WLAN Card.Installing the WLAN Card Utility/Driver1. Insert the ASUS WLAN Card support CD into the CD-ROM drive andan autorun menu will appear. (If the menu screen is not visible, doubleclick SETUP.EXE in the root directory of the support CD.)3. Click Next on the Welcome screen.2. From the autorun menu, click Install ASUSWLAN Card Utilities/Driver.5. Click Next to use the default DestinationFolder or click Browse to select anotherfolder.4. Click Next after reading the information.

12 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 1 - IntroductionChapter 17. When Setup is complete, click Finish to exitthe installation wizard.6. Modify the Program Folder field, if desired.Click Next to continue. It will start copyingfiles on your system.

14 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 1 - IntroductionChapter 1Verifying the Driver Installation1. Open the Control Panel through the Start menu.2. Double-click System icon.3. Windows 98SE/Me users - Select the Device Manager tab.Windows 2000/XP users - Select the Hardware tab, and click DeviceManager button.4. Double-click Network Adapters. There should be no yellow exclama-tion mark or red cross-sign on the ASUS 802.11b Network Adapter /ASUS 802.11g Network Adapter selection. It means the adapter in-stalled correctly.

ASUS WLAN Card 15Chapter 2 - InstallationChapter 2ASUS WLAN Utility Quick StartAfter installing the ASUS WLAN driver and utility, you may need to makesome settings before being able to use your wireless connection.Quick Start1. Right-click the ASUS WLAN icon andselect “Wireless Settings”2. Set the Network Name (SSID) to thesame name as the SSID set in yourwireless access point.3. Use “Site Survey” if you don’t know thename of your access point(s). 4. Encryption settings must also matchthose set in the access point. Talk withyour network administrator if necessary.Right-Click6. You can also see the connection qualityon the “Connection” page. Click OK toexit the utility.5. Click Apply to save your settings andcheck the “Status” page to see the“Association State”. It should show“Connected - xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx”.

16 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 2 - InstallationChapter 2Reading the ASUS WLAN Status IndicatorsThe part of the ASUS WLAN Card that protrudes out of the PCMCIA socketconsists of two LEDs that indicate the status of the ASUS WLAN Card .Status Indicators Status IndicatorsNetworkPowerNetwork (Green) Power (Green) DefinitionFast Blinking Fast Blinking Associated or joined with network & activitySlow Blinking Slow Blinking Associated or joined with network & no activityAlternating Blink Alternating Blink Seaching for network connectionOFF Slow Blinking Power save mode (power-up or reset)OFF OFF No power to the SpaceLink Cardbus

ASUS WLAN Card 17Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Software Reference•Control Center – Makes it easy to launch applications and activatenetwork location settings.•Mobile Manager – A convenient tool to setup and manage networklocation settings.•Site Monitor – Measures the received signal strength indicator (RSSI)values of all wireless networks. This tool is used for determining thebest placement of Access Points to provide the most efficient coveragein a wireless network.•Troubleshooting - Troubleshooting will test your settings and connec-tion to try to pinpoint your problem and give you a solution.•Wireless Settings – Allows users to control the ASUS WLAN Card.Additional Reference•Windows XP Wireless Properties - Brief overview of the wirelesssettings provided in Windows XP.3. Software ReferenceChapter OverviewThe ASUS WLAN Card software includes five groups of utilitiesWindows Start Menu - Programs

18 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Software ReferenceWindows XP Wireless OptionsThe wireless options shown below is only available for Windows XP. Thefirst time you run the Control Center utility, it will automatically show.Select one of the radio buttons to decide which interface to use with yourASUS WLAN Card.Only use XP wireless function – Only use “Windows XP” wireless networksettings to configure the ASUS WLAN Card.Only use ASUS utilities and disable XP wireless function – Only use“ASUS WLAN Card utilities” to configure the ASUS WLAN Card.(recommended)You can return to the Wireless Option setting at any time by left clickingthe control center icon and choosing “Wireless Option”.Taskbar Left-Click Menu

ASUS WLAN Card 19Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Control CenterControl Center UtilityControl Center is an application that makes it easy to launch applicationsand activate network location settings. Control Center starts automaticallywhen the system boots. Whenever Control Center is running, you will seea Control Center icon displayed on the Windows taskbar.Starting the Control Center manually• Select ASUS WLAN Control Center in Windows Start menu.or• Double click the ASUS WLAN Control Center icon on the desktop.Using the Control Center TaskbarThe Control Center Taskbar menu display the following information:• The link quality of the ASUS WLAN Card (Excellent, Good, Fair,Poor, Not Linked)• Whether the ASUS WLAN Card is connected to the Internet (Blue:Connected, Gray: Not Connected)Taskbar Icon and StatusWindows Start Menu

20 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Control CenterWireless Status Icons (on the taskbar)Excellent link quality and connected to Internet (Infrastructure)Good link quality and connected to Internet (Infrastructure)Fair link quality and connected to Internet (Infrastructure)Poor link quality and connected to Internet (Infrastructure)Not linked but connected to Internet (Infrastructure)Excellent link quality but not connected to Internet (Infrastructure)Good link quality but not connected to Internet (Infrastructure)Fair link quality but not connected to Internet (Infrastructure)Poor link quality but not connected to Internet (Infrastructure)Not linked and not connected to Internet (Infrastructure)

ASUS WLAN Card 21Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Control CenterTaskbar Icon - Left MenuLeft-clicking the taskbar icon showsthe following menu:•Wireless Radio On – Turns thewireless radio ON.•Wireless Radio Off – Turnsthe wireless radio OFF.•Search & Connect – View theproperties of available AccessPoints within range.•Wireless Option (Windows XP only) – Sets your Windows XP wire-less networking environment.Taskbar Icon - Launch Wireless SettingsDouble-clicking the taskbar icon:• Launches the Wireless Settings application.Taskbar Left-Click MenuTaskbar Icon - Right MenuRight-clicking the taskbar icon showsthe following menu items:•Wireless Settings – LaunchesWireless Settings application.•Activate Configuration – Al-lows you to set which profileto use.•Mobile Manager – LaunchesMobile Manager application.•Preferences – Customizes theway the Control Center pro-gram behaves. You can createa Control Center shortcut onthe desktop. You can also setwhether Control Center startsup with Windows.•Exit – Closes the Control Cen-ter program.Right-Click Menu

22 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Site MonitorSite Monitor UtilitySite Monitor measures the receivedsignal strength indicator (RSSI)values of all available wirelessnetworks. This tool is used fordetermining the best placement ofAccess Points to provide the bestcoverage for a wireless network.Starting Site Monitor• Click the Windows Start button, select Programs | ASUS Utility |WLAN Card | Site Monitor.or• Right-click the Control Center icon on the Windows taskbar and thenclick Site Monitor.Main ScreenMeasures the signal values of all available wireless networks.Some Access Points can disable broadcasting SSID to hide them-selves from “Site Survey” or “Site Monitor” for added securitybut still allow you to join if you know their SSID.Your wireless LAN perfor-mance may be affected whenrunning the site monitor.Windows Start Menu

ASUS WLAN Card 23Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Site MonitorMonitorDirected link state test with one particular wireless network, including:RSSI: This indicates the value of received signal strength of the last receivedframe. In principle, the higher the RSSI, the better your communicationsquality.Throughput: This sends a specified number of data packets to the remotehost and calculates the average megabytes per second.During the test, the Start button toggles to Stop. You can click Start buttonto begin the link test and click Stop button at any time to terminate the test.

24 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsWireless Settings UtilityWireless Settings is an application that allows you to control your ASUSWLAN Card. Use Wireless Settings to View or Modify the configurationsettings and monitor the operational status of your PC Card. Once WirelessSettings is launched, you can see the tabbed property sheet. This propertysheet is composed of tabbed “pages”, each with its own group of feature-specific settings.Right-Click MenuIf you have more than one ASUS WLAN device, you will be given adevice selection window when you launch the “Wireless Settings”utility. Select the appropriate model if you face this situation.Starting Wireless Settings• Open the Windows Control Panel, and then double-click the ASUSWLAN Card Settings icon.or• Click the Windows Start button, select Programs | ASUS Utility |WLAN Card | Wireless Settings.or• Right-click the Control Center icon on the Windows taskbar, selectWireless Settings.Windows Start Menu

ASUS WLAN Card 25Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsStatus - Status TabYou can view the information about the ASUS WLAN Card from the generalmenu. These fields are blank if the ASUS WLAN Card does not exist.ConnectedScanningRadio DisabledYou can turn OFF the ASUS WLANCard by clicking the “Disable Radio”button.

26 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsAssociation StateDisplays the connection status as follows:Connected - The station is now associated with one wireless LAN device.When operating in Infrastructure mode, this field shows the MAC address ofthe Access Point with which you are communicating. When operating in AdHoc* mode, this field shows the virtual MAC address used by computersparticipating in the Ad Hoc* network.Scanning... - The station is now attempting to authenticate and associate withthe desired Access Point or Ad Hoc* node.Disconnected - The link is connected, but no beacon received.SSIDDisplays the Service Set Identifier (SSID) that the card is either associated orintending to join.MAC addressIndicates the hardware address of the card. MAC address is a unique identifierfor networking devices (typically written as twelve hexadecimal digits 0 through9 and A through F, six hexadecimal numbers separated by colons, i.e.00:E0:18:F0:05:C0).Current ChannelDisplays the radio channel that the card is currently tuned. This number changesas the radio scans the available channels.Current Data RateDisplays the current transmit data rate in megabits per second (Mbps).* See Chapter 5 - Glossary

ASUS WLAN Card 29Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsStatus - Connection TabYou can view the current link statistics about the ASUS WLAN Card. Thesestatistics are updated once per second and are valid only if the ASUS WLANCard exists.Frame Sent/ReceivedTransmitted - The number of frames that were transmitted.Received - The number of frames that were received.Frame ErrorTransmitted - The number of frames that were not successfully transmitted.Received - The number of frames that were not successfully received.Connection QualitySignal Strength - Reflects the signal level related to the Access Point or AdHoc node the station is currently connected to. Ratings are: Excellent, Good,Fair, and Poor.Overall Connection QualityIt is derived from the current "Signal Strength". A graph displays a connectionquality range between 0 and 100 percent.Scanning Connected

30 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsStatus - IP Config TabIP Config tab shows all the current network configuration information forthe ASUS WLAN Card. Use it to verify your network settings.IP CONFIG will display all the current TCP/IP configuration valuesincluding the IP address, subnet mask, default gateway and WindowsInternet Naming Service (WINS) and DNS configuration.ButtonIP Release - Clicking this button will attempt to release the DHCP IP addressfor the ASUS WLAN Card in case you wish to remove your IP address.IP Renew - Clicking this button will attempt to renew the DHCP IP addressfor the ASUS WLAN Card in case you want to obtain a new IP address.NOTE: The IP Release and IP Renew buttons can only be used onthe ASUS WLAN Card that is configured with DHCP.

ASUS WLAN Card 31Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsConfig - Basic TabLets you can change the ASUS WLAN Card configurations without rebootingyour computer.Network TypeInfrastructure – Select the Infrastructure mode to establish a connection withan Access Point. Your computer is able to access wireless LAN and wiredLAN (Ethernet), via an associated access point. The Channel field turns to“Auto” when “Infrastructure” is selected.Ad Hoc – Select the “Ad Hoc” mode to communicate directly with each otherwithout using an Access Point. An “Ad Hoc” network is typically formed quicklyand easily without pre-planning. For example, share meeting notes betweennetworked computers in a meeting room.Network Name (SSID)Use the SSID field to configure the SSID for the ASUS WLAN Card. Youcan enter a new SSID or select one from the drop-down list box. SSID standsfor “Service Set Identifier”, which is a string used to identify a wireless LAN.You will only be able to connect Access Points which has the same SSID asthe one you set. Use different SSIDs to segment the wireless LAN and increasesecurity. SSIDs must all be printable characters and having a maximum of32 case sensitive characters, such as “ Wireless LAN”.Set the SSID to a null string, if you wish to allow your station toconnect to any Access Point it can find. But you cannot use nullstring in Ad Hoc mode.

32 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsClick Apply to save and activate the new configurations.ChannelUse the Channel field to select the radio channel for ASUS WLAN Card. In an"infrastructure" network, your ASUS WLAN Card will automatically selectthe correct frequency channel required to communicate with an Access Point,this parameter will be fixed in "Auto" and cannot be changed. In an "Ad Hoc"network, you can decide the channel number for the ASUS WLAN Card. AnyASUS WLAN Card can communicate in the same network if they have thesame frequency channel setting.The radio channels you may use depend on the regulations in your country. ForUnited States (FCC) and Canada (IC), channels 1 to 11 are supported. ForEurope (ETSI) except Spain and France, channels 1 to 13 are supported. ForSpain channel 10 and 11 are supported. For France channels 10 to 13 aresupported. For operation in Japan (MKK), channels 1 to 14 are supported.Data RateSelect the transmit data rate (fix or auto). The data rates supported for theASUS WLAN Cards are:Auto – The adapter will adjust to the most suitable transmission rate.Fix – 11g: Fix data rate to 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, or 54 Mbps.11b: Fix data rate to 1, 2, 5.5, or 11 megabits per second.OthersWEP – Click on this to show the "Encryption" tab.Advanced – Click on this to show the "Advanced" tab. In most cases, thedefault values do not have to be changed.Troubleshooting – Click on this to show the Troubleshooting utility.In order to conform with part 15.15(b) of the FCC rules, this deviceonly provides Channels 1-11 when sold to United States and Canada.

ASUS WLAN Card 33Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsConfig - Encryption TabLets you configure the ASUS WLAN Card encryption settings. For dataconfidentiality in a wireless environment, IEEE 802.11 specifies a WiredEquivalent Privacy (WEP) algorithm to offer transmission privacy similar towired network. The WEP uses keys to encrypt transmit data packets and decryptreceived data packets. The encryption process can scramble frame bits to avoiddisclosure to others.Pull Down MenusData encryption (WEP enabled)This option allows you to enable or disable the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)function. If this check box is selected, a WEP Key is used to encrypt your databefore it is transmitted over the air.If you enable WEP encryption, you will only be able to communicate withwireless devices that have use the same WEP keys.WEP KeyThis option is enable only if you enable WEP Encryption. The WEP Key is a64 bits (5 byte) or 128 bits (13 byte) Hexadecimal digits that is used to encrypttransmit data packets and decrypt received data packets.Key FormatYou can enter the WEP Key as a Hexadecimal digits (0~9, a~f, and A~F), or asASCII characters, based on the state of the Key Format.

34 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsKey LengthFor 64 bits encryption, each Key contains exactly 10 hex digits, or 5 ASCIIcharacters. For 128 bits encryption, each Key contains exactly 26 hex digits, or13 ASCII characters.Two ways to assign WEP keys1. Manual Assignment - When you click this button, the cursor appearsin the field for Key 1. For 64-bit encryption, you are required to enterfour WEP Keys. Each Key contains exactly 10 hex digits (0~9, a~f, andA~F). For 128-bit encryption, you are required to enter four WEP Keys.Each Key contains exactly 26 hex digits (0~9, a~f, and A~F).2. Automatic Generation - Type a combination of up to 64 letters, num-bers, or symbols in the Passphrase column, then the Wireless SettingsUtility uses an algorithm to generate four WEP Keys for encryption.NOTE: This function ease users from having to remember theirpasswords and is compatible to some existing WLAN utilities, butit is not very secure. "Manual Assignment" is more secure.Default KeyThe Default Key field lets you specify which of the four encryption keys youuse to transmit data on your wireless LAN. You can change the default key byclicking on the down arrow at the right of this field, selecting the number of thekey you want to use and then clicking the Apply button. As long as the AccessPoint or station with which you are communicating has the same key in thesame position, you can use any of the keys as the default.You then click the Apply button to create your encryption keys. After you clickthe Apply button, the Wireless Settings Utility uses asterisks to mask yourkeys.NOTE: Click the Apply or OK button to save the encryption set-tings. The keys you entered will be masked by asterisks.

ASUS WLAN Card 35Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows Settings64/128bits versus 40/104bitsYou may be confused about configuring WEP encryption, especially whenusing multiple wireless LAN products from different vendors. There aretwo levels of WEP Encryption: 64 bits and 128 bits.First, 64 bit WEP and 40 bit WEP are the same encryption method and caninteroperate in the wireless network. This lower level of WEP encryptionuses a 40 bit (10 Hex character) as a “secret key” (set by user), and a 24 bit“Initialization Vector” (not under user control). This together makes 64bits (40 + 24). Some vendors refer to this level of WEP as 40 bits andothers refer to this as 64 bits. ASUS WLAN products use the term 64 bitswhen referring to this lower level of encryption.Second, 104 bit WEP and 128 bit WEP are the same encryption methodand can interoperate in the wireless network. This higher level of WEPencryption uses a 104 bit (26 Hex character) as a “secret key” (set by user),and a 24 bit “Initialization Vector” (not under user control). This togethermakes 128 bits (104 + 24). Some vendors refer to this level of WEP as 104bits and others refer to this as 128 bits. ASUS WLAN products use theterm 128 bits when referring to this higher level of encryption.Click Apply to save and activate the new configurations.

36 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsSurvey - Site Survey TabUse the Site Survey tab to view statistics on the wireless networks availableto the ASUS WLAN Card. The Site Survey tab is read-only with no userconfigurable data fields. Use the Site Survey tab to view the followingnetwork parameters.•BSSID – View the IEEE MAC addresses of the available networks.•SSID – View the SSID (service set identification) within available networks.•CH – View the direct-sequence channel used by each network.•RSSI – Views the Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) in dB.•Type – View wireless network status information, the value is eitherAP (infrastructure) or STA (Ad Hoc).•WEP – View wireless network WEP encryption information, the valueis either OFF (disable encryption) or ON (enable encryption).ButtonsSearch – Scan all available wireless networks and show the scan result inthe “Available Network List”.Connect – To associate a network, select it from the “Available NetworkList” and click this button.Some Access Pointscan disable broadcast-ing SSID to hide them-selves from “Site Sur-vey” or “Site Monitor”for added security butstill allow you to join ifyou know their SSID.

ASUS WLAN Card 37Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsAbout - Version Info TabUses the Version Info tab to view program and ASUS WLAN Card versioninformation. The program version information field includes the Copyrightand utility version. The version information includes the ndis version, drivername, and driver version.This screen is an example only. Your versionnumbers will be different from what are shown here.

38 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Windows SettingsLink StateASUS WLAN Card “Link State” icon appears on theleft side of the ASUS WLAN Card Settings. Use theicon to view the current signal status.Exit Wireless SettingsTo exit Wireless Settings, you can click OK or Cancel.This utility may be closed at any time and from any tab.If you did not save the configuration settings, you willbe prompted to do so.Excellent Link Quality (Infrastructure)Good Link Quality (Infrastructure)Fair Link Quality (Infrastructure)Poor Link Quality (Infrastructure)Not linked (Infrastructure)Linked (Ad Hoc)Not Linked (Ad Hoc)

ASUS WLAN Card 39Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Mobile ManagerMobile Manager UtilityMobile Manager is a convenient tool tosetup and manage network locationsettings. Mobile Manager lets usersconfigure multiple alternativeconfigurations for different locations. Youonly need to set this once, and then easilyswitch configurations when you changeyour location.Starting Mobile Manager• Click the Windows Start button, select Programs | ASUS Utility |WLAN Card | Mobile Manager.or• Right-click the Control Center icon on the Windows taskbar and thenclick Mobile Manager.Using Mobile Manager - Quick Guide1. The first time you launch the Mobile Manager utility, it will automati-cally generate configurations that stores the current settings of all in-stalled network devices in your system.2. Change the name of the configuration to a descriptive name like “Work-Meeting Room” or “Home-ADSL”.3. On the File menu, click New Configuration, the New ConfigurationWizard dialog appears. Follow the on-screen instructions to create yourown location configurations.4. After you have created your configurations, you can see them in themain window.5. Select the configuration you want to use and then click Activate Con-figuration from the Activate pull-down menu. Your system will thenswitch to the network settings configured to your chosen selection.Windows Start Menu

40 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Mobile ManagerMain WindowYou can use the Mobile Manager utility main window to create a newconfiguration, edit a configuration or activate a configuration. The main windowincludes a menu bar, tool bar, and a list view for showing existing configurations.Using the pull-down menu and toolbarThe following topics show the commands available from the Mobile Managerpull-down menu and toolbar. If no configuration is selected, some commandswill be grayed out and inaccessible. The toolbar contains buttons for many ofthe most commonly used commands in Mobile Manager. It allows quick accessto some of the most useful features of Mobile Manager. The commands providedby the toolbar buttons are also available from the pull-down menu.File MenuNew Configuration - Select New Configuration in the File menuto open a New Configuration Wizard dialog. Use the New Configu-ration Wizard dialog to create a new configuration. See Using NewConfiguration Wizard for details on this command.Import Configuration - Load a configuration from an INI File.Export Configuration - Save the selected configuration (contain-ing Wireless Settings, TCP/IP Settings, Network Settings, ...) to anINI File. The INI file can be placed on a floppy diskette and thenimported by other computers using Mobile Manager. This can alsobe used as a backup feature for yourself.Exit - Close the Mobile Manager utility.

ASUS WLAN Card 41Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Mobile ManagerMobilize MenuAuto Roaming – If an association changes, it will automaticallyswitch into a network configuration that you have made. If no asso-ciations have been made, it will automatically connect to a wirelessnetwork based on configurations that you specify.Activate Configuration – Applies the configuration that you haveselected from the list. You may be prompted to restart Windowsdepending on the required changes. Follow the instructions on thescreen. Windows 2000 and XP usually do not require restarting yourcomputer, but Windows 98 and ME usually will require a restart.Edit MenuAll these commands are also available from the context menu that appearswhen you right-click with a configuration in the Mobile Manager window.Edit Configuration - Select Edit Configuration in the Edit menu toopen an Edit Configuration dialog to edit selected configurationitems. See “Using Edit Configuration” for details on this command.Rename - Change the name of the selected configuration.Copy - Duplicate the selected configuration.Delete - Discard the selected configuration.View MenuLarge Icons - Displays large icons for each configuration.Small Icons - Displays small icons for each configuration.List - Shows the configuration names in a list.Details - The Detailed view expands this list to include informationabout the configurations. The information includes configurationname, type, and description.

ASUS WLAN Card 43Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Mobile ManagerNew Configuration WizardCreate a new configurationCreate a new configuration if you are in a specific location that does nothave an existing configuration defined. Use the New Configuration Wizardto create a configuration in a few easy steps.1. Do one of the following:• On the File menu, click New Configuration.or• Double-click New Configuration on the Main window.Then the New Configuration Wizard dialog starts.2. Choose the type of configuration that you want to create and click Next.•Wireless Local Area Network Configuration: You must have anASUS WLAN Card installed in your PC.•Wired Local Area Network Configuration: You must have a NIC (LANcard) (other than ASUS WLAN Card) installed in your PC.•Dialup Networking Configuration: You must have a modem in-stalled in your PC.

44 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Mobile Manager3. Enter the name and description you want to use for this configurationin the Name and description field. And Click Next.4. Follow the on-screen instructions, it will guide you through the processof specifying the settings in your configuration. The Wizard reads thecurrent system settings (TCP/IP, NT Domain, Proxy, File, and PrinterSharing) and displays it. Depending on the configuration that you havecreated, you can set the following groups of settings:• Wireless settings (for Wireless Configuration)• Network settings (for Wireless/Wired Configuration)• TCP/IP settings (for Wireless/Wired Configuration)• Dialing settings (for Dialup Configuration)• Dialup Networking settings (for Dialup Configuration)• Internet settings (for Wireless/Wired/Dialup Configuration)• Sharing settings (for Wireless/Wired/Dialup Configuration)See “Using Edit Configuration” for detailed information on each.5. Enter the appropriate information in the wizard. After specifying theappropriate information on each page, click Next to continue.6. On the final window of the New Configuration Wizard, you will see aFinish button.• If you do not want to use this new configuration now, click Finishto save the new configuration. It will be shown in the Mobile Man-ager main window.or• If you want to use this new configuration now, click Mobilize.Edit ConfigurationEdit an existing configurationEdit a configuration if you want to view or change dialup or LAN settings.• On the Edit menu, click Edit Configuration.or• Double-click one existing configuration on the Main window.Then the Edit Configuration dialog starts.The Edit Configuration dialog contains various settings, which you select byclicking the buttons at the left of the window. Each setting is described below.

ASUS WLAN Card 45Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Mobile ManagerGeneral settingsName – This field is mandatory, and used for indicating the locationfrom which you are dialing or connecting to the network. For example,if this is used for a meeting room at work, you can use a name like“Work-Meeting Room”. If it is used for home on your ADSL, you canname like “Home-ADSL”.Description – This field is optional, you can use it to provide moredetails about this configuration.Network settingsNetwork settings include: “Identification” and “Microsoft Networking”.IdentificationComputer name – Give your computer a unique name of up to 15characters. Thecomputer name is the name that others on your net-work will see your computer as. For complete compatibility, do not usespaces or symbols. It’s generally the same as the DNS hostname, forexample, “JohnDoe”.Workgroup – Type an existing workgroup name or create a new work-group by typing a new name that contains up to 15 characters. Use it toidentify your computer group that you belong to.Computer Description – This information is displayed as a commentnext to the computer name when the computer is seen in “Details” view(select from the Windows pull-down menu). Use it to describe yourcomputer, for example, your name, or location.Microsoft NetworkingLogon validation – Specify how Windows 9x clients connect to a Win-dows NT Server Domain at this location.Check Log on to Windows NTdomain box if you are using a Windows NT Server in domain control-ler mode. And then enter the Window NT server domain name in Win-dow NT domain field.Network logon options – Specify how Windows 9x clients try to logon.Select Quick logon to wait until the shared network drives is actuallyused to attempt the login. Select Logon and restore network connectionsto logon to all shared network drives when the user logs into Windows.

46 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Mobile ManagerWireless settingsNetwork TypeInfrastructure – Select the Infrastructure mode to establish a connec-tion with an Access Point.Ad Hoc – Select the Ad Hoc mode to communicate directly with eachother without using an Access Point.SSIDUsing the SSID filed to configure the SSID setting for the ASUS WLANCard. SSID stands for Service Set Identifier, which is a string used to identifya wireless LAN. You will only be able to connect with an Access Point,which has the same SSID. Use different SSIDs to segment the wirelessLAN and add security.Note that the SSID must be all printable character string (case sensitivity)and up to 32 characters long, such as “ WIRELESS LAN”. Set the SSID toa null string, if you wish to allow your station to connect to any AccessPoint it can find. But you cannot use null string in Ad Hoc mode.ChannelThe radio channel used for transmit/receive data. In infrastructure network,your PC Card will automatically select the correct frequency channel requiredto communicate with an Access Point, this parameter will be fixed in “Auto”and can’t change it. In an Ad Hoc Network, you can decide channel number forthe PC Card to operate. PC Cards can communicate in the network if each hasthe same frequency channel setting.The radio channels you may use depend on the regulations in your country. ForUnited States (FCC) and Canada (IC), channels 1 to 11 are supported. ForEurope (ETSI) except Spain and France, channels 1 to 13 are supported. ForSpain channel 10 and 11 are supported. For France channels 10 to 13 aresupported. For operation in Japan (MKK), channels 1 to 14 are supported.WEPSelect enable or disable WEP encryption. Note that if you enable WEP encryption,you will only connect with wireless devices that have the same WEP keys.In order to conform with part 15.15(b) of the FCC rules, this deviceonly provides Channels 1-11 when sold to United States and Canada.

ASUS WLAN Card 47Chapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Mobile ManagerWEP KeyThis option is enable only if you enable WEP Encryption. The WEP Key is a64 bit (5 byte) or 128 bit (13 byte) Hexadecimal digit that is used to encrypttransmit data packets and decrypt received data packets. You have two ways toassign WEP keys:Automatic Generation - Type a combination of up to 127 letters,numbers, or symbols in the Magic Word column, then it will auto-matically generate WEP Keys.Manual Assignment - Manual type WEP keys which valid valuesinclude numbers, a~f, and A~F.Default KeyDetermines which entry in the default key table to use for transmitted packets.

48 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Mobile Manager5. GlossaryAccess Point (AP)An networking device that seamlessly connects wired and wireless networks. AccessPoints combined with a distributed system support the creation of multiple radio cellsthat enable roaming throughout a facility.Ad HocA wireless network composed solely of stations within mutual communication rangeof each other (no Access Point).Basic Service Area (BSS)A set of stations controlled by a single coordination function.BroadbandA type of data transmission in which a single medium (such as cable) carriesseveral channels of data at once.ChannelAn instance of medium use for the purpose of passing protocol data units that may beused simultaneously, in the same volume of space, with other instances of medium use(on other channels) by other instances of the same physical layer, with an acceptablylow frame error ratio due to mutual interference.ClientA client is the desktop or mobile PC that is connected to your network.COFDM (for 802.11a or 802.11g)Signal power alone is not enough to maintain 802.11b-like distances in an 802.11a/genvironment. To compensate, a new physical-layer encoding technology was designedthat departs from the traditional direct-sequence technology being deployed today. Thistechnology is called COFDM (coded OFDM). COFDM was developed specificallyfor indoor wireless use and offers performance much superior to that of spread-spectrumsolutions. COFDM works by breaking one high-speed data carrier into several lower-speed subcarriers, which are then transmitted in parallel. Each high-speed carrier is 20MHz wide and is broken up into 52 subchannels, each approximately 300 KHz wide.COFDM uses 48 of these subchannels for data, while the remaining four are used forerror correction. COFDM delivers higher data rates and a high degree of multipathreflection recovery, thanks to its encoding scheme and error correction.Each subchannel in the COFDM implementation is about 300 KHz wide. At the lowend of the speed gradient, BPSK (binary phase shift keying) is used to encode 125Kbps of data per channel, resulting in a 6,000-Kbps, or 6 Mbps, data rate. Usingquadrature phase shift keying, you can double the amount of data encoded to 250 Kbps

ASUS WLAN Card 49Chapter 5Chapter 5 - GlossaryGlossaryper channel, yielding a 12-Mbps data rate. And by using 16-level quadrature amplitudemodulation encoding 4 bits per hertz, you can achieve a data rate of 24 Mbps. The802.11a/g standard specifies that all 802.11a/g-compliant products must support thesebasic data rates. The standard also lets the vendor extend the modulation scheme beyond24 Mbps. Remember, the more bits per cycle (hertz) that are encoded, the moresusceptible the signal will be to interference and fading, and ultimately, the shorter therange, unless power output is increased.Device NameAlso known as DHCP client ID or network name. Sometimes provided by anISP when using DHCP to assign addresses.DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)This protocol allows a computer (or many computers on your network) to beautomatically assigned a single IP address from a DHCP server.DNS Server Address (Domain Name System)DNS allows Internet host computers to have a domain name and one or more IPaddresses. A DNS server keeps a database of host computers and their respective domainnames and IP addresses, so that when a user enters a domain name into the Internetbrowser, the user is sent to the proper IP address. The DNS server address used by thecomputers on your home network is the location of the DNS server your ISP has assigned.DSL Modem (Digital Subscriber Line)A DSL modem uses your existing phone lines to transmit data at high speeds.Direct-Sequence Spread Spectrum (for 802.11b)Spread spectrum (broadband) uses a narrowband signal to spread the transmission overa segment of the radio frequency band or spectrum. Direct-sequence is a spread spectrumtechnique where the transmitted signal is spread over a particular frequency range.Direct-sequence systems communicate by continuously transmitting a redundant patternof bits called a chipping sequence. Each bit of transmitted data is mapped into chipsand rearranged into a pseudorandom spreading code to form the chipping sequence.The chipping sequence is combined with a transmitted data stream to produce theoutput signal.

50 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 5Chapter 5 - GlossaryGlossaryWireless mobile clients receiving a direct-sequence transmission use the spreadingcode to map the chips within the chipping sequence back into bits to recreate the originaldata transmitted by the wireless device. Intercepting and decoding a direct-sequencetransmission requires a predefined algorithm to associate the spreading code used bythe transmitting wireless device to the receiving wireless mobile client.This algorithm is established by IEEE 802.11b specifications. The bit redundancy withinthe chipping sequence enables the receiving wireless mobile client to recreate the originaldata pattern, even if bits in the chipping sequence are corrupted by interference. Theratio of chips per bit is called the spreading ratio. A high spreading ratio increases theresistance of the signal to interference. A low spreading ratio increases the bandwidthavailable to the user. The wireless device uses a constant chip rate of 11Mchips/s for alldata rates, but uses different modulation schemes to encode more bits per chip at thehigher data rates. The wireless device is capable of an 11 Mbps data transmission rate,but the coverage area is less than a 1 or 2 Mbps wireless device since coverage areadecreases as bandwidth increases.EncryptionThis provides wireless data transmissions with a level of security.Extended Service Set (ESS)A set of one or more interconnected basic service set (BSSs) and integratedlocal area networks (LANs) can be configured as an Extended Service Set.ESSID (Extended Service Set Identifier)You must have the same ESSID entered into the gateway and each of its wirelessclients. The ESSID is a unique identifier for your wireless network.EthernetThe most widely used LAN access method, which is defined by the IEEE 802.3 standard.Ethernet is normally a shared media LAN meaning all devices on the network segmentshare total bandwidth. Ethernet networks operate at 10Mbps using CSMA/CD to runover 10-BaseT cables.FirewallA firewall determines which information passes in and out of a network. NAT cancreate a natural firewall by hiding a local network’s IP addresses from the Internet. AFirewall prevents anyone outside of your network from accessing your computer andpossibly damaging or viewing your files.GatewayA network point that manages all the data traffic of your network, as well as to theInternet and connects one network to another.IEEEThe Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The IEEE sets standards fornetworking, including Ethernet LANs. IEEE standards ensure interoperability between

ASUS WLAN Card 51Chapter 5Chapter 5 - GlossaryGlossarysystems of the same type.IEEE 802.11IEEE 802.xx is a set of specifications for LANs from the Institute of Electrical andElectronic Engineers (IEEE). Most wired networks conform to 802.3, the specificationfor CSMA/CD based Ethernet networks or 802.5, the specification for token ringnetworks. 802.11 defines the standard for wireless LANs encompassing threeincompatible (non-interoperable) technologies: Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum(FHSS), Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS), and Infrared. 802.11 specifies acarrier sense media access control and physical layer specifications for 1 and 2 Mbpswireless LANs.IEEE 802.11a (54Mbits/sec)Compared with 802.11b: The 802.11b standard was designed to operate in the 2.4-GHz ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band using direct-sequence spread-spectrum technology. The 802.11a standard, on the other hand, was designed to operatein the more recently allocated 5-GHz UNII (Unlicensed National InformationInfrastructure) band. And unlike 802.11b, the 802.11a standard departs from thetraditional spread-spectrum technology, instead using a frequency division multiplexingscheme that's intended to be friendlier to office environments.The 802.11a standard, which supports data rates of up to 54 Mbps, is the Fast Ethernetanalog to 802.11b, which supports data rates of up to 11 Mbps. Like Ethernet and FastEthernet, 802.11b and 802.11a use an identical MAC (Media Access Control). However,while Fast Ethernet uses the same physical-layer encoding scheme as Ethernet (onlyfaster), 802.11a uses an entirely different encoding scheme, called OFDM (orthogonalfrequency division multiplexing).The 802.11b spectrum is plagued by saturation from wireless phones, microwave ovensand other emerging wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth. In contrast, 802.11aspectrum is relatively free of interference.The 802.11a standard gains some of its performance from the higher frequencies atwhich it operates. The laws of information theory tie frequency, radiated power anddistance together in an inverse relationship. Thus, moving up to the 5-GHz spectrumfrom 2.4 GHz will lead to shorter distances, given the same radiated power and encodingscheme.

52 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 5Chapter 5 - GlossaryGlossaryCompared with 802.11g: 802.11a is a standard for access points and radio NICs thatis ahead of 802.11g in the market by about six months. 802.11a operates in the 5GHzfrequency band with twelve separate non-overlapping channels. As a result, you canhave up to twelve access points set to different channels in the same area without theminterfering with each other. This makes access point channel assignment much easierand significantly increases the throughput the wireless LAN can deliver within a givenarea. In addition, RF interference is much less likely because of the less-crowded 5GHz band.IEEE 802.11b (11Mbits/sec)In 1997, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) adopted the 802.11standard for wireless devices operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. This standardincludes provisions for three radio technologies: direct sequence spread spectrum,frequency hopping spread spectrum, and infrared. Devices that comply with the 802.11standard operate at a data rate of either 1 or 2 Mbps.In 1999, the IEEE created the 802.11b standard. 802.11b is essentially identical to the802.11 standard except 802.11b provides for data rates of up to 11 Mbps for directsequence spread spectrum devices. Under 802.11b, direct sequence devices can operateat 11 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, 2 Mbps, or 1 Mbps. This provides interoperability with existing802.11 direct sequence devices that operate only at 2 Mbps.Direct sequence spread spectrum devices spread a radio signal over a range offrequencies. The IEEE 802.11b specification allocates the 2.4 GHz frequency bandinto 14 overlapping operating Channels. Each Channel corresponds to a different set offrequencies.IEEE 802.11g802.11g is a new extension to 802.11b (used in majority of wireless LANs today) thatbroadens 802.11b's data rates to 54 Mbps within the 2.4 GHz band using OFDM(orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) technology. 802.11g allows backwardcompatibility with 802.11b devices but only at 11 Mbps or lower, depending on therange and presence of obstructions.InfrastructureA wireless network centered about an access point. In this environment, the accesspoint not only provides communication with the wired network but also mediateswireless network traffic in the immediate neighborhood.IP (Internet Protocol)The TCP/IP standard protocol that defines the IP datagram as the unit of informationpassed across an Internet and provides the basis for connectionless packet deliveryservice. IP includes the ICMP control and error message protocol as an integral part. Itprovides the functional equivalent of ISO OSI Network Services.IP AddressAn IP address is a 32-bit number that identifies each sender or receiver of informationthat is sent across the Internet. An IP address has two parts: the identifier of a particularnetwork on the Internet and an identifier of the particular device (which can be a serveror a workstation) within that network.

$ASUS WLAN Card 53Chapter 5Chapter 5 - GlossaryGlossaryISM Bands (Industrial, Scientific, and Medicine Bands)Radio frequency bands that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorizedfor wireless LANs. The ISM bands are located at 902 MHz, 2.400 GHz, and 5.7 GHz.ISP (Internet Service Provider)An organization that provides access to the Internet. Small ISPs provide service viamodem and ISDN while the larger ones also offer private line hookups (T1, fractionalT1, etc.).LAN (Local Area Network)A communications network that serves users within a defined geographical area. Thebenefits include the sharing of Internet access, files and equipment like printers andstorage devices. Special network cabling (10 Base-T) is often used to connect the PCstogether.MAC Address (Media Access Control)A MAC address is the hardware address of a device connected to a network.NAT (Network Address Translation)NAT masks a local network’s group of IP addresses from the external network, allowinga local network of computers to share a single ISP account. This process allows all ofthe computers on your home network to use one IP address. This will enable access tothe Internet from any computer on your home network without having to purchasemore IP addresses from your ISP.NIC (Network Interface Card)A network adapter inserted into a computer so that the computer can be connected to anetwork. It is responsible for converting data from stored in the computer to the formtransmitted or received.$

PacketA basic message unit for communication across a network. A packet usually includesrouting information, data, and sometimes error detection information.PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card InternationalAssociation)The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), developsstandards for PC cards, formerly known as PCMCIA cards. These cards are availablein three types, and are about the same length and width as credit cards. However, thedifferent width of the cards ranges in thickness from 3.3 mm (Type I) to 5.0 mm (TypeII) to 10.5 mm (Type III). These cards can be used for various functions, includingmemory storage, land line modems and wireless modems.PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol)PPP is a protocol for communication between computers using a serial interface, typicallya personal computer connected by phone line to a server.PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet)Point-to-Point Protocol is a method of secure data transmission. PPP using Ethernet toconnect to an ISP.Radio Frequency (RF) Terms: GHz, MHz, HzThe international unit for measuring frequency is Hertz (Hz), equivalent to the olderunit of cycles per second. One megahertz (MHz) is one million Hertz. One gigahertz(GHz) is one billion Hertz. The standard US electrical power frequency is 60 Hz, theAM broadcast radio frequency band is 0.55-1.6 MHz, the FM broadcast radio frequencyband is 88-108 MHz, and wireless 802.11 LANs operate at 2.4 GHz.SSID (Service Set ID)SSID is a group name shared by every member of a wireless network. Only client PCswith the same SSID are allowed to establish a connection.StationAny device containing IEEE 802.11 wireless medium access conformity.Subnet MaskA subnet mask is a set of four numbers configured like an IP address. It is used to createIP address numbers used only within a particular network.TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)The standard transport level protocol that provides the full duplex, stream service onwhich many application protocols depend. TCP allows a process or one machine tosend a stream of data to a process on another. Software implementing TCP usually

resides in the operating system and uses the IP to transmit information across the network.WAN (Wide Area Network)A system of LANs, connected together. A network that connects computers located inseparate areas, (i.e., different buildings, cities, countries). The Internet is a wide areanetwork.WECA (Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance)An industry group that certifies cross-vender interoperability and compatibility of IEEE802.11b wireless networking products and to promote that standard for enterprise, smallbusiness, and home environments.WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network)This is a group of computers and other devices connected wirelessly in a small area. Awireless network is referred to as LAN or WLAN.

56 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 5Chapter 5 - GlossaryGlossary

ASUS WLAN Card 57Chapter 2 - InstallationChapter 2

58 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 2 - InstallationChapter 24. TroubleshootingThe following troubleshooting guides provide answers to some of the morecommon problems, which you may encounter while installing or usingASUS WLAN Card products. If you encounter difficulties that are notmentioned in this section, please contact ASUS Wireless LAN TechnicalSupport.Verify if the ASUS WLAN Card is installed correctly.When the ASUS WLAN Card setup is complete, you can verify if the driverhas been setup properly. Right click My Computer, select Properties, andclick the Device Manager tab. Then double-click the Network adaptersicon; you should see “ASUS 802.11g Network Adapter” with an icon ofan expansion card. There should not be a “!” or “?” (problem) or “x”(disabled) symbol over this icon.There is a yellow exclamation mark or a yellow question markin Device Manager in front of my ASUS WLAN Card.To resolve the problem, you should update/reinstall the ASUS WLAN Carddriver. In “Device Manager”, right click ASUS 802.11g Network Adapter,select Properties, and select Driver tab. Click on Update Driver button,then follow the “Update Device Driver Wizard” to complete the driverinstallation.In addition, you may be able to resolve this issue by reinstalling the driver.Choose ASUS 802.11g Network Adapter, click Remove button in “DeviceManager”, and then run the Add New Hardware Wizard from the ControlPanel.Cannot connect to any Access PointsFollow the procedure below to configure your ASUS WLAN Card.a. Verify that the “Network Type” is in “Infrastructure” mode.b. Verify that the “SSID” of your ASUS WLAN Card is set to the same“SSID” of an Access Point.c. Verify that the “Encryption” type is the same as that of an Access Point.If you enabled “WEP” encryption, you must also set the same WEPKeys on both sides.

ASUS WLAN Card 59Chapter 4 - TroubleshootingChapter 4TroubleshootingCannot connect to a Station (ASUS WLAN Card)Follow the procedure below to configure your ASUS WLAN Card.a. Verify that the “Network Type” is in “Ad Hoc” mode.b. Verify that the “SSID” of your ASUS WLAN Card is set to the same“SSID” of the other station (or another ASUS WLAN Card).c. Verify that the “channel” of the ASUS WLAN Card is “Auto” or set tothe same “channel” of the other station (or another ASUS WLAN Card).d. Verify that the “Encryption” type is the same as the other station (oranother ASUS WLAN Card). If “WEP” encryption is enabled, youmust set the same “WEP” Keys on both stations.Bad link quality or bad signal strengthThere are two possible reasons. First is radio interference, keep the environmentaround the ASUS WLAN Card away from microwave ovens and large metalobjects. Then try to reorient the ASUS WLAN Card antenna. Second is thedistance, decrease the distance between your ASUS WLAN Card and the AccessPoint or station (or another ASUS WLAN Card).The TCP/IP protocol did not bind to the ASUS WLAN PC Card.This will occur when the computer already has six TCP/IP bindings in Windows98 or ten bindings in Windows Me. These limits are imposed by the Microsoftoperating system.Solution: If your computer already has the maximum number of TCP/IPbindings, remove one of the network adapters from the Network configurationbefore installing the ASUS WLAN Card driver.

60 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 3 - ReferenceChapter 3Mobile Manager5. GlossaryAccess Point (AP)An networking device that seamlessly connects wired and wireless networks. AccessPoints combined with a distributed system support the creation of multiple radio cellsthat enable roaming throughout a facility.Ad HocA wireless network composed solely of stations within mutual communication rangeof each other (no Access Point).Basic Service Area (BSS)A set of stations controlled by a single coordination function.BroadbandA type of data transmission in which a single medium (such as cable) carriesseveral channels of data at once.ChannelAn instance of medium use for the purpose of passing protocol data units that may beused simultaneously, in the same volume of space, with other instances of medium use(on other channels) by other instances of the same physical layer, with an acceptablylow frame error ratio due to mutual interference.ClientA client is the desktop or mobile PC that is connected to your network.COFDM (for 802.11a or 802.11g)Signal power alone is not enough to maintain 802.11b-like distances in an 802.11a/genvironment. To compensate, a new physical-layer encoding technology was designedthat departs from the traditional direct-sequence technology being deployed today. Thistechnology is called COFDM (coded OFDM). COFDM was developed specificallyfor indoor wireless use and offers performance much superior to that of spread-spectrumsolutions. COFDM works by breaking one high-speed data carrier into several lower-speed subcarriers, which are then transmitted in parallel. Each high-speed carrier is 20MHz wide and is broken up into 52 subchannels, each approximately 300 KHz wide.COFDM uses 48 of these subchannels for data, while the remaining four are used forerror correction. COFDM delivers higher data rates and a high degree of multipathreflection recovery, thanks to its encoding scheme and error correction.Each subchannel in the COFDM implementation is about 300 KHz wide. At the lowend of the speed gradient, BPSK (binary phase shift keying) is used to encode 125Kbps of data per channel, resulting in a 6,000-Kbps, or 6 Mbps, data rate. Usingquadrature phase shift keying, you can double the amount of data encoded to 250 Kbps

ASUS WLAN Card 61Chapter 5Chapter 5 - GlossaryGlossaryper channel, yielding a 12-Mbps data rate. And by using 16-level quadrature amplitudemodulation encoding 4 bits per hertz, you can achieve a data rate of 24 Mbps. The802.11a/g standard specifies that all 802.11a/g-compliant products must support thesebasic data rates. The standard also lets the vendor extend the modulation scheme beyond24 Mbps. Remember, the more bits per cycle (hertz) that are encoded, the moresusceptible the signal will be to interference and fading, and ultimately, the shorter therange, unless power output is increased.Device NameAlso known as DHCP client ID or network name. Sometimes provided by anISP when using DHCP to assign addresses.DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)This protocol allows a computer (or many computers on your network) to beautomatically assigned a single IP address from a DHCP server.DNS Server Address (Domain Name System)DNS allows Internet host computers to have a domain name and one or more IPaddresses. A DNS server keeps a database of host computers and their respective domainnames and IP addresses, so that when a user enters a domain name into the Internetbrowser, the user is sent to the proper IP address. The DNS server address used by thecomputers on your home network is the location of the DNS server your ISP has assigned.DSL Modem (Digital Subscriber Line)A DSL modem uses your existing phone lines to transmit data at high speeds.Direct-Sequence Spread Spectrum (for 802.11b)Spread spectrum (broadband) uses a narrowband signal to spread the transmission overa segment of the radio frequency band or spectrum. Direct-sequence is a spread spectrumtechnique where the transmitted signal is spread over a particular frequency range.Direct-sequence systems communicate by continuously transmitting a redundant patternof bits called a chipping sequence. Each bit of transmitted data is mapped into chipsand rearranged into a pseudorandom spreading code to form the chipping sequence.The chipping sequence is combined with a transmitted data stream to produce theoutput signal.

62 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 5Chapter 5 - GlossaryGlossaryWireless mobile clients receiving a direct-sequence transmission use the spreadingcode to map the chips within the chipping sequence back into bits to recreate the originaldata transmitted by the wireless device. Intercepting and decoding a direct-sequencetransmission requires a predefined algorithm to associate the spreading code used bythe transmitting wireless device to the receiving wireless mobile client.This algorithm is established by IEEE 802.11b specifications. The bit redundancy withinthe chipping sequence enables the receiving wireless mobile client to recreate the originaldata pattern, even if bits in the chipping sequence are corrupted by interference. Theratio of chips per bit is called the spreading ratio. A high spreading ratio increases theresistance of the signal to interference. A low spreading ratio increases the bandwidthavailable to the user. The wireless device uses a constant chip rate of 11Mchips/s for alldata rates, but uses different modulation schemes to encode more bits per chip at thehigher data rates. The wireless device is capable of an 11 Mbps data transmission rate,but the coverage area is less than a 1 or 2 Mbps wireless device since coverage areadecreases as bandwidth increases.EncryptionThis provides wireless data transmissions with a level of security.Extended Service Set (ESS)A set of one or more interconnected basic service set (BSSs) and integratedlocal area networks (LANs) can be configured as an Extended Service Set.ESSID (Extended Service Set Identifier)You must have the same ESSID entered into the gateway and each of its wirelessclients. The ESSID is a unique identifier for your wireless network.EthernetThe most widely used LAN access method, which is defined by the IEEE 802.3 standard.Ethernet is normally a shared media LAN meaning all devices on the network segmentshare total bandwidth. Ethernet networks operate at 10Mbps using CSMA/CD to runover 10-BaseT cables.FirewallA firewall determines which information passes in and out of a network. NAT cancreate a natural firewall by hiding a local network’s IP addresses from the Internet. AFirewall prevents anyone outside of your network from accessing your computer andpossibly damaging or viewing your files.GatewayA network point that manages all the data traffic of your network, as well as to theInternet and connects one network to another.IEEEThe Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The IEEE sets standards fornetworking, including Ethernet LANs. IEEE standards ensure interoperability between

ASUS WLAN Card 63Chapter 5Chapter 5 - GlossaryGlossarysystems of the same type.IEEE 802.11IEEE 802.xx is a set of specifications for LANs from the Institute of Electrical andElectronic Engineers (IEEE). Most wired networks conform to 802.3, the specificationfor CSMA/CD based Ethernet networks or 802.5, the specification for token ringnetworks. 802.11 defines the standard for wireless LANs encompassing threeincompatible (non-interoperable) technologies: Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum(FHSS), Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS), and Infrared. 802.11 specifies acarrier sense media access control and physical layer specifications for 1 and 2 Mbpswireless LANs.IEEE 802.11a (54Mbits/sec)Compared with 802.11b: The 802.11b standard was designed to operate in the 2.4-GHz ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band using direct-sequence spread-spectrum technology. The 802.11a standard, on the other hand, was designed to operatein the more recently allocated 5-GHz UNII (Unlicensed National InformationInfrastructure) band. And unlike 802.11b, the 802.11a standard departs from thetraditional spread-spectrum technology, instead using a frequency division multiplexingscheme that's intended to be friendlier to office environments.The 802.11a standard, which supports data rates of up to 54 Mbps, is the Fast Ethernetanalog to 802.11b, which supports data rates of up to 11 Mbps. Like Ethernet and FastEthernet, 802.11b and 802.11a use an identical MAC (Media Access Control). However,while Fast Ethernet uses the same physical-layer encoding scheme as Ethernet (onlyfaster), 802.11a uses an entirely different encoding scheme, called OFDM (orthogonalfrequency division multiplexing).The 802.11b spectrum is plagued by saturation from wireless phones, microwave ovensand other emerging wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth. In contrast, 802.11aspectrum is relatively free of interference.The 802.11a standard gains some of its performance from the higher frequencies atwhich it operates. The laws of information theory tie frequency, radiated power anddistance together in an inverse relationship. Thus, moving up to the 5-GHz spectrumfrom 2.4 GHz will lead to shorter distances, given the same radiated power and encodingscheme.

64 ASUS WLAN CardChapter 5Chapter 5 - GlossaryGlossaryCompared with 802.11g: 802.11a is a standard for access points and radio NICs thatis ahead of 802.11g in the market by about six months. 802.11a operates in the 5GHzfrequency band with twelve separate non-overlapping channels. As a result, you canhave up to twelve access points set to different channels in the same area without theminterfering with each other. This makes access point channel assignment much easierand significantly increases the throughput the wireless LAN can deliver within a givenarea. In addition, RF interference is much less likely because of the less-crowded 5GHz band.IEEE 802.11b (11Mbits/sec)In 1997, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) adopted the 802.11standard for wireless devices operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. This standardincludes provisions for three radio technologies: direct sequence spread spectrum,frequency hopping spread spectrum, and infrared. Devices that comply with the 802.11standard operate at a data rate of either 1 or 2 Mbps.In 1999, the IEEE created the 802.11b standard. 802.11b is essentially identical to the802.11 standard except 802.11b provides for data rates of up to 11 Mbps for directsequence spread spectrum devices. Under 802.11b, direct sequence devices can operateat 11 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, 2 Mbps, or 1 Mbps. This provides interoperability with existing802.11 direct sequence devices that operate only at 2 Mbps.Direct sequence spread spectrum devices spread a radio signal over a range offrequencies. The IEEE 802.11b specification allocates the 2.4 GHz frequency bandinto 14 overlapping operating Channels. Each Channel corresponds to a different set offrequencies.IEEE 802.11g802.11g is a new extension to 802.11b (used in majority of wireless LANs today) thatbroadens 802.11b's data rates to 54 Mbps within the 2.4 GHz band using OFDM(orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) technology. 802.11g allows backwardcompatibility with 802.11b devices but only at 11 Mbps or lower, depending on therange and presence of obstructions.InfrastructureA wireless network centered about an access point. In this environment, the accesspoint not only provides communication with the wired network but also mediateswireless network traffic in the immediate neighborhood.IP (Internet Protocol)The TCP/IP standard protocol that defines the IP datagram as the unit of informationpassed across an Internet and provides the basis for connectionless packet deliveryservice. IP includes the ICMP control and error message protocol as an integral part. Itprovides the functional equivalent of ISO OSI Network Services.IP AddressAn IP address is a 32-bit number that identifies each sender or receiver of informationthat is sent across the Internet. An IP address has two parts: the identifier of a particularnetwork on the Internet and an identifier of the particular device (which can be a serveror a workstation) within that network.

$ASUS WLAN Card 65Chapter 5Chapter 5 - GlossaryGlossaryISM Bands (Industrial, Scientific, and Medicine Bands)Radio frequency bands that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorizedfor wireless LANs. The ISM bands are located at 902 MHz, 2.400 GHz, and 5.7 GHz.ISP (Internet Service Provider)An organization that provides access to the Internet. Small ISPs provide service viamodem and ISDN while the larger ones also offer private line hookups (T1, fractionalT1, etc.).LAN (Local Area Network)A communications network that serves users within a defined geographical area. Thebenefits include the sharing of Internet access, files and equipment like printers andstorage devices. Special network cabling (10 Base-T) is often used to connect the PCstogether.MAC Address (Media Access Control)A MAC address is the hardware address of a device connected to a network.NAT (Network Address Translation)NAT masks a local network’s group of IP addresses from the external network, allowinga local network of computers to share a single ISP account. This process allows all ofthe computers on your home network to use one IP address. This will enable access tothe Internet from any computer on your home network without having to purchasemore IP addresses from your ISP.NIC (Network Interface Card)A network adapter inserted into a computer so that the computer can be connected to anetwork. It is responsible for converting data from stored in the computer to the formtransmitted or received.$

ASUSTeK Computer WL103B WIRELESS LAN PC CARD User Manual WL 103b 9 3 03 p65

ASUSTeK Computer Inc WIRELESS LAN PC CARD WL 103b 9 3 03 p65

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