Smc 2512W-B User Guide

SMC2512W-B EU

Copyright

Information furnished by SMC Networks, Inc. (SMC) is believed to be accurate and reliable. How ever,
no responsibility is assumed by SMC for its use, nor for any infringements of patents or other rights of
third parties which may result from its use. No license is granted by implication or otherwise under any
patent or patent rights of SMC. SMC reserves the right to change specifications at any time without
notice.

Copyright © 2004 by
SMC Networks, Inc.
38 Tesla
Irvine, California 92618
All rights reserved.

Trademarks

SMC is a registered trademark; and EliteConnect is a trademark of SMC Networks. Other product and
company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

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EC Conformance Declaration CE 0560 (!)

SMC contact for these products in Europe is:
SMC Networks Europe,
Edificio Conata II,
Calle Fructuós Gelabert 6-8, 2o , 4 a ,
08970 - Sant Joan Despí,
Barcelona, Spain.

This RF product complies with R&TTE Directive 99/5/EC. For the evaluation of the compliance with
this Directive, the following standards were applied:

• Electromagnetic compatibility and radio spectrum matters (ERM)
EN300 328-1 (2001-12)
EN300 328-2 (2001-12)

• Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Standard for radio equipment and services
EN301 489-1
EN301 489-17

• Safety Test
EN60950

Safety Compliance
Wichtige Sicherheitshinweise (Germany)

1. Bitte lesen Sie diese Hinweise sorgfältig durch.

2. Heben Sie diese Anleitung für den späteren Gebrauch auf.

3. Vor jedem Reinigen ist das Gerät vom Stromnetz zu trennen. V erwenden Sie
keine Flüssigoder Aerosolreiniger. Am besten eignet sich ein angefeuchtetes
Tuch zur Reinigung.

4. Die Netzanschlu ßsteckdose soll nahe dem Gerät angebracht und leicht
zugänglich sein.

5. Das Gerät ist vor Feuchtigkeit zu schützen.

6. Bei der Aufstellung des Gerätes ist auf sicheren Stand zu achten. Ein Kippen
oder Fallen könnte Beschädigungen hervorrufen.

7. Die Belüftungsöffnungen dienen der Luftzirkulation, die das Gerät vor
Überhitzung schützt. Sorgen Sie dafür, daß diese Öffnungen nicht abgedeckt
werden.

8. Beachten Sie beim Anschluß an das Stromnetz die Anschlußwerte.

9. Verlegen Sie die Netzanschlußleitung so, daß niemand darüber fallen kann.
Es sollte auch nichts auf der Leitung abgestellt werden.

10. Alle Hinweise und Warnungen, die sich am Gerät befinden, sind zu beachten.

11.Wird das Gerät über einen längeren Zeitraum nicht benutzt, sollten Sie es vom
Stromnetz trennen. Somit wird im Falle einer Überspannung eine
Beschädigung vermieden.

12. Durch die Lüftungsöffnungen dürfen niemals Gegenstände oder Flüssigkeiten
in das Gerät gelangen. Dies könnte einen Brand bzw. elektrischen Schlag
auslösen.

13.Öffnen sie niemals das Gerät. Das Gerät darf aus Gründen der elektrischen
Sicherheit nur von authorisiertem Servicepersonal geöffnet werden.

14.Wenn folgende Situationen auftreten ist das Gerät vom Stromnetz zu trennen
und von einer qualifizierten Servicestelle zu überprüfen:
a. Netzkabel oder Netzstecker sind beschädigt.
b. Flüssigkeit ist in das Gerät eingedrungen.
c. Das Gerät war Feuchtigkeit ausgesetzt.
d. Wenn das Gerät nicht der Bedienungsanleitung entsprechend funktioniert
oder Sie mit Hilfe dieser Anleitung keine Verbesserung erzielen.
e. Das Gerät ist gefallen und/oder das Gehäuse ist beschädigt.
f. Wenn das Gerät deutliche Anzeichen eines Defektes aufweist.

15. Stellen Sie sicher, daß die Stromversorgung dieses Gerätes nach der EN
60950 geprüft ist. Ausgangswerte der Stromversorgung sollten die Werte von

2

AC 7,5 -8V, 50-60Hz nicht über oder unterschreiten sowie den minimalen
Strom von 1A nicht unterschreiten.
Der arbeitsplatzbezogene Schalldruckpegel nach DIN 45 635 Teil 1000 beträgt
70dB(A) oder weniger.

3

1| Overview

The new SMC2512W-B EU provides wireless LAN access to desktop computers with an available
PCI slot. It offers an incredi ble transmit power of 100mW, one of the highest in the industry. The
SMC EliteConnect 802.11b High Power Wireless PCI Card provides an operating range up to 3 times
greater than the standard 802.11b wireless clients. Since it has the ability to significant ly decrease
indoor multi-path distortion, users will experience dramatic improvements in the quality and through­put of their wireless networking. Equipped with a detachable antenna with two available MMCX con­nectors, users can connect an optional high gain antenna (SMCANT-OM5) to increase the already
superior range of the SMC2512W-B EU.

Based on the IEEE 802.11b standard, this new product can be configured for Ad-hoc mode
(Peer-to-Peer) or Infrastructure mode (communication to the wired network via an Access Point).
Since it is based on 802.11b standard, it is interoperable among different 802.11b compliant vendors.
The included EZ Installation Wizard enables quick and easy setup.

The new SMC2512W-B EU 802.11b High Power Wireless PCI Card consists of two components:
SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card and SMC2531W-B EU Wireless PC Card. The SMC2512W-B EU PCI
Card is a high-performance PCI Card that bridges between PCI and PC Card desktop computer in­terfaces. It is compliant with both 16-bit and 32-bit PC Card specification defined in PCMCIA Release

2.1 and JEIDA 4.1 notes, plus it is able to support any combination of 8-bit, 16-bit, or 32-bit PC Cards
in one socket that has 3.3V or 5.0V power requirements. The SMC2531W-B EU is an 802.11b High
Power Wireless PC Card that connects with an existing Ethernet installation so wireless users can
gain instant network access and resources. This combined solution becomes EliteConnect 802.11b
High Power Wireless PCI Card which enables superior performance, range and reliability for wireless
desktop users.

2| Features

• PCI Local Bus Specification Revision 2.2 compliant

• 95/97 PC Card Standard compliant

• 3.3V or 5V operation

• IEEE 802.11b compliant

• 2.4GHz frequency band

• Uses Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) technology

• High data rates at up to 11 Mbps

• Transmit power up to 100mW

• Up to 2,700 feet of operating range

• Detachable antenna with MMCX connectors

• EZ Installation Wizard

• Ad-hoc or Infrastructure mode

• Advanced Enterprise level security and RADIUS authentica tion

• Profile management

• Site survey software

4

5

3| System Requirements

• IBM PC compatible computer

• An available PCI expansion slot

• CDROM drive

• Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP

• Minimum of 32MB RAM and 300 MHz CPU

• Minimum of 1 MB available hard disk space for utility and driver installation

• Another IEEE 802.11b compliant device installed in your network, such as the

SMC2804WBRP-G Barricade g 2.4GHz 54 Mbps Wireless Cable/DSL Broadband Router, or
another PC with a wireless adapter, such as the SMC2662W EZ Connect 2.4GHz 11 Mbps
Wireless USB Adapter

6

4| Package Contents

After unpacking the EliteConnect 2.4GHz 802.11b High Power Wireless PCI Card, check the contents
of the box to be sure you have received the following components:

• 1 SMC2512W -B EU EliteConnect PCI Card

• 1 SMC2531W -B EU EliteConnect High Power Wireless PC Card

• 1 EZ Installation Wizard and Documentation CD

• 1 Quick Installation Guide

Immediately inform your dealer in the event of any incorrect, missing or damaged parts. If possible,
please retain the carton and original packing materials in case there is a need to return the product.

Please register this product and upgrade the product warranty at SMC's web site:

http://www.smc.com

7

5| Getting Started

Warning: This network adapter requires a PC and BIOS that supports the PCI Local Bus Specific a-

tion v2.2 or later. If you are installing in an older computer model, upgrade the BIOS to the latest ver­sion. In addition, network cards are sensitive to static electricity. To protect the card, avoid touching its
electrical components and always touch the metal chassis of your computer before handling the card.

1. Switch off the computer, unplug the power cord, and remove the c omputer’s cover.

2. Select an available PCI slot and remove the cover bracket.

3. Install the SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card into the slot so that it is firmly seated. Screw the card’s
bracket securely into the computer’s chassis.

Note: Be careful that it doe s not touch any conducting parts on the computer motherboard.

4. Attach the SMC2531W-B EU Wireless PC Card to the PC card socket of the SMC2512W-B EU PCI
Card.

5. Replace the chassis cover on your computer and power it on.

6. The Wireless PCI Card should be automatically configured by the host computer’s BIOS. However,
if you have an older computer, you may have to manually configure the computer’s BIOS settings.

8

6| Driver Installation – Option 1 (EZ Installation Wizard –
Recommended)

Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP

NOTE: Installation processes will require the use of your original, licensed copy of Windows. Please

have your Windows CD available BEFORE proceeding with the installation.
This installation method makes the process as simple and Plug-and-Play as possible. Simply run the

EZ Installation Wizard, reboot your machine and insert your EliteConnect 2.4GHz 802.11b High
Power Wireless PCI Card. It's as easy as 1-2-3.

Step 1: Insert the EZ Installation Wizard and Documentation CD.

Step 2: Click the [Install Driver/Utility] button. For Windows XP, skip to Step 7.
For Windows 98SE/ME/2000, follow the installation instructions for the Winroute Setup Pr o-

gram.
Step 3: The welcome dialog box appears. Click Next> to continue.

Step 4: The Software License Agreement dialog box appears. Read through the software license

agreement, and then click Yes to continue setup procedure.

9

Step 5: The setup program will automatically identify the running system, install corresponding sof t­ware, and configure your system for the SMC2512-B EU PCI Card. Select the destination folder (de­fault folder recommended) and click [Next>] button to co ntinue.

Step 6: Following the completion of software driver setup, the Setu p complete dialog box appears.
Click Finish to complete the software setup. Click “No, I will restart my computer later”. Continue to
install the SMC2531W-B EU driver and utility.

Step 7: The SMC2531W -B EU Install will begin. Click [Next>] to begin the installation.

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Step 8: You will be given the option to choose the location where the Configuration Utility will be in­stalled. It is recommended to leave this at the default value. Click [N ext >] to continue.

Step 9: You will also be given the option to choose the Folder name that will appear in the Start Menu.
It is recommended to leave this at the default value. Click [Next >] to continue.

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Step 10: Click [Next] to begin copying the utility files to y our computer.

Step 11: You have now completed the utility installation process. Click [Finish] to exit the wizard.

Step 12: Please shut down your machine and install your SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card first and then

insert the SMC2531W-B EU Wireless PC Card to the PC Card socket of the SMC2512W-B EU PCI
Card. Finally, boot up the operating system.

Section 6.1| Other Setup Processes

The following are Operating System-specific options that may appear during this installation proce­dure:

Windows 98SE/ME: If you are using Windows 98SE, you must have your original Windows CD on
hand. In Windows ME, the installation process is fully Plug-and-Play.

Windows 2000/XP: Select [Install the software automatically] if prompted and click [Next] to co mplete
the installation.

Continue to the Utility Configuration section for documentation on how to use the utility application for
your SMC2531W-B EU Wireless PC Card.

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7| Driver Installation – Option 2 (Manually)
Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP

Section 7.1| Installing SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card - Software Setup

The device driver software contained in the Setup program is necessary for appropriate operation of
the SMC2512-B EU PCI Card. Together with the special IRQ steering circuit embedded in the chipset,
the driver software accomplishes necessary hardware configuration and IRQ routing emulation for the
SMC2512-B EU PCI Card.

Included in the Setup program are software drivers for various operating systems, including Windows
98SE/ME/2000.

NOTE: SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card in Windows XP requires no software setup. For all the other
supported system, software setup should be performed first, then install the WLAN PC card driver.

A setup program is provided to automatically identify the running system and install corresponding
software driver accordingly. Please refer to following instructions to install the device driver software
for your SMC2512-B EU PCI Card.

* If your system is Windows XP, you can skip this chapter.

1. Power on your computer with Windows 98SE/ME/2000.

2. Insert the EZ Installation Wizard and Documentation CD into your CDROM drive.

3. Click on the Start button on the task bar to open the start menu.

Click on Run, the Run dialog box appears.

4.

In the text box, type in d:\Winroute\Setup.exe (where d: is the CDROM driver letter) to execute

5.

the setup program.
The welcome dialog box appears, click Next> to continue setup.

6.

7. The Software License Agreement dialog box appears. Read through the software license agree-

ment, and then click Yes to continue setup procedure.

13

8. The setup program will automatically identify the running system, install corresponding software,

and configure your system for the SMC2512-B PCI Card. Following the completion of software
driver setup, the Setup complete dialog box appears.

9. Click Finish to complete the software setup.

Section 7.2 | Installing SMC2512W -B EU PCI Card - Hardware Setup

CAU TION: Do not install the SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card until the software setup is completed.

After software setup, please refer to following instructions to install your SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card.

1. Before installing your SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card, please power off your computer and remove
the power plug from the wall outlet.

2. Disassemble and remove the cover of your computer. For instructions on removing the cover of
your computer, please refer to the manual provided with your computer.

3. Locate a free PCI slot, install the PCI adapter into the slot and utilize the mounting screw to se­cure the PCI adapter in place.

4. Replace and secure the cover of your computer.

14

5. Re-connect the power plug back to the wall outlet and power on your computer . Hardware setup
is now completed.

Section 7.3 | Installing SMC2531W -B EU Wireless PC Card

Windows 98SE
NOTE: Installation processes will require the use of your original, licensed copy of Windows. Please

have your Windows CD available BEFORE proceeding with the installation.
Step 1: After you have inserted the SMC2531W-B EU Wireless PC Card into the PC card socket of

the SMC2512W -B EU PCI Card, which has already installed in your machine, the Operating System
will aut omatically recognize the adapter and prompt you for the appropriate drivers. Click the [Next >]
button to begin the installation.

Step 2: Insert the Driver CD and select the [Search for the best driver for your device] option and click
[Next >].

Step 3: Clear all checkboxes except for [Specify a location:]. Then press the [Browse] button and look
for the drivers on your CD-ROM. Browse to ?: \ Driver. (Note: The "?" equals the letter of your CD-ROM
drive. In most cases, this is D .)

Step 4: The system should find the drivers. Click the [Next >] button to continue the installation. The
wizard will show "SMC2531W-B EU EliteConnect High Power Wireless Adapter".

(Note: If the system could not find the drivers, click the [< Back] button, and select the [Display a list of
all the drivers...] option. Select [Network Adapters] from the list of devices, press [Have Disk] and
once again browse to the location of the drivers)

Step 5: Once the system has copied the SMC drivers from the CD, it may then request files from your
original Windows disk. Please insert the Windows CD at this time.

Step 6: The system will copy the files. Do NOT press [Cancel].
Step 7: Once all the necessary files are copied from the Windows CD, the driver install process will

be complete. Click [Finish] to exit the wizard.
Step 8: You will then be prompted to reboot the machine. Press [Yes]. Upon reboot, the

SMC2531W-B EU will be initialized and ready for use.

Windows ME
NOTE: Installation processes will require the use of your original, licensed copy of Windows. Please

have your Windows CD available BEFORE proceeding with the installation.
Step 1: After you have inserted the SMC2531W-B EU Wireless PC Card into the PC card socket of

the SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card, which has already installed in your machine, the Operating System
will automatically recognize the adapter and prompt you for the appropriate drivers. Select the [Spec­ify the location of the driver] option. Then click the [Next >] button to begin the installation.

Step 2: Insert the Driver CD and select the [Specify a location:] option. Clear the [Removable Media]
checkbox. Then press the [Browse] button and look for the drivers on your CD. This should be located
in ?: \Driver. (Note: The ? equals the letter of your CD-ROM drive. In most cases, this is D.) Then click
[ Next >].

Step 3: The system should find the drivers. Click the [Next >] button to continue the installation.
(Note: If the system could not find the drivers, click the [< Back] button, and select the [Display a list of

all the drivers] option. Select [Network Adapters] from the list of devices, press [Have Disk] and once

15

again browse to the location of the drivers)
Step 4: Once all the necessary files have been copied, the driver installation is complete. Click [Finish]

to exit the wizard.
Step 5: You will then be prompted to reboot the machine. Press [Y es]. Upon reboot, the

SMC2531W-B EU will be initialized and ready for use.

Windows 2000
Step 1: After you have inserted the SMC2531W-B EU Wireless PC Card into the PC card socket of

the SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card, which has already installed in your machine, the Operating System
will aut omatically recognize the adapter and prompt you for the appropriate drivers. Click the [Next >]
button to begin the installation.

Step 2: Insert the Driver CD and select the [ Search for a suitable driver...] option. Then click [Next >].
Step 3: Clear all checkboxes except for [ Specify a location]. Then click [Next >].
Step 4: You will then be prompted to enter the location of the drivers. This should be ?:\Driver. (Note:

The ? equals the letter of your CD-ROM drive. In most cases, this is D.) Then click [OK]. You can also
click [Browse] and browse to the location of the drivers on the CD for further verification.

Step 5: The system should find the drivers. Click the [Next >] button to continue the installation.
(Note: If the system could not find the drivers, click the [< Back] button, and select the [Display a list of

the known drivers...] option. Select [Network Adapters] from the list of devices, press [Have Disk] and
once again browse to the location of the drivers)

Step 6: You have now completed the driver installation. Click [Finish] to initialize the adapter.

Window s XP
Step 1: After you have inserted the SMC2531W-B EU Wireless PC Card into the PC card socket of

the SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card, which has already installed in your machine, the Operating System
will automatically recognize the adapter and prompt you for the appropriate drivers. Select [Install
from a list or specific location] and click the [ Next >] button to begin the installation.

Step 2: Insert the Driver CD and check the [Include this location in the search] option. Make sure the
[Search removable media] option is not checked. Click [Browse] and find the location of the drivers.
This should be ?:\Driver. (Note: The ? equals the letter of your CD-ROM drive. In most cases, this is

D.) Then click [Next >].
Step 3: This process will be completed once the drivers are copied to the hard drive and installed.

Please click [Finish] to exit the wizard.
After clicking [Finish], you will see the following message in your system tray:

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8 | Utility Installation
Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP

This Installation method makes the process as simple and Plug -and-Play as possible. Simply run the
EZ Installation Wizard, reboot your machine and insert your SMC2531W-B EU EliteConnect High
Power Wireless Adapter into the PC Card socket of the SMC2512W-B EUPCI Card. It's as easy as
1-2-3.

Step 1: Insert the EZ Installation Wizard and Documentation CD.
Step 2: Click the [Install Driver/Utility] button.

Step 3: The installation wizard will begin. Click [Next >].

Step 4: You will be given the option to choose the location where the Configuration Utility will be in-

stalled. It is recommended to leave this at the default value. Click [N ext >] to continue.

17

You will also be given the option to choose the Folder name that will appear in the Start Menu. It is
recommended to leave this at the default value. Click [Next >] to continue.

Step 5: Click [ Next] to begin copying the utility files to your computer.

You have now completed the utility installation process. Click [Finish] to exit the wizard.

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Step 6: Please shut down your machine and insert your PC Card. Finally, boot up the operating sys­tem.

8.1 | Utility Configuration

When the utility program is running, there will be a quick launch icon in the lower right-hand corner of
the taskbar. The icon will be GREEN if you have a good connection to a wireless network. If it is red,
you will need to verify the network settings and check to be sure that the Wireless Access Point on
your network is turned on. You may also need to re -position the Access Point and place it in a higher
position so that you are able to gain more wireless signal strength.

Double-click the quick launch icon in the system tray to bring up the Configuration Utility. This pro­vides quick access to management statistics and adapter settings.

The Configuration Utility includes the following tabs:
Configuration: Allows you to implement Profile Management, edit SSID data, change the Tx Rate

and Operating mode, and enable 64/128-bit WEP.
Link Information: Allows you to view/monitor network status, throughput and wireless channel infor-

mation

IP Information: Displays TCP/IP data and allows you to Release and Renew your IP addresses.
Site Survey: Displays all the Access Points within range of the wireless adapter's signal. Allows you

to select your desired WLAN.
Version Information: Shows the driver and utility version information.

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Section 8.2 | Configuration

When the Configuration Utility is initialized, the Configuration window may be immediately shown.
This will show you the current select profile of the wireless card. Click [New] to enter a new name for
the current profile. Click [Save] to save the current settings to the selected profile. Click [Delete] to
delete the current profile.

The options for Operating Mode are "802.11 Adhoc" and "Infrastructure". Adhoc networks consist of
wireless clients only. In Infrastructure networks, wireless clients connect to wired LANs via Wireless
Access Points. The options for Transmit Rate are "Auto", "1 Mbps", "2 Mbps", "5.5 Mbps", and "11
Mbps". The Channel can only be changed when you are connected to a Adhoc WLAN. The channel
must be configured to the same radio channel as that used by the other wireless client s in your group.

For more secure data transmissions, it is recommended to enable WEP on your WLAN. The utility
supports HEX, ASCII and Passphrase key entries.

For the HEX Key Format, the security is enabled by entering 10-digit keys for the 64-bit WEP con­figuration, and 26-digit keys for a 128-bit WEP configuration. Allowed hex keys are 0-9, A-F and a-f.
Select the desired encryption strength (64-bit or 128-bit) and then enter the appropriate keys in Key 1,
2, 3, or 4. Remember to select the correct "Default Key" and then click [Apply Changes].

For the ASCII Key Format, the security is enabled by entering 5 -digit keys for the 64-bit WEP con­figuration, and 13-digit keys for a 128 -bit WEP configuration. Then enter the appropriate keys in Key 1,
2, 3, or 4. Remember to select the correct "Default Key" and then click [Apply Changes].

You can also check the "Passphrase" option and enter the desired value in the box to the right of
Passphrase. You must be sure to use the same passphrase on all other wireless clients/Access
Points. A passphrase string can consist of up to 32 alphanumberic characters.

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Section 8.3 | Link Information

Associated BSS ID: Shows the MAC Address of the associated Access Point
Current Tx Rate: Current transmit rate value
Channel: Displays the channel configured on your Access Point
Throughput: Number of packets sent and received
SSID: Workgroup name of the wireless network that you are connected to
Link Quality: Shows the relative link quality (e.g., lack of frame errors) of the wireless connection to

the Access Point.
Signal Strength: Shows the relative signal strength of the wireless connection to the Access Point.

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Section 8.4 | IP Information

The IP Information screen displays network connection information and allows you to Release and
Renew your IP settings.

Section 8.5 | Site Survey

The Site Survey tab scans and displays all Access Points on the wireless LAN. The data is organized
by columns signifying the "SSID", "BSSID", "Channel", "Encryption", "Signal", and "Network Type".
The key symbol in the Encryption column signifies that the network is encrypted. You will need to ob­tain the WEP information from the network administrator. To choose a network, simply double-click
the "SSID".

22

Section 8.6 | Version Information

The Version Information screen displays the Driver and Application version information.

23

9 | Disable Wireless Zero Configuration in Windows XP

It is recommended that you use the SMC2531W-B EU Configuration Utility to manage your High
Power Wireless PC Card. If you are using the SMC utility in Windows XP, you will need to disable the
Wireless Zero Configuration. Follow the instructions below.

Go to [Control Panel] and open [Network Connections]. Right-click the [Wireless Network Connection],
and select [Properties]. Select the "Wireless Networks" tab and uncheck the [Use Windows to config­ure my wireless network settings] check box.

24

between the Access

between the Access

10 | SMC Networks EliteConnect High Power Wireless PCI Card
Maximum Distance Table

Important Notice

Maximum distances posted below are actual tested distance thresholds. However, there are many
variables such as barrier composition and construction, as well as local environmental inte rference
that may impact your actual distances and cause you to experience distance thresholds far lower than
those posted below. If you have any questions or comments regarding the features or performance of
this product, or if you would like information regarding our full line of wireless products, you can visit
us at www.smc.com, or you can call us toll-free at 800.SMC.4YOU. SMC Networks stands behind
every product sold with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee and a limited-lifetime warranty.

802.11b Wirele ss Distance Table

Environmental

Condition

11 Mbps 5.5 Mbps 2 Mbps 1 Mbps
Outdoors: A
line-of-sight
environment with no
interference or ob­struction

Point
and users.
Indoors: A typical
office or
home environment
with
floor to ceiling ob­structions

120 m

(394 ft)

85 m

(279 ft)

Speed and Distance Ranges

225 m

(738 ft)

165 m

(541 ft)

465 m

(1525 ft)

315 m

(1033 ft)

830 m

(2722 ft)

475 m

(1558 ft)

Point
and users.

25

11 | Troubleshooting

Common Installation Problems

Problems are often caused by conflicts with other devices installed in the same computer, or software
that has been configured incorrectly. If you encounter a problem with the EliteConnect SMC2512W-B
EU 2.4GHz High Power PCI Card, use the following checklists to identify and correct the problem.

• If your computer cannot find the Wireless Card, or the network driver does not install correctly,
check the following items before contacting SMC Technical Support

o Make sure the cards are securely seated in the PCI slot and PC Card socket slot.

Check for any hardware problems, such as physical damage to the cards.

o Try the card in another PCI slot. If this fails, test the card in a completely diffe rent

system or try using a second Wireless Card in that particular slot.

o Check for resource conflicts
o Make sure your computer is using the latest BIOS available. Contact the manufac-

turer of the laptop, motherboard for information on updating the BIOS (e.g. – Dell,
Toshiba, etc)

o If there are other network cards in the computer, they may be causing conflicts. Re-

move all other cards from the computer and test the Wireless Card separately.

Network Connection Problems
There may be a network connection problem if the LED on the card does not light, or if you cannot

access any network resources from the computer. Check the following items before contacting SMC
Technical Support.

• Make sure the correct network card driver is installed for your operating system. If necessary,
try uninstalling and reinstalling the driver. To do this, first shut down your machine and re­move your SMC adapter. Then boot up and open up your Start Menu, go to Programs, click
the "SMC2531W-B EU 2.4GHz High Power WLAN Utility" program folder and choose
"Uninstall". Reboot the machine when requested to do so. Then insert your Driver CD and run
the Setup.exe utility again. Then shut down the computer, reinsert your SMC adapter and
boot up the machine. The OS should properly reinstall the adapter during this time.

• Make sure the computer and other network devices are receiving power. If you suspect a
power outlet to be faulty, plug another device into it to verify that it is working.

• If your wireless station cannot communicate with a computer on the Ethernet LAN when con­figured for Infrastructure mode, try changing the wireless channel on the AP. Make sure the
SSID is the same as that used by the AP for a station with roaming disabled, or the same as
that used by the AP's in the extended service set (ESS).

• The Access Point you are trying to attach to is defective or may not be configured properly to
accept your signal. Check with the administrator of your wireless network for more information
on connecting to the LAN. Also run the necessary diagnostics on the AP to make sure the unit
is fully operational .

• If you cannot access the Internet, be sure to check with the ISP for further instructions once
the drivers for the Wireless Card are installed properly.

Compaq DeskPro EN issue

If your computer is COMPAQ DeskPro EN series, you may encounter the following problems: System
freezes while booting up after installing SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card in the computer.

Solution:
Before installing the PCI Card, please go to Http://www.compaq.com/ to download the latest version

of ROMPaq ROM Image (V2.11 or later); the follow the instructions COMPAQ provides to update the
system BIOS. You can install the software and hardware of SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card without prob­lems after the BIOS is updated.

26

As setup program is pro vided to automatically identify the running system and install corresponding
software driver accordingly. Please refer to above instructions to install the device driver sof tware for
your SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card.

PCI card installation

If you have problem with inserting SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card into the PCI socket of your computer,
please DO NOT push and enforce the card into the socket. This may cause unexpected damage to
your WLAN card or SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card. At this condition, turn the card over and try it again.

27

12 | Specifications

SMC2512W-B EU PCI Card

Standards

• PCI Local Bus Specification 2.2

• PC Card 95/97 PC-16 Standard Specification

• ACPI (PCI Power Management 1.0)

Interface

• PCI interface card

Dimension

• 6.75” (L) X 4.75” (W) [including PC Card]

Weight

• 0.28 lbs [including PC Card]

Ambient Temperature

• 0oC~70oC

Storage Temperature

• -40oC~125oC

Operating Systems

• Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP

Power Supply Current (Operating)

• 50mA

SMC2531W-B EU

Standards

• IEEE 802.11b

Interface

• 16-bit PCMCIA Interface, Type II

Data Rate

• 11, 5.5, 2 and 1 Mbps per channel, Auto Fall -Back

Operating Range

• Up to 2,700 feet

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Network Configuration

• Ad-Hoc (Peer to Peer)

• Infrastructure

Modulation

• Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (CCK, DQPSK, DBPSK)

Security

• 64-/128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)

• 802.1x

• EAP -MD5

• EAP -TLS

• EAP -TTLS

• LEAP

• WPA* (Available under Windows XP. Support for Windows 98SE/ME/2000 will be available Q2

2004)

Operating Frequency

• Europe (ETSI) 13 Channels: 2.412GHz~2.472GHz

Operating Channels

• 13 Europe

RF Output Power

• 100mW

Sensitivity

• 11Mbps< -85dBm

• 5.5Mbps<-88dBm

• 2Mbps<-90dBm

• 1Mbps<-93dBm

Operating Systems

• Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP

Antenna Gain

• 0.23 dBi

Antenna Type

• Two MMCX reverse connectors, support RX diversity

LED Indicators

• Link

• Power

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Power Voltage

• 5.0 VDC ± 5%

Power Consumption

• TX power consumption: <450mA

• RX power consumption <350 mA

• Power Save consumption 60 mA

Compliance

• ETS 300 328

• ETS 300 826

• CE

Operating Temperature

• 0 ~ 55F

Storage Temperature

• -10 ~ 65F

Humidity (non-condensing)
Operating

• 90%

Storage

• 5~95%

30

13 | Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Wireless LAN?

A local area network that transmits over the air typically in an unlicensed frequency such as the

2.4GHz band. A wireless LAN does not require lining up devices for line of sight transmission like IrDA.
Wireless access points (base stations) are connected to an Ethernet hub or server and transmit a ra­dio frequency over an area of several hundred to a thousand feet which can penetrate walls and other
non-metal barriers. Roaming users can be handed off from one access point to another like a cellular
phone system. Laptops use wireless network cards that plug into an existing PCMCIA slot or that are
self contained on PC cards, while stand-alone desktops and servers use plug-in cards (ISA, PCI,
etc.).

What is AD-HOC?
An AD-HOC network is a peer to peer network where all the nodes are wireless clients. As an exam-

ple, two PC’s with wireless adapters can communicate with each other as long as they are within
range. A wireless extension point can extend the range of an AD -HOC network.

What is the 802.11 standard?
A family of IEEE standards for wireless LANs first introduced in 1997. 802.11 provides 1 or 2 Mbps

transmission in the 2.4GHz band using either a frequency hopping modulation (FHSS) technique or
direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS), which is also known as CDMA. The 802.11b standard de­fines an 11 Mbps data rate in the 2.4GHz band, 802.11g-draft standard defines 54 Mbps in the

2.4GHz band, and the 802.11a standard defines 54 Mbps in the 5GHz band.
What is Infrastructure?
In order for your wireless components to interact with traditional wired networks they need a media

bridge to translate for them. This is where INFRASTRUCTURE or Network mode comes into play. An
ACCESS POINT is attached to the network using CAT-5 Ethernet cable attaching to a hub, switch or
another PC. Wireless PC’s can then communicate to Wired Ethernet computers through this access
point. Th e total range of the network is limited to a radius around this Access Point. To increase the
range, extra Access Points may be wired into the network. These Access Points talk to each other
over the hard -wired Ethernet cables however, they cannot communicate wirelessly to one another and
they must be wired to the same network. Individual wireless PC’s can move between Access Points
on the same network seamlessly due to a feature called ROAMING.

What is Tx Rate?
Tx-Rate or TRANSFER RATE is the current speed at which the network component is operating.

SMC-802.11b products can operate at speeds of 1Mb, 2Mb, 5.5Mb, & 11Mbps. A wireless card set to
AUTO will attempt to connect at whatever speed will give the best throughput on the network.

What is RTS Threshold ?
(Request To Send) An RS-232 signal sent from the transmitting station to the receiving station re-

questing permission to transmit. RTS is a collision avoidance method used by all 802.11b wireless
networking devices. In most cases you will not need to activate or administer RTS. Only if you find
yourself in an Infrastructure environment where all nodes are in range of the Access Point but may be
out of range of each other. It is recommended to leave this setting at its default value leaving this fea­ture disabled.

What is Authentication Algorithm?
Authentication Algorithm is the means by which one station is authorized to communicate with another.

In an Open System, any station can request authorization in accordance with the WECA standard. In
a Shared key system, only stations that possess a secret encrypted key may participate in the net­work. This is a low level security key which allows the equipment with the shared key algorithm to see
each other on the wireless lan.

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What is DBI?
The ability of the antenna to shape the signal and focus it in a particular direction is called Antenna

Gain, and is expressed in terms of how much stronger the signal in the desired direction is, compared
to the worst possible antenna, which distributes the signal evenly in all directions (an Isotropic Radi a­tor). To express the relationship to the Isotropic reference, this is abbreviated: "dBi". The typical
omni-directional "stick" antenna is rated at 6-8 dBi, indicating that that by redirecting the signal that
would have gone straight up or down to the horizontal level, 4 times as much signal is available hori­zontally. A parabolic reflector design can easily achieve 24 dBi.

What is WEP?
Short for Wired Equivalent Privacy, WEP is a security protocol for wireless local area networks

(WLANs) defined in the 802.11b and 802.11a standards.
WEP is designed to provide the same level of security as that of a wired LAN. LANs are inherently

more secure than WLANs because LANs are somewhat protected by the physicalities of their struc­ture, having some or all part of the network inside a building that can be protected from unauthorized
access. WLANs, which are over radio waves, do not have the same physical structure and therefore
are more vulnerable to tampering.

WEP aims to provide security by encrypting data over radio waves so that it is protected as it is
transmitted from one end point to another. The Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) feature uses the RC4
PRNG algorithm developed by RSA Data Security, Inc.

If your wireless access point supports MAC filtering, it is recommended that you use this feature in
addition to WEP (MAC filtering is much more secure than encryption).

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14 | Terminology

10BaseT - Physical Layer Specification for Twisted-Pair Ethernet using Unshielded Twisted Pair wire
at 10Mbps. This is the most popular type of LAN cable used today because it is very cheap and easy
to install. It uses RJ-45 connectors and has a cable length span of up to 100 meters. There are two
versions, STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) which is more expe nsive and UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair),
the most popular cable. These cables come in 5 different categories. However, only 3 are normally
used in LANs, Category 3, 4 and 5. CAT 3 TP (Twisted Pair) cable has a network data transfer rate of
up to 10Mbps. CA T 4 TP cable has a network data transfer rate of up to 16Mbps. CAT 5 TP cable has
a network data transfer rate of up to 100Mbps.

Access Point - A device that is able to receive wireless signals and transmit them to the wired network,
and vice versa - thereby creating a connection between the wireless and wired networks.

Ad Hoc - An ad hoc wireless LAN is a group of computers, each with LAN adapters, connected as an
independent wireless LAN.

Adapter - A device used to connect end-user nodes to the network; each contains an interface to a
specific type of computer or system bus, e.g. EISA, ISA, PCI, PCMCIA, CardBus, etc.

Auto -Negotiation - A signaling method that allows each node to define its operational mode (e.g.,
10/100 Mbps and half/full duplex) and to detect the operational mode of the adjacent node.

Backbone - The core infrastructure of a network. The portion of the network that transports inform a­tion from one central location to another central location where it is unloaded onto a local system.

Base Station - In mobile telecommunications, a base station is the central radio transmitter/receiver
that maintains communications with the mobile radiotelephone sets within its range. In cellular and
personal communications applications, each cell or micro-cell has its own base station; each base
station in turn is interconnected with other cells' bases.

BSS - BSS stands for "Basic Service Set". It is an Access Point and all the LAN PCs that are associ­ated with it.

CSMA/CA - Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance
DHCP - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. This protocol automatically configures the TCP/IP set-

tings of every computer on your home network.
DNS - DNS stands for Domain Name System, which allows Internet host computers to have a domain

name (such as www.smc.com) and one or more IP addresses (such as 192.34.45.8). A DNS server
keeps a database of host computers and their respective domain names and IP addresses, so that
when a domain name is requested (as in typing " www.smc.com" into your Internet browser), the user
is sent to the proper IP address. The DNS server address used by the computers on your home net­work is the location of the DNS server your ISP has assigned.

DSL - DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. A DSL modem uses your existing phone lines to trans­mit data at high speeds.

Ethernet - A standard for computer networks. Ethernet networks are connected by special cables and
hubs, and move data around at up to 10 million bits per second (Mbps).

ESS - ESS (ESS-ID, SSID) stands for "Extended Service Set". More than one BSS is configured to
be come an Extended Service Set. LAN mobile users can roam between different BSSs in an ESS
(ESS-ID, SSID).

Fast Ethernet NIC - Network interface card that is in compliance with the IEEE 802.3u standard. This
card functions at the media access control (MAC) layer, using carrier sense multiple access with colli­sion detection (CSMA/CD).

33

Fixed IP – (see Static IP)
Full-Duplex - Transmitting and receiving data simultaneously. In pure digital networks, this is achieved

with two pairs of wires. In analog networks, or digital networks using carriers, it is achieved by dividing
the bandwidth of the line into two frequencies, one for sending, one for receiving.

Hub - Central connection device for shared media in a star topology. It may add nothing to the trans­mission (passive hub) or may contain electronics that regenerate signals to boost strength as well as
monitor activity (active/intelligent hub). Hubs may be added to bus topologies; for example, a hub can
turn an Ethernet network into a star topology to improve troubleshooting.

IP Address - IP stands for Internet Protocol. An IP address consists of a series of four numbers sepa­rated by periods, that identifies an single, unique Internet computer host. Example: 192.34.45.8.

ISP - Internet Service Provider. An ISP is a business that provides connectivity to the Internet for indi­viduals and other businesses or organizations.

LAN - A communications network that serves users within a confined geographical area. It is made up
of servers, workstations, a network operating system and a communications link. Servers are
high-speed machines that hold programs and data shared by network users. The workstations (clients)
are the users ' personal computers, which perform stand-alone processing and access the network
servers as required.

Diskless and floppy-only workstations are sometimes used, which retrieve all software and data from
the server. Increasingly, "thin client" network comp uters (NCs) and Windows terminals are also used.
A printer can be attached locally to a workstation or to a server and be shared by network users.
Small LANs can allow certain workstations to function as a server, allowing users access to data on
another user's machine. These peer-to-peer networks are often simpler to install and manage, but
dedicated servers provide better performance and can handle higher transaction volume. Multiple
servers are used in large networks.

MAC Address - MAC (Media Access Control) A MAC address is the hardware address of a device
connected to a network.

MDI / MDI-X - Medium Dependent Interface - Also called an "uplink port," it is a port on a network hub
or switch used to connect to other hubs or switches without requiring a crossover cable. The MDI port
does not cross the transmit and receive lines, which is done by the regular ports (MDI-X ports) that
connect to end stations. The MDI port connects to the MDI-X port on the other device. There are
typically one or two ports on a device that can be toggled between MDI (not crossed) and MDI-X
(crossed).
Medium Dependent Interface – X (crossed) - A port on a network hub or switch that crosses the
transmit lines coming in to the receive lines going out.

NAT – (Network Address Translation) This process allows all of the computers on your home network
to use one IP address. The NAT capability of the Barricade, allows you to access the Internet from
any computer on your home network without having to purchase more IP addresses from your ISP.
Network Address Translation can be used to give multiple users access to the Internet with a single
user account, or to map the local address for an IP server (such as Web or FTP) to a public address.
This secures your network from direct attack by hackers, and provides more flexible management by
allowing you to change internal IP addresses without affecting outside access to your network. NAT
must be enabled to provide multi-user access to the Internet or to use the Virtual Server function.

Packet Binary Convulational Code(tm) (PBCC) - A modulation technique developed by Texas Instru­ments Inc. (TI) that offers data rates of up to 22Mbit/s and is fully backward compatible with existing

802.11b wireless networks.
PCI - Peripheral Component Inte rconnect - Local bus for PCs from Intel that provides a high -speed

data path between the CPU and up to 10 peripherals (video, disk, network, etc.). The PCI bus runs at
33MHz, supports 32-bit and 64-bit data paths, and bus mastering.

34

PPPoE - Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet. Point-to-Point Protocol is a method of secure data
transmission originally created for dial -up connections. PPPoE is for Ethernet connections.

Roaming - A function that allows your to move through a particular domain without losing network
connectivity.

Static IP - If your Service Provider has assigned a fixed IP address; enter the assigned IP address,
subnet mask and the gateway address provided by your service provider.

Subnet Mask - A subnet mask, which may be a part of the TCP/IP information provided by your ISP,
is a set of four numbers configured like an IP address. It is used to create IP address numbers used
only within a particular network (as opposed to valid IP address numbers recognized by the Internet.

TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. This is the standard protocol for data
transmission over the Internet.

TCP - Transmission Control Protocol - TCP and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) are the two transport
protocols in TCP/IP. TCP ensures that a message is sent accurately and in its entirety. However, for
real-time voice and video, there is really no time or reason to correct errors, and UDP is used instead.

UDP - User Datagram Protocol - A protocol within the TCP/IP protocol suite that is used in place of
TCP when a reliable delivery is not required. For example, UDP is used for real-time audio and video
traffic where lost packets are simply ignored, because there is no time to retransmit. If UDP is used
and a reliable delivery is required, packet sequence checking and error notification must be written
into the applications.

35

FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT, CALL:

From U.S.A. and Canada (24 hours a day,7 days a week)

(800) SMC-4-YOU; Phn: [phone]; Fax: [phone]

From Europe : Contact details can be found on

www.smc-europe.com or www.smc.com

INTERNET
E-mail addresses:

[e-mail]
[e-mail]

Driver updates:

http://www.smc.com/index.cfm?action=tech_support_drivers_downloads

World Wide Web:

http://www.smc.com/
http://www.smc-europe.com/

For Literature or Advertising Response, Call:

U.S.A. and Canada: (800) SMC-4-YOU Fax [phone]
Spain: 34-91-352-00-40 Fax [phone]
UK: 44 (0) 1932 866553 Fax [phone]
France: 33 (0) 41 38 32 32 Fax [phone]
Italy: 39 (0) 3355708602 Fax [phone]
Benelux: 31 33 455 72 88 Fax [phone]
Central Europe: 49 (0) 89 92861-0 Fax [phone]
Nordic: 46 (0) 868 70700 Fax [phone]
Eastern Europe: 34 -93-477-4920 Fax [phone]
Sub Saharan Africa: 216-712-36616 Fax [phone]
North West Africa: 34 93 477 4920 Fax [phone]
CIS: 7 (095) 7893573 Fax [phone]
PRC: 86-10-6235-4958 Fax [phone]
Taiwan: 886-2-87978006 Fax [phone]
Asia Pacific: (65) 238 6556 Fax [phone]
Korea: 82-2-553-0860 Fax [phone]
Japan: 81-45-224-2332 Fax [phone]
Australia: 61-2-8875-7887 Fax [phone]
India: 91-22-8204437 Fax [phone]

If you are looking for further contact information, please visit www.smc.com or
www.smc-europe.com.

Model Number: SMC2512W-B EU

38 Tesla
Irvine, CA 92618
Phone: [phone]