Adaptec Ultra Wireless AWN-8030, User Manual

Page 1: ...R Adaptec Ultra WirelessTM for Notebooks User s Guide ...

Page 2: ...her countries used under license All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners Changes The material in this document is for information only and is subject to change without notice While reasonable efforts have been made in the preparation of this document to assure its accuracy Adaptec Inc assumes no liability resulting from errors or omissions in this document or from the use ...

Page 3: ... Europe Visit our Web site at www adaptec europe com German and English Search the Adaptec Support Knowledgebase ASK at ask de adaptec com for articles troubleshooting tips and frequently asked questions for your product For support via e mail submit your question to Adaptec s Technical Support Specialists at ask de adaptec com French Search the Adaptec Support Knowledgebase ASK at ask fr adaptec ...

Page 4: ...e Adaptec at 691 South Milpitas Boulevard Milpitas CA 95035 800 959 7274 5 THIS LIMITED WARRANTY DOES NOT EXTEND TO ANY PRODUCT WHICH HAS BEEN DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF ACCIDENT MISUSE ABUSE OR AS A RESULT OF UNAUTHORIZED SERVICE OR PARTS 6 THIS WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTIES WHICH NOW OR HEREAFTER MIGHT OTHERWISE ARISE RESPECT TO THIS PRODUCT IMPLIED WARRANTIES INCLUDING THOSE O...

Page 5: ...erwise reduce the Software to a human perceivable form YOU MAY NOT MODIFY ADAPT TRANSLATE RENT LEASE LOAN RESELL FOR PROFIT DISTRIBUTE NETWORK OR CREATE DERIVATIVE WORKS BASED UPON THE SOFTWARE OR ANY PART THEREOF 3 Ownership of Software As Licensee you own the media upon which the software is recorded or fixed but Adaptec and its licensors retain title and ownership of the Software recorded on th...

Page 6: ... may restrict the export and re export of the Software You agree that you will not export or re export the Software or documentation in any form in violation of applicable United States and foreign law 11 Government Restricted Rights The Software is subject to restricted rights as follows If the Software is acquired under the terms of a GSA contract use reproduction or disclosure is subject to the...

Page 7: ...ncrease the separation between equipment and receiver Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio television technician for help You are cautioned that changes or modifications not expressly approved by the part responsible for compliance could void your authority to operate the equipment Federal ...

Page 8: ...r 6 Installing the Adaptec Wireless Utility 17 Disabling Zero Configuration Windows XP only 21 Installing Network Protocols 23 Connecting to the WLAN 27 Checking Your Network Connection 30 Changing the Set up of Your WLAN 31 Troubleshooting 40 About Wireless Technology and LANs 42 Technical Specifications 44 Glossary 45 ...

Page 9: ...ng System Note Your Wireless PC Card is only one element of your Wireless LAN WLAN Installing this product alone will not create a wireless network See About Wireless Technology and LANs on page 42 for information on the minimum requirements for creating a WLAN Kit Contents Adaptec AWN 8030 Ultra Wireless for Notebooks PC Card Ultra Wireless for Notebooks CD which includes software drivers documen...

Page 10: ...s Technology and LANs on page 42 for a basic overview Install the Wireless PC Card See page 4 Install the device driver for your computer s operating system See page 6 Install the Adaptec Wireless Utility See page 17 Disable Zero Configuration Windows XP users only See page 21 Install the network protocols See page 23 Connect to the WLAN See page 27 Installation takes approximately 15 minutes to c...

Page 11: ... install the Wireless PC Card slide it into your notebook s PC card slot until it is fully seated Note Refer to your computer s documentation for more detailed installation instructions if necessary Link LED Flashes while the adapter searches for a wireless connection then becomes steady when the connection is made This LED goes dark when there is no wireless connection Power LED Glows steady when...

Page 12: ... your computer is running Caution To prevent data loss stop all data transmission before you remove the Wireless PC Card To remove the Wireless PC Card 1 Stop the Wireless PC Card using the Stop or Remove icon in your system tray Refer to your Windows documentation for instructions if necessary 2 Remove the Wireless PC Card from your computer ...

Page 13: ...s Installed the Wireless PC Card See page 4 The next step on the Installation Task List page 3 is to install the device driver A device driver is a software program that lets your adapter communicate with your computer To install the device driver follow the instructions for your operating system For Windows XP see page 7 For Windows 2000 see page 9 For Windows Me see page 12 For Windows 98SE see ...

Page 14: ...e 4 Power on your computer if it isn t already running Windows XP automatically detects the Wireless PC Card and opens the Found New Hardware Wizard 2 Insert the Ultra Wireless for Notebooks CD into your CD ROM drive 3 In the Found New Hardware Wizard select Install the software automatically then click Next 4 Click Continue Anyway Windows XP installs the driver ...

Page 15: ...ick Finish The device driver installation is complete Windows XP automatically begins the next installation task by opening the software installation wizard for the Adaptec Wireless Utility Go to Installing the Adaptec Wireless Utility on page 17 to continue ...

Page 16: ...r on Windows 2000 1 Install the Wireless PC Card into your computer See page 4 Power on your computer if it isn t already running Windows 2000 automatically detects the Wireless PC Card and opens the Found New Hardware Wizard 2 Click Next 3 Select Search for a suitable driver then click Next ...

Page 17: ...10 Adaptec Ultra Wireless for Notebooks User s Guide 4 Insert the Ultra Wireless for Notebooks CD into your CD ROM drive 5 Select CD ROM driver then click Next 6 Click Next ...

Page 18: ...inish The device driver installation is complete Windows 2000 automatically begins the next installation task by opening the software installation wizard for the Adaptec Wireless Utility Go to Installing the Adaptec Wireless Utility on page 17 to continue ...

Page 19: ...Install the Wireless PC Card into your computer See page 4 Power on your computer if it isn t already running Windows Me automatically detects the Wireless PC Card and opens the Add New Hardware Wizard 2 Insert the Ultra Wireless for Notebooks CD into your CD ROM drive 3 Select Automatic search for a better driver then click Next ...

Page 20: ... to restart your computer When the restart is complete Windows Me automatically begins the next installation task by opening the software installation wizard for the Adaptec Wireless Utility Go to Installing the Adaptec Wireless Utility on page 17 to continue ...

Page 21: ... device driver on Windows 98SE 1 Install the Wireless PC Card into your computer See page 4 Power on your computer if it isn t already running Windows 98SE automatically detects the Wireless PC Card and opens the Add New Hardware Wizard 2 Click Next 3 Select Search for the best driver then click Next ...

Page 22: ...15 Installing the Device Driver 4 Insert the Ultra Wireless for Notebooks CD into your CD ROM drive 5 Select CD ROM drive then click Next 6 Click Next Windows 98SE copies files to your hard drive ...

Page 23: ... Click Yes to restart your computer When the restart is complete Windows 98SE automatically begins the next installation task by opening the software installation wizard for the Adaptec Wireless Utility Go to Installing the Adaptec Wireless Utility on page 17 to continue ...

Page 24: ...ard See page 4 Installed the device driver See page 6 The next step on the Installation Task List see page 3 is to install the Adaptec Wireless Utility a software application that helps you configure your Wireless PC Card When the device driver installation is complete Windows automatically opens InstallShield an installation wizard that will help you install the Adaptec Wireless Utility To comple...

Page 25: ... destination folder for the software files Click Next to accept the default destination recommended or click Browse to select an alternate destination 3 You can choose where to store program icons in the Program Folder Type a new folder name or select one from the Existing Folders list Click Next ...

Page 26: ...19 Installing the Adaptec Wireless Utility 4 Click Next 5 The software installation begins The Setup Status appears on screen 6 Click Finish ...

Page 27: ...e the Adaptec Wireless Utility instead of the Windows application For more information see Disabling Zero Configuration Windows XP only on page 21 The software installation is complete The Adaptec Wireless Utility icon appears on your Windows taskbar as shown below Your system may automatically restart first See Installing Network Protocols on page 23 to continue Note If you are using Windows XP a...

Page 28: ...ard To use the Adaptec Wireless Utility you must first disable Zero Configuration Although Zero Configuration is similar to the Adaptec Wireless Utility in functionality the Adaptec Wireless Utility is easier to use and has extra security settings Adaptec recommends using the Adaptec Wireless Utility instead of Zero Configuration Follow the instructions provided in this section to disable Zero Con...

Page 29: ...e 3 Ensure that the Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings box is deselected then click OK 4 Open the Adaptec Wireless Utility See page 28 If the Adaptec Wireless Utility is already running close it and re open it Ensure checkbox is empty ...

Page 30: ...daptec Wireless Utility See page 17 Disabled Zero Configuration Windows XP users only See page 21 The next step on the Installation Task List page 3 is installing network protocols Network protocols are rules that determine how devices on a network communicate with each other Windows 2000 XP Users If you are using Windows 2000 or Windows XP your operating system automatically installed the necessa...

Page 31: ...l the appropriate network protocols 1 From the Start menu click Settings then click Control Panel 2 Double click Network and check that the network protocol isn t already installed All installed protocols are listed under the Configuration tab Caution Never install duplicate protocols ...

Page 32: ...25 Installing Network Protocols 3 Select Adaptec Wireless PC Card then click Add 4 Select Protocol then click Add ...

Page 33: ... Under Manufacturers select Microsoft under Network Protocols select TCP IP then click OK The system updates the network configuration 6 Click Yes to restart your computer 7 See Connecting to the WLAN on page 27 to continue with your last Installation Task ...

Page 34: ...hange the default settings on your Wireless PC Card You have completed the Installation Task List See Checking Your Network Connection on page 30 for more information on using your Wireless PC Card If you have any non Adaptec brand Wireless products on your WLAN or if you have changed the default settings of your other Adaptec Wireless products you must adjust the default settings on your Wireless...

Page 35: ...he Wireless Network ID SSID is the same as the one used on your other WLAN stations You can also set your Wireless Network ID to the word any which allows your Wireless PC Card to connect to any Wireless device on your WLAN Note Ensure that Access Points APs on your WLAN allow connections from Wireless devices set to any before using this setting c If you are using Ad hoc mode check that the Chann...

Page 36: ... See Changing the Encryption Settings on page 34 for more information b Make any necessary changes then click Apply Changes 4 Click the Advanced tab a If Encryption is enabled ensure that the Security Authentication Type is set to Auto b Ensure that the Preamble Type is correct for your WLAN Each station on your WLAN must have the same Preamble Type setting c Make any necessary changes then click ...

Page 37: ...arching for a connection Double click the Adaptec Wireless Utility icon on your taskbar a Click the Site Survey tab Information about currently available APs on your WLAN is displayed b Click the Link Status tab The current status of your Wireless PC Card is displayed c Click OK or Cancel to close the Adaptec Wireless Utility For more information or for help with your WLAN see Changing the Set up ...

Page 38: ...f your WLAN by Changing the operating mode See page 32 Choosing a specific AP See page 33 Changing the Encryption WEP settings See page 34 Changing the transfer rate See page 37 Enabling the Power Saving Mode See page 38 Adjusting the Transmit Threshold Control settings See page 38 Saving and using configuration profiles See page 39 ...

Page 39: ...r communication Infrastructure mode allows multiple computers to interact and is for WLANs that include an AP or Router To change the operating mode of your Wireless PC Card 1 Open the Adaptec Wireless Utility See Step 1 on page 28 2 Click the Configuration tab 3 In the Operating Mode drop down box select your chosen operating mode as shown above 4 Click Apply Changes 5 Click OK to close the Adapt...

Page 40: ... 1 Open the Adaptec Wireless Utility See Step 1 on page 28 2 Click the Site Survey tab Available APs are listed Click Search to find more APs if required 3 Click on your chosen AP 4 Click the Link tab and ensure that the AP s signal strength and link quality are acceptable 5 Click Connect Once the connection is made the Adaptec Wireless Utility opens the Link Status page which shows you the connec...

Page 41: ...ryption Key Length setting is Disabled Setting encryption to 64 Bit or 128 Bit encryption limits data sharing and increases data security but may slow data transmission Set the level of security you require for your WLAN Note For all the computers on your WLAN to communicate with each other and share data they must have identical encryption WEP settings To change the encryption setting of your Wir...

Page 42: ...y if you have any non Adaptec brand devices on your WLAN Go to Creating the Keys Manually below to continue If you have only Adaptec brand products on your WLAN you can create a passphrase that automatically generates the required keys and sets a default key Go to Creating the Keys with a Passphrase on page 36 to continue Creating the Keys Manually 1 Click Manual Entry then choose either Hexadecim...

Page 43: ...text box As you type the Adaptec Wireless Utility will auto generate the required keys and set a default key In the example below the passphrase lomcevak generated the four unique keys shown and set the default key to 1 2 Click Apply Changes You can restore the default encryption settings at any time by clicking Restore Defaults 3 Click OK to close the Adaptec Wireless Utility ...

Page 44: ...your Wireless PC Card s transfer rate changes frequently you can set a lower transfer rate to achieve a more stable connection The fixed rate speed options are 11 Mbps the highest rate 5 5 Mbps 1 or 2 Mbps 2 Mbps or 1 Mbps To change the transfer rate for your Wireless PC Card 1 Open the Adaptec Wireless Utility See Step 1 on page 28 2 Click the Configuration tab 3 In the Transfer Rate drop down bo...

Page 45: ...e Adaptec Wireless Utility See Step 1 on page 28 2 Click the Configuration tab 3 In the Power Saving Mode drop down box select Enabled as shown above 4 Click Apply Changes then click OK to close the Adaptec Wireless Utility Adjusting the Transmit Threshold Control Settings Changes to the Transmit Threshold Control settings can affect overall network performance Adaptec highly recommends that these...

Page 46: ...N The default profile contains the default settings of your Wireless PC Card To save a new profile 1 Open the Adaptec Wireless Utility See Step 1 on page 28 2 Click the Configuration tab 3 In the drop down box type a new profile name then click Create The utility creates a profile containing the current configuration settings Any configuration changes you make will associate with the new profile i...

Page 47: ...eys of your other Wireless devices Note The same passphrase used on different brands of Wireless devices may not generate identical WEP keys If you have any non Adaptec brand Wireless devices on your WLAN Adaptec recommends that you enter the WEP keys manually not with a passphrase to ensure that all WEP keys on your WLAN are identical See Setting the WEP Keys on page 35 for more information My Ad...

Page 48: ...If no link is made click the Link tab If the Link Quality or Signal Strength values are lower than 25 percent it s unlikely that you ll be able to connect to that AP Click Re Scan to search for other available APs and repeat Step 3 if possible You may need to reposition your computer so that your Wireless PC Card is closer to an AP 4 Click OK to close the Adaptec Wireless Utility ...

Page 49: ...et connection What s a Wireless LAN A Wireless LAN WLAN uses radio signals instead of cables or wires to connect all the computers in the network There are different types of wireless networks each with it s own set of features and benefits Adaptec Wireless Network products are based on the Wi Fi standard wireless fidelity like high fidelity or Hi Fi in audio equipment which means that they commun...

Page 50: ...ion for more information You can protect your network from intrusion from the outside world via the Internet by installing a router Go to the Adaptec Web site at www adaptec com for more information on Adaptec s Wireless Router You can exclude unauthorized users from your WLAN by using the security and encryption features built into your Wireless device See Connecting to the WLAN on page 27 and Ch...

Page 51: ...channels Japan Antenna Built in strip antenna Frequency 2 4 to 2 4835 GHz Industrial Scientific Medical Band Data Rate Up to 11 Mbps Operating Ranges Indoor varies depending on environment Up to 50 M 11 Mbps Up to 80 M 5 5 Mbps Outdoor varies depending on environment Up to 150 M 11 Mbps Up to 300 M 5 5 Mbps Temperature Operating 0 C 55 C Storage 25 C 70 C Humidity 10 to 90 non condensing ...

Page 52: ...less device linking to your Wireless device must be tuned to the same channel In Infrastructure mode the channel is selected by the AP or Router It automatically selects a channel from the range available for your geographical location 11 channels are available for use in the United States and communicates that channel to your Wireless device In Ad Hoc mode only you can set the channel yourself de...

Page 53: ...re devices plugged in at the same time Infrastructure mode See operating mode LAN Stands for Local Area Network LANs are wired networks LED Stands for Light Emitting Diode MAC address A Media Access Control MAC address is a 12 character string that uniquely identifies each network device on your network for instance your Wireless USB Adapter or Wireless AP A MAC address is built into each device E...

Page 54: ...ommunication Do not choose Ad hoc mode if your WLAN contains an AP and multiple computers Infrastructure mode is for WLANs that include an AP or Router and multiple computers PCI Stands for Peripheral Component Interconnect peer to peer mode See operating mode preamble A preamble is a signal used to synchronize the transmission timing on your WLAN A series of transmission pulses is sent ahead of t...

Page 55: ...USB Stands for Universal Serial Bus WEP Wired Equivalent Privacy WEP is a security feature that provides confidentiality by encrypting the data being sent over the radio waves of your WLAN and authentication by using a shared key between the Wireless device and the AP WEP key WEP keys control encryption WEP keys can be numeric alphabetic or a combination of both You can choose between Hexadecimal ...

Page 56: ... accessing your WLAN Your Wireless devices can only connect to your AP if they have the same SSID as the AP Wireless devices in Ad hoc mode must be set to the same SSID The Wireless Network ID is case sensitive and must not exceed 32 characters WLAN Stands for Wireless Local Area Network WLANs use radio signals instead of wires to connect network stations WLAN station See transfer rate ...

Page 57: ...th Milpitas Boulevard Milpitas CA 95035 USA 2002 Adaptec Inc All rights reserved Adaptec and the Adaptec logo are trademarks of Adaptec Inc which may be registered in some jurisdictions Part Number 513357 06 Ver AA LB 09 02 ...