Belkin F6D4050V2 User Manual

Enhanced Wireless
USB Adapter

User Manual

8820-00050 F6D4050

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTIONS 1 2 3 4 5 6Table of Con tent s

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 Over view ..............................................5

Product Features ...........................................5

Applications and Advantages .................................5

Product Specifications ..................................... 6

System Requirements .......................................6

Package Contents ..........................................6

3 Installing and Se tti ng up the Adapter...................... 7

A — Installation Process for Windows Vista .....................7

B — Installation Process for Windows Operating

Systems other than Windows Vista . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

C — Configuration........................................ 18

Enha nced Wirel ess USB Adapt er

4 Using the Belkin Wireless N etworking Utility .............. 19

Accessing the Belkin Wireless Networking Utility from

the Windows System Tray...................................19

Network Status ...........................................20

Available Networks ........................................20

Network Status and Solution Tips ............................21

Managing Wireless Network Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Connecting to a Secure Wi-Fi Network ........................22

5 Troubl eshooting .......................................29

6 Information ........................................... 36

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SECTIONSTable of Con tent s 2 3 4 5 61

Thank you for purchasing the Belkin Enhanced Wireless USB Adapter. Now you can take advantage of this great new technology
and gain the freedom to network your home and office computers wirelessly. This Adapter allows you to connect a notebook
computer to your network. 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”.

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

Enha nced Wirel ess USB Adapt er

Advantages of a Wireless Network

• Mobilit y –you’ll no longer need a dedicated “computer room”—
now you can work on a networked laptop or de sktop computer
anywhere within your wireless range

• Easy installation – Belkin Easy Installation Wizards make
setup simple

• Flexibility – set up and access printers, computers, and other
networking devices from anywhere in your home

• Easy expansion – the wide range of Belkin networking products let
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 industr y acceptance – choose from a wide range of
interoperable networking products

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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 and per formance will degrade somewhat
as the distance bet ween 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 af fect network
performance, they will not prohibit your wireless network from
functioning; if you are concerned that your network is not operating at
its ma ximum effec tiveness, this checklist may help.

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

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

Enha nced Wirel ess USB Adapt er

To achieve the best wireless net work coverage for your “wireless
clients,” (i.e., computers enabled by Belkin Adapters or Cards):

• Ensure that your wireless router’s (or access point’s) antennas
are parallel to each other, and are positioned ver tically (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) nea r 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

• 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).

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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 batter y 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 suppor ts 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 necessar y, consider switching to a 900MHz or 5GHz
cordless phone.

Enha nced Wirel ess USB Adapt er

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

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

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5. Secure Connections, VPNs, and AOL

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 se cure 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 in the previous page s to be sure you have
addres sed 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 Extende r/Access Point.

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

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