Beacon Computer Lan Adapter User Manual

User’s Guide and Technical

Reference Manual

Aironet WIreless LAN Adapter

Products supported:

PC4500 and PC4800

DOC-710-004239-B0

Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc. • 3875 Embassy Parkway

Akron, Ohio 44333-8357

www.aironet.com

Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc.

No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any means, elec­tronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the written permission of Aironet.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Aironet makes
no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this manual and
specifically disclaims any express or implied warranties of merchantability or
fitness for any particular purpose.

© 1998 Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc.
All rights reserved.

TM

LM4500
are trademarks of Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc.

Other trademarks used are properties of their respective owners.
Printed in USA
DOC-710-004239-B0

, AP4500TM, PC4500TM, LM4800TM, AP4800TM, PC4800TM, and AironetTM

Table of Contents

About the User’s Guide and

Technical Reference Manual ....................................... vii

Typographical Conventions................................... ix

Section 1

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless

LAN Adapter .............................................................. 1-1

Safety Information .............................................. 1-2

Radio Characteristics ......................................... 1-5

Direct Sequence Radio Technology ................... 1-5

Data Transparency and Protocols ...................... 1-5

Protocols Supported ........................................... 1-6

Radio Ranges ..................................................... 1-6

Radio Antenna .................................................... 1-8

Security Features ............................................... 1-8

Terminology ........................................................ 1-9

System Configurations ..................................... 1-11

Coverage Options ............................................ 1-15

Section 2

Installing the 4000 Series Hardware .......................... 2-1

Before You Start ................................................. 2-2

Antenna Connectors ........................................... 2-3

Standard Antennas ............................................. 2-4

Attaching the Antenna ........................................ 2-5

Detaching the Antenna ....................................... 2-6

Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter into the

PC Card Slot ...................................................... 2-7

Section 3

Installing the 4000 Series Software ........................... 3-1

Driver Overview .................................................. 3-1

Windows 95 NDIS3 Installation .......................... 3-4

Windows NT NDIS3 Installation ......................... 3-5

Windows for Workgroups NDIS2 Installation ..... 3-6

DOS NDIS2 Installation ...................................... 3-7

DOS Packet Driver Installation ........................... 3-9

i

ODI Driver Installation ...................................... 3-11

General Information.......................................... 3-12

Driver Keywords and Settings .......................... 3-14

Section 4

Utilities ....................................................................... 4-1

Site Survey and Link Test .................................. 4-1

Link Test Command in WinDGS ........................ 4-5

Loading New Firmware Versions ............................... 4-8

Upgrading Firmware for Windows 95 ................. 4-8

Loading Firmware for Windows 3.11 and DOS .. 4-9

Section 5

Error Messages and Trouble Shooting ...................... 5-1

Indicator LEDs .................................................... 5-1

If Your Radio Fails to Establish Contact ............. 5-3

Appendix A

4000 Series PC Card Specifications .........................A-1

LAN Drivers Supported ......................................A-1

Radio Specifications ...........................................A-2

Power Requirements ..........................................A-3

Physical Specifications .......................................A-3

Mechanical Description ......................................A-4

Appendix B

Using the WinDGS Utility ...........................................B-1

Commands Menu ......................................................B-1

Select Card .........................................................B-1

Load New Firmware ...........................................B-1

Edit Properties ....................................................B-2

Statistics ............................................................. B-2

Status ................................................................. B-2

Linktest ............................................................... B-2

Radio Off/On ......................................................B-3

Exit .....................................................................B-3

Options Menu ............................................................B-4

Preferences ........................................................ B-4

Screen Update Timer .........................................B-4

Save Properties Options ....................................B-5

ii

Edit Parameters .........................................................B-5

System Parameters ............................................B-6

Network Parameters ...........................................B-9

RF Network Parameters .....................................B-9

Advanced (Infrastructure) .................................B-11

Advanced (Ad Hoc/IBSS) .................................B-13

Appendix C

Manufacturers Federal Communication
Commission Declaration of Conformity

Statement...................................................................C-1

Department of Communications–Canada

Canadian Compliance Statement...............................C-2

European Telecommunications Standards
Institute Statement of Compliance

Information to User.....................................................C-3

Appendix D

Technical Support.......................................................D-1

Communications .................................................D-1

Web Site .............................................................D-1

iii

iv

List of Figures

Figure 1.1 ­Figure 1.2 ­Figure 1.3 -

Figure 1.4 ­Figure 1.5 ­Figure 1.6 ­Figure 1.7 -

Figure 2.1 ­Figure A.1 -

Ad Hoc Wireless LAN ............................... 1-11

Wireless Infrastructure.............................. 1-12

Wireless Infrastructure with Workstations

Accessing a Wired LAN............................1-13

Extended Infrastructure Using Repeaters.1-14

Minimal Overlap Coverage Option............1-15

Heavy Overlap Coverage Option.............. 1-16

Multiple Overlapping Systems Coverage

Option ....................................................... 1-17

Overview of the PC Card............................2-3

Mechancial Outline .....................................A-4

iv

v

List of Tables

Table 3.1 ­Table 3.2 ­Table 3.3 ­Table 3.4 ­Table 3.5 ­Table 3.6 ­Table 3.7 ­Table 3.8 ­Table 3.9 ­Table 3.10 ­Table 3.11 ­Table 3.12 ­Table 5.1 ­Table 5.2 ­Table A.1 ­Table A.2 ­Table A.3 ­Table A.4 -

Driver Disk Structure...................................3-2

Minimum PROTOCOL.INI Driver Settings.. 3-8

Minimum AWCPKT.INI Driver Settings.....3-10

Minimum NET.CFG Driver Settings.......... 3-12

General Network Keywords......................3-16

Advanced Network Keywords................... 3-17

Fragmentation Keywords.......................... 3-18

Power Management Keywords................. 3-19

Scanning Keywords..................................3-21

Infrastructure Keywords............................ 3-22

Ad Hoc Keywords ..................................... 3-24

PC Card Keywords ................................... 3-26

Green LED Operating Messages................5-2

Amber LED Operating Messages...............5-2

Supported Drivers.......................................A-1

Radio Specifications ...................................A-2

Power Requirements ..................................A-3

Physical Charactistics.................................A-3

v

vi

About the User’s Guide and Technical Reference Manual

About the User’s Guide and
Technical Reference Manual

This guide covers the installation, configuration, control,
and maintenance of your Aironet 4000 Series PC Card
Wireless LAN Adapter.

Please read Sections 2 and 3 before attempting to install or
use the hardware and software described in this guide.

This Guide is arranged as follows:

Section 1

Adapter

4000 Series PC Card, direct sequence radio technology,
and the various configurations you can use when operating
the 4000 Series PC Card in your infrastructure.

Section 2 – Installing the Hardware

physical installation of the PC Card and the standard
antenna.

Section 3 – Installing the Software

and configuration of the various network drivers.

Section 4

using the utilities to perform link tests and site surveys as
well as loading new firmware versions.

Section 5

provides detailed descriptions of the LED messages and
error codes, as well as general procedures for correcting
common problems.

–

Welcome to the 4000 Series Wireless LAN

– provides you with a general introduction to the

– describes the

– describes installation

–

Utilities

–

Error Messages and Troubleshooting

– provides detailed procedures for

–

vii

About the User’s Guide and Technical Reference Manual

Appendix A

specifications.

Appendix B

descriptions on using the WinDGS utility.

Appendix C

channel center frequencies for various area regulatory
agencies.

Appendix D

conformity information about the 4000 Series Wireless
LAN Adapter.

Appendix E

information for Aironet.

–

Specifications

–

Using the WinDGS Utility

–

Channels

–

Declaration of Conformity

–

Technical Support

– provides radio and physical

– provides channel identifiers and

– provides contact

– provides detailed

– provides

viii

About the User’s Guide and Technical Reference Manual

Typographical Conventions

When reading the User’s Guide and Technical Reference
Manual, it is important to understand the symbol and
formatting conventions used in the documentation. The
following symbols are used in the guide.

Convention Type of Information

Indicates a note which contains important
information.

A caution message that appears before
procedures which, if not observed, could
result in loss of data or damage to the
equipment.

Bold

type An action you must perform such as type

or select.

ix

About the User’s Guide and Technical Reference Manual

x

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Section 1

Welcome to the Aironet 4000
Series Wireless LAN Adapter

The Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter is a PC
Card radio module that provides transparent wireless data
communications between fixed, portable, or mobile de vices
and other wireless devices or a wired network infrastructure
(Ethernet or Token Ring). Host devices can be any device
equipped with a PC Card Type II or Type III slot. These
devices include:

• Desktop systems

• Portable laptops

• Notebook computers

• Personal digital assistants

• Pen based computers

• Other data collection devices
The PC Card is fully compatible when used in a device

supporting Plug-and-Play technology.
The PC Card can also be built into peripheral devices such

as printers to provide them with a transparent wireless
connection to a wired network.

1-1

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Safety Information

The FCC with its action in ET Docket 96-8 has adopted a
safety standard for human e xposure to radio frequency (RF)
electromagnetic energy emitted by FCC certified equip­ment. The Aironet products meet the uncontrolled environ­mental limits found in OET-65 and ANSI C95.1, 1991.
Proper operation of this radio according to the instructions
found in this manual will result in the user
exposure to be substantially below the FCC recommended
limits.

• Do not touch or move antenna(s) while the unit is
transmitting or receiving.

• Do not hold any component containing the radio such
that the antenna is very close or touching any exposed
parts of the body, especially the face or eyes, while
transmitting.

• Do not operate a portable transmitter near unshielded
blasting caps or in an explosive environment unless it
is a type especially qualified for such use.

• Do not operate radio or attempt to transmit data unless
the antenna is connected, if not, the radio may be
damaged.

1-2

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Snap-On Antenna

Always orient antenna such that it is at least 5 cm
(2 inches) away from your body.

Dipole Antenna

Always orient antenna such that it is at least 15 cm
(6 inches) away from your body.

High Gain Antennas

High gain wall mount or mast mount antennas are
designed to be professionally installed and should be
located at a minimum distance of 30 cm (12 inches) or
more from your body. Please contact your professional
installer, VAR, or antenna manufacturer for proper
installation requirements.

Warning for Laptop User

In order to comply with the FCC RF exposure limits, it is
recommended when using a laptop with the snap-on
antenna, that the antenna should not be positioned
closer than 5 cm (2 inches) from your body or nearby
persons for extended periods of time while it is transmit­ting (or operating). If the antenna is positioned less than
5 cm (2 inches) from the user, it is recommended that
the user limit exposure time.

1-3

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Other Devices in the Wireless Network

Refer to the User’s Guide and Technical Reference
manual for the Access P oint, Univ ersal Client, or Bridge
for additional information.

1-4

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Radio Characteristics

The PC Card operates in the 2.4 GHz license-free Industrial
Scientific and Medical (ISM) band. Data is transmitted over
a half-duplex radio channel operating up to 2 Megabits per
second (Mbps) for the PC4500 or up to 11 Mbps for the
PC4800.

Direct Sequence Radio Technology

The Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter uses Direct
Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) transmission
previously developed for military “anti-jamming” and “low
probability of intercept” radio systems. The signal is
transmitted over a wide frequency range, using multiple
frequencies simultaneously. This protects the data
transmission from interference.

If a particular frequency encounters a level of noise and/or
interference, there is enough redundancy built into the sig­nal on other frequencies that the Aironet 4000 Series Wire­less LAN Adapter will usually still be successful in its
transmission.

Data Transparency and Protocols

The Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter transports
data packets transparently as they move through the
wireless infrastructure. The PC Card operates similarly to a
standard network product except the wire is replaced with a
radio connection. No special wireless networking functions
are required. All existing applications, which operate over a
network, will operate using the Aironet 4000 Series
Wireless LAN Adapter.

1-5

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Protocols Supported

The Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter can be
used in a variety of infrastructure configurations. Aironet
Access Points (AP4500 and AP4800) provide connections
to Ethernet or Token Ring Networks. When using the Airo­net standard device drivers, the PC Card is fully compliant
with the following protocols and wired networks:

Drivers Operating System

ODI DOS based driver for Novell NetWare
NDIS2 MS DOS, Windows 3.xx
NDIS3 Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT
Packet MS DOS, Windows 3.xx

Radio Ranges

This section provides general guidelines on factors that
influence network performance (see

Survey and Link Test

).

Section 4

-

Site

Site Survey

Because of differences in component configuration,
placement and physical environment, every network
application is a unique installation. Before installing the
system, users should perform a site survey in order to
determine the optimum utilization of networking compo­nents and to maximize range, coverage and network
performance.

1-6

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Here are some operating and environmental conditions that
need to be considered:

• Data Rates. Sensitivity and range are inversely propor­tional to data bit rates. The maximum radio range is
achieved at the lo west w orkable data r ate. There will be
a decrease in receiver threshold sensitivity as the radio
data rate increases.

• Antenna Type and Placement. Proper antenna config-
uration is a critical factor in maximizing radio range. As
a general guide, range increases in proportion to
antenna height.

For a detailed explanation of antenna types and config­urations along with guidelines on selecting antennas for
specific environments, see the Aironet Antenna Guide,
document number 710-003725.

• Physical Environments. Clear or open areas provide
better radio range than closed or filled areas. Also, the
less cluttered the work environment, the greater the
range.

• Obstructions. A physical obstruction such as metal
shelving or a steel pillar can hinder the performance of
the PC Card, particularly when using the small Snap­On antenna. Avoid locating the computing device and
antenna in a location where there is a metal barrier
between the sending and receiving antennas.

• Building Materials. Radio penetration is greatly influ­enced by the building material used in construction. F or
example, drywall construction allows greater range than
concrete blocks. Metal or steel construction is a barrier
to radio signals.

1-7

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Link Test

The link test tool is used to determine RF coverage. The
test results help the installer eliminate low RF signal
level area that can result in loss of connection.

Radio Antenna

The Snap-On Diversity antenna comes standard with the
PC Card and provides omni-directional coverage.

A benefit of the diversity antenna system is improved cover­age. At the edges of the RF coverage or fringe areas, there
are very often multiple signals reaching the receiver, all
from the same transmitter. These signals travel in different
paths (multipath) and are caused by reflection and shadows
of the RF signals. When the signals combine, the receiver
may have trouble decoding the data. The Aironet radio’s
ability to switch and sample between these antennas allows
it to select the optimum antenna for receiving the packet.

Optional antennas are offered for the PC Card. Consult the
Aironet Antenna Guide document number 710-003725 for
more information.

Security Features

The Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter employs
Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Technology, previously
developed for military “anti-jamming” and “low probability of
intercept” radio systems.

The Aironet Access Point must be set to the same Service
Set Identifier (SSID) as all other Aironet devices on the
wireless infrastructure. Units with a different SSID will not
be able to directly communicate with each other.

1-8

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Terminology

When configuring your system, and when reading this
manual, keep in mind the following terminology:

Association – Each root unit or repeater in the
infrastructure contains an association table that controls
the routing of packets between the Access Point and the
wireless infrastructure. The association table maintains
entries for all the nodes situated below the Access Point on
the infrastructure including repeaters and client nodes.

End Node – A client node that is located at the end of the
Network T ree .

Infrastructure – The wireless infrastructure is the
communications system that combines Access Points,
mobile nodes and fixed nodes. Access Points within the
infrastructure can be either root units, which are physically
wired to the LAN backbone, or can act as wireless repeat­ers. Other RF enabled devices serve as fixed nodes or
mobile client nodes.

Parent/Child Node – Refers to the relationships between
nodes in the wireless infrastructure. The complete set of
relationships is sometimes described as a Network Tree.
For example , the Access Point (at the top of the tree) would
be the parent of the end nodes. Conversely, the end nodes
would be the children of the Access Point.

1-9

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Power Saving Protocol (PSP) and Non-Power Saving
Protocol – The Power Saving Protocol allows computers

(usually portable computers) to power up only part of the
time to conserve energy. If a client node is using the Power
Saving Protocol to communicate with the network, the
Aironet Access Point must be aware of this mode and
implement additional features such as message store and
forward. If the client node is powered from an AC line, PSP
should not be used.

Repeater – A repeater is an Access Point that extends the
radio range of the infrastructure. A repeater is not ph ysically
attached to the wired LAN, but communicates via radio to
another Access Point, which is either a root unit or another
repeater.

Root Unit – The root unit is an Access Point that is located
at the top, or starting point, of a wireless infrastructure. A
root unit provides the physical connection to the wired LAN
(such as Ethernet or Token Ring) and contains configuration
information in its association table that covers all nodes that
access the wired network (backbone). All Access Points
directly attached to the wired LAN backbone are root units.

1-10

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

System Configurations

The Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter can be
used in a variety of network system configurations. Aironet
Access Points (AP4500 or AP4800) provide connections to
your Ethernet or Token Ring networks or act as repeaters
increasing wireless communication range. The maximum
communication range is based on how you configure your
wireless infrastructure.

Examples of some common system configurations are
shown on the pages that follow, along with a description of
each.

Figure 1.1 - Ad Hoc Wireless LAN

An ad hoc wireless LAN is the simplest wireless LAN con­figuration. In a wireless LAN, using an ad hoc netw ork oper­ating system (such as Windows for Workgroups or
Windows 95), all devices equipped with the PC Card can be
linked together and communicate directly with each other.

1-11

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Figure 1.2 - Wireless Infrastructure

Access Point
(Root Unit)

Workstation Workstation

In a wireless infrastructure, an Aironet Access Point is used
as a stand-alone root unit. The root unit is not attached to
any wired LAN (such as an Ethernet or Token Ring LAN),
but functions as a hub linking all stations together. This
configuration is similar to the ad hoc network, except the
Aironet Access Point serves as the focal point for communi­cations. This increases the effective communication range
over the ad hoc LAN since both stations are not required to
be in direct communication range of each other.

1-12

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Figure 1.3 - Wireless Infrastructure with Workstations

Accessing a Wired LAN

File Server

Wired LAN

Aironet

Access Point

(Root Unit)

Workstation

Workstation

Aironet
Access Point
(Root Unit)

Workstation

A Micro-Cellular Network can be created by placing two or
more Aironet Access Points on a LAN.

The Aironet roaming protocols allow remote workstations to
move from one microcell domain to another. The process is
seamless and transparent. The connection to the file server
or host is maintained without disruption. This configuration
is useful with portable or mobile stations allowing them to
be directly connected to the wired network, even while mov­ing about (roaming). When an infrastructure is configured
using multiple Aironet Access Points and/or repeaters, a
mobile station is automatically associated and re-associ­ated to the Aironet Access Point which provides the best
performance. This is referred to as seamless roaming.

1-13

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Figure 1.4 - Extended Infrastructure Using Repeaters

File Server

Wired LAN

Aironet

Access Point

(Root Unit)

Workstation

Workstation

Aironet
Access Point
(Repeater)

Workstation

An Aironet Access Point can be configured as a stand­alone repeater to extend the range of your infr astructure, or
to overcome an RF blocking obstacle. The repeater for­wards traffic between the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN
Adapter equipped workstations and devices and the wired
LAN by sending packets to either another repeater or to
another Aironet Access Point attached to the wired LAN.
The data is sent through whichever route provides the
greatest performance for the client. Multiple repeater hops
can be supported in the path to the wired LAN.

1-14

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Coverage Options

The system architecture options of the wireless station and
Access Points provide for a variety of coverage alternatives
and flexibility. The system can be designed to provide a
wide coverage area with minimal overlap (Figure 1.5) or
coverage with heavy overlap (Figure 1.6). The latter
improves system perf ormance and protection against down­time in the event of a component failure.

Figure 1.5 - Minimal Overlap Coverage Option

Wired LAN

By arranging the Access Points so the overlap in coverage
area is minimized, a large area can be covered with minimal
system cost. The total bandwidth available to each mobile
station will depend on the amount of data each mobile sta­tion desires to transfer and the number of stations located in
each cell. Seamless roaming is supported as a mobile sta­tion moves in and out of range of each Access Point,
thereby maintaining a constant connection to the wired
LAN. Each Access Point (and PC Card) must be configured
with the same Service Set Identifier (SSID) in order to pro­vide the roaming capability.

1-15

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Figure 1.6 - Heavy Overlap Coverage Option

Wired LAN

By arranging the Access Points so the overlap in coverage
area is nearly maximized, a large number of mobile stations
can be supported in the same wireless infrastructure. How­ever, units in overlapping coverage areas on the same fre­quency will detect adjacent cell traffic and delay
transmissions that would cause collisions. This reduces the
aggregate radio system throughput. Heavy cell overlap is
not recommended for maximum system throughput. Due to
the redundancy in coverage overlap, system access is not
lost in the event of an Access Point failure. Upon failure of
the Access Point, the station will automatically roam to an
operational Access Point. With this architecture, all Access
Points and PC Card units must be configured with the same
Service Set Identifier (SSID).

1-16

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

Figure 1.7 - Multiple Overlapping Systems Coverage

Option

Wired LAN 2

Wired LAN 1

Multiple systems can operate in the same vicinity. The
architecture provides multiple channels, which can exist in
the same area with virtually no interference to each other. In
this mode, each system must be configured with different
Service Set Identifiers (SSID) and different channels, which
prevent clients from roaming to Access Points of a different
wireless system.

1-17

Welcome to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter

1-18

Installing the Hardware

Section 2

Installing the Hardware

This section describes the procedures for installing the
Wireless LAN Adapter.

Here’s what you’ll find in this section:

• Before You Start

• Antenna Connectors

• Standard Antennas

• Attaching and Detaching the Antenna

• Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter

2-1

Installing the Hardware

Before Y ou Start

For the PC Card to be used with a computing device (desk­top personal computer, notebook, laptop computer , portable
or hand-held device), the device must be equipped with an
internal or external PC Card Type II or Type III slot. All driv­ers and supporting software (card and socket services) for
the PC Card slot must be loaded and configured. Please
follow the manufacturers guidelines for installing the soft­ware as well as installing the PC4500 or PC4800.

After unpacking the PC Card, make sure the f ollowing items
are present and in good condition:

• PC4500 or PC4800 Wireless LAN Adapter

• Standard Snap-On Antenna

• Software Driver Diskette

• Utilities Diskette

If any item is damaged or missing, contact your Aironet sup­plier. Save all shipping and packing material in order to
repack the unit should service be required.

NOTE: Any remote antenna and its associated wiring are
ordered and packed separately.

2-2

Installing the Hardware

Figure 2.1 - Overview of the 4000 Series PC Card

MicroMate
Antenna
Connectors

J1 J2

Antenna Connectors

The PC Card has two female MicroMate antenna connec­tors on one end. All antennas and cables attached to the
PC Card must be equipped with male MicroMate connec­tors.

The two antenna connectors allow a Diversity Antenna or
two separate antennas to be attached to the Aironet 4000
Series Wireless LAN Adapter. When two antennas are con­nected, the PC Card will automatically select antennas in
order to provide the strongest signal for radio operations.
This feature improves packet delivery and system through­put by avoiding reception and tr ansmission instances which
are hampered by RF multipath signals or blocking struc­tures in the environment.

2-3

Installing the Hardware

Standard Antennas

The Snap-On Diversity antenna comes with the PC4500
and PC4800 and attaches directly to the PC Card. Its small
size allows mobile communication in a small area (ad hoc
network) where a larger antenna would be awkward or
interfere with the use of the PC or terminal.

The design of the Snap-On and Remote Diversity antennas
take full advantage of the PC Card’s ability to detect and
use the strongest signal.

The Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter can also be
used with a variety of optional external antennas. Consult
the Aironet Antenna Guide (document number 710-003725)
for antenna descriptions and configuration information.

NOTE: Only use antennas and cables supplied by
Aironet Wireless Communications.

2-4

Installing the Hardware

Attaching the Antenna

CAUTION:The Snap-On antenna should ne ver be placed

in contact with metal surfaces while in use.

Attaching the Snap-On Antenna

NOTE: Wireless LAN Adapter Card comes with the

antenna attached. If y ou need to change the antenna, the
Adapter should be removed from the PC Card slot before
removing or attaching an antenna.

1. Hold the antenna so the connector and guide pin

leads line up with the connector and slots on the
PC Card. The Aironet logo on the PC Card and on
the Snap-On antenna should both be facing up.

2. Slide the leads on the antenna into the connectors

until they snap into place.

Attaching a Remote Antenna

1. Line up the antenna cable leads with the connec-

tors on the PC Card.

2. Slide the cable leads into the connectors until they

snap into place.

2-5

Installing the Hardware

Detaching the Antenna

CAUTION: The Snap-On antenna should never be

placed in contact with metal surfaces while in use.

Detaching the Snap-On Antenna

1. Remove the PC Card from the PC Card slot.

2. Grasp the center of the antenna with the thumb and

forefinger .

3. Gently pull the antenna away from the PC Card

until it comes free.

CAUTION: Do not bend or twist the antenna away from
the PC Card body. Do not pry or use tools to remove the
antenna.

Detaching a Remote Antenna

1. Remove the PC Card from the PC Card slot.

2. Grasp the end of the antenna cable lead by the

connector.

3. Gently pull the connector away from the PC Card

until it comes free.

2-6

Installing the Hardware

Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter

Before you begin, examine the PC Card. One end is a dual
row 68-pin PC Card connector. This side will be inserted into
the PC Card slot with the Aironet logo on the PC Card and the
Snap-On antenna facing up. The card is keyed so it can be
inserted only one way into the PC Card slot.

CAUTION: The following procedures and physical
connections apply generally to normal and conventional PC
Card slots. In the cases of custom or non-conventional
equipment, be alert to possible differences in PC Card slot
configurations.

The PC Card can be connected to a PC Card Type II slot. This
includes slots that support both Type II and Type III cards.

CAUTION: Do not force the PC Card into the PC Card slot.
Forcing it will damage both the PC Card and the slot. If the
PC Card does not go in easily, remove the card and re­insert.

Connecting the PC Card

1. Hold the PC Card so the Aironet logo is facing up.

2. Slide the PC Card into the slot until its connector is

firmly seated and the slot’s eject button pops out.

Removing the PC Card

1. Press the PC Card slot’ s eject button until the PC Card

is free.

2. Grasp the sides of the PC Card and pull it out of the

slot.

2-7

Installing the Hardware

2-8

Installing the Software

Section 3

Installing the Software

The PC Card is supplied with PACKET, NDIS2, NDIS3 and
ODI drivers allowing operation under DOS, Windows 3.x,
Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, Windows 98,
Windows NT, and Novell Netware. The PC Card is fully
IEEE 802.11 compliant.

Driver Overview

The PC Card is shipped with two diskettes:

• WinDGS diagnostics diskette

• Aironet driver diskette

This section covers the drivers. The utilities are discussed in
Section 4 –

The DOS, Windows 3.x and Windows for Workgroups
based drivers must have a configuration file created (or
edited) with an ASCII text editor. Installation of each driver
is discussed in the following tables.

Utilities

.

3-1

Installing the Software

The driver disk shipped with the Wireless LAN Adapter is
organized as follows:

Table 3.1 - Driver Disk Structure

README.TXT Contains latest information about the disk

contents

DIAG Directory containing utilities

FLSH3545.COM PC card flash firmware
45C???.BIN Latest firmware release

NDIS2 Directory containing NDIS2 driver files

AWC2N45C.DOS NDIS2 driver

OEMSETUP.INF NDIS2 compatible install file for MicroSoft

Windows for Workgroups

PROTOCOL.INI The required configuration file for the NDIS2

driver. The PROTOCOL.INI file on the diskette
provides sample entries for operation in
Infrastructure Mode.

PROTOCOL.AHC Sample PROTOCOL.INI file with entries for

Ad Hoc Mode

PKT Directory containing DOS packet driver files

AWCP45C.COM DOS based packet driver
AWCPKT.INI The required configuration file for the Packet

driver. The AWCPKT.INI file on the diskette
has sample entries for operation in
Infrastructure Mode.

AWCPKT.AHC Sample AWCPKT.INI file with entries for

Ad Hoc Mode.

3-2

Installing the Software

NDIS3 (PC4500) Directory containing NDIS3 driver files

PC4500.INF WIN95/98 install file
PC4500.SYS NDIS3 driver

PC4500.DLL NDIS3 library

VXD4500.VXD Virtual device driver for Aironet WinDGS utility
OEMSETUP.INF WIN NT install file

ODI Directory containing ODI driver files

AWCO45C.COM PC4500 DOS based ODI driver
NET.CFG The required configuration file for ODI. The

NET.CFG file on the drive diskette contains
sample entries for operation in Infrastructure
Mode.

NDIS3 (PC4800) Directory containing NDIS3 driver files

PC4800.INF WIN95 install file
PC4800.SYS NDIS3 driver
PC4800.DLL NDIS3 library
VXD4800.VXD Virtual device driver for Aironet WinDGS utility
OEMSETUP.INF WIN NT install file

ODI Directory containing ODI driver files

AWCO45C.COM PC4800 DOS based ODI driver

NET.CFG The required configuration file for ODI. The

NET.CFG file on the drive diskette contains
sample entries for operation in Infrastructure
Mode.

3-3

Installing the Software

Windows 95 or Windows 98 NDIS3 Installation

To complete the installation of the PC Card under Windows
95 or Windows 98, make sure that the PC Card driver is
installed and PC Card 32-bit support is enabled.

NOTE: To find out more about PC Card and PC Card 32-
bit support, follow the instructions found in the Windows
95 Help menu section titled Enabling 32-bit PC card
support (under PCMCIA).

1. Power on your computer and boot Windows.

2. Insert the adapter into one of the PC Card slots.

3. Windows will display the New Hardware Found
dialog box.

4. Select the Driver from disk provided by hardware
manufacturer option and select OK.

5. Insert the driver disk provided with the adapter into the
appropriate drive.

6. Type A:\NDIS3 at the prompt and press Enter.

7. Select the appropriate LAN Adapter and press Enter.

8. Select the appropriate Infrastructure Mode and enter
the SSID of the wireless network.

9. Optionally, select the Channel and Bitrate parameters.

10. Press Enter.

11. Windows will prompt for the system disks. Enter the
correct network path.

12. Restart Windows after the files are copied. The system
will reboot and the installation will be complete.

3-4

Installing the Software

Choosing the adapter from the Network Icon and selecting
Properties will allow the setting of additional parameters.
See Driver Keywords and Settings for information on these
settings.

3-5

Installing the Software

Windows NT NDIS3 Installation

To complete the installation of the PC Card using
Windows NT, verify PCMCIA card and socket services are
enabled using Devices in the Control Panel.

1. Shutdown the Windows NT workstation.

2. Insert the Wireless LAN Adapter into one of the
PC Card slots.

3. Power up the Windows NT workstation.

4. From the control panel, select the Network icon.

For Windows NT 4.xxx For Windows NT 3.51

5. Select Adapters. Select Add Adapters.

6. Select Add. Select <Other> Require
disk from manufacturer
from the list of adapters.

7. Select Have Disk. Select Continue.

8. Insert the driver disk provided with the adapter into the
appropriate drive.

9. Type A:\NDIS3 at the prompt and press Enter.

10. Select OK when the dialog box shows Aironet PC
Card LAN Adapter.

11. Select the appropriate parameters, such as Infrastruc­ture Mode, SSID, Channel, and Bitrate.

12. Verify that the Interrupt and IO Base Address do not
conflict with other devices’ resources.

3-6

Installing the Software

13. Select OK.

14. Select Close.

15. Add all other related network information if applicable
(IP address, DHCP, DNS, GATEWAY).

16. Select Yes to restart the workstation.

3-7

Installing the Software

Windows for Workgroups NDIS2 Installation

1. Power on your computer and start Windows for
Workgroups.

2. Go to the Network program group and clic k on Netw ork
Set-Up.

3. Under Network Setup, choose Networks.....

4. Under Networks choose Install Microsoft Windows
Network. Select OK.

5. Under Network Setup, choose Drivers....

6. Under Network Drivers, choose Add Adapters.

7. If the drivers were already copied to the hard disk, they
will be displayed in the list.

8. Under Add Adapter, choose the appropriate Aironet
Adapter. If it is not on the menu list, choose Unlisted or
Updated Network Driver. The Install Driver pop up
window will ask you for the Aironet driver disk.

9. Place the driver disk in drive A.

10. Type A:\NDIS2\ at the prompt and press Enter.

11. Choose the correct Aironet Adapter and click OK.

12. If the chosen adapter is displayed in the Network
Drivers, click on Setup.

13. Select the appropriate parameters, such as Infrastruc­ture Mode, SSID, Channel, and Bitrate.

14. Exit Windows for Workgroups.

15. To modify the PC Card system parameters, edit the
PROTOCOL.INI file in the Windows directory.

16. Reboot your computer.

3-8

Installing the Software

DOS NDIS2 Installation

The Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter can be installed in a
NetBIOS compliant DOS environment such as MicroSoft
LAN Manager or PC LAN.

The installation of this driver includes creating or editing a
configuration file (PROTOCOL.INI).

It is required that this file contains the following lines:

Table 3.2 - Minimum PROTOCOL.INI Driver Settings

Infrastructure Mode Ad Hoc Mode

[AW2N45C] [AW2N45C]
DRIVERNAME=AWC2N45C$ DRIVERNAME=AWC2N45C$
If INFRASTRUCTURE is omitted

the default will be “ON”
SSID = “your_SSID_here” SSID = “your_SSID_here”

INFRASTRUCTURE = “NO”

CHANNEL = <channel>

Additional variables defined in the following section may
also be used.

1. Power on your computer.

2. Copy the \NDIS2\AWC2N45C.DOS from the Aironet
Device Driver diskette to the directory containing the
network files.

3. Copy the PROTOCOL.INI file to the network directory
or merge statements from the Aironet supplied file into
your existing PROTOCOL.INI file.

3-9

Installing the Software

4. Modify the CONFIG.SYS file. After the line containing:
Device=PROTMAN.DOS, add Device=[drive:] [path]
AWC2N45C.DOS.

5. To modify the PC Card system parameters, edit the
PROT OCOL.INI file in the netw ork directory . For a list of
parameters which can be modified, see Table 3.2.

6. Reboot your computer.

3-10

Installing the Software

DOS Packet Driver Installation

The installation of this driver includes creating or editing a
configuration file (AWCPKT.INI). It is required that this file
contain the following lines:

Table 3.3 - Minimum AWCPKT.INI Driver Settings

Infrastructure Mode Ad Hoc Mode

[AWCPKT] [AWCPKT]
If INFRASTRUCTURE is omit-

ted the default will be “ON”
SSID = “your_SSID_here” SSID = “your_SSID_here”

INFRASTRUCTURE = “NO”

CHANNEL = <channel>

Additional variables defined in the following section may
also be used.

The Wireless LAN Adapter can be installed in a DOS
environment using DOS IP stack products such as FTP
software.

1. Power on your computer.

2. Copy the \PKT\AWCP45C.COM file from the Aironet
Device Driver diskette to the directory containing the
network files.

3. Copy the AWCPKT.INI file from the Aironet Device
Driver diskette to the directory containing the Packet
driver.

3-11

Installing the Software

4. If you would like to modify the PC Card system parame­ters, edit the AWCPKT.INI file. For a list of parameters
which can be modified, see Table 3.3.

5. Load the driver by typing AWCP45C [-cinuw]
<int_number> at the DOS prompt (i.e. AWCP45C
0x65) and press Enter.

NOTE: To unload the driver, type AWCP45C
–u <int_number> (i.e. AWCP45C –u 0x65).

6. Load the DOS IP stack.

3-12

Installing the Software

ODI Driver Installation

The PC Card can be installed in an ODI compliant DOS
environment such as Novell NetWare.

Table 3.4 - Minimum NET.CFG Driver Settings

Infrastructure Mode

Link Driver AWCO45C
If INFRASTRUCTURE is omitted the default will be “ON”
SSID = “your_SSID_here”
CHANNEL = <channel> (only required in ad hoc mode)

1. Power on your computer.

2. Copy the \ODI\AWCO45C.COM driver from the Aironet
Driver diskette to the directory containing the network
files.

3. Copy the \ODI\NET.CFG file from the Aironet Driver dis­kette or merge the Aironet supplied NET.CFG file into
your existing NET.CFG file in the network directory.

4. Modify the PC Card system parameters by editing the
NET.CFG file. For a list of parameters which can be
modified, see Table 3.4.

5. Run the batch files created by the NetWare installation
disks or manually load the driver from A UTOEXEC.BAT
or the command line. This can be done by running LSL,
followed by AWCO45C, IPXODI, and NETX or VLM.

3-13

Installing the Software

General Information

• AWCPKT.INI file must have a section header of
[AWCPKT].

• PROTOCOL.INI file can have any section header, but
the section must contain the keyword and parameter
DRIVERNAME=ìAWC2N45C$î.

• NET.CFG file must have a section header of
[Link Driver AWCO45C].

NOTE: These lines may appear anywhere within a
section. Only the sections that contain these lines will be
parsed.

• Multiple sections are supported.

• Blank lines are supported.

• Comments begin with semi-colon and may appear any­where on a line.

• Keywords can be upper or lower case and may be sur­rounded by white space if desired.

• Any parameter that begins with “0x” will be assumed to
be hexadecimal. Any parameter that begins with a digit
(excluding the “0x” case) will be assumed to be deci­mal. Any parameter that begins with quotes will be
assumed to be a quoted string parameter. Any other
parameter will be assumed to be an unquoted string
parameter.

• For PROTOCOL.INI string parameters, double quotes
are required around the string if the string contains any
special characters.

3-14

Installing the Software

NOTE: PROTOCOL.INI does not support some of the

white space characters in a quoted string. If a string
begins with an alphabetic character and contains no
special characters, the quotes may be omitted.

• For Packet string parameters, the string can be
enclosed with double quotes or single quotes. If a string
is quoted, any character except a “null” and the quote
delimiter itself can occur between the quotes.

NOTE: If double quotes are used for a delimiter, a single
quote may appear in the string, and vise versa. If the
string begins with an alphabetic character and contains
no special characters, the quotes may be omitted.

• For numeric parameters, the v alue can be hexadecimal
or decimal. Hexadecimal numbers must be preceded
with the characters “0x” but all characters can be upper
or lower case.

• Mac address parameters are parsed as string parame­ters, therefore, the addresses must be enclosed in sin­gle or double quotes.

NOTE: The MAC address cannot be a multicast address.

3-15

Installing the Software

Driver Keywords and Settings

The default PC Card configuration is set to:

• Constant Awake Mode

• Infrastructure Mode – This allows association with any
Aironet Access Point matching the SSID supplied by
the user

• The factory supplied network address

• Receive directed packets to this address as well as
multicasts and broadcasts

• Retry data packets up to 16 times before discarding the
frame

• Retry RTS sequence up to 16 times before discarding
the frame

• RTS exchange on all frames greater than 300 bytes

• Fragment frames longer than 700 bytes

• Kill fragmented transmit packets if not delivered in
5 seconds

• Kill fragmented receive frames if not complete after
10 seconds

• Active scanning with 3 Kµsec energy detect time and
20 Kµsec probe response wait timeout

• Re-scan if eight beacons are consecutively missed

• Send an Access Point keep-alive message every
10 seconds

3-16

Installing the Software

The following tables contain keywords and parameter set­tings common to both the NDIS2 PROTOCOL.INI, ODI
NET.CFG, and the PKT AWCPKT.INI configuration files.

Basic system operation can be adjusted with the following
parameters.

Table 3.5 - General Network Keywords

Keywords Value Description

INFRASTRUCTURE ON, YES

OFF, NO

SSID 1 to 32 character

string

NODENAME 1 to 16 character

string

NETADDRESS Any IEEE MAC

address except
broadcast and
multicast

NODE ADDRESS Same as NETADDRESS (keyword

RXMODE NORMAL,

UNICAST,
NOMULTICAST

DATARATE1 0-255 Optional – specified in increasing

DATARATE2 0-255 Optional – specified in increasing

Optional – specifies whether system
operation uses an infrastructure or
peer-to-peer/ad hoc network
(default is ON, YES).

This parameter must match the
SSID of the system for proper
operation.

Optional – specifies a readable
name for the station.

Optional – this setting allows for
locally administered MAC
addresses by overriding the unique
MAC ID on the PC Card.

only valid in NET.CFG file).
Optional – this setting determines

what frames are delivered to the
driver from the PC Card (default is
NORMAL). NORMAL indicates
unicast, multicast and broadcast
frames are received.

speed to identify the network
configuration to associate to
(default is 1_2 [4500] or
1_11 [4800]).

speed to identify the network
configuration to associate to.

3-17

Installing the Software

Network performance can be optimized with the following
variables.

Table 3.6 - Advanced Network Keywords

Keywords Value Description

LONGRETRYLIMIT 0 – 255 Optional – specifies the number of

SHORTRETRYLIMIT 0 – 255 Optional – specifies the number of

RTSTHRESHOLD 0 – 2312 Optional – specifies the minimum

TXMSDULIFETIME 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – specifies the maximum

RXMSDULIFETIME 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – specifies the maximum

TXPOWERLEVEL 0 – 100 Optional – selects the next highest

RXDIVERSITY DEFAULT, ON,

RIGHT, LEFT

times an unfragmented packet will
be retried before the packet is
dropped and a transmit error is
reported to driver (default is 16).

times that a fragmented packet will
be retried to gain access before a
packet is dropped and a transmit
error is reported to the driver
(default is 16).

frame size, in bytes, for which RTS/
CTS delivery will be used. Packets
longer than this value will be deliv­ered using RTS/CTS handshaking
(default is 300).

time to attempt packet delivery
(default is 5,000 Kµsec
[5 seconds]).

time for receiving a fragmented
packet (default is 10,000 Kµsec
[10 seconds]).

programmed power level for trans­mit in mW.

Optional – specifies the receive
diversity method to be used by the
PC Card (default is on).

TXDIVERSITY DEFAULT, ON,

RIGHT, LEFT

3-18

Optional – specifies the transmit
diversity method to be used by the
PC Card (default is on).

Installing the Software

Additional system performance adjustments can be made
with the following group of variables.

Table 3.7 - Fragmentation Keywords

Keywords Value Description

FRAGTHRESHOLD 256 – 2312 (must

be even)

Optional – specifies the fragmenta­tion size in bytes. Frames longer
than this value will be transmitted
using multiple packets (default is

700).

3-19

Installing the Software

The Wireless LAN Adapter power management can be
adjusted with the following group of variables.

Table 3.8 - Power Management Keywords

Keywords Value Description

POWERSAVEMODE CAM, PSP,

FASTPSP

ATIMDURATION Between 0 and

less than the
beacon interval.

SLEEPFORDTIM ON, OFF Optional – infrastructure with PSP

LISTENTIME 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – infrastructure with PSP

Optional – specifies a particular
operational mode (default is CAM).
CAM = Constant Awake Mode
PSP = Power Save Mode
FASTPSP = Fast Power Save Mode
Note: In Ad Hoc Mode, ATIMDU­RATION must also be set.

Optional – ad hoc/IBSS only – spec­ifies the length of time in Kµsec for
ATIMs following a beacon (this
value must be non-zero for PSP ad
hoc operation. 0 is Constant Awake
Mode (default is 5).

This value is only used when start­ing a new network. When joining a
network, the value currently in use
will be adopted.

or Fast PSP Modes only – if ON, the
node is allowed to sleep through
DTIMs for extra power saving.
Broadcast and multicast traffic may
be missed (default is OFF).

or Fast PSP Modes only – deter­mines how often to awaken for bea­cons. Note that the PC Card will
always awaken to receive DTIMs
when in PSP Mode, unless sleep for
DTIMs is set (default is 200 Kµsec
[200 ms]).

3-20

Installing the Software

Table 3.8 - Power Management Keywords (Continued)

Keywords Value Description

FASTLISTENTIME 0 – 0xFFFF Determines how often to awaken for

LISTENDECAY 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – infrastructure with PSP

FASTLISTENDELAY 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – infrastructure with PSP

beacons. Note that the PC Card will
always awaken to receive DTIMs
when in Fastpsp Mode (default is
100 Kµsec).

or Fast PSP Modes only – rate at
which the listen interval grows. The
number of times to use the current
listen interval before doubling it.
Listen interval will begin at
FASTLINSTENTIME and eventu­ally decay to LISTENTIME (default
is 2).

or Fast PSP Modes only – time to
delay immediately after a transmis­sion before beginning at
FASTLISTENTIME (default is 200
Kµsec).

3-21

Installing the Software

Additional system performance adjustments can be made
with the following group of variables.

Table 3.9 - Scanning Keywords

Keywords Value Description

SCANMODE ACTIVE,

PASSIVE,
ADVANCED

BEACONLISTENTO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – for passive scanning

PROBEENERGYTO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – for active scanning mode,

PROBERESPONSETO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – for active scanning mode,

STATIONARY ON, OFF,

YES, NO

PROBEDELA Y 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – indicates how long to wait

OFFSCANINTERVAL 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – how often to attempt to

Optional – parameter to determine
the current scanning mode to be
used by the PC Card (default is
ACTIVE).

mode, determines the amount of
time (Kµsec) to listen for a beacon
on each channel (default is 40
Kµsec).

determines the amount of time to lis­ten for RF energy following a probe
(default is 3 Kµsec).

determines the amount of time to
wait for a probe response after
energy is detected on a channel
(default is 20 Kµsec).

Optional – indicates whether or not
the station is mobile (default is
OFF).

on a frequency before sending a
probe request (default is 3 Kµsec).

use the “off line” scanning method to
search for new Access Points
(default is 0 which disables off line
scanning).

OFFSCANDURATION 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – how long to use the “off

line” scanning method during each
attempt (default is 0 which disables
off line scanning).

3-22

Installing the Software

Additional system performance adjustments can be made
with the following parameters.

Table 3.10 - Infrastructure Keywords

Keywords Value Description

SSID 1 to 32 charac-

ter string

BEACONLOSTTIME 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – determines the interval of

REFRESHINTERV AL 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – determines the amount of

SPECIFIEDAP Any IEEE MAC

address except
broadcast and
multicast

SPECIFIEDAP2 Any IEEE MAC

address except
broadcast and
multicast

SPECIFIEDAP3 Any IEEE MAC

address except
broadcast and
multicast

SPECIFIEDAP4 Any IEEE MAC

address except
broadcast and
multicast

This parameter must match the
SSID of the system for proper infra­structure operation.

consecutively missed beacons
which will cause a re-scan (default is
500 Kµsec).

time in seconds between refresh
packets to the Access Point. Use
0xFFFF to disable (default is 10,000
Kµsec [10 sec]).

Optional – forces association to the
specified Access Point.

Optional – forces association to one
of the specified Access Points.

Optional – forces association to one
of the specified Access Points.

Optional – forces association to one
of the specified Access Points.

3-23

Installing the Software

Table 3.10 - Infrastructure Keywords (Continued)

Keywords Value Description

SPECIFIEDAPTO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – time in Kµsec to attempt

AUTHTIMEOUT 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – time to attempt to authen-

AUTHTYPE OFF, OPEN,

HAREDKEY,
ENCRYPTONLY

ASSOCIATIONTO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – indicates the maximum

to associate to a specified Access
Point before searching for any avail­able Access Points (with matching
SSID) (default is 10,000 Kµsec [10
sec]).

ticate to an Access Point (default is
2,000 Kµsec [2 sec]).

Optional – determines the level of
security of the wireless network
(default is OPEN).

amount of time the client will wait for
a response to an association
request from the Access Point
(default is 2,000 Kµsec [2 sec]).

3-24

Installing the Software

Ad hoc system operation is accomplished with the following
group of variables.

Table 3.11 - Ad Hoc Keywords

Keywords Value Description

JOINNETTO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – determines the amount of

BEACONPERIOD 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – specifies the beaconing

DSCHANNEL 0-14 Optional – this parameter is valid

ATIMDURATION Between 0 and

less than the
beacon interval

time that an ad hoc station will scan
before starting its own network
(default is 10,000 Kµsec [10 sec]).

interval in Kµsec. (default is 100
Kµsec).

only for a node that starts a network.
This is the channel identifier specify­ing the frequency to communicate
on. For all other nodes , the radio will
scan for the proper frequency.
Default is 0, which will cause the
radio to pick a default channel
appropriate for its programmed
carrier set. Any other value (1-14)
will be validated against the
programmed carrier set and rejected
if invalid.

Ad hoc only – specifies the length of
time for ATIMs following a beacon
(this value must be non-zero for PSP
ad hoc operation) (default is 5).

This value is only used when start­ing a new network. When joining a
network, the value currently in use
will be adopted.

3-25

Installing the Software

The following is a list of keywords that will control the host
system hardware resources the Aironet 4000 Series Wire­less LAN Adapter requires.

NOTE: At a minimum, the PC Card requires 64
consecutive 16-bit I/O ports, one non-sharable Interrupt
and one PC Card type II slot.

If you are using card services, these resources will be
assigned for you. However, you may override the card ser­vices resource assignments by including the PortBase and/
or INT/IRQ keywords in the appropriate configuration file.

If you are not using card services, your host system must
have an Intel 82365 or compatible PC Card controller chip.
The 4000 Series driver will then configure the PC Card
controller chip directly and each of the following parameters
should be specified in your configuration file.

3-26

Installing the Software

Table 3.12 - PC Card Keywords

Keywords Value Description

PORTBASE 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – specifies the starting

PORT Only valid in NET.CFG file (same as

INT 2-15 Optional – specifies the hardware

IRQ Same as INT.
SOCKET 0-7 Optional – If card services are used,

MEMORY 0xC000 –

0xDF00

address for a block of 64 consecu­tive 16-bit I/O ports. Make sure the
block of I/O addresses does not
overlap the address of another
device in the machine. This can be
used to override a card service
assignment. If card services are not
used, this will default to 0x140.

PORTBASE).

interrupt the PC Card will use. The
Interrupt must be unique (i.e. not
used by another device in the
machine). This can be used to over­ride a card service assignment. If
card services are not used, this will
default to 11.

this keyword is ignored. If card ser­vices are not used, this is the PC
Card socket the PC Card is inserted
into (default is 0).

Optional – If card services are used,
this keyword is ignored. If card ser­vices are not used, this is a block of
memory the driver will use to view
the PC Card CIS (default is
0xD000). In the NET.CFG file the
parameter is D0000, not 0xD000.

MEM Same as MEMORY.

3-27

Installing the Software

3-28

Utilities

Section 4

Utilities

This section describes procedures for using utilities and
updating firmware depending on the operating system
used.

See Appendix B for detailed configuration procedures for
WinDGS using Windows 95 or Windows 98.

Here’s what you will find in this section:

• Using the utilities

• Loading new firmware versions

Site Survey and Link Test

In order to perform a meaningful site survey, it is necessary
to conduct a test that will accurately model the intended use
of the system. It is important to perform a site survey using
equipment which is similar to that implemented. Items to be
surveyed are:

• Transmit power

• Antenna(s) type(s)

• Antenna(s) location(s)

• Packet (fragment) size

• Interference

The site survey should be conducted with all variables set
to the operational values. It should also be performed dur­ing the time the RF link will generally be functioning with all
other systems and noise sources operational. For effi­ciency, the site survey application should be executed
entirely from the mobile station.

4-1

Utilities

The link test tool helps determine the RF network coverage.
The results of the link test will help eliminate low RF signal
level areas that can result in loss of connection between the
PC Card and the Aironet Access Point.

It is important to remember the information being displayed
is from the Aironet Access Point viewpoint. Therefore,
packets sent are from the Aironet Access Point to the PC
Card client. Packets received are from the PC Card to the
Aironet Access Point. Signal quality is an estimate of the
signal strength recorded at the time of packet reception by
the radio.

Using Windows 3.11 or DOS to Perform a Link Test
Using Telnet

Link test using telnet is a useful tool for determining:

• Coverage range of an Access Point

• Communication range of stations/mobile stations
To perform the link test using a telnet session:

1. Install the drivers.

2. Configure the drivers for network operation.

3. Ensure unique IP assignments of mobile/portable

PC Card devices and Aironet Access Point.

4. Set up an Aironet Access Point for the intended

operation (set fragmentation thresholds, RTS
thresholds, etc.)

5. Start the operating system on the mobile station.

6. Configure the adapter.

7. Make sure the mobile station is associated to the

Aironet Access Point.

4-2

Utilities

8. Start a telnet session on the mobile station to the

Aironet Access Point. Depending on the system in
use, the telnet application may have logging and
note taking capability. If so, enable these modes.

9. Navigate through the Aironet Access Point menu to

the link test option. See the appropriate Access
Point Technical Reference Manual for more infor­mation.

10. Set up the test options to accurately model the

system.

11. Set the test for continuous operation with a

1 second delay.

12. Begin traversing the area around the Aironet

Access Point to determine its coverage. If logging
and notes are not possible with the telnet applica­tion, maintain a manual log.

The telnet session packets are interspersed with test
packets which may have the effect of increasing the round
trip time for some frames. The link test will show progress
changes as the test is being conducted.

The first time delivery success rate for the packet may not
be important for transaction based systems and can result
in a slightly larger range. Using longer packets can provide
some degree of safety margin in the range estimate.

NOTE: Roundtrip time will be effected by the telnet
session maintenance.

4-3

Utilities

Using Windows 95 or Windows 98 to Perform
a Link Test

You may use either:

• Telnet

• The link test or site survey commands in WinDGS

• Linkscope

4-4

Utilities

Link Test Command in WinDGS

WinDGS may be used to assess the performance of RF
links. TCP/IP protocol must be installed to run this link test.
See the Help section of Windows 95/98/NT for more infor­mation on installing and setting up TCP/IP. An IP address
must also be configured for the Access Point.

1. From the link test command menu, enter the following
parameters:

• IP address of Aironet Access Point:

This parameter specifies the IP address of the
Access Point with which y ou want to test the RF link.
Set this value before running the link test.

• Number of Packets:
This parameter specifies the number of packets the
link test will attempt to send. The display will show
the number of packets of the specified size that are
successfully transmitted and received. This parame­ter is ignored if Continuous Link Test is selected.

• Packet Size:
This parameter specifies the size of the data packet
to be sent to the Aironet Access Point. Be aware that
the TCP/IP stack that comes with Windows 95 will
fragment packets greater than 512 bytes. Therefore,
the number of packets transmitted will not match the
number of packets received (even if none are lost) if
the packet size is greater than 512 bytes.

• Continuous Link Test:
Selecting this item causes the link test to run contin­uously until Stop, OK, or Cancel is selected. The
Number of Packets parameter is ignored if Continu­ous Link Test is selected.

4-5

Utilities

2. Once the parameters have been entered, click on
the Start button at the bottom of the dialog box to
start the link test. When the link test is running, nec­essary statistics will be displayed and updated peri­odically.

3. To stop the link test, click on Stop, OK, or Cancel at
the bottom of the dialog box. Once the link test has
sent the number of packets specified, the Stop but­ton will toggle back to a Start button.

Site Survey

Site Survey provides information for signal strength,
signal quality, and overall link quality as well as display­ing all associated Access Points.

Packets are sent to each associated Access Point and
echoed back. The signal strength associated to each
node is displayed. This screen is updated every 10
seconds.

Linkscope

Linkscope provides a graphical display of:

• Signal Quality

• Signal Strength

Linkscope determines the performance of the RF link
between a PC Card and an Aironet Access Point. Any
Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT unit associ­ated to an Aironet Access Point can run the linkscope
test.

4-6

Utilities

Signal strength is displayed along the vertical axis of
the graphical display. Signal quality is displayed along
the horizontal axis. The combined result is represented
by a diagonal line. The Aironet Access Point associat­ing with the PC Card is indicated along the bottom of
the display as well as its MAC address. For more infor­mation on the Aironet Access Point testing procedures,
see the appropriate Access Point Technical Reference
Manual.

4-7

Utilities

Loading New Firmware Versions

The firmware is contained in the card’s flash memory. Flash
memory allows for easy updating of the firmware as neces­sary.

Upgrading Firmware for Windows 95 or Windows 98

The WinDGS program is used to load new firmware.
To load new firmware:

1. Make sure the PC Card is up and running.

2. Select Commands.

3. Select Load New Firmware.

4. Select Look In....Use the drop down button to select

the appropriate path and image file.

5. Select Open. This will flash the card with the selected
image.

4-8

Utilities

Loading Firmware for Windows 3.11 and DOS

The FLSH3545.COM program is used to load new firmware
to systems operating under DOS and Windows 3.11.

To load new firmware:

1. Before upgrading the firmware, uninstall the driver or
reboot the computer and do not load the driver during
the boot process.

2. Type FLSH3545 at the DOS prompt.

3. Enter the option (see Table below).

NOTE: If using card and socket services, no options
should be required.

4. Type the filename of the new firmware.

5. Press Enter.

Utility Description

-p Specifies the starting address for a block of 64 consecutive

-s Optional – If card services are used, this parameter is

-m If card services are used, this parameter is ignored. If card

-q Quiet Mode, no messages will appear while flash upgrade is

16-bit I/O ports. Make sure the block of I/O addresses does
not overlap the address of another device in the machine.
This can be used to override a card service assignment. If
card services are not used, this will default to 0x140.

ignored. If card services are not used, this is the PC Card
socket the PC Card is inserted into (default is 0).

services are not used, this is a block of memory the driver will
use to view the PC Card CIS (default is 0xD000).

in progress.

4-9

Utilities

4-10

Error Messages and Trouble Shooting

Section 5

Error Messages and Trouble
Shooting

The Wireless LAN Adapter provides LED messages and
error codes. This section provides the general procedures
for correcting common problems encountered when
installing the PC Card system.

Indicator LEDs

The PC Card has two indicator LEDs (green and amber)
located on the face of the card.

The green indicator is the Link Integrity/Po w er LED. It lights
when the card is receiving power and flashes slowly when
the PC Card is linked with the network.

The amber indicator is the Link Activity LED . It flashes when
the PC Card is receiving or transmitting data or in a pattern
to indicate an error condition.

See Tables 5.1 and 5.2 for an explanation of the LED
Messages.

5-1

Error Messages and Trouble Shooting

Table 5.1 – Green LED Operating Messages

Green LED Condition

Off No power or error
Flashing Quickly Power on, self-test OK, scanning for network
Flashing Slowly Associated with an infrastructure network

Table 5.2 – Amber LED Operating Messages

Amber LED Green LED Condition

Flashing Continuously on or

flashing slowly

Flashing in a Pattern Continuously on Indicates an error

PC Card is transmitting or
receiving data while
associated with an Access
Point

condition

5-2

Error Messages and Trouble Shooting

If Your Radio Fails to Establish Contact

• Change your location or the location of the antenna by
a few feet and try again.

• Make sure the antenna is securely attached.

• Make sure the PC Card is securely inserted in the PC
Card slot.

• Make sure the receiving equipment is turned on and
operating.

• Make sure the receiving equipment is properly con­nected to the host computer.

• Check that all parameters are set properly for both the
PC Card and the Aironet Access Point.

If the radio fails to establish contact, contact Aironet Techni­cal Support for additional assistance:

Phone - [phone]
Fax - [phone]
e-mail - [e-mail]

http://www. aironet.com

5-3

Error Messages and Trouble Shooting

5-4

PC Card Specifications

Appendix A

PC Card Specifications

LAN Drivers Supported

Table A.1 – Supported Drivers

Protocol Operating System

ODI DOS based driver for Novell Netware
NDIS 2 MS DOS, Windows 3.xx
NDIS 3 Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT
Packet MS DOS, Windows 3.xx

A-1

PC Card Specifications

Radio Specifications

Table A.2 – Radio Specifications

Item Specification Description

Radio Type Direct Sequence 2.4 GHz ISM Band
Operating

Frequency

FCC ID LOZ102034 (4500) FCC approval

Channeling 5 MHz increments Programmable for IEEE 802.11
Type of Modulation BPSK 1 Mbit/s (4500)

Power Output
(North American
Configuration)

Antenna Type Diversity External connection two

Antenna Connec­tors

Mating Cable
Connectors

MicroMate Series PCMCIA Connector Card Connector Per PC Card

2400-2497 North American, ETSI, and

LOZ102035 (4800)

QPSK 2 Mbit/s
BPSK 1 Mbit/s (4800)

QPSK 2 Mbit/s
CCK 5.5 and 11 Mbits/s

100 mW Meets FCC Part 15.247

2 Amphenol MicroMate
female

Huber & Suhner:
Amphenol:

Japan channel coverage,
factory configurable

Nominal 10 MHz BW (-6 db)

requirements

antenna jacks (primary and
secondary)

Unique connector per FCC
Part 15.203. Snap-On with 1.5-

2.5 lb retension force
MMCX-50 Series

(Nov 95) Physical
Specification 4.1

A-2

Power Requirements

Table A.3 – Power Requirements

Specification Value

Operational Voltage 5.0V ±0.25 Volts
Receive Mode Current 260 mA (4500)

280 mA (4800)

PC Card Specifications

High Power Tr ansmit Mode
Current

Sleep Mode Current 5 mA

490 mA (4500)
490 mA (4800)

Physical Specifications

Table A.4 – Physical Characteristics

Item Description

Size 3.37" L x 2.13" W x .20" H

Enclosure PC Card Type II
Weight 2 oz.
Operating T emperature 30° C to 70° C minimum (-22° F to 158° F)
Storage T emperature -40° C to +85° C (-40° F to 185° F)
Humidity, Shock, Drop,

Vibration, Thermal Shock
ESD 15kV (human body model)
Connectors 68-pin PC Card

Status Indicators Green and Amber LEDs – link association/activity

(8.56 cm L x 5.41 cm W x .51 cm H)

per PC Card version 2.01, section 13.6.2
specifications

Two Snap-On RF connectors for antennas

A-3

PC Card Specifications

Mechanical Description

Figure A.1 – Mechanical Outline

RF CONN. (2)

3.370

J2

.750

J1

LED LOC'N (2)

J1 and J2 provided for diversity
antenna connections. If a special
single-coax diversity antenna is
required, use J1 exclusively.

2.126

.196

A-4

Using the WinDGS Utility

Appendix B

Using the WinDGS Utility

WinDGS is used to perform user level diagnostics on your
Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Card in the Windows 95 or
Windows NT operating system environment.

Commands Menu

The Commands Menu includes:

• Select Card

• Loading New Firmware

• Edit Properties

• Statistics

• Status

• Link Test

• Site Survey

• Radio Off/On

• Exit

Select Card

This allows another installed Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter
Card to be chosen. The property screens will change to
reflect the parameters specific to each card type.

B-1

Commands Menu

Load New Firmware

See Section 4 –
and upgrading firmware versions.

Utilities

for more information on loading

Edit Properties

WinDGS allows you to change the configuration parameters
of your currently installed Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN
Adapter. Depending on the preferences you have set,
WinDGS can save the current properties to the registry.
See Save Properties Options for more information.

Statistics

The Statistics screen shows the current statistics from the
PC Card. Statistics are updated at the rate specified by the
Screen Update Timer. Clear the current statistics b y clicking
on Reset. Exit the Statistics screen b y clic king on OK, or by
clicking on the X in the upper right hand corner of the dialog
box.

Status

The Status screen shows the current status from the PC
Card. Status is updated at the rate specified by the Screen
Update Timer. Exit the Status screen by clicking on OK, or
by clicking on the X in the upper right hand corner of the
dialog box.

B-2

Link T est

Commands Menu

See Section 4 –

Utilities

for information on using link test.

Site Survey

See Section 4 –
survey.

Utilities

for information on using site

Radio Off/On

Radio Off/On allows you to selectively turn off or on the
power to the radio. Turning the radio off prevents all RF
energy from being transmitted by the PC Card.

Exit

Closes all windows and exits WinDGS.

B-3

Commands Menu

Options Menu

The Options Menu includes:

• Preferences

• Screen Update Timer

• Save Properties Options

Preferences

The WinDGS Preferences allow you to customize various
parameters that control the operation of WinDGS. For
example, you can set the rate at which the values are
updated in the status and statistics screens via the Screen
Update Timer. You can also set the Save Properties
Options, which controls what is done with changes to the
current settings.

Screen Update Timer

The Screen Update Timer controls how often the statistics
and status screens are updated. The screen can be
updated in one second increments, from once a second to
once every 60 seconds. The default is once every five sec­onds. You can use either the edit box or the slider to change
this value.

B-4

Edit Parameters

Save Properties Options

Use Save Properties Options to select the default opera­tions for saving the current adapter configuration. Choose
either:

• Save Properties to the Registry: This option allows
you to save the configuration to the Windows Registry.
The configuration will be restored the next time you
reboot.

• Save Properties to the Adapter: This option sa v es the
current configuration to non-volatile memory in the
adapter.

• Always Prompt the User: This option will prompt the
user to save the current settings to the Registry. If the
box is not checked, the operation will default to “Save
Properties to the Registry”.

Edit Parameters

The PC Card Parameters include:

• System Parameters

• Network Parameters

• RF Network Parameters

• Advanced (Infrastructure or Ad Hoc)

B-5

Edit Parameters

System Parameters

System parameters include:

• Name

• SSID

• Network Type (Infrastructure or Ad Hoc)

• Constant Awake Mode (CAM)

• Power Save Mode

• Fast Power Save Mode

• Maximum Power Save Mode

Name

The station name is displayed in the tab le of connected
devices on the Access Point. It provides a logical name
to determine which machines are connected without
having to memorize ev ery MAC address. The name can
be up to 16 characters.

SSID

The Service Set Identifier (SSID) controls access to a
given wireless network. This value MUST match the
SSID of any/all Access Points that you want to commu­nicate with. If the value does not match, access to the
system is not granted. The SSID can be up to 32 char­acters (case sensitive).

Network type (Infrastructure Mode)

This mode is used to set up a connection to a wired
network, such as Ethernet or Token Ring. This mode
requires an Access Point to gain access to the wired
network.

B-6

Edit Parameters

Network type (Ad Hoc Mode)

This mode is used to set up a small, temporary network
between two or more computers. For example, you
might set up an ad hoc network between computers in
a conference room so users can share information in a
meeting.

Constant Awake Mode (CAM)

Constant Awake Mode is the normal mode for desktop
machines or other machines where power consumption
is not an issue. It keeps the radio powered up continu­ously so there is little latency for responding to
messages. This mode is recommended for devices
where high availability is desired.

Power Save Mode

Power Save Mode is recommended for devices where
power consumption is a major concern, such as small
battery powered devices. If the client node is powered
from an AC line, PSP should not be used. Power Save
Mode causes the Access Point to buffer incoming mes­sages. The Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter
must wake up periodically and poll the Access Point to
see if there are any buffered messages w aiting. The PC
Card can request each message and then go back to
sleep.

Fast Power Save Mode

Fast Power Save Mode (Fast PSP Mode) switches
between PSP and CAM based on network traffic. When
retrieving a high number of packets , F ast PSP Mode will
switch to CAM to retriev e the pack ets. Once the pac kets
are retrieved, it switches back to PSP.

B-7

Edit Parameters

Maximum Power Save Mode

Maximum Po wer Sa ve Mode (Max PSP Mode) can only
be used in conjunction with PS or Fast PSP Modes.This
mode allows the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN
Adapter to conserve the most power while still main­taining an infrastructure connection. Using Max PSP
Mode conserves power but will reduce throughput.

B-8

Edit Parameters

Network Parameters

User modifiable parameters are limited to the choice of
MAC Address:

• Factory MAC Address: This is the default MAC
address which is guaranteed to be unique. Unless you
have a very good reason to define your own MAC
address, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you
use the factory MAC address.

• User Defined MAC Address: If you must define your
own MAC address, you can enter it here. If you do not
use a unique value, you may not be able to communi­cate to your wired network or you may disrupt other net­work devices. For this reason, it is STRONGLY
RECOMMENDED that you use the factory MAC
address. The MAC address is 12 hexadecimal digits.
You do not need to use delimiters, but you can use
spaces or the colon character.

RF Network Parameters

RF Network Parameters include:

• Fragment Threshold: This parameter defines a thresh­old above which the RF packet will be split up or frag­mented. If a packet is fragmented or transmission of
part of it is interfered with, only the portion that was
unsuccessful would need to be re-sent. The throughput
will generally be lower for fr agmented pac kets since the
fixed pack et ov erhead consumes a higher portion of the
RF bandwidth.

B-9

Edit Parameters

• Data Retries: This parameter defines the number of
times a packet will be re-sent if the initial transmission is
unsuccessful. If the network protocol automatically re­tries itself, set this to a small value. A “bad” packet sta­tus will be sent up the protocol stack more quickly so
the application can re-transmit the packet.

• Basic Data Rate: This parameter determines the data
rate used to transfer all management frames by the cli­ent device when associated within a given Basic Ser­vice Set (BSS). When operating in Infrastructure Mode,
this parameter should be set to correspond to the
Access Point setting. When operating in Ad Hoc Mode,
all stations should have the same setting.

Model Allowable Selections

4500 1 Mbps or 2 Mbps
4800 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, or 11 Mbps

• Supported Data Rates: This parameter specifies the
data rates that will be supported by a given radio device
in the BSS.

Model Allowable Selections

4500 1 Mbps, 1_2 Mbps, or 2 Mbps
4800 1 Mbps, 1_2 Mbps, 1_5.5 Mbps, 1_11 Mbps

2 Mbps, 2_5.5 Mbps, 2_11 Mbps,

5.5 Mbps, 5.5_11 Mbps, or 11 Mbps

B-10

Edit Parameters

Advanced (Infrastructure)

The following parameters are contained in both the Infra­structure and Ad Hoc Modes:

• Antenna Mode

• Specified Access Point

• RTS Threshold

• RTS Retry Limit

Antenna Mode

Three options are available for the type of antenna you
have connected to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless
LAN Adapter:

• Antenna Diversity: This allo ws the PC Card to use

the stronger signal from the two antenna ports.
Diversity can help the radio maintain the RF
connection in areas of interference. Due to the
nature of how RF signals are affected by the
surroundings, one antenna may be in an RF “null”
where the signal is very weak, but the other
antenna (even though it is only a small distance
away) may have a stronger signal strength. The PC
Card would automatically select the antenna that
has the highest signal strength. Antenna Diversity
is the recommended setting for the standard
Snap-On antenna.

• Right Antenna Only (J1): Choose this option if the

antenna you are using is connected to the right
hand antenna port and you are not using the
standard Snap-On antenna. The PC Card will not
attempt to communicate using the left hand
antenna port since no antenna is connected to it.

B-11

Edit Parameters

• Left Antenna Only (J2): Choose this option if the

antenna you are using is connected to the left hand
antenna port and you are not using the standard
Snap-On antenna. This tells the PC Card not to
attempt to communicate using the right hand
antenna port since no antenna is connected to it.

Specified Access Point

This parameter is the MAC address of the preferred
Access Point you want to associate with. It is important
to note that if you specify the Access Point, you MAY
associate to another Access Point if the Specified
Access Point is not found. If you roam out of range , you
will probably associate with another Access Point.
Setting a Specified Access Point will slow down the
roaming process. Thus, for normal operation for the
majority of users, leave this field blank.

RTS Threshold

This parameter controls what size data packet the low
level RF protocol issues to an RTS packet. There are
several trade-offs to consider when setting this
parameter. Setting this parameter to a small value
causes RTS packets to be sent more often, consuming
more of the available bandwidth, therefore reducing the
apparent throughput of other network packets. How­ever, the more often RTS packets are sent, the quicker
the system can recover from interference or collisions.
Refer to the IEEE 802.11 Standard for more inf ormation
on the RTS/CTS mechanism.

B-12

Edit Parameters

RTS Retry Limit

This parameter controls the number of times the PC
Card will re-send the RTS pack et if it does not receive a
CTS from the previously sent RTS packet. Setting this
to a large value will decrease the available bandwidth
whenever interf erence is encountered, but will mak e the
system more immune to interference and collisions.
Refer to the IEEE 802.11 Standard for more inf ormation
on the RTS/CTS mechanism.

Advanced (Ad Hoc/IBSS)

In Ad Hoc Mode, you can also modify the following
parameters:

• Channel

• Beacon Period

• Wake Duration

Channel

This parameter specifies the channel identifier the unit
will use if it must start its own network. F or all other situ­ations, the radio will scan for the proper frequency. See
Appendix C for channel identifier parameters.

B-13

Edit Parameters

Beacon Period

This parameter specifies the duration between beacon
packets that are used by IEEE 802.11 systems to
synchronize the “hops” (change to another frequency).
The beacon packet contains timing inf ormation and hop
pattern information that is broadcast over the airwaves.
Any station that can hear the beacon packet can then
synchronize their internal timer so that it can hop at the
correct time. The default beacon period is one-half of
the dwell period so two beacons are transmitted per
hop dwell period (default is 100 Kµsec). Refer to the
IEEE 802.11 Standard for more information on the
timing and scanning mechanism.

Wake Duration

This parameter specifies the amount of time per Hop
Dwell Period that the adapter stays awake listening for
data packets. This is only used in Power Save Mode.

B-14