Cisco Systems OL-1744-02 User Manual

Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installation and Configuration Guide for MS-DOS

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Text Part Number: OL-1744-02

THE SPECIF ICA TIONS AND IN FOR M AT IO N RE GA RDING THE PR ODU C TS IN T HI S MAN UA L A RE S U B JEC T TO CH AN GE WITH O UT

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Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installation and Configuration Guide for MS- DOS

Copyright © 2002, Cisco Systems , Inc .
All rights reserved.

Preface v

Audience vi
Purpose vi
Organization vi
Conventions vi
Related Publications vii
Obtaining Documentation vii

World Wide Web vii
Document ation C D-R OM vii
Ordering Documentation viii
Document ation Fe edb ack viii

Obtaining Technical Assistance viii

Cisco.com viii
Technical Assistance Center ix

Contacting TAC by Using the Cisco TAC Website ix
Contacting TAC by Telephone ix

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

1 Overview 1-1

Introduction to the Wireless LAN Adapters 1-2

Terminology 1-3

Parts of the Client Adapter 1-3

Radio 1-3
Radio Antenna 1-4
LEDs 1-4

Radio Ranges 1-4

Link Test 1-5

Data Transparency and Protocols 1-5

Protocols Supported 1-5
Security Features 1-6

System Configurations 1-6

Ad Hoc Wireless LAN 1-6
Wireless Infrastructure 1-7
Wireless Infrastructure with Workstations Accessing a Wired LAN 1-7
Extended Infrastructure Using Repeaters 1-8

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i

Contents

Coverage Options 1-9

Minimal Overlap Coverage 1-9
Heavy Overlap Coverag e 1-9
Multiple Overlapping Systems Coverage 1-10

CHAPTER

2 Installing the Hardware 2-1

Safety Information 2-2

FCC Safety Compliance Statement 2-2
Safety Guidelines 2-2
Warnings 2-2
Other Devices in the Wireless Network 2-3

Unpacking the Client Adapter 2-3

Package Contents 2-3
Antenna Connectors 2-4
Attaching a Remote Antenna 2-4
Detaching a Remote Antenna 2-5

Inserting the Client Adapter into a Computing Device 2-5

Inserting a PC Card 2-5
Inserting a PCI Client Adapter 2-6

Removing the Client Adapter 2-7

Removing a PC Card 2-7
Removing a PCI Client Adapter 2-7

CHAPTER

ii

3 Installing the Software 3-1

Driver Overview 3-2
Windows for Workgroups 3.11 NDIS2 Installation 3-3
DOS NDIS2 Installation 3-3

DOS Packet Driver Installation 3-4
ODI Driver Installation 3-5
Additional Requirements and Features 3-5
Driver Keywords and Settings 3-6

Basic System Parameters 3-7

Network Performance Variables 3-8

Fragmentation Variables 3-9

Power Management Variables 3-10

Scanning Variables 3-12

Infrastructure Parameters 3-13

Ad Hoc Variables 3-16

Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installtion and Conf iguration Guide for MS-DOS

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Adapter Keywords 3-16

Contents

CHAPTER

4 Utilities 4-1

Site Survey and Link Test 4-2

Using Windows 3.11 or DOS to Perform a Link Test Using Telnet 4-2
Loading New Firm wa re Vers ions 4-3
DOS Utilities 4-3

Configurat ion Utilit ies 4-3

Diagnostic Utilities 4-4

DOS Utilities Running Environment 4-4

Layout and Format 4-4

General Usage Notes 4-5

Running the Utilit ies 4-5

Getting Help 4-5

Configurat ion Utilit ies 4-6

Diagnostic Utilities 4-10

Syntax 4-5

AWCLEAP.EXE 4-6
AWCALLID.EXE 4-7
AWCALLID.EXE 4-8
WEPDOS.EXE 4-9

PCMCIA.COM 4-10
RADINFO.EXE 4-11

CHAPTER

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

OL-1744-02

5 Error Messages and Trouble Shooting 5-1

Accessing the Latest Troubleshooting Information 5-2
Interpreting the Indicator LEDs 5-2

If Your Radio Fails to Establish Contact 5-3

A Technical Specifications A-1

Technical Spec ific ation s A-2

B Channels, Power Levels, Antenna Gains B-1

Channel Sets B-2
Maximum Power Levels and Antenna Gains B-3

Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installtion and Con fi guration Guide for MS-DOS

iii

Contents

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

C Declarations of Conformity and Regulatory Information C-1

Manufacturers Federal Communication Commission Declaration of Conformity Statement C-2
Department of Communications – Canada C-3

Canadian Compliance Statement C-3

European Community, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein C-4

Declaration of Conformity with Regard to the R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC C-4
Declaration of Conformity for RF Exposure C-6
Guidelines for Operating Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters in Japan C-7

Japanese Translation C-7

English Translation C-7

D Translated Safety Warnings D-1

Explosive Device Proximity Warning D-2
Lightning Activity Warning D-3
Installation Warning D-3
Circuit Breaker (15A) Warning D-4

I

NDEX

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Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installtion and Conf iguration Guide for MS-DOS

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Preface

This prefa ce pr ovid es a n overvi ew o f th e Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installation and
Configuration Guide for MS-DOS, references related publications, and explains how to obtain other

document ati on a nd t ech n ica l assistan ce, if n ecessary.
These to pics a re cove re d in th is sect ion:

• Audience, page vi

• Purpose, page vi

• Organiz at ion, pa ge vi

• Conventio ns, pa ge v i

• Related Publications, page vii

• Obtaining Documentation, page vii

• Obtaini ng Technical A ssistance, p ag e v ii i

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v

Audience

Audience

This publication is for the person responsible for installing, maintaining, and configuring a Cisco
Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter (a l so refe rr ed to as an adapter or clie nt adapt er) on a comput er usi ng t he
MS-DOS opera ting sy stem . The inst all er s hou ld be f ami li ar wit h MS-DOS, c omput ing devices and with
networ k terms an d conc e p ts .

Purpose

This publ ic ation desc ri be s th e adapters , ex pl ai ns how to i nst al l t he ad ap ter s a nd t he ass o ci ate d dr ivers
and software, and offers troubleshooting information.

Organization

Please read Chapters 2 and 3 before attempting to install or use the hardware and software described in
this guid e.

Preface

This guide is arranged as follows:

Chapter 1, “Overview,” pro vide s you wi th a gen eral i ntrod uction t o the wi reles s LAN ada pter s, des cribes

direct sequence radio technology, and the various adapter configurations you can use when operating the
adapter in you r infrast ruc ture .

Chapter 2, “Installing the Hardware,”describes the physical installation of the adapter and the standard

antenna.

Chapter 3, “Installing the Software,” describes the i nstallat ion and configu r ation of the various network

drivers.

Chapter 4, “Uti li ties,” provides detailed proce dures for using the utilities to perform link tests, site

surveys, configuration, diagnostics, as well as loading new firmware versions.

Chapter 5, “Err or Me ssa ges and Trouble Shoot in g,” pro v ides det ail ed des cri pti ons of th e LE D mess age s

and error co d es, as well a s g en er al pr o ced u re s f or co r r ect in g co mm o n pro bl em s.

Append ix A, “Technical S pe cifi cat io ns,” provides radio and physical specifications.
Appendix B, “ Cha nnels , P o we r Le v el s, Ante nna Ga in s, ” provides channel identifiers and channel center

frequenci es f or var iou s area regulatory ag en ci es .

Appendix C, “Declarations of Conformity and Regulatory Information,” provides conformity

informat io n ab ou t th e adapter.

Conventions

vi

This publ ication u ses t h e f ollow in g co nvention s t o c onvey inst ru ct io ns and in for m at io n:

• Commands and keywords are boldface.

• Variables are in italics.

• Notes, cautions, an d w ar n in gs us e th e f o ll owi ng co nvent io ns an d sy m b o ls:

Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installation and Configuration Guide for MS-DOS

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Preface

Note Means reader take note. Notes contain helpful suggestions or references to materials not contained

in this m an u al.

Caution Means reader be careful. In this situ ation, yo u migh t do s o m et hi ng that c ou ld r es u lt in equi pm ent

damag e or los s of data .

Related Publicat ions

For more information about Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Adapters and related products, refer to these
publicat ions:

• Quick St a r t G u id e f or Cisco Aironet Wireless L A N Cl ient Ad ap t e rs

• Releas e N o tes fo r C is co Aironet Wireless L AN Clie nt Adapter s

• Quick St a rt G u id e: Cisco A irone t Access Points

• Cisco Aironet Acces s Point Hardware Inst a lla ti o n G u id e

Related Public ati ons

• Cisco Aironet Access Point Software Configuration Guide

• Cisco A i rone t Wireless L AN Client Adapters Inst al la ti on and C onfigura tio n G ui de for Linux

• User’s Guide and Technical Reference Manual Ai ronet Wireless LAN Adapt er PC4500 and PC4800

Obtaining D ocumentation

The following sections provide sources for obtaining documentation from Cisco Systems.

World Wide Web

You can access th e most cur re nt C is co d o cu men tation o n t h e World Wide Web at the f o ll owin g sit es :

• http:/ /w w w.cisco.com

• http://www-china.cisco.com

• http://www-europe.cisco.com

Documen t at i on CD-ROM

Cisco d oc umentation and addition al literat ur e are availabl e i n a CD- ROM pa c ka ge, which s h ip s
with your product. The Documentation CD-ROM is updated monthly and migh t be mor e curren t than
printed documentation. The CD-ROM package is available as a single unit or as an annual subscription.

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vii

Obtaining Technical Assistance

Orderi ng D ocum entation

Cisco documentation is available in the following ways:

• Registered Cisco Direct Customers can order Cisco Product documentation from the Networking

Products M a rk etP l ace :

http:/ /w w w.cisco.com/cg i- bin/or de r/order_r oot.pl

• Regis tere d Cis co. com use rs c an o rde r the Doc ument at ion CD-ROM through t he on li ne S ubs cri pti on

Store:

http://www.cisco.com/go/subscription

• Nonregist er ed C isco.com us er s can orde r do cu m e nt ati on t hr o ugh a local ac co unt r epresent ative by

calling Cisco corporate headquarters (California, USA) at 408-526-7208 or, in North America, by
calling 800-553-NETS(6387).

Documentation Feedback

If you are reading Cisco product documentation on the World Wide Web, you can submit technical
comments electronically. Click Feedback in the toolba r and s ele ct Doc umentation. After you complete
the form, clic k Submit to sen d it to Cisco .

Preface

Yo u ca n e-mail your c o m ments to bug-d oc@ci s co .c o m .
To submit your comments by mail, use the response card behind the front cover of your document, or

write to th e fo ll owi ng a dd r es s:
Attn Document Resource Connection

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We appreciate your comments.

Obtaining Technical Assist ance

Cisco p rovi des Cisco.com a s a star t in g po in t fo r al l t ech n ica l assistan ce. Customers and p ar t ne rs can
obtain doc ument ation, trouble shooti ng tip s, and samp le conf igura tio ns from onli ne tools . For Cisco.c om
registered users, additional troubleshooting tools are available from the TAC website.

Cisco.com

Cisco.com is the foundation of a suite of interactive, networked services that provides immediate, open
access to Cisco information and resources at anytime, from anywhere in the world. This highly
integra ted Internet application is a powerful, easy-to-use tool for doing business with Cisco.

viii

Cisco.com provides a broad range of features and services to help customers and partners streamline
busin ess pr oce sses and i mpro v e pr odu ct i vi ty. Through Ci sco .com, you can find informatio n a bou t Cis co
and our netw ork ing s olut ion s, servi c es, an d prog rams . In addi tio n, you can resolv e technic al is su es with
online t ech ni ca l s u p por t, d ow nl oa d an d t est s o ft ware packages, and orde r Ci s co le ar ni ng materials and
merchan d ise. Valuable onli ne skill as sessment, traini n g, an d cer ti fica tio n p rog ra m s are also avail ab le.

Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installation and Configuration Guide for MS-DOS

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Preface

Customer s and pa rtners can self -regis ter on C isco.c om to obta in addi tional person alized i nformat ion and
services. Registered users can order products, check on the status of an order, access technical support,
and view be nefit s spe cific to thei r re lati on shi ps with Cisc o.

To access C isco.com, g o to th e following w e bsi te:

http:/ /w w w.cisco.com

Technical A ssi stance Center

The Cisco TAC website is available to all customers who need technical assistance with a Cisco product
or technology that is under warranty or covered by a maintenance contract.

Contact i ng TAC by Using the Cisco TAC Website

If you have a priority level 3 (P3) or priority level 4 (P4) problem, contact TAC by going to the TAC
website:

http:/ /w w w.cisco.com/tac

Obtaining Technical Assistance

P3 and P4 level problems are defined as follows:

• P3—Your netw ork perf orm anc e i s d e gr aded . Ne tw or k fun ct iona li ty i s not i ceably i mpa ir ed, b ut mos t

busine ss operations continue.

• P4—You need in forma tion or ass is tanc e on C isc o p rod uct c apa bi liti es , prod uc t ins t all ati on, or bas ic

product configuration.
In each o f th e a bov e ca ses , use the Ci s co TAC website to q ui ck ly fin d an sw er s to y o ur q ue stions.
To register for Cisco.com, go to the following website:

http:/ /w w w.cisco.com/r egis t e r /

If you cann ot res olv e your te chni cal i ssue b y us ing t he TAC o nlin e re sour ce s, Ci sc o. com registered user s
can op en a cas e online by u s in g the TAC Cas e O pen tool at t he follow in g webs ite:

http:/ /w w w.cisco.com/tac/caseo pen

Contact ing TAC by Telephone

If you have a priority level 1(P1) or priority level 2 (P2) problem, contact TAC by telephone and
immediate ly open a case . To obtain a direc tory of t oll- fre e num bers fo r yo ur cou nt ry, go to the fol lo wi ng
website:

http:/ /w w w.cisco .com/wa rp /public/687/D irect or y /D irTAC.shtml

P1 and P2 level problems are defined as follows:

• P1—Your production network is down, causing a critical impact to business operations if service is

not re s to r e d qu ickly. No w or k a r ou n d is availa bl e .

• P2—Your production network is severely degraded, affecting significant aspects of your business

operations. No worka round is available.

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Obtaining Technical Assistance

Preface

Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installation and Configuration Guide for MS-DOS

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CHAPTER

1

Overview

This chapter describes the Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapter, also referred to as an adapter or
client adapter, and il lu str a te s it s role in a w i reless network .

These to pics a re cove re d in th is sect ion:

• Introd uc tio n to the Wire less LAN A dapters, page 1- 2

• Parts of the Client Adapter, page 1-3

• Radio Ranges, page 1-4

• Data Transparency and Protocols, page 1-5

• System Configurations, page 1-6

• Covera ge Options, page 1-9

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1-1

Introduction to the Wireless LAN Adapters

Introducti on to the Wireless LAN Adapte rs

The Cisco Aironet Wire less LAN Client Adapters, also referred to as adapters, are radio modules that
provi de transp aren t, wirel ess, data communic ations be tween f ixe d, porta ble, or mobi le de vices and other
wireless d evice s o r a w i re d n et wo rk in fr ast r uc tu re . Th e ad ap ter s are fully co mp atible wh en u sed i n
devices supporting Plug-and-Play (PnP) technology. 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 d ata co ll ect ion devices

The prim a ry f u nc tio n of the ad ap t er s is to tr an s f er d ata p ackets transparent ly th r ou g h th e w ir eless
infrastr ucture. The adap ter s o p er at e s i m il ar ly to a standa rd networ k p ro d uc t ex cep t that th e cable is
replaced with a radio connection. No special wireless networking functions are required, and all existing
applications that operate over a network can operate using the adapters.

Chapter1 Overview

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.

This document covers three types of adapters:

• PC card client adap ter (als o referred to as a PC card)—A PC M CI A c ar d ra di o mod u le th at can b e

inserted into any device equipped with an external Type II or Type III PC c ard s lot . Hos t devices can
include laptop s , notebook computers, personal digit al assistants, and hand-held or portable devices.

CISCO

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11 Mbps WIRELESS LAN ADAPTER

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• LM card c lient adapter (also referred to a s an LM card)—A PCMCIA card radio modul e tha t can be

inserted into any device equipped with an internal Type II or Type III PC card slot. Host devices
usually include hand-held or portable devices.

C

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11 Mbps WIRELESS LAN ADAPTER

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• PCI clien t adapt er—A clie nt adap ter car d radio m odule t hat can be insert ed into any devic e equi pped

with an empty PCI expansion slot, such as a desktop computer.

1-2

65189

Refe r to the “Radio Antenna” section on page 1-4 for antenna d iffer en ces betwee n t h ese adapters .

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Chapter 1 Overview

Terminology

Parts of th e Clien t Adap ter

Througho ut th is do cu ment, the se t er m s ar e used:

• client adap ter—R efers to all three ty pes of adap ters

• PC card, LM c ar d, o r PCI cl ient adap te r— Refers on ly t o a sp ecific adap ter

• workstation (or station)—Refers to a co m p ut in g device w ith an instal led c li ent ad ap t er

• End Node—A client node that is loca ted at the end of the Network Tree.

• Infrastru ctu r e— The w ir el ess i nfr as t ruct ur e is t he co mm u n ica ti on s sy s te m that comb in es access

points, mobile nodes, and fixed nodes. Access points within the infrastructure can be either root

units, wh ich are p hys ic all y wi r ed to th e LA N ba ck bo n e, or can act as w i re les s re pe aters. Oth er R F

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 t ree) would be the parent of the end nodes. Conversely, the end nodes would be the

children o f th e access p oi nt .

• Power Saving Protocol (PSP) a nd Non-Power Saving Protocol—The Power Saving Pr ot oc ol allows

computer s ( usu al ly p or t ab le c omputers) t o power u p on ly p art of the time to co ns er ve en ergy. If a

client node is using the Power Saving Protocol to communic ate with the network, the access point

must be aware o f th is mo de and imp le m en t ad di tio n al fe at ur es such as message st or e and f o rwar d .

If the clie nt node is powered from an AC line, do not use PSP.

• Repeater—A repeater is an access point that extends the radio range of the infrastructure. A repeater

is not physically attached to the wired LAN, but communicates through radio to another access

point, which is either a root unit or another repeater.

• Root Unit—The root unit is an a ccess 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 and contains

configuration information in its association table that covers all nodes that access the wired network

(backbone ). A ll ac ces s p o in ts di re ctl y att ach ed t o th e w i re d LA N b ack bo n e a re r oot un it s .

Parts of the Client Adapt er

The clie nt ad ap ter is composed o f th r ee major p arts : a r ad io, a radio an tenna, an d tw o LED s.

Radio

The client adapter conta ins a direct-sequen ce spread spectrum (DSSS) radi o that operates in the 2.4-GHz
license-free Indus trial Scientific Medical (ISM) band. The radio t ransmits data over a half-duplex radio
channel operating at up to 11 Mbps.

DSSS technology causes radio signals to be transmitted over a wide frequency range, using multiple
frequencies simultaneously. The benefit of this te chnology is its ability to protect the data transmission
from inte rf eren ce. Fo r ex amp le , if a part i cula r f reque nc y e ncoun te rs no ise , in te rf eren ce, or b oth, enoug h
redundancy is built into the signal on other frequencies that the client adapter usually is successful in its
transmission.

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1-3

Radio Ranges

Radio Antenna

Chapter1 Overview

The type of antenna used depends on your client adapter:

• PC cards have an integrated, permanently attached diversity antenna. The benefit of the dive rsity

antenna system is improved coverage. The system works by allowing the card to switch and sample
betwee n its tw o antenna ports in order t o se le ct the opti m um port fo r r ece ivin g data pac ket s. A s a
result, th e c a rd ha s a bet te r ch an ce o f maintaini n g t he r ad io fre qu en cy (R F) co n ne ction in areas o f
interferen ce. The an ten n a is loca ted w i th in th e s ect io n of t he card t hat p r otru d es f r om the PC c ar d
slot when the card is installed.

• LM cards are shipped without an antenna; however, an antenna can be connected through the card’s

extern al c onn ecto r. If a snap-on ante nna is us ed, it sh ould b e op erat ed in di v ers ity mode . Othe rwi se,
the anten na mode u s ed sh ou ld corresp on d to t he an te nn a p o rt t o w h ic h th e antenna is co nn ect ed .

• PCI clie nt ad ap te rs are ship p ed w it h a 2 - dB i d i po le an tenna tha t a tt ach es t o th e a da pt er ’s anten n a

connector. However , other types of antennas can be used. PCI adapters can be operated only through
the antenna port loc ated on the right side of the radio module (not to be confused with the antenna
connecto r on t he card car rier ).

Note External antennas used in combination with a power setting resulting in a radiated power level above

100 mW equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) are not allowed for use within the European
community and other countries that have adopted the European R&TTE directive. CEPT
recommendation Rec 70.03, or both. For more details on legal combinations of power levels and
antennas i n th os e co u nt rie s, co nt act C is co C o rpo ra te Compli an ce.

LEDs

The adapt er h as t wo LE Ds that gl ow or b li nk t o s how th e s tat us of t he ad ap ter or to c onvey error
messages. See “Interpreting the Indicator LEDs” section on page 5-2 for an interpretatio n of th e LED
codes.

Radio Ranges

Because of differ ences in componen t configur ation , place ment, and ph ysical environment, every
network application is a unique installation. Before installing the system, you should perform a site
survey in order to determine the optimum utilization of netw orking components and to ma ximize range,
coverage, and network performance.

Here are some operating and environmental conditions that you need to consid er:

• Data Rates— Sensitivity and range are inversely proportional to data bit rates. The maximum radio

range is achieved at th e l owes t w ork ab le data ra te. Th er e i s a de cr ease in rec eiver th re sho ld
sensitivity as the ra dio da ta rate in crease s.

1-4

• Antenna Type and Pl ace men t—P roper an tenn a con f ig ura tio n i s a cr iti c al f act or i n ma ximi zin g radi o

range. As a general guide, range increases in proportion to antenna height.

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Chapter 1 Overview

Link Test

Data Transparency and Protocols

Note For a detailed explanation of antenna types and configurations along with guidelines on selecting

antennas f o r spe cifi c environmen ts , se e th e Aironet Antenna Guide on Cisco’s. web site:

http:/ /www.cisco.com/u nive r c d/cc/t d/doc/ pr oduct /w ireless /air_le gc/ant ennas/index.h tm

• Physic a l En vi r on ments —Clear or open areas provide better radio range than closed or filled areas.

Also, the less cluttered the work environment, the greater the range.

• Obstruct io ns — Avoid locati ng t he co m p ut in g d evice an d an ten n a i n a l oca tion wher e t he re is a

metal barri er betwee n the sendin g and re ce ivi ng ant ennas.

• Building Materials—Radio penetration is greatly influenced by the building material used in

constru cti on. F or e xa mpl e, dr yw all co nstr uc tion al lo ws gr ea ter ra nge t ha n con cr ete bloc ks. Met al o r

steel construction is a barrier to radio signals.

The link te s t to o l is u sed to determ i ne RF coverage. T h e test resu lt s hel p the installe r e liminate low RF
signal leve l a re a that ca n re s ul t i n lo s s of conn ec tion.

Note External antennas used in combination with a power setting resulting in a radiated power level above

100 mW equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) are not allowed for use within the European
community and other countries that have adopted the European R&TTE directive or the CEPT
recommendation Rec 70.03 or both. For more details on legal combinations of power levels and
antennas i n th os e co u nt rie s, co nt act C is co C o rpo ra te Compli an ce.

Data Transparency and Protocols

The Cisc o Air on et Wirele s s LA N A d ap ter t ra nsp o rts d at a p ack ets transpa re nt ly as they m ove thr o ugh
the wireless infrastructure. The PC Card operates similarly to a standard network product except that the
wire is replaced with a radio connection. No special wireless networking functions are required. All
existing applications, which operate over a network, operate using the Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN
Adapter.

Protocol s Supported

The Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapter can be used in a variety of infrastructure
conf igurations. Cisco Aironet acces s points provide conne ctions to Ethernet Networks. When using the
Cisco Aironet standard devic e drivers, the PC Card is fully compliant with the protocols and wired
networ k s li s te d in Table 1-1
.

Table 1-1 Protocols Supported

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Drivers Operating Systems

ODI MS-DOS- b ased d r iver fo r N ovell N et Ware

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System Configurations

Table 1-1 Protocols Supported

Drivers Operating Systems

NDIS 2 MS-DOS , Windows 3 . xx
Packet MS-DOS, Windows 3 . xx

Securit y Features

The Cisco Ai r onet Wireless LAN C li en t A d ap ter employs D i re ct S equen ce Spread S pectrum
Technology, previously developed for military anti-jamming and low probabili ty of intercept radio
systems.

The access point must be set to the same SSID as all other devices on the wireless infrastructure. Units
with a d ifferent SSI D cannot d ir e ctly c ommunicate w ith each ot he r.

System Confi gur ations

Chapter1 Overview

The Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapter can be used in a variety of network system
configurations. Access points provide connections to your Ethernet 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.

Ad Hoc Wireless LAN

An ad hoc wireless LAN (Figure 1-1) is the simplest wireless L AN configuration. In a w ireless LAN ,
using a n ad hoc n et wor k ope rat in g sy ste m (suc h as W i ndows for W ork gro ups) , al l de vi ces e quip pe d wit h
the PC C ar d can b e lin ked toge th er an d co mm u n ica te di re ctl y with e ach o th er

Figure1-1 Ad Hoc Wireless L AN

1-6

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Chapter 1 Overview

Wireless Infrastructure

In a wireless infrastructure (Figure 1-2), an access point is used as a stand alone root unit. The root unit
is not attached to any wired LAN (such as an Ethernet LAN), but func tions as a hub linking all stations
together. This co nfigu r ati on i s s imilar to t he ad h oc n etw or k , ex cep t th at th e access po i nt s erves as the
focal point for communications. This increases the effective communication range over the ad hoc LAN
because both s t ati o ns are not req ui re d to b e i n di re ct commu nication ra nge of each o th er.

Figure 1-2 Wireless Infra structure

System Configurati ons

Access Point

(Root Unit)

45834

Wireless Infrastructure with Workstations Accessing a Wired LAN

A micro- ce llu lar netw ork ca n b e created by p lacing two o r m o r e ac ces s po in t s on a LAN ( Figure 1-3).
The roaming protocols allow remote workstations to move from one microcell dom ain to another. The
process is se am l es s and tra nsp ar en t. The c on n ect io n to th e file server o r h ost is m ai nt ain ed w i thout
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 by u s in g mul ti pl e a ccess poi nts an d r epe at er s, a mobile s tat io n is automati cally ass oc iat ed
and re-associated to the access point which provides the best performance. This is referred to as seamless
roam i ng.

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System Configurations

Figure 1-3 Wireless Infrastructure with W orkstations Accessing a Wir ed LAN

Access Point

(Root Unit)

Wired LAN

Access Point
(Root Unit)

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Chapter1 Overview

Extended Infrastructure Using Repeaters

An acces s p oi n t c an be configur ed as a s t an d- al one repeate r to ext en d th e r an g e o f yo u r in frastructu re ,
or to overco me an RF bloc ki ng ob stac le ( Figure 1-4). The r ep eat er f or war ds tr affic bet w een t he C isco
Aironet W ire less LAN Client Adapt er equip ped works tati ons and de vices and the wire d LAN by sendi ng
packets to either another repeater or to another access point attached to the wired LAN. The data is sent
through whichever route provid es the greatest performance for the client. Multiple repeater hops can be
support ed in the pa th to t he w ir ed L A N .

Figure 1-4 Extended Infrastr ucture Using Repeaters

Access Point

(Root Unit)

Wired LAN

Access Point
(Repeater)

1-8

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Chapter 1 Overview

Coverage Options

The syste m architec tu re o pt io ns of t he w ir el ess st at io n a nd a ccess poi nts p rovid e fo r a variety o f
coverage altern ative s and fle x ib ility. The sy s tem ca n be desig ned to p r ovide a w i de coverage ar e a w i t h
minim al overl ap (Figure 1-5) or coverage with heavy overlap (Figure 1-6). The latter improves system
perform an ce an d p r o tec tio n ag ain s t down time in th e event o f a c omponent fa il ure.

Minimal Overlap Coverage

By arran g ing th e access p oi nt s s o th at th e overlap i n coverag e ar ea i s m i ni miz ed , a large ar ea can b e
covered with minim al s y stem cost (Fi gu r e 1 - 5). The total band w id th availa bl e t o e ach mobile s t ati o n
depend s on the am ou n t of data e a ch m ob ile sta ti on need s to t ransfer a n d t he number of st ations lo c a te d
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 adapter) must
be con fig ur e d w ith the same SS ID to prov ide the r oaming capabi lity.

Figure 1-5 Minimal Overlap Coverage Option

Coverage Options

Wired LAN

Heavy Over l ap C overage

By arranging the access points so that the overlap in coverage area is nearly maximized, a large number
of mobile stations can be supported in the same wireless infrastructure (Figure 1-6). However, units in
overlapping cove ra ge areas on the s ame frequen cy w ill d et ect adjacen t cell tra ffic and d ela y
transmi ssio ns that wo uld cau s e co lli s io n s. Th is reduce s th e aggregate r ad i o sy s t em t hr o ugh pu t. H eavy
cell overlap is not recommended for maximum system throughput. Due to the redundancy in coverage
overlap, syst em acc es s i s n ot lo st if an access p oi nt fa ils. If the access po in t fai ls, th e s t at io n
automat ic all y r oa m s to an o pe r ati on al access poin t. With this s y ste m ar ch ite ctu r e, al l access poi nt s and
PC Card units must be configured with the same SSID.

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Coverage O ptions

Chapter1 Overview

Figure 1-6 Heavy Overlap Coverage Option

Wired LAN

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Multiple Overlapping Systems Coverage

Multiple s y ste m s ca n op er at e i n th e same vic init y (Figure 1-7). The arch it ect ure provides m ul ti pl e
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 SSIDs and different channels, which prevent clients from
roam in g to acce s s points of a di fferent w ireles s s ystem .

Figure 1-7 Multiple Overlapping Systems Coverage Option

Wired LAN 2
Wired LAN 1

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CHAPTER

2

Installing the Hardware

This section describes the procedures for installing the Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapter.
These to pics a re cove re d in th is sect ion:

• Safety Information, page 2-2

• Unpacking the Client Adapter, page 2-3

• Inserting the Client A d ap ter into a Comp ut in g D evice, pag e 2 - 5

• Removing the Client Adapter, page 2-7

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2-1

Safe ty Information

Safety Information

Follow the guidelines in this section to ensure proper operation and safe use of the client adapter.

FCC Safet y Compliance Statem ent

The FCC, with its action in ET Docket 96-8, has adopted a safety standard for human exposure to RF
electromag n et ic energy em itt ed by FCC-cert ifie d eq uipment. Cis c o A ir onet produc ts m eet the
uncontrolled environmental limits found in OET-65 and ANSI C95.1, 1991. Proper operation of this
radio device according to the instruc tions in this publication will result in user exposure substantially
below the F CC r eco mm e nd ed l im i ts.

Safety Guidelines

• Do not touch or m ove the an ten na whil e the unit is tr an sm i tti ng or r ece ivin g.

• Do not hold any component containing a radio such that the ante nna is very close to or touching any

exposed pa rt s o f th e b o dy, especi al ly th e f ace or eyes, w hi le tr an sm it ti ng .

Chapter2 Installing the Hardware

Warnings

• Do not opera te th e ra di o o r attem p t to transmit dat a un les s the antenna is conn ec ted ; ot h er wi se, the

radio can be damaged.

• Use in specific environments:

–

The use of wireless devices in hazardous locations is limited to the constraints posed by the
safety directors of such environments.

–

The u se of w i r eless devices o n a i rplane s is gover ne d by the F ed e r al Aviation Admi nistration
(FAA).

–

The use of w ir el ess devi ces i n ho sp itals is r est ri ct ed to t he li m it s s et f orth by e ach h osp ital.

• Antenna use:

–

To comply with FCC RF exposure limits, dipole antennas should be located at a minimum
distance of 7.9 inches (20 cm) or more from the body of a ll persons.

–

High-gain, wall-mount, or mast-mount a ntennas ar e designed to be profess ionally installed and
should be located at a minimum distance of 12 inches (30 cm) or more from the body of all
persons. Please contact your professional installer, VAR, or antenna manufacturer for proper
installa tion req ui r em en t s .

Observe th e fo ll owing w ar ni n gs w h en o p er ati ng t he client ad ap ter :

2-2

Warning

Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installation and Configuration Guide for MS-DOS

Do not operate your wireless network device near unshielded blasting caps or in an expl osive
environment unless the device has been modified to be especially qualified for such use.

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Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware

Unpacking the Client Ada pter

Warning

In order to comply with RF exposure limits established in t he ANSI C95.1 standards, it is
recommended when using a laptop with a PC card client adapter that the adapter ’s integrated
antenna is positioned more th an 2 inches (5 cm) from your body or nearby persons during extended
periods of transmitting or operating time. If the antenna is positioned less than 2 inches (5 cm) from
the user, it is recommended that the user limit exposure time.

Translated versions of these safety warnings are provided in Appendix D.

Other Devic es in the Wireless Network

Refe r to the use r’s guide and techn ical reference manual for the access point, universal client, or bridge
for additional information.

Unpacking the Client Adapter

Follow these s t ep s to u n pa ck th e client a da pt e r:

Step 1 Open th e sh ip p in g co nt ain er, and car ef u ll y r em ove t he co n ten ts.
Step 2 Return all pa cking m aterial s t o the sh ippin g c on t a iner, and s ave it.
Step 3 Ensure th at all it em s li sted in the “Package Contents” section are included in the sh ipment. Check each

item fo r da m ag e.

Note If any item is damaged or missing, notify your authorized Cisco sales representative. Any remote

antenna a nd i ts a s soc iat ed w iring are s hi pped s e pa ra tel y.

Package C ontents

Each client adapter is shipped with the following items:

• Cisco Aironet PC Card Client Adapter, Cisco Aironet LM Card Client Adapter, or Ci sco Aironet

PCI Client Adapter

• 2-dBi dipole antenna (for PCI client adapter)

• Quick Start Guide: Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapters

• Cisco Aironet Series Wireless LAN Client Adapters Drivers and Utilities CD

• Cisco product registration card

Note The MS- D O S d river s and util ities ar e n ot shipped with t he adapter. Follow this p ath to downl oad

them from Cisco.c om : Service & Support > Technical Assistance Center > Software Center >
Wireless Software.

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2-3

Unpacking the Client Adapter

Antenna Co nnectors

The LM card version has two female MicroMate (also called MMCX ) antenna connectors on one end.
See Figure 2-1. All antennas and cables attached to the adapter must be equipped with male MicroMate
connecto rs .

The two an te nn a co nn ec to rs allow a Diversi ty A n ten n a o r tw o sep ar at e an te nn as to be a ttached to t he
Cisco Air o ne t Wire l ess L AN A da pt er . W h en t wo an te nn as are con ne cte d, the adap ter a ut omatically
select s antenn as t o provide t h e strongest si gn a l f or r a d io o perati on s . This f e a ture im pr ove s packet
delivery and system throughput by avoiding reception and tra nsmission instances that are hampered by
RF multipath signals or blocking structures in the envi ronment.

Figure 2-1 LM Adapter Antenna Connections

Chapter2 Installing the Hardware

J1 J2

Attachi ng a Remote Antenna

Note The PCM vers io n o f the adapte r co mes w i th th e an ten n a in s t all ed . I f yo u n eed to re m ove o r ch an ge

the antenna, remove the adapter from the PC card slot.

Step 1 Line up the antenna cable leads with the connectors on the adapter.
Step 2 Slide th e c ab le leads in to th e co nn ec tors unti l t h ey s n ap in t o p l ace.

Note The J1 port is the primary port. If the antenna has only 1 MMCX connector, attach it to the J1 port.

MicroMate
Antenna
Connectors

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Chapter 2 Installing the Hardware

Inserting the Client Ada pter int o a Comp uti ng Devi ce

Detaching a Remote Antenna

Step 1 Remove the adapter from the PC card slot.
Step 2 Grasp th e e nd o f th e a nt en na cable lead by the conn ec to r.
Step 3 Gently p u ll th e c on n ect or aw ay fro m t he ad ap ter until it com es f r ee.

Inserting the Clien t Adapter into a Computing Device

This section provides instructions for inserting a PC card or a PCI client adapter into a computing device.

Caution These pro cedure s and th e phys ical conn ectio ns the y de scribe a pply g eneral ly to co n venti onal P C card

slots and PCI expansion slots. In cases o f custom or nonconventi onal equipm ent, be alert to possible
differences in PC card slot and PCI expansion slot configurations.

Inserting a PC Card

Step 1 Befo re you begin, examine the PC card. One end h as a dual-row, 68-pin PC ca rd connector. The card is

keyed so th at it can b e i nserted o nl y on e way i nt o th e PC card slot.

Step 2 Turn on your computer, let the operating system boot up completely, and follow the remaining steps in

this sectio n to inse rt the PC card.

Caution Do not force the PC card into your computer’s PC card slot. Forcing it will damage both the card and

the slo t. I f the PC car d do es no t in s er t e a si ly, remove the card an d r ein s er t it .

Step 3 Hold the PC ca rd wi th the Cisc o lo g o fac in g u p and in se rt it int o th e P C ca rd s lo t, ap pl yi n g jus t en oug h

pressure t o m ak e su r e it i s ful ly seated. Se e Figure 2- 2.

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2-5

Inserting th e Cl ient Ad ap t e r into a Computing Device

Figure 2-2 Inserting a PC Card into a Computing Devi ce

Note You can remove and reinsert your PC card when necessary. See the “Removing the Client Adapter”

section on page 2-7 for instructions.

Chapter2 Installing the Hardware

Inserting a PCI Client Adapter

Step 1 Turn off the PC and all its components.
Step 2 Remove th e compu t er cover.

On most Pentium PCs, PCI expansion slots are white. Refer to your PC documentation for slot
identifica tio n.

Step 3 Remove the screw from the top of the CPU ba ck panel above an empty PCI expansion slot. This screw

holds t he metal bracke t o n the bac k panel.

Caution Static el ect ri ci ty can d amage you r cl ie nt ad ap te r. Before r em ovin g th e adapter fr om the ant istatic

packa g in g, disc h arge sta t ic by touchi ng a met al part o f a grounde d P C .

Step 4 Examine th e client ada pter . Th e an ten n a c on n ect or and the LED s f ace out of you r c om pu te r an d are

visible when you put the cover back on. The bottom edge of the adapter is the connector that you will
insert into an empty exp ansio n slot in you r comp uter. See Figure 2-3.

Figure 2-3 Inserting a PCI Cl ient Adapter into a PC

Antenna

connector

LEDs

Card edge
connector

2-6

Standard 2 dBi
dipole antenna

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