11 Mbps Wireless PC Card User Manual Table of Contents 1 Introduction Package Contents Minimum System Requirements Technical Support 1 1 1 2 2 Setting Up the Wireless PC Card Connecting the PC Card 3 3 3 Using the Wireless LAN Monitor Utility Opening the Monitor Utility Window Using the Wireless LAN Monitor Windows XP 9 9 10 18 4 Using the Wireless LAN Config. Utility Opening the Configuration Utility Window Using the Wireless LAN Configuration Utility Windows XP 19 19 20 26 A Reference Locating Computer Information Locating Windows Operating System Files 27 27 28 B Specifications General Wireless Operating Range Environmental 31 31 31 32 C Glossary Notices Regulatory Compliance Notices Modifications 33 37 37 37 Limited Warranty 39 i Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card User Manual ii Introduction 1 Thank you for purchasing the Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card. This easy-toset-up, easy-to-use PC Card is perfect for the mobile home or small office computer user, and features the latest in wireless networking technology. If you want to take your computing to the next level, the Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card is sure to be one of the keys to your success. Package Contents Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card Installation CD (includes user manual) Quick start guide Warranty and registration card Minimum System Requirements Notebook computer with CD-ROM drive, available PCMCIA slot, and at least 500 Kbytes of free disk space Microsoft Windows 98, 98 Second Edition (SE), Millennium Edition (Me), 2000, or XP TCP/IP network protocol installed 1 Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card User Manual Technical Support Actiontec Electronics prides itself on making durable, high-quality, high-performance products. If you need assistance, the Actiontec Technical Support Department is available 24 hours a day, every day, to provide professional support. Actiontec Electronics, Inc. 760 N. Mary Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94085 Technical Support Phone: 719.884.8300 E-mail: techsupp@actiontec.com Internet: www.actiontec.com/support 2 Setting Up the Wireless PC Card 2 The instructions that follow parallel the steps contained in the Actiontec Installation BuddyTM, which provides a visual guide to setting up the Pc card. It is recommended the user run the Installation Buddy first, before attempting any other procedures. To set up the PC Card, it must be connected to and configured with a computer, and then connected to a wireless network. To do this, use the following instructions. Connecting the PC Card 1. Insert the Actiontec Installation Buddy CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive of the computer. The Installation Buddy will start automatically. Wait until the following screen appears, read the onscreen instructions, then click Next. 2. The next window appears. Select the kind of router, gateway, or access point the PC Card will connect to (Actiontec or Other Brand) by clicking in the proper check box, then click Next. 3 Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card User Manual 3. In the next window, click in the check box next to Wireless PC Card and click Next. 4. The next window appears. Read the onscreen instructions, then click Next. 5. When the next window appears, read the information concerning the items needed to set up the PC Card, then click Next. 4 Chapter 2 Setting Up the Wireless PC Card 6. If Actiontec was chosen in step 2, the following window appears. Read the instructions concerning the gateway, router, or access point, then click Next. If Other Brand was chosen in step 2, the following window appears. Read the instructions concerning the gateway, router, or access point, then click Next. 7. When the next window appears, insert the PC Card into an available PCMCIA slot on the computer. Click Next. Note: The PCMCIA slot(s) are either on the right or left side of the computer. 5 Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card User Manual 8. When the next window appears, check that the light on the end of the PC Card is glowing solid green, then click Next. 9. As shown in the next window, select whether Windows XP is used on the computer by clicking Yes or No. Then, click Next. 10. If Yes (Windows XP is running on the computer) was selected in step 9, the window below appears, instructing the user to click Start, Settings, and Network Connections from the desktop. Then, click Next in the Installation Buddy. If No was selected in step 9, go to step 13. 6 Chapter 2 Setting Up the Wireless PC Card 11. The next window appears, as well as the "Network Connections" window on the desktop. In the Network Connections window, double-click on the Wireless Network Connection, then click Next in the Installation Buddy. 12. When the next window appears, follow the onscreen instructions. In the "Connect to Wireless Networks" window on the desktop, select the wireless network the PC Card will be connected to, then click Next in the Installation Buddy. 13. The next window appears as the Installation Buddy connects the PC Card to the wireless network. 7 Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card User Manual 13. When the PC Card has finished connecting, a "Congratulations" window appears. Click Next through the following windows, then click Finish. The Wireless PC Card is connected to, and configured with, the computer, and is connected to the wireless network. 8 Using the Wireless LAN Monitor Utility 3 Important: If the icon in the picture below appears in the System Tray, use this Utility. If another icon appears, see page 19. To monitor the wireless network to which the Wireless PC Card is connected, as well as check or adjust wireless network settings, use the Wireless LAN Monitor Utility. This utility offers the ability to check wireless network signal strength, connect to a wireless network using an encryption scheme, and many other options. Note: The Utility is used only on computers running Windows 98, 98 SE, Me, or 2000. If the computer being used runs Windows XP, see "Windows XP" on page 18. Opening the Monitor Utility Window To open the Utility, go to the right-hand corner of the desktop. In the System Tray (where the clock is located), double-click on the Actiontec Wireless LAN Monitor Utility icon (shown in the red circle, below) The Wireless LAN Monitor window appears on the desktop. 9 Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card User Manual Using the Wireless LAN Monitor After double-clicking on the Wireless LAN Monitor icon, the Wireless LAN Monitor appears. There are six tabs at the top of the window: Status, Statistics, Site Survey, Encryption, Advanced, and Info. To select a particular tab, click on it. To close the Monitor window, click Exit. Status The Status tab(shown in the figure above) features a number of settings and options related to the wireless network connection. Some of the settings can be changed. To do this, click Change, which activates the configurable settings. After making changes, click Submit to save the changes, or Cancel to cancel the changes. Operating Mode The Operating Mode text box displays the type of network to which the PC Card is connected. There are two operating modes: Infrastructure and Ad Hoc. 10 Chapter 3 Using the Wireless LAN Monitor Utility Infrastructure - When Infrastructure is selected, the PC Card is connected to a router, gateway, or access point. Ad Hoc - When Ad Hoc is selected, the PC Card is connected to another computer. Channel The Channel text box displays the channel in which the PC Card is currently operating. This option cannot be changed from here. SSID The SSID text box displays the name of the wireless network to which the PC Card is currently connected. To change the network name, enter a new name in the text box. TX Rate The TX Rate text box sets the rate of packets being sent across the PC Card's wireless connection.Options include 5.5 Mbps, 11 Mbps, and Auto. Radio The Radio text box displays the state of the PC Card's wireless capability. Selecting On, turns the PC Card's wireless capability on; selecting Off turns the wireless capabilty off. Status The Status text box contains the status of the PC Card's wireless connection, including whether the PC Card is associated with a wireless network and the MAC (Media Access Control) address of the connection's device (router/gateway/access point/computer). Signal Strength, Link Quality Each bar graph displays the relative strength or quality of the wireless signal and link. 11 Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card User Manual Statistics Clicking Statistics in the Wireless LAN Monitor window causes the "Statistics" tab to appear. This tab contains various Tx (transmit cell) and Rx (ATM cell) statistics for the wireless connection. Clicking Reset sets all the statistics displayed back to zero, and starts the count again. 12 Chapter 3 Using the Wireless LAN Monitor Utility Site Survey Clicking Survey Site in the Wireless LAN Monitor window causes the "Survey Site" tab to appear. In the tab's large text box, a list of all wireless networks the PC Card can detect appears, along with the particular network's BSSID (MAC address), SSID name, signal strength, channel, encryption state, and BSS (type of connection [Infrastructure or Ad Hoc]). Clicking Re-Scan causes the PC Card to refresh its list of detected networks. 13 Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card User Manual Encryption Clicking Encryption in the Wireless LAN Monitor window causes the `Encryption" tab to appear. If changing settings in this tab, make sure to click Submit after making all changes. Encryption Types Clicking the arrow next to the "Encryption" text box reveals a list box with three options: Disabled, 64 Bit, and 128 Bit. Disabled - If joining a wireless network with no encryption, select this option. 64 Bit - If joining a wireless network with 64-bit encryption, select this option. 128 Bit - If joining a wireless network with 128-bit encryption, select this option. Key #1 - Key #4 If joining a wireless network with 64-bit or 128-bit encryption, enter the encryption keys here. These keys must be identical to the wireless network's encryption keys to join the network. 14 Chapter 3 Using the Wireless LAN Monitor Utility Default Key When 64 Bit or 128 Bit encryption is selected, the "Default Key" text box activates. Click the arrow next to the text box to reveal a list box with four options: Key #1, Key #2, Key #3, and Key #4. Some networks use a default key when using encryption (rather than using all the keys available) If connecting to a network using a default key, click on the default key number used by the network Mode When 64 Bit or 128 Bit encryption is selected, the "Mode" text box activates. Click the arrow next to the text box to reveal a list box with two options: Mandatory and Optional. Select the option by clicking on it. Mandatory - When Mandatory is selected, all other computers trying to connect to the PC Card must use the same encryption scheme used on the wireless network to which the PC Card is currently connected. Optional - When Optional is selected. other computers can connect to the PC Card without using the encryption scheme used on the wireless network to which the PC Card is currently connected. Authentication Type When 64 Bit or 128 Bit encryption is selected, the "Authentication Type" text box activates. Click the arrow next to the text box to reveal a list box with three options: Open System, Shared Key, and Optional. Select the option by clicking on it. Open System - When Open System is selected, the PC Card and the wireless device to which it is connected send and accept randomly generated keys that last only a short time before new keys are generated and sent. This is the highest level of authentication. Shared Key - When Shared Key is selected, the PC Card and wireless device to which it is connected send and accept a single key. This key is used indefinitely, and if an outside user discover the key, he can eavesdrop on the network traffic between the PC Card and wireless device. Optional - When Optional is selected. other computers can connect to the PC Card without using any type of authentication. 15 Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card User Manual Advanced Clicking Advanced in the Wireless LAN Monitor window causes the "Advanced" tab to appear. The settings in this tab should be changed only if the user is very familiar with wireless networking concepts. Preamble Type A preamble is a signal which synchronizes transmissions between two or more systems. This setting should remain at Auto. Fragmentation Threshold Sets the amount of network resources used to recover packet errors. If high packet error rates exist, this setting can be decreased, but network performance may degrade. RTS/CTS Threshold Sets the RTS/CTS (Request To Send/Clear To Send) threshold. If the connection drops from the network frequently and without apparent reason, set this threshold lower. 16 Chapter 3 Using the Wireless LAN Monitor Utilit ...