LevelOne FPC-0103T User Manual

FPC-0103TX

Fast Ethernet PC Card

CONTENTS

CONTENTS...................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION TO CARDBUS.............................................................4

HARDWARE INSTALLATION................................................................6

SOFTWARE INSTALLATION.................................................................9

Windows 95 Installation...........................................................................10

Windows NT 4.0 Installation....................................................................15

Windows NT 3.5x Installation..................................................................16

DOS Mode Installation.............................................................................17

Novell Netware..............................................................................................17

MS LAN Manager.........................................................................................20

Packet Driver.................................................................................................22

Windows for Workgroups 3.11....................................................................23

Artisoft Lantastic 6.0 Installation..................................................................23

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS.....................................................................25

SPECIFICATIONS.....................................................................................27

1

About This Manual

This manual will explain how to install and use your CardBus FPC-0103TX Fast
Ethernet PC Card. The following guideline will help you through the installation
process.

Chatper 1 presents you the basic information about the CardBus technology. It
also provide some methods to ensure your notebook are CardBus equipped and
correctly configured.

After you already make sure your mobile computer is ready to run the CardBus
FPC-0103TX Fast Ethernet PC Card. You can go on the Chapter 2 to know how to
install the PC Card and Connect it to network.

The CardBus FPC-0103TX Fast Ethernet PC Card provides wide range of drivers
software to meet your need. You can pick up the section within Chapter 3 to
install and configure the network driver.

The Questions and Answers listed in the Chapter 4 give you some solutions
when you encouter problem during installation the network drivrers.

Finally you can find the detail specification of this innovative product in the
Appendix A.

System Requirement

• An IBM compatible notebook computer with 486 or faster processor with

CardBus supported socket.

• Drivers and utilities provided with this product

• PCMCIA PC Card compliant Card Services and Socket Services

• 100Base-TX Fast Ethernet or 10BaseT Ethernet connectivity to your local

area network.

Operating Environments

• Windows 95, Windows 95 OSR2, Windows 98

• Novell Netware 3.x, 4.x

2

• Microsoft Windows NT 3.51, NT 4.0

• Microsoft LAN Manager

• Packet Driver Applications

• Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11

• Microsoft Windows 3.1

• Lantastic 6.0

Contents in the Package

• FPC-0103TX Fast Ethernet PC Card

• Media coupler with single RJ-45 connector for 10BASE -T and 100BASE-TX

network.

• 3.5” driver diskette

• User’s Manual

• Plastic protection case for base PC Card

3

INTRODUCTION TO CARDBUS

Cardbus is the next generation 32-bit version issued by PCMCIA PC Card
standard.In addition to support a wider bus (32 bits instead of 16 bits), CardBus
also supports bus mastering and operation speeds up to 33 MHz. The
132MBytes bus tranfer rate ( compares with legacy 16-bit I/0 PC Card ,20MByte)
provides the mobil user to enjoy the high-bandwith network connection.

A mobil computer which equipped with CardBus and properly configured is the
fundamental require-ment to use the CardBus FPC-0103TX Fast Ethernet

PC Card. to make sure about this point, please follow the guideline listed below:

? Cardbus is designed to support both 16-bit and Cardbus Card. But the legacy

16-bit PC Card slot couldn't accept the CardBus FPC-0103TX Fast
Ethernet PC Card. In oder to prevent the wrong operation, CardBus is

devoloped with parti cular machanical consideration to prevent it fit into the
legacy 16-bit PC Card Slot. If you can't insert the CardBus FPC-0103TX Fast

Ethernet PC Card into the slot firmly reaching the bottom, your notebook
probably hasn’t the capability to support CardBus techno-logy. Please check

your notebook manual for detail information.

4

? Due to variant design of notebook computers , some models implement a

setting in the Computer ‘s BIOS to switch between Cardbus and 16-bit PC
Card modes. You could consult the User’s Guide of your notebook and
properly set on the CardBus or Auto_Detect mode.

5

H ARDWARE INSTALLATION

This chapter describes how to install the CardBus FPC-0103TX Fast Ethernet PC
Card in your notebook computer and connect it to network. It’s referred to “the
PC Card” in this manual.

The PC Card could be connected to either 100Mbps Fast Ethernet or 10Mbps
Ethernet over unshielded twisted pair (UTP) calbe. The PC Card have the ability
of automatic sensing and operating on either speed without manual
recofiguration.

After finishing the installation of PC Card into your Notebook, please refer to
Chapter.3 Software Installation on how to install network drivers using menu
driven installation utility.

Inserting the CardBus Dual-Speed PC Card

1.Hold the CardBus FPC-0103TX Fast Ethernet PC Card with wide connector

toward the slot and the brand lable facing upward.

2.Insert the CardBus FPC-0103TX Fast Ethernet PC Card and push it firmly into

the bottom.

( Please see the figuer on the next page for reference)

6

Removing the CardBus FPC-0103TX Fast Ethernet PC Card

It’s quite different for various computer mechanical design. Please refer to the PC
Card removal instruction in the document for your notebook computer.

Connecting and Removing the Cable of Me dia Coupler to the
CardBus FPC-0103TX Fast Ethernet PC Card

Grasp the PC Card 15-pins connector at the end of the media coupler with the
pointing triangle facing upward. Gently insert it into the mating connector on the
PC Card until it clicks in place at both sides.

Attention should be paid when removing the 15-pins connector. Please press the
both sides of the connectors before dragging it out of the PC Card.

Connecting to the Network

Connect unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable to the RJ-45 connector of media
coupler before loading any network driver.

7

l For operation in the100Mbps (100Base -TX) Ethernet network, a Category 5

unshielded twisted pair(UTP) cable should be used to connect between media
coupler and 100Mbps hub or switch.

l For operation in the 10Mbps (10Base -T) Ethernet network, Category 3, 4 or 5

unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable could be used to connect between the media
coupler and a 10Mbps hub or switch.

LED Indicators

8

SOFTWARE INSTALLATION

Extensive software drivers have been developped for CardBus 10/100Mbps
Fast Ethernet PC Card including DOS-Mode, Microsoft Windows 3.x,
Windows 95, Windows NT. Some of the Operating Systems and PC
Card/Socket Services haven’t been well implemented to support new
CardBus technology at the present time. Our unique drivers and utility enable
the CardBus FPC-0103TX Fast Ethernet PC Card to run almost all the major
environments.

This Chapter consists four main parts: Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0,
Windows NT 3.5x and various configuration in DOS-mode. The user could
refer to specific section for installation.

9