Sony PCWA-A200 User Manual

4-647-079-14(1)

Operating Instructions

© 2000 Sony Corporation

Wireless LAN
Access Point

PCWA-A100/A200

Owner’s Record

The model and serial numbers are located on
the bottom of the product. Record the serial
number in the space provided below. Refer to
them whenever you call upon your Sony
dealer regarding this product.

Model No. PCWA-A100, PCWA-A200
Serial No.______________

NOTE

FCC Part 68 and INDUSTRY CANADA
NOTICE are for PCWA-A100 only.

CAUTION

You are cautioned that any changes or
modifications not expressly approved in this
manual could void your warranty.

FCC ID: IMRWLPCE24H
Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation.
The radiated output power of the Wireless

LAN PC Card* is far below the FCC radio
frequency exposure limits.

Nevertheless, the Wireless LAN PC Card*
shall be used in such a manner that the
potential for human contact during normal
operation is minimized.

* The Wireless LAN Access Point PCWA-A100/

A200 contains a Wireless LAN Card.
(FCC ID of the Wireless LAN PC card is
IMRWLPCE24H.)

NOTE:

This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions,
may cause harmful interference to radio or
communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to television
reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, you are
encouraged to try to correct the interference
by one or more of the following measures:

– Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
– Increase the separation between the

equipment and receiver.

– Connect the equipment into an outlet on a

circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.

– Consult the dealer or an experienced

radio/TV technician for help.

2

You are cautioned that any changes or
modifications not expressly approved in this
manual could void your authority to operate
this equipment.

Declaration of Conformity

Trade Name: Sony
Model No: PCWA-A100/A200
Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc.
Address: 680 Kinderkamack Road,

Oradell, NJ 07649 USA
Telephone: [phone]
This device complies with part 15 of the

FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two

conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful

interference, and
(2) this device must accept any

interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation.

Notes

• The power outlet should be near the
equipment and easily accessible.

• This Class B digital apparatus complies
with Canadian ICES-003.

Cet appareil numerique de la classe B est
conforme a la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

Safety Information
WARNING

• Opening the unit, for whatever reason,
could lead to damages that are not covered
by the guarantee.

• To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not
expose your Sony Wireless LAN Access
Point to rain or moisture.

• Never install modem or telephone wiring
during a lightning storm.

• Never install telephone jacks in wet
locations unless the jack is specifically
designed for wet locations.

• Never touch uninsulated telephone wire or
terminals unless the telephone line has
been disconnected at the network interface.

• Use caution when installing or modifying
telephone lines.

• Avoid using the modem during an
electrical storm.

• Do not use the modem or a telephone to
report a gas leak while in the vicinity of the
leak.

• Use only the supplied AC adapter with
your Sony Wireless LAN Access Point. To
disconnect your Wireless LAN Access
Point from the power supply, unplug the
AC adapter.

• Make sure the power outlet is easily
accessible.

FCC Part 68 (PCWA-A100 only)

This equipment complies with Part 68 of the
FCC rules. The Ringer Equivalence Number
(REN) and the FCC registration number are
printed on the modem board. If requested,
this information must be supplied to the
telephone company.

The REN is used to determine the quantity of
devices which may be connected to the phone
line. Excessive REN on the telephone line
may prevent incoming calls from ringing. In
most, but not all areas, the sum of the RENs
should not exceed five (5.0). To be certain of
the number of devices you can connect to the
line, contact the telephone company to
determine the maximum REN for the calling
area.

If this equipment causes harm to the
telephone network, your local telephone
company will, when practical, notify you in
advance that a temporary discontinuance of
service may be required. If advance notice is
not practical, the telephone company will
notify you as soon as possible. You will be
advised of your right to file a complaint with
the FCC.

The telephone company may make changes
in its facilities, equipment, operations or
procedures that could affect the operation of
this equipment. If this happens, the telephone
company will notify you in advance to make
the necessary modifications to maintain
uninterrupted service. For repair or warranty
information, please contact 1-877-760-7669, or
write to the Sony Customer Information
Center, 12451 Gateway Boulevard., Fort
Myers, FL 33913. This equipment cannot be
used on telephone-company-provided coin
service. Connection to party line service is
subject to state tariffs.

Repair of the equipment should be made only
by a Sony Service Center or Sony authorized
agent. For the Sony Service Center nearest
you, call 1-877-760-7669.

Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of
1991 makes it unlawful for any person to use
a computer or other electronic device to send
any message via telephone facsimile machine
unless such message clearly contains (in a
margin at the top or bottom of each
transmitted page or on the first page of the
transmission), the date and time it is sent and
an identification of the business, other entity,
or individual sending the message, and the
telephone number of the sending machine or
such business, other entity, or individual.

In order to program this information into
your facsimile machine, see your fax software
documentation.

Notes (PCWA-A100 only)

• The modem uses an RJ-11 telephone jack.

• The Ringer Equivalence Numbers for this
equipment is 0.5B.

INDUSTRY CANADA NOTICE (PCWA-A100
only)

The industry Canada label identifies certified
equipment. This certification means that the
equipment meets certain telecommunications
network protective, operational and safety
requirements as prescribed in the appropriate
Terminal Equipment Technical Requirements
document(s). The department does not
guarantee the equipment will operate to your
satisfaction.

Check with your local telephone company
before installing this equipment. They can
advise you of the acceptable connection
method.

Be aware that compliance with the above
conditions may not prevent degradation of
service in some situations.

Repairs to certified equipment should be
coordinated by a representative designated
by the supplier. Equipment malfunctions or
any repairs or alterations made by you to this
equipment may give the telecommunications
company cause to request that the user
disconnect the equipment.

For your own protection, ensure that the
power utility, telephone lines and internal
metallic water pipe systems are grounded.
This may be particularly important in rural
areas.

CAUTION: Contact the appropriate electrical
inspection authority or electrician, as
appropriate. Do not attempt this yourself.

3

NOTICE: The REN assigned to each terminal
device is used to calculate the maximum
number of terminals allowed on a telephone
interface.

An interface may have any combination of
devices, but the sum of the REN for all
devices cannot exceed 5.

AVIS DE L’INDUSTRIE CANADA (PCWA­A100 seulement)

AVIS: L’étiquette d’Industrie Canada
identifie le matériel homologué.

Cette étiquette certifie que le matériel est
conforme aux normes de protection,
d’exploitation et de sécurité des réseaux de
télécommunications, comme le prescrivent les
documents concernant les exigences
techniques relatives au matériel terminal. Le
Ministére n’assure toutefois pas que le
matériel fonctionnera à la satisfaction de
l’utilisateur.

Avant d’installer ce matériel, l’utilisateur doit
s’assurer qu’il est permis de le raccorder aux
installations de l’entreprise locale de
télécommunication. Le matériel doit
également être installé en suivant une
méthode acceptée de raccordement.

L’abonné ne doit pas oublier qu’il est possible
que la conformité aux conditions énoncées ci­dessus n’empêche pas la dégradation du
service dans certaines situations.

Les réparations de matériel homologué
doivent être coordonnées par un représentant
désigné par le fournisseur. L’entreprise de
télécommunications peut demander à
l’utilisateur de débrancher un appareil à la
suite de réparations ou de modifications
effectuées par l’utilisateur ou à cause de
mauvais fonctionnement.

Pour sa propre protection, l’utilisateur doit
s’assurer que tous les fils de mise à la terre de
la source d’énergie électrique, des lignes
téléphoniques et des canalisations d’eau
métalliques, s’il y en a, sont raccordés
ensemble. Cette précaution est
particuliérement importante dans les régions
rurales.

Avertissement: L’utilisateur ne doit pas tenter
de faire ces raccordements lui-même; il doit
avoir recours à un service d’inspection des
installations électriques, ou à un électricien,
selon le cas.

AVIS: L’indice d’équivalence de la sonnerie
(IES) assigné à chaque dispositif terminal
indique le nombre maximal de terminaux qui
peuvent être raccordés à une interface.

4

La terminaison d’une interface téléphonique
peut consister en une combination de quelques
dispositifs, à la seule condition que la somme
d’indices d’équivalence de la sonnerie de tous
les dispositifs n’excéde pas 5.

If you have questions about this product, call
the Sony Customer Information Center at
1-877-760-7669; or write to the Sony Customer
Information Center at 12451 Gateway
Boulevard., Fort Myers, FL 33913. The number
below is for FCC-related matters only.

About the supplied software

SUPPLIED SOFTWARE IS SUPPLIED
PURSUANT TO THE APPLICABLE END
USER LICENSE AGREEMENT.

• Copyright laws prohibit reproducing the

software or the software manual in whole
or in part, or renting the software without
the permission of the copyright holder.

• In no event will SONY be liable for any

financial damage or loss of profits,
including claims made by third parties,
arising out of the use of the software
supplied with this product.

• In the event a problem occurs with this

software as a result of defective
manufacturing, SONY will replace it at
SONY’s option or issue a refund; however,
SONY bears no other responsibility.

• The software provided with this product

cannot be used with equipment other than
that which is designated for use with.

• Please note that, due to continued efforts to

improve quality, the software
specifications may be changed without
notice.

Program © 2000 2001 Sony Corporation,
© 2000 Lucent Technologies, Copyright 1998
by Carnegie Mellon University.

CMU DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE,
INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, IN
NO EVENT SHALL CMU BE LIABLE FOR
ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY
DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING
FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS,
WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF
CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER
TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR
IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR
PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

Documentation © 2000 Sony Corporation.

Sony, VAIO, and the VAIO logo are
trademarks of Sony Corporation.

Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are
registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and other
countries.

MMX and Pentium are registered trademarks
of Intel Corporation.

All other trademarks are trademarks of their
respective owners.

• In this manual, Microsoft® Windows® 98
Second Edition is referred to as Windows
98 Second Edition.

• In this manual, Microsoft® Windows® Me is
referred to as Windows Me.

• In this manual, Microsoft® Windows® 2000
Professional is referred to as Windows

2000.

• In this manual, Microsoft® Windows® XP
Professional and Microsoft® Windows® XP
Home Edition are referred to as Windows
XP.

Table of contents

Overview ............................................ 6

What you can do with your

Wireless LAN Access Point .. 6

System requirements................. 9

About supplied manuals........ 10

Getting started

Unpacking..........................................11

Parts and indicators......................... 12

Connections ...................................... 13

Connecting the Access Point to

the Internet............................ 13

Connecting the Access Point to a

power source ........................ 19

Attaching the unit stand......... 20

Setting up.................................. 21

Factory default configuration of

the Access Point ................... 21

Additional information

Precautions ....................................... 24

Specifications.................................... 25

Getting Help ..................................... 26

Glossary ............................................ 27

Troubleshooting ............................... 28

Limited Warranty Statement.......... 29

5

Overview

What you can do with your Wireless LAN Access Point

The Wireless LAN Access Point PCWA-A100/A200 (hereinafter
referred to as the Access Point) is designed for building a wireless LAN
(Local Area Network) environment. Connect your Access Point to a
power outlet, insert the Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C100 into your
computer, and use the software supplied with your Wireless LAN PC
Card to build a wireless LAN environment.

Using the wireless LAN for connecting computers requires no wiring
which allows you to operate multiple computers more freely than ever.
The Access Point is capable of building a wireless LAN environment
including a maximum of 49 client computers (16 or fewer is
recommended).

You can connect to an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
router, cable modem, DSL modem, or (with the PCWA-A100) a
telephone line to share access to the Internet among multiple
computers, or just use the Access Point as the hub of your LAN without
Internet access (hereafter referred to as a local network).

In a LAN environment, you can share files on other client computers
and let others share files on your computer. The following four figures
depict the various configurations you can implement.

1 Connecting to a telephone line and a network (see page 13)

(PCWA-A100 only)

Internet

To LINE/
PHONE
connector

Internet
Service
Provider

Note

You cannot connect the PCWA-A200 to an analog telephone line.

To 10BASE-T
connector

HUB

6

2 Connecting to an ISDN router (see page 15)

Internet

To 10BASE-T
connector

Internet
Service
Provider

ISDN Router

3 Connecting to a cable modem (see page 16)

Internet

To 10BASE-T
connector

Cable
Television
Company

Cable Modem

4 Connecting to a DSL modem (see page 17)

Internet

To 10BASE-T
connector

Cable
Television
Company

DSL Modem

7

5 Using as the hub of your local network (see page 18)

HUB

To 10BASE-T
connector

8

System requirements

• A computer satisfying the following requirements.
CPU: MMX® Pentium® 233 MHz and above
RAM: 64 MB and above

With Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Me, or Windows
2000:

64 MB or more
With Windows XP:

128 MB or more
CD-ROM drive
Default built-in PCMCIA Type II slot

• Operating system: For best results, use a computer with one of the
preinstalled operating systems below.

– Windows 98 Second Edition, English version
– Windows Me, English version
– Windows 2000
– Windows XP

(Does not operate under the Windows 98, 95 or 3.1 versions or under
the Windows NT version. Also, operation is not guaranteed under
all upgraded environments.)

• Display: SVGA (800 x 600 pixels) and above, [supports High Color
(16 bit) and above]

Notes

• We do not assure trouble-free operation for all computers satisfying the
system requirements.

• An agreement with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is required for Internet
access.

9

About supplied manuals

Please read the Operating Instructions and Help information for the
Access Point (PCWA-A100/A200) and Wireless LAN PC Card (PCWA­C100) in the following order.

1 Wireless LAN Access Point Operating Instructions (this document)

Explains how to connect and install the Access Point. Please read
this manual first.

2 Wireless LAN PC Card Operating Instructions (supplied with

PCWA-C100)
This describes the following topics.

– Procedure for installing the Wireless LAN PC Card
– Procedure for installing the supplied software, and making settings
– Procedure for Access Point settings, using the Basic Access Point

Setup Utility.

3 Help for each software (included on supplied CD-ROM)

To learn in details the usage of a software, please read its Help.

• Wireless Palette Help

Online help explains how to set up and use the Wireless Palette
software, monitor the connection status between the Access Point
and the Wireless LAN PC Card, and switch the Access Point to
use from a client computer when multiple Access Points are
present.

• Custom Access Point Setup Utility Help

Online help that explains how to make advanced settings on the
Access Point.

10

• Upgrade Manual

Online help that explains procedures for updating the Access
Point's firmware, the Wireless LAN PC Card Driver, and the
Basic/Custom Access Point Setup Utility. If you are already using
our Wireless LAN product, please read this manual.