NDC comm NWH4020 User Manual

11-Mbps USB

Wireless LAN Adapter

User’s Guide

NWH4020

National Datacomm Cor pora tio n

4th Fl., No. 24-2, Industry E. Rd. IV Science-based Industrial Park Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Version A1

January 2003

Technical Support

E-mail: techsupt@n dc.com.tw

NDC World Wide Web

http://www.ndclan.com/

TRADEMARKS

NDC and InstantWave are trademarks of National Datacomm Corporation. All other names mentioned in this document are t r ademarks/registered trademarks of their respective owners.

NDC provides this document “as is,” without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. NDC may make improvements and/or changes in this manual or in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this manual at any time. This document might include technical inaccuracies or t ypo graphical errors.

FCC WARNING

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 Ru les. 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 in st ructions, 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 receptio n, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, th e user is encouraged to try to correct t he interference by one or more of the following measures:

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna

Increase the separation bet ween t he equipment and receiver

Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the

receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help

You are cautioned that changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void your authority to operate the 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

FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement

This equipment complies with FCC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This equipment should be installed and operated with a minimum distance of 20 centimeters between the radiator and your body.

InstantWave

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

Packing List

The adapter package should contain the following items:

One InstantWave 11-Mbps USB wireless LAN adapter

One USB cable

One USB Adapter Driver disk

Two InstantWave Utility disks

One quick setup guide

If the optional USB coupler was ordered, make sure it is in the package as well.

InstantWave

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

iii

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................1

YSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Hardware .........................................................................................................1

Software............................................................................................................1

ERMINOLOGY USED IN THIS GUIDE

HE PARTS OF THE ADAPTER

ADAPTER INSTALLATION...............................................................................5

ONNECTING THE ADAPTER FOR THE FIRST TIME

NSTALLING THE DRIVER

Windows 98......................................................................................................6

Windows ME ....................................................................................................6

Windows 2000..................................................................................................7

Windows XP .....................................................................................................8

NSTALLING THE INSTANTWAVE UTILITY

NINSTALLING THE DRIVER AND UTILITY

THE INSTANTWAVE UTILITY.......................................................................13

SING THE INSTANTWAVE UTILITY

Adapter Properties.........................................................................................15

Site Survey......................................................................................................21

Radio Link Quality Indicator..........................................................................22

Station Traffic Monitor...................................................................................22

.......................................................................................1

.....................................................................2

................................................................................4

.................................................5

......................................................................................5

.............................................................8

..........................................................11

....................................................................13

DRIVER/UTILITY UPGRADE PROCEDURE ...............................................24

TROUBLESHOOTING.......................................................................................25

TECHNICAL SUPPORT....................................................................................27

NDC LIMITED WARRANTY............................................................................28

SPECIFICATIONS..............................................................................................30

APPENDIX...........................................................................................................33

InstantWave

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

INDEX...................................................................................................................34

InstantWave

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

List of Figures

IGURE

HOC NETWORK

1. AD-

NFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK

2. I

OAMABLE MULTI

3. R

ARTS OF THE ADAPTER

4. P

ETUP PROGRAM WELCOME SCREEN

5. S

HOOSE DESTINATION LOCATION WINDOW

6. C

ELECT PROGRAM FOLDER WINDOW

7. S

TILITY INSTALLATION PROGRESS METER

8. U

ROMPT FOR DISK

9. P

OMPLETION MESSAGE

10. C

NSTANTWAVE HIGHRATE UTILITY

11. I

NSTANTWAVE UTILITY TOOLBAR

12. I

REFERENCES DIALOG BOX

13. P

ASKBAR ICO N

14. T

DAPTER PROPERTIES WINDOW

15. A

DAPTER PROPERTIES WINDOW

16. A

DAPTER PROPERTIES WINDOW

17. A

..................................................................................2

...................................................................2

INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK

-AP

..........................................................................4

2 .............................................................................. 11

.......................................................................11

..................................................................14

....................................................................................15

...............................3

.......................................................9

............................................9

.....................................................10

.............................................10

.....................................................13

......................................................14

ONFIGURATION PANEL

— C

DVANCED INFORMATION PANEL

— A

INK INFO PANEL

— L

...............16

..........................18

.17

IGURE

DAPTER PROPERTIES WINDOW

18. A

DAPTER PROPERTIES WINDOW

19. A

ITE SURVEY

20. S

ADIO LINK QUALITY INDICATOR

21. R

TATION TRAFFIC MONITOR

22. S

.......................................................................................22

NCRYPTION PANEL

— E

ROUBLESHOOTING PANEL

— T

......................19

.......................................................22

...............................................................23

InstantWave

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

..........21

Introduction

Thank you for choosing an InstantWave 11-Mbps wireless networking product. This guide gives complete instructions on installing and using the InstantWave NWH4020 11-Mbps USB wireless LAN adapter, and also explains how to install and use the InstantWave utility program included with the adapter.

The NWH4020 is part of a family of easy-to-use high-performance wireless communication products. This family of products includes:

• InstantWave 11-Mbps Wireless Access Point (NWH650)

• InstantWave 11-Mbps Wireless Access Point (NWH660)

• InstantWave 11-Mbps Wireless Workgroup Bridge (NWH6210)

• InstantWave 11-Mbps Wireless Building-to-Building Bridge (NWH6110)

• InstantWave 11-Mbps Wireless Ethernet Clients (NWH2210, NWH2610)

• InstantWave 11-Mbps Wireless Secure Router (NWH8010)

• InstantWave 11-Mbps Wireless PC Card (NWH1010)

• InstantWave 11-Mbps Wireless PCI Card (NWH630)

System Requirements

Hardware

The host machine must be an IBM-type x86-based microcomputer with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface. A 3.5-inch floppy-disk drive is required for installation of the adapter driver and utility. Other resources must be sufficient to run one of the environments for which the driver and utility were designed (see next).

Software

The driver and utility included with the adapter will run in Microsoft® Windows 98, ME, 2000, or XP.

InstantWave

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

Terminology Used in This Guide

Ad-hoc Network

An ad-hoc network is a wireless local-area network (WLAN) made up of stations communicating directly with each other through their wireless interfaces. There is no central relay point, and normally no connection to a wired network. Ad-hoc mode is sometimes referred to as peer-to-peer, computer-to-computer, or Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS) mode. Figure 1 shows a typical ad-hoc network.

Figure 1. Ad-hoc network

Infrastructure Network

An infrastructure network is a WLAN made up of wireless stations and at least one wireless relay point, known as a base station or access point (AP). The AP usually has a connection to a wired network, allowing wireless stations to use resources on that network. The AP also relays all communications between wireless stations in its coverage area; these stations never communicate directly with each other. Infrastructure mode is sometimes referred to as managed or Basic Service Set (BSS) mode. Figure 2 shows a typical infrastructure network..

Figure 2. Infrastructure network

InstantWave

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

BSSID, MAC Address

A Basic Service Set (BSS) is two or more wireless devices that are in communication with each other. Like every wired Ethernet device, every wireless device has a fixed, unique “media access control” (MAC) address. When wireless devices establish communication, they automatically select the MAC address of one BSS member as an identifier for the group; this is the BSSID.

It has become customary to refer to a wireless device’s MAC address as its BSSID even when the address is not being used to identify an active BSS.

A BSS that includes an access point is often referred to as a cell.

SSID, Domain Identifier

A Service Set Identifier (SSID) is a shared name, usually assigned by a network administrator, that identifies wireless devices that are allowed to communicate with each other. This is one way of providing basic security on a wireless network. An SSID can be up to 32 characters long, and can include letters and numbers.

Giving multiple access points the same SSID and encryptio n settings allows mobile stations that also share those settings to “roam” fro m one AP to another. When at least one AP is among the devices sharing an SSID, the name may be referred to as an Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID).

An SSID is sometimes called a “domain name,” but it is unrelated to the domain names used to identify machines and networks on the Internet. Other terms for SSID are domain ID, net ID, network name, extended network ID, and wireless

network name. The set of devices that an SSID identifies is sometimes called a communication domain or wireless domain.

Figure 3 shows a common wire less network setup. If the APs share SSID and encryption settings, mobile devices that also share those settings can roam among them.

Figure 3. Roamable multi-AP infrastructure network

InstantWave

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

Roaming

When APs covering adjacent areas have the same SSID and encryption settings, a mobile device that also shares those settings can communicate through the APs continuously while moving from one coverage area to another. This is known as roaming. When one AP’s signal begins to weaken, the mobile device automatically searches for another AP that it is authorized to “associate with” (that is, connect to); when the second AP’s signal quality is better than that of the first, the station automatically switches over.

The Parts of the Ad apter

While highly sophisticated on the inside, the adapter is extremely simple on the outside. There are only two parts to take note of: the Type B USB jack on the back, and the power/activity LED (light-emitting diode) indicator on the top:

Figure 4. Parts of the adapter

The USB jack will accept the Type B USB plug on the supplied USB cable or the optional USB coupler. The plugs are clearly marked as Type B.

The power/activity indicator is a red LED. It shines steadily when the adapter is powered up but idle, and it blinks off and on when the adapter is receiving or transmitting through its wireless interface.

InstantWave

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

Adapter Installation

Installing the adapter consists of connecting it to the computer and installing the driver and the utility program. Software installation will begin auto maticall y the first time you connect the adapter to the computer. Follow these instructions carefully to ensure successful installation.

Connecting the Adapter for the First Time

Step 1.

Step 2.

Step 3.

Step 4.

Step 5.

Step 6.

Step 7.

If the computer does not have a built-in 3.5-inch floppy-disk drive, connect its external drive.

If the computer has not yet been set up for networking, make sure you have the Microsoft prompted to insert it during installation of the adapter software.

Turn the computer on and wait for the Microsoft display to appear.

Locate a free USB jack (also known as a USB “port”) on the computer. It may be behind a small door in the computer’s housing, and it will be marked with a tree-like symbol. Many desktop computers have two or more USB jacks; a laptop computer may have only one.

Plug the matching end of the supplied USB cable or the optional USB coupler into the computer’s USB jack.

Plug the other end of the cable into the matching jack on the adapter, or fit the adapter onto the free end of the optional USB coupler.

A driver installation program, sometimes called a “wizard,” will automatically start up.

Insert the USB Adapter Driver disk in the floppy-disk drive.

Windows CD -ROM on hand. You may b e

Windows desktop

Installing the Driver

Each version of Microsoft® Windows has a different procedure for installing a driver. Before carrying out the procedure for your version of Microsoft note the following tips, which apply to all supported versions:

Windows,

• Make sure the driver disk is inserted at the start.

• The installation program can find the driver only if you specify the driver’s

location. Do not let the installation program carry out an “automatic” search for a driver, and do not let it display a list of drivers.

InstantWave

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

• When typing the location of the driver, be sure to type

and not a slash [/]. In Microsoft

Windows XP, be sure to type

with a backslash [\]

a:\

a:\xp_driver

with a backslash and not a slash.

• It is common for the installation program to fail to find the driver on the first

try, even though the location you type is correct. You will be prompted again to insert the disk and type the location; simply type the same lo cation again.

Driver installation procedures for supported versions of Microsoft

Windows are

described in detail below.

Windows 98

In Microsoft® Windows 98, the window that appears when you first connect the adapter is titled

Add New Hardware Wizard

. Install the driver as follows:

Step 1.

Make sure the driver disk is in drive A, and then click

The installation program will ask if you want it to search for a driver or display a list of drivers.

Step 2.

Click

Search for the best driver for your device (Re com m ended)

then click

, and

Controls for specifying locations to search will appear.

Step 3.

Put a check mark on

CD-ROM drive Specify a location

and

; type

Floppy disk drives

Microsoft Windows Update

into the location box; and then click

a:\

; remove any check marks from

; put a check mark on

The installation program will indicate that it found the driver.

Step 4.

Click

You may be instructed again to insert the disk and specify the driver’s location. If this happens, click

again.

click

, type

a:\

under

Copy files from

, and

After completing the above steps, confirm all subsequent messages (that is, click

Next, Finish, OK

, or

), remove the driver disk, and allow the system to restart.

Yes

Windows ME

In Microsoft® Windows ME, the window that appears when you first connect the adapter is titled

Step 1.

Make sure the driver disk is in drive A, click

driver (Advanced)

Add New Hardware Wizard

, and then click

. Install the driver as follows:

Specify the locat ion of the

InstantWave

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

The installation program will let you specify whether it should search for a driver or display a list of drivers. Controls for specifying a search location will also appear.

Step 2.

Click

Search for the best driver for your device (Re com m ended)

check mark on then click

Specify a location

, type

into the location box, and

a:\

, put a

You may be instructed again to insert the disk and specify the driver’s location. If this happens, click click

again.

, type

a:\

under

Copy files from

, and

The installation program will indicate that it found the driver.

Step 3.

Click

After completing the above steps, confirm all subsequent messages (that is, click

Next, Finish, OK

, or

), remove the driver disk, and allow the system to restart.

Yes

Windows 2000

In Microsoft® Windows 2000, the window that appears when you first connect the adapter is titled

Step 1.

Make sure the driver disk is in drive A, and then click The installation program will let you specify whether it should search

for a driver or display a list of drivers.

Step 2.

Click then click

The installation program will display several “optional search locations.”

Found New Hardware Wizard

Search for a suitable driver for my device (r ecommended)

. Install the driver as follows:

, and

Step 3.

Step 4.

Step 5.

InstantWave

Put a check mark on and then click

Specify a Location

, remove a n y ot her c hec k mar ks,

Controls for specifying a location will appear. Type

into the location box, and then click

a:\

The installation program will find the driver and display information about it.

Click

A message about a “digital driver signature” not being found may appear. Click

11-Mbps USB Wireless LAN Adapter

to continue with installation.

Yes

+ 28 hidden pages

NDC comm NWH4020 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Introduction

System Requirements

Hardware

Software

Terminology Used in This Guide

The Parts of the Ad apter

Adapter Installation

Connecting the Adapter for the First Time

Installing the Driver

Windows 98

Windows ME

Windows 2000