Linksys HPN100SK User Manual

HomeLink™ Series

HomeLink Phoneline Network Card

Use this guide to install these Linksys Products:

•

HomeLink Phoneline Network Card (HPN100)

• HomeLink Phoneline Network In a Box (HPN100SK)

User Guide

Linksys. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective proprietors.

LIMITED WARRANTY Linksys guarantees that every Linksys HomeLink Phoneline Network Card and Network in a Box is free from physical defects in material and workmanship under normal use for five (5) years from the date of purchase. If the product proves defective during this warranty period, call Linksys Customer Support in order to obtain a Return Authorization number. Warranty is for repair or replacement only. Linksys does not issue any refunds. BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE AND BAR CODE ON HAND WHEN CALLING. RETURN REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT PROOF OF PURCHASE AND BAR CODE. When returning a product, mark the Return Authorization number clearly on the outside of the package and include your original proof of purchase and bar code.

IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYS’ LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE PRODUCT FROM DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE PRODUCT, ITS ACCOMPANYING SOFTWARE OR ITS DOCUMENTATION. Linksys makes no warranty or representation, expressed, implied, or statutory, with respect to its products or the contents or use of this documentation and all accompanying software, and specifically disclaims its quality, performance, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. Linksys reserves the right to revise or update its products, software, or documentation without obligation to notify any individual or entity. Please direct all inquiries to:

Linksys P.O. Box 18558, Irvine, CA 92623. FCC 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 according to 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 is found by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more 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 the receiver’s

• Consult a dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for assistance 001

Phoneline Network Card & Network in a Box

Contents

Introduction 1

Your Linksys HomeLink Phoneline Network Card 1 How Does HomeLink Networking Work? 2 Features 3 Package Contents 4 Sharing Your Resources 5

Installing Your HomeLink Card 6

Installing Your Cabling 8

Installing Your Driver Software 11

Windows 98 Driver Setup 12 Windows 95 Driver Setup 17 Windows NT 4.0 Driver Setup 22

Internet LanBridge 27

Installing Internet LanBridge 28 Using Internet LanBridge 30 Uninstalling Internet LanBridge 31

Troubleshooting 33

Troubleshooting for Windows PCs 33 General Troubleshooting Tips 37

Introduction

Your Linksys HomeLink Phoneline Network Card

Congratulations on purchasing your new Linksys HomeLink Phoneline Network Card(s). This exciting new technology is being offered in compliance with the standards of the Home Phoneline Networking Alliance (HomePNA). The Linksys HomeLink Phoneline Network Card now offers instant connectivity to multiple PCs over existing telephone lines in your home. You can network any computer by connecting it to any standard phone line. There's no need for a switch, hub, or even any additional cables - the network runs on standard, home-grade telephone wires just like the ones you use every day.

The Linksys HomeLink Phoneline Network Card utilizes Advanced Micro Devices' (AMD®) PCnet™-Home technology. This new technology lets your phone line carry computer data as well as regular telephone voice service. You can also use broadband connections like cable modems or Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL). You can talk on the telephone or download files from the Internet, and share resources over a network at the same time. Every standard telephone jack in the home is capable of hosting a PC - you can connect up to 25 computers, transforming your home's telephone wiring into an easily expandable network. Want to add more PCs? Just put a HomeLink Card in your computer and plug it into your phone jack. It’s that simple!

Appendix 39

Changing the Card Settings 39 About Plug-and-Play PCI Technology 41 Windows 95 Version A Driver Installation 43 File and Printer Sharing 45 Starting Over in Windows 95 &98 48 Changing Computer or Workgroup Names 50 Manually Installing Network Components 51 Linux, Open Source,& Beta Operating Systems 53

References 54

Types of Cabling 54 Specifications 57 Customer Support 58

Linksys HomeLink Series

Phoneline Network Card & Network in a Box

How Does HomeLink Networking Work?

The Linksys HomeLink Phoneline Network Card utilizes a technology known as Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) which divides the data travelling over the phone lines into separate frequencies - one for voice, one for highbandwidth net access such as DSL, and one for the network data. These frequencies can coexist on the same telephone line without impacting one another, although you will not be able to use your telephone if you are connected through an analog modem.

HomeLink’s 1Mbps data transfer rate over phone lines more than accommodates home PC applications such as file and printer sharing, gaming, and Internet and email exchanges. You can share a modem or a high-speed Internet connection over the entire network using the Internet LanBridge software package. The HomeLink Phoneline Network Card’s data transfer rate is 18 times faster than the fastest analog modems available, which run at 56Kbps. Even high-speed modem, DSL, and ISDN connections will perform at full speed on a HomeLink network. The HomeLink Phoneline Network Card gives you the perfect tool to bring the benefits of networking into your home or office.

NNoottee::

Due to standard telephone cable limitations, HomeLink

HomePNA devices require that your cabling does not exceed a

total length of 500 feet for your entire network.

Features

• Build A Network Using Your Existing Telephone Line No Additional Hubs or Cabling Needed

• Internal PCI Network Card with 2 RJ-11 Modular Telephone Ports

• 1Mbps Data Transfer Rate - Perfect for File and Printer Sharing, Email, Web

Surfing, Multi-User Gaming, and More

• Migrate to 10Mbps Ethernet at Any Time with the Optional RJ-45 Port

• Share Your Internet Access and ISP Connection Over a Network With

LanBridge Internet Sharing Software

• Each HomeLink Card Comes Packaged with Its Standard Telephone Cable

• Connect Up To 25 PCs on One Network with Up to 500 Feet of Cabling

• Data Transfer Rate is 18 Times Faster Than 56K Modems

• Works With Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows

2000 (Linksys will offer technical support for Windows 2000 after its official release by Microsoft.)

• Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) for Uninterrupted Simultaneous

Voice Ser vice, High-Bandwidth xDSL Internet Access and Network Data Transmissions

• HomePNA, UADSL, IEEE 802.3, CSMA/CD, and FCC Compliant

• Free Technical Support on the Phone and on the Internet

• Free Software Driver Upgrades

• 5-Year Limited Warranty

Linksys HomeLink Series

Phoneline Network Card & Network in a Box

Package Contents

• One HomeLink Phoneline Network Card (Network in a Box contains 2 HomeLink Cards)

• One Standard Modular Telephone Cable (Network in a Box contains 2 Telephone Cables)

• Installation CD-ROM with HomeLink drivers and

Internet LanBridge Internet Sharing Software

• User Guide and Registration Card

If any of the above items are missing, contact your Linksys dealer.

Sharing Your Resources

The HomeLink Phoneline Network Card brings the advantages of inexpensive networking to your home or office. Any networked device, including CDROM drives, hard drives, and printers, can be shared by any networked PC on a HomeLink network.

To share a networked device among your PCs on the network, you must configure each of your PCs to handle that networked device. You can also choose not to configure certain PCs to prevent them from using that device.

Sharing Your Internet Connection with Your Network

The Linksys HomeLink Phoneline Network Card comes with an Internet sharing software (also called proxy server software) package called Internet LanBridge. The LanBridge Internet sharing software package allows you to share your Internet connection by setting up a proxy server PC, a computer that establishes the Internet connection and routes all Internet communications to the other networked PCs. Only one PC on your network will be the proxy server PC. You should pick the PC that has the modem (analog, DSL or cable) that you usually use to connect to the Internet already installed to be the proxy server PC.

Your HomeLink network will let you talk on the phone and access the Internet at the same time ONLY if you are using a DSL or cable modem connection. If you are using an analog modem or other device that requires you to dial out to your Internet Service Provider (ISP), then, obviously, your telephone line is already in use, and you can not talk on the phone. Your internal network data travels on a separate frequency, so your network communications will not be interrupted no matter what type of Internet connection you have or whether or not you are using the telephone.

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America Online, Compuserve, Prodigy, and similar services are not supported since you must go through their specific service and software to access the Internet. Consult your ISP provider for more details.

Linksys HomeLink Series

Phoneline Network Card & Network in a Box

Installing Your HomeLink Card

Before You Begin

The HomeLink Phoneline Network Card is equipped with two phoneline ports, called RJ-11 ports, to use in a phoneline network utilizing your existing telephone line. The HomeLink Card also has an optional RJ-45 10Mbps Ethernet port for use with 10BaseT Ethernet networks.

Using Your HomeLink Card in a Ethernet Network

If you intend to use the HomeLink Card on a 10Mbps Ethernet network, only use RJ-45 twisted-pair cabling. 10BaseT cabling is available in various grades. For best results, we recommend using 8-wire, Category 5 UTP cabling for an Ethernet network. Although Category 3 can be used successfully, Categor y 5 is much more reliable, and it is compatible with faster 100Mbps networks- a useful feature if you upgrade to Fast Ethernet speeds in the future.

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Keep in mind that RJ-11

Both Category 3 and Category 5 twisted-pair cabling can be purchased from computer retail stores, or if you prefer, you can crimp your own cables. See page 54 for details on wiring.

Regardless of what speed your Ethernet network runs, you must always use Category 5 UTP twisted-pair cabling with a switch or a hub. Each PC plugs into the switch or hub with its own twisted pair cable. Because all the PCs' cables converge at the hub's central location, a twisted-pair network is often referred to as having a star topology.

and RJ-45 capabilities cannot be used at the same time. If the one is in use, the other is automatically disabled.

Installing the HomeLink Card

1. Power off your PC and disconnect any peripheral equipment including the power cable.

2. Remove your computer's outside cover.

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Most newer PCs (Pentium 166 or higher) usually come equipped with all PCI bus mastering slots. If your slots are not labeled, check your motherboard’s documentation to determine which slot is a PCI Master slot.

3. Locate an open PCI expansion slot on the motherboard, and determine which PCI slot is a Master slot. If you have difficulties locating a PCI Master slot, consult your PC’s motherboard documentation.

4. Slide the HomeLink Card into your PCI slot. Make sure that all its pins are touching the slot's contacts. Applying a bit of force may be required to push the Card completely in. After the card is fir mly in place, secure its fastening tab to your PC's chassis with a mounting screw.

Do not connect PCs with crossover cables or without using a hub. Your network might work, but the connection will be very unstable. Only use crossover cables as a last resort when there are no uplink ports available.

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The RJ-45 cable connecting your PC's HomeLink Card to your hub must not exceed 100 meters (328 feet) in length.

5. Replace your PC's cover and reconnect your PC’s power source. The card installation is complete, and you are now ready to proceed to the next section to install your telephone or Ethernet network cabling.

Linksys HomeLink Series

Installing Your Cabling

If you are installing telephone cabling for phoneline networking, follow the instructions in the section below. If you are installing Ethernet cabling to be used with a hub or a switch, follow the instructions on page 10 .

Remember, using the RJ-45 ports on your HomeLink Card will automattically disable your RJ-11 phoneline networking capabilities. The two types of connections CANNOT be used at the same time. Choose only ONE type of connection to use at a time.

Installing RJ-11 Telephone Cabling

1. Plug one end of the telephone wire into either of the HomeLink Card's RJ11 telephone ports. There are two RJ11 ports and only one silver RJ-45 portthe RJ-11 ports are the smaller, black ones on the left side of the Card. The illustration on the right shows telephone cabling with its RJ-11 tip inserted into the black RJ-11 port.

Standard phoneline cabling with RJ-11 tips

Phoneline Network Card & Network in a Box

If several of your PCs can only access one phone jack, you can connect those PCs together using the Daisy Chain method. Just plug the cabling from your first PC with its HomeLink Card into the phone jack, then use the second RJ11 port on the same Card to connect to your second PC’s Card. One phone jack can support up to twenty-five PCs on one daisy chain. Again, you can use a two-way splitter to plug a phone or other device into your jack, or connect the device to the open telephone port on the last card in your daisy chain. See the illustration below on daisy chaining HomeLink PCs.

2. Connect the other end of the cable into a telephone jack in your wall, another PC, or a bridge. You may leave one of the RJ-11 ports empty if you do not want to connect your PC to anything else.

3.Your hardware is now installed. Proceed with the installation of the software on page 11.

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If you are using an analog telephone, you can either connect the device to a second phone jack (recommended), or you can connect your telephone directly to the second port on your HomeLink Card.

If you only have one phone jack and you want to use your phone, modem or fax machine, you can purchase a two-way adapter to split your single phone jack into two jack connections. Plug your phone, modem or fax machine into one phone jack and your HomeLink Network Card cabling into the other jack.

Daisy Chaining HomeLink PCs from One Telephone Jack

Linksys HomeLink Series

Phoneline Network Card & Network in a Box

Installing RJ-45 Ethernet Cabling

1. Plug one end of a Category 5 UTP Ethernet cable into the HomeLink Card's RJ-45 port. The RJ-45 port is the silver port on the far left of the Card. The photo to the right shows a Category 5 UTP cable inserted into the RJ-45 port on the Card.

Category 5 UTP Ethernet cabling

with its RJ-45 connector

2. Plug the other end of the cable into your hub, switch, router or bridge. If you plan to use both 10Mbps devices and 100Mbps devices on the same network, you'll need an autosensing hub or switch to allow segments of different speeds to communicate. For more information on 10/100 Autosensing Hubs and Switches, visit the Linksys website at www.linksys.com or call us at (800) 546-5797 (LINKSYS).

3.Your Ethernet cabling installation is complete. Follow the instructions in the next section to install your HomeLink driver software now.

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Cable modems and DSL connections to the Internet require a 10Mbps interface. To connect your 100Mbps network to your cable or DSL line, use a 10/100 autosensing device to accommodate both speeds.

Installing the Driver Software

Preparing to Install the HomeLink Software

Setting up the HomeLink Card's software involves installing a network driver onto your computer. The driver will allow the card to communicate with

your Windows software package. Before attempting to install a network driver for the HomeLink Card, Windows 95, 98, 2000* or NT should already be installed on your computer. The HomeLink Phoneline Network Card driver setup program will not work properly under any other operating systems.

Every PC must have a CD-ROM drive to be able to install the HomeLink drivers. You must let the CD-ROM drive to begin spinning up before starting the driver installation.

Because you must answer several important questions about your PC during the installation, it is strongly recommended that you read through the installation instructions for your specific operating system before continuing with this installation.

• Windo ws 98 instructions are on page 12

• Windo ws 95 instructions are on page 17

• Windows NT 4.0 instructions are on page 22

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The LanBridge software documentation refers to Windows 95 only, but the Windows 98 and 95 installation are almost identical. Use the instructions for the proper operating system for best results.

** NNoottee::

If you are using Windows 2000, also known as Windows NT

5.0, your Windows 2000 drivers are on the HomeLink CD-ROM. If the Windows 2000 drivers are not on your CD-ROM, you can download them from the Linksys website. Since Windows 2000 is still in development, Linksys will provide updated drivers and technical support for Windows 2000 upon Microsoft’s official release of it.

Linksys HomeLink Series

Windows 98 Driver Setup

Now that you’ve installed the HomeLink hardware in your PC, follow these instructions for installing the Windows 98 network driver. The installation procedure for the network driver will vary slightly, depending on your system configuration and what version of Windows you are running.

The type of network built with HomeLink consists of two kinds of PCs - the server PCs and the client PCs. The server PC is the "mother" computer, while client PCs are the "children". Each of the client PCs must log on to the Internet through the server PC, which in turn handles all Inter net connections for each client PC. Choose your server PC as the PC with an analog modem, cable or DSL connection, or other communications device. Your best server PC is your fastest, most powerful PC, but it doesn't necessarily have to be.

After you choose your server PC, make sure the Internet connection through your server PC’s modem is conf igured and full the installation of HomeLink drivers or LanBridge Internet sharing software.

Installing the HomeLink Network Driver

1. Star t up your Windows 98 PC. A “New Hardware Found” window will pop up for a moment.

2. Put the HomeLink Installation CD into your CD-ROM drive.

y functional before beginning

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Go to page 33

for the Troubleshooting

section if you run into

any problems.

Phoneline Network Card & Network in a Box

4. Select the first option, Search for the best driver for your device (Recommended) and click Next.

5. Make sure the HomeLink CD is still in the CD-ROM drive, and click CDROM drive to prompt Windows to search for the drivers there. Click Next.

You must let your CD-ROM drive spin up before you begin using it, especially if your CD-ROM drive runs at high speeds.

3. Windows will display a "Add New Hardware Wizard" window. Click Next.

Linksys HomeLink Series

Phoneline Network Card & Network in a Box

6. Windows will display, “Windows is now ready to install the best driver for this device” as it recognizes your HomeLink Card driver. Click Next.

Windows will copy the network files onto your PC, which may take a few minutes.

7. A “Welcome” screen will ask for your computer’s name. Enter your computer’s name and click OK.

8. An “Insert Disk” window may ask for your Windows 98 installation files. If so, click OK and inser t your Windows 98 installation CD into your CDROM drive. Or, enter the location of those files on your hard drive, (e.g., D:\win98, C:\Windows\options\cabs). To do so, enter the hard drive location of the Windows files in the “Copy files from” field, then click OK.

NNoottee::

If you see” to overwrite some existing files, it is highly recommended that you keep them. You may get this message several times or not at all.

VVeerrssiioonn CCoonnfflliicctt””

If you are using of Windows 98 files on a CD, you may have to swap back and forth between the HomeLink CD and the Windows 98 CD. Make sure each CD is given a few seconds to spin up before use. Do NOT hit

CCaanncceell

or a similar message, asking you if you want

SSkkiipp FFiillee

! Doing so will disrupt the file copy.

9. Windows will confirm successful installation with a message, “Windows has finished installing the software that your new hardware device requires.”

Click Finish. When asked if you want to restart your PC, make sure the HomeLink CD is still in your CD-ROM drive and click Yes.

Your workgroup name will be automatically changed to this time. Make note of your server’s name for future reference, as you will need it later. Remember, each of your PC’s names must be unique.

WWoorrkkggrroouupp

10. The HomeLink driver installation is now complete. Choose a user name and password if you have not already done so, and enter them in those fields to log on to your network. Click OK to finish your log-on and access your network.

From this point on, to access the network, you must enter the same user name and password whenever Windows requests it, and click Clicking If you do not log on, not all network functions may be available to you.

CCaanncceell

or hitting

EEssccaappee

will abort your network log-on attempt.

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