Zyxel G-102 user manual

ZyXEL G-102

802.11g Wireless CardBus Card

User's Guide

Version 1.0

September 2004

ZyXEL G-102 User’s Guide

The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any part or as a whole, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, translated into any language, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, photocopying, manual, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of ZyXEL Communications Corporation.

Disclaimer

ZyXEL does not assume any liability arising out of the application or use of any products, or software described herein. Neither does it convey any license under its patent rights nor the patents' rights of others. ZyXEL further reserves the right to make changes in any products described herein without notice. This publication is subject to change without notice.

Trademarks

Trademarks mentioned in this publication are used for identification purposes only and may be properties of their respective owners.

ii Copyright

ZyXEL G-102 User’s Guide

ZyXEL Limited Warranty

ZyXEL warrants to the original end user (purchaser) that this product is free from any defects in materials or workmanship for a period of up to two (2) years from the date of purchase. During the warranty period and upon proof of purchase, should the product have indications of failure due to faulty workmanship and/or materials, ZyXEL will, at its discretion, repair or replace the defective products or components without charge for either parts or labor and to whatever extent it shall deem necessary to restore the product or components to proper operating condition. Any replacement will consist of a new or re-manufactured functionally equivalent product of equal value, and will be solely at the discretion of ZyXEL. This warranty shall not apply if the product is modified, misused, tampered with, damaged by an act of God, or subjected to abnormal working conditions.

NOTE

Repair or replacement, as provided under this warranty, is the exclusive remedy of the purchaser. This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties, express or implied, including any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular use or purpose. ZyXEL shall in no event be held liable for indirect or consequential damages of any kind of character to the purchaser.

To obtain the services of this warranty, contact ZyXEL's Service Center for your Return Material Authorization (RMA) number. Products must be returned Postage Prepaid. It is recommended that the unit be insured when shipped. Any returned products without proof of purchase or those with an out-dated warranty will be repaired or replaced (at the discretion of ZyXEL) and the customer will be billed for parts and labor. All repaired or replaced products will be shipped by ZyXEL to the corresponding return address, Postage Paid. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights that vary from country to country.

Online Registration

for free future product updates and information.

ZyXEL Limited Warranty iii

ZyXEL G-102 User’s Guide

Information for Canadian Users

The Industry Canada label identifies certified equipment. This certification means that the equipment meets certain telecommunications network protective operation and safety requirements. The Industry Canada does not guarantee that the equipment will operate to a user's satisfaction.

Before installing this equipment, users should ensure that it is permissible to be connected to the facilities of the local telecommunications company. The equipment must also be installed using an acceptable method of connection. In some cases, the company's inside wiring associated with a single line individual service may be extended by means of a certified connector assembly. The customer should be aware that compliance with the above conditions may not prevent degradation of service in some situations.

Repairs to certified equipment should be made by an authorized Canadian maintenance facility designated by the supplier. Any repairs or alterations made by the user to this equipment, or equipment malfunctions, may give the telecommunications company cause to request the user to disconnect the equipment.

For their own protection, users should ensure that the electrical ground connections of the power utility, telephone lines, and internal metallic water pipe system, if present, are connected together. This precaution may be particularly important in rural areas.

Caution

Users should not attempt to make such connections themselves, but should contact the appropriate electrical inspection authority, or electrician, as appropriate.

Note

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the radio interference regulations of Industry.

iv Information for Canadian Users

ZyXEL G-102 User’s Guide

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Interference Statement

The device complies with Part 15 of FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

• This device may not cause harmful interference.

• This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired

operations.

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 commercial environment. 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 communications.

If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio/television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

1. Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

2. Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.

3. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

4. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Notice 1

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.

This product has been designed for the WLAN 2.4 GHz network throughout the EC region and Switzerland, with restrictions in France.

Caution

1. This Transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or

transmitter.

Certifications

Refer to the product page at www.zyxel.com

Refer to the Quick Start Guide for model specific FCC statement(s) and the procedure to view the

product’s certification(s).

FCC Statement v

ZyXEL G-102 User’s Guide

Customer Support

When contacting your Customer Support Representative, please have the following information ready:

¾ Product model and serial number. ¾ Warranty Information. ¾ Date you received your product. ¾ Brief description of the problem and the steps you took to solve it.

LOCATION

WORLDWIDE

AMERICA

SUPPORT E-MAIL TELEPHONE2 WEB SITE METHOD

SALES E-MAIL FAX2 FTP SITE

support@zyxel.com.tw +886-3-578-3942 www.zyxel.com

ZyXEL Communications

sales@zyxel.com.tw

support@zyxel.com +1-800-255-4101

sales@zyxel.com

support@zyxel.de +49-2405-6909-0 www.zyxel.de GERMANY

sales@zyxel.de

support@zyxel.es +34 902 195 420 SPAIN

sales@zyxel.es

support@zyxel.dk +45 39 55 07 00 www.zyxel.dk DENMARK

sales@zyxel.dk

support@zyxel.no +47 22 80 61 80 www.zyxel.no NORWAY

sales@zyxel.no

+886-3-578-2439 ftp.europe.zyxel.com

+1-714-632-0882

+1-714-632-0858 ftp.us.zyxel.com

+49-2405-6909-99

+33 (0)4 72 52 97 97 FRANCE info@zyxel.fr

+33 (0)4 72 52 19 20

+34 913 005 345

+45 39 55 07 07

+47 22 80 61 81

www.europe.zyxel.com ftp.zyxel.com

www.us.zyxel.com NORTH

www.zyxel.fr ZyXEL France

www.zyxel.es

REGULAR MAIL

ZyXEL Communications Corp. 6 Innovation Road II Science Park Hsinchu 300 Taiwan

ZyXEL Communications Inc. 1130 N. Miller St. Anaheim CA 92806-2001 U.S.A.

ZyXEL Deutschland GmbH. Adenauerstr. 20/A2 D-52146 Wuerselen Germany

1 rue des Vergers Bat. 1 / C 69760 Limonest France

Alejandro Villegas 33 1º, 28043 Madrid Spain

ZyXEL Communications A/S Columbusvej 5 2860 Soeborg Denmark

ZyXEL Communications A/S Nils Hansens vei 13 0667 Oslo Norway

“+” is the (prefix) number you enter to make an international telephone call.

vi Customer Support

ZyXEL G-102 User’s Guide

SUPPORT E-MAIL TELEPHONE2 WEB SITE METHOD

LOCATION

FINLAND support@zyxel.fi +358-9-4780-8411 www.zyxel.fi ZyXEL Communications Oy

SALES E-MAIL FAX2 FTP SITE

support@zyxel.se +46 31 744 7700 www.zyxel.se SWEDEN

sales@zyxel.se

+46 31 744 7701

REGULAR MAIL

ZyXEL Communications A/S Sjöporten 4, 41764 Göteborg Sweden

Malminkaari 10 00700 Helsinki Finland

Customer Support vii

ZyXEL G-102 User’s Guide

Table of Contents

Copyright.......................................................................................................................................................ii

ZyXEL Limited Warranty ..........................................................................................................................iii

Information for Canadian Users.................................................................................................................iv

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Interference Statement....................................................v

Customer Support........................................................................................................................................vi

List of Figures...............................................................................................................................................xi

List of Tables ...............................................................................................................................................xii

Preface.........................................................................................................................................................xiii

Chapter 1 Getting Started.........................................................................................................................1-1

1.1 About Your ZyXEL G-102 ............................................................................................................1-1

1.2 ZyXEL G-102 Hardware and Utility Installation.........................................................................1-1

1.3 Ways to Configure the ZyXEL G-102...........................................................................................1-1

1.4 Disable Windows XP Wireless LAN Configuration Tool .............................................................1-2

1.5 Accessing the ZyXEL Utility.........................................................................................................1-5

Chapter 2 Wireless LAN Network............................................................................................................2-1

2.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................2-1

2.1.1 SSID.....................................................................................................................................2-1

2.1.2 Channel ................................................................................................................................2-1

2.1.3 Transmission Rate (Transfer Rate).......................................................................................2-1

2.1.4 Wireless Network Application .............................................................................................2-2

2.1.5 Roaming ...............................................................................................................................2-3

2.2 Wireless LAN Security..................................................................................................................2-4

2.2.1 Data Encryption with WEP..................................................................................................2-5

2.2.2 IEEE 802.1x .........................................................................................................................2-5

2.2.3 WPA.....................................................................................................................................2-6

2.2.4 WPA-PSK Application Example .........................................................................................2-7

2.2.5 WPA with RADIUS Application Example..........................................................................2-7

2.3 Fragmentation Threshold.............................................................................................................2-8

2.4 RTS/CTS Threshold......................................................................................................................2-8

2.5 Authentication Type .....................................................................................................................2-9

Chapter 3 Using the ZyXEL Utility..........................................................................................................3-1

3.1 The Link Info Screen ....................................................................................................................3-1

3.1.1 Trend Chart ..........................................................................................................................3-3

3.2 The Site Survey Screen.................................................................................................................3-3

3.2.1 Connecting to a Network......................................................................................................3-5

3.2.2 Security Settings...................................................................................................................3-6

3.3 The Profile Screen......................................................................................................................3-12

3.3.1 Adding a New Profile.........................................................................................................3-14

3.4 The Adapter Screen....................................................................................................................3-21

Table of Contents ix

ZyXEL G-102 User’s Guide

Chapter 4 Maintenance.............................................................................................................................4-1

4.1 The About Screen ......................................................................................................................... 4-1

4.2 Uninstalling the ZyXEL Utility ....................................................................................................4-2

4.3 Upgrading the ZyXEL Utility....................................................................................................... 4-2

Chapter 5 Troubleshooting.......................................................................................................................5-1

5.1 Problems Starting the ZyXEL Utility Program............................................................................ 5-1

5.2 Problem with the Link Status .......................................................................................................5-2

5.3 Problems Communicating With Other Computers.......................................................................5-2

Appendix A Product Specifications.............................................................................................................. i

Appendix B Types of EAP Authentication ................................................................................................iii

Appendix C Index......................................................................................................................................... v

x Table of Contents

ZyXEL G-102 User’s Guide

List of Figures

Figure 1-1 Windows XP: System Tray Icon.................................................................................................1-2

Figure 1-2 Windows XP: Wireless Network Connection Status ..................................................................1-3

Figure 1-3 Windows XP: Connect to Wireless Network..............................................................................1-4

Figure 1-4 Windows XP: Wireless Network Connection Properties............................................................1-5

Figure 1-5 ZyXEL Utility: System Tray Icon ..............................................................................................1-5

Figure 2-1 IBSS Example ............................................................................................................................2-2

Figure 2-2 BSS Example..............................................................................................................................2-3

Figure 2-3 Infrastructure Network Example ................................................................................................2-3

Figure 2-4 Roaming Example......................................................................................................................2-4

Figure 2-5 Wireless LAN Security Levels ...................................................................................................2-5

Figure 2-6 WPA-PSK Authentication ..........................................................................................................2-7

Figure 2-7 WPA with RADIUS Application Example .................................................................................2-8

Figure 2-8 RTS Threshold............................................................................................................................2-9

Figure 3-1 Link Info.....................................................................................................................................3-1

Figure 3-2 Link Info: Trend Chart ...............................................................................................................3-3

Figure 3-3 Site Survey .................................................................................................................................3-4

Figure 3-4 Site Survey: Security Settings: WEP..........................................................................................3-6

Figure 3-5 Site Survey: Security Settings: WPA-PSK .................................................................................3-8

Figure 3-6 Site Survey: Security Settings: WPA..........................................................................................3-9

Figure 3-7 Site Survey: Security Settings: 802.1x .....................................................................................3-11

Figure 3-8 Profile.......................................................................................................................................3-13

Figure 3-9 Profile: Add New Profile ..........................................................................................................3-15

Figure 3-10 Profile: Select a Channel ........................................................................................................3-17

Figure 3-11 Profile: Wireless Settings........................................................................................................3-18

Figure 3-12 Profile: Security Settings........................................................................................................3-19

Figure 3-13 Profile: Confirm New Settings ...............................................................................................3-20

Figure 3-14 Profile: Activate the Profile ....................................................................................................3-21

Figure 3-15 Adapter ...................................................................................................................................3-22

Figure 4-1 About ..........................................................................................................................................4-1

Figure 4-2 Confirm Uninstall.......................................................................................................................4-2

List of Figures xi

ZyXEL G-102 User’s Guide

List of Tables

Table 1-1 ZyXEL Utility: System Tray Icon................................................................................................1-6

Table 3-1 Link Info ......................................................................................................................................3-2

Table 3-2 Link Info: Trend Chart.................................................................................................................3-3

Table 3-3 Site Survey...................................................................................................................................3-4

Table 3-4 Site Survey: Security Settings: WEP ...........................................................................................3-6

Table 3-5 Site Survey: Security Settings: WPA-PSK ..................................................................................3-8

Table 3-6 Site Survey: Security Settings: WPA ...........................................................................................3-9

Table 3-7 Site Survey: Security Settings: 802.1x....................................................................................... 3-11

Table 3-8 Profile ........................................................................................................................................3-13

Table 3-9 Profile: Add New Profile ...........................................................................................................3-15

Table 3-10 Profile: Select a Channel.......................................................................................................... 3-17

Table 3-11 Adapter.....................................................................................................................................3-22

Table 4-1 About ...........................................................................................................................................4-1

Table 5-1 Troubleshooting Starting ZyXEL Utility Program.......................................................................5-1

Table 5-2 Troubleshooting Link Quality...................................................................................................... 5-2

Table 5-3 Troubleshooting Communication Problems ................................................................................5-2

xii List of Tables

ZyXEL G-102 User’s Guide

Preface

Congratulations on the purchase of your new ZyXEL G-102!

About This User's Guide

This manual provides information about the ZyXEL Wireless LAN Utility.

Syntax Conventions

• “Type” or “Enter” means for you to type one or more characters. "Select" or "Choose" means for

you to use one of the predefined choices.

• Mouse action sequences are denoted using a comma. For example, “click the Apple icon, Control

Panels and then Modem” means first click the Apple icon, then point your mouse pointer to Control Panels and then click Modem.

• Window and command choices are in Bold Times New Roman font. Predefined field choices are

in Bold Arial font.

• The ZyXEL G-102 802.11g Wireless CardBus Card is referred to as the ZyXEL G-102 in this

guide.

• The ZyXEL Wireless LAN Utility may be referred to as the ZyXEL WLAN Utility or, simply, as

the ZyXEL Utility in this guide.