TwinMOS Technologies WBDRP1 Cardbus Wireless LAN Card User Manual

TwinMOS Technologies Inc. Cardbus Wireless LAN Card

User Manual

TwinMOS OCTOPUS Card Bus 802.11b Card BusWireless LAN AdapterUser’s ManualTwinMOS®
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 1ContentsPACKAGE CONTENTS……........................................................2INTRODUCTION..........................................................................3WIRELESS NETWORK OVERVIEW............................................4OCTOPUS CARD BUS WIRELESS NETWORK SCENARIOS………..6INSTALLATION FOR WINDOWS.............................................…..9CONFIGURATION UTILITY....................................................…..17TROUBLESHOOTING....................................................…..24TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS.......................................…..25PHYSICALSIZE ..............…………………………………………………..........…..26FCC CAUTION ................…………………………………………………..........…..27
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 2PACKAGE CONTENTSUnpack your Octopus Card Bus kit and verify that all items are present.z Octopus Card Bus Wireless LAN Adapterz User’s Manual (on CD)z Driver (on CD)If any of the items described appear to be damaged or missing, please contact your reseller.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 3INTRODUCTIONThe Octopus Card Bus adapter is a wireless network client that complies with the IEEE 802.11bstandard on wireless LANs. The IEEE 802.11b standards compliance means this adapter gives you theflexibility to connect it to any 802.11b network. The IEEE 802.11b Ethernet standard allows you toconnect computers and devices at speeds up to 11Mbps, dependent upon the distance between wirelessadapters, the configuration of your working environment, or the capabilities or limitations of yourcomputer systems.This Octopus Card Bus Adapter supports following WLAN features：z Automatic transmit data rate select mechanism in the transmit range of 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps.z Center frequency channel selection (2.4 GHz)z Roaming over multiple channels.z Supports 32-bit Card Bus interfacez Supports power save modez Support TKIP and AES advanced WLAN securityz 128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption.z Plug and Play installationThis Octopus Card Bus comes with software drivers for the most popular Microsoft Windows operatingsystems and can be integrated into a larger network, running Windows XP, Windows 2000, WindowsME, or Windows 98 in either Ad-Hoc mode or infrastructure mode. This manual provides a quickintroduction to wireless technology and its application as it relates to networking. Take a moment to readthrough this manual and familiarize you with wireless technology. You should also give yourself sometime to become familiar with your new wireless network.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 4WIRELESS NETWORK OVERVIEWA wireless local area network (LAN) is a flexible data communications system implemented as anextension to, or as an alternative for, a wired LAN. Using radio frequency (RF) technology, wirelessLANs transmit and receive data over the air, minimizing the need for wired connections. Thus, wirelessLANs combine data connectivity with user mobility.A local area network that transmit and receive over the air typically in an unlicensed frequency such asthe 2.4GHz band. A wireless LAN does not require lining up devices for line of sight transmission likeIrDA. Wireless access points (base stations) are connected to an Ethernet hub or server and transmit aradio frequency over an area of several hundred to a thousand feet which can penetrate walls and othernonmetal barriers. Roaming users can be handed off from one access point to another like a cellularphone system. Laptops use wireless modems that plug into an existing Ethernet port or that are selfcontained on PC cards, while stand-alone desktops and servers use plug-in cards (ISA, PCI, etc.).Wireless LANs offer the following productivity, convenience, and cost advantages over traditional wirednetworks：Mobility - WLAN provide LAN users to access data in any location within the operating range of theWLAN. Ad-hoc management decisions based on real-time information can significantly improve workerefficiency.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 wire cannot go.Reduced Cost-of-Ownership - While the initial investment required for wireless LAN hardware canbe higher than the cost of wired LAN hardware, overall installation expenses and life-cycle costs can besignificantly lower. Long-term cost benefits are greatest in dynamic environments requiring frequentmoves and changes.Scalability - Wireless LAN systems can be configured in a variety of topologies to meet the needs ofspecific applications and installations. Configurations are easily changed and range from peer-to-peernetworks suitable for a small number of users to full infrastructure networks of thousands of users thatenable roaming over a broad area.Installation ConsiderationsDesigned to go up to 300 feet (100 meters) indoors and up to 900 feet (273 meters) outdoors, OctopusCard Bus lets you access your network from virtually anywhere you want. Keep in mind, however, thatthe number and thickness of walls, ceilings or other objects that the wireless signals must pass thru maylimit range. Typical ranges vary depending on the types of materials and background RF noise in your
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 5home or business. The key to maximizing range is to follow these basic principles:
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 6Keep the number of walls and ceilings between the access point and your receiving device to a minimum- Each wall or ceiling can reduce your TwinMOS Octopus Wireless product’s range from 3-90 feet (1-30meters.) For some businesses or for a large residential home deployment, it may be more beneficial tohave more than one access point with overlapping coverage.1. Be aware of the direct line between Access Points, Residential Gateways, and Computers - A wallthat is 1.5 feet thick (.5 meters), at a 45-degree angle appears to be almost 3 feet (1 meter) thick. Ata 2-degree angle it looks over 42 feet (14 meters) thick! Try to make sure that the Access Pointsand Adapters are positioned so that the signal will travel straight through a wall or ceiling for betterreception.2. Building Materials make a difference - A solid metal door or aluminum studs may have a negativeeffect on range. Try to position Access Points, Residential Gateways, and Computers so that thesignal passes through drywall or open doorways and not other materials.3. Make sure that the antenna is positioned for best reception by using the software signal strengthtools included with your product.4. Keep your product away (at least 3-6 feet or 1-2 meters) from electrical devices that generate RFnoise, like microwaves, monitors, electric motors, etc.For the average residence, range should not be a problem. If you experience low or no signal strength inareas of your home that you wish to access, consider positioning the Access Point in a location directlybetween the Residential Gateways and/or Computers that will be connected. Additional Access Pointscan be connected to provide better coverage in rooms where the signal does not appear as strong asdesired.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.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 7Octopus Card Bus WIRELESS NETWORK SCENARIOSThe Octopus Card Bus enables you to:z Connect your computer to a Ad-Hoc workgroup of wireless computing devices (see Figure 1-1 onpage 7).z Connect your computer to a Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) network that includes a ResidentialGateway (RG) access point (see Figure 1-2 on page 8).z Connect your computer to a Local Area Network (LAN) Infrastructure that includes Access Points, orother IEEE 802.11 compliant LAN systems (see Figure 1-3 and Figure 1-4).z Expand the capabilities of your Access Points, to support wireless devices that have been equippedwith Octopus Card Bus.Ad-Hoc WorkgroupThe Ad-Hoc workgroup configuration enables you to quickly set up a small wireless workgroup, wherethe workgroup participants can exchange files using features like “Files and Printer Sharing” assupported by Microsoft Networking.Figure 1-1 Ad-Hoc Wireless WorkgroupYou can use this option to setup a temporary or ad-hoc network in environments where no access pointsare available (for example in Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) environments). As long as the stations
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 8are within range of one another, this is the easiest and least expensive way to set up a wireless network.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 9Home NetworkingWith the TwinMOS Octopus Card Bus, wireless access to the Internet or other computers is at yourfingertips. All you need to do is connect the wireless computers to an external cable, an xDSL or a ISDNmodem and you are ready to：z Share files and printers, andz Access the InternetFigure 1-2 Connect to a Residential Gateway (RG)Enterprise NetworkingWith the 11 Mbps Wireless LAN access point you can connect to a corporate Local Area Network (LAN)infrastructure to have wireless access to all network facilities. LAN Infrastructures may either be:z Stand-alone wireless LANs (Figure 1-3).z Wireless network infrastructures connected to an existing Ethernet network (Figure 1-4).xDSL
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 10Figure 1-3 Stand Alone Wireless LANFigure 1-4 LAN InfrastructureIt’s EasyThe Octopus Card Bus functions like any standard wired Ethernet card, but Octopus Card Bus does notneed any wires!Where an Ethernet card requires a cable connection to a hub and/or patch panel, the cable physically tiesyou down to the location of the wired connection.Octopus Card Bus allows you to connect your computer to a Local Area Network (LAN) system fromanywhere within the wireless coverage area. Expanding or re-designing your network is easy: Add orrelocate access point, power-up your (new) wireless computers, and you’re done!Unlike Ethernet, TwinMOS Octopus Card Bus will enable you to roam throughout the network whileremaining connected to the LAN.Note：The Octopus Card Bus wireless adapter is a radio product. Refer to the flyer ”Information to theUser” for regulatory information that may apply in your country.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 11INSTALLATION FOR WINDOWSThe following section will assist you to install Octopus Card Bus WLAN adapter successfully. You willinstall driver firstly and then plug in the Octopus Card Bus WLAN adapter, and finally set the networkproperties to accommodate resource sharing and select the type of wireless network that you want toinstall.In order to establish your wireless network connection, make sure some steps below will be performed.■ Install the Access Point (AP) at first if you use Access Point network mode.■ Install the driver using the Installation CD.■ Plug in the Octopus Card Bus wireless LAN adapter.■ Install the network protocol(s) required to communicate on your network. Most likely you willneed the TCP/IP protocol.The Octopus Wireless LAN Configuration Utility is installed simultaneously with the driver byexecuting the Setup.exe file. Note also that some versions of Microsoft Windows operating systemsrequire administrator to install software. If this is the case for your operating system, be sure that youhave such privileges before executing the Setup.exe file. To upgrade an existing driver, it is notnecessary to remove your Octopus driver from your computer. Simply run the Setup.exe file to replacethe existing driver with the latest version. After the new driver is installed, maybe you must restart theoperating system (depend on the Windows’ OS).Please follow the following steps one by one in order to install the Octopus Card Bus adaptersuccessfully.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 12For Windows 98SE/ME2000Before you proceed with the installation, please notice following descriptions.Note1: The following installation was operated under Windows 2000. (Procedures will be the samefor Windows 98SE/Me.)Note2: If you have installed the Wireless PC Card driver & utility before, please uninstall the oldversion first.z Install the Driver1. Insert the adapter into the Card Bus port of your computer, the system will automatically find thedevice and search for its driver.2. Please select the “Win2000” folder (select the folder based on your computer’s OS system) and thesystem will complete the driver installation automatically.z Install the Utility1. Insert the CD into the CD-ROM device and execute the "Setup.exe" program. The InstallShieldWizard box will appear, click "Next" to continue.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 132. Accept the license agreement3. Click "Finish" to complete the installation.4. When you complete the Utility installation, a shortcut named “Rtl8180“ will appear in the computer’sdesktop and a new icon will be displayed in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 14For Windows XP1. Insert the CD into the CD-ROM device and execute the "Setup.exe" program. The InstallShieldWizard box will appear, click "Next" to continue.2. Accept the license agreement.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 153. Click "Finish" to complete the installation.4. When you complete the Utility installation, a shortcut named “Rtl8180“ will appear in thecomputer’s desktop and a new icon will be displayed in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.Using the Windows XP’s UtilityTo connect to your wireless network, please do the following:◎Double-lick the icon marked in red in the taskbar and you may start using the Windows XP’s wirelessutility
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 16◎ The “Connect to Wireless Network” window will contain a list of all the available WirelessNetworks. Select the proper network for your needs. In this example, “TwinMOS” network wasselected as shown.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 17Using the Utility of Octopus Card Bus adapter◎ Get into Windows XP’s Utility, click “Advanced“ button.◎In “Wireless Network Connection Properties“ screen, uncheck the setting “Use Windows to configuremy wireless network settings“. Note that if you want to change back to the Windows XP built-in utility,check the item again.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 18◎Double click the shortcut or click the icon and start using the WLAN Card Bus Adapter.Note: If you don’t disable the XP’s Utility, you can still see the link status and statistics duringcommunication process from the adapter’s utility.
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Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 20CONFIGURATION UTILITYTwinMOS Octopus Card Bus uses the Configuration Utility as the management software. The utilityprovides the user an easy interface to change any settings related to the wireless adapter. When thecomputer is started, the Configuration Utility starts automatically and the system tray icon is loaded inthe toolbar (see illustration below.) Clicking on the utility icon will start the Configuration Utility.Double-click on the icon shown above. The screen below will be displayed.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 21Configuration TabSelect the Configuration Tab to access the Configuration menu, as shown below. You can makechanges to any of the fields shown below, without the need to restart your computer.Network TypeThe Octopus Card Bus WLAN adapter can operate in one of two modes, which are specified in theMode field of the Configuration menu. Clicking the down arrow at the right of the Mode field displaysthe available modes.z Ad-Hoc - This is the 802.11b Ad-Hoc mode of operation. In “Ad-Hoc” mode, only one wireless“ cell ” is supported for each different NETWORK NAME. All communication is done fromclient to client without the use of an Access Point. “Peer-to-Peer” networking uses the sameNETWORK NAME for the wireless adapters in establishing the network connection. When “Ad-Hoc ” mode is selected, the utility will provide a selection for setting the channel.z Infrastructure - This mode of operation requires the presence of an 802.11b Infrastructure. Allcommunication is done through the Infrastructure, which relays packets to other wireless clientsas well as to nodes on a wired Ethernet network.SSIDThe name of the wireless network. This name cannot be longer than 32 characters. The default value is“any”, which will automatically scan and connect the best performance Access point nearby.You may
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 22specify a SSID for the adapter and then only the device with the same SSID can interconnect to theadapter.Fragement ThresholdThe value defines the maximum size of packets, any packet size larger than the value will be fragmented.If you have decreased this value and experience high packet error rates, you can increase it again, but itwill likely decrease overall network performance. Select a setting within a range of 256 to 2432 bytes.Minor change is recommended.RTS ThresholdMinimum packet size required for an RTS (Request To Send). For packets smaller than this threshold,an RTS is not sent and the packet is transmitted directly to the WLAN. Select a setting within a range of0 to 2432 bytes. Minor change is recommendedBeacon IntervalThis value specifies the duration between beacon packets (milliseconds). The beacon packets include theadapter’s information and are broadcasted to the WLAN network periodly. The beacon period is fixed in100ms.Power Savez CAM(Continuous Access Mode) – Adapter will always set in active mode.z Max – Enable the adapter in the power saving mode when it is idle.z Fast – Enable the adapter in the power saving mode when it is idle, but some compoents ofthe adapter is still alive. In this mode, the power consumption is larger than “Max“ mode.Turn Off RadioWhen the setting is checked, the wireless connection of the adapter will be disabled.Use Short PreambleThe preamble defines the length of the CRC block for communication between the Access Point and theadapter. High network traffic areas should use the shorter preamble type.Show Icon in System TrayEnable or disable the icon shown in the taskbar.ChannelWhen communicating in Ad-Hoc mode, you must specify a channel on which communications will takeplace. This field is grayed in infrastructure mode because the Access Point automatically selects thechannel.Data RateAuto Rate Select- When it is enabled, the device will choose the most suitable transmission rateautomatically.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 231, 2, 5.5 ,11 MBpsNot Used- Prohibits the device from operating at the specified data rate.Used – Allows the device operating at the specified data rateBasic – Restrict the device to operate at least at the specified data rate. At least one kind of data rate hasto be set “Basic“.ApplyClick “Apply” button to save and implement the new settings.CancelClick “Cancel” button to cancel the modification of the settings.Link State TabThe Link State Tab displays the current state of your wireless adapter.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 24Current ChannelShows the channel on which the connection is made. In infrastructure mode, this number changes as theradio scans the available channels.Link StateShows the status of the connection. Checking Status – Represents the adapter is checking the status of the wireless device. Not Associated – Represents the connection is interrupted. You may press “Rescan“ button toreconnect the wireless device. Associated – Represents the adapter is successfully linking to the wireless device.Data RateShows the highest transmit rate of the current association.Rescan buttonClick this button to scan the Access Point or Adapter which the adapter connected before or intends toconnect.DetailA screen will appear when you press the button. In this screen, you may see all the parameters of theadapter and also the link status.Signal QualityThis bar indicates the quality of the link. The higher the percentage, the better the quality.Signal StrengthThis bar shows the signal strength level. The higher percentage shown in the bar, the more radio signalbeen received by the adapter. This indicator helps to find the proper position of the wireless device forquality network operation.MAC AddressShows the MAC Address of the adapter.StatisticsShows the total amounts of data packets that have been successfully/unsuccessfully transmitted orreceived by the adapter.Site Survey buttonThis screen shows all Access Points or Adapters nearby when operating in Ad-Hoc mode. Click“Refresh” button to collect the SSID and Channel information of all the wireless devices nearby. If youwant to connect to any device on the list, double-click the item on the list, and the adapter willautomatically connect to the selected device.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 25Security Tab“Security” tab allows you to enhance the security of a network. Every station in a secured networkshould enable the Encryption function and the values of the Network Key should be the same.WEP is an authentication algorithm, which protects authorized Wireless LAN users againsteavesdropping. WEP has been found that it has some security problems. TKIP is a temporary quick-fixmethod defined in IEEE 802.11i standard to quickly overcome the inherent weaknesses in WEP security.AES has been developed to ensure the highest degree of security and authenticity for digital informationand it is the most advanced solution defined by IEEE 802.11i for the security in the wireless network.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 26Data Encryption No Encryption – Disable the WEP Data Encryption. WEP – Enable the WEP Data Encryption. When the item is selected, you have to continue setting theWEP Key Length and the encryption keys. Realtek TKIP – Enable the TKIP Data Encryption. When the item is selected, you have to continuesetting the TKIP Key Length and the encryption keys. Realtek AES – Enable the AES Data Encryption. When the item is selected, you have to continuesetting the AES Key Length and the encryption keys.Auth AlgorithmThis setting has to be consistent with the wireless devices which the adapter intends to connect. Open System – No authentication is needed among the wireless devices. Shared Key – Only wirelss devices using a shared key (WEP Key, TKIP Key or AES Key identified)are allowed to connecting each other. Setup the same key as the wireless devices which the adapterintends to connect. Auto Switch – Auto switch the authentication algorithm depending on the wireless devices which theadapter is connecting to.Default Key IDSelect one of the keys (1~4) as the encryption key.Key LengthYou may select the 64-bit or 128-bit to encrypt transmitted data.Larger key length will provide higherlevel of security, but the throughput will be lower.Key1~Key4The keys are used to encrypt data transmitted in the wireless network. Fill the text box by following therules below. 64-bit – Input 10 digit Hex values (in the “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9”range) as the encryption keys. Forexample: “0123456aef“. 128-bit – Input 26 digit Hex values (in the “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9” range) as the encryption keys. Forexample:“01234567890123456789abcdef“.Statistics TabIn the “Statistics”, you can get the real time information about the packet transmission and receivingstatus.
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Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 28TROUBLESHOOTINGIf you encounter some problems while installing the Octopus Card Bus WLAN adapter or you want toconfirm whether your adapter is installed properly or not, we have listed the procedure for checking thevarious components after you have installed the adapter. In first part of Troubleshooting, we havesuggested the users to check the various properties of the card to check the proper installation. In secondsection, we have listed the various problems that you may encounter during the installation and havealso listed the possible solution. Check the first part to guess the probable reason of unsuccessfulinstallation.Please check the followings if you encounter some problem while installing the Octopus Card Bus oryours Octopus Card Bus are non-functional.In Windows 2000:To check that the Octopus Card Bus is installed properly, please do the following:1. Check the Windows 2000 Diagnostics. See if there is any conflict in the Resource allocation or theI/O Address, IRQ allocations. If you find that the IRQ or I/O Addresses are already assigned to someother devices, you must change that value.2. Go to the Control Panel. Double click on the Network Adapter, you will see Octopus Card BusWireless Adapter. Double clicking on that will show you the status of the Octopus Card Busnetwork adapter. If there are no error signs, the adapter has been installed properly.In Windows XP:To check that the Octopus Card Bus is installed properly, please do the following:1. Go to START>CONTROL PANEL. Double-click on Network Connections. Right-click on LAN.Click Properties.2. The Octopus Card Bus network adapter will appear, indicating proper installation.
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 29TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONSPhysical SpecificationDimensions 53.6 x 118.0 x 4.56 mm (w x h x t)Weight 36 gHost Interface Card BusTemperature & HumidityOperation 0℃ to 55℃ maximum humidity 95%Transit -20℃ to 75℃ humidity 15% to 95%Storage -20℃ to 75℃ humidity 10% to 95%Power CharacteristicsOperating Voltage 3.3V ±5%Current Consumption Nominal 240mA , Max. 300mANetworking CharacteristicsCompatibility z IEEE 802.11 Standard for WLAN (DSSS)z Internal Wi-Fi certified by TwinMOSHost OS Windows 98/98SE/ME/2000/XPMedia Access Protocol CSMA/CA with ACKNetwork Protocol TCP/IP, IPX, NetBEUIRF CharacteristicsFrequency Range 2.400-2.4835 GHz, Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS)Operating Channelsz 1-11 United States (FCC)z 1-11 Canada (DOC)z 1-14 Japan (MKK)z 1-13 Europe (Except Spain and France) (ETSI)Modulation Techniquez 11 Mbps: CCKz 5.5 Mbps: CCKz 2 Mbps: DQPSKz 1 Mbps: DBPSKSpreading 11-chip Barker SequenceTransmit Power 14 dBm @ Nominal Temp RangeReceive Sensitivity Nominal Temp Range：11 Mbps 10-5 BER @ -84 dBm, minimumSecurityz 64/128-bit WEP Encryptionz 64/128-bit TKIP Data Encryptionz 64/128-bit AES Data EncryptionAntenna Build-in inside hostOperating Range Open Space：100 ~ 300m; Indoor: 30m ~ 100mThe transmission speed varies in the surrounding environment.EMC Certification FCC Class B part 15B, 15C; R&TTE
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 30PHYSICAL SIZEUnit : mm
Octopus CardBusTwinMOS Page 31FCC CAUTION1. The device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the followingtwo conditions:(1) This device may not cause harmful interference.(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that maycause undesired operation.2. FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement: The equipment complies with FCC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment3. This Transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any otherantenna or transmitter.4. Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible forcompliance could void the user authority to operate the equipment.

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