Belkin F5D7000F User Manual

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Belkin
Wireless G Desktop Card

User Manual

Table of Contents

1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Benefits of a Home Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Advantages of a Wireless Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Placement of your Wireless Networking

Hardware for Optimal Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Product Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Applications and Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Product Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Package Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3 Installing and Setting up the Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Step 1: Install. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Step 2: Insert. . . . . . 11

Step 3: Configure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

4 Using the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Accessing the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility from the Windows System
Tray.16
Setting Wireless Network Profiles

Securing your Wi-Fi Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Configuring your Belkin Wireless G Desktop Card to use Security. . . . . . . . . . 28

5 Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

6 Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

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Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the Belkin Wireless G Desktop Card (the Card). Now
you can take advantage of this great new technology and gain the freedom to
network your home and office computers wirelessly. This Card allows you to
connect a desktop computer to your network. The easy installation and setup will
have you networking wirelessly in minutes. Please be sure to read through this
User Manual completely, and pay special attention to the section entitled
“Placement of your Wireless Networking Hardware for Optimal Performance” on
page 2.

Benefits of a Home Network

Your Belkin Home Network will allow you to:

• Share one high-speed Internet connection with all the computers
in your home

• Share resources, such as files, and hard drives among all the
connected computers in your home

• Share a single printer with the entire family

• Share documents, music, video, and digital pictures

• Store, retrieve, and copy files from one computer to another

• Simultaneously play games online, check Internet email,
and chat

Advantages of a Wireless Network
Here are some of the advantages of setting up a Belkin wireless network:

• Mobility –you’ll no longer need a dedicated “computer room”— now you can

work on a networked laptop or desktop computer anywhere within your wireless
range

• Easy installation – Belkin Easy Installation Wizards make setup simple

• Flexibility

devices from anywhere in your home

• Easy expansion – the wide range of Belkin networking products lets you
expand your network to include devices such as printers and gaming consoles

• No cabling required – you can spare the expense and hassle of retrofitting
Ethernet cabling throughout the home or office

• Widespread industry acceptance

interoperable networking products

Placement of your Wireless Networking Hardware for Optimal Performance

Your wireless connection will be stronger the closer your computer is to your
wireless router (or access point). Typical indoor operating range for your wireless
devices is between 100 and 200 feet. In the same way, your wireless connection

– set up and access printers, computers, and other networking

– choose from a wide range of

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and performance will degrade somewhat as the distance between your wireless
router (or access point) and connected devices increases. This may or may not
be noticeable to you. As you move farther from your wireless router (or access
point), connection speed may decrease. Factors that can weaken signals simply
by getting in the way of your network’s radio waves are metal appliances or
obstructions, and walls.

If you have concerns about your network’s performance that might be related to
range or obstruction factors, try moving the computer to a position between five
and 10 feet from the wireless router (or access point) in order to see if distance is
the problem. If difficulties persist even at close range, please contact Belkin
Technical Support.

Note: While some of the items listed below can affect network performance, they
will not prohibit your wireless network from functioning; if you are concerned that
your network is not operating at its maximum effectiveness, this checklist may
help.

1. Placement of your Wireless Router (or Access Point)

Place your wireless router (or access point), the central connection point of your
network, as close as possible to the center of your wireless network devices.

To achieve the best wireless network coverage for your “wireless clients,” (i.e.
computers enabled by Belkin Wireless Notebook Cards, Wireless Desktop Cards,
and Wireless USB Adapters):

• Ensure that your wireless router’s (or access point’s) antennas are parallel to
each other, and are positioned vertically (toward the ceiling). If your wireless
router (or access point) itself is positioned vertically, point the antennas as much
as possible in an upward direction.

• In multistory homes, place the wireless router (or access point) on a floor that is
as close to the center of the home as possible. This may mean placing the
wireless router (or access point) on an upper floor.

• Try not to place the wireless router (or access point) near a cordless 2.4GHz
phone

2. Avoid Obstacles and Interference

Avoid placing your wireless router (or access point) near devices that may emit
radio “noise”, such as microwave ovens. Other objects that can inhibit wireless
communication can include:

• Refrigerators

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• Washers and/or dryers

• Metal cabinets

• Large aquariums

• Metallic-based, UV-tinted windows
If your wireless signal seems weak in some spots, make sure that objects such

as these are not blocking the signal’s path between your computers and wireless
router (or access point).

3. Cordless Phone Placement

If the performance of your wireless network is impaired after attending to the
above issues, and you have a cordless phone:

• Try moving cordless phones away from the wireless router (or access point)
and your wireless-enabled computers.

• Unplug and remove the battery from any cordless phone that operates on the

2.4GHz band (check manufacturer’s information). If this fixes the problem, your
phone may be interfering.

• If your phone supports channel selection, change the channel on the phone to
the farthest channel from your wireless network as possible. For example,
change the phone to channel 1 and move your wireless router (or access point)
to channel 11. (Your channel selection will vary depending on your region.) See
your phone’s user manual for detailed instructions.

• If necessary, consider switching to a 900MHz or 5GHz cordless phone.

4. Choose the “Quietest” Channel for your Wireless Network

In locations where homes or offices are close together, such as apartment
buildings or office complexes, there may be wireless networks nearby that can
conflict with yours. Use the Site Survey capabilities of your Wireless Networking
Utility to locate any other wireless networks, and move your wireless router (or
access point) and computers to a channel as far away from other networks as
possible.

Experiment with more than one of the available channels, in order to find the
clearest connection and avoid interference from neighboring cordless phones or
other wireless devices.

For more Belkin wireless networking products, use the detailed Site Survey and
wireless channel information included in your User Manual.

5. Secure Connections, VPNs, and AOL

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Secure connections typically require a user name and password, and are used
where security is important. Secure connections include:

• Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections, often used to connect remotely to
an office network

• The “Bring Your Own Access” program from America Online (AOL), which lets
you use AOL through broadband provided by another cable or DSL service

• Most online banking websites

• Many commercial websites that require a user name and password to access
your account

Secure connections can be interrupted by a computer’s power management
setting, which causes it to “go to sleep.” The simplest solution to avoid this is to
simply reconnect by re-running the VPN or AOL software, or by re-logging into
the secure website.

A second alternative is to change your computer’s power management settings
so it does not go to sleep; however, this may not be appropriate for portable
computers. To change your power management setting in Windows, see the
“Power Options” item in the Control Panel.

If you continue to have difficulty with Secure Connections, VPNs, and AOL,
please review steps 1–4 above to be sure you have addressed these issues.

These guidelines should allow you to cover the maximum possible area with your
wireless router. Should you need to cover an even wider area, we suggest the
Belkin Wireless Range Extender/Access Point.

For more information regarding our networking products, visit our website at
www.belkin.com/networking or call Belkin Technical Support.

Overview

Product Features

The Card complies with the IEEE 802.11g standard in order to communicate with
other 802.11g-compliant wireless devices at 54Mbps. The Card is compatible
with all 802.11g devices as well as other 802.11b products at 11Mbps. 802.11g
products operate on the same 2.4GHz frequency band as 802.11b Wi-Fi
products.

• 2.4GHz ISM (Industrial, Science, and Medical) band operation

• Integrated easy-to-use Wireless Networking Utility

• PCI interface, for operation in virtually any desktop computer

• WPA, WPA2, 64-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), or 128-bit encryption

• Wireless access to networked resources

®

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• Support for both Infrastructure and Ad-Hoc (peer-to-peer) networking modes

• Data rate of up to 54Mbps (802.11g), or 11Mbps (802.11b)

• Easy installation and use

• External antenna

• LED power and network link indicators

Applications and Advantages

• Wireless roaming with a laptop around the home or office

Offers the freedom of networking—without cables

• Connection rates of up to 54Mbps

Provides immediate wireless connectivity at home, work, and hotspot locations
without compromising the use of existing 802.11b and 802.11g products

• Compatibility with 802.11b products

802.11g wireless LAN solutions are backward-compatible with existing Wi-Fi
(IEEE 802.11b) products and with other products that display the 54g logo

• Difficult-to-wire environments

Enables networking in buildings with solid or finished walls, or open areas where
wiring is difficult to install

• Frequently changing environments

Adapts easily in offices or environments that frequently rearrange or change
locations

• Temporary LANs for special projects or peak time

Sets up temporary networks such as at trade shows, exhibitions, and
construction sites, which need networks on a short-term basis; also companies
who need additional workstations for a peak activity period

• SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) networking needs

Provides the easy and quick, small network installation SOHO
users need

Product Specifications

Host Interface: 32-bit PCI interface
Power Consumption: Tx/Rx peak 510/250mA @ 3.3VDC (max.)
Operating Temperature: 32–140 degrees F (0–60 degrees C)
Storage Temperature: -4–176 degrees F (-20–80 degrees C)
Humidity: Max. 90% (non-condensing)
Typical Operating Range: 100–200 ft. (30–60m) indoors

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23.jpg]

(Designer we need a new image)

(a) Link LED

Lights up when the Card links to a wireless network

(b) Activity LED

Lights up and flashes when the Card is active

(c) Card Connector

Fits securely into your computer’s PCI slot

(d) Antenna

System Requirements

- PC-compatible desktop computer with one available PCI slot and CD-ROM
drive

®

- Windows

98SE, Me, 2000, or XP

Package Contents

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- Wireless G Desktop Card

- Quick Installation Guide

- Installation Software CD

- User Manual

3 Installing and Setting up the Card

1. Install

Important Note: Install the Software before Inserting the Card

1.1 Insert the Installation Software CD into your CD-ROM drive.

1.2 The Belkin Setup Utility screen will automatically appear. (This may take 15–

20 seconds.) Click “install” to start the installation.
[insert splash page of Belkin Wireless Networking Utility setup screen]
Note: If the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility screen does not appear within 20

seconds, access your CD-ROM by double-clicking on the “My Computer” icon;
then, double-click on the CD-ROM drive into which the installation CD has been
placed. Double-click on the folder named “Files”, then double-click on the icon
named “setup.exe”.

1.3 The first in a series of progress-monitoring screens will let you know where

you are in the setup process.

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1.4 You might see a screen similar to this one. This DOES NOT mean there is a
problem. Our software has been fully tested and is compatible with this operating
system. Select “Continue Anyway” and follow the on-screen instructions.

Once the software is installed, you will be prompted to shut down your

1.5

computer. Click “Yes”.

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2. Insert
Insert the Card into an Available PCI Slot on your Desktop Computer

2.1 Shut down your computer and disconnect your power cord.

2.2 Remove the screws behind your computer case that secure the computer

cover and remove cover.

Note: Touch any metal part of the case to discharge static electricity to avoid
damage to the product or your computer.

2.3 Locate an empty PCI expansion slot. It is usually white in color. Confirm that

the Card will fit into the slot you have chosen. Keep in mind that the included
antenna needs to be oriented with the top pointing up. If there are cables and
other connectors in the way, try to pick the PCI slot that has the fewest
obstructions to the correct positioning of the antenna.

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2.4 Remove the metal port cover from the back of the computer that corresponds

to the PCI slot you selected. If there is a screw, place it in a safe place, as
you will be using it to attach the Card to the computer later.

2.5 Push the Card firmly into the PCI slot that you have chosen. Apply pressure
as needed until the connector is fully seated.

2.6 Now secure the Card with the screw that you previously placed in a safe
place.

2.7 Carefully screw the antenna onto the threaded connector on the Card. Turn
the antenna until it is vertical and pointing up.

2.8 Replace the computer’s cover. Now that the Card is installed, you can
reconnect the power cord and turn the computer back on.

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2.9 The Found New Hardware Wizard will appear. (This may take 15–20

seconds.) Select “Install the software automatically” and then click “Next”.

2.10 You might see a screen similar to this one. This DOES NOT mean there is

a problem. Our software has been fully tested and is compatible with this
operating system. Select “Continue Anyway” and follow the on-screen
instructions.

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2.11 The Wizard will now install your software.

2.12 The Belkin Wireless Networking Utility installation is now complete. Click
“Finish” to close the Wizard and restart your computer.

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3. Configure
Use the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility

3.1 After restarting your computer, double-click the Belkin Wireless Networking

Utility icon located on the desktop screen.
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3.2 The Wireless Networking Utility screen will appear.
Select a network to connect to by selecting a network from the “Available

Networks” list. Then, click “Connect”.
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