Gigafast WF727-AEX User Manual

GigaFast WF 727-AEX IEEE 802.11 b/g

WLAN CardBus adapter

User Guide

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Copyright

The contents of this publication may not be
reproduced in any part or as a whole, stored,
transcribed in an information retrieval system,
translated into any language, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, mechanical,
magnetic, electronic, optical, photocopying,
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permission.

Trademark

All product, company, and brand names are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective companies. They are used for
identification purpose only. Specifications are
subject to be changed without prior notice.

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Table of Content

1

: Introduction
: Features
: Package Contents
: System Requirements
: What is Wireless LAN?
: Wireless LAN Modes
: Notes on Wireless LAN Configuration

2

: Hardware Description
: Inserting the Wireless Adapter
: LED Indicators
: Ejecting the Wireless Adapter

3

: Installation Overview
: Installation under Win 98SE / Win ME
: Installation under Win 2000 / Win XP

4

: Configuration Utility

Appendix

A: Troubleshooting
B: Specifications
C: Technical Support / Warranty info

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SECTION 1:

INTRODUCTION:

The WF 727-AEX WLAN Card Bus Adapter provides high-speed wireless
link and networking for PC Card enabled desktops or notebooks. Users
can have wireless connectivity simply by plugging the device into a PC
Card Bus slot and installing the driver/utility on a desktop or notebook.
When used with WLAN Access Point or WLAN Router, mobile workers
can move freely, while maintaining seamless links to the wired LAN.

FEATURES:

Uses 2.4GHz frequency band, which complies with worldwide

•

requirement

• Standards compatible with IEEE 802.11g and backwards compatible
with IEEE 802.11b

• Enciphering/deciphering of wireless data by the implementation of
the WEP algorithm

• Wire-free access to networked resources from anywhere beyond the
notebook

• Allow users move between Access Points without resetting their
connection reconfiguration

• Delivers data rate up to 54Mbps

• Supports 54,48,36,24,18,12,11,5.5,2, and 1Mbps

• Provide Wireless PCMCIA Adapter Configuration utility

PACKAGE CONTENTS:

• WF 727-AEX Card In box

• WF 727-AEX CD-ROM In box

• WF 727-AEX Warranty card In box

• WF 727-AEX drivers/utility On CD

• WF 727-AEX User’s Guide On CD

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SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

Before installation, please check your system in advance and ensure it
meets the minimum requirements as described below.

• Processor: Intel Celeron / Pentium II /Pentium III / Pentium 4; AMD
Duron/Athlon

• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 98SE / ME / 2000 / XP

• System memory: 32MB at least

• Hard Drive Free Space: 5MB

• One available Card Bus PCMCIA slot (32bit)

What is Wireless LAN?

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) systems offer a great number of
advantages over traditional wired systems. WLAN is flexible and easy to
setup and manage. They are also more economical than wired LAN
systems. Using radio frequency (RF) technology, WLAN transmit and
receive data through the air. WLAN combine data connectivity with user
mobility. For example, users can roam from a conference room to their
office without being disconnected from the LAN. Using WLAN, users can
conveniently access shared information, and network administrators can
configure and augment networks without installing or moving network
cables.

WLAN technology provides users with many convenient and cost
saving features:

• Mobility: WLAN provide LAN users with access to real-time

information anywhere in their organization, providing service
opportunities that are impossible with wired networks.

• Ease of Installation: Installing is easy for novice and expert users

alike, eliminating the need to install network cables in walls and
ceilings.

• Scalability: WLAN can be configured in a variety of topologies to

adapt to specific applications and installations. Configurations are
easily changed and range from peer-to-peer networks suitable for a
small number of users to full infrastructure networks of thousands of
users roaming over a broad area.

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Wireless LAN Modes:

Wireless LANs can be configured in one of two ways:

1. Ad-hoc Networking:

Also known as a peer-to-peer network, an ad-hoc network is one that
allows all workstations and computers in the network to act as servers to
all other users on the network. Users on the network can share files, print
to a shared printer, and access the Internet with a shared modem.
However, with ad-hoc networking, users can only communicate with other
wireless LAN computers that are in the wireless LAN workgroup, and are
within range.

2. Infrastructure Networking:

Infrastructure networking differs from ad-hoc networking in that it includes
an access point. Unlike the ad-hoc structure where users on the LAN
contend the shared bandwidth, on an infrastructure network the access
point can manage the bandwidth to maximize bandwidth utilization.
Additionally, the access point enables users on a wireless LAN to access
an existing wired network, allowing wireless users to take advantage of
the wired networks resources, such as Internet, email, file transfer, and
printer sharing. Infrastructure networking has the following advantages
over ad-hoc networking:

• Extended range: each wireless LAN computer within the range of

the access point can communicate with other wireless LAN
computers within range of the access point.

• Roaming: the access point enables a wireless LAN computer to

move through a building and still be connected to the LAN.

• Wired to wireless LAN connectivity: the access point bridges the

gap between wireless LANs and their wired counterparts.

Notes on Wireless LAN Configuration

When configuring a wireless LAN (WLAN), be sure to note the following
points:

• Optimize the performance of the WLAN by ensuring that the
distance between access points is not too far. In most buildings,
WLAN Adapters operate within a range up to 125 m, depending on
the thickness and structure of the walls.

• Radio waves can pass through walls and glass but not metal. If
there is interference in transmitting through a wall, it may be that the
wall has reinforcing metal in its structure. Install another access
point to circumvent this problem.

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• Floors usually have metal girders and metal reinforcing struts that
interfere with WLAN transmission.

SECTION 2:

Hardware Description

The Wireless PCMCIA Adapter is encased in a stainless compact frame
and has a 68-pin connector for attaching to the CardBus port of notebook.

Inserting the Wireless PCMCIA Adapter:

Follow the procedure below to insert the Wireless PCMCIA Adapter.
With 68-pin connector of the card facing the CardBus slots on notebook.
Make sure the GigaFast product sticker is facing up. Slide the card all the
way into the empty CardBus slot

.

LED Indicators:

The following describes the meaning of LED indicators:

POWER: Indicates that the Adapter is powered on (solid green).
ACT: Indicates Active status. The LED is off while the wireless connection

is linked. If the LED is blinking green, the adapter is searching for possible
wireless connection or transmitting the data via wireless.

Ejecting the Wireless PCMCIA Adapter:

• After disconnecting from the LAN, you can eject the Wireless

PCMCIA Adapter from the PC Card slot of notebook.

• Most notebooks have an eject lever or button for ejecting PC cards.
Consult your notebook manual for details.

• After hardware installation is completed, please go to next Chapter
to install driver on different Operating System.

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SECTION 3:

INSTALLATION OVERVIEW

Start your computer and then insert the Installation/Documentation CD in
the computer’s CD-ROM drive. The auto-run installation application will

detect the Operating System you are using automatically.
Note1: If the auto-run installation application didn’t start automatically, you

can utilize the Windows Explorer to browse CD content and run setup.exe

manually.

Note2: To prevent potential problems during installation, please use the

auto-run installation tool on the CD to finish the driver installation before
you plug WF 727-AEX Adapter into the computer.

INSTALLATION UNDER Win98SE / Win ME

Step 1. Please insert the Device CD, Win98SE / Win ME will

automatically start ‘Autorun’.

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Step 2. Welcome dialog will appear, please click NEXT

Step 3. Starting to Copy

Step 4. Please click Continue Anyway for this Warning page

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Step 5. Click Finish to complete installation

Step 6. After you have installed Utility, hold the Adapter with the logo
facing up, and insert the card into the slot, applying just enough pressure
to make sure it is fully seated. Win 98SE/Win ME automatically detect the
Adapter, briefly opens a New Hardware Found window, and starts

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collecting information for a driver information database. When Win 98SE /
Win ME is ready to configure the new hardware, it opens the Add New
Hardware Wizard dialog box as shown, Click Next.

Step 7. A dialog box appears asking what do you want Windows to do.
Select Search for the best driver for your device (recommended) and click
Next.

Step 8. Please choose CD-Rom driver and Click Next button to find device
driver.

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