LINKSYS WPCI54G Wireless-G PCI Adapter User Manual

LINKSYS LLC Wireless-G PCI Adapter

Contents

users manual 1

Instant Wireless®Series
User Guide
Wireless-G
PCI Adapter
Use this Guide to install:
WMP54G
COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARKS
Specifications are subject to change without notice. Copyright © 2003 Linksys, All Rights
Reserved. Instant Wireless, Linksys, and the Linksys logo are registered trademarks of
Linksys Group, Inc. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows logo are registered trade-
marks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks and brand names are the proper-
ty of their respective proprietors.
LIMITED WARRANTY
Linksys guarantees that every Instant Wireless®Wireless-G PCI Adapter will be free from
physical defects in material and workmanship for three years from the date of purchase,
when used within the limits set forth in the Specifications section of this User Guide.
This Warranty is valid and may be processed only in the country of purchase.
If the product proves defective during this warranty period, go to the Linksys website at
www.linksys.com
for complete RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) assistance. You
can also call Linksys Technical Support in order to obtain a RMA Number. BE SURE TO
HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE AND A BARCODE FROM THE PRODUCT’S PACK-
AGING ON HAND WHEN CALLING. RETURN REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED
WITHOUT PROOF OF PURCHASE. When returning a product, mark the RMA Number
clearly on the outside of the package and include a copy of your original proof of pur-
chase. All customers located outside of the United States of America and Canada shall
be held responsible for shipping and handling charges.
IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYS'S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE PROD-
UCT FROM DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAM-
AGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE PRODUCT, ITS ACCOMPANYING SOFT-
WARE, OR ITS DOCUMENTATION. LINKSYS OFFERS NO REFUNDS FOR ITS PROD-
UCTS. Linksys makes no warranty or representation, expressed, implied, or statutory,
with respect to its products or the contents or use of this documentation and all accom-
panying software, and specifically disclaims its quality, performance, merchantability, or
fitness for any particular purpose. Linksys reserves the right to revise or update its prod-
ucts, software, or documentation without obligation to notify any individual or entity.
Please direct all inquiries to:
Linksys P.O. Box 18558, Irvine, CA 92623.
SAFETY AND REGULATORY NOTICES
FCC STATEMENT
The Instant Wireless®Wireless-G PCI Adapter has been tested and complies with the
specifications for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio fre-
quency energy and, if not installed and used according to the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that inter-
ference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which is found by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
•Increase the separation between the equipment or devices
•Connect the equipment to an outlet other than the receiver's
•Consult a dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for assistance
FCC Caution: Any change or modification to the product not expressly approved by
Linksys could void the user's authority to operate the device.
FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement
To comply with the FCC and ANSI C95.1 RF exposure limits, the antenna(s) for this
device must comply with the following:
• Access points with 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz integrated antenna must operate with a sepa-
ration distance of at least 20 cm from all persons using the cable provided and must
not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.
End-users must be provided with specific operations for satisfying RF exposure compli-
ance.
Note: Dual antennas used for diversity operation are not considered co-located.
Canadian Department of Communications Industry Canada (IC) Notice
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003 and RSS-210.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 et CNR-210
du Canada.
"To prevent radio interference to the licensed service, this device is intended to be oper-
ated indoors and away from windows to provide maximum shielding. Equipment (or its
transmit antenna) that is installed outdoors is subject to licensing."
" Pour empêcher que cet appareil cause du brouillage au service faisant l'objet d'une
licence, il doit être utilisé à l'intérieur et devrait être placé loin des fenêtres afin de fournir
un écran de blindage maximal. Si le matériel (ou son antenne d'émission) est installé à
l'extérieur, il doit faire l'objet d'une licence. "
EC DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY (EUROPE)
Linksys Group declares that the Instant Wireless®Series products included in the Instant
Wireless®Series conform to the specifications listed below, following the provisions of the
European R&TTE directive 1999/5/EC, EMC directive 89/336/EEC, and Low Voltage
directive 73/23/EEC:
For 2.4 GHz devices with 100 mW radios, the following standards were applied:
• ETS 300-826, 301 489-1 General EMC requirements for Radio equipment.
• EN 609 50 Safety
• ETS 300-328-2 Technical requirements for Radio equipment.
Caution: This equipment is intended to be used in all EU and EFTA countries. Outdoor
use may be restricted to certain frequencies and/or may require a license for operation.
Contact local Authority for procedure to follow.
Note: Combinations of power levels and antennas resulting in a radiated power level of
above 100 mW equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) are considered as not com-
pliant with the above mentioned directive and are not allowed for use within the European
community and countries that have adopted the European R&TTE directive 1999/5/EC
and/or the CEPT recommendation Rec 70.03.
For more details on legal combinations of power levels and antennas, contact Linksys
Corporate Compliance.
• Linksys Group vakuuttaa täten että Instant Wireless®Wireless-G PCI Adapter tyyp-
pinen laite on direktiivin 1999/5/EY, direktiivin 89/336/EEC ja direktiivin 73/23/EEC
oleellisten vaatimusten ja sitä koskevien näiden direktiivien muiden ehtojen
mukainen.
• Linksys Group déclare que la Instant Wireless®Wireless-G PCI Adapter est conforme
aux conditions essentielles et aux dispositions relatives à la directive 1999/5/EC, la
directive 89/336/EEC, et à la directive 73/23/EEC.
• Belgique B L'utilisation en extérieur est autorisé sur le canal 11 (2462 MHz), 12 (2467
MHz), et 13 (2472 MHz). Dans le cas d'une utilisation privée, à l'extérieur d'un bâti-
ment, au-dessus d'un espace public, aucun enregistrement n'est nécessaire pour
une distance de moins de 300m. Pour une distance supérieure à 300m un enreg-
istrement auprès de l'IBPT est requise. Pour une utilisation publique à l'extérieur de
bâtiments, une licence de l'IBPT est requise. Pour les enregistrements et licences,
veuillez contacter l'IBPT.
• France F:
2.4 GHz Bande : les canaux 10, 11, 12, 13 (2457, 2462, 2467, et 2472 MHz respec-
tivement) sont complétement libres d'utilisation en France (en utilisation intérieur).
Pour ce qui est des autres canaux, ils peuvent être soumis à autorisation selon le
départment. L'utilisation en extérieur est soumis à autorisation préalable et très
restreint.
2.4 GHz Band: only channels 10, 11, 12, 13 (2457, 2462, 2467, and 2472 MHz
respectively) may be used freely in France for indoor use. License required for out-
door installations.
• Deutschland D: Anmeldung im Outdoor-Bereich notwending, aber nicht genehmi-
gungspflichtig. Bitte mit Händler die Vorgehensweise abstimmen.
• Germany D: License required for outdoor installations. Check with reseller for proce-
dure to follow.
• Italia I: E' necessaria la concessione ministeriale anche per l'uso interno. Verificare
con i rivenditori la procedura da seguire. L'uso per installazione in esterni non e' per-
messa.
• Italy I: License required for indoor use. Use with outdoor installations not allowed.
• The Netherlands NL License required for outdoor installations. Check with reseller for
procedure to follow.
• Nederlands NL Licentie verplicht voor gebruik met buitenantennes. Neem contact op
met verkoper voor juiste procedure.
WMP54G_V2-UG-30508A BW
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
The Wireless-G PCI Adapter 1
Features 1
Chapter 2: Planning Your Wireless Network 2
Network Topology 2
Ad-Hoc versus Infrastructure Mode 2
Chapter 3: Getting to Know the
Wireless-G PCI Adapter 4
Chapter 4: Hardware and Driver Installation and
Configuration for Windows XP 5
Overview 5
Hardware Installation for Windows XP 5
Driver Installation for Windows XP 6
Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration 7
Chapter 5: Software Installation and Configuration
for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000 10
Overview 10
Setup Wizard Instructions for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000 11
Chapter 6: Hardware Installation for Windows
98SE, Me, and 2000 14
Chapter 7: Using the WLAN Monitor for Windows
98SE, Me, and 2000 15
Overview 15
Accessing the WLAN Monitor 15
Link Information 16
Site Survey 17
Profiles 19
Creating a New Profile 21
Instant Wireless
®
Series Wireless-G PCI Adapter
Chapter 1: Introduction
The Linksys Wireless-G PCI Adapter installs in most desktops and lets you put
your computer almost anywhere in the building, without the cost and hassle of
running network cables. Now you don't have to drill holes in your walls and
climb through the attic or cellar to get connected to the network. Once you're
connected, you can keep in touch with your e-mail, access the Internet, use
instant messaging to chat with friends, and share files and other resources such
as printers and network storage with other computers on the network.
The Wireless-G PCI Adapter connects you with Wireless-G networks at an
incredible 54Mbps! And for added versatility, it can also interoperate with all
the 11Mbps Wireless-B (802.11b) products found in homes, businesses, and
public wireless hotspots around the country. And in either mode, your wireless
communications are protected by up to 128-bit encryption, so your data stays
secure.
So don't hassle with running cables through your house - get your desktop con-
nected the easy way with the Linksys Wireless-G PCI Adapter.
• Operates in the 2.4Ghz frequency spectrum with throughput of up to 54
Mbps
• Complies with IEEE 802.11g draft standards, and backwards compatible
with IEEE 802.11b products
• Up to 128-bit WEP encryption
• 32-bit PCI Interface
• Compatible with Windows 98SE, Millennium, 2000 and XP
The Wireless-G PCI Adapter
Features
1
Appendix A: Troubleshooting 26
Common Problems and Solutions 26
Frequently Asked Questions 26
Appendix B: Glossary 30
Appendix C: Specifications 38
Environmental 39
Appendix D: Warranty Information 40
Appendix E: Contact Information 41
Wireless-G PCI Adapter
Instant Wireless
®
Series
If the wireless network is relatively small and needs to share resources only
with the other computers on the wireless network, then the ad-hoc mode can
be used. (See Figure 2-2.) Ad-hoc mode allows computers equipped with wire-
less transmitters and receivers to communicate directly with each other, elimi-
nating the need for an access point. The drawback of this mode is that, in Ad-
Hoc mode, wireless-equipped computers are not able to communicate with
computers on a wired network. And, of course, communication between the
wireless-equipped computers is limited by the distance and interference direct-
ly between them.
32
Figure 2-2
Chapter 2: Planning Your Wireless
Network
A wireless local area network (WLAN) is exactly like a regular local area net-
work (LAN), except that each computer in the WLAN uses a wireless device to
connect to the network. Computers in a WLAN share the same frequency
channel and SSID, which is an identification name for wireless devices.
Unlike wired networks, wireless networks have two different modes in which
they may be set up: infrastructure and ad-hoc. In an infrastructure configu-
ration a WLAN and wired LAN communicate to each other through an access
point. In ad-hoc configuration, wireless-equipped computers communicate
directly with each other. Choosing between these two modes depends on
whether or not the wireless network needs to share data or peripherals with a
wired network or not.
If the computers on the
wireless network need to
be accessed by a wired
network or need to share a
peripheral, such as a print-
er, with the wired network
computers, the wireless
network should be set up
in infrastructure mode.
(See Figure 2-1.) The
basis of infrastructure
mode centers around an
access point, which serves
as the main point of communications between a wired and wireless network.
Access points transmit data to PCs equipped with wireless network adapters,
which can roam within a certain radial range of the access point. Multiple
access points can be arranged to work in succession to extend the roaming
range, and can be set up to communicate with your Ethernet (wired) hardware
as well.
Network Topology
Ad-Hoc versus Infrastructure Mode
Figure 2-1
Wireless-G PCI Adapter
5
Chapter 4: Hardware and Driver
Installation and Configuration for
Windows XP
After installing the Adapter into your PC, you will install the driver and con-
figure the Adapter.
1. Turn off your desktop PC.
2. Open your PC case and locate an available PCI slot on the motherboard.
Check with your computer manufacturer for instructions.
3. Slide the PCI Adapter into the PCI slot. Make sure that all of its pins are
touching the slot's contacts. You may have to apply a bit of pressure to slide
the adapter all the way in. After the adapter is firmly in place, secure its fas-
tening tab to your PC's chassis with a mounting screw. Then, close your PC.
4. Attach the external antenna to the adapter’s antenna port.
5. Power on your desktop PC.
You have now completed the hardware installation for
the Adapter. To install the driver for the Adapter, proceed to the next
section, “Driver Installation for Windows XP.”
Instant Wireless
®
Series
4
Chapter 3: Getting to Know the
Wireless-G PCI Adapter
The PCI Adapter will install into your PC like any PCI adapter and, on the
mounting bracket, you will find two distinguishing items:
ACT LED Green. The ACT LED lights up when the Adapter is powered
on.
Antenna Port Attach the PCI Adapter’s antenna here and position it for
maximum performance, which is usually perpendicular to
the horizon.
Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000 users: Go to Chapter 5: Software
Installation and Configuration for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000.
Hardware Installation for Windows XP
Overview
Instant Wireless
®
Series
1. Windows XP will automatically detect the Adapter. Insert the Setup CD-
ROM into the CD-ROM drive and the screen in Figure 4-1 should appear.
Click the radio button next to Install the software automatically
(Recommended). Then click the Next button.
6
Figure 4-1
Wireless-G PCI Adapter
2. When Windows
has finished
installing the
driver, click the
Finish button.
You have now completed the driver installation for
the Adapter. To configure the Adapter, proceed to the next section,
“Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration.”
1. After installing the Adapter, the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration
icon will appear in your computer’s system tray (see Figure 4-3). Double-
click the icon.
7
Figure 4-2
For Windows XP users: Windows XP has a built-in configuration tool.
Use Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration (in the system tray at
the bottom of your screen) to configure the Adapter.
Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration
Figure 4-3
Driver Installation for Windows XP
Instant Wireless
®
Series
8
2. The screen that appears will show any available wireless network. Select the
network you want.
If you have already enabled WEP encryption on your network, skip ahead
to step 3.
If you have NOT
enabled WEP encryp-
tion on your network,
the screen in Figure 4-4
will appear. Check the
box next to Allow me to
connect to the selected
wireless network, even
though it is not secure.
Then click the Connect
button and continue to
step 4.
3. The screen in Figure 4-5 will appear. Enter the WEP key of your wireless
network in the Network key field, and re-enter it in the Confirm network key
field. Then, click the Connect button.
Figure 4-4
Note: Steps 2 and 3 are the instructions and screenshots for Windows
XP with Service Pack 1 installed. If you have not installed Service
Pack 1, select the network you want, and click the Connect button. If
the network has WEP encryption enabled, enter the WEP key in the
Network key field, and then click the Connect button.
Note: Wireless Zero Configuration does not support the use of a
passphrase. Enter the exact WEP key used by your access point.
Wireless-G PCI Adapter
9
4. The screen in Figure 4-6 will
appear if your connection is
active.
For more information about WEP, refer to your access point’s documentation,
or visit www.linksys.com.
For more information about wireless networking on a Windows XP computer,
enter the keyword wireless in the Windows XP search engine.
Congratulations!
Your PC is now connected to your wireless network.
Figure 4-5
Figure 4-6
Wireless-G Notebook Adapter
11
Instant Wireless
®
Series
10
1. To install the Adapter, click the Install button on the Welcome screen,
Figure 5-1. Click User Guide to view the User Guide or click Exit to exit
the Setup Wizard.
2. After reading the License Agreement, shown in Figure 5-2, click the Next
button to continue the installation, or click the Cancel button to end the
installation.
3. The Setup Wizard will display a screen similar to that shown in Figure 5-3,
asking you to choose a wireless mode. Click the Infrastructure Mode
radio button if you want your wireless computers to network with comput-
ers on your wired network using a wireless access point. Click the Ad-Hoc
Mode radio button if you want multiple wireless computers to network
directly with each other. Do not use Ad-Hoc mode if you want your wire-
less computers to communicate with computers on your wired network.
Setup Wizard Instructions for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000
Figure 5-2
Chapter 5: Software Installation
and Configuration for Windows
98SE, Me, and 2000
The Wireless-G PCI Adapter’s Setup Wizard will guide you through the instal-
lation procedure for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000. The Setup Wizard will
install the WLAN Monitor and driver, as well as configure the Adapter.
Insert the Setup Wizard CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive. The Setup
Wizard should run automatically, and Figure 5-1 should appear. If it does not,
click the Start button and choose Run. In the field that appears, enter
D:\setup.exe (if “D” is the letter of your CD-ROM drive).
Figure 5-1
Overview
Important for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000 users: You must run
the Setup Wizard to install the software before installing the hardware.
Wireless-G Notebook Adapter
13
Instant Wireless
®
Series
12
Network Mode - Select Mixed Mode, and both Wireless-G and Wireless-
B computers will be allowed on the network, but the speed will be reduced.
Select G-Only Mode for maximum speed, but no Wireless-B users will be
allowed on the network.
5. The Setup
Wizard will ask
you to review
your settings (as
in Figure 5-5)
before it starts
to copy files.
Click the Next
button to save
these settings,
or click the
Back button to
change any set-
tings.
6. After the files
have been suc-
cessfully copied,
the screen in
Figure 5-6 will
appear. Click
the Exit button.
Proceed to “Chapter 6: Hardware Installation for Windows 98SE, Me, and
2000.”
Figure 5-5
Figure 5-6
In the SSID field, enter the SSID of your wireless network. The SSID must
be identical for all devices in the network. The default setting is linksys (all
lowercase). Click the Next button, or click the Back button to return to the
previous page.
4. If you chose Infrastructure Mode, go to Step 5 now. If you chose Ad-Hoc
Mode, you’ll see a screen similar to that shown in Figure 5-4. Select the
correct operating channel for your network from the Channel drop-down
menu. Then, select the Network Mode from the drop-down menu. Click the
Next button, and go to Step 5. Click the Back button to change any settings.
Channel - The
channel you
choose should
match the chan-
nel set on the
other devices in
your wireless
network. If you
are unsure about
which channel
to use, select the
default channel
(Channel 6).
Figure 5-3
Figure 5-4
Wireless-G Notebook Adapter
15
Instant Wireless
®
Series
Chapter 6: Hardware Installation for
Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000
1. Turn off your desktop PC.
2. Open your PC case and locate an available PCI slot on the motherboard.
Check with your computer manufacturer for instructions.
3. Slide the PCI Adapter into the PCI slot. Make sure that all of its pins are
touching the slot's contacts. You may have to apply a bit of pressure to slide
the adapter all the way in. After the adapter is firmly in place, secure its fas-
tening tab to your PC's chassis with a mounting screw. Then, close your PC.
4. Attach the external antenna to the adapter’s antenna port.
5. Power on your desktop PC.
You have now completed the hardware installation for
the Adapter.
If you want to check the link information, search for available wireless
networks, or make additional configuration changes, proceed to
“Chapter 7: Using the WLAN Monitor for Windows 98SE, Me, and
2000.”
14
Chapter 7: Using the WLAN Monitor
for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000
Use the WLAN Monitor to check the link information, search for available
wireless networks, or create profiles that hold different configuration settings.
After installing the Adapter, the WLAN Monitor icon will appear
in your system tray. Double-click the icon (see Figure 7-1).
The Link Information screen (Figure 7-2) will appear. From this screen, you can
find out how strong the current wireless signal is and how good the connec-
tion’s quality is. You can also click the More Information button to view addi-
tional status information about the current wireless connection. To search for
available wireless networks, click the Site Survey tab. To perform configura-
tion changes, click the Profiles tab.
Figure 7-1
Figure 7-2
Accessing the WLAN Monitor
Overview
Make sure that you do Chapter 5 and install the software with the
Setup Wizard before you install the hardware.
Wireless-G Notebook Adapter
17
Instant Wireless
®
Series
The Link Information screen displays signal strength and link quality informa-
tion about the current connection and provides a button to click for additional
status information.
Ad-Hoc Mode or Infrastructure Mode - The screen indicates whether the
Adapter is currently working in ad-hoc or infrastructure mode.
Signal Strength - The Signal Strength bar indicates signal strength.
Link Quality - The Link Quality bar indicates the quality of the wireless net-
work connection.
Click the X(Close) button in the upper right corner to exit the WLAN Monitor.
Click the More
Information
button to view
more informa-
tion about the
wireless net-
work connec-
tion. A screen
similar to that
shown in Figure
7-3 will appear.
TCP/IP Setting
IP Address - The IP Address of the Adapter.
Subnet Mask - The Subnet Mask of the Adapter.
Default Gateway - The Default Gateway address of the Adapter.
DHCP - The status of the DHCP client.
DNS - The DNS address of the Adapter.
16
Wireless Network Status
State - The status of the wireless network connection.
SSID - The unique name of the wireless network.
Wireless Mode - The mode of the wireless network currently in use.
Transfer Rate - The data transfer rate of the current connection.
Channel - The channel to which the wireless network devices are set.
WEP - The status of the WEP encryption security feature.
MAC - The MAC address of the wireless network’s access point.
Signal Strength - The Signal Strength bar indicates signal strength.
Link Quality - The Link Quality bar indicates the quality of the wireless net-
work connection.
Click the Back button to return to the initial Link Information screen. Click the
X(Close) button in the upper right corner to exit the WLAN Monitor.
The Site Survey
screen, Figure
7-4, displays a
list of infra-
structure and
ad-hoc networks
available for
connection.
SSID - The SSID or unique name of the wireless network.
Signal - The percentage of signal strength.
Site Survey
Figure 7-4
Link Information
Figure 7-3

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