D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G630 802.11g (2.4GHz) Wireless Cardbus Adapter TM Manual Building Networks for People Contents Package Contents ................................................................................3 Introduction............................................................................................4 Wireless Basics ....................................................................................5 Installation Considerations ....................................................................7 Getting Started ......................................................................................8 Using the Configuration Utility .............................................................. 11 Networking Basics ..............................................................................18 Troubleshooting ...................................................................................31 Technical Specifications ......................................................................36 Contacting Technical Support ..............................................................38 Warranty and Registration ...................................................................39 2 Package Contents Contents of Package: D-Link AirPlusTM G DWL-G630 802.11g (2.4GHz) Wireless Cardbus Adapter Manual, Warranty and Drivers on CD Printed Quick Installation Guide If any of the above items are missing, please contact your reseller. System Requirements for Configuration: A laptop or notebook computer with an available 32-bit cardbus slot Windows XP/2000/Me/98SE At least 32 MB of memory and a 300 MHz processor An 802.11g or 802.11b access point (for Infrastructure mode), or another 802.11g or 802.11b wireless adapter (for Ad-Hoc, Peer-to-Peer networking mode.) 3 Introduction The D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G630 Wireless Cardbus Adapter is an 802.11b/802.11g (2.4GHz) wireless adapter that supports high-speed wireless networking at home, at work or in public places. Unlike most network cards, the DWL-G630 provides data transfers at up to 54 Mbps (compared to the standard 11 Mbps) when used with other D-Link AirPlusTM G products. The 802.11g standard is backwards compatible with 802.11b products. TM Features Faster Wireless Networking - Faster data transfers mean increased productivity. With the DWL-G630 in your laptop PC, you will have the flexibility of wireless networking speeds that save you time and money. Compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g Devices - Fully compatible with the IEEE 802.11b and 802.11g standards, the DWL-G630 can connect with existing 802.11bor 802.11g- compliant routers, access points and cards. That means you can still communicate with colleagues and friends while you have the ability to link to even more wireless networks. 32-bit Cardbus Performance/Plug & Play Connectivity - The DWL-G630 is a powerful 32-bit cardbus adapter that installs quickly and easily into laptop PCs, and when used with other D-Link Air PlusTM G products will automatically connect to the network out of the box. User-friendly configuration and diagnostic utilities. LEDs LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode. The DWL-G630 has the following LEDs: Activity A blinking light indicates data is being transmitted. Link A steady light indicates a connection to an access point. 4 Wireless Basics D-Link wireless products are based on industry standards to provide easy-to-use and compatible high-speed wireless connectivity within your home, business or public access wireless networks. D-Link wireless products will allow you access to the data you want, when and where you want it. You will be able to enjoy the freedom that wireless networking brings. A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a computer network that transmits and receives data with radio signals instead of wires. WLANs are used increasingly in both home and office environments, and public areas such as airports, coffee shops and universities. Innovative ways to utilize WLAN technology are helping people to work and communicate more efficiently. Increased mobility and the absence of cabling and other fixed infrastructure have proven to be beneficial to many users. Wireless users can use the same applications they use on a wired network. Wireless adapter cards used on laptop and desktop systems support the same protocols as Ethernet adapter cards. People use WLAN technology for many different purposes: Mobility - Productivity increases when people have access to data in any location within the operating range of the WLAN. Management decisions based on real-time information can significantly improve worker efficiency. Low Implementation Costs - WLANs are easy to set up, manage, change and relocate. Networks that frequently change can benefit from WLANs ease of implementation. WLANs can operate in locations where installation of wiring may be impractical. Installation and Network Expansion - Installing a WLAN system can be fast and easy and can eliminate the need to pull cable through walls and ceilings. Wireless technology allows the network to go where wires cannot go - even outside the home or office. Inexpensive Solution - Wireless network devices are as competitively priced as conventional Ethernet network devices. Scalability - WLANs can be configured in a variety of ways 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 larger Infrastructure networks to accommodate hundreds or thousands of users, depending on the number of wireless devices deployed. 5 Wireless Basics (continued) The DWL-G630 is compatible with the following wireless products: D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G520 and DWL-G510 Wireless PCI cards used with desktop computers D-Link AirPlus G DWL-2000AP Enhanced 2.4GHz Wireless Access Point D-Link AirPlus G DI-624 Wireless Router The DWL-G630 is also interoperable with other 802.11g and 802.11b standardscompliant devices. TM TM TM Standards-Based Technology The DWL-G630 Wireless Cardbus Adapter utilizes the 802.11b and the 802.11g standards. The IEEE 802.11g standard is an extension of the 802.11b standard. It increases the data rate up to 54 Mbps within the 2.4GHz band, utilizing OFDM technology. This means that in most environments, within the specified range of this device, you will be able to transfer large files quickly or even watch a movie in MPEG format over your network without noticeable delays. This technology works by transmitting high-speed digital data over a radio wave utilizing OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) technology. OFDM works by splitting the radio signal into multiple smaller sub-signals that are then transmitted simultaneously at different frequencies to the receiver. OFDM reduces the amount of crosstalk (interference) in signal transmissions. The D-Link DWLG630 will automatically sense the best possible connection speed to ensure the greatest speed and range possible. The DWL-G630 is backwards compatible with 802.11b devices. This means that if you have an existing 802.11b network, the devices in that network will be compatible with 802.11g devices at speeds up to 11Mbps in the 2.4GHz range. 6 Wireless Basics (continued) Installation Considerations The D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G630 lets you access your network, using a wireless connection, from virtually anywhere within its operating range. Keep in mind, however, that the number, thickness and location of walls, ceilings, or other objects that the wireless signals must pass through, may limit the range. Typical ranges vary depending on the types of materials and background RF (radio frequency) noise in your home or business. The key to maximizing wireless range is to follow these basic guidelines: TM 1 Keep the number of walls and ceilings between the DWL-G630 and other network devices to a minimum - each wall or ceiling can reduce your DWL-G630's range from 3-90 feet (1-30 meters.) Position your devices so that the number of walls or ceilings is minimized. 2 Be aware of the direct line between network devices. 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! Position devices so that the signal will travel straight through a wall or ceiling (instead of at an angle) for better reception. 3 Building materials can impede the wireless signal - a solid metal door or aluminum studs may have a negative effect on range. Try to position wireless devices and computers with wireless adapters so that the signal passes through drywall or open doorways and not other materials. 4 Keep your product away (at least 3-6 feet or 1-2 meters) from electrical devices or appliances that generate RF noise. 7 Getting Started There are basically two modes of networking: Infrastructure ­ using an access point, or wireless router, such as the DI-624. Ad-Hoc ­ directly connecting to another computer, for Peer-to-Peer communication, using wireless network adapters on each computer, such as two or more DWL-G630 Wireless Cardbus Adapters. On the following pages we will show you an example of an Infrastructure Network and an Ad-Hoc Network. An Infrastructure network contains an access point or a wireless router. The Infrastructure Network example shown on the following page contains the following D-Link network devices (your existing network may be comprised of other devices): A wireless router - D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G DI-624 A laptop computer with a wireless adapter TM D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G630 A desktop computer with a wireless adapter TM D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G520 or DWL-G510 A cable modem - D-Link DCM-201 TM 8 Getting Started (continued) Setting up a Wireless Infrastructure Network For a typical wireless setup at home (as shown above), please do the following: 1 2 3 4 DWL-G520 or DWL-G510 6 5 DWL-G630 with Laptop PC You will need broadband Internet access (a Cable or DSL-subscriber line into your home or office). Consult with your Cable or DSL provider for proper installation of the modem. Connect the Cable or DSL modem to your broadband router. (See the Quick Installation Guide included with your router). If you are connecting a desktop computer to your network, you can install the TM D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G520 or DWL-G510 Wireless PCI Adapter into an available PCI slot on your desktop computer. (See the Quick Installation Guide included with the network adapter). Install the D-Link DWL-G630 Wireless Cardbus Adapter into a laptop computer. (See the Quick Installation Guide included with the DWL-G630). If you wish, you may connect a computer that is equipped with an Ethernet network adapter (such as a DFE-530TX+) to the router also. 9 Getting Started (continued) Setting up a Wireless Ad-Hoc Network DWL-G630 DWL-G630 Install the D-Link DWL-G630 Wireless Cardbus Adapter into one laptop computer. (See the Quick Installation Guide included with the product for installation instructions.) Install another DWL-G630 into a laptop computer. (See the Quick Installation Guide included with the product.) Set the wireless configuration for the adapters to Ad-Hoc mode, set the adapters to the same channel, and assign an IP address to each computer on the Ad-Hoc network. (See the box below). IP Address When assigning IP addresses to the computers on the network, please remember that the IP address for each computer must be in the same IP address range as all the computers in the network, and the subnet mask must be exactly the same for all the computers in the network. For example: If the first computer is assigned an IP address of 192.168.0.2 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, then the second computer can be assigned an IP address of 192.168.0.3 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, etc. IMPORTANT: If computers or other devices are assigned the same IP address, one or more of the devices may not be visible on the network. 10 Using the Configuration Utility D-Link AirPlusTM G DWL-G630 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. After you have completed the installation of the DWL-G630 (refer to the Quick Installation Guide that came with your purchase) whenever you start the computer, 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. Another way to start the Configuration Utility is to click on TM Start>Programs>D-Link AirPlus G >D-Link AirPlusTM G Utility. If you are using Windows XP, you can use either the Zero Configuration Utility or the D-Link Configuration Utility. To use the D-Link Configuration Utility with XP, right-click on the wireless network icon in the taskbar in the lower right-hand corner of your computer scr ...