Cisco Linksys WPC11-V4 Wireless-B Notebook Adapter User Manual wpc11 ver3 0 user guide

Cisco-Linksys, LLC Wireless-B Notebook Adapter wpc11 ver3 0 user guide

Manual

Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction 1The Instant WirelessTM Network PC Card ver. 3.0 1Features 1Package Contents 2System Requirements 2Chapter 2: Planning Your Wireless Network 3Network Topology 3Roaming 3Chapter 3: Installing the Drivers and Configuration Utility for Windows 95, 98, ME and 2000 4Before You Start 4Running the Auto Driver Installation 4Ad-Hoc Versus Infrastructure Mode 8Infrastructure Mode 9Ad-Hoc Mode 11Chapter 4: Installing the Drivers andConfiguration Utility for Windows XP 14Chapter 5: Installing the Network PC Card 16Chapter 6: Installing the Drivers andConfiguration Utility for Windows NT 17Overview 17Installing the Network PC Card in Your Notebook PC 17Installing the Drivers for Windows NT 18Installing the Configuration Utility for Windows NT 30Chapter 7: Configuration Utility 30Using the Configuration Utility 30Chapter 8: Installing Network Protocols 39Network PC Card Instant WirelessTMSeriesChapter 9: Advanced Properties 41Advanced Properties for Windows 95, 98, ME, and 2000 41Advanced Properties for Windows NT 49Chapter 10: Troubleshooting 56Common Problems and Solutions 56Frequently Asked Questions 57Chapter 11: Glossary 61Chapter 12: Specifications 68Environmental 68Chapter 13: Warranty Information 69Chapter 14: Contact Information 70
2• One Instant WirelessTM Network PC Card ver. 3.0• One Setup Utility CD-ROM (User Guide on CD)• Quick Installation insert and Registration Card (not shown)• A 16-bit PCMCIA Type II or Type III slot• PCMCIA revisions 2.10 compliant card and socket services• Windows 95, 98, Millennium, NT, 2000, or XP • 600 Kbytes of free disk space for utility and driver installationPackage ContentsSystem Requirements Instant WirelessTMSeries1Chapter 1: IntroductionPut the “mobile” back into mobile computing! Whether you’re at your desk orin the boardroom, the Instant Wireless™ Network PC Card allows you to shareprinters, files, and other resources anywhere within your LAN infrastructure,increasing your productivity and keeping you “in touch.” The Instant Wireless™ Network PC Card now has a new, higher-poweredantenna that provides a greater range than ever. The increased sensitivity helpsfilter out interference and “noise” to keep your signal clear. Improved errorcorrection in the chipset keeps you operating at higher transmission rates forlonger distances. And, since you only need one Type II or III PCMCIA slot,you’re free to use your other slots for additional accessories.Ready to run in Type II or III PCMCIA-equipped notebook PCs runningWindows 95, 98, Millennium, NT, 2000, and XP, the Instant Wireless™Network PC Card ver. 3.0 is truly a “must-have” for all notebook PC users.•11 Mbps High-Speed Data Transfer Rate•Compatible with Virtually All Major Network Operating Systems•Plug-and-Play Operation Provides Easy Setup•Integrated Equalizer Recovers Weak Signals and Enhances Sensitivity•Sturdy Metal Design with Integrated Antenna•Works with All Standard Internet Applications•Interoperable with IEEE 802.11b (DSSS) 2.4GHz-Compliant Equipment•Clear Channel Assessment Increases Network Throughput•Hardware Buffer Chaining Provides High Performance While Reading andWriting Buffers•Capable of up to 128-Bit WEP•Free Technical Support—24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week for North AmericaOnly•1-Year Limited WarrantyFeaturesThe Instant WirelessTM Network PC Card ver. 3.0Figure 1-1Network PC Card
43Chapter 3: Installing the Driversand Configuration Utility forWindows 95, 98, ME, and 2000Your new Linksys Instant Wireless™ Network PC Card ver. 3.0 comes with anautomated software installation procedure for Windows 95, 98, Millennium,and 2000. Windows NT or XP users should refer to the next section. Thisnew procedure automatically installs the drivers and Configuration Utilitybefore you insert the Card into your PC, so there’s no searching for the locationof drivers. Again, this step is taken before inserting the Card into your PC. 1. Before installing yourcard, insert the SetupUtility CD into yourCD-ROM drive. Unlessyou have deactivated theauto-run feature ofWindows, the screenshown in Figure 2-1should appear automati-cally. If this screen does not appear automatically, you can access the installationby clicking the Start button and choosing Run. In the drop-down box pro-vided, type D:\setup.exe (where D: is the letter of your CD-ROM drive).Alternately, double-click My Computer and double-click the CD-ROMdrive where the Setup Utility CD is located. Double-click the Setup.exe iconin the folder that appears.Before You StartRunning the Auto Driver InstallationNetwork PC Card Chapter 2: Planning Your WirelessNetworkAwireless LAN is exactly like a regular LAN, except that each computer in theLAN uses an Instant Wireless™ Network PC Card ver. 3.0 to connect to thenetwork through a wireless connection. Computers in a wireless LAN must beconfigured to share the same radio channel.The Instant Wireless™ Network PC Card ver. 3.0 provides LAN access forwireless workstations. An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called anInfrastructure configuration. A group of Instant Wireless™ Network PC Cardver. 3.0 users and an Access Point compose a Basic Service Set (BSS). EachPC equipped with an Instant Wireless™ Network PC Card ver. 3.0 in a BSS cantalk to any computer in a wired LAN infrastructure via the Access Point.An infrastructure configuration extends the accessibility of an InstantWireless™ Network PC Card ver. 3.0 PC to a wired LAN, and doubles theeffective wireless transmission range for two PCs equipped with an InstantWireless™ Network PC Card ver. 3.0. Since the Access Point is able to for-ward data within its BSS, the effective transmission range in an infrastructureLAN is doubled.Infrastructure mode also supports roaming capabilities for mobile users. Morethan one BSS can be configured as an Extended Service Set (ESS). This con-tinuous network allows users to roam freely within an ESS. All PCs, equippedwith an Instant Wireless™ Network PC Card ver. 3.0, within one ESS must beconfigured with the same ESS ID.Before enabling an ESS with roaming capability, selecting a feasible radiochannel and optimum Access Point position is recommended. Proper AccessPoint positioning combined with a clear radio signal will greatly enhance per-formance.RoamingNetwork TopologyFigure 2-1Instant WirelessTMSeries
654. Figure 2-4 shows the Warranty Policy screen. Read the entire policy bypressing the Page Down button on your keyboard or by using the on-screenscroll bar. Click on the Yes button if you agree, or No if you disagree.Clicking No will terminate the installation. If you click Yes, the installationwill continue.5. The screen in Figure 2-5 will appear next, requesting the folder into whichthe Configuration Utility will be installed. To install the ConfigurationUtility in thedefault directo-ry (recom-mended), clickthe Next but-ton. If youprefer to installthe Utility inanother direc-tory, click theBrowse button,and locate thepreferreddirectory.Then, click theNext button.2. The first tab across the top of the screen, labeled Install, should now be high-lighted. Click the Install button. A screen similar to that shown in Figure2-2 should appear, indicating that Windows is preparing the installation.If, for whatever reason, you need to abort or terminate the installation, pressthe Cancel button at any time during the installation. Otherwise the instal-lation will continue automatically.3. The screen in Figure 2-3 will appear next, indicating that Windows is readyto continue the installation. Click the Next button.Note: If you stop the installation before it has finished, you will have torun the installation completely again before installing your hardware.Network PC Card Figure 2-2Figure 2-3Figure 2-4Figure 2-5Instant WirelessTMSeries
Unlike wired networks, wireless networks have two different modes in whichthey may be set up: Infrastructure and Ad-Hoc. Choosing between these twomodes depends on whether or not the wireless network needs to share data orperipherals with a wired network or not.If the computers on the wireless network need to be accessible by a wired net-work or need to share a peripheral, such as a printer, with the wired networkcomputers, the wireless network should be set up in the Infrastructure mode.The basis of Infrastructure mode centers around an access point, which servesas the main point of communications in a wireless network (see Figure 2-7).Access points transmit data to PCs equipped with wireless network cards,which can roamwithin a certainradial range of theaccess point.Multiple accesspoints can bearranged to workin succession toextend the roam-ing range, and canbe set up to com-municate withyour Ethernethardware as well. If the wireless network is relatively small and needs to share resources onlywith the other computers on the wireless network, then the Ad-Hoc mode canbe used (shown in Figure 2-8). Ad-Hoc mode allows computers equipped withwireless Network PC Cards to communicate directly with each other, eliminat-ing the need for an access point. The drawback of this mode is in the fact that,in Ad-Hoc mode, wireless-equipped computers are not able to communicatewith computers on awired network. And,of course, communi-cation between thewireless-equippedcomputers is limitedby the distance andinterference directlybetween them.87Ad-Hoc versus Infrastructure Mode6. When the screen shown in Figure 2-6 appears, choose either Infrastructuremode or Ad-Hoc mode. If you are unsure whether to choose Infrastructureor Ad-Hoc, refer to the next section for more information. Once you havemade your choice, click the Next button.Network PC Card Figure 2-6Figure 2-7Figure 2-8Instant WirelessTMSeries
3. The screen shownin Figure 2-11 willappear, indicatingthat all of theappropriate filesare being copiedonto your drive.Click the Cancelbutton if you needto stop the installa-tion for any reason. 4. Once Windows has finished copying the necessary files, the screen shownin Figure 2-12 will appear. In order for the drivers to be installed properly,you must restart your computer. If you choose to do it now, select Yes, Iwant to restart my computer now. If you do not want to do it now,choose No, I will restart my computer later. Once you have made yourchoice, click the Finish button to continue. 101. If you have chosen Infrastructure mode, the following screen (Figure 2-9)will appear. If you have chosen Ad-Hoc mode, skip to the next section,titled “Ad-Hoc Mode”. You will be prompted to enter an SSID value in the box provided. TheSSID may be up to 32 characters in length. This may include any characteron the keyboard, keeping in mind that the SSID is case sensitive. All SSIDvalues on your wireless network must match. If you are unsure, use thedefault value of “linksys.” Then, click the Next button.2. The ReviewSettings screen(Figure 2-10) willappear next. Verifythat all the settingsare correct andclick the Next but-ton to continue.9Note: Restart the computer and go to Chapter 3:Installing the Network PC Card for further instructions.Infrastructure ModeFigure 2-9Figure 2-10Figure 2-11Figure 2-12Instant WirelessTMSeriesNetwork PC Card
112. The screen shown in Figure 2-14 should appear. You will be prompted toenter an SSID value in the field provided. All SSID values on your wire-less network must match. If you are unsure, use the default value of“linksys.” Then, click the Next button.3. The next screen to appear (Figure 2-15) will be the Review Settings screen.Verify that all the settings are correct and click the Next button to contin-ue.Network PC Card 1. If you have chosen Ad-Hoc mode, the following screen will appear. (SeeFigure 2-13.) If you have chosen Infrastructure mode, refer to the previ-ous section, titled “Infrastructure Mode”. You will be prompted to choose a Channel from the list provided. Allcomputers on your wireless network must be using the same channel inorder to communicate with each other. If you are unsure about which chan-nel to use, select the default channel (Channel 6). Once you have chosenyour channel, click the Next button.Ad-Hoc ModeFigure 2-13Figure 2-14Figure 2-15Instant WirelessTMSeries12
Chapter 4: Installing the Driversand Configuration Utility forWindows XPWindows XP will automatically walk you through the driver installationprocess as well as automatically configure the Network PC Card for your wire-less network. If you have any questions regarding wireless networking on yourWindows XP PC, please refer to your Windows XP documentation.To install the Network PC Card’s drivers, insert the Setup Utility CD-ROM intoyour CD-Rom drive and then insert the card into your PC’s PCMCIA slot.Windows XP will automatically detect the card and search for the appropriatedrivers. The screen in Figure 4-1 will then appear.Verify that the radio button beside Install the software automatically(Recommended) is highlighted. If not, click it. Then, click the Next button tocontinue.144. The next screenwill indicate that allof the appropriatefiles are beingcopied onto yourdrive. (See Figure2-16.) Click theCancel button ifyou need to stopthe installation forany reason. 5. Once Windows has finished copying the necessary files, a screen similar tothat shown in Figure 2-17 will appear. In order for the drivers to beinstalled properly, you must restart your computer. If you choose to do itnow, select Yes, I want to restart my computer now. If you do not wantto do it now, choose No, I will restart my computer later. Once you havemade your choice, click the Finish button to continue. Network PC Card Figure 2-16Figure 2-17Note: Restart the computer and go to Chapter 5:Installing the Network PC Card for further instructions.Figure 4-1Instant WirelessTMSeries13
Chapter 5: Installing the NetworkPC Card 1.Locate an available Type II or Type III PCMCIA slot onyour notebook computer.2. With the Network PC Card’s 68-pin connector facing the PCMCIA slotand the “Network PC Card” label facing up, as shown in Figure 5-1, slide theNetwork PC Card completely into the PCMCIA slot while the computer isrestarting and before the Windows desktop appears.3. You may see several screens appear as the driver installation is finalized.This is normal. No input should be necessary, and the screens should dis-appear when the card is ready for use.The Hardware Installation is complete. Your Wireless Network PC Cardis set up and ready for use. You may continue reading to learn about thecard’s Configuration Utility in Chapter 6 for Windows NT or Chapter 7for other Windows Operating Systems.The Windows XPcompatibility screenwill appear, asshown in Figure 4-2.As this card hasbeen tested to workwith Windows XP,click the ContinueAnyway button tocontinue.On the final instal-lation screen, clickthe Finish buttonto complete instal-lation.The Hardware Installation is complete. Windows XP automatically detects and configures the Network PC Card foryour wireless network. To adjust these settings, refer to your Windows XP doc-umentation.15Figure 4-2Figure 4-3Instant WirelessTMSeriesNetwork PC Card 16
Windows NT will set up the Network PC Card differently depending uponwhether you’ve previously installed network hardware or not. Please follow theinstructions appropriate for you.If You Have Never Installed Network Hardware:1. Windows NT is not a Plug-and-Play Operating System and will not auto-matically identify the Network PC Card. To begin setup, insert the SetupUtility CD into your CD-ROM drive. If the Setup Utility CD attempts toautorun, exit out of the utility to the desktop by clicking the Exit tab. SelectSettings from theStart Menu andbring up theControl Panel(as shown inFigure 6-1).Double-click theNetwork icon.2. Windows will displaythe screen in Figure 6-2, showing thatNetworking has notbeen installed. Clickthe Yes button to con-tinue.Installing the Drivers for Windows NT17Figure 6-1Figure 6-2Chapter 6: Installing the Driversand Configuration Utility forWindows NTThe installation of the Network PC Card is different for users of Windows NTbecause it is not a Plug-and-Play (PnP) operating system. This means it will notautomatically detect the presence of the Card when it is inserted.Consequently, the order of the installation is different. The steps involved inthe installation are different, as well. If you are using any other operating sys-tem than Windows NT, stop here and refer to the chapters regarding those oper-ating systems. 1. Locate an available Type II or Type III PCMCIA slot on your notebookcomputer.2. With the Network PC Card’s 68-pin connector facing the PCMCIA slotand the “Network PC Card” label facing up, slide the Network PC Cardcompletely into the PCMCIA slot while the computer is restarting andbefore the Windows desktop appears.The Hardware Installation is complete. Proceed to the next section fordriver installation. OverviewInstalling the Network PC Card In Your Notebook PCNetwork PC Card Instant WirelessTMSeries18
5.A list of adapterswill appear as inFigure 6-5. You willnot want to selectone of these, howev-er, as your installa-tion disk (the SetupUtility CD) has allof the appropriatedrivers. Click theHave Disk button tocontinue.6. When the Insert Diskscreen appears (shownin Figure 6-6), type“D:\WINNT” in thefield provided and clickthe OK button to con-tinue.7.The Select OEM Option screen (shown in Figure 6-7) will display allavailable adapters. Make sure that Instant Wireless - Network PC CardV3.0 is highlighted and click the OK button to continue.19Figure 6-5Figure 6-6Figure 6-73. Installation will begin and you will reach the screen in Figure 6-3. You willwant to select the box that reads Wired to the network since you are addingnetwork hardware. Click the Next button to continue.4. The screen shown in Figure 6-4 will not show any Network Adaptersinstalled on your system; this signifies that no network adapter has been pre-viously installed. Click the Select from list button to continue.Network PC Card Figure 6-3Figure 6-4Instant WirelessSeries20
10. On the screen showing Network Services (Figure 6-10), the selections areautomatically made. Click the Next button to continue.11. As displayed in Figure 6-11, Windows NT will now be ready to startinstalling networking components. After verifying your selections, click theNext button to continue or click the Back button to make any necessarycorrections.21Figure 6-10Figure 6-118. On the next screen, make sure there is a check mark in the box besideInstant Wireless - Network PC Card (as shown in Figure 6-8). Then clickthe Nextbutton tocontinue.9.The next screen (Figure 6-9) will show the list of network protocols used onyour network. While the TCP/IP Protocol is already selected by default, youshould check with your network administrator before installing any addi-tional network protocols. Click the Next button to continue.Network PC Card Figure 6-8Figure 6-9Instant WirelessTMSeries22
14. After setting the Resource and Properties fields, Windows NT will begininstalling the network components you’ve selected. You may be presentedwith the screen shown in Figure 6-14, asking if you would like to configurethe protocols with a DHCP server on your network. Click the Yes or Nobutton to continue. This setting may also be changed at a later time.15. In the event that the screen shown in Figure 6-15 appears, do not make anychanges unless you are proficient with the advanced networking propertiesof Windows NT. Click the Next button to continue.16. At this point, Windows NT will let you know that it is ready to start the net-work. If you’d like to stop the procedure, click the Back button. To contin-ue, click the Next button.Figure 6-14Figure 6-1512. Windows NT mayrequest furtherfiles at this point(as shown inFigure 6-12). Type“D:\WINNT”(where “D” repre-sents your CD-ROM drive) in thefield provided andclick the Continuebutton. If files are still requested, insert your Windows NT CD into your CD-ROMdrive and type “D:\i386” (where “D” represents your CD-ROM drive).Then, click the Continue button.13. You will now reach the screen shown in Figure 6-13. This is called theResources & Properties screen. It is recommended that you leave theseoptions at theirdefault settings. Ifsettings must bechanged, it is pre-ferred that you usethe ConfigurationUtility that camewith the NetworkPC Card. If youmust adjust the set-tings on this screen,refer to Chapter 9:AdvancedProperties for moreinformation on theAdvancedProperties forWindows NT. Clickthe OK button tocontinue.Network PC Card Figure 6-12Figure 6-13Instant WirelessSeries23 24
Make sure that the Instant Wireless Network PC Card ver. 3.0 appears in theAdapter window (as shown in Figure 6-17). Then, unless you need toassign a static IP address, select Obtain an IP address from a DHCPserver and click the OK button. If you need to assign a static IP address,select Specify an IP Address, and enter the appropriate values under IPAddress, Gateway Mask, and Default Gateway. After you have made yourchoice, click the OK button. Windows NT has now completed installing the network. Remove the SetupUtility CD from the CD-ROM drive and click the Finish button to contin-ue. Then, restart your computer. The Driver Installation is complete. Continue now to the section calledInstalling the Configuration Utility for Windows NT.If You Have Installed Network Hardware Before:1. Windows NT is not aPlug-and-Play OperatingSystem and will notautomatically identifythe Network PC Card. Tobegin setup, insert theSetup Utility CD intoyour CD-ROM drive andthen select Settings fromthe Start Menu. Bringup the Control Panel (asshown in Figure 6-18)and double-click theNetwork icon.Note: After you have installed the Network PCCard, reapply the Windows NT service pack.Figure 6-1817. On the screen shown in Figure 6-15, enter your Computer Name, how yourcomputer is identified on the network. Then, assign the computer to eithera Workgroup or Domain, whichever is appropriate. The Computer Namemust be differ-ent than anyother on theWorkgroup orDomain. Clickthe Next but-ton. 18. Once the drivershave been installed,the following screen(Figure 6-17) mayappear. Network PC Card Figure 6-16Figure 6-17Instant WirelessTMSeries25 26
5. The Select OEM Option screen will display all available adapters. Makesure that Instant Wireless - Network PC Card V3.0 is highlighted, asshown in Figure 6-22, and click the OK button to continue.6. You will now reach the screen shown in Figure 6-13. This is called theResources & Properties screen. It is recommended that you leave theseoptions at theirdefault settings. Ifsettings must bechanged, it is pre-ferred that you usethe ConfigurationUtility that camewith the Network PCCard. If you mustadjust the settings onthis screen, refer toChapter 9: AdvancedProperties for moreinformation on theAdvanced Propertiesfor Windows NT.Click the OK buttonto continue.Figure 6-22Figure 6-232. To add the Network PC Card,click the Adapters tab (asshown in Figure 6-19) andclick the Add button to con-tinue.3. A list of adapterswill appear asshown in Figure 6-20. You will notwant to select one ofthese, however, asthe Setup UtilityCD has all of theappropriate drivers.Click the Have Diskbutton to continue.4. On the Insert Diskscreen (Figure 6-21),type “D:\WINNT” inthe field provided.Then, click the OKbutton to continue.Network PC Card Figure 6-19Figure 6-20Figure 6-21Instant WirelessTMSeries27 28
If the screen shown in Figure 4-25 appears, make sure that the Instant WirelessNetwork PC Card ver. 3.0 appears in the Adapter window. Then, unless youneed to assign a static IP address, select Obtain an IP address from a DHCPserver and click the OK button. If you need to assign a static IP address, selectSpecify an IP Address, and enter the appropriate values under IP Address,Gateway Mask, and Default Gateway. After you have made your choice,click the OK button. Windows NT has now completed installing the drivers. Remove the SetupUtility CD from the CD-ROM drive and click the Finish button to continue.Then, restart your computer. The Driver Installation is complete. Continue now to the section calledInstalling the Configuration Utility for Windows NT.Once you have restarted your computer, the drivers for the Card should load suc-cessfully. Now it is necessary to install the Configuration Utility. Insert the SetupUtility CD in the CD-ROM drive. Unless you have deactivated the auto-run fea-ture of Windows, the screen shown in Figure 6-26 should appear automatically. NOTE: After you have installed the Network PC Card,reapply the Windows NT service pack.Installing the Configuration Utility for Windows NTFigure 6-267. The Network PC Card hasnow been installed. You willsee it added onto the screenshown in Figure 6-24. Clickthe Close button to continueand then restart your comput-er. 8. Once the drivers havebeen installed, the fol-lowing screen (Figure6-25) may appear. Network PC Card Figure 6-24Figure 6-25Instant WirelessTMSeries29 30
32Chapter 7: Configuration UtilityThe Configuration Utility is provided to allow you further customization ofthe Network PC Card and your wireless network.Once the Configuration Utility has been installed, an icon will be placed in thesystem tray (next to the clock) when the Network PC Card is inserted, as shownin Figure 7-1. You can also start the Configuration Utility by clicking the Start button, select-ing Programs, and choosing the folder for the Network PC Card. ChooseConfiguration Utility. You will see the Wireless LAN Configuration Utilityscreen (shown in Figure 7-1). This utility is divided into six parts: Link Info,Configuration, Site Survey, Encryption, Advanced, and About. You shouldchange all configuration settings for your Network PC Card using this utilityand not under the Network Properties section in your Control Panel.LINK INFOThe Link Info screen (shown in Figure 7-2) provides information about the cur-rent link between the Network PC Card and a wireless Access Point.When in Infrastructure Mode, State will display the connection statistics forthe network segment that you are on.The Current Channel field shows to what channel the Network PC Card is set.The Current Transfer Rate field shows the transfer rate in megabits per sec-ond.The Current Service Set Identifier shows the current SSID set for the wire-less network. This SSID can be modified at the Configuration screen.The Throughput fields show the rate at which data is transferred and receivedin Bytes per second.Using the Configuration UtilityFigure 7-1If this screen does not appear automatically, you can access the installation byclicking the Start button and choosing Run. In the drop-down box provided,type D:\setup.exe (where D: is the letter of your CD-ROM drive). Alternately,double-click My Computer, and then double-click the CD-ROM drive wherethe Setup Utility CD is located. Double-click the Setup.exe icon that appears.Follow the instructions that appear on your screen. If you have any questionsor difficulty, refer to the section called Installing the Drivers andConfiguration Utility for Windows 95, 98, ME, and 2000.Network PC Card Instant WirelessTMSeries31
34CONFIGURATIONThe Configuration screen, shown in Figure 7-3, allows you to customize thesettings for the Network PC Card and your wireless network.The Wireless Mode setting determines the architecture of your wireless net-work. Select Ad-Hoc or Infrastructure Mode depending on your networktype. The Ad-Hoc mode is used for a simple peer-to-peer network and allowsthe sharing of local resources only between Network PC Cards without need-ing a wireless Access Point. The Infrastructure mode allows a wireless net-work to be integrated into an existed, wired network through an Access Point.Infrastructure networks permit roaming between Access Points while main-taining a connection to all network resources.An acronym for Service Set Identifier, SSID is the unique name shared amongall points in a wireless network. The SSID must be identical for all points in thenetwork. It is case sensitive and must not exceed 32 characters.Figure 7-3The Link Quality field will display a bar indicating the percentage, between 0and 100 percent, of the quality of the link. The higher the percentage, the bet-ter the link. The Signal Strength field will display a bar indicating the percentage, between0 and 100 percent, of the strength of the signal. The higher the percentage, thestronger the signal.Note: When in Ad-Hoc mode, Link Quality andSignal Strength indicators will not be available.Figure 7-2Network PC Card Instant WirelessSeries33
35ENCRYPTIONOn the Encryption screen, shown in Figure 7-5, you can set the level of securitywith which you will be using the Network PC Card. Under the drop-down box, you can choose to have WEP encryption Disabled, 64-Bit, or 128-Bit. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is an encryption scheme used toprotect wireless data communication. The Disabled setting prevents the sharing ofdata with other computers on the WEP network. When selecting Manual Entryfor the WEP Key Entry, enter the hexadecimal number set by other wireless WEPsettings; these settings have to be identical to the WEP encryption on all points inyour wireless network in order to network to your Network PC Card.Note: In order to enable WEP encryption,hexadecimal values must be entered.Figure 7-5Note: The WEP Key Entry must match the Key on all other deviceson the wireless network, or else this device will be unable to trans-mit or receive data.The Transfer Rate field shows the current transfer rate for the Network PCCard. To optimize performance and range, the TX Rate should be set to FullyAutomatic, which will automatically adjust the transfer speed for best per-formance and longest range.The Channel setting specifies the channel used in wireless communication andshould be set to the same channel as the other points in the wireless network.This setting can only be adjusted in Ad-Hoc mode.Power Saving Mode, or PS Mode, enables or disables the power saving featuresof your Network PC Card. SITE SURVEYThe Site Survey screen shows the available access points and their features.Click on the desired access point. Then click Connect to connect or Search tosearch for more access points.Network PC Card Figure 7-4Instant WirelessTMSeries36
37The RTS Threshold Value should remain at its default setting of 2,432. A pre-amble is a signal used to synchronize the transmission timing between two ormore systems. A series of transmission pulses is sent before the data to indicatethat “someone is about transmit data.” This ensures that systems receiving theinformation correctly when the data transmission starts.Security is used for WEP only. By selecting Deny Unencrypted DataFrames, all unencrypted data will not be seen. For Authentication Type, youmay choose between Open System or Shared Key.Shared Key is when both the sender and recipient share a secret key. Bothunits use this key for an extended length of time, sometimes indefinitely.Any eavesdropper that discovers the key may decipher all packets until thekey is changed.Open System, the default setting, is when the sender and the recipient donot share a secret key. Each party generates its own key-pair and asks thereceiver to accept the (usually randomly) generated key. Once accepted,this key is used for a short time only; then a new key is generated andagreed upon.The Preamble Typeshould be set to Short (ifthe network environmentis “noisy”) or Long (if theenvironment is clear).Click OK to complete theconfiguration. ABOUTThe About screen (Figure7-7) shows the releaseinformation for the DriverVersion, ConfigurationUtility Version, andFirmware VersionFigure 7-7In order to enable 128-bit WEP encryption, choose 128 Bits in the drop-downbox. In the drop-down box near the bottom right-hand corner of the page,choose which Default Tx Key will be used for the encryption. By default, Key1 will be used. In the box corresponding to the default you chose, enter a hexa-decimal number that the encryption algorithm will be based on. Click ApplyChanges when you are done.ADVANCEDThe Advanced screen (Figure 7-6) allows you to set the FragmentationThreshold, the RTS/CTS Threshold, and the Preamble Type. TheFragmentation Threshold Value indicates how much of the network resourcesis devoted to recovering packet errors. The value should remain at its defaultsetting of 2,432. If you experience high packet error rates, you can decrease thisvalue but it will likely decrease overall network performance. Only minor mod-ifications of this value are recommended. Network PC Card Figure 7-6Instant WirelessSeries38
3. Highlight Protocol from thelist of network componenttypes, as shown in Figure 8-3,and click the Add button.4. From the screenshown in Figure 8-4, select Microsoftfrom the list of“Manufacturers”and TCP/IP fromthe list of “NetworkProtocols” and clickthe OK button.Repeat steps twothrough four toinstall other proto-cols, such asNetBEUI or IPX/SPX.5. To verify that the drivers areworking under EnhancedMode on the Driver Type tabor reconfigure the card onthe Advanced tab, go to thescreen shown in Figure 8-2and click the Properties but-ton. This will bring up theProperties Tabs, where suchvalues can be refined.When finished, you mustrestart your computer tocomplete installation.40Chapter 8: Installing NetworkProtocolsProtocols are necessary for computers to communicate on your network. 1. From the StartMenu, selectSettings andbring up theControl Panel,as shown inFigure 8-1. Fromthe ControlPanel, double-click theNetwork icon.2. Select Instant WirelessNetwork PC Card V3.0from the list (as shown inFigure 8-2) and click theAdd button.39Figure 8-3Figure 8-4Figure 8-5Network PC Card Figure 8-1Figure 8-2Instant WirelessSeries
2. Select AuthenticationAlgorithm from the listprovided and select aValue from the drop-down menu on theright, as shown inFigure 9-2. WECA Compliant (Default) (also referred to as Open Authentication) The sender and recipient do NOT share a secret key. Each party generates itsown key-pair and asks the receiver to accept the generated key. Once accept-ed, this key is used for a short time only. Must use Shared with WEP (Optional) This is when both the sender and recipient share a secret key. They use this keyfor an extended length of time. Any eavesdropper that discovers the key maydecipher all packets until the key is changed. As indicated, you should alwaysuse WECA Compliant (Always Use) unless you have some other reason to doso. Choose Channel to continue or click the OK button to finish setting theAdvanced OptionsFigure 9-2Network PC Card Chapter 9: Advanced PropertiesThe Advanced Properties of the card are supplied for fine tuning the card’s set-tings. These values should only be changed by those completely familiar withboth the operating system and the settings of the network. Unless your specif-ic situation requires changing them, the default settings should be sufficient foryour card’s proper operation. Linksys advises that you change these values inthe Configuration Utility rather than using this method, to insure that the set-tings you change will be recognized everywhere.Check your wireless network settings before changing any of these values. 1. To access the Network Configuration screen (shown in Figure 9-1), click theStart button, choose Settings and open the Control Panel. Double-click theNetwork icon and choose the Advanced tab.The Advanced Properties for Windows 95, 98, ME, and 2000Figure 9-1Instant WirelessTMSeries41 42
5. The FragmentationThreshold Value,shown in Figure 9-5 indi-cates the maximum sizeof the transmit frame.Any data frame largerthan this value will befragmented into multipleframes. Lowering thisvalue usually means alower frame error rate,but a lower value alsocreates more overhead,which negatively affectsnetwork performance.The value can only beentered in increments of128. Only minor modi-fications of this value arerecommended. ClickMaximum ListenInterval to continue orthe OK button to finishsetting the AdvancedOptions.6. The Maximum ListenInterval, as shown inFigure 9-6, only applieswhen operating in theInfrastructure modewhile Power Saving isenabled. The value youinput here will deter-mine how often the com-puter “wakes up” fromthe power saving modeto receive any packetsthat were sent while itwas “asleep.” The higherthe value entered here,the longer the time yourcomputer “sleeps”between waking up tocheck for packets. ClickNetwork Type to con-tinue or the OK buttonto finish setting theAdvanced Options.3. The Channel setting,shown in Figure 9-3,must be the same forall wireless points inthe network. Use thesettings, 1-11, to findthe best channel foryour connection. Forfurther information,see Chapter 7:ConfigurationUtility. Once yourcard is configured,click the OK button tofinish setting theAdvanced Options.4. Select either Disabled, 64bit, or 128 bit as thevalue under Encryption,shown in Figure 9-4.Wired EquivalentPrivacy (WEP) is anencryption method usedto protect wireless datacommunication. TheDisabled setting pre-vents the sharing of datawith other computers ona WEP network. For datasharing to be enabled,select either 64 or 128 bitencryption, dependingon your needs. For fur-ther information, seeChapter 7:Configuration Utility.Once your card is con-figured, click OK to fin-ish setting the AdvancedOptions.Network PC Card Figure 9-5Figure 9-6Figure 9-3Figure 9-4Instant WirelessTMSeries43 44
9. A preamble is a signalused to synchronizethe transmission tim-ing between two ormore points in yourwireless network.The default setting isLong Tx Preamble(as shown in Figure 9-9). Long Tx Preambleallows extra time forthe digital decoder toprocess the initialheader packets, but istransmitted at11Mbps. Short TxPreamble allows forless time to processthe packets, but initialpackets are transmit-ted at 2Mbps. ClickSSID to continue orthe OK button to fin-ish setting theAdvanced Options.10. RTS Thresholdshould remainDisabled the defaultsetting, as shown inFigure 9-10. Do notchange the setting ofthe RTS Thresholdunless connectionquality is poor. Then,increase this setting bya small value to estab-lish a better connec-tion. Click NetworkType to continue orthe OK button to fin-ish setting theAdvanced Options.Network PC Card 7. Select Network Type(Figure 9-7) and select aValue, from the dropdown menu, of eitherInfrastructure or Ad-Hoc. The Infrastructure modeallows a Network PCCard to communicatewith a wired networkemploying an accesspoint, while the Ad-Hocmode allows wireless-to-wireless, peer-to-peercommunication. ClickPower Save Mode tocontinue or the OK but-ton to finish setting theAdvanced Options.8. Select Power SaveMode (shown in Figure9-8) and select eitherEnabled or Disabledfor the Value. Disabledwill allow for uninter-rupted data communica-tion. Selecting Enabledallows your notebook toenter “sleep” mode andcould interrupt datacommunication. Forfurther informationabout Power SaveMode, see Chapter 7:Configuration Utility.Click Preamble Modeto continue or the OKbutton to finish settingthe Advanced Options.Figure 9-9Figure 9-10Figure 9-7Figure 9-8Instant WirelessTMSeries45 46
13. The WEP Passphrase (Figure 9-13) value allows the user to change thepassphrase that is used to generate the encryption key for WEP. Anyalphanumeric value can be entered here, but it will only be activated if youchoose either 64 or 128 bit under Encryption. This value can also bechanged using the Configuration Utility. For further information, seeChapter 7: Configuration Utility.Once your card is configured, click the OK button to finish setting theAdvanced Options.Network PC Card 11. The value for SSID(Figure 9-11) dependson what NetworkType was selected.Infrastructure net-works should have thesame SSID as theAccess Point. Allclients in an Ad-HocNetwork should sharethe same SSID. ClickTransmit Rate tocontinue or the OKbutton to finish set-ting the AdvancedOptions.12. The Transmit Rateaffects the speed oftransmission to anoth-er wireless device.The rate can either beset to a fixed value orleft at the default valueof Full Auto, as shownin Figure 9-12, whichlets the computerdetermine the besttransfer rate. The firstoption, Auto Select 1or 2, is for compatibil-ity with older wirelessequipment. ClickWEP Passphrase tocontinue or the OKbutton to finish settingthe Advanced Options.Figure 9-13Figure 9-11Figure 9-12Instant WirelessTMSeries47 48
2. The IRQ Base level(Figure 9-15) can bechanged in order toavoid possible conflictswith other systemdevices. The defaultsetting for the NetworkPC Card is 7. Thisvalue should only bechanged if the Carddoes not work properly.3. The Mode setting (Figure9-16) should be eitherInfrastructure or Ad-Hoc, depending uponyour network’s settings.The Infrastructuremode allows a Network PC Card tocommunicate with awired network employingan access point, while theAd-Hoc mode allowswireless-to-wireless, peer-to-peercommunication. Formore information aboutthese settings, refer to thesection in Chapter 3called Ad-Hoc versusInfrastructure Mode.The Advanced Properties screen allows you to make modifications to yourNetwork PC Card, optimizing performance. These properties are accessed byright-clicking on the Network Neighborhood icon on the desktop. SelectProperties from the menu that appears. From the tabbed window that appearsnext, click the Adapters tab. Highlight Instant Wireless Network PC CardV3.0 and then click the Properties button. The screen in Figure 9-14 shouldappear. Choosing improper settings in these fields can keep the WirelessNetwork PC Card from functioning properly. Follow these steps to configurethe Advanced Properties fields:1. The I/O Base setting,shown in Figure 9-14,should be unique andnot conflict with anyother device settings inyour system.The Advanced Properties for Windows NTNote: In order to check for potential IRQ conflicts,run WINMSD by selecting RUN from the Start menuand typing winmsd.exe and pressing the Enter key.Network PC Card Figure 9-14Figure 9-15Figure 9-16Instant WirelessSeries49 50
6. RTS Threshold shouldremain in the defaultsetting of Disabled, asshown in Figure 9-19.Do not change the set-ting of the RTSThreshold unless con-nection quality is poor.Then, increase this set-ting by a small value toestablish a better con-nection.7. FragmentationThreshold shouldremain in the defaultsetting of Disabled,as shown in Figure 9-20. Do not change thesetting of theFragmentationThreshold unless con-nection quality ispoor. Then, increasethis setting by a smallvalue to establish abetter connection.4. The SSID (as shown inFigure 9-17) dependson what Mode isselected. If the Modeis Infrastructure, itshould have the sameSSID name as theAccess Point. If theMode is Ad-Hoc, allclients should sharethe same SSID name.5. The DS Channel set-ting (Figure 9-18) mustbe the same for allwireless points in thenetwork. Use the set-tings, 1-11, to find thebest channel for yourconnection.Network PC Card Figure 9-17Figure 9-18Figure 9-19Figure 9-20Instant WirelessTMSeries51 52
10. The Authenticationsetting, shown in Figure9-23, is Open Systemby default. OpenSystem is another namefor WECA compliant.WECA Compliant (Default) (also referred to as Open Authentication) The sender and recipient do NOT share a secret key. Each party generatesits own key-pair and asks the receiver to accept the generated key. Onceaccepted, this key is used for a short time only; thereafter a new key is gen-erated and agreed upon.Shared Key (Optional) This is when both the sender and recipient share the same key. They use thiskey for an extended length of time. Any eavesdropper that discovers the keymay decipher all packets until the key is changed. As indicated, you shouldalways use WECA Compliant (Always Use) unless you have some other rea-son to do so.Choose Listen Interval to continue or the OK button to finish setting theAdvanced Options8. Under Power Savingmode (Figure 9-21),select either Enabledor Disabled. Disabledwill allow for uninter-rupted data communi-cation. SelectingEnabled allows yournotebook to enter“sleep” mode andcould interrupt datacommunication. Forfurther informationabout Power SaveMode, see Chapter 7:Configuration Utility.9. Select either Disabled,64 bit, or 128 bit asthe value underEncryption, as shownin Figure 9-22). WiredEquivalent Privacy(WEP) is an encryp-tion scheme used toprotect wireless datacommunication. TheDisabled setting pre-vents the sharing ofdata with other com-puters on a WEP net-work. For data sharingto be enabled, selecteither 64 or 128 bitencryption. Network PC Card Figure 9-21Figure 9-22Figure 9-23Instant WirelessTMSeries53 54
56Chapter 10: TroubleshootingThis chapter provides solutions to problems usually occurring during the instal-lation and operation of the Network PC Card. Read the description below tosolve your problems. If you can’t find an answer here, check the Linksys web-site at www.linksys.com.1.My computer does not recognize the Network PC Card.Make sure that the Network PC Card is properly inserted into the PCMCIAslot. Note that the card can be inserted either way, but only correctly when itis inserted so that the “Instant Wireless” logo on the front of the card may notbe seen. If in doubt, try inserting the card both ways. The card will slide infurther when it is correct. 2.The Network PC Card does not work properly.•Reinsert the Network PC Card into your notebook’s PCMCIA slot. A beepshould be heard if the card is properly inserted.•For non-Windows environments, make sure that a PCMCIA card servicedriver is installed on your PC.•Open the Control Panel and click on the PC Card. Check whether it has aPCMCIA card in one of the sockets or not. If you find the Network PC Cardin one of the sockets, it means the card has been detected properly. If you seea yellow question mark, the resources are conflicting.•Right-click on My Computer and select Properties. Select the device man-ager and click the Network Adapter. You will find the Network PC Card ifit is installed successfully. If you see the yellow exclamation mark, theresources are conflicting. Click PCMCIA card and then click PCMCIAcard service. You will see the status of the Network PC Card. If there is ayellow question mark, please check the following:•Make sure your notebook has a free IRQ.•Make sure you have inserted the right card and installed the properdriver.Common Problems and SolutionsNetwork PC Card 11. The Listen Intervalsetting, as shown inFigure 9-24, shouldremain at 1 Beacon perSecond. Setting thishigher could result inslower data transfer.12. The TX Rate setting, asshown in Figure 9-25,should remain FullyAuto as set by default.Changing this to a dif-ferent transfer rate willlock in that rate andmay result in droppedconnections. Click the OK button tocomplete setting theseoptions.Figure 9-24Figure 9-25Instant WirelessTMSeries55
What is Infrastructure?An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called an Infrastructure configura-tion. Infrastructure is applicable to enterprise scale for wireless access to a cen-tral database, or wireless application for mobile workers.What is Roaming?Roaming is the ability of a portable computer user to communicate continu-ously while moving freely throughout an area greater than that covered by a sin-gle Wireless Network Access Point.To achieve true seamless connectivity, the wireless LAN must incorporate anumber of different functions. Each node and Wireless Network Access Point,for example, must always acknowledge receipt of each message. Each nodemust maintain contact with the wireless network even when not actually trans-mitting data. Achieving these functions simultaneously requires a dynamic RFnetworking technology that links Wireless Network Access Points and nodes.In such a system, the user’s end node undertakes a search for the best possibleaccess to the system. First, it evaluates such factors as signal strength and qual-ity, as well as the message load currently being carried by each WirelessNetwork Access Point and the distance of each Wireless Network Access Pointto the wired backbone. Based on that information, the node next selects theright Wireless Network Access Point and registers its address. Communicationsbetween end node and host computer can then be transmitted up and down thebackbone.As the user moves on, the end node’s RF transmitter regularly checks the sys-tem to determine whether it is in touch with the original Wireless NetworkAccess Point or whether it should seek a new one. When a node no longerreceives acknowledgment from its original Wireless Network Access Point, itundertakes a new search. Upon finding a new Wireless Network Access Point,it then re-registers, and the communication process continues.What is BSS ID?A specific Ad-hoc LAN is called a Basic Service Set (BSS). Computers in aBSS must be configured with the same BSS ID.What is ESSID?An Infrastructure configuration could also support roaming capability formobile workers. More than one BSS can be configured as an Extended ServiceSet (ESS). Users within an ESS could roam freely between BSSs while main-taining a continuous connection to the wireless network stations and WirelessNetwork Access Points.58If the Network PC Card does not function after attempting the above steps,remove the card and do the following:•Uninstall the driver software from your PC.•Restart your PC and repeat the hardware and software installation asspecified in this User Guide.3.I cannot communicate with the other computers linked via Ethernet inthe Infrastructure configuration.•Make sure that the notebook PC to which the Network PC Card is associat-ed is powered on.•Make sure that your Network PC Card is configured on the same channel andwith the same security options as the other computers in the Infrastructureconfiguration.Can I run an application from a remote computer over the wireless net-work?This will depend on whether or not the application is designed to be used overa network. Consult the application’s documentation to determine if it supportsoperation over a network.Can I play multiplayer games with other users of the wireless network?Yes, as long as the game supports multiple players over a LAN (local area net-work). Refer to the game’s documentation for more information.What is the IEEE 802.11b standard?The IEEE 802.11b Wireless LAN standards subcommittee formulatings stan-dards for the industry. The objective is to enable wireless LAN hardware fromdifferent manufacturers to communicate. What IEEE 802.11 features are supported?The product supports the following IEEE 802.11 functions: •CSMA/CA plus Acknowledge protocol •Multi-Channel Roaming •Automatic Rate Selection •RTS/CTS feature •Fragmentation •Power Management What is Ad-hoc?An Ad-hoc wireless LAN is a group of computers, each with a Network PCCard, connected as an independent wireless LAN. An Ad-hoc wireless LAN isapplicable at a departmental scale for a branch or SOHO operation.57Network PC Card Frequently Asked QuestionsInstant WirelessTMSeries
60What is ISM band?The FCC and their counterparts outside of the U.S. have set aside bandwidthfor unlicensed use in the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band.Spectrum in the vicinity of 2.4 GHz, in particular, is being made availableworldwide. This presents a truly revolutionary opportunity to place convenienthigh speed wireless capabilities in the hands of users around the globe. What is Spread Spectrum?Spread Spectrum technology is a wideband radio frequency technique devel-oped by the military for use in reliable, secure, mission-critical communica-tions systems. It is designed to trade off bandwidth efficiency for reliability,integrity, and security. In other words, more bandwidth is consumed than in thecase of narrowband transmission, but the trade-off produces a signal that is, ineffect, louder and thus easier to detect, provided that the receiver knows theparameters of the spread-spectrum signal being broadcast. If a receiver is nottuned to the right frequency, a spread-spectrum signal looks like backgroundnoise. There are two main alternatives, Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum(DSSS) and Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS).What is DSSS? What is FHSS? And what are their differences?Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) uses a narrowband carrier thatchanges frequency in a pattern that is known to both transmitter and receiver.Properly synchronized, the net effect is to maintain a single logical channel. Toan unintended receiver, FHSS appears to be short-duration impulse noise.Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) generates a redundant bit pattern foreach bit to be transmitted. This bit pattern is called a chip (or chipping code).The longer the chip, the greater the probability that the original data can berecovered. Even if one or more bits in the chip are damaged during transmis-sion, statistical techniques embedded in the radio can recover the original datawithout the need for retransmission. To an unintended receiver, DSSS appearsas low power wideband noise and is rejected (ignored) by most narrowbandreceivers. Would the information be intercepted while transmitting on air?WLAN features two-fold protection in security. On the hardware side, as withDirect Sequence Spread Spectrum technology, it has the inherent security fea-ture of scrambling. On the software side, the WLAN series offers the encryp-tion function (WEP) to enhance security and access control. Users can set it updepending upon their needs.59Can Instant WirelessTM products support file and printer sharing?Instant WirelessTM products perform the same function as LAN products.Therefore, Instant WirelessTM products can work with Netware, WindowsNT/2000, or other LAN operating systems to support printer or file sharing.What is WEP?WEP is Wired Equivalent Privacy, a data privacy mechanism based on a 40 bitshared key algorithm, as described in the IEEE 802.11 standard. Network PC Card Instant WirelessTMSeries
61devices access the line at exactly the same time, their signals collide. When thecollision is detected, they both back off and each wait a random amount of timebefore retrying. Database - A database is a collection of data that is organized so that its contentscan easily be accessed, managed, and updated. Default Gateway - The routing device used to forward all traffic that is notaddressed to a station within the local subnet.DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) - A protocol that lets networkadministrators manage centrally and automate the assignment of InternetProtocol (IP) addresses in an organization's network. Using the Internet's set ofprotocol (TCP/IP), each machine that can connect to the Internet needs a uniqueIP address. When an organization sets up its computer users with a connection tothe Internet, an IP address must be assigned to each machine. Without DHCP, theIP address must be entered manually at each computer and, if computers move toanother location in another part of the network, a new IP address must be entered.DHCP lets a network administrator supervise and distribute IP addresses from acentral point and automatically sends a new IP address when a computer isplugged into a different place in the network. DHCP uses the concept of a "lease" or amount of time that a given IP addresswill be valid for a computer. The lease time can vary depending on how long auser is likely to require the Internet connection at a particular location. It's espe-cially useful in education and other environments where users change frequently.Using very short leases, DHCP can dynamically reconfigure networks in whichthere are more computers than there are available IP addresses. DHCP supports static addresses for computers containing Web servers that needa permanent IP address. Domain - A subnetwork comprised of a group of clients and servers under thecontrol of one security database. Dividing LANs into domains improves per-formance and security.Driver - A workstation or server software module that provides an interfacebetween a network interface card and the upper-layer protocol software runningin the computer; it is designed for a specific NIC, and is installed during the ini-tial installation of a network-compatible client or server operating system.Network PC Card Chapter 11: GlossaryAd-hoc Network - An ad-hoc network is a wireless network or other small net-work in which some of the network devices are part of the network only for theduration of a communications session while in some close proximity to the restof the network.Architecture - The total design and implementation of the network. It includesthe network's topology, transmission technologies and communications proto-cols, management and security systems, and any other attributes that give a net-work a particular set of capabilities and functionalities.Backbone - The part of a network that connects most of the systems and net-works together and handles the most data.Bandwidth - The transmission capacity of a given facility, in terms of how muchdata the facility can transmit in a fixed amount of time; expressed in bits per sec-ond (bps).Bit - A binary digit. The value - 0 or 1-used in the binary numbering system.Also, the smallest form of data.BSS (Basic Service Set) - A group of Instant Wireless Network PC Card usersand an Access Point.Buffer - A buffer is a shared or assigned memory area used by hardware devicesor program processes that operate at different speeds or with different sets of pri-orities. The buffer allows each device or process to operate without being held upby the other. In order for a buffer to be effective, the size of the buffer and thealgorithms for moving data into and out of the buffer need to be considered bythe buffer designer. Like a cache, a buffer is a "midpoint holding place" but existsnot so much to accelerate the speed of an activity as to support the coordinationof separate activities. CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection) - The LANaccess method used in Ethernet. When a device wants to gain access to the net-work, it checks to see if the network is quiet (senses the carrier). If it is not, itwaits a random amount of time before retrying. If the network is quiet and twoInstant WirelessTMSeries62
63Hop - The link between two network nodes.IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) - The IEEEdescribes itself as "the world's largest technical professional society, promotingthe development and application of electrotechnology and allied sciences for thebenefit of humanity, the advancement of the profession, and the well-being of ourmembers." The IEEE fosters the development of standards that often become national andinternational standards. The organization publishes a number of journals, hasmany local chapters, and several large societies in special areas, such as the IEEEComputer Society.Infrastructure - An infrastructure network is a wireless network or other smallnetwork in which the wireless network devices are made a part of the networkthrough the Access Point which connects them to the rest of the network.IP Address - In the most widely installed level of the Internet Protocol (InternetProtocol) today, an IP address is a 32-binary digit number that identifies eachsender or receiver of information that is sent in packet across the Internet. Whenyou request an HTML page or send e-mail, the Internet Protocol part of TCP/IPincludes your IP address in the message (actually, in each of the packets if morethan one is required) and sends it to the IP address that is obtained by looking upthe domain name in the Uniform Resource Locator you requested or in the e-mailaddress you're sending a note to. At the other end, the recipient can see the IPaddress of the Web page requestor or the e-mail sender and can respond by send-ing another message using the IP address it received. IPX (Internetwork Packet EXchange) - A NetWare communications protocolused to route messages from one node to another. IPX packets include networkaddresses and can be routed from one network to another.IRQ (Interrupt ReQuest) - A hardware interrupt on a PC. There are 16 IRQ linesused to signal the CPU that a peripheral event has started or terminated. In mostcases, two devices cannot use the same line. ISM band - The FCC and their counterparts outside of the U.S. have set asidebandwidth for unlicensed use in the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical)band. Spectrum in the vicinity of 2.4 GHz, in particular, is being made availableworldwide. This presents a truly revolutionary opportunity to place convenienthigh-speed wireless capabilities in the hands of users around the globe.Network PC Card DSSS (Direct-Sequence Spread-Spectrum) - DSSS generates a redundant bit pat-tern for each bit to be transmitted. This bit pattern is called a chip (or chippingcode). The longer the chip, the greater the probability that the original data canbe recovered. Even if one or more bits in the chip are damaged during transmis-sion, statistical techniques embedded in the radio can recover the original datawithout -the need for retransmission. To an unintended receiver, DSSS appears aslow power wideband noise and is rejected (ignored) by most narrowbandreceivers. Encryption - A security method that applies a specific algorithm to data in orderto alter the data's appearance and prevent other devices from reading the infor-mation. ESS - More than one BSS in a network.Ethernet - IEEE standard network protocol that specifies how data is placed onand retrieved from a common transmission medium. Has a transfer rate of 10Mbps. Forms the underlying transport vehicle used by several upper-level proto-cols, including TCP/IP and XNS.FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum) - FHSS continuously changes thecenter frequency of a conventional carrier several times per second according toa pseudo-random set of channels, while chirp spread spectrum changes the car-rier frequency. Because a fixed frequency is not used, illegal monitoring of spreadspectrum signals is extremely difficult, if not downright impossible depending onthe particular method.Firmware - Programming that is inserted into programmable read-only memory(programmable read-only memory), thus becoming a permanent part of a com-puting device. Fragmentation - Breaking a packet into smaller units when transmitting over anetwork medium that cannot support the original size of the packet. Gateway - A device that interconnects networks with different, incompatiblecommunications protocols. Hardware - Hardware is the physical aspect of computers, telecommunications,and other information technology devices. The term arose as a way to distinguishthe "box" and the electronic circuitry and components of a computer from theprogram you put in it to make it do things. The program came to be known as thesoftware.64Instant WirelessSeries
Packet - A unit of data routed between an origin and a destination in a network.Passphrase - Used much like a password, a passphrase simplifies the WEPencryption process by automatically generating the WEP encryption keys forLinksys products.PC Card - A credit-card sized removable module that contains memory, I/O, ora hard disk. PCMCIA - The PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card InternationalAssociation) is an industry group organized in 1989 to promote standards for acredit card-size memory or I/O device that would fit into a personal computer,usually a notebook or laptop computer. Plug-and-Play - The ability of a computer system to configure expansion boardsand other devices automatically without requiring the user to turn off the systemduring installation.Roaming - The ability to use a wireless device and be able to move from oneaccess point's range to another without losing the connection.RTS (Request To Send) - An RS-232 signal sent from the transmitting station tothe receiving station requesting permission to transmit. Server - Any computer whose function in a network is to provide user access tofiles, printing, communications, and other services. Software - Instructions for the computer. A series of instructions that performs aparticular task is called a "program." The two major categories of software are"system software" and "application software." System software is made up ofcontrol programs such as the operating system and database management system(DBMS). Application software is any program that processes data for the user.A common misconception is that software is data. It is not. Software tells thehardware how to process the data.Spread Spectrum - Spread Spectrum technology is a wideband radio frequencytechnique developed by the military for use in reliable, secure, mission-criticalcommunications systems. It is designed to trade off bandwidth efficiency for reli-ability, integrity, and security. In other words, more bandwidth is consumed thanin the case of narrowband transmission, but the trade off produces a signal thatis, in effect, louder and thus easier to detect, provided that the receiver knows the66Network PC Card LAN - A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associateddevices that share a common communications line and typically share theresources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area (forexample, within an office building). Mbps (MegaBits Per Second) - One million bits per second; unit of measure-ment for data transmission.NetBEUI (NetBIOS Extended User Interface) - The transport layer for NetBIOS.NetBIOS and NetBEUI were originally part of a single protocol suite that waslater separated. NetBIOS sessions can be transported over NetBEUI, TCP/IP andSPX/IPX protocols. NetBIOS - The native networking protocol in DOS and Windows networks.Although originally combined with its transport layer protocol (NetBEUI),NetBIOS today provides a programming interface for applications at the sessionlayer (layer 5). NetBIOS can ride over NetBEUI, its native transport, which is notroutable, or over TCP/IP and IPX/SPX, which are routable protocols.NetBIOS computers are identified by a unique 15-character name, and Windowsmachines (NetBIOS machines) periodically broadcast their names over the net-work so that Network Neighborhood can catalog them. For TCP/IP networks,NetBIOS names are turned into IP addresses via manual configuration in anLMHOSTS file or a WINS server.There are two NetBIOS modes. The Datagram mode is the fastest mode, but doesnot guarantee delivery. It uses a self-contained packet with send and receivename, usually limited to 512 bytes. If the recipient device is not listening for mes-sages, the datagram is lost. The Session mode establishes a connection until bro-ken. It guarantees delivery of messages up to 64KB long. Network - A system that transmits any combination of voice, video and/or databetween users. Node - A network junction or connection point, typically a computer or work sta-tion.Notebook (PC) - A notebook computer is a battery-powered personal computergenerally smaller than a briefcase that can easily be transported and convenient-ly used in temporary spaces such as on airplanes, in libraries, temporary offices,and at meetings. A notebook computer, sometimes called a laptop computer, typ-ically weighs less than five pounds and is three inches or less in thickness. Instant WirelessTMSeries65
Chapter 12: SpecificationsStandards: IEEE 802.11b Channels: 11 Channels (US, Canada)13 Channels (Europe)14 Channels (Japan)Operating Range:Indoors: Up to 30M (100 ft.) @ 11 MbpsUp to 50M (165 ft.) @ 5.5 MbpsUp to 70M (230 ft.) @ 2 Mbps Up to 91M (300 ft.) @ 1 MbpsOutdoors: Up to 152M (500 ft.) @ 11 MbpsUp to 270M (885 ft.) @ 5.5 MbpsUp to 396M (1300 ft.) @ 2 MbpsUp to 457M (1500 ft.) @ 1 MbpsData Rate (Mbps): Up to 11Mbps (with automatic scale back)LEDs: Link, PowerDimensions: 4.5"x 2"x 0.3"(115mm x 54mm x 8mm)Unit Weight: 1.65 oz. (47g)Power: 3.3V or 5V DC, 275mA Tx, 225mA Rx, 200mA StandbyCertifications: FCC Class B, CE Mark Commercial Operating Temp.: 32ºF to 131ºF (0ºC to 55ºC)Storage Temp.: -4ºF to 158ºF (-20ºC to 70ºC)Operating Humidity: 0% to 90% Non-CondensingStorage Humidity: 0% to 95% Non-Condensing68Environmental parameters of the spread-spectrum signal being broadcast. If a receiver is nottuned to the right frequency, a spread-spectrum signal looks like backgroundnoise. There are two main alternatives, Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum(DSSS) and Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS).Static IP Address - A permanent IP address that is assigned to a node in an IPor a TCP/IP network. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) - A method (protocol) used along with theInternet Protocol (Internet Protocol) to send data in the form of message unitsbetween computers over the Internet. While IP takes care of handling the actualdelivery of the data, TCP takes care of keeping track of the individual units ofdata (called packet) that a message is divided into for efficient routing throughthe Internet. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) - The basic commu-nication language or protocol of the Internet. It can also be used as a communi-cations protocol in a private network (either an intranet or an extranet). When youare set up with direct access to the Internet, your computer is provided with acopy of the TCP/IP program just as every other computer that you may send mes-sages to or get information from also has a copy of TCP/IP.Throughput - The amount of data moved successfully from one place to anoth-er in a given time period.Topology - A network's topology is a logical characterization of how the deviceson the network are connected and the distances between them. The most commonnetwork devices include hubs, switches, routers, and gateways. Most large net-works contain several levels of interconnection, the most important of whichinclude edge connections, backbone connections, and wide-area connections.TX Rate - Transmission Rate.WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) - A data privacy mechanism based on a 64-bitor 128-bit shared key algorithm, as described in the IEEE 802.11 standard. Workgroup - Two or more individuals that share files and databases. 67Instant WirelessSeriesNetwork PC Card
Chatper 14: Contact InformationFor help with the installation or operation of this product, contact LinksysTechnical Support at one of the phone numbers or Internet addresses below.Sales Information 800-546-5797 (LINKSYS)Technical Support 866-242-8558RMA Issues 949-261-1288Fax 949-261-8868Email support@linksys.comWeb http://www.linksys.comFTP Site ftp.linksys.com70Network PC Card 69Chapter 13: Warranty InformationBE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE AND A BARCODEFROM THE PRODUCT’S PACKAGING ON HAND WHEN CALLING.RETURN REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT PROOF OFPURCHASE. IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYS’S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICEPAID FOR THE PRODUCT FROM DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCI-DENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THEUSE OF THE PRODUCT, ITS ACCOMPANYING SOFTWARE, OR ITSDOCUMENTATION. LINKSYS DOES NOT OFFER REFUNDS FOR ANYPRODUCT. LINKSYS OFFERS CROSS SHIPMENTS, A FASTER PROCESS FOR PRO-CESSING AND RECEIVING YOUR REPLACEMENT. LINKSYS PAYSFOR UPS GROUND ONLY. ALL CUSTOMERS LOCATED OUTSIDE OFTHE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND CANADA SHALL BE HELDRESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES. PLEASECALL LINKSYS FOR MORE DETAILS.Instant WirelessSeries
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