Users Manual Part 1 Revised

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Users Manual

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High-Speed Mode Wireless G Notebook Network Card Connect your laptop computer to a FASTER wireless network User Manual F5D7011

Table of Contents 1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Advantages of a Wireless Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Placement of your Wireless Networking Hardware for Optimal Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Product Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Applications and Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Product Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Package Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 3 Installing and Setting Up the Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Step 1: Install the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Step 2: Plug the Card in an Available CardBus Slot of your Laptop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Step 3: Let Windows Finish the Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 4 Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Setting Wireless Network Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Securing your Wi-Fi Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Monitoring the Status of your Network Connection. . . . . . . . . . . 28 Monitoring Data Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Finding Available Networks in your Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Performing Diagnostic Tests on your Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 5 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 6 Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Introduction section Thank you for purchasing the Belkin High-Speed Mode Wireless G 1 Notebook Network Card (the Card). Now you can take advantage of this great new technology without using cables. The High-Speed Mode Wireless G Notebook Network Card works like a conventional 2 network card, but without the wires. The easy installation and setup will have you networking wirelessly in minutes. Please be sure to read through this User Manual completely, and pay special attention to the 3 section entitled “Placement of your Wireless Networking Hardware for Optimal Performance”. 4 Advantages of a wireless network • Mobility – you no longer need a dedicated “computer room”— 5 you can work on a networked laptop or desktop computer anywhere within your wireless range 6 • Easy installation – Belkin Easy Installation Wizards make setup simple • Flexibility – set up and access printers, computers, and other 7 networking devices from anywhere in your home • Easy Expansion – the wide range of Belkin networking products 8 let you expand your network to include devices such as printers and gaming consoles 9 • No cabling required – you can spare the expense and hassle of retrofitting Ethernet cabling throughout the home or office • Widespread industry acceptance – choose from a wide range 10 of interoperable networking products 1

Introduction Placement of your Wireless Networking Hardware for Optimal Performance Your wireless connection will be stronger the closer your computer is to your Wireless Router (or Access Point). Typical indoor operating range for your wireless devices is between 100 and 200 feet. In the same way, your wireless connection and performance will degrade somewhat as the distance between your Wireless Router (or Access Point) connected devices increases. This may or may not be noticeable to you. As you move further from your Wireless Router (or Access Point), connection speed may decrease. Factors that can weaken signals simply by getting in the way of your network’s radio waves are metal appliances or obstructions, and walls. If you have concerns about your network’s performance that might be related to range or obstruction factors, try moving the computer to a position between five and ten feet from the Wireless Router (or Access Point), in order to see if distance is the problem. If difficulties persist even at close range, please contact Belkin Technical Support. Note: While some of the items listed below can affect network performance, they will not prohibit your wireless network from functioning; if you are concerned that your network is not operating at its maximum effectiveness, this checklist may help. 1. Placement of your Wireless Router or Access Point Place your Wireless Router (or Access Point), the central connection point of your network, as close as possible to the center of your wireless network devices. To achieve the best wireless network coverage for your “wireless clients,” (i.e. computers enabled by Belkin Wireless Notebook Network Cards, Wireless Desktop Network Cards, and Wireless USB Adapters): • Ensure that your Wireless Router (or Access Point) antennas are parallel to each other, and are positioned vertically (toward the ceiling). If your Wireless Router (or Access Point) itself is positioned vertically, point the antennas as much as possible in an upward direction. • In multistory homes, place the Wireless Router (or Access Point) on a floor that is as close to the center of the home as possible. This may mean placing the Wireless Router (or Access Point) on an upper floor. • Try not to place the Wireless Router (or Access Point) near a cordless 2.4GHz phone. 2

Introduction section 1 2. Avoid Obstacles and Interference Avoid placing your Wireless Router (or Access Point) near devices that may emit radio “noise”, such as microwave ovens. Other objects 2 that can inhibit Wireless communication can include: • Refrigerators 3 • Washers and/or dryers • Metal cabinets 4 • Large aquariums • Metallic-based UV tinted windows 5 If your wireless signal seems weak in some spots, make sure that 6 objects such as these are not blocking the signal’s path between your computers and Wireless Router (or Access Point). 7 3. Cordless Phone Placement 8 If the performance of your wireless network is impaired after attending to the above issues, and you have your cordless phone: • Try moving cordless phones away from Wireless Router or 9 Access Point and your wireless-enabled computers • Unplug and remove the battery from any cordless phone 10 that operate on the 2.4GHz band (check manufacturers information). If this fixes the problem, your phone may be interfering. • If your phone supports channel selection, change the channel on the phone to the furthest channel from your wireless network, as possible. For example, change the phone to channel 1 and move your Wireless Router (or Access Point) to channel 11. See your phone’s user manual for detailed instructions. • If necessary, consider switching to a 900MHz or 5GHz cordless phone. 4. Choose the “quietest” channel for your wireless network In locations where homes or offices are close together, such as apartment buildings or office complexes, there may be wireless networks nearby that can conflict with yours. Use the Site Survey capabilities of your Wireless LAN Utility to locate any other wireless 3

Introduction networks, and move your Wireless Router (or Access Point) and computers to a channel as far away from other networks as possible. Experiment with more than one of the available channels, in order to find the clearest connection and avoid interference from neighboring cordless phones or other wireless devices. Use the detailed Site Survey and wireless channel information included in your User Guide for more information. 5. Secure connections, VPNs, and AOL Secure connections are connections that typically require a user name and password, and are used where security is important. Secure connections include: • Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections, often used to connect remotely to an office network • The “Bring Your Own Access” program from America Online (AOL), which lets you use AOL through broadband provided by another cable or DSL service • Most on-line banking websites • Many commercial websites which require a username and password to access your account Secure connections can be interrupted by a computer’s power management setting, which causes it to “go to sleep.” The simplest solution to avoid this is to simply reconnect by re-running the VPN or AOL software, or by re-logging into the secure web site. A second alternative is to change your computer’s power management settings so it does not go to sleep; however, this may not be appropriate for portable computers. To change your power management setting under Windows, see the “Power Options” item in the Control Panel. If you continue to have difficulty with Secure Connection, VPNs and AOL please review steps 1-4 above to be sure you have addressed these issues. These guidelines should allow you to cover the maximum possible area with your Wireless Router. Should you need to cover an even wider area, we suggest Belkin’s Wireless Range Extender/Access Point. For more information regarding our networking products, visit our website at www.belkin.com/networking or call Belkin Technical Support. 4

Overview Product Features 1 The Card complies with the IEEE 802.11g standard in order to section communicate with other 802.11g-compliant wireless devices at 54Mbps or the faster 125 High-Speed Mode (HSM)*. The card 2 is compatible with all 802.11g devices as well as other 802.11b products at 11Mbps. 802.11g products operate on the same 2.4GHz 3 frequency band as 802.11b Wi-Fi products. • 2.4GHz ISM (Industrial, Science, and Medical) band operation 4 • Integrated easy-to-use Wireless Configuration Utility • CardBus interface, for operation in virtually any notebook computer 5 • WPA, 64-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), or 128-bit encryption • Wireless access to networked resources 6 • Support for both Infrastructure and Ad-Hoc (peer-to-peer) networking modes • Easy installation and use 7 • Internal antenna • LED power and network link indicators 8 9 10 *When operating in High-Speed Mode, this Wi-Fi device may achieve an actual throughput of up to or greater than 34.1 Mbps, which is the equivalent throughput of a system following 802.11g protocol and operating at a signaling rate of 125 Mbps. Actual throughput will vary depending on environmental, operational and other factors. 5

Overview Applications and Advantages • Wireless roaming with a laptop around the home or office Offers the freedom of networking without cables • Connection rates of up to 54Mbps or 125Mbps* using HSM provides immediate, higher-speed wireless connectivity at home, work, and hot spot locations without compromising the use of existing 802.11b products • Compatibility with 802.11b products 802.11g wireless LAN solutions are backward-compatible with existing Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b) products and with other products that display the 54g mark and/or 125HSM mark • Difficult-to-wire environments Enables networking in buildings with solid or finished walls, or open areas where wiring is difficult to install • Frequently changing environments Adapts easily in offices or environments that frequently rearrange or change locations • Temporary LANs for special projects or peak time Sets up temporary networks, (such as at trade shows, exhibitions and constructions sites), on a short-term basis; also companies who need additional workstations for a peak activity period. • SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) networking needs Provides the easy and quick, small network installation SOHO users need. Product Specifications Host Interface 32-bit Cardbus Power Consumption Tx/Rx peak 550/350mA @ 3.3 VDC(max) Operating Temperature 32 –185 degrees F (0 –85 degrees C) Storage Temperature -40 –194 degrees F (-40 – 90 degrees C) Humidity (Max. 95% (non-condensing) Typical Operating Range Up to 200 feet (Wireless performance may vary depending on the networking environment) *When operating in High-Speed Mode, this Wi-Fi device may achieve an actual throughput of up to or greater than 34.1 Mbps, which is the equivalent throughput of a system following 802.11g protocol and operating at a signaling rate of 125 Mbps. Actual throughput will vary depending on environmental, operational and other factors. 6

Overview 1 (a) section (b) 2 3 (c) 4 5 6 (a) Power LED Lights up when the Card receives power 7 (b) Link LED Lights up when the Card links to a wireless network 8 Slowly flashes when not linked to a wireless network (c) Card Connector 9 Part of the Card that fits into your computer’s CardBus slot 10 System Requirements • PC-compatible laptop with one available CardBus slot • Windows ® 98SE, Me, 2000, XP Package Contents • High-Speed Mode Wireless G Notebook Network Card • Quick Installation Guide • Installation Software CD • User Manual 7

Installing and Setting up the Card Step 1 Install the Software WARNING: INSTALL THE SOFTWARE BEFORE INSERTING THE CARD. 1.1 Insert the Installation Software CD into your CD-ROM drive. 1. 2 The Belkin Setup Utility will automatically appear. Note: If the Setup Utility screen does not appear within 20 seconds, open your CD-ROM drive by double-clicking on the “My Computer” icon and insert the CD. Double-click on the CD-ROM drive that the installation CD has been placed in to start the installation. Then, double-click on the folder named “Files”. Next, double-click on the icon named “setup.exe”. 1.3 In the menu window, drag your mouse over the “Install” button then select “Click here” to start the software installation program. 8

Installing and Setting up the Card 1 1.4 The installer will now start. Click “Next” and follow the on-screen instructions. 2 3 section 4 5 Step 2 Plug the Card in an Available CardBus Slot of your Laptop 6 2.1 During the install process, you will be prompted to insert your 7 Card. Insert the Card, label side UP, into your computer’s CardBus slot firmly until it stops. The power 8 light on the top will turn on when it is inserted properly. 9 Note: If your system did not prompt you to insert your Card 10 after the installation is completed, please do so now. 2.2 After the installation is complete, click “Finish”. 9

Installing and Setting up the Card Step 3 Let Windows Finish the Installation 3.1 Depending on the version of Windows you are using, you might see the “Found New Hardware Wizard” screen. Select “Install the software automatically (Recommended)” and click “Next”. 3.2 You might also see a screen similar to this one. This DOES NOT mean there is a problem. Select “Continue Anyway” and follow the on-screen instructions. 3.3 If you are using Windows 98SE or Me, you will be asked to restart your computer. If you are using Windows 2000 or XP, click “Finish” to finish the installation process. 3.4 When the installation is complete, a small Signal Indicator icon in your system tray (bottom right corner of most screens) will appear. Double-click the Signal Indicator icon to bring up the Wireless Network” screen. 10

Installing and Setting up the Card 1 3.5 Select the network you want to connect to under “Available networks” and click “Connect”. 2 3 section 4 5 6 3.6 The Signal Indicator icon in your system tray should now turn green (yellow if the signal 7 is weak.) 8 Installation is now complete! 9 10 11

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility How to Access the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility Double-click the Signal Indicator icon to bring up the “Wireless Network” screen. The following screen will appear: Next, click on the “Advanced” button to enable the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility. This utility will allow you to view and configure the wireless settings of your card. 12

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility 1 Setting Wireless Network Preferences Click on the “Wireless Networks” tab. 2 (a) 3 (b) section (i) 4 (c) (j) 5 (d) (e) 6 (k) (f) 7 (h) (g) 8 (m) (l) (a) Enable Radio 9 Use this option to turn your wireless network radio ON or OFF. You may want to turn the radio off while in airplanes or to conserve the 10 battery life of your mobile computer. When the radio is disabled, the power LED on your Card will turn off and the system tray wireless network icon will be depicted with an “X”. (b) Available Networks This displays a list of wireless networks in your area. If you don’t see a name in the box, click on the “Refresh” (j) button to rescan for any available networks. To connect to a network, select a network name in the Available Networks list box and click the “Configure” (i) button Click “OK” (m) in the “Wireless Network Properties” box to add the network name to the “Preferred Networks” (c) list. Wait up to one minute for the network connection to be made. Your computer is connected to the selected network when you see a blue bubble (d) on top of the icon for that network. (c) Preferred Networks Displays a list of the networks that you have previously configured. The one with the blue bubble (d) is the network you are currently connected to. You may rank the networks by selecting the network 13

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility name in the “Preferred Networks” list then clicking on the “Move Up” and “Move Down” (k) buttons. Networks appearing higher on the list will be preferred over networks listed lower on the list. If a preferred network is unavailable, the Card will attempt to connect to the next available network on the list. (e, f) Add, Remove You may “Add” (e) and “Remove” (f) networks from the Preferred Networks list by using these buttons. (g) System Tray Icon Check this box so that the wireless icon appears on your system tray. (h) Properties To change the properties and WEP (security) settings of a network, select a network from the Preferred Networks (c) then click on the “Properties” (h) button. (l) Advanced Allows you to select the type of networks you want to connect to. When the “Advanced” (l) button is checked, the screen on the next page will appear. (a) (b) (i) (c) (j) (d) (e) (k) (h) (f) (g) (l) 14

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility 1 2 3 section 4 Any Available Network (access point preferred) 5 When this option is selected, the Card will attempt to connect to any available network in the area. Access point networks will be preferred 6 over ad-hoc networks. Access Point (Infrastructure) networks only mode allows you to connect to the Internet by accessing the wireless router or wireless access point or your network 7 Access Point (Infrastructure) Networks Only 8 When this option is selected, the Card will attempt to connect to any available wireless router or access point in the area. Ad-Hoc networks will be excluded from the list of available networks when 9 this option is selected. Computer-to-Computer (Ad-Hoc) Networks Only 10 When this option is selected, the Card will attempt to connect to any available computer in the area that’s also configured to be used in Ad-Hoc mode. The wireless router or access point will be excluded from the list of available networks when this option is selected. 15

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility Securing your Wi-Fi® Network Here are a few different ways to maximize the security of your wireless network and protect your data from unwanted intrusion. This section is intended for the home, home office, and small office user. At the time of publication, three encryption methods are available. Encryption Methods: Name 64-bit Wired 128-bit Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Equivalent Privacy Encryption Protected Protected Access Access Acronym 64-bit WEP 128-bit WEP WPA-TKIP WPA-AES Security Good Better Best Best Features Static keys Static keys Dynamic key Dynamic key encryption encryption and mutual and mutual authentication authentication Encryption keys Added security TKIP (temporal AES based on RC4 over 64-bit key integrity (Advanced algorithm (typically WEP using a protocol) Encryption 40-bit keys) key length of added so Standard) 104 bits, plus that keys are does not 24 additional rotated and cause any bits of system- encryption is throughput generated data strengthened loss. WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is a common protocol that adds security to all Wi-Fi-compliant wireless products. WEP gives wireless networks the equivalent level of privacy protection as a comparable wired network. 64-Bit WEP 64-bit WEP was first introduced with 64-bit encryption, which includes a key length of 40 bits plus 24 additional bits of system- generated data (64 bits total). Some hardware manufacturers refer to 64-bit as 40-bit encryption. Shortly after the technology was introduced, researchers found that 64-bit encryption was too easy to decode. 16

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility 128-Bit Encryption 1 As a result of 64-bit WEP’s potential security weaknesses, a more secure method of 128-bit encryption was developed. 128-bit encryption includes a key length of 104 bits plus 24 additional bits of 2 system-generated data (128 bits total). Some hardware manufacturers refer to 128-bit as 104-bit encryption. 3 Most of the new wireless equipment in the market today supports both 64-bit WEP and 128-bit WEP encryption, but you might have section older equipment that only supports 64-bit WEP. All Belkin wireless 4 products will support both 64-bit WEP and 128-bit encryption. 5 Encryption Keys After selecting either the 64-bit WEP or 128-bit encryption mode, it is critical that you generate an encryption key. If the encryption key is 6 not consistent throughout the entire wireless network, your wireless networking devices will be unable to communicate with one another. 7 You can enter your key by typing in the hex key. A hex (hexadecimal) key is a mixture of numbers and letters from A–F and 0–9. For 64-bit WEP, you need to enter 10 hex keys. For 128-bit WEP, you need to 8 enter 26 hex keys. 9 For instance: AF 0F 4B C3 D4 = 64-bit WEP key 10 C3 03 0F AF 0F 4B B2 C3 D4 4B C3 D4 E7 = 128-bit key Write down the hex WEP key from your wireless router or access point and enter it manually into the hex WEP key table in your Card’s configuration screen. 17

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is a new Wi-Fi standard that improves upon the security features of WEP. To use WPA security, the drivers and software of your wireless equipment must be upgraded to support it. These updates will be found on your wireless vendor’s website. There are two types of WPA security: WPA-PSK (no server), and WPA (with radius server). WPA-PSK (no server) uses what is known as a pre-shared key as the network key. A network key is a password that is between 8 and 63 characters long. It can be a combination of letters, numbers, or characters. Each client uses the same network key to access the network. Typically, this is the mode that will be used in a home environment. WPA (with radius server) is a system where a radius server distributes the network key to the clients automatically. This is typically found in a business environment. For a list of Belkin wireless products that support WPA, please visit our website at www.belkin.com/networking. Most Wireless products ship with security turned off. So once you have your network working, you may need to activate WEP or WPA and make sure all your wireless devices are sharing the same network key. 18

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility The following diagram shows the effect of not having the correct network key throughout your network. 1 2 Network key= MyPassword 3 section 4 Wireless G USB Network Adapterz Network key= MyPassword Network key= MyPassword 5 6 Wireless G Router Wireless G Notebook Network Card 7 Network key= WRONG Password 8 Wireless G Desktop Network Card The Card cannot access the network because it uses a different network key than the one configured on the wireless router. 9 Setting Up your Belkin Wireless Router or Access Point 10 to Use Security To start using security, you need to first enable WEP or WPA for your wireless router or access point. For Belkin Wireless Routers (or Access Points), these security features can be configured by using the web-based interface. See your wireless router (or access point) manual for directions on how to access the management interface. Changing the Wireless Security Settings The Belkin Wireless G Router and Belkin G Range Extender/Access Point are equipped with the latest WPA security feature. They also support the legacy WEP security standard. By default, wireless security is disabled. To enable security, you will need to determine which standard you want to use. To access the security settings, click “Security” on the wireless section using the web-based interface. (See your wireless router or access point manual for directions on how to access the security settings.) 19

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility WEP Setup 64-Bit WEP Encryption 1. Select “64-bit WEP” from the drop-down menu. 2. After selecting your WEP encryption mode, you can enter your key by typing in the hex key manually, or you can type in a passphrase in the “Passphrase” field and click “Generate” to create a key. A hex (hexadecimal) key is a mixture of numbers and letters from A–F and 0–9. For 64-bit WEP, you need to enter 10 hex keys. For instance: AF 0F 4B C3 D4 = 64-bit WEP Key 3. Click “Apply Changes” to finish. Encryption in the wireless router or access point is now set. Each of your computers on your wireless network will now need to be configured with the same security settings. WARNING: If you are using a wireless client to turn on the security settings in your wireless router or access point, you will temporarily lose your wireless connection until you activate security on your wireless client. Please record the key prior to applying changes in the wireless router or access point. If you don’t remember the hex key, your client will be locked out of the wireless router or access point. 20

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility 1 128-Bit WEP Encryption 1. Select “128-bit WEP” from the drop-down menu. 2 2. After selecting your WEP encryption mode, you can enter your key manually by typing in the hex key manually, or you can type in a passphrase in the “Passphrase” field and click “Generate” to 3 create a key. section A hex (hexadecimal) key is a mixture of numbers and letters from 4 A–F and 0–9. For 128-bit WEP, you need to enter 26 hex keys. For instance: 5 C3 03 0F AF 0F 4B B2 C3 D4 4B C3 D4 E7 = 128-bit WEP key 6 7 8 9 10 3. Click “Apply Changes” to finish. Encryption in the wireless router or access point is now set. Each of the computers on your wireless network will now need to be configured with the same security settings. WARNING: If you are using a wireless client to turn on the security settings in your wireless router or access point, you will temporariy lose your wireless connection until you activate security on your wireless client. Please record the key prior to applying changes in the wireless router or access point. If you don’t remember the hex key, your client will be locked out of the wireless router or access point. 21

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility WPA-PSK (no server) Choose this setting if your network does not use a radius server. WPA-PSK (no server) is typically used in home and small office networking. 1. From the Security Mode drop-down menu, select “WPA-PSK (no server)”. 2. Enter your network key. This can be from 8 to 63 characters and can be letters, numbers, or symbols. This same key must be used on all of the clients (network cards) that you want to include in your wireless network. 3. Click “Apply Changes” to finish. You must now set all clients (network cards) to match these settings. 22

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility WPA (with server) Settings 1 Choose this setting if your network uses a radius server to distribute keys to the clients (network cards). WPA (with server) is typically used in business networks. 2 1. From the Security Mode drop-down menu, select “WPA (with Radius Server)”. 3 2. section Enter the IP address of the radius server into the “Radius Server” fields. 4 3. Enter the radius key into the “Radius Key” field. 4. Enter the key interval. The key interval is how often the keys are 5 distributed (in packets). 6 7 8 9 10 5. Click “Apply Changes” to finish. You must now set all clients (network cards) to match these settings. IMPORTANT: You must now set all wireless network cards/ adapters to match these settings. 23

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility Configuring your Belkin Wireless G Notebook and Wireless G Desktop Network Cards to Use Security At this point, you should already have your wireless router or access point set to use WPA or WEP. In order for you to gain wireless connection, you will need to set your Wireless G Notebook and Wireless G Desktop Network Cards to use the same security settings. Connecting your Computer to a Wireless Router or Access Point that requires a 64-Bit or 128-Bit WEP Key: 1. Double-click the Signal Indicator icon to bring up the “Wireless Network” screen. The “Advanced” button will allow you to view and configure more options of your Card. 2. Under the “Wireless Network” tab, select a network name from the “Available networks” list and click “Configure”. 3. Under “Data Encryption” select “WEP”. 4. Ensure that the check box “The key is provided for me automatically” at the bottom is unchecked. If you are using this computer to connect to a corporate network, please consult your network administrator if this box needs to be checked. 24

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility 5. Type your WEP key in the “Network key” box. 1 2 3 section 4 5 6 7 8 9 Important: A WEP key is a mixture of numbers and letters from A–F and 0–9. For 128-bit WEP, you need to enter 26 keys. For 64-bit WEP, you need to enter 10 keys. This network key needs to match the key 10 you assign to your wireless router or access point. 6. Click “OK”, and then “Apply” to save the settings. 25

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility Connecting your Computer to a Wireless Router or Access Point that uses WPA-PSK (no server) 1. Double-click the “Signal Indicator” icon to bring up the “Wireless Network Properties” screen. The “Advanced” button will allow you to view and configure more options of your Card. 2. Under the “Wireless Networks” tab, select a network name from the “Available networks” list and click “Configure”. The following screen will appear. 3. Under “Network Authentication” select “WPA-PSK”. 4. Type your WPA key in the “Network key” box. Important: WPA-PSK is a combination of numbers and letters from A–Z and 0–9. For WPA-PSK. The key must be between 8 and 63 characters long, and needs to match the key you assign to your wireless router or access point. 5. Click “OK”, then “Apply” to save the settings. 26

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility Connecting your Computer to a Wireless Router or Access Point that 1 uses WPA (with Radius Server) 1. Double-click the “Signal Indicator” icon to bring up the “Wireless Network Properties” screen. The “Advanced” button 2 will allow you to view and configure more options of your Card. 3 section 2. Under the “Wireless Networks” tab, select a 4 network name from the “Available networks” list and click “Configure”. The 5 screen to the left will appear. 6 3. Under “Network 7 Authentication” select “WPA”. 8 4. Under the “Authentication” tab, 9 select the settings that are indicated by your 10 network administrator. 5. Click “OK”, to save the settings. 27

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility Monitoring the Status of your Network Connection Click on the “Link Status” tab. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) (a) Network Name (SSID) The SSID is the wireless network name. This field shows the current network name that you are connected to. (b) AP’s MAC Address Shows the MAC address of the wireless router or access point that you are connected to. (c) WEP Shows whether the network you are associated with has WEP encryption enabled or disabled. (d) Speed Displays the data rate of the current connection. (e) Channel Shows the current channel (1-11) you are using. When connected to a wireless router or access point, the channel is set automatically. When connected to another computer using Ad-Hoc mode, the channel can be set manually. All computers using Ad-Hoc mode (computer-to- computer) need to operate under the same channel. 28

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility (f) Client IP Address Shows the IP address of the computer. The IP address is obtained 1 automatically by default. You may set the IP address manually through Windows Networking Properties. 2 (g) Network Connection Type Shows the current wireless mode the Card is operating in. There are 3 two operating modes: Infrastructure and Ad-Hoc. Infrastructure is the most common mode to operate in. Infrastructure mode is used when section connecting your PC to a wireless router or a wireless access point. 4 Ad-Hoc mode is used to connect two or more computers together without the use of a wireless router or an access point. 5 (h) Radio State Shows whether the radio of your wireless client is enabled or disabled. 6 (i) Signal Displays the wireless signal strength in decibels (dBm). The decibel 7 scale is negative, so smaller absolute values correspond to stronger signals (i.e. -20 dBm is stronger than -80 dBm). The signal to noise ratio (SNR) is the difference between the signal and the noise (e.g. 8 if the noise is -80 dBm and the signal is -20 dBm, the SNR is 60 dB); the larger the SNR, the better. In general, connections should 9 have an SNR greater than 20 dBm, or the user may experience poor reliability and/or performance. If the signal is less than -50 dBm, the user should consider repositioning their workstation Wireless Router 10 or Access Point, rotating the Wireless Router or Access Point’s antennas, or Limiting their Transmission Rate (described on page 38 of the troubleshooting section of the manual), to ensure a reliable wireless connection. (j) Noise Displays the intensity of the external noise, on this wireless channel, in decibels (dBm). If the noise is greater than -70 dBm, the user should consider changing the wireless channel used in their Wireless Router or Access Point, to ensure a reliable wireless connection. 29

Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Utility Monitoring Data Transfer Click on the “Statistics” tab. The Statistics tab shows you how much data has been sent and received and if any errors occurred. This screen is mostly for diagnostics. Note that the number of data packets lost is recorded. A large number of lost data packets may indicate that there is a problem or interference in your area. (See the Troubleshooting section for tips on how to improve performance.) 30


Document Created: 2004-11-17 15:48:21
Document Modified: 2004-11-17 15:48:21
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