AirVast Technology WN220 802.11b WLAN USB Stick User Manual 802 11b WLAN USB Stick

AirVast Technology Inc. 802.11b WLAN USB Stick 802 11b WLAN USB Stick

User Manual

880022..1111bb WWLLAANN UUSSBB SSttiicckk User Manual Version 1.0
M061703V10 1 No part of this documentation may be reproduced in any form or by any means or used to make any derivative work (such as translation, transformation, or adaptation) without written permission from the copyright owner. All the other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Statement of Conditions We may make improvements or changes in the product described in this documentation at any time. The information regarding to the product in this manual are subject to change without notice. We assume no responsibility for errors contained herein or for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages with the furnishing, performance, or use of this manual or equipment supplied with it, even if the suppliers have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Electronic Emission Notices This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1)This device may not cause harmful interference. (2)This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. FCC INFORMATION The Federal Communication Commission Radio Frequency Interference Statement includes the following paragraph: The equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B Digital Device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction, may cause harmful interference to radio communication. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to overcome the interference by one or more of the following measures: --Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. --Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. --Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. --Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. The equipment is for home or office use. R&TTE Compliance Statement This equipment complies with all the requirements of the Directive 1999/5/EC of the European parliament and the council of 9 March 1999 on radio equipment and telecommunication terminal Equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity(R&TTE). The R&TTE Directive repeals and replaces in the directive 98/13/EEC. As of April 8, 2000. IMPORTANT NOTE FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement : This equipment complies with FCC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This device and its antenna must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.
M061703V10 2 Caution: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
TTaabbllee ooff CCoonntteennttss 1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Features...........................................................................................................................................1 1.2 Package Contents ...........................................................................................................................1 1.3 System Requirements.....................................................................................................................2 1.4 The 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick............................................................................................2 2. INSTALLATION OF THE 802.11b WIRELESS LAN USB STICK.......................................................3 2.1 Installing the WLAN Driver ..............................................................................................................3 2.2 Installation Notes - Windows XP .....................................................................................................5 2.3 Verifying a Successful Installation...................................................................................................7 3. CONFIGURATION FOR WINDOWS XP .............................................................................................9 To Connect an Available Network via Wireless Zero Configuration .....................................................9 To Configure the Wireless Networks Properties.................................................................................10 To Access to Certain Wireless Network Type.....................................................................................12 4. WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b BASICS................................................................................................14 4.1 Tray Icon........................................................................................................................................14 4.2 Right-Click Menu of the Tray Icon.................................................................................................14 Wireless Radio On.............................................................................................................................15 Wireless Radio Off.............................................................................................................................15 Remove Status Icon ............................................................................................................................15 Wireless Network Status.....................................................................................................................15 Advanced Configuration.....................................................................................................................16 WEP Encryption................................................................................................................................16 Version Information ...........................................................................................................................16 4.3 The Functions of WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b ...........................................................................16 The Status Tab ...................................................................................................................................16 State..............................................................................................................................................17 Current Tx Rate.............................................................................................................................17 Current Channel.............................................................................................................................17 Throughout (bytes/sec)...................................................................................................................17 Link Quality ..................................................................................................................................18 Signal Strength..............................................................................................................................18 The Configuration Tab.......................................................................................................................18 Profile Name .................................................................................................................................18
M061703V10 1 Network Name..............................................................................................................................19 Network Type................................................................................................................................19 Peer-to-Peer Channel.....................................................................................................................19 Transmit Rate ................................................................................................................................19 The Encryption Tab............................................................................................................................19 Encryption (WEP security).............................................................................................................20 Create Key Manually .....................................................................................................................20 Use WEP Key................................................................................................................................21 Create Keys with Passphrase..........................................................................................................21 The About Tab....................................................................................................................................21 Network Driver..............................................................................................................................21 Configuration Utility......................................................................................................................21 NIC Firmware...............................................................................................................................21 APPENDIX A: TROUBLESHOOTING...................................................................................................22 Uninstall WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b and the Stick’s Driver ...........................................................22 The 802.11b WLAN USB Stick Does Not Work Properly ...................................................................24 Upgrade WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b and the Stick’s Driver ...........................................................25 Reset the Country Selection ...............................................................................................................26
LLiisstt ooff FFiigguurreess FIGURE 1-1: 802.11B WIRELESS LAN USB STICK..........................................................................................2 FIGURE 2.1-1: THE FOUND NEW HARDWARE WIZARD DIALOG BOX..............................................................3 FIGURE 2.1-2: THE STARTUP WINDOW...........................................................................................................4 FIGURE 2.1-3: THE WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11B WINDOW........................................................................4 FIGURE 2.1-4: THE REBOOT SCREEN ............................................................................................................5 FIGURE 2.2-1: THE WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11B TRAY ICON......................................................................5 FIGURE 2.2-2: THE PRISM WIRELESS SETTINGS DIALOG BOX.....................................................................6 FIGURE 2.2-3: THE WIRELESS NETWORK CONNECTION STATUS DIALOG BOX ..............................................6 FIGURE 2.2-4: THE WIRELESS NETWORK CONNECTION PROPERTIES DIALOG BOX......................................7 FIGURE 2.3-1: THE DEVICE MANAGER DIALOG BOX.....................................................................................8 FIGURE 3-1: THE WIRELESS NETWORK CONNECTION ICON .........................................................................9 FIGURE 3-2: THE CONNECT TO WIRELESS NETWORK DIALOG BOX..............................................................9 FIGURE 3-3: THE CONNECT TO WIRELESS NETWORK DIALOG BOX............................................................10 FIGURE 3-4: THE WIRELESS NETWORK CONNECTION PROPERTIES DIALOG BOX.......................................10 FIGURE 3-5: THE WIRELESS NETWORK PROPERTIES DIALOG BOX............................................................. 11 FIGURE 3-6: ENTER WEP............................................................................................................................12 FIGURE 3-7: SETTING UP WIRELESS NETWORK CONFIGURATION.....................................................................12 FIGURE 3-8 THE ADVANCED DIALOG BOX:..................................................................................................13 FIGURE 4.2-1: RIGHT-CLICK MENU OF THE TRAY ICON .................................................................................15 FIGURE 4.2-2: THE REMOVE WIRELESS STATUS ICON DIALOG BOX............................................................15 FIGURE 4.3-1: THE PRISM WIRELESS SETTINGS DIALOG BOX...................................................................16 FIGURE 4.3-2: THE STATUS TAB..................................................................................................................17 FIGURE 4.3-3: THE CONFIGURAT ION TAB ...................................................................................................18 FIGURE 4.3-4: THE ENCRYPTION TAB.........................................................................................................20 FIGURE 4.3-5: THE ABOUT TAB ..................................................................................................................21 FIGURE 5-1: THE DEVICE MANAGER DIALOG BOX......................................................................................22 FIGURE 5-2: THE CONFIRM DEVICE REMOVAL MESSAGE BOX....................................................................23 FIGURE 5-3: THE ADD OR REMOVE PROGRAMS DIALOG BOX.....................................................................23 FIGURE 5-4: THE WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11B WINDOW.........................................................................24 FIGURE 5-5: THE WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11B MESSAGE BOX.................................................................24 FIGURE 5-6: THE DEVICE MANAGER DIALOG BOX......................................................................................25 FIGURE 5-7: THE UPGRADE DEVICE DRIVER WIZARD DIALOG BOX............................................................26 FIGURE 5-8: THE COMPLETE SCREEN .........................................................................................................26 FIGURE 5-9: THE COUNTRY SELECTOR DIALOG BOX ..................................................................................27
M061703V10 1 11.. IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN The 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick aims to let your desktop computer quickly and seamlessly communicate with 802.11b (at up to 11 Mbps) networks. Wireless LAN is local area networking without wires, which uses radio frequencies to transmit and receive data between PC’s or other network devices. With this wireless LAN USB Stick, surfing on the Internet couldn’t be any easier. Simply insert the USB Stick into the USB port of your computer, launch the attached friendly-interfaced program –WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b to configure the USB stick, and then you will have been ready to experience how the LAN (local area network) can be carried in your palm or pocket. You can operate the network in either an independent mode or an infrastructure mode. The former, which is also known as peer-to-peer or ad-hoc network, lets you directly make connection with other wireless-equipped computers, and the later, the so-called infrastructure network, allows you to communicate with wired LAN via an access point. To obtain most benefits your 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick provides, please read this manual carefully before using it. 1.1 Features With 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick, you can ＊ exchange data over the air, which minimizes the need for wired connections ＊ possess the portability and mobility of wireless networking connectivity wherever you are ＊ operate Ad-Hoc or Infrastructure mode ＊ utilize up to 128-bit WEP encryption ＊ enjoy high-speed data transfer rate up to 11 Mbps ＊ employ automatic data rate switching which offers maximum reliability, throughput and connectivity ＊ monitor and configure the network via the supplied friendly-interfaced application –WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b 1.2 Package Contents Before starting installation, please make sure the package you purchased includes the following items: ＊ One 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick ＊ One Setup Wizard CD-ROM with User Manual ＊ One Quick Installation Guide If any of the items listed above is missing or damaged, please contact your distributor.
M061703V10 2 1.3 System Requirements To properly operate your 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick, your computer must meet the following minimum requirements: ＊ 32 MB RAM or above ＊ A CD-ROM drive ＊ 300 MHz processor or higher ＊ Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition/Me/2000 or Windows XP ＊ USB Port version 1.1 1.4 The 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick Your 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick should be located in the USB port of your computer, and it looks like the following picture: Figure 1-1: 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick
M061703V10 3 22.. IINNSSTTAALLLLAATTIIOONN OOFF TTHHEE 880022..1111bb WWIIRREELLEESSSS LLAANN UUSSBB SSTTIICCKK It’s free and easy for you to install your 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick and the attached software - WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b. Simply with a few clicks of the mouse, you will succeed the completion of installation. To have the 802.11b WLAN USB Stick operated appropriately, please read and go along with the instructions below carefully. 2.1 Installing the WLAN Driver a) Plug your 802.11b WLAN USB Stick into your PC’s USB port. b) Your system will detect your 802.11b WLAN USB Stick and the Found New Hardware Wizard dialog box will appear. Choose Cancel to proceed with installing the drivers first. Figure 2.1-1: The Found New Hardware Wizard Dialog Box c) Insert the supplied Setup CD into your CD-ROM drive, and the Setup Wizard will run automatically. If it does not, please manually execute setup.exe. d) From the prompted startup window, choose WLAN Driver to begin the installation.
M061703V10 4 Figure 2.1-2: The Startup Window e) Click Next in the WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b window to proceed. The system will start to copy the drivers found. Figure 2.1-3: The WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b Window f) On the Reboot screen, choose Yes, I want to restart my computer now, and then click Finish to restart the computer.
M061703V10 5 Figure 2.1-4: The Reboot Screen g) After rebooting, you will find the WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b icon, , appeared in the system tray. The installation is entirely finished at the moment. Double-click the icon to launch the application and open the PRISM Wireless Settings dialog box, in which you may freely arrange your network connection afterwards. For more details about WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b, please refer to WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b Basics in this manual. 2.2 Installation Notes - Windows XP If your system is running Windows XP, you shall find that two tabs are contained in the PRISM Wireless Settings dialog box after you’ve followed the instructions above and successfully installed the drivers. However, normally, the dialog box should be consisted of four tabs. This is because Windows XP has its built-in configuration tools – Windows XP Zero Configuration to assist you in networking activities. It is recommended to utilize the attached WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b to enjoy more benefits it will bring. Thus, to employ your WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b under Windows XP, please proceed to the next step to change the default settings of Windows Zero Configuration to WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b. Figure 2.2-1: The WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b Tray Icon
M061703V10 6 Figure 2.2-2: The PRISM Wireless Settings Dialog Box a) Right-click the Network Connections icon at the task bar to open the Wireless Network Connection Status dialog box, and then select Properties. Figure 2.2-3: The Wireless Network Connection Status Dialog Box b) Choose the Wireless Networks tab in the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialog box, and remove the tick from the Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings checkbox.
M061703V10 7 Figure 2.2-4: The Wireless Network Connection Properties Dialog Box c) Click OK. Now, you have successfully removed the Windows Zero Configuration. To monitor and configure the network via WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b, double-click its tray icon, and you shall find four tabs contained in the popped up PRISM Wireless Settings dialog box this time. For more information on WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b, please refer to WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b Basics below. Note: If you wish to use Windows XP’s built-in configuration tools – Windows XP Zero Configuration, please refer to the next chapter: Configuration for Windows XP to configure the WLAN USB Stick. 2.3 Verifying a Successful Installation To confirm that your 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick is properly installed, please go along with the procedures below. 1. Right-click the My Computer desktop icon and choose Properties from the opened menu. 2. In the System Properties dialog box, choose Device Manager if you are under Windows 98 or Me. If you are operating Windows 2000 or XP, click the Hardware tab, and then choose the Device Manager button. 3. In the opened window, expand Network adapters to find the USB Stick - WirelessLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b USB Stick. Right-click over the item and choose Properties. 4. From the opened dialog box, on the General tab, find the descriptions under the Device Status pane to learn if the USB Stick is working properly. However, if there’s an error
M061703V10 8 message shown, please choose Uninstall from the opened menu while right-clicking over the USB Adapter item, to which a red or yellow icon is attached beside, in the Device Manager dialog box. Then restart your system and go through the installation procedures again. The following picture indicates a successful installation of the 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick. Figure 2.3-1: The Device Manager Dialog Box
M061703V10 9 33.. CCOONNFFIIGGUURRAATTIIOONN FFOORR WWIINNDDOOWWSS XXPP As you have already known, Windows XP has its built-in configuration tools – Windows XP Zero Configuration, to assist you in some basic configurations of wireless network connection. The service starts right after the completion of the installation of 802.11b WLAN USB Stick, and you will find the icon automatically appears in your system tray like the following picture shows. Figure 3-1: The Wireless Network Connection Icon Please refer to the desired topics below to look for more details about utilizing your 802.11b WLAN USB Stick via Wireless Zero Configuration. To Connect an Available Network via Wireless Zero Configuration 1. Double-click the Wireless Network Connection icon. 2. In the opened Connect to Wireless Network dialog box, the currently available networks are listed in the Available networks field. From the list, choose an item that you intend to make an association. 3. If the chosen entry requires a WEP encryption key and also automatically provides it, leave the Network Key field blank and then choose the Connect button to build the connection. Otherwise, you will need to manually enter the identical key in the Network Key field before clicking Connect. Figure 3-2: The Connect to Wireless Network Dialog Box 4. If the connection is established, there will be a pop-up message shown beside the Wireless Network Connection icon on the system tray. You could obtain the information on the status of connection from the message.
M061703V10 10 To Configure the Wireless Networks Properties If you cannot establish a connection with the chosen entry or you wish to configure further wireless network connection settings, choose the Advanced button in the Connect to Wireless Network dialogue box. Figure 3-3: The Connect to Wireless Network Dialog Box After clicking Advanced, you will enter into the Wireless Networks tab of the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialog box, in which three other tabs are found, including General, Authentication, and Advanced. The Wireless Networks tab includes almost the main settings for the networking connection. Thus, please check the descriptions below to learn more about the tab. Figure 3-4: The Wireless Network Connection Properties Dialog Box
M061703V10 11 Note: For more detailed information about each tab, please refer to the Windows XP Online-Help. The Wireless Networks tab is chiefly consisted of two sections: Available networks and Preferred networks. ¨ Under the Available networks area, all the available access points or Wireless LAN PC Card equipped computers are displayed. You may wish to click Refresh to update the list. If you choose any listed item in the field and then click Configure, the Wireless Network Properties dialog box will appear as Figure 3-5 shows. Check the descriptions below the figure to obtain more information about the dialog box. ¨ In the Preferred networks area, you could add any displayed networks to the list by clicking over the intended item from Available networks and then selecting the Add button. After clicking Add, the Wireless Network Properties dialog box will appear as Figure 3-5 displays. Note that to delete any item under the Preferred networks area, simply click on it and then select the Remove button. Additionally, you may adjust the items in the list by clicking the desired item and then choosing the Move up or Move down button. It is, however, important to realize that Windows XP will always choose the first one in the list to establish the networking connection. Figure 3-5: The Wireless Network Properties Dialog Box Note: Once you choose an item from the Preferred networks list and then click Properties, the Wireless Network Properties will also be provoked. ¨ In the opened Wireless Network Properties dialog box, edit texts in the Network Name (SSID) field to identify the chosen network entry in the wireless LAN. ¨ If there’s a need, go to the Wireless network key (WEP) area to set the keys as the associated
M061703V10 12 access point or Wireless LAN PC Card equipped computer requests. To set WEP, select Data encryption (WEP enabled) and Network Authentication. Then enter the encryption keys for the network you intend to connect in the Network Key field. Meanwhile, the Key format and Key length options change the settings according to Network Key string you just typed. Click OK when you are finished, and you will return to the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialog box. Figure 3-6: Enter WEP Note: For more details of this tab, you may click the link: setting up wireless network configuration at the bottom of the Wireless networks tab to launch the Windows XP Online-Help. Figure 3-7: Setting up wireless network configuration To Access to Certain Wireless Network Type The default network type of Windows XP Zero Configuration is any available access points (Access Point mode) or WLAN Card equipped computers (Ad-Hoc mode) within the range at the given time. However, you may wish to connect to a certain network type sometimes. To change the default settings,
M061703V10 13 click the Advanced button in the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialog box. Figure 3-8 The Advanced Dialog Box: The Advanced dialog box provides three options, Any available network, Access point networks only, and Computer-to-computer networks only. Choose one of them according to your need and click Close to finish. Then you will find under the Available networks area in the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialog box, only the specified networks are displayed. Note: If you wish to use the attached application –WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b of the 802.11b WLAN USB Stick instead of Windows XP’s Wireless Zero Configuration, please refer to 2.2 Installation Notes –Windows XP in this manual to change the settings.
M061703V10 14 44.. WWLLAANN PPRRIISSMM33 IIEEEEEE880022..1111bb BBAASSIICCSS After successfully installing the driver for your 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick on your computer, you may see the WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b icon, , displayed in the system tray. To set configurations for your USB Stick, double-click the icon to open the PRISM Wireless Settings dialog box, in which four tabs are contained, including Status, Configuration, Encryption, and About. Each of them proffers different functions to assist you in configuring the connection to the networks. In this chapter, three topics are offered: Tray Icon, Right-Click Menu of the Tray Icon, and The Functions of WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b. Please refer to the preferred topic to obtain more information and enjoy vast advantages WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b brings. 4.1 Tray Icon As long as you finish installing WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b on your computer system, you will see the WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b icon, , shown at the right bottom corner of your screen. When you move the mouse cursor over it, the information on the current link quality is provided in the tips. Furthermore, the color of the icon varies with the current state of your network connection. Check the list below to learn the definition of each color. Icon Quality Excellent Link Quality 100% Data Frame Errors – Check WEP Settings Fair Link Quality Poor Link Quality Radio Off Note: The blue icon indicates that you might have entered incorrect WEP keys. To solve the problems, choose the Configuration tab in the PRISM Wireless Settings dialog box to correct the keys for encryption. 4.2 Right-Click Menu of the Tray Icon Right-clicking the WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b icon, , in the system tray will open a menu as the following picture:
M061703V10 15 Figure 4.2-1: Right-click Menu of the Tray Icon Check the descriptions below to obtain detailed information about each command in the menu. Wireless Radio On Choose the Wireless Radio On command to receive the radio frequency signal. Wireless Radio Off Choosing the Wireless Radio Off command will stop receiving the radio frequency signal. Remove Status Icon If you don’t wish to have the WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b icon displayed in the system tray, choose this command to open the Remove Wireless Status Icon dialog box, and then choose Yes to have the icon disappeared. The icon will reappear next time when you restart the computer. If you intend to remove it permanently, put a tick in the checkbox next to the Remove Status Icon Permanently option. To launch WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b hereafter, click Start on the taskbar, choose Program from the menu, and then point to Configuration Tool from the submenu of WirelessLAN USB Tools. Clicking No will undo the removal. Figure 4.2-2: The Remove Wireless Status Icon Dialog Box Wireless Network Status Choose this command to launch the Status tab of the PRISM Wireless Settings dialog box. For more details about the tab, please refer to The Status Tab in The Functions of WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b section below.
M061703V10 16 Advanced Configuration Choose this command to launch the Configuration tab of the PRISM Wireless Settings dialog box. Please refer to The Configuration Tab in The Functions of WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b section below to gain more information about the tab. WEP Encryption Choose this command to launch the Encryption tab of the PRISM Wireless Settings dialog box. This tab offers you various options to maintain the secure management in a wireless LAN environment. See the explanations in The Encryption Tab of The Functions of WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b section below for more details. Version Information Choosing this command will launch the About tab of the PRISM Wireless Settings dialog box. The About tab reveals general information on your USB Stick, including the release version of driver and the WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b and the USB stick’s MAC Address. 4.3 The Functions of WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b When you double-click the WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b tray icon, the PRISM Wireless Settings dialog box will be prompted as the picture shows below. The application is a window-based program, which is consisted of four tabs, including Status, Configuration, Encryption, and About. Figure 4.3-1: The PRISM Wireless Settings Dialog Box Check the desired items below to obtain more details about these tabs. The Status Tab In the PRISM Wireless Settings dialog box, click the Status tab to appear the following display. Here presents the status of your current connection. To close the window, click OK.
M061703V10 17 Note: Choosing the Wireless Network Status command from the right -click menu of WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b tray icon will launch this tab too. Figure 4.3 -2: The Status Tab Note: The texts before ”PRISM Wireless Settings” in the caption bar of the dialog box is the profile name of the current connection. Thus, the caption contexts vary according to the connectivity at the given time. From the above picture, the associated profile is named “Wireless”. From the window, the general information on the status of currently connected entry is presented. You may want to click the Rescan button to reinitiate the scanning process and update the status. Later the result of scanning will be renewed and displayed in the window. If you wish to stop the networking connection, click the Disable Radio button to stop scanning. However, if you are already in the disabled radio mode, you will find the Enable Radio button here instead. Click Enable Radio to regain the link then. State Here displays the MAC Address of the current associated entry, which could be a connected access point in the Infrastructure mode or computers joining in the Ad-Hoc network. Current Tx Rate This feature indicates the transmission rate of the current connection. Current Channel Here reveals the current channel operated in the wireless network. Note that the channel number differs as the radio scans any available channels in the Infrastructure mode. Throughout (bytes/sec) This feature indicates the rates of transmitting (Tx) and receiving (Rx) data of your WLAN USB Stick within a short period of time; thus, the values vary on a time basis.
M061703V10 18 Link Quality Link Quality is based on the percentage of successfully transmitted or received signal of the associated access point beacon within a limited period. The higher the percentage, the better the link quality. The bar graph beside also provides a visual interpretation of the current link quality. It is noted that the Link Quality and Signal Strength features only apply to the Infrastructure mode. They are inapplicable in the Ad-Hoc mode since data will be transferred from many different computers. Signal Strength You may learn the received signal strength of the baseband processor of the beacon signal from the Signal Strength bar beside, and it’s also presented in terms of percentage. As the signal gets stronger, the signal percentage rate gets higher. It is noted that the Signal Strength and Link Quality features only apply to the Infrastructure mode. They are inapplicable in the Ad-Hoc mode since data will be transferred from many different computers. The Configuration Tab Click this tab to edit different profiles for different network configurations. When finish changing the settings, please click Apply to perform the new configuration at last. Note: Choosing the Advanced Configuration command from the right -click menu of WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b tray icon will launch this tab too. Figure 4.3-3: The Configuration Tab Profile Name Enter texts in the Profile Name field to identify a new profile. After defining the configurations below, click the Apply button to establish the profile. To switch between any existing profiles, click the arrow button at the right of the Profile Name field to open the pull-down menu and then select an intended one from it.
M061703V10 19 Note: You will have at least one profile named ANY, which allows a link with an Access Point or a Wireless LAN PC Card equipped computer at the given time. When you click the Defaults button under the tab, a profile of the current connection is created. Network Name Network Name , also known as SSID (Service Set Identifier), must be unique to distinguish itself as a particular wireless network, while all wireless points in this network area share the same SSID. Type the identical SSID in the Network Name field to associate with access points or stations within the specified wireless LAN. To change the Network Name, highlight the name in the box, edit a new SSID, and then click Apply to save the changes. Network Type Two network types are offered here: Access Point and Peer-to-Peer. Choose the intended type from the two options. The Access Point mode, which is also known as the Infrastructure mode, allows you to communicate with a wired network via an access point. If you attempt to operate this mode, you must indicate the identical Network Name to make a communication with the intended access point. On the other hand, the Peer-to-Peer mode provides you with the so-called Ad-Hoc communication, which means each wireless-equipped computers within a group is able to connect with each other as an independent wireless LAN without the use of an access point. Each station within this Ad-Hoc network has to define the same Network Name . Peer-to-Peer Channel This command is only available while you are operating the Peer-to-Peer mode, the so-called Ad-Hoc mode. Specify the operating radio frequency channel from the pull-down menu if you are the creator of the wireless network. If you are the joiner, just configure the SSID and click Apply. Note that the available channels differ from country to country, and the channel number must be the same between the entries/stations within the range, so that each can communicate with each other. While in the Access Point mode, the channel number would be the same as the associated access point. Thus, there’s no need to manually set up the value. Transmit Rate This command allows you to indicate the rate of transferring the data packet from the associated access point or any nodes within the range. There are four options for you: Auto 1 or 2 Mb, 5.5 Mb, 11 Mb, and Fully Automatic. Specify the rate from the provided options according to the speed of your wireless network, or you may simply choose Fully Automatic to set the best available rate according to the received signal quality and the capabilities of the associated access point or station. The Encryption Tab Click the Encryption tab to define the encryption settings for a specific profile. It offers you various options concerning the so-called WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) to maintain the secure management
M061703V10 20 in a wireless LAN environment. See the explanations below for more details, and before making an activation of any new settings, click Apply. To leave the window, click OK. To undo the new settings, select the Cancel button. Note: Choosing the WEP Encryption command from the right-click menu of WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b tray icon will launch this tab too. Figure 4.3-4: The Encryption Tab Encryption (WEP security) If you choose Disabled from the pull-down list, you will have the wireless LAN USB stick communicated with all stations within the same networking community without any data encryption. Otherwise, two key lengths are offered: 64 bit and 128 bit. Specify a preferred one from the two, so that you may use the identical WEP key to make a communication with the chosen access point. Create Key Manually Once you set the Encryption type as 64 bit or 128 bit, you may choose to edit WEP keys manually or create them via the passphrase of your wireless network. If you choose the Create Key Manually option, you may directly enter up to 4 WEP keys for use in WEP encryption. To generate the WEP keys, please define the key entry method as Alphanumeric or Hexadecimal (for hexadecimal characters, only digits 0-9 and letters A-F are valid). Then edit the texts in the blank fields below, from Key 1 to Key 4, as the encryption codes. Note that these codes/keys shall be identical between the wireless nodes within the range and the access point only. Check the table below to find valid key length of each encryption type: 64 bit 128 bit Alphanumeric 5 characters 13 characters Hexadecimal 10 digits 26 digits
M061703V10 21 Use WEP Key Indicate which WEP key you intend to apply to activate the WEP encryption from the pull-down menu. Make sure that the intended access point on the wireless network shares the same keys. By default, Key 1 will be used. Create Keys with Passphrase Choose this command when the associated wireless network uses a passphrase to create WEP keys. Enter the passphrase sting in the Passphrase filed to generate four encryption keys in the Key fields above. Note that only letters A-F are valid for the Passphrase feature. After finish configuring the Encryption features, remember to click the Apply button to initiate the new settings. The About Tab This tab reveals general information on your wireless LAN USB Stick, including the following items: Figure 4.3 -5: The About Tab Network Driver Displays the current version and released date of the 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick’s driver. Configuration Utility Displays the current version and released date of the WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b application. NIC Firmware Displays the current NIC card firmware version and the MAC (Media Access Control) address of your wireless card. It is consisted of 12-digit hexadecimal numbers (48 bits in length) to identify your computer's physical address on the local area network.
M061703V10 22 AAPPPPEENNDDIIXX AA:: TTRROOUUBBLLEESSHHOOOOTTIINNGG This section provides solutions to problems that you might encounter during the installation and operation of your 802.11b WLAN USB Stick. Please refer to the desired topics below and read the description to solve your problems. Uninstall WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b and the Stick’s Driver Prior to starting the uninstalling, please make sure that WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b is closed, and then go along with the procedures below to entirely uninstall WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b and the Stick driver. 1. Right-click the My Computer desktop icon and choose Properties from the opened menu. 2. In the System Properties dialog box, choose Device Manager if you are under Windows 98 or Me. If you are operating Windows 2000 or XP, click the Hardware tab, and then choose the Device Manager button. 3. In the opened window, expand Network adapters to find the USB Stick - WirelessLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b USB Stick. Right-click over the item and choose Uninstall from the opened menu. Figure 5 -1: The Device Manager Dialog Box 4. In the Confirm Device Removal message box, click OK to proceed with the removal of the hardware.
M061703V10 23 Figure 5 -2: The Confirm Device Removal Message Box 5. Click Start on the taskbar and choose Control Panel from the Settings menu. 6. Select Add or Remove Programs to open the dialog box shown as below. Figure 5-3: The Add or Remove Programs Dialog Box 7. Click the Change/Remove button under WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b. 8. In the prompted WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b window, choose the Remove option to uninstall the program. Then click Next.
M061703V10 24 Figure 5-4: The WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b Window 9. After choosing Yes when the following message box appears, the removal is entirely completed. Figure 5-5: The WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b Message Box The 802.11b WLAN USB Stick Does Not Work Properly If this happens, follow the guidelines below. 1. Right-click the My Computer desktop icon and choose Properties to open the System Properties dialog box. 2. If you are under Windows 98SE or Me, choose the Device Manager tab, or if your system is Windows 2000 or XP, click the Hardware tab and then choose the Device Manager button. 3. In the opened window, find your USB Stick to see if the installation is successful. If you see a yellow exclamation mark beside the item, please go along with the steps below to reinstall the drivers. 4. Uninstall the software and hardware drivers from your PC. (Please refer to the previous topic for details) 5. Restart your computer and repeat the installation procedures as indicated in this chapter in this manual: Installation of the 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick.
M061703V10 25 6. When finished, open the Device Manager window again to verify if the installation is approved. The yellow exclamation mark shall be removed for this time. Upgrade WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b and the Stick’s Driver To upgrade the drivers for WLAN PRISM3 IEEE802.11b and the 802.11b Wireless LAN USB Stick, follow the procedures below. Please note that the details might be slightly different according to the Windows system you are using. Here we are taking the example of Windows XP. 1. Click Start on the taskbar and choose Control Panel from the Settings menu. 2. Select System to open the System Properties dialog box, and then under the Hardware tab, click the Device Manager button to open the Device Manager dialog box. 3. Double-click the Other devices item in the list to show the IEEE 802.11b PRISM3 USB icon, which is displayed with a yellow icon beside. Right-click the icon and choose Update Driver from the opened menu. Figure 5 -6: The Device Manager Dialog Box 4. In the Hardware Update Wizard dialog box, choose Install the software automatically [Recommended] and then click Next to continue.
M061703V10 26 Figure 5-7: The Upgrade Device Driver Wizard Dialog Box 5. In a few seconds later, you will see the following dialog box appeared. Click Finish to end up the upgrade. Figure 5-8: The Complete Screen Reset the Country Selection Since every country or region has a regulatory body that governs the use of radio channels, once you go abroad with your computer, you may have to reset the country channel for the 802.11b WLAN USB Stick to retain the Internet connection. Thus please follow the procedures below to redefine the channel:
M061703V10 27 1. Click Start on the taskbar and choose WirelessLAN USB Tools from the Programs menu. 2. Select Country Selector to open the Country Selector dialog box. Figure 5-9: The Country Selector Dialog Box 3. Choose the country you currently stay in from the Country Name drop-down list. 4. Click the APPLY button to activate the new settings. 5. In the prompted message box, click OK to ensure the rearrangement. In a few seconds later, the resetting will have been done.

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