Actiontec 802CAT1, 802CI3 Owner's Manual

User Manual

11 Mbps

Wireless
PC Card

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Table of Contents

1Introduction 1

Package Contents 1
Minimum System Requirements 1
Technical Support 2

2Setting Up the Wireless PC Card 3

Connecting the PC Card 3

3Using the Wireless LAN Monitor Utility 9

Opening the Monitor Utility Window 9
Using the Wireless LAN Monitor 10
Windows XP 18

4Using the Wireless LAN Config. Utility 19

Opening the Configuration Utility Window 19
Using the Wireless LAN Configuration Utility 20
Windows XP 26

A Reference 27

Locating Computer Information 27
Locating Windows Operating System Files 28

BSpecifications 31

General 31
Wireless Operating Range 31
Environmental 32

CGlossary 33

Notices 37

Regulatory Compliance Notices 37
Modifications 37

Limited Warranty 39

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Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card User Manual

1

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the Actiontec 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card. This easy-to-
set-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

 Wa rranty 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

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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: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

Internet: www.actiontec.com/support

3

Setting Up the
Wireless PC Card

The instructions that follow parallel the steps contained in the Actiontec Installation
Buddy™,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.

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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.

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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.

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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 Ye s or No.Then, click Next.

10. If Ye s (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.

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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.

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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.

9

Using the Wireless
LAN Monitor Utility

☛

Important:Ifthe 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.

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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.

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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 com-
puter.

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.