U MEDIA Communications WUB370L 802.11n/g/b Wireless USB Compact Adapter User Manual rev

U-MEDIA Communications, Inc. 802.11n/g/b Wireless USB Compact Adapter rev

User manual

   802.11n/g/b Wireless USB Compact Adapter  Model: WUB-370L     User's Guide
 2 Federal Communication 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 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. FCC  Caution:  Any  changes  or  modifications  not  expressly  approved  by  the  party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate this equipment. 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.  IMPORTANT NOTE: Radiation Exposure Statement: This  equipment  complies  with  FCC  radiation  exposure  limits  set  forth  for  an uncontrolled environment. End users must follow the specific operating instructions for  satisfying  RF  exposure  compliance.  To  maintain  compliance  with  FCC  RF exposure  compliance  requirements,  please  follow  operation  instruction  as documented in this manual.   This  transmitter  must  not  be  co-located  or operating  in  conjunction  with  any  other antenna or transmitter. SAR compliance has been established in typical laptop computer(s) with USB slot, and product could be used in typical laptop computer with USB slot. Other application like handheld PC or similar device has not been verified and may not compliance with related RF exposure rule and such use shall be prohibited.  The  availability  of  some  specific  channels  and/or  operational  frequency  bands  are country  dependent  and  are  firmware  programmed  at  the  factory  to  match  the intended destination. The firmware setting is not accessible by the end user.
 3 CE Mark Warning This  is  a  Class  B  product.  In  a  domestic  environment,  this  product  may  cause  radio interference, in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures. This transmitter must not be co-located or operation in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.
 4 Table of Contents  Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Interference statement    2 CE Mark Warning                           3  Chapter 1 – Wireless LAN Networking                  Transmission Rate                        5 Type of Wireless Networks                     5     Ad-Hoc (IBSS) Network                    5     Infrastructure (BSS) Network                  6     Wireless LAN Security                     9     Data Encryption with WEP                   10  Chapter 2 - Getting Started About Your 802.11b/g WLAN USB2.0 Adapter            11 Package Content                         11 System Requirement                        11 LED Definition                          11 Wireless Utility and Adapter Hardware Installation           12 Using the Utility to Configure Your Network              16   Link Information                        16   Site Survey                          17  Profile              19  Chapter 3 – Maintenance Uninstalling the Driver                       24 Uninstall the Client Utility                      24 Upgrading the Wireless Utility                    24  Glossary               25
 5 Chapter 1- Wireless LAN Networking This section provides background information on wireless LAN networking technology.   THE INFORMATION IN THIS SECTION IS FOR YOUR REFERENCE. CHANGING NETWORK SETTINGS AND PARTICULARLY SECURITY SETTTINGS SHOULD ONLY BE DONE BY AN AUTHORIZED ADMINISTRATOR. Transmission Rate (Transfer Rate) The adapter provides various transmission (data) rate options for you to select. Options include Fully Auto, 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, 11 Mbps, 6 Mbps, 9 Mbps, 12 Mbps, 18 Mbps, 22 Mbps, 24 Mbps, 36 Mbps, 48 Mbps, 54 Mbps and 108Mbps. In most networking scenarios, the factory default Fully Auto setting proves the most efficient. This setting allows your adapter to operate at the maximum transmission (data) rate. When the communication quality drops below a certain level, the adapter automatically switches to a lower transmission (data) rate. Transmission at lower data speeds is usually more reliable. However, when the communication quality improves again, the adapter gradually increases the transmission (data) rate again until it reaches the highest available transmission rate. Types of Wireless Networks Wireless LAN networking works in either of the two modes: ad-hoc and infrastructure. In infrastructure mode, wireless devices communicate to a wired LAN via access points. Each access point and its wireless devices are known as a Basic Service Set (BSS). An Extended Service Set (ESS) is two or more BSSs in the same subnet. In ad hoc mode (also known as peer-to-peer mode), wireless devices communicate with each other directly and do not use an access point. This is an Independent BSS (IBSS).  To connect to a wired network within a coverage area using access points, set the  adapter operation mode to Infrastructure (BSS). To set up an independent wireless workgroup without an access point, use Ad-hoc (IBSS) mode.  AD-HOC (IBSS) NETWORK Ad-hoc mode does not require an access point or a wired network. Two or more wireless stations communicate directly to each other. An ad-hoc network may sometimes be referred to as an Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS).  To set up an ad-hoc network, configure all the stations in ad-hoc mode. Use the same SSID and channel for each .
  When a number of wireless stations are connected using a single access point, you have a Basic Service Set (BSS).    6
7 In the ESS diagram below, communication is done through the access points, which relay data packets to other wireless stations or devices connected to the wired network. Wireless stations can then access resources, such as a printer, on the wired network.
8 In an ESS environment, users  are able to move  from  one access point to  another  without losing the connection. In the diagram below, when the user moves from BSS (1) to BSS (2) the adapter automatically switches to the channel used in BSS (2).   Roaming in an ESS network diagram
 9 WIRELESS LAN SECURITY Because wireless networks are not as secure as wired networks, its vital that security settings are clearly understood and applied. The list below shows the possible wireless security levels on your adapter starting with the most secure. EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) is used for authentication and utilizes dynamic WEP key exchange. EAP requires interaction with a RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) server either on the WAN or the LAN to provide authentication service for wireless stations.  1.  Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) 2.  IEEE802.1X EAP with RADIUS Server authentication 3.  WEP Encryption 4.  Unique ESSID
 10 DATA ENCRYPTION WITH WEP The WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) security protocol is an encryption method designed to try to make wireless networks as secure as wired networks. WEP encryption scrambles all data packets transmitted between the adapter and the access point or other wireless stations to keep network communications private. Both the wireless stations and the access points must use the same WEP key for data encryption and decryption.     There are two ways to create WEP keys in your adapter.  •  Automatic WEP key generation based on a password phrase called a passphrase. The passphrase is case sensitive. You must use the same passphrase for all WLAN adapters with this feature in the same WLAN. •  For WLAN adapters without the passphrase feature, you can still take advantage of this feature by writing down the four automatically generated WEP keys from the Security Settings screen of the wireless utility and entering them manually as the WEP keys in the other WLAN adapter(s). The adapter allows you to configure up to four WEP keys and only one key is used as the default transmit key at any one time. THE adapter SUPPORTS  UP  TO FOUR 64-BIT,  128-BIT, AND 152-BIT  WEP KEYS. THE 152-BIT WEP MUST COMPLY WITH THE WEP SETTING OF YOUR ACCESS POINT OR ROUTER.    DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CONFIGURE OR CHANGE SECURITY SETTTINGS FOR A NETWORK WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION AND WITHOUT CLEARLY UNDERSTANDING THE SETTINGS YOU ARE APPLING. WITH POOR SECURITY SETTINGS, SENSITIVE DATA YOU SEND CAN BE SEEN BY OTHERS.
 11 Chapter 2 - Getting Started  This chapter introduces the Adapter and prepares you to use the Wireless Utility.   2.1  About Your 802.11b/g WLAN USB2.0 Adapter  The Adapter is an 802.11n, 802.11b, and 802.11g compliant wireless LAN adapter. With the Adapter, you can enjoy wireless mobility within almost any wireless networking environment.  The following lists the main features of your Adapter.   Your Adapter can communicate with other IEEE 802.11n/b/g compliant wireless devices.   Automatic rate selection.   Standard data transmission rates up to 54 Mbps   Proprietary Atheros transmission rates of 108 Mbps   Offers 64-bit, 128-bit and 152-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) data encryption for network security.   Supports IEEE802.1x and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access).   Low CPU utilization allowing more computer system resources for other programs.   A built-in antenna.   Driver support for Windows XP/2000.   2.2  Package Content    802.11n/b/g WLAN USB2.0 Adapter   Installation and Manual CD   Quick Start Guide   Warranty/Registration Card   2.3  System Requirement    Pentium class notebook computers with at least one available USB slot   Microsoft Windows XP or 2K   CD-ROM drive     2.4  LED Definition  The following table describes the LED on the 802.11n/b/g WLAN USB2.0 Adapter  COLOR  STATUS  DESCRIPTION OFF  No power ON  Wireless connected without data traffic Slow Blinking  Power on without wireless connection Blue Normal Blinking  Wireless connected with data traffic
 12 2.5  Wireless Utility & Adapter Hardware Installation  NOTE: If you have connected the USB Adapter to your computer, please remove it first.  Follow the instructions below to install the USB Adapter and Utility.  STEP 1 Insert the Driver and Utility CD into CD drive  STEP 2 If your CD Autorun is enabled, the installation procedures will be started. (Otherwise open your CD folder and double-click on the “setup.exe” file)  STEP 3 The InstallShield Wizard prepares for installation.     STEP 4 The InstallShield Wizard prompts you for confirmation. Click Next on the following menu.    STEP 5 In the destination Folder screen you are asked to confirm the Destination Folder for the application software. If you would like, you may change the destination folder to another location. Click Next
 13     STEP 6 The wizard is ready to begin installation. Click Install on it.     STEP 7 The InstallShield Wizard setup for installation.
 14 STEP 8 Click Finish to complete the client utility installation.     STEP 9 At this moment please insert your USB Adapter to your Laptop, After the following window pop up, click Next on the Fund New Hardware Wizard    STEP 10 Choose “Install the software automatically” , and click Next.
 15  STEP 11 Click Finish to complete the installation.
 16 2.6 Using the Utility to Configure Your Network The following are explanations on how to configure and use the Utility program. After completing the installation procedure, a new icon as shown below will automatically appear in the lower right tray bar.    Hold your mouse pointer over the icon, and press the right mouse button to open the Wireless Client Utility.  The Wireless Client Utility window as shown below will appear.     The user can now use any of the management functions available in the IEEE 802.11 Wireless Client Utility.     2.6.1 Link Information Click the Link Information tab to see general information about the program and its operations. The Link Information tab does not require any configuration.   The following table describes the items found on the Link Information screen.
 17 Wireless Network Status Profile Name The name of the current selected configuration profile.   Set up the configuration name on the Profile tab. SSID Displays the wireless network name.    Link Status Shows whether the station is associated to the wireless network.  Network Type The type of network the station is connected to.   The options include:    Infrastructure (access point)    Ad Hoc   Wireless Mode Displays the wireless mode. 802.11g or 11b Channel Shows the currently connected channel. Transmit Rate Displays the current transmit rate in Mbps. AP MAC Address Displays the MAC address of the access point the wireless adapter is associated to. Signal Strength Shows the strength of the signal.  Security Status Security Shows the security type – Disable, WEP, WPA/WPA2, WAP-PSK/WAP2-PSK or 802.1X Authentication Displays the authentication mode.     TCP/IP Status IP Address Displays the computer's IP address.   Subnet  Mask Displays subnet mask   Gateway Displays gateway address  2.6.2 Site Survey Click the Site Survey tab to see available infrastructure and ad hoc networks. On this screen, click Refresh to refresh the list at any time.
 18 Connecting to a different network Hold your mouse pointer over the network icon, and click the right mouse button to select the network.  Click the Connect button to connect the available network. If no configuration profile exists for that network, the Profile Settings window opens to ask to create a profile for the network. Follow the procedures to create profile for that network.    2.6.3 Profile    To add a new configuration profile, click Add on the Profile tab.   To modify a configuration profile, select the configuration from the Profile list and click the Edit button.
 19    Scan Available Networks Click the Browse button on the Profile Settings screen to scan for available infrastructure and ad hoc networks. On this list, click Refresh to refresh the list at any time.      To configure a profile for Ad-Hoc or Infrastructure mode, select the Network Type field on the Profile Settings.   Click Next to continue the profile setting.
 20   To define the security mode, select the security button of the desired security mode. And then click Next to continue. Please see following table for details of security modes. WPA/WPA2 Enables the use of Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA).    Choosing WPA/WPA2 opens the WPA/WPA2 Security Settings screen. The options include:  TLS (Transport Layer Security) is a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) extension supporting additional authentication methods within PPP. Transport Layer Security (TLS) provides for mutual authentication, integrity-protected cipher suite negotiation, and key exchange between two endpoints.  PEAP (EAP-GTC)   (Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol) authenticates wireless LAN clients using only server-side digital certificates by creating an encrypted SSL/TLS tunnel between the client and the authentication server. The tunnel then protects the subsequent user authentication exchange.  PEAP (EAP-MSCHAP V2) (Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol) To use PEAP (EAP-MSCHAP V2) security, the server must have WPA-PEAP certificates, and the server properties must already be set. Check with the IT manager  TTLS   (Tunneled Transport Layer Security) An EAP variant that provides mutual authentication using a certificate for server authentication, and via a secure TLS tunnel for the client  LEAP  (Lightweight and Efficient Application Protocol) is the general framework for a set of high-performance, efficient protocols which are ideal for mobile and wireless applications. LEAP is designed to address all the technical requirements of the wireless data communications industry, and is oriented towards providing the greatest benefit to the industry and the consumer WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK Enables WPA/WPA2 Passphrase security.     Fill in the WPA/WPA2 Passphrase on Security Settings screen.   802.1x Enables 802.1x security.   This option requires IT administration.   Choosing 802.1x opens the 802.1x Security Settings screen. The options include:
 21  TLS    PEAP    TTLS    LEAP      Advanced Settings After Security Settings finished, the Advanced Settings screen will be shown as following.     The following table describes the items found on the Advanced Settings screen. Power Save Mode Shows the power save mode. Power management is disabled in ad hoc mode. The options include:  Continuous Access Mode  Maximum Power Saving  Fast Power Saving 802.11b Preamble Displays the 802.11b preamble format.    The options include:  Long  Short  Auto RTS  Threshold Value from 0 ~ 2347 FRAG  Threshold Value from 256 ~ 2346 Wireless  Mode Include:  802.11b  802.11g  802.11n
 22  After advance settings are finished, the following screen showed as below. You can activate the profile now or later.     WPS Setting  The user obtains a device password (PIN Code) from the STA and enters the password into the Registrar. Both the Enrollee and the Registrar use PIN Config method for the configuration setup. The detail indicates as follows.
 23    1. Go to the box of Config Mode and select Enrollee.    2. Click "Rescan" button to update available WPS APs.
 24 3. Select an AP (SSID/BSSID) that STA will join to.   4. Click "PIN" button to start PIN connection.   5. Enter PIN Code of STA into the Registrar when prompted by the Registrar.      *Allow of an exchange between Step 4 and Step 5.   *If you use Microsoft Window Connection Now as an External Registrar, you must start PIN connection at STA first. After that, search out your WPS Device name and MAC address at Microsoft Registrar. Add a new device and enter PIN Code of STA at Microsoft Registrar when prompted.
 25 6. The result will look like the below figure.      7. Configured and got one or multiple credential(s).      8. Then connect successfully. The result will look like the below figure.
 26 9. Click "Detail" button.      10. You will look like the below figure.    *If Credential#1 is reliable and present, system will connect with Credential#1. On the contrary, system will auto rotate to the next existed credential.   *Also you can click "Rotate" button. Command to rotate to the next credential you want to use.   Describe "WPS Status Bar" - "PIN - xxx" as follow :   1. A successful PIN Configuration :   Start PIN connection - SSID ~> Begin associating to WPS AP ~> Associated to WPS AP ~> Sending EAPOL-Start ~> Sending EAP-Rsp (ID) ~> Receive EAP-Req (Start) ~> Sending M1 ~> Received M2 ~> (Received M2D ~> Sending EAP-Rsp (ACK)) ~> Sending M3 ~> Received M4 ~> Sending M5 ~> Received M6 ~> Sending M7 ~> Received M8 ~> Sending
 27 EAP-Rsp(Done) ~> Configured ~> WPS status is disconnected ~> WPS status is connected successfully-SSID   2. WPS configuration doesn't complete after two-minute connection :  WPS Eap process failed.   3. When Errors occur within two-minute connection, the WPS status bar might report on   "WPS Eap process failed".   Error messages might be :   1. Receive EAP with wrong NONCE.   2. Receive EAP without integrity.   3. Error PIN Code.   4. An inappropriate EAP-FAIL received.
 28 Chapter 3 – Maintenance This chapter describes how to uninstall or upgrade the Wireless Utility. 3.1  Uninstall the Driver Follow the steps below to remove (or uninstall) the USB Adapter driver from your computer.   Step 1. To remove the driver from the OS, go to Start -> Control Panel Step 2. Double-click System Step 3. Under Hardware tab, click Device Manager.   Step 4. Double-click Network Adapter Step 5. Right-click mouse button on “802.11n USB Wireless Network Adapter”, and choose Uninstall Step 6. Click OK to confirm that you are going to uninstall the driver  3.2  Uninstall the Client Utility Follow the steps below to remove the Client Utility from your computer.   Step 1. To remove the utility from the OS, go to Start -> Control Panel   Step 2. Double-click Add-Remove Programs Step 3. Select 802.11n Wireless Client Utility, and click the Remove button  3.3  Upgrading the Wireless Utility To perform the upgrade, follow the steps below. Step 1. Download the latest version of the utility from the web site and save the file on your computer. Step 2. Follow the steps in Section 2.2    to remove the current Wireless Utility from your computer.   Step 3. Restart your computer if prompted. Step 4. After restarting, refer to the procedure in the Chapter 2 to install the new utility.
 29 Glossary For unfamiliar terms used below, look for entries elsewhere in the glossary. AD-HOC (IBSS) Ad-hoc mode does not require an AP or a wired network. A network that transmits wireless from computer to computer without the use of a base station (access point).  Two or more wireless stations communicate directly to each other. An ad-hoc network may sometimes be referred to as an Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS).  CHANNEL A radio frequency used by a wireless device is called a channel.  EAP AUTHENTICATION EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) is an authentication protocol that runs on top of the  IEEE802.1X  transport  mechanism  in  order  to  support  multiple  types  of  user authentication.  By  using  EAP  to  interact  with  an  EAP-compatible  RADIUS  server,  an access point helps a wireless station and a RADIUS server perform authentication.  ENCRYPTION The  reversible  transformation  of  data  from  the  original  to  a  difficult-to-interpret  format. Encryption is a mechanism for protecting confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of data. It uses an encryption algorithm and one or more encryption keys.  FRAGMENTATION THRESHOLD This is the maximum data fragment size that can be sent before the packet is fragmented into smaller packets.  IEEE 802.1X The IEEE 802.1X standard outlines enhanced security methods for both the authentication of wireless stations and encryption key management. Authentication can be done using an external RADIUS server.  INFRASTRUCTURE (BSS) When a number of wireless stations are connected using a single AP, you have a Basic Service Set (BSS).
 30 ROAMING In an infrastructure network, wireless stations are able to switch from one BSS to another as they move between the coverage areas. During this period, the wireless stations maintain uninterrupted connection to the network. This is roaming. As the wireless station moves from place to place, it is responsible for choosing the most appropriate AP depending on the signal strength, network utilization among other factors.  SSID The SSID (Service Set Identity) is a unique name shared among all wireless devices in a wireless network. Wireless devices must have the same SSID to communicate with each other.  TEMPORAL KEY INTEGRITY PROTOCOL (TKIP) Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) uses 128-bit keys that are dynamically generated and distributed by the authentication server.  USER AUTHENTICATION WPA applies IEEE 802.1X and Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) to authenticate wireless clients using an external RADIUS database. If you do not have an external RADIUS server, use WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK (WPA -Pre-Shared Key) that only requires a single (identi-cal) password entered into each access point, wireless gateway and wireless client. As long as the passwords match, clients will be granted access to a WLAN.  WEP WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption scrambles all data packets transmitted between the WCB-321A and the AP or other wireless stations to keep network communications pri-vate. Both the wireless stations and the access points must use the same WEP key for data encryption and decryption.  WPA/WPA2 Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and WPA2 (future upgrade) is a subset of the IEEE 802.11 i  security  specification  draft.  Key  differences  between  WPA  and  WEP  are  user authentication and improved data encryption. WPA2 is a wireless security standard that defines stronger encryption, authentication and key management than WPA.

Navigation menu