GigaFast WF 727-AEX IEEE 802.11 b/g WLAN CardBus adapter User Guide 1 Copyright The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any part or as a whole, stored, transcribed in an information retrieval system, translated into any language, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, magnetic, electronic, optical, photocopying, manual, or otherwise, without prior written permission. Trademark All product, company, and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. They are used for identification purpose only. Specifications are subject to be changed without prior notice. 2 Table of Content 1 : Introduction : Features : Package Contents : System Requirements : What is Wireless LAN? : Wireless LAN Modes : Notes on Wireless LAN Configuration 2 : Hardware Description : Inserting the Wireless Adapter : LED Indicators : Ejecting the Wireless Adapter 3 : Installation Overview : Installation under Win 98SE / Win ME : Installation under Win 2000 / Win XP 4 : Configuration Utility Appendix A: Troubleshooting B: Specifications C: Technical Support / Warranty info 3 SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION: The WF 727-AEX WLAN Card Bus Adapter provides high-speed wireless link and networking for PC Card enabled desktops or notebooks. Users can have wireless connectivity simply by plugging the device into a PC Card Bus slot and installing the driver/utility on a desktop or notebook. When used with WLAN Access Point or WLAN Router, mobile workers can move freely, while maintaining seamless links to the wired LAN. FEATURES: · Uses 2.4GHz frequency band, which complies with worldwide · · · · · · · requirement Standards compatible with IEEE 802.11g and backwards compatible with IEEE 802.11b Enciphering/deciphering of wireless data by the implementation of the WEP algorithm Wire-free access to networked resources from anywhere beyond the notebook Allow users move between Access Points without resetting their connection reconfiguration Delivers data rate up to 54Mbps Supports 54,48,36,24,18,12,11,5.5,2, and 1Mbps Provide Wireless PCMCIA Adapter Configuration utility PACKAGE CONTENTS: · · · · · WF 727-AEX Card In box WF 727-AEX CD-ROM In box WF 727-AEX Warranty card In box WF 727-AEX drivers/utility On CD WF 727-AEX User's Guide On CD 4 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Before installation, please check your system in advance and ensure it meets the minimum requirements as described below. · Processor: Intel Celeron / Pentium II /Pentium III / Pentium 4; AMD Duron/Athlon · Operating System: Microsoft Windows 98SE / ME / 2000 / XP · System memory: 32MB at least · Hard Drive Free Space: 5MB · One available Card Bus PCMCIA slot (32bit) What is Wireless LAN? Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) systems offer a great number of advantages over traditional wired systems. WLAN is flexible and easy to setup and manage. They are also more economical than wired LAN systems. Using radio frequency (RF) technology, WLAN transmit and receive data through the air. WLAN combine data connectivity with user mobility. For example, users can roam from a conference room to their office without being disconnected from the LAN. Using WLAN, users can conveniently access shared information, and network administrators can configure and augment networks without installing or moving network cables. WLAN technology provides users with many convenient and cost saving features: · Mobility: WLAN provide LAN users with access to real-time information anywhere in their organization, providing service opportunities that are impossible with wired networks. · Ease of Installation: Installing is easy for novice and expert users alike, eliminating the need to install network cables in walls and ceilings. · Scalability: WLAN can be configured in a variety of topologies to adapt to 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 roaming over a broad area. 5 Wireless LAN Modes: Wireless LANs can be configured in one of two ways: 1. Ad-hoc Networking: Also known as a peer-to-peer network, an ad-hoc network is one that allows all workstations and computers in the network to act as servers to all other users on the network. Users on the network can share files, print to a shared printer, and access the Internet with a shared modem. However, with ad-hoc networking, users can only communicate with other wireless LAN computers that are in the wireless LAN workgroup, and are within range. 2. Infrastructure Networking: Infrastructure networking differs from ad-hoc networking in that it includes an access point. Unlike the ad-hoc structure where users on the LAN contend the shared bandwidth, on an infrastructure network the access point can manage the bandwidth to maximize bandwidth utilization. Additionally, the access point enables users on a wireless LAN to access an existing wired network, allowing wireless users to take advantage of the wired networks resources, such as Internet, email, file transfer, and printer sharing. Infrastructure networking has the following advantages over ad-hoc networking: · Extended range: each wireless LAN computer within the range of the access point can communicate with other wireless LAN computers within range of the access point. · Roaming: the access point enables a wireless LAN computer to move through a building and still be connected to the LAN. · Wired to wireless LAN connectivity: the access point bridges the gap between wireless LANs and their wired counterparts. Notes on Wireless LAN Configuration When configuring a wireless LAN (WLAN), be sure to note the following points: · Optimize the performance of the WLAN by ensuring that the distance between access points is not too far. In most buildings, WLAN Adapters operate within a range up to 125 m, depending on the thickness and structure of the walls. · Radio waves can pass through walls and glass but not metal. If there is interference in transmitting through a wall, it may be that the wall has reinforcing metal in its structure. Install another access point to circumvent this problem. 6 · Floors usually have metal girders and metal reinforcing struts that interfere with WLAN transmission. SECTION 2: Hardware Description The Wireless PCMCIA Adapter is encased in a stainless compact frame and has a 68-pin connector for attaching to the CardBus port of notebook. Inserting the Wireless PCMCIA Adapter: Follow the procedure below to insert the Wireless PCMCIA Adapter. With 68-pin connector of the card facing the CardBus slots on notebook. Make sure the GigaFast product sticker is facing up. Slide the card all the way into the empty CardBus slot. LED Indicators: The following describes the meaning of LED indicators: POWER: Indicates that the Adapter is powered on (solid green). ACT: Indicates Active status. The LED is off while the wireless connection is linked. If the LED is blinking green, the adapter is searching for possible wireless connection or transmitting the data via wireless. Ejecting the Wireless PCMCIA Adapter: · After disconnecting from the LAN, you can eject the Wireless PCMCIA Adapter from the PC Card slot of notebook. · Most notebooks have an eject lever or button for ejecting PC cards. Consult your notebook manual for details. · After hardware installation is completed, please go to next Chapter to install driver on different Operating System. 7 SECTION 3: INSTALLATION OVERVIEW Start your computer and then insert the Installation/Documentation CD in the computer's CD-ROM drive. The auto-run installation application will detect the Operating System you are using automatically. Note1: If the auto-run installation application didn't start automatically, you can utilize the Windows Explorer to browse CD content and run setup.exe manually. Note2: To prevent potential problems during installation, please use the auto-run installation tool on the CD to finish the driver installation before you plug WF 727-AEX Adapter into the computer. INSTALLATION UNDER Win98SE / Win ME Step 1. Please insert the Device CD, Win98SE / Win ME will automatically start `Autorun'. 8 Step 2. Welcome dialog will appear, please click NEXT Step 3. Starting to Copy Step 4. Please click Continue Anyway for this Warning page 9 Step 5. Click Finish to complete installation Step 6. After you have installed Utility, hold the Adapter with the logo facing up, and insert the card into the slot, applying just enough pressure to make sure it is fully seated. Win 98SE/Win ME automatically detect the Adapter, briefly opens a New Hardware Found window, and starts 10 collecting information for a driver information database. When Win 98SE / Win ME is ready to configure the new hardware, it opens the Add New Hardware Wizard dialog box as shown, Click Next. Step 7. A dialog box appears asking what do you want Windows to do. Select Search for the best driver for your device (recommended) and click Next. Step 8. Please choose CD-Rom driver and Click Next button to find device driver. 11 Step 9. After the hardware wizard finds the installation files in the system, it displays the search results:" Windows driver file search for the device: GigaFast WF 727-AEX." Click Next to copy the required files. 12 Step 10. Installation must use some path files, Please insert the Windows 98 SE System CD. (If you OS is Windows 98SE). Click Ok to continue the installation. Step 11. Starting Copy Step 12. The Add New Hardware Wizard window appears stating that 13 Windows has finished installing the software that your new hardware device requires. Click Finish. Step 13. The System Settings Change window states:" To finish setting up your new hardware, you must restart your computer. Do you want to restart your computer now?" Remove the software CD and click Yes to restart the computer. Step 14. After the computer restarts, double click the My Computer icon on your desktop. In My Computer window, double click the Control Panel icon. In Control Panel window, double click the Network icon. 14 Step 15. Select the TCP/IP-> GigaFast WF 727-AEX for setting the IP address. Click Properties. 15 Step 16. Set IP address and Subnet Mask. You can select either Static or DHCP setting. If you use the static IP setup then please enter the IP address and Subnet masking. You should ask your network administrator for an address, and then type it into the blanket boxes as below. Then click OK to return to Step 10 Network dialog box. If your network has a DHCP server and Access Point supports DHCP. IP address can be automatically assigned to this device. Choose Use DHCP for WINS Resolution in WINS Configuration then clicks OK to return to Step 10 Network dialog box. 16 Step 17. The System Settings Change: "To finish setting up your new hardware, you must restart your computer. Do you want to restart your computer now?" Click Yes to restart the computer. * Please refer the configuration utility section to configure your WF 727AEX WLAN CardBus adapter 17 INSTALLATION UNDER WINDOWS 2000 / Win XP Step 1. Please insert the Device CD, Win 2000 / Win XP will start the autorun. Step 2. Welcome dialog will appear, please click NEXT Step 3. Starting to Copy 18 Step 4. Please click Continue Anyway for this Warning page Step 5. Click Finish to complete installation 19 Step 6 After you have installed Utility, hold the CardBus adapter with the logo facing up, and insert the card into the slot, applying just enough pressure to make sure it is fully seated. Win XP/ Win 2000 automatically detects the Adapter, briefly opens a New Hardware Found window, and starts collecting information for a driver information database. When Win 2000 / Win XP is ready to configure the new hardware, it opens the Add New Hardware Wizard dialog box as shown, Click Next. Step 7. After the hardware wizard finds the installation files in the system, it displays the search results. Please Click Next to copy the required files. 20 Step 8. Please click Continue Anyway for this Warning page 21 Step 9. The Add New Hardware Wizard window appears stating that Windows has finished installing the software that your new hardware device requires. Click Finish. After finished install driver and utility on your system. First thing we will see the Utility Icon in the right corner at the taskbar. Please refer section 4 to configure your WF 727-AEX WLAN CardBus adapter. 22 SECTION 4: Configuration Utility WLAN PC Card uses its own management software. All functions controlled by user are provided by this application. When you insert the WLAN PC card into the PCMCIA slot, a new icon- should appear in your icon tray automatically wait a while. If the icon is in red, it means that WLAN PC Card configuration is invalid or incomplete. Double click on that icon will show you the screen as show ...