SMC 2642W, 2645W User guide

EZ Connect

Wireless Compact Flash Card

Allows PDAs and Laptops to easily connect to an existing wireless network Ultra-Compact Type II Form Factor

802.11b High Speed Wireless LAN connection Supports both Ad-Hoc and Infrastructure Modes Plug and Play Configuration - Easy to Install and Simple to use

User Guide

SMC2642W / SMC2645W

EZ Connect Wireless CF Card User Guide

The easy way to make all your network connections

38 Tesla Irvine, CA 92618 Phone: 1-800-SMC-4-YOU

Part No. : 01-111340-006

Information furnished by SMC Networks, Inc. (SMC) is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, 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.

Trademarks

SMC is a registered trademark; and EZ Connect and EZ Hub are trademarks of SMC Networks, Inc. Other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Limited Lifetime Warranty

Complete warranty information for all SMC products is available on SMC's Web site at

www.smc.com.

Technical Support

You can download and upgrade to the latest version of software from SMC’s web site, http://www.smc.com . For more technical information, please refer to the link listed below or contact SMC Technical Support Department at 1-800-SMC-4YOU.

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

About This Manual

This manual includes procedures for the setup of SMC2642W Wireless Compact Flash Card under Windows CE 3.0 or later Pocket/Handheld PC and Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP for your Laptops. Please take a moment to read through this manual and familiarize yourself with wireless technology.

Software Information

The software package works only on SMC2642W Wireless Compact Flash Card and contains the Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP/XP/CE driver and utility programs

For Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP

Ø Driver -- Version 1.07.29 Ø Uti lity -- Version 1.07.29

For Windows CE

Ø Driver -- Version 1.0.0 Ø Uti lity -- Version 1.0.0

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction.............................................................................1

1-1 Features and Benefits..............................................................1

1-2 Applications.............................................................................2

1-3 Product Kit ..............................................................................3

1-4 System Requirement.................................................................3

Chapter 2 Installing Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card............................4

2-1 Install the Setup Utility ............................................................4

2-2 Install the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card .........................6

Chapter 3 Using Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card .................................7

3-1 Using the Wireless LAN Utility Under Pocket PC.....................7

3-2 Using the Wireless LAN Utility Under Handheld .................... 14

Chapter 4 Installing Wireless LAN Compac t Flash Card Under

Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP………………………………..... 18

4-1 System Requirements………………………………………....... 18

4-2 Setting Up the SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless CF Card

for Windows 98/ME…………………………………………..... 18

4-3 Setting Up the SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless CF Card

for Windows NT 4.0……………………………………….….. ..23

4-4 Setting Up the SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless CF Card

for Windows 2000…………………………………………….... 26

4-5 Setting Up the SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless CF Card

for Windows XP……………………………………………....... 30

Appendix A Network Configuration......................................................... 42

A-1 Network Topology................................................................ 42

Appendix B Specifications ....................................................................... 45

Chapter 1 Introduction

The SMC2642W EZ Connect 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card is a standard CF interface adapter integrated with wireless LAN technology. It provides you an easy and fast way to access your wireless and wired network. The Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card, which utilizes the latest advancement of PC industry – Compact Flash technology, allows you to install and use the card on Pocket/Handheld PC or Laptop easier than ever before. With the ability to provide an 11Mbps connection, the SMC Wireless CF Card gives you the equivalent of a 10Mbps Ethernet connection to access corporate network or the Internet in a wireless environment. SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card is able to communicate with any 802.11 and 802.11b compliant products.

1-1 Features and Benefits

1. Supports 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rate.

2. Working range up to 700ft. in an open environment.

3. Supports point-to-point and point-to-multipoint access.

4. Seamless connectivity to wired Ethernet and PC network LAN’s augments

existing networks quickly and easily.

5. Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) technology provides robust,

interference -resistant and secure wireless connection.

6. Wireless connection without the cost of expensive cabling.

7. Supports Windows CE 3.0 or later Handheld/Pocket PC and Windows

98/Me/NT/2000/XP for your Laptop (with the use of SMCCF-CVT CF to PCMCIA Converter).

8. Support high security WEP encryption (64-bit and 128-bit WEP)

9. Supports Plug and Play.

10. Easy installation.

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1-2 Applications

11Mbps Wireless LAN products offer a fast, reliable, cost-effective solution for wireless client access to the network in applications like the following:

1. Remote access to corporate network information

E-mail, file transfer and terminal emulation.

2. Difficult-to-wire environments

Historical or old buildings, asbestos installations, and open area where wiring is difficult to deploy.

3. Frequently changing environments

Retailers, manufacturers and those who frequently rearrange the workplace and change location.

4. Temporary LANs for special projects or peak time

Trade shows, exhibitions and construction sites where a temporary network is practical.

5. Access to database for mobile workers

Doctors, nurses, retailers, accessing their database while being mobile in the hospital, retail store or office campus.

6. SOHO (Small Office and Home Office) users

SOHO users need easy and quick installation of a small computer network.

7. High security connection

The secure wireless network can be installed quickly and provide flexibility. (Please refer to page 12 for encryption configuration.)

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1-3 Product Kit

SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card comes with the following items. Please go through each item below. If any listed item is not included or found damaged , please contact your local dealer.

SMC2642W Wireless Compact Flash Card Includes:

l 1 SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card l 1 Driver/Utility CD ROM l This User Guide

SMC2645W Wireless Compact Flash Card Kit Includes:

l 1 SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card l 1 SMCCF-CVT CF to PCMCIA Converter l 1 Driver/Utility CD ROM l This User Guide

1-4 System Requirements

SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card supports all Windows CE Handheld/Pocket PC devices with Compact Flash Type II host interface as well as all Windows -based devices with PCMCIA Type II host interface (with the use of SMCCF-CVT CF to PCMCIA Converter).

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Chapter 2 Installing SMC2642W Wireless Compact Flash Card

This chapter describes the installation of the SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card driver for the CE 3.0 Handheld/Pocket PC.

2-1 Install the Setup Utility

1. Establish a connection between host PC and PDA device by Microsoft Active Sync.

2. Execute SMC2642W.exe to install the driver and utility.

3. An Install Shield Wizard window appears. Click Next to proceed.

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4. Follow on-screen instructions to install the Setup Utility. Click Finish to

complete the installation.

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2-2 Install the SMC2642W Wireless Compact Flash Card

1. Connect the SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card to your PDA.

The PDA will auto-detect the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card and automatically install the corresponding driver.

2. Assign an IP address to your Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card. You may

either set the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card to obtain an IP address from your DHCP server, or to be assigned with a fixed IP address.

3. Reset your PDA.

Upon completion of installation, the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card will start to look for an Access Point with Green LED blinking. The Green LED will stay steady once the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card successfully associates with an Access Point. To configure the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card, please proceed to the next chapter “ Using SMC2642W Wireless Compact Flash Card”.

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Chapter 3 Using SMC2642W Wireless Compact Flash Card

This chapter gives you assistance with detailed description of setting the 11Mbps Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card with the Wireless LAN Utility under Pocket/Handheld PC.

3-1 Using the Wireless LAN Utility Under Pocket PC

The SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card is a ready-to-use device. Its default settings perform for a typical Infrastructure Wireless LAN . Simply install the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card onto your computer and it is ready to use. In special situations, however, you may adjust configuration settings depending on how you would like to manage your wireless network. The Wireless LAN Utility provides you an easy interface to make configuration changes and perform user-level diagnostics on your Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card.

1. Go to Start --> Settings. Go to the System tab, and click the “Wireless

LAN Setting ” icon.

2. A configuration window appears. The Wireless LAN Utility provides the 5

following items for you to configure and monitor the 11Mbps Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card .

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Status

3. The Status tab displays the current status of the Wireless LAN Compact Flash

Card.

Adapter - Displays name of the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card. Firmware - Displays the firmware version of your Wireless LAN Compact Flash

Card.

Domain - The regulated operating frequency per country. Channel - Displays the current channel that the Wireless LAN Compact Flash

Card is using. MAC Address - It is a hardware identification number that distinguishes the unit

from others. Sync to AP - Displays the ESSID of the Access Point that the Wireless LAN

Compact Flash Card associates with. BSSID - Shows MAC Address of the Access Point that the Wireless LAN

Compact Flash Card associates with. Link Quality - Link quality monitors the quality of the data transmission between

the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card and an Access Point. Signal Level - This bar graph displays signal strength as reported by the radio,

averaged over all frames that are received from the Access Point.

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Configuration

The Configuration tab contains several fields where the current parameters of the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card can be viewed and changed. You will see current configuration information in terms of ESSID, Network Type, Power Saving Mode and Tx Rate. Upon modification of parameters for the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card, click the Apply button to make the changes take effect.

ESSID

The ESSID is a unique ID given to the Access Point. Wireless clients associating to Access Points must have the same ESSID. The default value Auto Detect means when the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card starts to work, it will associate with any Access Point that gives the fastest response. You may also enter a specific ESSID (Access Point) you desire to connect with. It is recommended you specify an ESSID for your Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card. This will prevent your computer from unintentionally connecting to a different wireless network.

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Network Type

To connect your wireless station to a local network infrastructure as described in

Appendix A “ Network Configuration” on page 18, set the station operation mode to Infrastructure (with Access Point, default setting). In case you do not wish to connect to a network infrastructure, but prefer to setup a small wireless workgroup (without Access Point) also described on page 18, you can enable the

Ad-Hoc (only compatible with the same series wireless PC Card) or 802.11 Ad-Hoc tick box. When the Ad-Hoc mode is selected, be sure to set your

wireless stations with the same channel. To use the 802.11 Ad-Hoc mode, the same channel and ESSID among wireless stations are required.

Power Saving Mode

The Power Saving Mode option is designed to conserve battery life of you computer. Selecting the “Enable” button activates the Power Save mode and your SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card will go into sleep mode to minimize power consumption.

NOTE: When power saving mode is enabled, the Access Points you use need to

support power saving as well so that the communication can be established.

TX Rate

The 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card provides various data rate options for you to select. Data rates options include Fully Auto, Fixed 1Mb/s, Fixed 2Mb/s, Auto Select 1M or 2M, Fixed 5.5Mb/s, and Fixed 11Mb/s . In most networking scenarios, you will see that the factory-set default “Fully Auto” will prove the most efficient. This setting will allow your 11Mbps Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card to operate at the maximum data rate. When the communications quality drops below a certain level, the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card will automatically switch to a lower data rate. Transmission at lower data speed is usually more reliable. However, when the communications quality improves again, the Wireless LAN Compact Flash Card will gradually increase the data rate again, until it has reached the highest available transmit rate.

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Link

Similar to the TCP/IP Ping Command, this tool allows you to monitor point-to-point data transmission quality between two stations. By entering the IP address of another station and setting the timeout and packet size, you may check whether or not communication has been established successfully.

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Security

To prevent unauthorized wireless stations from accessing data transmitted over the network, the SMC2642W 11Mbps Wireless Compact Flash Card offers highly secure data encryption, known as WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). If you desire to use WEP encryption to secure your data, please select the Enable check box and set the following values.

There are two types of WEP Key Length described as follows: 64-Bit – Requires wireless stations to use data encryption with 64-Bit algorithm

when communicating with the Access Point. 128-Bit – Requires wireless stations to use data encryption with 128-Bit algorithm

when communicating with the Access Point WEP Key Type offers two key value options: Character (Char.) and

Hexadecimal numbers (Hex.). Moreover, you may choose the Authentication Type, either Open System or Shared Key for authentication among wireless devices. You may identify up to 4 different encryption keys and select one of them to encrypt your transmission data. The key value of your choice may either be:

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SMC 2642W, 2645W User guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual