GemTek Technology U900921 Wireless USB Adapter User Manual WL 380F Manual

Gemtek Technology Co., Ltd. Wireless USB Adapter WL 380F Manual

Manual

1WL-380F11Mbps Wireless LAN USB AdapterUser's Manual2001/10/09
2Copyright statementNo part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any formor by any means, whether electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without theprior writing of the publisher.Printed in Taiwan, 2001/10/11
3Federal Communication Commission Interference StatementThis equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonableprotection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates,uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance withthe instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there isno guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment doescause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turningthe equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of thefollowing measures:- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from thatto which the receiver is connected.- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.FCC Caution: To assure continued compliance, (example - use only shielded interface cableswhen connecting to computer or peripheral devices). Any changes or modifications notexpressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority tooperate this equipment.This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to thefollowing two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) thisdevice must accept any interference received, including interference that may causeundesired operation. FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement: This equipment complies with FCC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolledenvironment. This equipment should be installed and operated with a minimum distance of 20centimeters between the radiator and your body.
4R&TTE Compliance StatementThis equipment complies with all the requirements of the DIRECTIVE 1999/5/EC OF THEEUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL of 9 March 1999 on radio equipment andtelecommunication terminal Equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity (R&TTE).The R&TTE Directive repeals and replaces in the directive 98/13/EEC (Telecommunications TerminalEquipment and Satellite Earth Station Equipment) As of April 8, 2000 .SafetyThis equipment is designed with the utmost care for the safety of those who install and use it. However,special attention must be paid to the dangers of electric shock and static electricity when working withelectrical equipment. All guidelines of this manual and of the computer manufacturer must therefore beallowed at all times to ensure the safe use of the equipment.EU Countries intended for useThe ETSI version of this device is intended for home and office use in Austria, Belgium, Denmark,Finland, France (with Frequency channel restrictions), Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.The ETSI version of this device is also authorized for use in EFTA member states Iceland,Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.EU Countries Not intended for useNone.Potential restrictive useFrance: Only channels 10,11,12, and13
5Contents1. Contents …………………………………………………………………………………………..…...… ….52. Introduction……………………………………………………………………….…...………………… .….63. Wireless LAN Basics……………………………………………………………………….……...…………74. Installation forWindows…………….…..………………………………………………………..…….…….8 4.1 Installation Overview……………………………….……………………………………………..……9 4.2. Installation Procedure ……………………..……….……..……..………….….……………………10 4.3. Uninstallation Procedure…………………………………………..…………………………………175. Configuration.Utility …………………………………..………………….…………………………………186. Troubleshooting …….…………………………………………..…………………….…………………….27
62. IntroductionThank you for purchasing our 11Mbps Wireless LAN USB Adapter. This manual will assist you withthe installation procedure.The package you have received should contain the following items:• 11Mbps Wireless LAN USB Adapter.• User manual• Diskette containing Wireless LAN Management utility and driversNote: if anything is missing, please contact your vendorThe diskette contains the drivers and the program Configuration Utility that is used for managing the11Mbps Wireless LAN USB Adapter and establishing the wireless connection with your Local AreaNetwork.
73. Wireless LAN BasicsWireless LAN (Local Area Networks) systems offer a great number of advantages over a traditional,wired system. Wireless LANs (WLANs) are more flexible, easier to setup and manage and often morecost effective than their wired equivalence.Using radio frequency (RF) technology, WLANs transmit and receive data over the air, minimizing theneed for wired connections. Thus, WLANs combine data connectivity with user mobility, and, throughsimplified configuration, enable movable LANs.With wireless LANs, users can access shared information without looking for a place to plug in andnetwork managers can set up or augment networks without installing or moving wires. Wireless LANsoffer the following productivity, convenience and cost advantages over traditional wired networks:• Mobility - Wireless LAN systems can provide LAN users with access to real-time informationanywhere in their organization. This mobility supports productivity and service opportunities notpossible with wired networks. • Installation Speed and Simplicity - Installing a wireless LAN system can be fast and easy and caneliminate the need to pull cable through walls and ceilings. • Installation Flexibility - Wireless technology allows the network to go where wires cannot go. • Reduced Cost-of-Ownership - While the initial investment required for wireless LAN hardwaremight be higher than the cost of wired LAN hardware, overall installation expenses and life-cyclecosts will be significantly lower. Long-term cost benefits are greatest in dynamic environmentsrequiring frequent moves, adds, and changes. • Scalability - Wireless LAN systems can be configured in a variety of topologies to meet the needsof specific applications and installations. Configurations are easily changed and range from peer-to-peer networks suitable for a small number of users to full infrastructure networks of thousandsof users that allows roaming over a broad area.
84. Installation for Windows platformThe following section will assist you to in installing wireless LAN Adapter successfully. You will firstinstall software (driver) and then insert the 11Mbps Wireless LAN USB Adapter, and finally set thenetwork properties to accommodate resource sharing and select the type of wireless network that youwish to install. The Wireless LAN can easily be installed and used, without bothering to connect cablesfor keeping your computer to use network resources, as in case of wired LAN.
94.1. Installation OverviewHere are some steps you will perform in establishing your wireless network connection: Install the Access Point (AP) at first. AP is needed in case of Infrastructure network mode. Install the software using the Installation Diskette or CD. Install the 11Mbps Wireless LAN USB Adapter. Install the network protocol(s) required to communicate on your network. Most likely you will needthe TCP/IP protocol.
104.2. Installation ProcedurePlease follow the following steps one by one in order to install successfully.The PRISM WLAN Configuration Utility is installed simultaneously with the driver by executing thePRISM for Windows.exe file. Installation procedures differ depending on whether this is an initialinstallation or an upgrade. The following sections discuss these scenarios.Note also that some versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems require administrator privilegesto install software. If this is the case for your operating system, be sure that you have such privilegesbefore executing the PRISM for Windows.exe file.To upgrade an existing driver, it is not necessary to remove your PRISM card from your computer.Simply run the PRISM for Windows.exe file to replace the existing driver with the latest version. Afterthe new driver is installed, you must restart the operating system (if the system was not restartedduring the installation procedure).1. Insert the given Installation CD in the CD-ROM.2. Select CD-ROM drives to locate driver files.3. Find the software in the CD-ROM and run the program “ PRISM for Windows.exe file ” in orderto set up configuration utility & driver.Follow the instruction and click Continue.Note: Do not insert the WLAN USB adapter until you are asked to do so, failure of which may result in unsuccessfulinstallation of your 11Mbps Wireless LAN USB Adapter
114. Accept the license agreement.
125. It takes a few seconds for copying the utility files and driver.6. After setup complete, restart the computer. 7. Connect the 11Mbps Wireless LAN USB Adapter to the computer, the system will detect newhardware and auto install the driver.
13 8. Once installation is complete, the utility will be pops up.
149. Click the right button of mouse on My Computer  Properties  Device Manager. 10. Right click on the Network Neighborhood using the mouse.11. Select Properties from the pop up menu. The network box appears and you see three main tables:Configuration, Identification, and Access Control.
1512. Click on the Configuration tab and then click on the Add button. Select Network Component Typebox appears. Click on the Protocol the click the Add button.13. Select Network Protocols box appears. From the list of manufactures, click on Microsoft. From thelist of network protocols list, select NetBEUI, then click OK.
1614. The NetBEUI protocol is now installed. After clicking on OK return back to Network ComponentType box.15. Repeat the step 16 and 17 to add IPX/SPX protocol.16. Repeat the step 16 and 17 to add TCP/IP protocol.17. Click on the TCP/IP option for setting the IP address for your computer. You can select either Staticor DHCP setting. If you use the static IP setup then enter the IP value, Subnet masking , DNS,Domain/ Workgroup name, and Gateway Address values. After setting these parameterappropriately, click OK to return to Network Component Type and you can select the File andPrinter Sharing options as well as the Access to your computer like other users connected to thatnetwork by setting the computer sharing options. Click on OK.18. Screen message do want to restart your Computer will pop up. Select Yes. It will shut down yourlaptop and will restart the system.Important: Restart your computer to make the changes effective before you reinstall thedriver.
174.3. Uninstallation ProcedureIf you want to uninstall the WLAN card under Win 98, please follow the steps as below:1. Start Setting  Control Panel  Add / remove  remove Intersil PRISM Wireless LAN for Windows,click ‘ Add/Remove’ button. 2. Remove Inf. File : Click Start  Program  Windows Explorer  Disk C Windows  INF  other remove Intersil PRISM NIC3. Romove sys.File: Click Start  Program  Windows Explorer  Disk C Windows  System  remove PRISMNDS.sys Important: Restart your computer to make the changes effective before you reinstall thedriver.
185. Configuration Utility After the installation of the PRISM WLAN Configuration Utility, its icon appears in the System Tray inthe bottom right corner of your desktop. The color behind the Intersil logo indicates the link status.Red indicates no or very poor link quality.Yellow indicates a usable but weak link.Green indicates a good or excellent link.You can also view the status of the link by placing the cursor over the Configuration Utility icon, asshown in the following illustration. This illustration indicates that the PRISM WLAN Card is able tocommunicate, but that the signal to the radio is weak.The Configuration menu lets you specify the operating parameters for your PRISM WLAN Interface card. Whenyou first start the Configuration Utility, this menu is displayed. If another menu is displayed, you can display theConfiguration options by clicking on its tab in the Configuration Utility panel.
195.1 Configuration TabThe Configuration menu lets you specify the operating parameters for your PRISM WLAN Interfacecard. When you first start the Configuration Utility, this menu is displayed. If another menu isdisplayed, you can display the Configuration options by clicking on its tab in the Configuration Utilitypanel.Setting the ProfileA profile is a named set of operating parameters for your PRISM WLAN Interface card. The Profilefield lets you set values for all parameters by selecting a previously defined profile. Click the downarrow at the right of the Profile field to display the available profiles for your PRISM WLAN Interfacecard.You will always have at least one profile, named Default. Initially, this profile contains the parametersconfigured at installation. You can modify this profile at any time after the installation. After changingparameters, you can save them in the profile named in this field by clicking the Apply button in theConfiguration Utility panel.You can also create additional profiles by typing a name in the Profile field. When you change thename in the Profile field and then click the Apply button, the Configuration Utility uses the currentparameters for your card to create a separate profile. You can then switch between profiles by clickingthe down arrow at the right of the Profile field, selecting a profile from the drop-down list, and clickingthe Apply button.The following example describes a situation in which you would want to create multiple profiles.Suppose that you use the wireless LAN at your work, but you also have a network in your home (witha wireless Access Point) for sharing an internet connection and a printer between several computers.Suppose also that you have another office within your business which also has WLAN capability, butwhich is configured differently than your main office.In this situation, you can create a different profile for each of these three environments. Each profilespecifies the parameters used on a single network. Moving from one location to another, you onlyneed to apply the appropriate profile to be able to participate in the local network.
20Setting the ModeThe PRISM WLAN Interface card can operate in one of two modes, which are specified in the Modefield of the Configuration menu. Clicking the down arrow at the right of the Mode field displays theavailable modes. 802.11 AdHoc ModeIEEE 802.11, the standard on which the WLAN protocol is based, defines two modes to handle twoseparate needs. The first, called AdHoc (or IBSS) mode, is used when two or more wirelessly-enabled PCs wish to exchange data directly, without an Access Point. In this case the PCs canestablish an AdHoc network in which they are the only members and over which they can exchangedata. To exchange data, each computer participating in the AdHoc network must also specify thesame SSID and AdHoc Channel in this menu.Infrastructure ModeThe second mode defined by the IEEE 802.11 standard is called infrastructure mode, and is theprimary application for WLAN operation. In this mode all data on the wireless network is directed to anAccess Point, which then routes the data to the appropriate wireless station. The Access Point mayalso be configured to allow data to be bridged from the wireless network to wired networks.To participate in a wireless LAN in infrastructure mode, every station and Access Point must specifythe same SSID. In infrastructure mode, all available channels are scanned for traffic, so there is noneed to specify a channel.Setting the SSIDThe SSID is the Service Set IDentifier used by Access Points and stations to identify a wireless LAN.Your PRISM WLAN Interface card scans the available channels looking for an Access Point (ininfrastructure mode) or another station (in AdHoc mode) which has specified this same SSID. It thenattempts to associate with these Access Points or stations to form a wireless LAN.To change the SSID, simply highlight it, type the new SSID, and click the Apply button.In typical infrastructure applications a company will use a single SSID for all Access Points. If theradio is scanning and cannot find a channel when an Access Point is known to be in range, verify thatthe SSID is set correctly.
21Setting the Transmit RateThe Transmit Rate field specifies the rate at which the radio in your PRISM WLAN Interface cardtransmits and receives data. You can view the available rates by clicking the down arrow at the rightof the Transmit Rate field.The transmit rate can be set to:• Fully Automatic – your PRISM card chooses the highest available rate providing reliablecommunications based on the capabilities of the Access Point or station with which it communicatesand on the received signal quality• Auto 1 or 2 Mb – allows only 1 and 2 Mb/s operation• 5.5 Mb – allows only 5.5 Mb/s operation• 11 Mb – allows only 11Mb/s operationTo change the Transmit Rate, click the down arrow at the right of the field, highlight the rate you wantto set, and click the Apply button.Under most conditions, you should choose Fully Automatic as the transmit rate. In general, fixed ratesare used only in test environments.Enabling Power Save ModeThe IEEE 802.11 standard provides a Power Save Mode. In this mode your PRISM card listens for abeacon (a periodic frame which defines the network type and attributes) and determines the beaconinterval. Between beacons the card puts itself to sleep, enabling power savings. At the time of theexpected beacon the card wakes itself up and receives the beacon. The received beacon containsinformation about whether the Access Point or station has buffered frames for the card. If frames areavailable the card requests those frames until no more frames are available. The card then goes backto sleep until the next beacon.For Access Points that support power save mode and for stations equipped with WLAN cards,enabling this mode can significantly reduce power consumption, which is particularly important if thehost computer is operating on battery power. However, be aware that power save mode also resultsin lowered transmission and reception speed on the wireless LAN.
22Selecting the Ad Hoc ChannelWhen communicating in AdHoc or Pseudo AdHoc mode, you must specify a channel on whichcommunications will take place. To specify a channel, click the up or down arrow at the right of theAdHoc Channel field until the channel you want to set appears, and then click the Apply button.This field is greyed in infrastructure mode because the channel is automatically selected by theAccess Point.EncrptionThe Encryption menu lets you enable encryption and set the encryption keys. To see the availableencryption methods, click the down arrow at the right of the Encryption {WEP} field.There are two encryption methods available. The IEEE 802.11 specification defines Wired EquivalentPrivacy (WEP) using a 64-bit key. This capability was extended by the industry to allow a 128 bit key.If you specify an encryption method, you will only be able to communicate with Access Points andstations that use the same encryption method and keys.
23Disabling EncryptionTo disable encryption, click the down arrow at the right of the Encryption field, select Disabled, andclick the Apply button.Enabling EncryptionTo enable encryption, click the down arrow at the right of the Encryption field, select either 64 bit or 128bit, and click the Apply button. After enabling an encryption method, you must then specify encryptionkeys, as described in the following sections.Creating Encryption Keys Using a PassphraseTo create encryption keys using a passphrase, click the radio button next to Create Key with Passphraseand type a character string in the Passphrase field. As you type, the Configuration Utility uses analgorithm to generate four keys used for encryption.When you finish typing your character string and click the Apply button, the Configuration Utility usesasterisks to mask both your passphrase and the keys it generates.Using a passphrase to generate the four keys makes it easy to set the same keys for all members ofyour wireless LAN.
24Creating Encryption Keys ManuallyIf you want, you can create encryption keys manually by clicking the radio button next to Create KeyManually, as shown in the following illustration.When you click this button, the cursor appears in the field for Key 1. For 64-bit encryption, you musttype exactly 10 hexadecimal digits in each of the four key fields; for 128-bit encryption, you must typeexactly 26 hexadecimal digits. You then click the Apply button to create your encryption keys. Afteryou click the Apply button, the Configuration Utility uses asterisks to mask your keys.Default KeyThe Default Key field lets you specify which of the four encryption keys you use to transmit data onyour wireless LAN. You can change the default key by clicking on the down arrow at the right of thisfield, selecting the number of the key you want to use, and then clicking the Apply button. As long asthe Access Point or station with which you are communicating has the same key in the same position,you can use any of the keys as the default.
25Link TabThe Link menu provides information on the status of your communications with the wireless LAN.The fields in this menu provide the following information:• State: shows the association state of your computer with the wireless LAN. When operating inInfrastructure mode, this field shows the MAC address of the Access Point with which you arecommunicating. When operating in AdHoc mode, this field shows the virtual MAC address used bycomputers participating in the AdHoc network.• Current Channel: shows the channel on which the connection is made. In Infrastructure mode, thisnumber changes as the radio scans the available channels.• Current Tx Rate: shows the highest transmit rate of the current association.• Throughput: shows the short term transmit and receive throughput in bytes/second, and iscontinuously updated.• Link Quality: is based on the quality of the received signal of the Access Point beacon.• Signal Strength: is based on the received signal strength measurement of the baseband processor ofthe Beacon signal.You can click the Rescan button to force the radio to rescan all available channels. If your link qualityor signal strength is poor, rescanning can be used to push the radio off a weak Access Point andsearch for a better link with another Access Point.
26About TabThe About menu provides information on the version of the Network Driver, the Configuration Utility,and the firmware in the PRISM WLAN Interface card. In addition, this menu also provides the MACaddress of the PRISM card.
276. TroubleshootingTo make the installation of Wireless LAN 11Mbps Card more users friendly, we have suggestedfollowing the installation steps one by one as listed in the section 4 and section 5. Still you encountersome problems while installing the Wireless LAN 11Mbps Card or you want to confirm whether yourcard is installed properly or not, we have listed the procedure for checking the various componentsafter you have installed the card. In first part of Troubleshooting, we have suggested the users tocheck the various properties of the card to check the proper installation. In second section, we havelisted the various problems that you may encounter during the installation and have also listed thepossible solution. Check the first part to guess the probable reason of unsuccessful installation.Procedure to Check the Various Properties of Card after Installation under Windows 98:Please check the followings if you encounter some problem while installing the Mini-PCI card or yourMini-PCI card is non-functional.1. Click on the Control Panel and then on PC Card. Check whether it has PC card in one of thesockets or not. If you find Wireless LAN Card in one of the sockets, it means the card isdetected properly. If you see the Yellow sign of Question-mark (?), the resources are conflicting.2. Right click on My Computer and the select Properties. Select the Device Manager and clickon the Network Adapter. You will find Wireless LAN 11Mbps Card if it is installedsuccessfully. If you see the Yellow sign the resources are conflicting. Click on Mini-PCI Cardand then on Mini-PCI Card Service, you can see the status of Mini-PCI card. If there are yellowsip either on adapter or Mini-PCI card, please check the followings.1. Check if your Notebook supports 3.3V Card.2. Check if your Notebook has a free IRQ. If not, make an IRQ free by assigningthe same IRQ to some devices, for example COM 1, COM 2 can be assigned sameIRQ values.3. Check that you have inserted the right card and have installed the proper driver.
28For the Card under Windows 2000:Please check the followings if you encounter some problem while installing the Mini-PCI card or yourMini-PCI card is non-functional.1. Check the Windows 2000 Diagnostics. You should find out whether there is any conflictin the resource allocation or the I/O address, IRQ allocations. If you find that the IRQ orI/O addresses are already assigned to some other devices, you must change that value.I/O address needs 40h byte length.2. Click on the Control panel. Double click on the Mini-PCI Card, you will see Wireless LANMini-PCI 11Mbps Card . Double clicking on that will show you the Card Information,driver name and the driver file. You must confirm the name of the driver and the driver fileas "cw10" and "cw10.sys". If you do not find the names as we listed before, there aresome problems and the driver is not installed properly. Reinstall the driver.Note: Check the PnP BIOS setup menu and select no in case of the Wireless LAN 11MbpsCard installation.

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