Micro Star MS6978 Wireless Lan Box (USB Adapter) User Manual 8801
Micro Star International Co Ltd Wireless Lan Box (USB Adapter) 8801
users manual
MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 1. Introduction 1.1 WLAN BOX The MS-6978 WLAN BOX is a standard USB Adapter which fits into any USB Interface. It has two LED indicators and an integrated internal diversity antenna. Now our WLAN BOX combines the advantage of USB Adapter and Wireless LAN, which overcomes the limitations of wired networks. It provides fast, simple, mobile and reliable access, and is designed for computers with Microsoft Windows® 98SE, ME, 2000, and XP. 1.2 System Requirements Installation of the WLAN BOX, you will need: 1. Desktop/Notebook PC compatible computer with USB interface and CD-ROM drive. 2. Windows ® 98SE/ME/2000/XP operating system. 3. Minimum 5M bytes free disk space for installing the WLAN BOX driver and utility program. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION INTERFERENCE STATEMENT This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: -- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. -- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. -- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. -- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. CAUTION: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the grantee of this device could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 1.3 Package Content Unpack the package and check all the items carefully. If any item contained is damaged or missing, please contact your local dealer as soon as possible. Also, keep the box and packing materials in case you need to ship the unit in the future. Your WLAN BOX package should contain the following items: LMK PWR MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Manual USB Cable Software CD MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 1.4 Connecting to PC LMK PWR Connecting this A-connector to the USB connector of your Desktop/Notebook PC. Connecting this B-type connector to the WLAN BOX. MSI Reminds You... We strongly recommend that the WLAN BOX should put vertically while using to get better performance instead of laying horizontally. User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 2. Driver and Utility Installation This part provides the procedure to install drivers and the utility. Each installation procedure comes with a drawing and instruction. Follow the instruction step by step to finish installation. Please note that the WLAN BOX should be connected into your PC after the installation of driver and utility is finished. 2.1 Installation for Windows® 98SE/ME/2000 During the installation, Windows ® 98SE/ME/2000 may need to copy Windows system files from the Windows® 98SE/ME/2000/ XP installation disk/CD. Therefore please prepare a copy of the Windows ® 98SE/ME/2000 installation disk/CD at hand before installing the driver if possible. Installation Procedure: 1. Insert the WLAN BOX installation CD into your CD-ROM drive, and then the setup program should start automatically. If it doesn’t start, click the Start button at the Taskbar and then select Run. Enter E:\setup.exe if E is your CD-drive. 2. Then click Next to read the License Agreement and click Yes to MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide agree with and continue, or No to end the installation. Then specify the location that you want the software installed in your computer. 3. Then click Next to start installation, then click Finish to continue as you are notified the installation has been completed. User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 4. InstallShield Wizard may ask you to restart your computer. Choose Yes and click Finish to restart your PC. 5. After restarting your PC, you will find a icon indicated MSI Wireless LAN on your taskbar. Just double-click on it for configuration. “MSI Wireless LAN “icon MSI Reminds You... This icon will not appear in Windows® XP operating system environment. Windows ® XP uses “Wireless Network Connection” interface to control the device instead. MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 2.2 Installation for Windows® XP Installation Procedure: 1. The first 3 procedues will be the same as in Windows® 98SE/ME/ 2000. Please refer to step 1 to 3 at page 4 to 5. 2. Insert your MS-6978 WLAN BOX software into your computer, and the following window will appear. Choose Install the software automatically (Recommended) and click Next. User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 3. The Found New Hradware Wizard will start searching for MSI PC2PC WLAN Card. Click Next to continue. 4. Please wait for the system to install the software of the new hardware. It may take few minutes. MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 5. The new hardware installation is complete. Click Finish to close the wizard. 6. After the hardware installation finished, click on the Wireless Network Connection icon in the right bottom of system bar, then click View Available Wireless Network. User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 7. The Connect to Wireless Network window appears. Choose which network you’d like to join in Available networks: list, then click Connect. 8. The connection is available if you see the following pop-up near the Wireless Network Connection icon in the right bottom of system bar. MSI Reminds You... Please note you can only connect to one network each time. If you want to connect to another network, please select the desired network then click the Connect button again. 10 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide Advanced settings You may do some advanced settings with the following steps: 1. Right click on the Wireless Network Connection icon and choose View available wireless networks, then click Connect to wireless Network. 2. The Connect to Wireless Network window appears. Click Advanced. 11 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 2. The Wireless Networks tab appears. All the available networks will show in the Available Networks fields, and you can click Refresh button to refresh or search for the available networks. You may also choose the networks you prefer in the Preferred networks and use the Move up/Move down button to set the priority of your preferred networks. 3. Click on the Configure button to configure the status of existed networks, or click on the Add button to add a new network. 12 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 4. The window below will appear to let you add, configure or set encryption for the network. 13 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 4. Click Advanced button in the Wireless Network Connection Properties, and the window below will appear. You can set the desired option according your preference or situation. h Any available network (access point preferred) --- Any available network detected can be selected. h Access point (infrastructure) networks only --- Only access point (infrastructure) networks can be accessed and connected. h Computer-to-computer (ad hoc) networks only --- Only ad hoc networks within the range of your computer can be accessed and connected. h Automatically connect to non-preferred networks --- Check this box to automatically connect to available networks that do not appear in the Preferred networks list. 14 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 2.3 Uninstallation for Windows® 98SE/ME/2000/XP If you want to uninstall PC2PC Wireless LAN Software, please follow the steps as below: MSI Reminds You... We strongly recommend to uninstall the older version first before you install updated driver. Uninstall Procedure: 1. From the right bottom corner of system bar, right-click on the icon, and a window will appear as below. Please note this procedure is only for Windows ® 98SE/ME/2000. Click Exit. 15 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 2. Select Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs. Choose PC2PC Wireless LAN Software in the Install/Uninstall list.Then click Add/Remove, and click OK. 3. The software will be removed automatically. 16 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 3. Configure the Configuration Utility for Windows® 98SE/ME/2000 MSI Wireless LAN Monitor Utility is a powerful application which helps you to configure MSI PC2PC WLAN Card, change Adapter information about link, configuration and encryption, show the information of utility/driver/firmwave version, and monitor the statistics of the communication. 3.1 Monitor The Monitor screen provides information of the current link between the MSI PC2PC WLAN Card and the wireless Access Point. You need to click Change first to adjust the settings, then click Submit to save your changes. 17 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX Operating Mode: h Ad-Hoc --- this is non-standard peer-to-peer mode of operation and needs no Access Point. When wireless clients are operated in this mode, all wireless clients require the same channel number and SSID. When “Ad-Hoc” mode is selected, the utility will provide a selection for channel setting. h Infrastructure --- this mode of operation needs the use of an Access Point. In this mode, all wireless communicatins between computers have to be via the Access Point. You may consult to your Network Administrator if you are not familiar with the settings described above. Channel: Specify the operating radio frequency channel in “Ad-Hoc” mode, which should be set to the same channel as the other points in the wireless network. SSID: Means Service Set Identifier, an unique name shared among all points in a wireless network. It must be identical for all points in the network. MS-6978 will be able to connect to an Access Point with the same SSID. Tx Rate: This field sets the current transmitting rate of the USB Adapter. There are four fixed rates: 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, and 11 Mbps. The Tx Rate should be set to Auto rate to optimize performance and range, which will adjust the transfer speed for best performance and longest range automatically. Radio: Set to On to activate the radio. Status: It shows status information about the radio link. h Signal Strengh --- This bar shows the received signal strength level. The higher the blue bar is, the more power the radio signal 18 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide is received by the USB Adapter. Link Quality --- This bar shows the measured signal level and connection status. The higher the blue bar is, the better the radio signal is received by the USB Adapter. MSI Reminds You... These two bars are available only in “Infrastructure” Operating Mode. 19 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 3.2 Statistics This option shows the available statistic information, including Data Packets, Management Packets and Rejected Packets. Press Clear to renew this statistics list. 20 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 3.3 Site Survey By choosing this Site Survey option in any of the two modes, all the channels can be scanned in order to find all the access points within the range of your card. It includes the information about BSSID (Basic Service Set Identification) and SSID of the access point(s), the signal strengh, the channel where the access point(s) operates, and whether or not WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption is used. You may press Re-Scan button to update this list. If you want to associate with any of the Access Point(s), double click on the desired one, and the system will bring you back to the Monitor screen to show you the parameters of the connection newly established. 21 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 3.4 Encryption By choosing this option in any of the two modes, you can set for different WEP keys and specify which one of them to use. Encryption: You may enable or disable encryption function in this option. Key #1 ~ Key #4: If you enable encryption, you may choose any of the available WEP keys in these fields in 64-bit or 128-bit WEB keys. h 64 Bit --- There will be 10 hexadecimal digital. h 128 Bit --- There will be 26 hexadecimal digital. 22 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide WEP Key to use: The key you choose should be the same for each point on the network. WEP mode: This field let you set the WEP mode. The setting options are Mandatory and Optional. h Mandatory --- If you choose this mode, not only WEP will be used, but also any other station needs to use WEP encryption in order to establish a communication with your station. h Optional --- In Optional mode, your station can communicate with every other station regardless if they use WEP or not. MSI Reminds You... The WEP keys must be in HEX format. Authenication Type: MS-6978 supports two types of authentication: Open System, Shared Key. h Open System --- It is the authentication algorithm used by MS6978, which is also the default selection. If the Access Point is used Open System authentication, then the wireless adapter will need to be set to the same authentication type. h Shared Key --- It is available only when WEP encrption is enabled on MS-6978. Shared Key authentication supports authentication of hosts as either a member of a group with a shared secret key or a member of those who don’t have a shared secret key. The use of WEP privacy mechanism is required to share the key without transmitting the secret key in the open in Shared Key authenication. Finally click Submit to save the changes. 23 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 3.5 Advanced In this option you can change advanced configuration settings, such as Preamble Type, Fregmentation Threshold, RTS/CTS Threshold. Preamble Type: You may set the length of preamble in this field. Setting options: Long, Short, Auto. h Long --- It is set to 144 bits. h Short --- It is set to 72 bits. h Auto ---MS-6978 supports an auto-detection feature, it automatically selects the Preamble Type depending on the Access Point Preamble Type if this option is selected. 24 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide Fragmentation Threshold: You may set the length of the fragment in this field. Please note that each fragment should not be larger than the Fragmentation Threshold. RTS/CTS Threshold: You may set the length threshold. Only when the length of the MPDU is greater than the length threshold, an USB adapter uses a RTS/CTS exchange for directed frames. MSI Reminds You... Changing the settings here is not recommended unless you are familiar with those advanced configurations. 25 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 3.6 Info The Info screen shows the information about MSI PC2PC WLAN card, including Driver, Firewave, Application and MAC Address. Click the MSI hyperlink and it will bring you to MSI website for more information and technical support of this product. 26 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 4. Connecting to a Network This part describes how to prepare for connection to network and some basic outline of networking basics, including sharing files, printing from an computer on the network, or accessing the Internet on multiple computers with one connection. The following in Control Panel -> Network -> Configuration is required for all computers if you want to connect to a network: 1. Check Client for Microsoft Network is installed. 2. Check TCP/IP -> MSI PC2PC WLAN Card is installed. 3. Check File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks. 4.1 Computer Identification Please verify that each computer has a unique name and common workgroup name, if you had previously given your Windows 98SE/ ME/2000 computers names. 1. On your Desktop, right-click the icon My Network Places select Properties from the context menu. 27 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 2. Click the Identification tab in the dialog box. 3. In the Computer name box, type a unique, identifying name for this particular computer. This will be the name of this computer used by other computers on your network to communicate with. Each computer’s name must be unique on a particular network to avoid confusion. Please note that the computer’s name should not be more than 15 characters without space. 4. Type the workgroup name which this computer will belong to in the Workgroup box. All the computers on your network should have an identical Workgroup name. 5. The Computer Description box is optional. You may enter a description that helps to identify this computer on your network. 28 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide Then click Close. 6. Repeat this process for each computer on your network to ensure that they all have unique “Computer Name” and identical “Workgroup”. 4.2 How to install TCP/IP By default, Windows ® 98SE/ME/2000 will install TCP/IP automatically. 1. Go to Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. Double-click on the Network. 29 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 2. If you do see the TCP/IP network as the following screen, plese select the MSI PC2PC WLAN Card, and click Add. Select Protocal, and click Add. 30 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 3. Select Microsort, then scroll down to select TCP/IP. Now the TCP/IP for MSI PC2PC WLAN Card will be available. Now the TCP/IP installation is finished. 4.3 Configuring a Dynamic IP Address When the drivers are installed, the default setting here is set to obtain IP dynamically through a DHCP server. If you’d like check or change the settings, please follow the steps below: 1. Go to Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. 31 User’s Guide 2. Double-click on Network. 3. Click on TCP/IP and then click Properties. 32 MS-6978 WLAN BOX MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 4. When the TCP/IP Properties window appears, choose IP Address tab and select Obtain an IP Address Automatically. 5. When the Network properties window comes back up, click OK. Then click Yes to reboot the computer. 4.4 Configuring a Static IP Address 1. Go to Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. 33 User’s Guide 2. Double-click on Network. 3. Click on TCP/IP and then click Properties. 34 MS-6978 WLAN BOX MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 4. When the TCP/IP Properties window appears, choose IP Address tab and select Specify an IP Address. 5. Enter an IP address into the empty field. Suggested IP Range is 172.16.0.2 to 172.16.0.254, and suggested Subnet Mask is 255. 255.255.0 Then click OK. When the Network Properties window comes back up, click OK. Then click Yes to reboot the computer. MSI Reminds You... IP Addresses must be signed uniquely to each network adapter . 35 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 4.5 Checking TCP/IP Address of the MSI PC2PC WLAN Card For Window® 98SE/ME: 1. 2. 3. 4. Go to Start -> Run. Enter command in the Open: box. Click OK. A DOS prompt window appears. Enter winipcfg in the Open box. Click OK. 5. The IP Configuration screen will be displayed, and the IP address will be displayed in the IP Address box. Please make sure the configuration of IP Address, Subnet Mask and Default Gateway is correct. 36 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 6. Click on More Info to display additional IP information. 37 User’s Guide For Window® 2000/XP: 1. 2. 3. 4. 38 Go to Start -> Run.. Enter command in the Open box. Click OK. A DOS prompt window appears. Enter ipconfig /all to display IP information. MS-6978 WLAN BOX MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 4.6 Checking the Connection by Pinging 1. Go to Start -> Run.. 2. Enter command in the Open box. Click OK. 3. A DOS prompt window appears. 4. Type ping 172.16.0.1, which is the the IP address of the Gateway in this case , and press Enter key. Then you’ll get replies if the pinging is successful. 39 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 4.7 Sharing Files You may now open and save files on other computer once your computers are connected together on a network. You will also be able to specify particular folders or disk drives to “share” and even password to protect them. Please verify that each computer has a unique name and common workgroup name, if you had previously given your Windows ® 98SE/ME/2000 computers names. Follw the steps below to share specific files and folders with other computers on your network. 1. On your Desktop, right-click the My Network Places icon and select Properties from the context menu. 2. You will configure your computers network settings in this dialog mostly. It is also available through the Network icon in the Control Panel. 3. Click the File and Print Sharing button. 40 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 4. Click to put a check mark next to I want to be able to give others acccess to my files. 5. Then click OK on the File and Print Sharing dialog box. 6. Click OK on the Network dialog box. 7. Provide the Windows ® 98SE/2000/ME CD or direct Windows to the proper location of the installation files if prompted. Then reboot if prompted. 8. Now you can identify a particular folder or disk drive to share, which means you can share a folder that both you and your family member/colleaque needs to access occassionally. You can also share your CD-ROM drive for others to use if your other computer does not have CDROM. Both of these processes are the same. Only the disk drives and folders that you specifically identify as shared will be accessible to other computers on your network. 9. Locate the disk drive or folder you want to share in Windows Explorer or the My Computer icon on your desktop. 10. Right-click on the disk drive or folder and select Sharing. 41 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 11. Select Share As: to set the parameters for sharing this particular disk drive or folder. 12. The Share Name: box is used to identify the disk drive or folder you are sharing to other computers on the network, which can be helpful as more resources on your network for others. 13. The Comment: box is optional, which can be used to further describe the disk drive or folder for others on the network. 14. Access Type: allows you to designate how much someone else can do with this disk drive or folder. Read-Only only allows others to look at or open the files on the disk drive or in the folder. Full allows others to read, write, open, save, copy, move, and even delete files on the disk or in the folder. Depends on Password gives other computers access conditional on the password they provide. 15. Passwords: allow you to apply a level of security to your shared disk drives and folders. Any other computer (user) will be asked 42 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide to enter the password you designate here before accessing the disk drive or folder. Two passwords are used to give two levels of security (or access) to others on the network using the Depends on Password setting. Leaving the Password boxes empty will give everyone on the network access to the disk drive or folder. 16. Click OK to continue. You will be prompted to enter the password(s) you provided for verification. Type the password (s) just as you entered them again. 17. Now you may access this disk drive or folder from another computer on your network. You may do so by double-clicking the My Network Places icon on your desktop or inside Windows Explorer. 18. Navigate to the computer with the shared disk drive or folder (recognized by the Computer Name you provided) and doubleclick. Now you should see the disk drive or folder, and doubleclick. If you specified a password when sharing this disk drive or folder, you will be asked for the password. 19. You can access a disk drive or folder shared over the network from most Windows ® 98/ME/2000 applications. You can map these disk drives and folers to a drive letter on another computer to make this process easier. For example, on a computer where you are accessing a shared folder from another computer, inside Windows Explorer right-click and select Map Network Drive. Now you are able to assign an available drive letter. Checking Reconnect at logon allows Windows to map this network drive each time when you start your computer. 43 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 4.8 Use Windows® XP as Access Point Windows® XP provides an feature in the Control Panel to help to link two networks.. 1. In the Control Panel, select Network Connections and the window below will appear. 2. Select Wireless Network Connection and Local Area Connection simultaneously, and right click to select Bridge Connections. 44 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 3. Then go to Start -> Run. Enter cmd in the Open box, the click OK. A DOS prompt window appears. 4. Then type net bridge show adapter. 5. Then type netsh bridge set adapter X forcecompatmode=enable, where X is your ethernet identifier. 6. Then type netsh bridge set adapter Y forcecompatmode=enable, where Y is your wireless identifier. 45 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 7. Right click the Wireless Network Connection icon in the right bottom of system bar, choose View Available Wireless Network ---> Advanced. You will get Wireless Network Connection Properties window. Click Add button to add a new wireless network connection. 46 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 8. Enter the namae for this new network in the Network name (SSID):, and put a check mark next to This is a computer-tocomputer (ad-hoc) network; wireless access point are not used. In this case, this computer will function as an access point, while other computers can use this network name (which is “aaa” in the picture below) to connect to. Once they connect successfully, they could access the ethernet LAN via Network Neighborhood. 47 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 5. Troubleshooting This part describes the problems and corresponding solutions of driver installation. To check if the wireless network adapter drivers are loaded properly: 1. Go to Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. 2. Double-click on System. 48 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 3. Click on the Device Manager Tab. 4. Click on the “+” symbol in front of Network Adapters. 5. Highlight MSI PC2PC WLAN Card. 6. Click on Properties. 49 User’s Guide MS-6978 WLAN BOX 7. Check under Device Status to see if the MSI PC2PC WLAN Card is working properly. 50 MS-6978 WLAN BOX User’s Guide 6. Technical Support Micro-Star International provides free technical support. If a problem arises with your system and no solution can be obtained from this user’s manual, please contact your place of purchase or local distributor. Alternatively, please try the following help resources for further guidance. Visit the MSI website for FAQ, technical guide, driver and software updates, and other information: http://www.msi. com.tw/ Contact our technical staff at: support@msi.com.tw 51
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