Boca Research 11Mbps User Manual
User’s Guide
11Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card
Version 1.45
INFORMATION TO USER
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment or device.
Connect the equipment to an outlet other than receiver’s.
Consult a dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for assistance
FCC Caution: To assure continued compliance, (example - use only shielded interface cables
when connecting to computer or peripheral devices) any changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this
equipment.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
IMPORTANT NOTE: FCC Radiation Exposure Statement:
This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled
environment. End-users must follow the specific operating instructions for satisfying RF exposure
compliance.
This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or
transmitter.
Regulatory
The wireless LAN PC Card must be installed and used in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions. This device complies with the following radio frequency and safety standards.
Europe - R&TTE Directive
This device complies with the specifications listed below:
⌧ ETS 300-826 General EMC requirements for Radio equipment.
⌧ ETS 300-328 Technical requirements for Radio equipment.
⌧ EN60950 Safety requirements for Radio equipment.
EU Countries not intended for use
The ETSI version of this device is intended for home and office use in Austria, Belgium, Denmark,
Finland, France (with Frequency channel restrictions). Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.
The ETSI version of this device is also authorized for use in EFTA member states Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction.............................................................................................3
The 11Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card...................................................................3
Features..............................................................................................................3
Package Contents...............................................................................................4
System Requirements.........................................................................................4
Chapter 2: Network Configuration and Planning......................................................5
Wireless LAN Basic.............................................................................................5
Network Topology................................................................................................5
Roaming..............................................................................................................7
Chapter 3: Installing the Drivers and Configuration Utility for Windows 9X/ME/
2000..............................................................................................................8
Running the Auto Driver & Utility Installation.......................................................8
Inserting the adapter..........................................................................................10
Chapter 4: Configuration Utility...............................................................................12
Using the configuration utility.............................................................................12
Chapter 5: Installation Procedure Under Windows NT 4.0.....................................19
About Windows NT 4.0......................................................................................19
Installing the Driver............................................................................................19
Configuration / Uninstall....................................................................................22
Chapter 6: Installation Procedure Under WindowsXP............................................23
About Windows XP............................................................................................23
Installing the Driver / Utility................................................................................23
Configuration Under WinXP...............................................................................23
Uninstall Procedure Under WinXP.....................................................................24
Appendix A: Troubleshooting..................................................................................25
Appendix B: Glossary.............................................................................................26
Appendix C: Specifications.....................................................................................28
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Chapter 1: Introduction
The 11Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card
The 11Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card now has a new , higher-powered antenna that provides a
greater range than ever. The increased sensitivity helps filter out interference and notice to keep
your signal clear. Improved error correction in the chipset keeps you operating at higher transmission
rates for longer distances. And since you only need one Type II or III PCMCIA slot, you’re free to use
your other slots for additional accessories.
Plug-and-Play device, Windows 98/ME/2000/XP will automatically recognize the wireless LAN
card and initiate the installation process. Upon successful installation, the wireless LAN card will
communicate seamlessly with other wireless home and office networking products.
Using radio frequency (RF) technology, WLANs transmit and receive data over the air,
minimizing the need for wired connections. Thus, WLANs combine data connectivity with user
mobility, and through simplified configuration, enable movable LANs. This wireless networking
solution has been designed for both large and small businesses, and it is scalable so that you can
easily add more users and new network features as your business grows.
This manual will assist you in the installing WLAN PC Card.
Features
IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence high rate compatible.
High data rate 11/5.5/2/1 Mbps.
Auto Rate fallback
IPX, NetBEUI, TCP/IP protocols supported.
Wired Equivalent Privacy Algorithm (WEP) (64 bits/128 bits)
802.11 Power save in infrastructure mode.
Passive/Active scan. Long/Short preamble.
RTS/CTS handshake.
Beacon and Probe response generation in an IBSS.
Plug-N-Play and easy setup
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Package Contents
One 11Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card.
One setup Utility CD-ROM (User Guide on CD).
Quick Installation Guide.
System Requirements
One PCMCIA Type II or Type III slot.
PCMCIA revision 2.10 compliant card and socket services.
Operating System: Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, or XP.
2M bytes free disk space for utility and driver installation.
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Chapter 2: Network Configuration and
Planning
Wireless LAN Basic
The WLANs supports legacy Ethernet LAN network configuration options as defined by the
IEEE 802.11b standards committee.
The WLAN Card can be configured as:
Ad-Hoc for departmental or SOHO LANs.
Infrastructure for enterprise LANs.
LAN-Interconnection for point-to-point link as campus backbone.
Network Topology
Desktop with USB WLAN Adapter
Notebook with PCMCIA WLAN Card
Notebook with PCMCIA WLAN Card
Fig 2-1 Ad-Hoc Wireless LAN
An Ad-Hoc wireless LAN is a group of computers, each equipped with one WLAN adapter,
connected as an independent wireless LAN. Computers in a specific Ad-Hoc wireless LAN must be
configured to share the same radio channel.(Fig 2-1)
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Server
Access Point 1
Notebook with PCMCIA WLAN Card
Desktop with USB WLAN Adapter
Fig 2-2 Infrastructure Wireless LAN
Desktop PC
Access Point 2
The adapter provides access to a wired LAN for wireless workstations. An integrated wireless
and wired LAN is called an infrastructure configuration. A group of WLAN PC users and an Access
Point compose a Basic Service Set (BSS). Each WLAN PC in a BSS can talk to any computer in the
wired LAN infrastructure via the Access Point.(Fig 2-2)
An infrastructure configuration extends the accessibility of a WLAN equipped PC to a wired
LAN, and doubles the effective wireless transmission range for 2 WLANs PCs. Since the Access
Point is able to forward data within its BSS, the effective transmission range in an infrastructure LAN
is double.(Fig 2-3)
Fig 2-3 The effective transmission range
The use of a unique ID in a BSS is essential. All WLAN equipped PCs configured without
roaming options in independent BSS must be configured with a BSS ID corresponding to the Access
Point used in the BSS. Check your Access Point for its BSS ID or use the Access Point Browser
Utility program to determine the BSS ID.(Fig 2-4)
The infrastructure wireless LAN configuration is appropriate for enterprise-scale wireless
access to a central database, or as a wireless application for mobile users.
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Roaming
Server
Access Point 1
USB WLAN Adapter
Notebook I
BSS1
Fig 2-4 Roaming in an Extended Service Set (ESS)
Desktop PC
Access Point 2
ESS
Notebook I
USB WLAN Adapter
BSS2
Infrastructure mode also supports roaming capabilities for mobile users. More than one BSS
can be configured as an Extended Service Set (ESS). The continuous network allows users to roam
freely within an ESS. All WLAN PCs and Access Point within one ESS must be configured with the
same ESS ID.
Before enabling an ESS with roaming capability, it is recommended to select a feasible radio
channel and optimum Access Point position. Proper Access Point positioning combined with a clear
radio signal will greatly enhance performance.
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Chapter 3: Installing the Drivers and Configuration Utility for Windows 9X, ME,
2000
Running the Auto Driver & Utility Installation
Before installing your card, insert the Auto-Install CD into your CD-ROM driver. Unless you
have deactivated the auto-run feature of Windows, the screen shown in Fig 3-1 should appear
automatically.
If this screen doesn’t appear automatically, you can access the installation by clicking the Start
button and choosing Run. In the drop-down box provided type D:\Setup.exe (where D: is the letter
of your CD-ROM drive). Alternately, double-click My Computer and double-click the Setup.exe icon
in the folder that appears.
Fig 3-1 Auto-run feature of Windows
1. Click “Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP Driver & Utility - PCMCIA” to install driver/utility for
your PCMCIA WLAN Card. You will see Welcome to the InstallShield Wizard for 802.11 Wireless
LAN. Click “Next >” (Fig 3-2).
2. After clicking “Next >”, components’ version of package will be shown on this screen. (Fig 3-
3).
NOTE: You must install this software before installation of the hardware
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