Network Instruments Observer User Manual

Observer User Manual Addendum

802.11b Wireless Installation & O peration

March 2002

© 2002 byNetwork Instruments, LLC (Limited Liability Corporation). All rights reserved.
Network Instruments' Observer for use with Microsoft Windows 98/Me, Windows NT 4.x,

Windows2000,WindowsXP,orgreaterbasedcomputers.
“Observer”, “Network Instruments” and th e “N with a dot log o” are registered trademarks of

Network Instruments, LL C, and may be registered in certain jurisdictions.

ii Observer User Manual Addendum (Wireless)

Contents

Hardware & Software Support .......................................................................... 1

Supported NICs ............................................................................................1

Supported Microsof t Windows Versions ....................................................1

Network Instruments Custom Driver Installation ............................................ 1

Configuring Observer for Wireless Operation ................................................ 6

New Features for Wireless Support ................................................................. 8

Wireless Access Point Statistics (New Mode)............................................ 8

Wireless Channel Scan Monitor (New Tool) ............................................10

Network (Wireless ) Vital Signs ....................................................................11

Top Talkers (Three New tabs) ....................................................................13

Wireless Types.......................................................................................13

Wireless Speeds.................................................................................... 14

Wireless Latest....................................................................................... 14

The Expert Analysis Wireless Events Button ..............................................15

New Filtering Enhancements ....................................................................17

Router Observer .........................................................................................17

Save Capture Buffer ..................................................................................17

Wireless Observer Troubleshooting .............................................................. 18

© Network Instruments,LLC iii

iv Observer User Manual Addendum (Wireless)

Observer®Software and Wireless LANs

An Addendum to the Network Instruments Observer User Manual

To use Observer in an 802.11b wireless environment, you mu st follow the instructions
for custom driver installation (see below) and Observer setup (see page 6 of this
manual).

Hardware & Software Support

Supported NICs

• Symbol Spectrum24 - 41x1 models

•Nortel41x1models

• Cisco Aironet 340-350 series models

• Intel 2011b models

Supported Microsoft Windows Versions

•2000

•XP

Network Instruments Custom Driver Installation

For Observer to properly analyze 802.11b wireless packets, the driver must pass
through all of the packets, not just those packets addressed to that NIC (i.e., it must
put the card in ‘promiscuous’ mode). Observer must also h ave access to the ‘raw’

802.11b w ireless packets.
Because standard wireless drivers do not support either raw or promiscuous mode,

NI has written a custom driver so that you can use Obs erver as a wireless protocol
analyzer.

Before you install the driver, you must:

• Verify that the NIC is operating correctly with the manufacturer-supplieddriver as
described in the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

• Install Observer. Refer to the Observer User Manual fo r details. Yo u must install
Observer so that you can update the NIC driver from the O bserver directory.

1

Observer® Software and Wireless LANs

To update the driver, follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the ‘My Computer’ icon and choose Properties.

2. Clickthe Hardwaretab and then the DeviceManager... button to display

the Device Manager:

3. Right-click o n the wireless driver (e.g. Nortel Networks e-mobility) and

choose Properties.

4. Click on the Drivertab and then click the Update Driver. .. button. This

starts the Up date HardwareWizard:

5. Click Next.

2 Observer User Manual Addendum(Wireless)

Network Instruments Custom Driver Installation

The Wizard asks you how you want to update the driver:

6. Choose“Search for a suitable driver for my device (recommended)”and

click Next. The Wizard asks where you want to search for the driver:

7. Choose“Specify a location” and click Next.

© Network Instruments, LLC

3

Observer® Software and Wireless LANs

A file locator dialog is d isplayed:

8. Enter (or browse to) the following directory (assuming that C:\Observer
Files is your Observer directory):

C:\Observer Files\drivers\wireless

The Wizard displays the following:

9. Choose“Install one of the other drivers” and click Next.

The wizard displays a list of compatible drivers:

4 Observer User Manual Addendum(Wireless)