Alvarion Technologies PC-DS11 PCMCIA WLAN User Manual 43510

Alvarion Ltd. PCMCIA WLAN 43510

Contents

users manual for EUT

BreezeNET DS.11 SeriesPC-DS.11User'sManualMay, 1999Cat xxxxxxxxRev A
© 1999 by BreezeCOM Ltd. All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form without the writtenpermission of the copyright owner.No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form without the writtenpermission of the copyright owner.Trade NamesBreezeNET and BreezeLINK are trade names of BreezeCOM Ltd. Other brand and productnames are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.
Statement of ConditionsThe information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice. BreezeCOM Ltd. shall notbe liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with thefurnishing, performance, or use of this manual or equipment supplied with it.WarrantyIn the following warranty text, “the Company” shall mean: - BreezeCOM Inc., for products located in the USA. - BreezeCOM Ltd., for products located outside the USA.This BreezeNET product is warranted against defects in material and workmanship for a period of oneyear. During this warranty period the Company will, at its option, either repair or replace products thatprove to be defective.For warranty service or repair, the product must be returned to a service facility designated by theCompany. Authorization to return products must be obtained prior to shipment. The buyer shall pay allshipping charges to the Company and the Company shall pay shipping charges to return the product to thebuyer.The Company warrants that the firmware designed by it for use with the unit will execute its programminginstructions when properly installed on the unit. The Company does not warrant that the operation of theunit or firmware will be uninterrupted or error-free.Limitation of WarrantyThe foregoing warranty shall not apply to defects resulting from improper or inadequate maintenance bythe buyer, buyer supplied interfacing, unauthorized modification or misuse, operation outside of theenvironmental specifications for the product, or improper site preparation or maintenance. No otherwarranty is expressed or implied. The Company specifically disclaims the implied warranties ofmerchantability and fitness for any particular purpose.Electronic Emission NoticesThis device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules, ETSI 300-328, UL, UL/C, TUV/GS, and CE.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 undesiredoperation.
FCC Radio Frequency Interference StatementThis equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class A digital device, pursuantto Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmfulinterference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates,uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with theinstruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipmentin a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required tocorrect the interference at his own expense.FCC Radiation Exposure StatementThis equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment.This equipment should be installed an operated with the minimum distance between your body and theantenna as shown in the table below:Integrated PCMCIA antenna 1.8cm (0.7 inches)Optional PC Card 2dBi antenna 1.8cm (0.7 inches)Professional Installer (Antennas)The indoor PC Card antennas use a unique connector and do not require professional installation.Information to UserAny changes or modifications of equipment not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void theuser’s authority to operate the equipment and the company’s warranty.Contacting BreezeCOM Technical SupportShould you need assistance beyond the scope of this guide, please contact your local BreezeCOM reselleror distributor. If they cannot solve your problem, feel free to contact the BreezeCOM Technical SupportDepartment. The support representatives can assist you in solving any problems that cannot be solved byyour reseller. When requesting support, please have the following items available:• Configuration of the system, including models of the BreezeCOM equipment used.• Distance between devices.• Configuration, statistic counters, and error messages.• Description of problems encountered.To contact BreezeCOM Technical Support, refer to the Technical Support page of the BreezeCOM website: www.breezecom.com
Table of ContentsBreezeNET DS.11 v User's ManualTABLE OF CONTENTS1. Introduction............................................................................................................ 11.1 How to Use This Guide..................................................................................................11.2 BreezeNET DS.11 Features ...........................................................................................21.3 BreezNET DS.11 Compatibility and Standards.............................................................31.4 BreezeNET DS.11 Functional Description....................................................................31.4.1........................................................................................ Quick Review of Ethernet 31.4.2.............................................................................AP-DS.11 Wireless Access Point 31.5 Where to Use DSSS .......................................................................................................32. Installation ............................................................................................................. 52.1 Installation for Windows 95B........................................................................................52.2 Installation for Windows 98...........................................................................................62.3 Installation for Windows NT ......................................................................................... 61.1. Indoor Installation considerations..................................................................................91.1.1...............................................................................................Site Selection Factors 91.1.2............................................................................................. Construction Materials 111.1.3................................................................................................................... Cell Size 123. System Troubleshooting ...................................................................................... 143.1 Quick Start to Wireless Networking ............................................................................143.2 More about Cells..........................................................................................................154. Technical specifications....................................................................................... 174.1 Supported Standards ....................................................................................................174.2 Environmental..............................................................................................................174.3 Power specifications ....................................................................................................174.4 Radio specifications.....................................................................................................18
Table of ContentsUser's Manual vi BreezeNET DS.114.5 Drivers..........................................................................................................................184.6 Specific features...........................................................................................................184.7 Physical Dimensions ....................................................................................................18
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationBreezeNET DS.11 Series A-1 User’s Guide1. INTRODUCTIONThis chapter describes the main features of the BreezeNET PC-DS.11 WirelessLAN Card.1.1 How to Use This GuideThis User's Manual contains instructions for overall planning and setting up yourwireless LAN, and provides details of how to install each unit, and how to installantennas and accessories.This manual contains the following chapters:⇒ Chapter 1 Introduction – Explains how to use this manual and presents theBreezeNET DS.11 series.⇒ Chapter 2 Installation – Describes how to install the BreezeNET DS.11 seriesunits.⇒ Chapter 3 System Troubleshooting - Contains a troubleshooting guide forsome of the more common problems which may occur when installing andusing the BreezeNET DS.11 products.⇒ Chapter 5 Downloading Software Upgrades – Explains how to performfuture upgrades for BreezeNET DS.11 series units using a TFTP application.⇒ Chapter 6 Technical Specifications - Lists the technical specifications for theBreezeNET DS.11 series units.
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationUser's Manual A-2 BreezeNET DS.111.2 BreezeNET DS.11 FeaturesThe following are the main features of the BreezeNET DS.11 series:• Rate - 11 Mbps with 5.5, 2, and 1 Mbps auto fallback rates.• Future-proof Investment – All “infrastructure” items in the DS.11 series lineoffer Flash updates.• Easy Installation - The DS.11 series supports a true plug-and-play.• Transmit Diversity - The DS.11 series supports a single or dual antennasdiversity.• Power Management – The PC-DS.11 can operate in stand-by mode betweentransmissions to reduce batter consumption• Drivers to support - Windows 95/98/NT and Linux• PC-DS.11 Card Utility – Allows the user to control network conntections andmeasure signal quality.
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationBreezeNET DS.11 Series A-3 User’s Guide1.3 BreezNET DS.11 Compatibility and Standards• IEEE 802.11 TGb Compliant – All BreezeNET DS.11 series units are fullycompliant with the final IEEE 802.11 specification for wireless LANs, andthus support interoperability with other 802.11 compliant vendors.• Completely inter-operable with other 802.11 and 802.11 TGb products• Uses the 2.4 Ghz ISM unlicensed band1.4 BreezeNET DS.11 Functional DescriptionBreezeNET DS.11 units add wireless functionality to existing Ethernet LANs.1.4.1 Quick Review of EthernetStandard Ethernet LAN stations are wired to a common bus. When one of thestations sends a message, it assigns a destination address to the message and sendsthe message on the bus. All stations on the bus “hear” the message, but only thestation with the proper address processes the message.1.4.2 AP-DS.11 Wireless Access PointThe AP-DS.11 enables 802.11 access to 802.3 (Ethernet) and guarantees inter-station communication. The Access Point is required for the PC-DS.11 card tocommunication to other PC-DS.11 cards or to the wired Ethernet LAN.1.5 Where to Use DSSSDSSS technology (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) spreads a signal power over22MHz bandwidth; the same frequency is used for each transmission. This providesthe DS.11 with a fast bit rate and long range links, ideal for outdoor bridging.
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationUser's Manual A-4 BreezeNET DS.11DSSSWBS-DS.11WBC-DS.11AP-DS.11AP-DS.11DSSSDSSSSA-DS.11SA-DS.11SA-DS.11Figure 1-1. A Typical DS.11 installation with indoor and outdoor systems
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationBreezeNET DS.11 Series A-5 User’s Guide2. INSTALLATION2.1 Installation for Windows 95B⇒⇒⇒⇒ To install on Windows 95B, do the following:1. Insert the PC-DS.11 slot in the PCMCIA slot on your computer. Windows 95 detects theunit, briefly displays the New Hardware Found window, and then displays the UpdateDevice Driver Wizard window.2. Insert the BreezeCOM drivers diskette and press Next. When Windows 95 notifies it hasfound the driver, press Finish.3. If the Windows 95 CAB files are not found automatically, the message Please insert disklabeled Windows 95 CD-ROM appears. Press OK.
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationUser's Manual A-6 BreezeNET DS.114. If no other windows appear, the installation is complete. If the Please insert disk labeledWindows 95 CD-ROM appears, press OK, enter the path of the Windows 95 CAB files, andpress OK. Installation is now complete.5. Restart the computer.2.2 Installation for Windows 98⇒⇒⇒⇒ To install on Windows 98, do the following:1. Insert the PC-DS.11 slot in the PCMCIA slot on your computer. Windows detects the unitand displays the New Hardware Found window.2. When the Add New Hardware Wizard window appears, press Next.3. Select the Search for best driver option and press Next.4. Insert the BreezeCOM drivers diskette, select the Floppy disk drives option, and press Next.5. The installation wizard notifies you that the driver for the BreezeCOM PCMCIA WirelessLAN Adapter has been located. Press Next.6. A window appears notifying you that the driver for the BreezeCOM Wireless LAN Adapterhas been installed. Press Finish.7. Restart the computer.2.3 Installation for Windows NT⇒⇒⇒⇒ To install on Windows NT, do the following:1. Press the Windows Start button, select Settings, and then select Control Panel. Double-click on the Network icon.2. If the message The Windows NT Networking is not installed. Do you want to install it now?,continue with step 2a. If this message does not appear, continue with step 2b.a. Press Yes and choose Wired to the network. When a list of supported
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationBreezeNET DS.11 Series A-7 User’s Guidenetwork adapters appears, press Have Disk.b. Go to the Adapters tab, press Add, and then press Have Disk.3. Insert the BreezeCOM drivers diskette, enter the location of the diskette (such as a:\) andpress OK.4. From the list choose BreezeNET Wireless LAN PC Card and press OK. The PC-DS.11LAN Adapter Properties window appears. Figure 4.1: PC-DS.11 LAN Adapter Properties Window5. The default settings are memory range D0000h to D3FFFh, IRQ 11. In the following stepswe will verify that these default settings are acceptable for your machine. Note: If the PC-DS.11 Configuration application is already installed, you can access itdirectly by pressing Advanced.6. Press the Windows Start button and select Run. Type WINMSD and press OK. TheWindows NT Diagnostics window appears.
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationUser's Manual A-8 BreezeNET DS.11
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationBreezeNET DS.11 Series A-9 User’s Guide1.1. Indoor Installation considerationsThis chapter describes various considerations to take into account when planningan indoor installation including site selection, antenna diversity, antennapolarization, construction materials, and cell size.Figure 0.2: BreezeNET LAN in a typical office environment1.1.1. Site Selection FactorsBreezeNET DS.11 wireless LAN products are robust, trouble-free units, designedto operate efficiently under a wide range of conditions. The following guidelinesare provided to help you position the units to ensure optimum coverage andoperation of the wireless LAN.
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationUser's Manual A-10 BreezeNET DS.11Metal FurniturePosition the units clear of metal furniture and away from moving objects such asmetal fans or doors.Microwave OvensFor best performance, position the units clear of radiation sources that emit in the2.4 GHz frequency band, such as microwave ovens.AntennasMake sure the antennas are extended upward vertically in relation to the floor. Formodels with external antennas, connect the external antennas and RF cable.Heat SourcesKeep the units well away from sources of heat, such as radiators, air-conditioners,etc.1.1.1.1 Site Selection for Access PointsWhen positioning Access Points, take into account the following additionalconsiderations.HeightInstall the Access Point at least 1.5m above the floor, clear of any high officepartitions or tall pieces of furniture in the coverage area. The Access Point can beplaced on a high shelf, or can be attached to the ceiling or a wall using a mountingbracket.Central LocationInstall the Access Point in a central location in the intended coverage area. Goodpositions are:• In the center of a large room.
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationBreezeNET DS.11 Series A-11 User’s Guide• In the center of a corridor.• At the intersection of two corridors.Many modern buildings have partitions constructed of metal or containing metalcomponents. We recommend that you install the Access Points on the corridorceilings. The radio waves propagated by the BreezeNET DS.11 LAN are reflectedalong the metal partitions and enter the offices through the doors or glass sections.1.1.2. Construction MaterialsA cell’s coverage area is affected by the construction materials of the walls,partitions, ceilings, floors and the furnishings of the cell. Due to their intrinsicnature, these materials may cause radio signal loss:• Metal objects reflect radio signals. They do not let the signals pass through.• Wood, glass, plastic and brick reflect part of the radio signals and allow partof the radio signals to pass through.• Water and objects with a high moisture content absorb a large part of the radiosignals.Use the following table as a guidline to predict the effects of different materials.
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationUser's Manual A-12 BreezeNET DS.11Table 0.1: Signal Loss ChartObstruction Additional Loss(dB)EffectiveRangeApprox. RangeOpen Space 0dB 100% 1000ft. (300m)Window (non-metallic tint) 3dB 70% 700ft. (215m)Window (metallic tint) 5-8dB 50% 500ft. (150m)Light Wall (dry wall) 5-8dB 50% 500ft. (150m)Medium Wall (wood) 10dB 30% 300ft. (100m)Heavy Wall (solid core 6”) 15-20dB 15% 150ft. (50m)Very Heavy Wall (solid core12”)20-25dB 10% 100ft. (30m)Floor/Ceiling (solid core) 15-20dB 15% 150ft. (50m)Floor/Ceiling (heavy solid core) 20-25dB 10% 100ft. (30m)Note: Take stairwells and elevator shafts into consideration when positioning AccessPoints. There is no way to quantify the loss associated with these obstructions,however they do have an effect on the signal.1.1.3. Cell SizeCell size is determined by the maximum possible distance between the AccessPoint and the Station Adapter. This distance varies according to the building floorplan and the nature of that environment. There are several general categories:Open Indoor AreasOpen office areas with no partitioning and no obstacles between the Access Pointand the BreezeNET workstation.
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationBreezeNET DS.11 Series A-13 User’s GuideThe suggested maximum distance between Access Point and workstation:Standard AP-DS.11 DS.11: ...........................200m (600 ft.)Semi-Open Indoor AreasOpen-plan offices partitioned into individual workspaces, factory floor areas,warehouses, etc.The suggested maximum distance between Access Point and workstation:Standard AP-DS.11 ......................................100m (300 ft.)Closed Indoor AreasA floor divided into individual offices by concrete, masonry or sheet-rock walls. Ahouse is also a closed indoor area.The suggested maximum distance between Access Point and workstation:Standard AP-DS.11 ......................................50m (150 ft.)
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationUser's Manual A-14 BreezeNET DS.113. SYSTEM TROUBLESHOOTINGThe following troubleshooting guide provides answers to some of the morecommon problems which may occur when installing and using BreezeNET DS.11Series products. If problems not mentioned in this guide should arise, checking theEthernet and WLAN counters may. If the problem persists, please feel free tocontact your local distributor or the BreezeCOM Technical Support Department.To run the PC-DS.11 Card Utility do the following:1. Double click on the PC-DS.11 connection icon on the task bar.2. Click on the Session Tab.3. Click on Diagnostics. The PC card utility will give a message indicating theproblem as it steps through the tests.4. Click on the Signal Quality tab to see what the signal quality is for yourconnection. A signal quality above 80% is considered a good link.If the signal quality is lower than 80%, move closer to the Access point to see if itimproves. If moving closer does not improve the signal quality much, the relocatethe Access Point, then re-measure the signal quality. Use the AP-DS.11management utility to measure the RSSI to other PC-DS.11’s on the network at thesame time to get a better picture of what your changes are doing with the otherstations.3.1 Quick Start to Wireless NetworkingPerform the following steps to configure a WLAN for the first time:1. Physically connect the Access Points to the Ethernet LAN. Make sure they areswitched on. The DS.11 wireless network will be up and running immediately.If you are content with the default settings of the Access Points, you can stopright here. It is more likely however, that you want to assign different radio
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationBreezeNET DS.11 Series A-15 User’s Guidefrequencies to each Access Point, or impose some restrictions on the use ofyour wireless network.2. To be able to manage the Access Points via SNMP, every Access Point needs aunique IP address. If you provide a DHCP or BOOTP service on your LAN(and have sufficient free IP addresses available) this will be taken care ofautomatically. If not, refer to Section Error! Reference source not found. forfurther information on assigning IP addresses.3. Use the BreezeNET Management utility to configure the Network Settings toreflect your situation.4. Select the radio channels of the Access Points according to your cell plan. SeeSection Error! Reference source not found. for further information. Adddescriptive information about each Access Point for later reference.3.2 More about CellsEach Access Point in the network forms the center of a cell, or BSS. The Cellsshould overlap slightly to guarantee seamless wireless connectivity everywhere.Neighboring Access Points should preferably send and receive on differentchannels for maximum throughput.Creating a cell plan for your site can be complicated, and is usually done by expertsemploying special measuring equipment.Furthermore, the radio channels you may use depend on both the capabilities of thePC-Cards you are deploying, as well as the regulations in your area.The following table provides specifications for the main regulatory domains:RegulatoryDomain4.8.1.1 Area PermissibleChannelsPredefined channels
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationUser's Manual A-16 BreezeNET DS.11FCC United States 1 – 11 1, 6, 11DOC Canada 1 – 11 1, 6, 11ETSI Europe exceptSpain andFrance1 – 13 1, 7, 13SPAIN Spain 10 10FRANCE France 10 10MKK Japan 14 14
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationBreezeNET DS.11 Series A-17 User’s Guide4. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS4.1 Supported Standards• Compliant with ETS 300 328 and ETS 300 826 (CE marked)• IEEE 802.11 standard for Wireless LAN• All major networking standards (including IP, IPX)4.2 EnvironmentalOperating temperature (ambient) 0°C to 55°C (32°F to 131°F)Storage temperature -5°C to 70°C (23°F to 158°F)Operating humidity 10% to 90% (non-condensing)Storage humidity 5% to 95% (non-condensing)4.3 Power specificationsDC power supply RX: 250mA; TX: 400mA
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationUser's Manual A-18 BreezeNET DS.114.4 Radio specificationsRange outdoors up to 15 milesTransmit power +18 dBm+2 dBm (Low power for use with high gain antenna)Frequency range 2.4-2.4835 Ghz, direct sequence spread spectrumNumber ofChannelsEurope:13 (3 non-overlapping)US: 11 (3 non-overlapping)France: 4 (1 non-overlapping)4.5 DriversWindows 95/98/ NT 4.0Linux TBD4.6 Specific featuresSupported bit rates • 11 Mbps• 5.5 Mbps• 2 Mbps• 1MbpsUtility Software PC-DS11 BreezeNET Card Utility4.7 Physical DimensionsSize PCMCIA Type II
Appendix A. Radio Signal PropagationBreezeNET DS.11 Series A-19 User’s Guide

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