Airlink101 AWLL5088 User Manual

Wireless N Ultra Mini USB Adapter

Model # AWLL5088

User’s Manual

Rev. 1.0

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ..............................................................................................................................2

1.1 Package Contents................................................................................................................2

1.2 Features...............................................................................................................................2

2. Install the Wireless Adapter .....................................................................................................3

3. Connect to the Wireless Network .............................................................................................5

4. Configure Wireless Monitor...................................................................................................13

4.1 General..............................................................................................................................13

4.2 Profile Settings .................................................................................................................14

4.3 Available Network............................................................................................................16

4.4 Status ................................................................................................................................17

4.5 Statistics............................................................................................................................18

4.6 Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)...........................................................................................19

4.7 Configuring Wireless Security .........................................................................................24

4.8 Ad-hoc and Peer-to-Peer Wireless Networks ...................................................................29

4.9 About ................................................................................................................................31

Appendix A - Specification ........................................................................................................32

Technical Support.......................................................................................................................33

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1. Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase of the Wireless N Ultra Mini USB Adapter. The
super compact mini design gives you more flexibility and its high bandwidth combined
with extended wireless coverage delivers fast and reliable connection for all of your
networking applications. The adapter will yield a higher throughput is it is used with
other Airlink101® Wireless N products.

A full range of security features such as WEP, WPA-PSK, and WPA2-PSK will provide
you the highest level of wireless network security. The bundled wireless utility allows
you to set up the adapter with an easy-to-use user interface. The Wireless N Ultra Mini
USB Adapter works with 802.11g and 802.11b network devices ensuring compatibility
with your existing wireless products.

1.1 Package Contents

Before you begin the installation, please check the items of your package. The
package should include the following items:

• Wireless N Ultra Mini USB Adapter

• Quick Installation Guide

• Installation CD (Driver/Utility/Manual)

1.2 Features

• Higher data rate and broader coverage with Wireless N technology

• Built-in Easy Setup Button for easy connection to the existing wireless network

• WPA2, WPA, and WEP enhanced security to provide full protection for your

wireless connection

• Great for environments that need higher wireless data traffic

• Fully backward compatible with 802.11b/g

• Light-weight, super compact mini design

• RoHS compliant

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2. Install the Wireless Adapter

This section provides instructions on how to install the Wireless N Ultra Mini USB
Adapter.

Step 2.1 Insert the USB adapter into an available USB slot on your computer.

Step 2.2 Click Cancel if you see the Found New Hardware Wizard.

Windows Vista Users:

Windows XP Users:

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Step 2.3 Insert the Installation CD in the CD drive.

Note: If the Autorun screen doesn’t appear automatically, go to My Computer, double

click your CD ROM drive.

Step 2.4 The Autorun screen will pop up. Select Install Utility and Driver from the

menu.

Windows 7 / Vista Users: When you get a warning message make sure you click

Allow to give permission to continue with the installation of the driver software.

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Step 2.5 Select the language and click Next.

Step 2.6 Click Next and follow the instructions on the window to finish installation.

Step 2.7 Give Permission to Window to install the driver software.

Windows 7 / Vista Users: Click the Install this driver software anyway.

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Windows XP Users: Click Continue Anyway at the Windows Logo Screen.

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You will see the following message when it is installing the driver for Airlink101
Wireless Adapter and the Airlink101 Wireless Monitor.

Step 2.8 Select Yes, I want to restart my computer now. Click Finish to complete

the installation.

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The driver and utility have been installed successfully. Please continue to the
next chapter.

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3. Connect to the Wireless Network

This section describes how to connect your wireless adapter to a wireless network.

For Windows 7 Users:

You can use the utility built in Windows 7 or Airlink101 Wireless Monitor to manage
this wireless USB adapter.

Step 3.1 Click on the wireless icon in the system tray at the bottom right-hand corner

of your screen. A list of available network will pop up. Select the one you want to
connect to and click Connect.

Step 3.2 Enter the network security key if the wireless network you are attempting to

connect to has wireless encryption enabled. Click OK. The connection should be now
established.

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For All Windows Users:

Step 3.1 After rebooting the computer, open Airlink101 Wireless Monitor utility by

double clicking on the Airlink101 Wireless Monitor Utility icon on your desktop.

Step 3.2 Click the Available Network tab of the Wireless Monitor, select the SSID

(Network Name) of the wireless network that you wish to connect to, and click Add to
Profile.

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Step 3.3 Enter the wireless security key into the Network Key box if the network you

are attempting to connect has wireless security enabled. Click OK.

Step 3.4 The connection should be now established. Verify that IP Address, Subnet

Mask and Gateway have valid numbers assigned to them (instead of all 0’s). The

Status should be Associated, and there will be green bars next to Signal Strength and
Link Quality.

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Congratulations! You have now connected to the wireless network successfully.

Troubleshooting

1. If you cannot open the wireless monitor utility, make sure that the USB adapter is
inserted firmly into the USB port.

2. If you cannot connect to the wireless router, you may want to double check the
wireless security settings on the router. The network key you entered in Step 3.3 must
match with the settings on the wireless router.

3. If you are experiencing problems with the connection such as low signal strength,
slow connection speed, or unstable wireless connection, you can try to tune your
router’s signal by changing the channels on the router and/or by adjusting the direction
of the antenna(s). You do not need to change the channel on the Adapter; it will
automatically pick up the new channel after you reboot the router. Your router has 11
different channels to choose from. Keep going through the channels until you find one
that gives you a stable connection. For instructions on changing channels, refer to the
documentation that comes with the router.

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4. Configure Wireless Monitor

This section describes the various functions of the Airlink101 Wireless Monitor that
you can configure, including the settings of wireless encryption.

4.1 General

The General tab provides you with the status of the current connection, including
signal, network name (SSID) and IP Address.

At the bottom you have options for controlling the utility and adapter.

Show Tray Icon allows you to show or hide the tray icon for the utility.

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Radio Off disables the wireless function of the adapter.

Disable Adapter will completely disable the wireless adapter.

Note: Virtual WiFi allowed is not supported in this utility version.

4.2 Profile Settings

The Profile tab lists the current profiles and allows you to create new profiles.

The Available Profile(s) box lists all the profiles that you’ve created for your wireless
networks. Profiles are automatically created and added to this list when you connect
to new networks. You can also manually add the profiles.

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To create a new profile, click on Add.

The Profile box will appear allowing you to specify the settings for your new profile or
to change settings for your existing profile.

Enter a Profile Name and SSID. Enter the encryption settings for the profile. Click
OK to save the changes.

To remove an existing profile, select the profile from the Available Profile(s) box
and click on Remove.

To modify an existing profile, select the profile from the Available Profile(s) box
and click on Edit.

To duplicate an existing profile, select the profile from the Available Profile(s)
box and click on Duplicate.

To activate an existing profile, select the profile from the Available Profile(s) box
and click on Set Default.

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4.3 Available Network

The Available network tab lists all of the networks that the adapter detects in your area.

Clicking Refresh will refresh the list. To connect to a network, select a network from
the list and click Add to Profile.

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4.4 Status

The status section provides you with a list of information about the current status of
the adapter.

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4.5 Statistics

The Statistics section gives you information about transmit and receive packet count.

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4.6 Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)

The Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ (WPS) is a new and easy way to configure the
encryption for your wireless network clients. In order to use it, you need to have a
router that supports this feature, like the AR570W or AR675W Airlink101 Wireless
N Router. You also need to configure the wireless encryption on the router; you
should find the instructions for configuring it in the router’s User Manual.

If your wireless router does not support WPS, then you need to set up the wireless
security manually and you can skip this section.

We are using the AR675W Airlink101 Wireless N 300 Green Router to illustrate the
following setup instructions.

Step 4.6.1 Open the Airlink101 Wireless Monitor. Click the Wi-Fi Protect Setup tab.

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Choose your configuration method:

- For Push Button method, click Push Button Config (PBC) tab, continue to
Step 4.6.2a

- For Pin Input Config method, click Pin Input Config (PIN) tab., continue to
Step 4.6.3a

Step 4.6.2a If you choose the Push Button method; click the Push Button Config

(PBC) tab.

Step 4.6.2b Push the Easy Setup Button (WPS button) on the router, and it will start

the handshake with wireless adapter. The connection will be built up in couple
minutes.

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Step 4.6.3a If you choose the Pin Code method, write down the PIN and click Yes.

Select the Access Point that you want to connect, and then click Select.

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Step 4.6.3b Log on to your router’s configuration page from the web browser and

click on Wireless. Then click WPS.

Step 4.6.3c Make sure that the Disable WPS is not checked. Enter the Pin Code in

the Client Pin Number box and click Start PIN.

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After a few moments both the router configuration screen and the adapter
configuration screen should show a message telling you that a connection is
established.

Note: If you cannot connect successfully with WPS, you need to log in to your router’s

configuration and click on Wireless. Then click Wireless security. Make sure that the
Disable WPS box is NOT checked, refer to Step 4.6.3b.

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4.7 Configuring Wireless Security

This section describes the different types of encryption available and how to configure
them. In most cases, encryption type will be automatically configured and all you

need is to enter the Network key, as described in Section 3, Step 3.3. If you are

creating a custom profile, you need to manually configure the encryption settings.

Open the Wireless Monitor

utility, c

lick Profile tab and then click Add.

The different options of wireless network encryption settings are:

Disable: No encryption in use
WEP: The most popular but least secure form of encryption
WPA/WPA2-PSK: The most secure and recommended level of encryption

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4.7.1 Configuring WEP encryption

Select WEP from the Data encryption box.

Under Network Authentication, you will want to select Shared key or Open
System, depending on the router settings.

Select the encryption setting according to the setting of the router.

• ASCII or PASSPHRASE will also be predetermined by the router. Refer to
your routers settings to find out what you should select here.

or

• Key Index is the key on the router that is currently in use. Input the Network
key that matches the Network key of the router.

Click OK to save your settings.

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4.7.2 Configuring WPA/WPA2-PSK Encryption (for home users)

Select WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK from the Network Authentication box.

Under Data encryption select either AES or TKIP depending on the settings for your
router.

Enter the encryption key that the router is using into the Network Key box.

Click OK to save your settings.

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4.7.3 Configuring WPA/WPA2 Encryption (for corporate networks)

Select WPA 802.1x / WPA2 802.1x from the Network Authentication box.

Under Data encryption select either TKIP or AES depending on the settings for the
router.

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4.8 Ad-hoc and Peer-to-Peer Wireless Networks

Ad-hoc networking is used when you want to connect two or more computers
together but you don’t have a router.

In ad-hoc mode, you lose many features that come with a router. The maximum
connection speed drops to 11Mbps. In addition, WEP encryption is the only
security available in ad-hoc mode.

To set up ad-hoc mode, you will need to create a new profile.

Open the Wireless Monitor

Click on Profile and click on Add. The profile settings box will appear

.

.

First change the network type to Adhoc, by checking the computer-to-computer
(ad-hoc) network.

Enter a network name (SSID) into the SSID box. Select your desired Channel.

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You can also choose between no security or WEP security. If you choose WEP
security, you can follow the instructions in the Configuring Encryption section of the
manual.

Click OK to save the profile.

Select your new profile from the Available Profile(s) box, and double click to enable it.

You need to configure all other computers that you are planning on connecting to your
ad-hoc network with the same settings that you input on this screen. Every
computer has to be set up exactly the same. If any of the settings are different,
the network will not function.

Troubleshooting: If you are having trouble connecting, slow connection, or
connection is unstable, you will want to try changing channels. Start with channel 1
and work your way up until you find a channel that gives you the best connection.
Each time you change the channel, save the settings then reboot the computer. Also,

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make sure that you do this on every ad-hoc machine so that they will all be set to the
same channel.

4.9 About

The About window provides the information about the Wireless Monitor Utility version
and the current driver version.

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Appendix A - Specification

Frequency Ba

nd

System R

equirement

s

• 2.4Ghz

Standards

• IEEE 802.11b / g / n

Interface

• USB 2.0 / 1.1

Data Rate*

• Receiving: 150Mbps

• Transmitting: 150Mbps

Antenna Type

• Built-in print antenna

Security

• WPA2/WPA-PSK (TKIP & AES)

• WEP 64/128-bit

• 802.1x

LED

• Link/Power

• Windows 7, Vista and XP

• Available USB slot

Weight

• 0.8g

Dimensions

• 17 x 15 x 7.5mm (L x W x H)

Temperature

• Operating: 0ºC to 55ºC

• Storage: -20ºC to 70ºC

Humidity

• Operating: 10% to 90% Non­Condensing

• Storage: Max. 95% Non­Condensing

Warranty

• Limited 1-year warranty

Safety Approvals

• FCC, CE

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Technical Support

E-mail: [e-mail]

Toll Free: 1-888-746-3238

Web Site: www.airlink101.com

*Theoretical maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput
will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and
construction, mix of wireless products used, radio frequency interference (e.g., cordless telephones and microwaves)
as well as network overhead lower actual data throughput rate. Compatibility with 802.11n devices from other
manufactures is not guaranteed. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Photo of product may not reflect
actual content. All products and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Copyright ©2010 Airlink101®

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