TwinMOS Technologies WBSZP2 USB WIRELESS LAN CARD User Manual USERS MANUAL

TwinMOS Technologies Inc. USB WIRELESS LAN CARD USERS MANUAL

USERS MANUAL

TwinMOS Netkey 802.11b Series Wireless LAN Adapter User’s Manual TwinMOS®
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 1Contents PACKAGE CONTENTS……........................................................2 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................3 WIRELESS NETWORK OVERVIEW............................................4 NETKEY WIRELESS NETWORK SCENARIOS………..6 INSTALLATION FOR WINDOWS.............................................…..9 CONFIGURATION UTILITY....................................................…..16 TROUBLESHOOTING....................................................…..22 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS.......................................…..23 FCC CAUTION ................…………………………………………………..........…..24
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 2PACKAGE CONTENTS Unpack your Netkey WLAN adapter kit and verify that all items are present. z Netkey Wireless LAN Adapter z 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.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 3INTRODUCTION The Netkey WLAN adapter is a wireless network client that complies with the IEEE 802.11b standard on wireless LANs. The IEEE 802.11b standards compliance means this adapter gives you the flexibility to connect it to any 802.11b network. The IEEE 802.11b Ethernet standard allows you to connect computers and devices at speeds up to 11Mbps, dependent upon the distance between wireless adapters, the configuration of your working environment, or the capabilities or limitations of your computer systems. This Netkey WLAN 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 USB interface z Supports power save mode z 128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption. z Plug and Play installation This Netkey comes with software drivers for the most popular Microsoft Windows operating systems and can be integrated into a larger network, running Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME, or Windows 98 in either Ad-Hoc mode or infrastructure mode. This manual provides a quick introduction to wireless technology and its application as it relates to networking. Take a moment to read through this manual and familiarize you with wireless technology. You should also give yourself some time to become familiar with your new wireless network.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 4WIRELESS NETWORK OVERVIEW A wireless local area network (LAN) is a flexible data communications system implemented as an extension to, or as an alternative for, a wired LAN. Using radio frequency (RF) technology, wireless LANs transmit and receive data over the air, minimizing the need for wired connections. Thus, wireless LANs combine data connectivity with user mobility. A local area network that transmit and receive over the air typically in an unlicensed frequency such as the 2.4GHz band. A wireless LAN does not require lining up devices for line of sight transmission like IrDA. Wireless access points (base stations) are connected to an Ethernet hub or server and transmit a radio frequency over an area of several hundred to a thousand feet which can penetrate walls and other nonmetal barriers. Roaming users can be handed off from one access point to another like a cellular phone system. Laptops use wireless modems that plug into an existing Ethernet port or that are self contained 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 wired networks： Mobility - WLAN provide LAN users to access data in any location within the operating range of the WLAN. Ad-hoc management decisions based on real-time information can significantly improve worker efficiency. Installation Speed and Simplicity - Installing a wireless LAN system can be fast and easy and can eliminate 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 can be higher than the cost of wired LAN hardware, overall installation expenses and life-cycle costs can be significantly lower. Long-term cost benefits are greatest in dynamic environments requiring frequent moves and changes. Scalability - Wireless LAN systems can be configured in a variety of topologies to meet the needs of 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 thousands of users that enable roaming over a broad area. Installation Considerations Designed to go up to 300 feet (100 meters) indoors and up to 900 feet (273 meters) outdoors, Netkey WLAN adapter lets you access your network from virtually anywhere you want. Keep in mind, however, that the number and thickness of walls, ceilings or other objects that the wireless signals must pass thru may limit range. Typical ranges vary depending on the types of materials and background RF noise in your home or business. The key to maximizing range is to follow these basic principles:
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 5Keep 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 Netkey Wireless product’s range from 3-90 feet (1-30 meters.) For some businesses or for a large residential home deployment, it may be more beneficial to have more than one access point with overlapping coverage. 1. Be aware of the direct line between Access Points, Residential Gateways, and Computers - A wall that is 1.5 feet thick (.5 meters), at a 45-degree angle appears to be almost 3 feet (1 meter) thick. At a 2-degree angle it looks over 42 feet (14 meters) thick! Try to make sure that the Access Points and Adapters are positioned so that the signal will travel straight through a wall or ceiling for better reception. 2. Building Materials make a difference - A solid metal door or aluminum studs may have a negative effect on range. Try to position Access Points, Residential Gateways, and Computers so that the signal 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 strength tools included with your product. 4. Keep your product away (at least 3-6 feet or 1-2 meters) from electrical devices that generate RF noise, like microwaves, monitors, electric motors, etc. For the average residence, range should not be a problem. If you experience low or no signal strength in areas of your home that you wish to access, consider positioning the Access Point in a location directly between the Residential Gateways and/or Computers that will be connected. Additional Access Points can be connected to provide better coverage in rooms where the signal does not appear as strong as desired. Using radio frequency (RF) technology, WLANs transmit and receive data over the air, minimizing the need for wired connections. Thus, WLANs combine data connectivity with user mobility, and, through simplified configuration, enable movable LANs.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 6Netkey WIRELESS NETWORK SCENARIOS The Netkey WLAN adapter enables you to: z Connect your computer to an Ad-Hoc workgroup of wireless computing devices (see Figure 1-1 on page 7). z Connect your computer to a Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) network that includes a Residential Gateway (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, or other 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 equipped with Netkey. Ad-Hoc Workgroup The Ad-Hoc workgroup configuration enables you to quickly set up a small wireless workgroup, where the workgroup participants can exchange files using features like “Files and Printer Sharing” as supported by Microsoft Networking. Figure 1-1 Ad-Hoc Wireless Workgroup You can use this option to setup a temporary or ad-hoc network in environments where no access points are available (for example in Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) environments). As long as the stations are within range of one another, this is the easiest and least expensive way to set up a wireless network.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 7Home Networking With the TwinMOS Netkey WLAN adapter, wireless access to the Internet or other computers is at your fingertips. All you need to do is connect the wireless computers to an external cable, an xDSL or a ISDN modem and you are ready to： z Share files and printers, and z Access the Internet Figure 1-2 Connect to a Residential Gateway (RG) Enterprise Networking With 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). Figure 1-3 Stand Alone Wireless LAN xDSL
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 8 Figure 1-4 LAN Infrastructure It’s Easy The Netkey functions like any standard wired Ethernet card, but Netkey does not need any wires! Where an Ethernet card requires a cable connection to a hub and/or patch panel, the cable physically ties you down to the location of the wired connection. Netkey allows you to connect your computer to a Local Area Network (LAN) system from anywhere within the wireless coverage area. Expanding or re-designing your network is easy: Add or relocate access point, power-up your (new) wireless computers, and you’re done! Unlike Ethernet, TwinMOS Netkey will enable you to roam throughout the network while remaining connected to the LAN. Note：The Netkey wireless adapter is a radio product. Refer to the flyer ”Information to the User” for regulatory information that may apply in your country.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 9INSTALLATION FOR WINDOWS The following section will assist you to install Netkey WLAN adapter successfully. You will install driver firstly and then plug in the Netkey WLAN adapter, and finally set the network properties to accommodate resource sharing and select the type of wireless network that you want to install. 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 Netkey wireless LAN adapter. ■ Install the network protocol(s) required to communicate on your network. Most likely you will need the TCP/IP protocol. The Octopus Wireless LAN Configuration Utility is installed simultaneously with the driver by executing the Setup.exe file. Note also that some versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems require administrator to install software. If this is the case for your operating system, be sure that you have such privileges before executing the Setup.exe file. To upgrade an existing driver, it is not necessary to remove your Octopus driver from your computer. Simply run the Setup.exe file to replace the existing driver with the latest version. After the new driver is installed, maybe you must restart the operating system (depend on the Windows’ OS). Please follow the following steps one by one in order to install the Netkey WLAN adapter successfully.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 10For Windows XP Before you proceed with the installation, please notice following descriptions. Note1: The following installation was operated under Windows XP. (Procedures will be the same for Windows 98SE/Me/2000.) Note2: After running the driver package, the Notebook (or PC) with Win98 OS shall be restarted, for Win2000 or WinXP OS the Notebook (or PC) doesn’t need to be restarted. Note3: Please do not insert USB Stick adapter into USB port of your computer until Application setup has been completed. Install the Driver and Utility 1. Insert the CD into the CD-ROM device and execute the "NetkeyUSB3426.exe" program. The InstallShield Wizard box will appear, click "Next" to continue. 2. Choose install folder
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 113. Insert the Netkey WLAN adapter into the USB port of your computer, the system will automatically find the device and search for its software.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 12 4. When you complete the Utility installation, a new icon will be displayed in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. Using the Windows XP’s Utility To connect to your wireless network, please do the following: ◎Double-click the icon marked in red in the taskbar and you may start using the Windows XP’s wireless utility
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 13 ◎ The “Connect to Wireless Network” window will contain a list of all the available Wireless Networks. Select the proper network for your needs. In this example, “TwinMOS” network was selected as shown.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 14Using the Utility of Netkey adapter ◎ Get into Windows XP’s utility, click “Advanced“ button. ◎In “Wireless Network Connection Properties“ screen, uncheck the setting “Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings“. Note that if you want to change back to the Windows XP built-in utility, check the item again.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 15◎Double click the icon and start using the WLAN USB Stick Adapter. Note: If you don’t disable the XP’s Utility, you cannot open the adapter’s utility.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 16CONFIGURATION UTILITY TwinMOS Netkey uses the Configuration Utility as the management software. The utility provides the user an easy interface to change any settings related to the wireless adapter. When the computer is started, the Configuration Utility starts automatically and the system tray icon is loaded in the 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.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 17Available Network This screen shows all Access Points or Adapters nearby when operating in Ad-Hoc mode. Click “Refresh” button to collect the SSID and Strength information of all the wireless devices nearby. If you want to connect to any device on the list, double-click the item on the list, and the adapter will automatically connect to the selected device. Signal Strength This bar shows the signal strength level. The higher percentage shown in the bar, the more radio signal been received by the adapter. This indicator helps to find the proper position of the wireless device for quality network operation. Signal Quality This bar indicates the quality of the link. The higher the percentage, the better the quality. General Connection Setting Table Select the More Setting Page to access the Configuration menu, as shown below. You can make changes to any of the fields shown below, without the need to restart your computer. Network Type The Netkey WLAN adapter can operate in one of two modes, which are specified in the Mode field of the Configuration menu. Clicking the down arrow at the right of the Mode field displays the 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 from
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 18client to client without the use of an Access Point. “Peer-to-Peer” networking uses the same NETWORK 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. All communication is done through the Infrastructure, which relays packets to other wireless clients as well as to nodes on a wired Ethernet network. z Pseudo IBSS-This mode is for manufacture testing. Channel When communicating in Ad-Hoc mode, you must specify a channel on which communications will take place. This field is grayed in infrastructure mode because the Access Point automatically selects the channel. Tx Rate The Transmit Rate field specifies the rate at which the radio in your Netkey WLAN adapter transmits and receives data. You can set this to the following fixed rates: 1 Mbps; 2Mbps; 5.5 Mbps or 11 Mbps. Auto - When it is enabled, the device will choose the most suitable transmission rate automatically. SSID The 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 specify a SSID for the adapter and then only the device with the same SSID can interconnect to the adapter. Apply Click “Apply” button to save and implement the new settings.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 19Encryption Setting Table “WEP Key Setting” page allows you to enhance the security of a network. Every station in a secured network should enable the Encryption function and the values of the Network Key should be the same. Authentication Mode This 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 wireless devices using a shared key (WEP Key identified) are allowed to connecting each other. Setup the same key as the wireless devices, which the adapter intends to connect. •Auto – Auto switch the authentication algorithm depending on the wireless devices, which the adapter is connecting to. Key Length You may select the 64-bit or 128-bit to encrypt transmitted data. Larger key length will provide higher level of security, but the throughput will be lower. Default Key ID Select one of the keys (1~4) as the encryption key. Key Value The keys are used to encrypt data transmitted in the wireless network. Fill the text box by following the rules below.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 20 •64-bit – Input 10 digit Hex values (in the “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9”range) as the encryption keys. For example: “0123456aef“. •128-bit – Input 26 digit Hex values (in the “A-F”, “a-f” and “0-9” range) as the encryption keys. For example:“01234567890123456789abcdef“. Profile Table Profile name A profile is a named set of operating parameters for your Netkey WLAN adapter. The Profile field lets you set values for all parameters by selecting a previously defined profile. Click the down arrow at the right of the Profile field to display the available profiles for your Netkey WLAN adapter. Other Table Advanced Setting Power Saving Mode Power Saving mode allows your computer to use reduced power during idle time by going into “sleep” mode, saving energy costs. Fragmentation Threshold The 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 it will likely decrease overall network performance. Select a setting within a range of 256 to 2305 bytes. Minor change is recommended.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 21RTS/CTS Threshold Minimum 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 of 0 to 2305 bytes. Minor change is recommended Information The Information Page provides information on the version of the Network Driver, the Configuration Utility, and the firmware in the USB Stick WLAN adapter. In addition, this page also provides the MAC address of the USB Stick adapter , as shown in the following illustration.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 22TROUBLESHOOTING If you encounter some problems while installing the Netkey WLAN adapter or you want to confirm whether your adapter is installed properly or not, we have listed the procedure for checking the various components after you have installed the adapter. In first part of Troubleshooting, we have suggested the users to check the various properties of the card to check the proper installation. In second section, we have listed the various problems that you may encounter during the installation and have also listed the possible solution. Check the first part to guess the probable reason of unsuccessful installation. Please check the followings if you encounter some problem while installing the Netkey or yours Netkey are non-functional. In Windows 2000: To check that the Netkey is installed properly, please do the following: 1. Check the Windows 2000 Diagnostics. See if there is any conflict in the Resource allocation or the I/O Address, IRQ allocations. If you find that the IRQ or I/O Addresses are already assigned to some other devices, you must change that value. 2. Go to the Control Panel. Double click on the Network Adapter, you will see Netkey Wireless Adapter. Double clicking on that will show you the status of the Netkey network adapter. If there are no error signs, the adapter has been installed properly. In Windows XP: To check that the Netkey 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 Netkey network adapter will appear, indicating proper installation.
Netkey Series WLAN Card WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 23TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Networking Characteristics Compatibility z IEEE 802.11 Standard for WLAN (DSSS)z Wi-Fi certified by the TwinMOS Host OS Windows 98/98SE/ME/2000/XP Media Access Protocol CSMA/CA with ACK Network Protocol TCP/IP, IPX, NetBEUI RF Characteristics Frequency Range 2.400-2.4835 GHz, Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) Operating Channels z 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 Technique z 11 Mbps: CCK z 5.5 Mbps: CCK z 2 Mbps: DQPSK z 1 Mbps: DBPSK Spreading 11-chip Barker Sequence Transmit Power 13 dBm @ Nominal Temp Range Receive Sensitivity Nominal Temp Range：11 Mbps 10-5 BER @ -84 dBm, minimum Security z 64-bit WEP Encryption z 128-bit WEP Encryption Operating Range Open Space：100 ~ 300m; Indoor: 30m ~ 100m The transmission speed varies in the surrounding environment. EMC Certification FCC Class B part 15B, 15C; R&TTE
Netkey Series WLAN Card FCC CAUTION 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 radiated 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. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user‘s authority to operate the equipment. IMPORTANT NOTE: FCC Radiation Exposure Statement: The antenna(s) used for this transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter. This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. In order to avoid the possibility of exceeding the FCC radio frequency exposure limits, human proximity to the antenna shall not be less than 20cm (8 inches) during normal operation. This device complies with 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. WWW.TwinMOS.COM Page 24

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