Sony PCWA-A320 User Manual

Wireless LAN Access Point

PCWA-A320

Quick Start Guide Kurzeinführung Manuel de mise en route

www.vaio-link.com

CONTENTS

English -

Quick Start Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 3

Deutsch -

Kurzeinführung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Seite 23

Français -

Manuel de mise en route. . . . . . . . . . .page 45

Quick Start Guide

Trademarks

● Sony, VAIO, the logo, the logo and the Eco Info

logo are trademarks of Sony Corporation.

● Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft

Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

● In this manual, Microsoft

Windows

● Netscape is a registered trademark of Netscape Communications

XP Professional are referred to as Windows XP.

Windows® XP Home Edition and Microsoft®

Corporation.

● All other names of systems, products and services are trademarks of their

respective owners. In this manual the

or ® marks are not specified.

™

Introduction

This document provides an overview of the Wireless LAN Access Point PCWA-A320 features and the necessary configuration steps.

Unpacking your Access Point

Once you have unpacked the unit, make sure that all of the following items are present:

● Wireless Unit

● Power cord (2x)

● CD-ROM

(setup disc)

● Quick Start Guide

● Troubleshooting Guide

● Warranty leaflet

● Regulatory Leaflet

● Power Unit

Names of parts and functions

Wireless Unit

Front Rear (With rear cover removed)

1 STATUS indicator Indicates the status of the Wireless Unit.

Booting: quickly flashes white. Normal : slowly flashes white During firmware update : flashes red During Quick Setup : flashes red If firmware update fails : continues flashing red after firmware

update (from this state, you must update the firmware again). 2 Reset switch Returns the Wireless Unit settings to their factory defaults. 3 LINK/ACT indicator Lights when an Ethernet cable is connected to the NETWORK

connector on the Power Unit. 4 Wireless unit cable Connects to the WIRELESS UNIT connector on the Power Unit. 5 Rear cover Remove this cover if you want to hang the Wireless Unit to a wall

and to verify the MAC address and Network Name (SSID). 6 Wall mounting holes Use these holes to hang the Wireless Unit to the wall. 7 ID The six-characte r he xadecimal unique product ID is pr inted here.

This ID is used as the default Network Name (SSID) of the Wireless

Unit. 8 MAC address The Wireless Unit MAC address is printed here. 9 Quick Setup switch Use this switch to set up the Wireless LAN Converter PCWA-DE30.

Refer to the Quick Start Guide of the Wireless LAN Converter or

Help for details.

Power Unit

10 100-240 V AC jack Connect the supplied power cord here. 11 WIRELESS UNIT

connector

12 NETWORK connector Connect the Wirel ess Uni t to you r compute r or oth er dev ice usi ng

Connect the Wireless Unit cable here.

an Ethernet cable. Use a straight-through or crossover Ethernet cable.

Factory default settings

The factory default settings of the Access Point are:

NAME DEFAULT SETTING

Network Name (SSID) The six characters printed on the label under

Encryption (WEP) Disabled Frequency (Channel) Auto Select Broadcast Network Name (SSID) Yes Access Control Accep t all Connection Method Obtain an IP address automatica lly (DHCP) DNS server Speed Auto-Detect Quick Setup Switch Enable Time Server (NTP Server) -

the rear cover of the Access Point (Wireless Unit)

To reset to the Access Point factory default settings, proceed as follows:

1 Turn on the unit. 2 Press and hold the Reset switch on the bottom of the Wireless Unit for

at least a second with a paper clip. Be careful not to press the Quick Setup switch by mistake w hen you re set the Wireless Unit.

3 When the status indicator flashes, release the Reset switch.

The Wireless Unit restarts automatically with all settings returned to its factory defaults.

Capabilities

Wireless access to the Internet from a variety of locations

The Wireless LAN Access Point PCWA-A320 (hereafter referred to as Access Point) is an IEEE 802.11g compliant bridge-type 2.4 GHz wireless LAN access point. You can use the Access Point as a base station to build a wireless LAN system consisting of computers equipped with Wireless LAN PC Cards or Wireless LAN Converters.

If you want to enable the computers that are connected to the wireless LAN to access the Internet, simply connect the Access Point to a DSL modem, cable modem, ISDN router, broadband router or another similar communication device, or to an Ethernet LAN (wired LAN) that is connected to the Internet.

● Use an Ethernet cable to connect the Access Point to the communication device. You

cannot use a USB connection to connect the Access Point to a communication device. Connect the Access Point to a communicat ion dev ice w ith a rout er function. If the communication device does no t ha ve a r out er fun ct ion (such as a cable modem), a separat e br oadband router is required.

Installation, connectio n an d setu p procedures

1 Perform the necessary preparations and confirmations for connection. 2 Connect the Access Point. 3 Establish a communication session between the computer and

the Access Point.

4 Install the Utility Software. 5 Configure the Access Point settings. 6 Configure the computer settings. 7 Install the Access Point.

Procedure 1 - Preparing and confirming the connections

The procedure in this guide describes the connection process using the factory default settings. The factory default settings of the Access Point function are:

● Network Name (SSID) : the 6-character identifier printed on the label inside

the rear cover of the Wireless Unit.

● Encryption (WEP) : disabled.

Before setting up the Access Point, do the following: 1 Set up the Wireless LAN PC Card or Wireless LAN Converter.

Perform the required software installation and settings according to the instructions provided with your Wireless LAN PC Card or Wireless LAN Converter to make it operational. Refer to the manuals provided with your Wireless LAN PC Card or Wireless LAN Converter.

2 Prepare a communication device that can function as a router

(such as a broadband router or an ADSL modem router).

3 Configure the computer firewall settings.

If you are using the Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall or another personal firewall, you may need to change the security level setting. Carefully read the Computer Firewall Functions section in this manual.

Computer Firewall Functions

When using the Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall function: enabling the Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall function may prevent the computer from being accessed externally (this function is disabled by default). This function can prevent connection to your network when you change your Access Point settings. If this happens, disable the Internet Connection Firewall function, connect to the network and then re-enable the function. Refer to the Windows XP Help for details.

● Make sure that you take appr opr iate secur ity m ea su res w hen the Internet Connection

Firewall function is disabled.

When using personal firewall software provided standalone or as part of antivirus or network security software: antivirus scanning and network security software sometimes includes a function called a personal firewall intended to prevent unauthorised access by other computers. Depending on the software, the security level of this function may initially be set to a high level. If this high security level setting is left enabled, other computers may be unable to access your computer. This can cause problems such as not being able to connect to the network when changing the Wireless Broadband Router settings. In this event, lower the security level to allow the network connection. While the security level is lowered, pay special attention to security. It is highly recommended that you return to the original settings after setting up the Wireless Broadband Router.

● Pay special attention to security issues.

For questions about firewall functions, please contact your firewall software manufacturer.

For more details about the Access Point settings, consult the Help files. To display Help: Click Start, point to Programs (All Programs in Windows XP), Wireless LAN and click Access Point Scan Help. To display Help for the Access Point Setup Page: Click Help on the Access Point Setup Page.

Procedure 2 - Connecting the Access Point

Connect the DSL modem, ISDN router, broadband router or Ethernet LAN.

1 Connect the Wireless Unit and Power Unit. 2 Connect your DSL modem, ISDN router , broadband r outer or Ethernet LAN

hub to the power unit with an Ethernet cable.

3 Connect to the power outlet.

● The Access Point does not have a power swit ch.

You can use either a straight-through or cross-over Ethernet cable.

● Depending on your provider, you may need to make settings on your computer

and with various connection tools. If this is the case, go to Procedure 3 after making the required settings. Connect the Access Point to a communication device with a router function. If the communication device does not have a router function (such as a cable modem), a separate broad band router is required.

Establishing a wireless connection

Procedure 3 - Establishing a communication session between the computer and the Access Point

The procedure in this guide describes the connection process using the factory default settings. The factory default settings of the Access Point function are:

● Network Name (SSID) : the 6-character identifier printed on the label inside

the rear cover of the Wireless Unit.

● Encryption (WEP) : disabled.

Network Name (SSID)

Remove the rear cover by sliding it in th e direction of the arrow.

This ID is used a s the default Network Name (SSID).

Configure the wireless communication settings on the computer and then establish a communication session between the computer and your Access Point. Refer to the manuals provided with your Wireless LAN PC Card or Wireless LAN Converter for the configuration procedure. When you are done, check that an IP address is assigned to the computer. Although communication is possible from this state, for security reasons, be certain to perform the subsequent procedures to change the factory default settings.

● The Network Name (SSID) may also be called ESSID or Network ID, depending on

the p articular devi ce. Encryption may also be called encoding or security depending on the particular device. When using the Windows XP operating system with a Wireless LAN PC Card, on the Start menu, click Connect to, Wireless Network Connection and make the communication settings that affect the con necti on to t he Acce ss Po int from t he d ialo g box tha t ap pears. If no Wireless Network Co nnection item can be found on the Start menu, click Control Panel, Network and Internet Connections, Network Connection and double-click Wireless N et work Connection.

Access Point Settings

Procedure 4 - Installing the Utility Software

Install the Access Point Scan Utility to be able to detect the Access Point on the computer.

1 Insert the supplied CD-ROM into the computer to which the

Wireless LAN Card or Wireless LAN Converter is connected.

2 For computers running Windows Me or Windows 2000, double-click

the My Computer icon on the desktop. For computers running Windows XP, click Start and select My Computer.

3 In My Computer, click the CD-ROM drive icon and then double-click

setup.exe.

The installation program starts. Follow the on-screen instructions and install the utility software.

● Depending on your computer’s settings, the file name Setup.exe may be

displayed as Setup.

Procedure 5 - Configuring the Access Point settings

Display the Access Point Setup Page and set up the Access Point. The following browsers are compatible:

● Internet Explorer 5.5 or later;

● Netscape 6.1 or later.

● To display the Wireless LAN Access Point Setup Page from the PCWA-A320 Access Point

software, set one of the Web browsers above as your comput er’s default Web browser. If your Web browser is configured to use a proxy server, set the browser proxy settings so the browser does not use a proxy server for the IP address of the Access Point. For details on how to disable the proxy settings, consult your Troubleshooting Guide - Case 3.

● The Wireless LAN Access Point Setup Page is saved in the internal memory of the

Access Point.

Proceed as follows to configure the Access Point settings: 1 Click the Start button, point to Programs (All Programs in

Windows XP), Wireless LAN and click Access Point Scan. The Scan Utility starts up, and automatically searches for Access Points on the same network. Once the Scan Utility finishes searching for Access Points, it displays a list of Access Points. If the Scan Utility does not find any Access Points, move the computer to a location that provides good conditions for wireless communication with the Access Point and click Scan to search again. For details, refer to the Troubleshooting Guide - Case 1.

2 Select the Access Point to which you want to connect from the list of

Access Points that were found by the Scan Utility. If multiple Access Points are shown in the list, check the MAC addresses. Each Access Point’s MAC address is printed on a bar code label inside the rear cover of the Wireless Unit. After checking the MAC address, make sure to reconnect the Ethernet cable.

3 Click Access Point Setup Page.

The Access Point Setup Page appears. If the Access Point Setup Page does not appear, check whether a proxy server is specified in the Web browser settings. If a proxy server is specified, the Access Point Setup Page cannot be displayed. Set the browser’ s proxy settings so that the IP address of the Access Point bypasses the proxy server. Refer to your Troubleshooting Guide - Case 3 or refer to the Access Point Setup Utility Help for details about bypassing the proxy server.

4 Click Easy Setup.

The Easy Setup window appears.

5 Enter the network name (SSID).

The network name (SSID) is an ID that serves to identify the wireless network. Enter up to 32 letters, numbers or symbols. It is recommended that you write down the network name for future reference.

6 Set Encryption (WEP) to Enable.

Encryption (WEP) encodes wireless communication sessions and prevents unauthorised access to the network.

7 Select Key Length.

The encryption key is the password required for WEP communications on the encrypted network.

8 If you select 40-bit for the Key Length, enter the encryption key and re-

enter it again at WEP Key (confirmation). Enter up to five letters, numbers and symbols. If you select 104-bit (WEP 128-bit) for the Key Length, enter up to 13 letters, numbers and symbols. It is recommended that you write down the encryption key for future reference.

9 Click Next.

The setup confirmation window appears.

10 Click the Execute Setup button if you are satisfied with the

displayed settings. Click the Back button to modify the settings. You will then return to the previous page.

11 If you are satisfied with the displayed settings, close the Web browser.

● While changing the wireless settings, the conne ct ion to the Ac ce ss Point is disabled.

After completing Pr oc edur e 5, re ad Procedure 6 and reestablish the connection.

Procedure 6 - Configuring computer settings

Configure the Network Name (SSID) and Encryption (WEP) wireless communication settings on the computer to match those set on the Access Point in Procedure 5. After making the settings of your computer, communication with the Access Point will be enabled.

Refer to the instructions of your Wireless LAN PC Card or Wireless LAN Converter.

Installing the Access Point

Procedure 7 - Installing the Access Point

When configuration is finished, install the Access Point. Its settings are stored so that even when it is turned off, the settings are preserved. The Wireless Unit can be hung to walls. The settings are now complete.

Resetting the Access Point to factory defaults

1 Turn on the Access Point. 2 With a paper clip or similar object, press and hold the Reset switch

at the bottom of the Wireless Unit for at least one second. When you press the Reset switch, the indicator on the front of the Wireless Unit lights red and it starts flashing when the switch is pressed for one second.

Quick Setup swich

Reset switch

3 When the status indicator starts flashing red, release the Reset switch.

The Access Point restarts under the default settings.

Obtaining the latest Access Point Firmware

1 Go to http://www.vaio-link.com 2 Check the Wireless LAN Access Point PCWA-A320 page.

It is recommended that you regularly check for firmware updates.

This description assumes that the connection is established with the factory default settings. Here are some other things you can do:

● Set an administrator password and gue st password;

● Set the Access Point date and time;

● Set the IP address manually.

For details, see the online Help of the Access Point Setup page.

Sony’s support options

This section describes how to get help and support from Sony.

● Quick Start Guide (this manual) : explains how to install the Access Point.

● Troubleshooting Guide : provides solutions to the most common problems

users have with their Ac cess Point.

● Online Help for the Access Point Setup Page : explains how to configure

the Access Point.

● Sony’ s support website : http://www.vaio-link.com/ provides the latest

information on your Access Point.

Installation precautions

Installation

Select a secure location for the Wireless Unit where it cannot drop or fall over. Route the cable to the Wireless Unit to suit the installation location.

Installation examples

• Desktop installation • Hanging

● Do not install in an insecure location.

Do not install in a location where the Wireless Unit could fall as a result of shock or vibration, such as on the edge of a shelf. Do not install in a location where the Wireless Unit or the cables could be accidentally bumped by a person or other objects .

Hanging the units

1 Locate the wall mounting holes.

To hang the Wireless Unit to a wall, remove the rear cover by sliding it in the direction of the arrow.

2 Hang the unit to a wall by using screws or nails.

The wireless Unit does not come with any sort of fittings used to hang it. Use screws of sufficient strenght to support it.

units: mm

● Always use two screws or nails and make sure that the unit is secure on the wall.

Select a location that will hold the weight of the unit when hanging it to a wall. If t h e location cannot hold the weight of the unit, it may fall and cause accide nt s. When hanging the unit to walls made of plasterboard or other brittle m ater ial, mak e sure that the material is strong enough to support the unit’s weight and use special screw fasteners or other fixtures designed for use with that material. If the unit is hung with ordinary screws, it may fall. When hanging the unit to a wall, be carefull not to drop the unit or the tools used for doing the work. Dropping the unit or tools could result in unforeseen accidents.

Recommended screws

Roundhead screws • Flathead screws

Ø5.7

Ø6.2

Ø3.1

2.3

units: mm

Ø3.1

1.8

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