User Manual for the NETGEAR Pre-N Wireless PC Card WGM511 NETGEAR, Inc. 4500 Great America Parkway Santa Clara, CA 95054 USA 202-10068-01 Version 1.0 December 2004 December 2004 Technical Support Please refer to the support information card that shipped with your product. By registering your product at http://www.netgear.com/register, we can provide you with faster expert technical support and timely notices of product and software upgrades. NETGEAR, INC. Support Information Phone: 1-888-NETGEAR, for US & Canada only. For other countries, see your Support information card. E-mail: support@netgear.com Web site: http://www.netgear.com Statement of Conditions In the interest of improving internal design, operational function, and/or reliability, NETGEAR reserves the right to make changes to the products described in this document without notice. NETGEAR does not assume any liability that may occur due to the use or application of the product(s) or circuit layout(s) described herein. © 2004 NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR, the NETGEAR logo, The Gear Guy and Everybody's Connecting are trademarks or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved. December 2004 Certificate of the Manufacturer/Importer It is hereby certified that the Model WGM511 Wireless PC Card has been suppressed in accordance with the conditions set out in the BMPT- AmtsblVfg 243/1991 and Vfg 46/1992. The operation of some equipment (for example, test transmitters) in accordance with the regulations may, however, be subject to certain restrictions. Please refer to the notes in the operating instructions. Federal Office for Telecommunications Approvals has been notified of the placing of this equipment on the market and has been granted the right to test the series for compliance with the regulations. FCC Information to User This product does not contain any user serviceable components and is to be used with approved antennas only. Any product changes or modifications will invalidate all applicable regulatory certifications and approvals FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure In order to comply with RF exposure limits established in the ANSI C95.1 standards, the user is advised to maintain a distance of at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the antenna of this device while it is in use. ii December 2004 Declaration Of Conformity We NETGEAR, Inc., 4500 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, CA 95054, declare under our sole responsibility that the model WGM511 Cardbus Card Wireless Adapter complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: · · This device may not cause harmful interference, and This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Regulatory Compliance Information This section includes user requirements for operating this product in accordance with National laws for usage of radio spectrum and operation of radio devices. Failure of the end-user to comply with the applicable requirements may result in unlawful operation and adverse action against the end-user by the applicable National regulatory authority. NOTE: This product's firmware limits operation to only the channels allowed in a particular Region or Country. Therefore, all options described in this user's guide may not be available in your version of the product. FCC Requirements for Operation in the United States Radio Frequency Interference Warnings & Instructions 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 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 or more of the following methods: · · · · Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver Connect the equipment into an electrical outlet on a circuit different from that which the radio receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. NETGEAR Pre-N Wireless PC Card WGM511 Tested to Comply with FCC Standards FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE FCC ID: SA3-AGN1023PC0200 Modifications made to the product, unless expressly approved by NETGEAR, Inc., could void the user's right to operate the equipment. Export Restrictions This product or software contains encryption code which may not be exported or transferred from the US or Canada without an approved US Department of Commerce export license. iii December 2004 iv December 2004 Contents Chapter 1 About This Manual Audience .........................................................................................................................1-1 Scope .............................................................................................................................1-1 Typographical Conventions ............................................................................................1-2 Special Message Formats ..............................................................................................1-2 How to Print this Manual .................................................................................................1-2 Chapter 2 Introduction About the NETGEAR Pre-N Wireless PC Card WGM511 ..............................................2-1 Key Features and Related NETGEAR Products ............................................................2-1 What's in the Box? ..........................................................................................................2-2 WGM511 LEDs and Interfaces .......................................................................................2-2 A Road Map for "How to Get There From Here" ............................................................2-3 Chapter 3 Basic Setup What You Need Before You Begin ..................................................................................3-1 Verifying System Requirements ...............................................................................3-1 Observing Location and Range Guidelines ..............................................................3-2 Two Operating Modes ....................................................................................................3-2 WGM511 Default Wireless Configuration Settings .........................................................3-2 Basic Installation Instructions .........................................................................................3-3 For Windows 2000 Users Installing a WGM511 .......................................................3-6 WGM511 Wireless Connection Indicators ......................................................................3-9 Interpreting the LEDs on the WGM511 ..................................................................3-10 Interpreting System Tray Icon Colors .....................................................................3-10 Chapter 4 NETGEAR Smart Wireless Wizard Understanding the Configuration Options ......................................................................4-1 Using Configuration Profiles ...........................................................................................4-1 Connecting to an Access Point in Infrastructure Mode ............................................4-2 Contents December 2004 v How to Configure an Infrastructure Mode Profile .....................................................4-3 Connecting to Another PC in Ad Hoc Mode ...................................................................4-4 How to Configure an Ad Hoc Mode Profile ..............................................................4-5 How to Start a Computer-to-Computer (Ad Hoc) Network .......................................4-6 Statistics Page ..........................................................................................................4-7 Advanced Settings Display ......................................................................................4-9 Chapter 5 Wireless Security Configuration Understanding the Security Options ...............................................................................5-1 Using WEP Security .......................................................................................................5-1 Basic Requirements for WEP ...................................................................................5-2 WEP Security Settings Worksheet ...........................................................................5-3 How to Configure WEP Encryption Security ............................................................5-4 Using the Wireless Zero Configuration Service for WPA-PSK Advanced Security ........5-5 Enabling Wireless Security Features ..............................................................................5-6 Identifying the Wireless Network Name (SSID) and WEP Security Settings ...........5-6 How to Configure WEP Encryption Security ............................................................5-7 Chapter 6 Troubleshooting Troubleshooting Basic Tips ......................................................................................6-1 Frequently Asked Questions ..........................................................................................6-2 Appendix A Technical Specifications ......................................................................................................A1 Appendix B Wireless Networking Basics Wireless Networking Overview ...................................................................................... B-1 Infrastructure Mode ................................................................................................. B-1 Ad Hoc Mode (Peer-to-Peer Workgroup) ................................................................ B-1 Network Name: Extended Service Set Identification (ESSID) ................................ B-2 Wireless Channels .................................................................................................. B-2 WEP Wireless Security .................................................................................................. B-3 WEP Authentication ................................................................................................ B-3 WEP Open System Authentication ......................................................................... B-4 WEP Shared Key Authentication ............................................................................ B-5 How to Use WEP Parameters ................................................................................. B-7 WPA Wireless Security .................................................................................................. B-7 vi December 2004 Contents How Does WPA Compare to WEP? ........................................................................ B-8 How Does WPA Compare to IEEE 802.11i? .......................................................... B-8 What are the Key Features of WPA Security? ........................................................ B-9 Is WPA Perfect? .................................................................................................... B-14 Product Support for WPA ...................................................................................... B-15 Appendix C Preparing Your PCs for Network Access Preparing Your Computers for TCP/IP Networking ....................................................... C-1 Configuring Windows 98 and Me for TCP/IP Networking .............................................. C-1 Install or Verify Windows Networking Components ................................................. C-1 Enabling DHCP to Automatically Configure TCP/IP Settings in Windows 98 and Me ................................................................................................ C-3 Selecting Windows' Internet Access Method .......................................................... C-5 Verifying TCP/IP Properties .................................................................................... C-5 Configuring Windows 2000 or XP for TCP/IP Networking ............................................. C-6 Install or Verify Windows ...