Sierra Wireless 555 User Manual

AirCard® 555 Wireless Network Card

User Guide

2130142

Rev 3.3

Preface

Important Notice Because of the nature of wireless communications, trans-

mission and reception of data can never be guaranteed. Data may be delayed, corrupted (i.e., have errors) or be totally lost. Although significant delays or losses of data are rare when wireless devices such as the Sierra Wireless network card are used in a normal manner with a well-constructed network, the Sierra Wireless network card should not be used in situations where failure to transmit or receive data could result in damage of any kind to the user or any other party, including but not limited to personal injury, death, or loss of property. Sierra Wireless, Inc. accepts no responsibility for damages of any kind resulting from delays or errors in data transmitted or received using the Sierra Wireless network card, or for failure of the Sierra Wireless network card to transmit or receive such data.

Safety and Hazards Do not operate the Sierra Wireless AirCard

network card in areas where blasting is in progress, where explosive atmospheres may be present, near medical equipment, life support equipment, or any equipment which may be susceptible to any form of radio interference. In such areas, the Sierra Wireless network card MUST BE POWERED OFF. The Sierra Wireless network card can transmit signals that could interfere with this equipment.

Do not operate the Sierra Wireless network card in any aircraft, whether the aircraft is on the ground or in flight. In aircraft, the Sierra Wireless network card MUST BE POWERED OFF. When operating, the Sierra Wireless network card can transmit signals that could interfere with various onboard systems.

Note: Some airlines may permit the use of cellular phones while the aircraft is on the ground and the door is open. Sierra Wireless network cards may be used at this time.

The driver or operator of any vehicle should not operate the Sierra Wireless network card while in control of a vehicle. Doing so will detract from the driver or operator's control and operation of that vehicle. In some states and provinces, operating such communications devices while in control of a vehicle is an offence.

555 wireless

Limitation of Liability

Rev. 3.3 02 3

The information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Sierra Wireless, Inc. SIERRA WIRELESS, INC. SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR ANY AND ALL DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, GENERAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSE-

AirCard 555 Network Card User Guide

Patents Portions of this product are covered by some or all of the

QUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUE OR ANTICIPATED PROFITS OR REVENUE ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE ANY SIERRA WIRELESS, INC. PRODUCT, EVEN IF SIERRA WIRELESS, INC. HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR THEY ARE FORESEEABLE OR FOR CLAIMS BY ANY THIRD PARTY.

following US patents: 5515013, 5617106, 5629960, 5682602, 5748449, 5845216, 5847553, 5878234, 5890057, 5929815, 6169884, 6191741, 6199168, D367062, D372248, D372701, D416857, D442170 and other patents pending.

Licensed by QUALCOMM Incorporated under one or more of the following United States Patents and/or their counterparts in other nations: 4901307 5490165 5056109 5504773 5101501 5506865 5109390 5511073 5228054 5535239 5267261 5544196 5267262 5568483 5337338 5600754 5414796 5657420 5416797 5659569 5710784 5778338 6339405 D452495 D452496

Trademarks Sierra Wireless and the Red Wave design, Watcher, the red-

tipped antenna are trademarks of Sierra Wireless, Inc. Heart of the Wireless Machine marks of Sierra Wireless, Inc. Quick 2 Net of Verizon Wireless Communications. Other trademarks are the property of the respective owners. All product specifications are subject to change without notice.

and AirCard® are registered trade-

is a service mark

Comments Your comments and suggestions on improving this documen-

tation are welcome and appreciated. Please e-mail your feedback to

Consult our web site for up-to-date product descriptions, documentation, application notes, firmware upgrades, troubleshooting tips, and press releases:

documentation@sierrawireless.com. Thank you.

www.sierrawireless.com

4 2130142

Preface

Technical Support For technical support of this product, contact Verizon Wireless

at 1-800-922-0204.

Rev. 3.3 02 5

AirCard 555 Network Card User Guide

6 2130142

Table of Contents

AirCard 555 Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Introducing the AirCard® 555 Network Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

A Network Card, a Modem, and a Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Package Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

The AirCard 555 Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Account Activation and Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Care and Maintenance of Your AirCard 555 Wireless Network Card . . . . . . 19

Installation and Use on Notebook PCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Installation on Notebook PCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

AirCard Software Installation Procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Windows 95 Pre-Installation Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Installation Procedures for Windows 95, 98, Me, and 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Installation Procedures for Windows XP and NT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Venturi Software Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Card Insertion and Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Inserting the AirCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Removing the AirCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Account Configuration Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

The Watcher Window and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Components of the Watcher Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

The Menu Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

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AirCard 555 Wireless Network Card User Guide

The Minimize, Toggle Full/Compact, and Close Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Connection Status Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Call Status Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Indicator Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Taskbar Icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Data Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Dial-Up Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Incoming Data Calls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Quick 2 Net Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Express Network Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Voice Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

The Dial Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

The Scratch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Outgoing Calls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Incoming Calls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

The Watcher Menu Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

The View Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Always On Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Docking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Toggle Full/Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

The Tools Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Mobile Messenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Phone Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Call Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Dial-Up Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

KeyGuard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Activation Wizard… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Options… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

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Table of Contents

The Help Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Help Topics… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

About Watcher… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

The Network Adapter Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Windows 95, 98, NT and Me. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Switching Primary Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Windows 2000 and XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

On-Line Help and Version Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Closing the Network Adapter Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Problem Causes and Suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Reinstalling the AirCard Driver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Windows 95/98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Windows 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Windows Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Resolving Resource Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Windows 95/98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Windows 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Windows Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Installation and Use on Handheld/Pocket PCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Installation on Handheld and Pocket PCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Software Installation Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Card Insertion and Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Inserting the AirCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

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AirCard 555 Wireless Network Card User Guide

Removing the AirCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Account Configuration Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

The Watcher Window and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Components of the Watcher Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

The Menu Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Connection Status Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Call Status Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Indicator Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

The Minimize, Toggle Full/Compact, and Close Boxes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Taskbar Icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Data Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Dial-Up Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Incoming Data Calls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Quick 2 Net Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Express Network Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Voice Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

The Dial Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

The Scratch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Outgoing Calls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Incoming Calls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

The Watcher Menu Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

The View Menu (Handheld PCs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Always On Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Docking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Toggle Full/Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

The Tools Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

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Mobile Messenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Phone Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Call Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Dial-Up Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

KeyGuard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Activation Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Options… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

The Admin Menu (Pocket PCs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

About Watcher… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Administration > Activation Wizard… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

The Help Menu (Handhelds PC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Help Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

About Watcher … . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

Problem Causes and Suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

Uninstalling the AirCard Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185

Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

LED Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Radio Frequency and Electrical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

Environmental Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189

Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

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AirCard 555 Basics

1: Introducing the AirCard® 555

Network Card

• A Network Card, a Modem, and a Phone

• Package Contents

• About this Guide

The AirCard® 555 wireless network card fits into a standard Type II PC Card slot (available on most notebook PCs) and functions as a wireless network card, a modem, and a mobile phone. This card allows you to connect to the Internet, send and receive e-mail, connect to a corporate network, and make phone calls, without the need of a network cable or phone line.

Basics

AirCard 555

Note: Do not insert the AirCard into your PC Card slot prior to installing the software. It is important to install the software and driver in the correct order. See Chapter 3 (notebook PCs) or Chapter 10 (Handheld and Pocket PCs) for detailed procedures.

Note: The Venturi compression software that allows for dial-up data transmission speeds of 56 kbps is available for notebook PCs running Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, and Me only.

The AirCard 555 functions in notebook PCs with these Windows® operating systems: 95, 98, NT, 2000, Me, and XP. The AirCard 555 also functions in Handheld and Pocket PCs with the Windows CE 3.0 operating system.

The AirCard 555 operates over a type of wireless network called CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). This network technology has many features beyond providing a wireless link, including:

• SMS (Short Message Service), which allows you to send

and receive short messages using the AirCard

• Quick 2 Net, which provides a direct Internet connection

Use of the AirCard 555 requires that you have an account that gives you access to a CDMA network.

Every CDMA network operates on one of three radio frequency bands. As a dual band product, the AirCard 555 operates on two of these bands, providing a wide coverage area.

The AirCard operates on the original CDMA network (IS-95A) that provides data transmission speeds of up to 14.4 kbps (kilobits per second) or 56 kbps where Venturi compression is in use. The AirCard also runs on the newer 1xRTT network technology that provides data transmission speeds up to 144 kbps. The AirCard 555 provides all the advantages of 1xRTT where it is available while allowing you to use the older CDMA IS-95A standard where 1xRTT has not yet been implemented. The benefits to you are that you can use the AirCard in any area that has coverage (assuming there are no account restrictions) and you will be able to take advantage of the fastest possible data transmission speed.

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AirCard 555 Network Card User Guide

Note: More information about CDMA networks is available on the CDMA Development Group web site, www.cdg.org.

A Network Card, a Modem, and a Phone

On notebook PCs, during 1xRTT connections, the AirCard 555 is a true network card, functioning just like the network cards familiar to most corporate computer users. Once installed and configured, the AirCard connects instantly to the CDMA network with a few mouse clicks. You can just insert the AirCard 555, click a few buttons, launch your Internet browser, and you’re ready to web surf.

As a modem, the AirCard 555 allows you to dial up any other modem, or send and receive faxes. You can also connect a headset to the AirCard 555 and use it as a phone.

Package Contents

Your AirCard 555 package contains the following components:

• AirCard 555 wireless network card

• Antenna

• Installation CD containing the AirCard software and this

user guide

• Quick reference card

If you want to use the AirCard as a phone, a headset is necessary. See the Sierra Wireless web site, www.sierrawireless.com, for a listing of approved headsets that will work with the AirCard.

About This Guide

This user guide is designed to provide you with all the information you need to install and use your network card.

• Section 1 (which you are reading) gives you an overview

of the AirCard 555, providing the background information that is the basis for understanding the following sections.

• Section 2 provides step-by-step instructions on installing,

configuring, and using the AirCard 555 on notebook PCs.

• Section 3 provides step-by-step instructions on installing,

configuring, and using the AirCard 555 on Handheld and Pocket PCs.

• Section 4 provides electrical, radio frequency, and other

parameters of the AirCard 555 for those who require technical information.

• Section 5 provides regulatory information.

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2: Getting Started

• The AirCard 555 Software

• Account Activation and Configuration

• Care and Maintenance

Before you can begin using the AirCard 555 wireless network card, you must:

1. Install the AirCard 555 software.

2. Activate an account and configure the AirCard to use your

account, unless the AirCard has been pre-activated.

This section provides an overview of this process.

The AirCard 555 Software

The AirCard comes with this software:

• An application called Watcher™ that you use to manage

the AirCard and monitor your connections

• An application called the Network Adapter Manager that

allows you to switch between the AirCard 555 and other network cards (for notebook PCs only)

• The driver software that forms the interface between the

network card and your Windows operating system

• Venturi compression software that increases data

throughput, effectively increasing the data transmission speed (for notebook PCs only)

Basics

AirCard 555

Note: When you have the Venturi software installed and enabled, the compression will automatically be used where it is available on the network. In areas where the Venturi server is implemented, you should notice an increase in the speed of your dial-up data connections.

The Watcher software (and on notebook PCs, the Network Adapter Manager) should be installed before you insert the AirCard 555 for the first time. The Venturi software should only be installed after the driver is installed. Detailed instructions are provided in Chapter 3.

Account Activation and Configuration

Companies that operate CDMA networks and provide access to these networks are called service providers. You must have an account with a CDMA service provider to use the AirCard 555. The process of setting up an account is called activation.

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AirCard 555 Network Card User Guide

If you purchased the AirCard from a service provider, you may already have an account. (That is, your network card is pre-activated.) Otherwise, you can refer to the Sierra Wireless web site, www.sierrawireless.com, for a list of service providers.

When selecting a service provider, it is important to consider the following:

• Coverage

Note: Most service providers have coverage maps on their web sites.

Note: The fee for service is usually higher when you are roaming (connecting to a network other than the one belonging to your service provider).

There are CDMA networks, that operate in the frequency bands supported by the AirCard 555, throughout North America and parts of Latin America, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. However, each service provider operates a network that covers a limited geographical area within the overall CDMA coverage area. Most service providers have “roaming” agreements with other service providers, so that they can offer service outside of the coverage area of their own networks. For example, assuming you live in Vancouver and travel frequently to Seattle, you can obtain an account with a Vancouver service provider that has a roaming agreement with a service provider in Seattle. You would then have local service in Vancouver, and roaming service in Seattle. (Most service providers charge more for roaming service than local service.)

Select a service provider that gives you network coverage in all areas you intend to use the AirCard 555.

• Pricing

Each service provider has its own pricing options. There are flat rate accounts which provide you a maximum number of minutes of network usage for a fixed monthly fee. There are accounts for which you are charged for network usage by the minute or by the amount of data transmitted. You may want to shop around to find the best value.

Your service provider will activate your account. To do so your service provider requires from you:

• The billing information used to collect payment for your

network usage

• The ESN (electronic serial number) assigned to your

modem during the manufacturing process. (This number is printed on a label on the AirCard and can be displayed in Watcher.)

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Chapter 2: Getting Started

Note: You can use the Lock Code feature to prevent others from using your account should your AirCard be stolen. See page 84 (notebook PCs) or page 168 (Handheld and Pocket PCs) for instructions on using this feature.

You require from your service provider:

• A phone number for your AirCard

• An activation code that gives you access to the window in

which the phone number is entered

• A SID (System Identifier) that identifies your home

network area and is used in conjunction with your phone number to identify your account when you connect to the CDMA network

Unless your AirCard has been pre-activated, Watcher will automatically detect that no account has been configured when you run it for the first time. Watcher will then run the Activation Wizard to guide you through the activation and configuration process.

Care and Maintenance of Your AirCard 555 Wireless Network Card

As with any electronic device, the AirCard must be handled with care to ensure reliable operation. Follow these guidelines in using and storing the AirCard:

• Do not apply adhesive labels to the AirCard. This may

cause the AirCard to become jammed inside the card slot.

• Optimal signal strength is usually obtained when the

antenna is perpendicular to the modem. The antenna should bend easily at the hinge. Do not forcefully bend the antenna.

• When storing or transporting your PC in a case (such as a

notebook case), remove the AirCard antenna and store it in a compartment where it cannot be crushed or broken.

• The AirCard should fit easily into your PC slot. Forcing

the AirCard into a slot may damage connector pins.

• Protect the card from liquids, dust, and excessive heat.

• When not installed in your computer, store the AirCard in

a safe place.

Basics

AirCard 555

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AirCard 555 Network Card User Guide

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Installation and Use on Notebook PCs

3: Installation on Notebook PCs

• System Requirements

• AirCard Software Installation Procedures

• Venturi Software Installation Procedures

• Card Insertion and Removal

• Account Configuration Procedures

This chapter guides you through the steps necessary to making the AirCard operational on a notebook PC. The basic steps are:

on Notebook PCs

Installation and Use

Note: Do not insert the AirCard into your PC Card slot before installing the software.

Note: Dial-up Networking and Winsock are components of the Windows operating system required by the AirCard 555. The versions of these components shipped with Windows 95 OSR2 do not meet the AirCard 555 requirements. If you are using Windows 95 OSR2 and have not yet upgraded to Winsock2 and Dial-up Networking version 1.2 or later, you must do so before installing the AirCard. The required versions can be downloaded from the Microsoft web site, www.microsoft.com.

1. Insert the AirCard installation CD into your CD-ROM

drive and install Watcher and the Network Adapter Manager.

2. Insert the AirCard into the PC Card slot and install the

AirCard driver from the CD.

3. Install the Venturi software from the AirCard installation

CD.

4. If the AirCard has not been pre-activated, use the

Activation Wizard to configure the AirCard.

Before you begin the installation process, ensure your PC is running a supported operating system and meets the hardware requirements described below.

System Requirements

The AirCard 555 wireless network card is supported on:

• Windows 95 OSR2 and higher

• Windows 98 / 98 SE

• Windows 2000 with Service Pack 1

• Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6a

• Windows Me

• Windows XP (Home and Professional versions)

To install the AirCard, you require these system resources:

Table 3-1: System Resource Requirements

Card Slots 1 Type II PCMCIA (PC Card) Slot

Communications Ports 1 Available

Disk Drive CD-ROM

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AirCard 555 Network Card User Guide

Table 3-1: System Resource Requirements

I/O Resources 1 IRQ, 40 bytes I/O Space

Memory 32 MB

Disk Space 7 MB

AirCard Software Installation Procedures

This section provides detailed installation instructions. Proceed to the heading that corresponds to your operating system.

Windows 95 Pre-Installation Procedures

Note: Windows system files may be required to complete installation of the AirCard 555 driver. These files are located on the Windows CD and may be stored on your hard drive in CAB files. Ensure you have your Windows CD, or know the location of the .CAB files before proceeding.

Depending on how Windows 95 was installed on your PC and what devices have since been installed, your PC Card (PCMCIA) slots may or may not have been enabled and the TCP/IP stack may or may not be installed. Since the AirCard requires these, this section guides you through these steps:

1. Verifying that the PC Card slots are enabled

2. Verifying that TCP/IP is installed

Verifying That the PC Card Slots Are Enabled

1. Open the Control Panel by selecting Start > Settings >

Control Panel

2. Double click the PC Card icon.

3. If the PC Card (PCMCIA) Properties window is displayed,

the slots are enabled and you can proceed to the section “Verifying That TCP/IP Is Installed”.

4. If the PC Card (PCMCIA) Wizard is displayed, the slots

are not yet enabled, and the wizard guides you through the enabling process. (Generally it is sufficient to click at each window.) Click click

Yes when prompted to restart the PC.

Finish on the final window and

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Chapter 3: Installation on Notebook PCs

Verifying That TCP/IP Is Installed

1. If the Control Panel is not already open, select Start >

Settings > Control Panel

to open it.

2. Double click the Network icon.

3. Look for “TCP/IP” next to any listing on the Configuration

tab. If TCP/IP is listed, you can close the window and proceed to the section “Installing Procedures for Windows 95, 98, Me, and 2000”.

4. If TCP/IP is not listed, click the Add... button to open the

Select Component Type window.

5. Select Protocol in the component type list and click the

Add... button to open the Select Network Protocol window.

6. Select Microsoft under Manufacturers and TCP/IP under

Network Protocols, then click the

OK button.

7. Verify that a listing for TCP/IP appears in the Network

window and then click the

OK button to close the window.

8. If you are prompted that your network is not complete,

make the selections appropriate to your network configuration.

9. If you are prompted for the Windows CD, replace the

AirCard installation CD with the Windows 95 CD, or enter the path to the .CAB files.

10. Click Yes at the prompt to restart your PC. Once the PC

has restarted, proceed to the next section.

on Notebook PCs

Installation and Use

Note: A driver is software that forms the interface between a device (such as the AirCard) and the operating system on your PC (such as Windows 98).

Note: Users of Windows 2000 must be logged in with administrative privileges to install the AirCard software.

Installation Procedures for Windows 95, 98, Me, and 2000

Follow these steps to install Watcher, the Network Adapter Manager, and the AirCard driver.

1. If the AirCard CD is not already in your CD-ROM drive,

insert it. The CD should auto-start and display a menu.

2. If the CD does not auto-start, select Start > Run and enter

d:\launch.exe where d is the drive letter of your CD-ROM

drive.

3. From the CD start-up window, select notebook installation

and documentation

launch the InstallShield Wizard.

4. Use the Next and Back buttons to navigate through the

wizard noting the following:

· You must click Yes to indicate your acceptance of the

terms of the license agreement to proceed with the installation.

and then notebook software installation to

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AirCard 555 Network Card User Guide

· Using the default settings for the Destination Location

and Program Folder is recommended unless you have special requirements and an advanced understanding of PC configuration. (The Destination Location dictates where the software is installed. The Program Folder dictates the name assigned to the software in the Add/ Remove Programs in the Control Panel.)

· A check box allows you to choose to display release

notes. The release notes list known issues in the software and are displayed in the Windows Notepad. (If you choose to display them, when you are finished reading, use the close box in the upper right corner of the window to close the Notepad.)

· A check box allows you to choose to have a desktop

shortcut for Watcher. This gives you the option of launching Watcher by double clicking an icon on your desktop (as well as from the Start menu).

· Click Finish to close the last screen of the wizard.

Note: Do not forcefully connect the antenna, or forcefully insert the AirCard. This may damage connector pins. See page 34 for instructions on removing the AirCard.

5. If your operating system is Windows 2000, you are

prompted that the driver files will be copied to your notebook. Click

OK. Click Yes on the Digital Signature Not

Found window each time it appears.

6. Click OK when you are prompted to insert the AirCard.

Attach the antenna and insert the AirCard into your PC Card slot.

7. Click OK when you are notified that the installation is

complete. If your operating system is Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me, restart your PC from the

Start menu.

On completion of this step, Watcher, the Network Adapter Manager, and the AirCard driver are installed and you can proceed to install the Venturi compression software. This is described in the “Venturi Software Installation” section on page 33.

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Chapter 3: Installation on Notebook PCs

Installation Procedures for Windows XP and NT

Note: Users of Windows NT must be logged in with administrative privileges to install the AirCard software. Users of Windows XP may require administrative privileges, depending on the XP installation.

Follow these steps to install Watcher and the Network Adapter Manager.

1. If the AirCard CD is not already in your CD-ROM drive,

insert it. The CD should auto-start and display a menu.

2. If the CD does not auto-start, select Start > Run and enter

d:\launch.exe where d is the drive letter of your CD-ROM

drive.

3. From the CD start-up window, select notebook installation

and documentation

and then notebook software installation to

launch the InstallShield Wizard.

4. Use the Next and Back buttons to navigate through the

wizard noting the following:

· You must click Yes to indicate your acceptance of the

terms of the license agreement to proceed with the installation.

· Using the default settings for the Destination Location

on Notebook PCs

Installation and Use

· A check box allows you to choose to display release

· A check box allows you to choose to have a desktop

shortcut for Watcher. This gives you the option of launching Watcher by double clicking an icon on your desktop (as well as from the Start menu).

· Click Finish to close the last screen of the wizard.

5. If you are running Windows XP, a window indicates that

the driver files will be copied to your notebook. Click and click

Continue Anyway on the Software Installation

window each time it appears. A window prompts you to insert your AirCard 555 to install the drivers. Click

OK.

Follow the driver installation instructions for your operating system.

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AirCard 555 Network Card User Guide

Windows XP Driver Installation

Note: Do not forcefully connect the antenna, or forcefully insert the AirCard. This may damage connector pins. See page 34 for instructions on removing the AirCard.

1. Attach the antenna to the AirCard and, with the label

facing up, carefully insert the AirCard into your PC Card slot. Windows should detect that a new device has been inserted and launch the wizard that guides you through the driver installation.

2. Select Install from a list or specific location (Advanced) on the

first window of the Found New Hardware Wizard and click

Next to proceed.

3. Select the Search for the best driver in these locations radio

button, and the then enter your CD-ROM drive. Click

Include this location in the search check box,

d:\Drivers\WinXP where d is the drive letter of

Next to proceed to the next

window.

4. If a warning appears stating that AirCard 555 has not

passed Windows Logo testing, click

Continue Anyway.

5. Click Finish and repeat steps 1 to 4 as prompted.

6. Click OK when prompted that the AirCard 555 has been

successfully installed.

On completion of this step, the driver is installed and you can proceed to install the Venturi software. This is described in the “Venturi Software Installation” section on page 33.

Windows NT Driver Installation

Since Windows NT does not have the “Plug and Play” feature included in other Windows operating systems, installing the AirCard driver requires more steps. Installation involves:

• Verifying that your PC Card slots are enabled

• Checking whether Networking is installed

• Installing the network card driver (procedures depend on

whether or not Networking is already installed)

• Installing the modem driver

• Verifying that RAS (Remote Access Service) is installed

Note: You must re-install the Windows NT Service Pack after you install the AirCard driver. Ensure you have your Service Pack CD before you begin. (Version 6a is supported.)

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Chapter 3: Installation on Notebook PCs

Note: Windows system files may also be required to complete the installation. These files are located on the Windows NT CD and may also be stored as CAB files on your hard drive. If the .CAB files are not available to you, the recommendation is to copy the Windows NT driver from the AirCard CD to a directory on your hard drive. The Windows NT driver is located on the AirCard installation CD in the directory \Drivers\WinNT.

Windows NT Users: Your P C must be off whenever you insert or eject the AirCard.

1. If your PC is on, close any Windows programs that are

running and shut down the PC.

2. Attach the antenna to the AirCard, and with the label

facing up, carefully insert the AirCard into your PC Card slot. Turn on your PC.

3. If the AirCard installation CD is not already in your CD-

ROM drive, insert it.

4. If the CD start-up menu is displayed, use the exit option in

the lower left corner of the screen to exit the menu.

Verifying That the PC Card Slots Are Enabled:

5. Open the Control Panel by selecting Start > Settings >

Control Panel

from the taskbar.

6. Double click the PC Card icon.

7. If a window titled PC Card (PCMCIA) Properties appears,

the slots are already enabled. Close this window and proceed to the next section.

8. If the PC Card (PCMCIA) Wizard appears, the slots are not

yet enabled, and the wizard guides you through the installation process. (Generally it is sufficient to click each window.) Click

Finish on the final window and you

should be prompted to restart your PC. Click

Next at

Yes and

allow the PC to shut down. Then restart it.

on Notebook PCs

Installation and Use

Determining Whether Networking is Installed:

1. If the Control Panel is not open, select Start > Settings >

Control Panel

2. Double click the Network icon.

3. If the Network window opens, networking is already

installed. Proceed to the section “Installing the Network Card Driver When Networking Is Already Installed” on page 31.

4. If a dialog box appears, prompting you to install

Networking, the component has not yet been installed. Proceed to the section “Installing the Network Card Driver When Networking Has Not Been Installed” that follows.

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AirCard 555 Network Card User Guide

Installing the Network Card Driver When Networking Has Not Been Installed:

1. Click Yes at the prompt, “Do you want to install it now?”

to launch the wizard that installs Networking.

2. Click the check boxes on the first window of the wizard so

that

Wired to the network: is checked and Remote access to the

network:

is NOT checked. Click Next to proceed.

3. Click the Select from list... button to open the Select

Network Adapter window.

4. Click the Have Disk... button to open the Insert Disk

window.

5. If you have copied the driver from the AirCard installation

CD to your hard drive, enter the path to the driver and click

OK to open the Select OEM Option window.

6. If you are installing the driver from the AirCard instal-

lation CD, enter for your CD-ROM drive and click

d:\Drivers\WinNT where d is the drive letter

OK to open the Select

OEM Option window.

7. If Sierra Wireless AirCard 555 is highlighted, click OK. The

Sierra Wireless AirCard 555 should appear in the Network Setup Wizard under Network Adapters. Otherwise click

Cancel and repeat the previous two steps.

8. Click Next to display a list of network protocols.

9. Ensure TCP/IP Protocol is checked (as well as any other

protocols appropriate to your network configuration) and click

Next to display a list of network services.

10. Select the services appropriate to your network configu-

ration and click

Next. (For the purpose of installing the

AirCard 555, it does not matter what selections you make in this window.)

11. Click Next.

12. If the Windows NT Setup window appears, system files

are required to install the components you checked. Either insert the Windows NT CD and enter your CD-ROM drive letter, or enter the path to the .CAB files. Click

Continue.

Note: Use the Windows NT Diagnostics window to locate an available IRQ and I/O space. Make note of the Com Port that you use to install the network card driver. You must enter the same Com Port when installing the modem driver.

13. Use the drop down menus to select an I/O Port, Interrupt,

Memory, and Com Port, noting that the AirCard 555 requires 1 IRQ and 40 bytes of I/O Space. Click

Continue.

14. If the Windows NT Setup window appears again, enter the

path to your CD-ROM drive or the CAB files.

15. Click Yes at the DHCP prompt to proceed to a display of

network bindings. (DHCP or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is required by the AirCard 555 regardless of your network configuration.)

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