54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Model #: HWE05490-01 Firmware version: 1.31 (Utility version: 1.3) User Manual Solutions for the Digital LifeTM Table of Contents Introduction Features Package Contents System Requirements Contacting Technical Support Getting to Know the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Front Panel Rear Panel Understanding your Wireless Network What is Adhoc Mode? What is Infrastructure Mode? Installing the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Physical installation of the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Connecting the Adapter to a network Configuring the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter How to configure the Adapter Starting the Web Interface Configuring the Adapter on Macintosh OS/X Starting the Web Interface using Macintosh OS/X Configuring the Adapter for operating with a Game Console Troubleshooting/Frequently Asked Questions Glossary Specifications Notices Limited Warranty 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 7 7 8 10 10 14 19 21 26 27 30 32 33 36 Table of Contents i Introduction Congratulations on becoming the owner of the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter. Your Wireless Ethernet Adapterprovides bridging capabilities between your Wireless LAN (local area network) and one or more personal computers, gaming consoles, or other Ethernet-ready devices such as printers and storage devices. This User Guide will show you how to set up the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter, customize its configuration to get the most out of your network. The Ethernet Adapter s compliant with the 802.11g specifications and requires that you have a Wireless Router, Access Point, or any other compatible wireless device. 1 Features 802.11g Wireless Ethernet Bridge 10/100Base-T Ethernet DHCP Client DHCP Server Configurable through HTML browser Package Contents Make sure the following items came in this package: Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter with antenna Power Cord Yellow Ethernet Cable This User's Manual on the Installation CD-ROM Quick Start Guide Introduction 1 System Requirements To use the Wireless Ethernet Adapter, you must have the following: PC with an open Ethernet port Microsoft Windows XP, ME, 2000, NT4.0, 98, 98SE; MAC OS 8 or higher TCP/IP network protocol installed Internet Explorer 4.0 or Netscape 4.0 or higher Contacting Technical Support Actiontec Electronics, Inc., prides itself on making durable, high-quality, highperformance products. If you need assistance, the Actiontec Technical Support Department is available to provide professional support 24 hours a day, every day, except major holidays. Actiontec Electronics, Inc. 760 North Mary Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Technical Support Phone: 1-888-436-0657 (USA)/0845 65 80411 (UK) Email: http://support.actiontec.com/email_support/support_form.php 2 Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Getting to Know the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Front Panel 2 The front panel provides the user with a fast visual feedback of its current status. Figure 1. Front Panel and LEDs Power The Power light will turn green when the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter is powered on. Wireless The Wireless light will turn solid green when the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter is connected to the Wireless LAN. The Wireless LED will blink continuosly when data traffic is present on the wireless LAN. Getting to know the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter 3 Rear Panel The rear panel contains the ports for the unit's data and power connections. Figure 2. Back Panel and Ports Power Reset Connects to the Power Cord. Depress the Reset button to bring the 54Mbsp Wireless Ethernet Adapter to its factory default settings. Hold the button for 15 sec. Antenna The antenna connector allows you to connect to various antennae types. Please use the included antenna if you do not have any other antenna. Ethernet You connect your Yellow Ehernet Cable to this port 4 Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter User Manual Understanding your Wireless Network 3 Wireless local area networks (WLAN) perform the exact same functions as wired local area networks (LAN). Each computer in the WLAN uses a data radio device to connect to the network, where all computers in the network share the same frequency and method for identifying wireless devices. Wireless local area networks differ from wired Local area networks only in their operating mode. The two operation modes are AdHoc Mode and Infrastructure Mode. What is Adhoc Mode? Adhoc mode is a networking framework by which wireless devices or stations communicate directly with each other, without the need for an access point (AP). Ad-hoc mode can be referred to as peer-to-peer mode or an Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS). This Mode is useful when you want to communicate among many computers locally without the need to connect to printers or file servers on a wired LAN. Figure 3. AdHoc Network Understanding your Wireless Network 5 What is Infrastructure Mode? Infrastructure mode is a networking framework by which devices communicate with each other by first going through an Access Point (AP). Infrastructure mode, lets wireless devices communicate with each other or with a wired network. Two possible types of service can exist while in Infrastructure mode: Basic Service Set (BSS) Basic Service Set is when an Access Point is connected to a wired network and a set of wireless stations. Extended Service Set (ESS) Extended Service Set is a set of two or more Basic Service Sets BSSs that form a single subnet. Note: Corporate wireless LANs require infrastructure mode to access the wired LAN in order to use services such as file servers or printers. Figure 4. Infrastructure Network 6 Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter User Manual Installing the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter 4 This equipment is designed with utmost care for the safety of those who install and use it. However, special attention must be paid to the dangers of electric shock and static electricity when working with electronic equipment. All guidelines of this manual and of the computer manufacturer must therefore be followed at all times to ensure the safe use of the equipment. Physical installation of the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter For best performance, and range, the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter needs to be placed in a flat horizontal position with the antenna extended up as shown below: Installing the Actiontec 54Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter 7 Connecting the Adapter to a network Now that your Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter has been installed, it is ready to be connected to the power outlet and to your wired network. 1. Get the Wireless Ethernet Adapter from your Quick Start Kit. Make sure that the external antenna is connected to the adapter. 2. Get the Yellow Cable from the Quick Start Kit. Plug one end into the Ethernet Port located on the back of the Ethernet Adapter. You will hear a "click" when the Yellow Cable has been properly connected. 8 Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter User Manual 3. Plug the other end of the Yellow cable into the Ethernet port located on the back of the Computer or Game Console (like a Sony Playstation or Xbox). You will hear a "click" when the Yellow Cable has been properly connected. 4. Get the Power Cord and plug the small end into the Power Port located on the back of the Ethernet Adapter. 5. Plug the other end of the Power Cord into an power outlet. Installing the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter 9 Configuring the Actiontec 54Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter 5 How to configure the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Configuring the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter means adjusting the following settings: radio channels, security, and identification, etc. You only need to configure the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter when you want to change these settings. You can configure the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter through the configuration utility provided in the Installation CD or via the Web Interface. Starting the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Configuration Utility The 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Configuration Utility helps you identify and modify the IP values of the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter without launching the Web Interface. 1. Insert the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Installation CD in your Computer's CD-ROM Drive, and close the drive tray. Under My Computer, double-click on the CD-ROM drive, then double-click on "Ethernet_Adapter_Utility_1.3". 2. When the following screen appears, click on Next to continue. 10 Actiontec 54Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter User Manual 3. When the following screen appears, click Next to continue. 4. When the following screen appears, click Finish to continue. 5. Once the Installation is complete, from the Windows Desktop click on the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Configuration Icon. Note: The 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Configuration Utility allows the end user to identify the IP address of the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter as an aid to Adjusting the Access Point's network address values, we recommend keeping the factory defaults. Configuring the Actiontec 54Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter 11 6. The 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Configuration Utility will scan for any Wireless Ethernet Adapters and display their information. 7. If you wish to change the factory default values, click on any of the choices on the screen. Note: Make sure you record the current settings prior to changing the current configuration. 8. To change the wireless Settings, click on AP Settings, enter the appropriate values and click Apply. 12 Actiontec 54Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter User Manual 9. To change the Ethernet Settings, click on IP Settings, enter the appropriate values and click Apply. Note: Make sure you record the current settings prior to changing the current configuration. We recommend keeping the factory defaults if you are not sure 10. To change the Security Settings, click on Security, enter the appropriate values and click Apply. Configuring the Actiontec 54Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter 13 11. Once completed, and you Apply your changes, the following screen will appear. Enter the Username and Password to apply the changes. The default values are: Username: admin Password: admin Note: The 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter can be adjusted manually by accessing it from any browser. Starting the Web Interface Once the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter Configuration Utility has finished and the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter is available for configuration in the network, configure it by using any Web Browser. 1. Launch the Web Browser and type the following address in the Address Field http:\\192.168.0.240 , press Enter to continue. 2. You will be asked to enter a Username and Password. Enter the Username and Password as listed below. Press Enter to continue. Default Username: admin Default Password: admin 14 Actiontec 54Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter User Manual 3. When the following screen appears, begin configuring your 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter. The Status screen provides information on all the current settings for the 54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter. 4. Click on Basic Setting to modify the Adapter's wireless settings. Wireless Network Name (SSID): This is the name of the Ethernet Adapter on the wireless network. The default Wireless Network Name (SSID) is: ACTIONTEC. Make sure that you enter the SSID as all capital letters. Configuring the Actiontec 54Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter 15 Channel: This is the radio channel that the Ethernet Adapter will operate on, if you experience interference you may need to try different channels. (Available channels are separated by frequencies; channels 1-11 operate at 2.4GHz in the U.S.) Actiontec recommends that you use channel 9. WEP Key: WEP is the wireless encryption standard implemented in the Ethernet Adapter. To use it, a client device (54 Mbps Wireless Ethernet Adapter) must provide a key that will be authenticated by the Wireless Access Point, Router or Gateway. Keys are classified by their size, 64 bit, and 128 bit. Although these keys are hexadecimal values, the Access Point, Router or Gateway takes care of converting and encrypting your defined key. Enable WEP: Check the Enable WEP box to enable it. To enable the most secure use of WEP, also set Authentication to "Shared key" when WEP is enabled. WEP key lengths: Select the appropriate WEP key length by clicking on the arrow, the selected length applies to all keys. WEP key 1 - 4 : Enter your Phrase, or number sequence to be used as a WEP key. you can set up to four different WEP keys. Default WEP key to use: Select either HEX (Hexadecimal) or Decimal for the WEP key to be used. Do this by clicking on the arrow. Data transmissions will always be encrypted usi ...