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2. COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARKS Copyright 2002 Linksys, All Rights Reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective proprietors.LIMITED WARRANTY Linksys guarantees that every Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter will be free from phys- ical defects in material and workmanship under normal use for one year from the date of pur- chase, when used within the limits set forth in the Specifications chapter of this User Guide. If these products prove defective during this warranty period, call Linksys Technical Support in order to obtain a Return Authorization Number. BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PUR- CHASE AND A BARCODE FROM THE PRODUCT'S PACKAGING ON HAND WHEN CALLING. RETURN REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT PROOF OF PURCHASE. When returning a product, mark the Return Authorization Number clearly on the outside of the pack- age and include a copy of your original proof of purchase. All customers located outside of the United States of America and Canada shall be held responsible for shipping and handling charges.IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYSS LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE PRODUCT FROM DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE PRODUCT, ITS ACCOMPANYING SOFTWARE, OR ITS DOCUMENTATION. LINKSYS DOES NOT OFFER REFUNDS FOR ANY PRODUCT. Linksys makes no warranty or representation, expressed, implied, or statutory, with respect to its prod- ucts or the contents or use of this documentation and all accompanying software, and specif- ically disclaims its quality, performance, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. Linksys reserves the right to revise or update its products, software, or documentation without obligation to notify any individual or entity. Please direct all inquiries to:Linksys P.O. Box 18558, Irvine, CA 92623. FCC STATEMENT This Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter has been tested and complies with the specifica- tions for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used according to the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which is found 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: Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment or devices Connect the equipment to an outlet other than the receivers Consult a dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for assistanceFCC Caution: Any changes or modifications nor expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate this equipment.This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement This device and its antenna(s) must operate with a separation distance of at least 20 cm from all persons and must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter. End-users must be provided with specific operations for satisfying RF exposure compliance. UG-WUSB11 ver. 2.6-032002 BW 3. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Appendix A: Troubleshooting29The Instant WirelessTM USB Network Adapter 1Common Problems and Solutions29Features 1Frequently Asked Questions 29Package Contents 2System Requirements2 Appendix B: Glossary 33Chapter 2: Planning Your Wireless Network 3 Appendix C: Specifications 38Network Topology 3Roaming3 Appendix D: Environmental39Chapter 3: Getting To Know the Wireless USB Appendix E: Warranty Information 40 Network Adapter 4The Wireless USB Network Adapters Port and LEDs 4 Appendix F: Contact Information41Chapter 4: Installation and Configuration of the USB Adapter for Windows 98SE, Me, and 20006Software and Driver Installation for Windows 98SE, Me, and 20007Chapter 5: Connecting Your Wireless USB Network Adapter 12The USB Icon12USB Cabling 12Removing the USB Adapter13Using the Wireless USB Network Adapters Wall Mount 13Hardware Detection for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000 15Chapter 6: Installation of the USB Adapter for Windows XP16Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration18Chapter 7: Installing Network Protocols 21Installing the Network Protocols for Windows 98SE and Me 21Chapter 8: Configuring the Wireless USB Network Adapter 23 4. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter Chapter 1: IntroductionPackage Contents The Instant WirelessTM USB Network Adapter Put the mobile back into mobile computing with the Linksys Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter! The Linksys Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter operates in the ISM band, using Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) transmission to implement the 802.11b standard. Users can now move easily between Access Points without the hassle of reconfiguring their connection.The Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter also gives you the freedom to work your way, from where you want, letting you take full advantage of your PC and providing you with access to all your networked resources from beyond your desktop, and a high-powered built-in antenna with LEDs indicates power and linkage. Compatible with Windows 98SE, 2000, Me, and XP, the Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter from Linksys is a true necessity for all your Figure 1-1 wireless PC applications. One Wireless USB Network Adapter Features One USB Cable One Wall Mount Up to 11 Mbps High-Speed Data Transfer Rate One Setup CD-ROM with User Guide Integrated Equalizer Recovers Weak Signals and Enhances Sensitivity One Quick Installation Movable External Antenna Improves Signal Quality One Registration Card USB Port Powers Your AdapterNo Power Supply Needed! System Requirements Compatible with Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, and XP User-Friendly Setup Software Provides Hassle-Free Configuration Pentium-Class 200MHz or Faster Processor Plug-and-Play Operation Provides Easy Setup 64MB RAM Recommended Works with All Standard Internet Applications Available USB Port Interoperable with 802.11b (DSSS) 2.4GHz-Compliant Equipment CD-ROM Drive Capable of up to 128-Bit WEP Encryption Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, XP Free Software Driver Upgrades Toll-Free Technical Support24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week for U.S. Only 1-Year Limited Warranty 1 2 5. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter Chapter 2: Planning Your Chapter 3: Getting to Know the Wireless Network Wireless USB Network Adapter Network Topology The Wireless USB Network Adapters Port and LEDsA wireless LAN is exactly like a regular LAN, except that each computer in the The Wireless USB Network Adapters USB port is located on the back of the LAN uses a wireless device to connect to the network. Computers in a wire- Adapter. less LAN must be configured to share the same frequency channel.The Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter provides access to a wired LAN for wireless workstations. An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called an Infrastructure configuration. A group of Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter users and an Access Point compose a Basic Service Set (BSS). Each PC equipped with an Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter in a BSS can talk to any computer in a wired LAN infrastructure via the Access Point. Figure 3-1 An infrastructure configuration extends the accessibility of an Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter PC to a wired LAN, and doubles the effec-The Wireless USB Network Adapters USB port tive wireless transmission range for two Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter PCs. Since the Access Point is able to forward data within its BSS, theUSB Port The USB Port is a port installed in your PC, enabling you to effective transmission range in an infrastructure LAN is doubled. connect to USB peripherals. To work with USB ports, your PC must be running Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, or XP. The use of a unique ID in a BSS is essential. All computers that have Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter configured without roaming options in an Your Wireless USB Network Adapter comes with a USB cable. Plug one end independent BSS must be configured with a BSS ID (that is used in the BSS).into your PCs USB port and the other end into your Wireless USB NetworkAdapter. The Wireless LAN Infrastructure configuration is appropriate for enterprise- scale wireless access to a central database, or as a wireless application for mobile users. Roaming Infrastructure mode also supports roaming capabilities for mobile users. More than one BSS can be configured as an Extended Service Set (ESS). This con- tinuous network allows users to roam freely within an ESS. All Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter PCs within one ESS must be configured with the same ESS ID and use the same radio channel.Before enabling a network with roaming capability, selecting a feasible radio channel and optimum Access Point position is recommended. Proper Access Point positioning combined with a clear radio signal will greatly enhance per- formance. 34 6. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network AdapterNote: Windows 95 and NT do not support the USB Adapter. Chapter 4: Installation and Configuration of the USB Adapter for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000 This Wireless USB Network Adapter Setup Wizard will guide you through the Install and Uninstall Procedures for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000. Important for Windows XP users: Do NOT run the WirelessNetwork Adapter Setup Wizard. Proceed directly to Chapter 5:Connecting Your Wireless USB Network Adapter. Note to Windows 98, Me, and 2000 users: You must install thissoftware before installation of the hardware.Insert the Setup Wizard CD into your CD-ROM Drive. The Setup Wizard should run automatically and Figure 4-1 should appear. If it does not, click theFigure 3-2 Start button and choose Run. In the box that appears, enter D:setup.exe (where D is the letter of your CD-ROM drive). The LED IndicatorsPower Green. The Power LED lights up when the Wireless USB Network Adapter is powered on.LinkGreen. The Link LED lights up when the Adapter has an active connection. If the LED is not on, the Adapter is not interfacing with the network. Figure 4-156 7. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter The Setup button begins the software installation process, as shown on the 3. After reading the Warranty Policy, click the Yes button if you agree, or No next page.to end the installation. The User Guide button shows you a PDF file of the User Guide. The LINKSYS WEB button links you to the Linksys website. The Exit button allows you to the exit the Setup Wizard.Software and Driver Installation for Windows 98SE, Me, and 20001. To install your Wireless USB Network Adapter, click on the Setup button.2. After you see Figure 4-2, click the Next button to continue. Figure 4-34. The InstallShield Wizard will automatically choose the folder where Setup Wizard will install the files. Click the Next button. Figure 4-2 Figure 4-47 8 8. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter 5. The InstallShield Wizard will ask you to choose a wireless mode. Choose 7. Enter in the name of your SSID (Service Set Identifier) for your Ad-Hoc orthe mode that applies to your network. Ad-Hoc Mode is used for simpleInfrastructure setting. The SSID must be identical for all points in the net-peer-to-peer networking or the sharing of local resources between wireless work. The default setting is linksys (all lowercase). Click the Next button.Networked PCs, and Infrastructure Mode allows a wireless network to beintegrated into an existing, wired network through an access point, permit-ting roaming between access points while maintaining a connection to allnetwork resources. Then, click the Next button.Figure 4-7 Figure 4-5 8. The Wizard will ask you to review your settings before starting to copy files. Select Back to review or change any settings, or select Next if you are satis- 6. If you chose Infrastructure Mode, go on to Step 7 now. If you chose Ad-fied with your settings.Hoc Mode, choose the correct operating channel that applies to your network.The channel you choose should be the same as the other points in your wire-less network. The default channel is set to Channel 6. Click Next. Figure 4-6 Figure 4-8910 9. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter 9. TheInstallShield Wizard will begin copying the files. TheChapter 5: Connecting Your bar in the middle of the screen below shows the Wireless USB Network Adapter percentage of files copied. Important for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000 users: You must install the Adapters software before installation of the hardware.Important for Windows XP users: You must install the Adapters hardware before installation of the software. To install your Wireless USB Network Adapter, first connect one end of theUSB cable to the Adapter. Then, connect the other end of the USB cable to theFigure 4-9USB port on your desktop or notebook PC. Since the Adapter gets its powerfrom the PCs USB port, there is no external power adapter. The Power LED10. The screen in Figure 4- should light up green when the Adapter is attached and the PC is on.10 may appear. Clickon the Yes button if youThe USB Iconwant to continue theinstallation. Click onThe USB icon shown below marks a USB port on a PC or device.the No button if you donot want to continue theinstallation. 11. After the Wireless USB Figure 5-1Network Adapter SetupWizard has been suc-Figure 4-10cessfully installed, theUSB Cablingscreen in Figure 4-10will appear.The Wireless USB Network Adapter comes with one USB cable. Connect oneend of the USB cable to the USB device on your USB Network Adapter.You have now completed theConnect the other end to a computers USB port.installation of your Wireless USB Network AdapterThe picture shows two USB ports as they might appear on Setup Wizard. To connect your computer. Note the two USB icons marking the the Wireless USB Network ports.Adapter, please go toChapter 5: Connecting YourWireless USB Network Adapter.Figure 5-2Figure 4-1111 12 10. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter Removing the Wireless USB Network AdapterSTEP TWO The adapter is Hot Swappable, which means that you can remove or reconnectthe adapter whenever you want without turning off your PC. Although, youmight need to renew your network connectionNote: If you have multiple USB ports on your PC, make sure toreconnect the adapter into the same port that it was removed; other-wise, the adapter will be detected as a new device. Using the Wireless USB Network Adapters Wall Mount The Wireless USB Network Adapters Wall Mount allows you to easily installthe Wireless USB Network Adapter onto your wall for convenient use and bet-ter reception. Before installing the WallMount into the Wireless USBNetwork Adapter, take theseparate adhesive strip of Figure 5-5velcro and attach it to thewall where you will be STEP THREEmounting the Wireless USBNetwork Adapter. The Wall Mount, shown in Figure 5-3Figure 5-3, is included withthe Wireless USB NetworkAdapter. To install it into the WirelessUSB Network Adapter, sim-ply slide it into the Adaptersback, as shown in steps one,two, and three. STEP ONE Figure 5-6Once the Wall Mount is attached to the Wireless USB Network Adapter, stickFigure 5-4 it to the velcro strip youve attached to your wall for wall mounting.13 14 11. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter Hardware Detection for Windows 98SE, Me, and 2000 After the Wireless USB Network Adapter has been physically connected toChapter 6: Installation andyour computer, Windows will detect the new hardware. You may see the screenin Figure 5-7. Click on the Yes button to continue or the No button to stop theConfiguration of the USBinstallation.Drivers for Windows XPAfter attaching the Wireless USB Network Adapter to your computer, you willinstall the network driver.Important for Windows XP users: Do NOT run the Wireless Network Adapter Setup Wizard. If the Setup Wizard runs automatical- ly after the Setup Wizard CD has been inserted, click the Exit tab. 1. Windows XP will automatically detect the presence of the Wireless USB Network Adapter in your computer. Insert the Setup Wizard CD into your CD-ROM Drive. Click the radio button next to Install from a list or spe- cific location (Advanced). Then click the Next button to continue. Figure 5-7In most cases, Windows will then automatically copy all of the files needed fornetworking. If Windows asks you for the files, and D is your computers CD-ROM drive, they may be located at: D:Drives These files may also be located at C:windowsoptionscabs. Check with youroperating systems user guide for the exact location.Note to Windows 2000 Users: You may be prompted at this time that a digital signature has not been found; this is normal. See Figure 5-7. The WUSB11 has been verified to run on Windows 2000. Click Yes to continue, and then click the Finish button to end the hardware detection process. Figure 6-1 Important for Windows XP users: After the Wireless USB Network Adapter has been physically connected to your computer, Windows will detect the new hardware. Proceed to Chapter 6: Installation and Configuration of the USB Adapter for Windows XP.1516 12. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter 2. Click the radio button next to Search for the best driver in these locations.4. Windows will tell you when it has finished installing the new driver. Click Select Include this location in the search:, and enter D:Drivers in thethe Finish button. location field (if D is the letter of your CD-ROM drive). Click the Next button.Figure 6-2Figure 6-43. Windows will notify you that the driver has not passed Windows Logo test- ing. Since this product has been tested to work with Windows XP, click the Continue Anyway button.You have now completed the installation of the drivers for the Wireless USB Network Adapter.Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration Important for Windows XP users: Windows XP has built-in config- uration tools. Use the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration, (in the system tray at the bottom of your screen) to configure the Adapter.1. After installing the Adapter, the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration icon will appear on your system tray. See Figure 6-5. Double-click the icon of the two monitors and Figure 6-6 will appear. Figure 6-31718 13. Instant Broadband Series Wireless USB Network Adapter 3. If your Access Point has enabled WEP encryption, the screen in Figure 6-7 will appear. Enter the WEP key in the Network Key. Click the Connect button. Figure 6-52. The screen that appears will show any available Network. Select a Network, then click on the connect button.Figure 6-7 In order to find out the WEP encryption set by other wireless products in your network, such as the WAP11, you may run the USB utility or SNMP configuration program to check the WEP encryption tab for the correct key entries. If you are using other access points, please check their user guides for more information on WEP encryption configuration.Note: Windows XP does not support the use of a passphrase. Enter the exact key used on your access point. 4. The screen in Figure 6-8 will appear next if your connection is successful.Figure 6-8For more information about WEP, refer to the Routers User Guide or the Figure 6-6 KnowledgeBase on the Linksys Website.For further information on Wireless Networking with Windows XP,search the Windows XP Search Engine using the keyword: wireless.1920 14. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter2. From the Configuration tab,Chapter 7: Installing Network select Instant Wireless USBNetwork Adapter ver. 2.6Protocols from the list, and click the Addbutton.Protocols are necessary for computers to be recognized on your network.Windows 2000 and XP users need to check their Windows User Guides for pro-tocol installation.Installing the Network Protocols for Windows 98SEand Me1. From the Start Menu, select Settings and bring up the Control Panel. From the Control Panel, double-click on the Network icon.Figure 7-23. Select Protocol, and click theAdd button.Figure 7-3 4. Select Microsoft from theFigure 7-1list of Manufacturers andTCP/IP from the list ofNote: Before adding any network protocols, verify Network Protocols. Clickthat the protocol is not already installed. Never the OK button to close theinstall duplicate protocols.Network window.Windows may start copy-ing some files or ask youfor your Windows installa-tion files at this time. Afterthe files are copied,Windows may ask you torestart. Click Yes to restartand complete the installationFigure 7-4process.2122 15. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter2. The screen in Figure 8-3 shows you any available wireless device for net-Chapter 8: Configuring thework connection. Select the wireless device, and click the Connect buttonto connect or the Refresh button to search for more wireless devices.Wireless USB Network AdapterAttempt Auto-Connect to ANY network in range will connect you to theclosest network within range. Click the X (Close) button in the upper rightAfter installing the Network Adapter, Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, and XP will corner to closeautomatically identify the Adapter. Next, you may need to configure the the WLANAdapters driver software.Monitor or Important for Windows XP users: Windows XP has built-in config-clickthe uration tools. Use the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration, (in P r o f i l e the system tray at the bottom of your screen) to configure the Adapter Setting button See Chapter 6: Installation and Configuration of the USB Drivers for to continue. Windows XP.1. After installing the Adapter, the Wireless USB Network Adapter WLAN Monitor icon will appear on your system tray. Double-click on the icon of the monitor in Figure 8-1, and Figure 8-2 will appear: Figure 8-1Figure 8-3 3. When the screen in Figure 8-4 appears, click on the New button to create anew profile or select a profile and click on the edit button to change anexisting profile or Click on the Delete button to delete a profile. Select aprofile and click the Connect button to connect.Figure 8-2Figure 8-2 shows you the status of your current connection on the LinkStatus page. Click the X (Close) button in the upper right corner to closethe WLAN Monitor or click the Connections button to continue. Figure 8-42324 16. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter 4. If you click on the New or Edit button, the screen in Figure 8-5 will5. If you clicked on the Advance button, the Advanced page will appear. appear. You can enter a name for a new profile and change any of the set- Under the WEP drop-down box, you can choose to have WEP encryption tings on this page. Disabled, 64, or 128 Bits. If you choose 64 Bits, the screen in Figure 8-6 will appear. If you choose 128 Bits, the screen in Figure 8-7 will appear. Figure 8-6 Figure 8-5Under the Network Type, you may choose either Infrastructure or Ad-Hoc. Infrastructure mode allows a wireless adapter to communicate with a wired network employing an access point, while the Ad-Hoc mode allows wire- less-to-wireless, peer-to-peer communication. If you choose Infrastructure, the SSID should have the same name as the Access Point. If you choose Ad- Hoc, all clients should share the same SSID name. Click the Apply button to save the settings or click on the Advanced button for your WEP encryp- tion settings. Figure 8-725 26 17. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is an encryption scheme used to protect6. The About tab, as shown in Figure 8-8, shows you copyright and versionwireless data communication. The Disabled setting prevents the sharing of information about the driver, the application, and the firmware. The ver-data with other computers on the WEP network. There are two ways to cre-sion number of the driver may vary from this screen, depending on whichate WEP Encryption keys. The first method is by typing a Passphrase intoversion was shipped with your Adapter. You can always visitthat field and clicking the Generate button. This will generate WEP www.linksys.com for the latest version of the driver. Click the X (Close)Encryption keys based upon that passphrase. A second method is to typebutton in the upper right corner to complete the WLAN Monitor.the WEP Encryption keys in the available fields manually. When manual-ly typing the keys, you must use Hexadecimal characters, which are the let-ters A through F and the numbers 0 through 9. To find out theWEP encryption set by other wireless products in your network, such as theWAP11, you may run the USB utility or SNMP configuration program tocheck the WEP encryption tab for the correct key entries. If you are usingother access points, please check their user guides for more information onWEP encryption configuration.Important: This hexadecimal number must match the Key on all other devices on the wireless network, or this device will be unable to transmit or receive data.In the bottom drop-down box , choose which Default Key will be used forthe encryption. By default, Key 1 will be used. Click the Apply buttonwhen you are done. Figure 8-8 27 28 18. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter Can I play computer games with other members of the wireless network?Appendix A: Troubleshooting Yes, as long as the game supports multiple players over a LAN (local area net-work). Refer to the games user guide for more information.Common Problems and SolutionsWhat is the IEEE 802.11b standard?This chapter provides solutions to problems usually occurring during the instal-The IEEE 802.11b Wireless LAN standards subcommittee, which is formulat-lation and operation of the USB Network Adapter. Read the description below ing a standard for the industry. The objective is to enable wireless LAN hard-to solve your problems. If you cant find an answer here, check the Linksys ware from different manufacturers to communicate.website at www.linksys.com.What IEEE 802.11 features are supported?1. My computer does not recognize the Wireless USB Network Adapter. The product supports the following IEEE 802.11b functions: Make sure that the Wireless USB Network Adapter is properly inserted into CSMA/CA plus Acknowledge protocol the USB port. Multi-Channel Roaming Also, make sure that the USB Controller is enabled in the BIOS. Check with Automatic Rate Selection your motherboard User Guide for more information. RTS/CTS feature Fragmentation2. The Wireless USB Network Adapter does not work properly. Power Management Reinsert the Wireless USB Network Adapter into the notebook or desktops USB port.What is Ad-hoc? For Windows 98SE or Me, right-click on My Computer, and selectAn Ad-hoc wireless LAN is a group of computers, each with a WLAN adapter, Properties. Select the Device Manager tab, and click on the Networkconnected as an independent wireless LAN. Ad-hoc wireless LAN is applica- Adapter. You will find the Wireless USB Network Adapter if it is installed ble at a departmental scale for a branch or SOHO operation. successfully. If you see a yellow exclamation mark, the resources may be conflicting and you must follow the steps below: What is Infrastructure? Uninstall the driver software from your PC. An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called an Infrastructure configura- Restart your PC and repeat the hardware and software installation astion. Infrastructure is applicable to enterprise scale for wireless access to a cen-specified in this User Guide. tral database, or wireless application for mobile workers. 3. I cannot communicate with the other computers linked via Ethernet in the What is Roaming? Infrastructure configuration.Roaming is the ability of a portable computer user to communicate continu- Make sure that the notebook or desktop is powered on. ously while moving freely throughout an area greater than that covered by a sin- Make sure that your Wireless USB Network Adapter is configured on the gle Access Point. Before using the roaming function, the workstation must same channel, SSID, and WEP as the other computers in the Infrastructure make sure that it is the same channel number with the Access Point of dedicat- configuration. ed coverage area. Frequently Asked QuestionsTo achieve true seamless connectivity, the wireless LAN must incorporate anumber of different functions. Each node and Access Point, for example, mustCan I run an application from a remote computer over the wireless network?always acknowledge receipt of each message. Each node must maintain contactThis will depend on whether or not the application is designed to be used overwith the wireless network even when not actually transmitting data. Achievinga network. Consult the application's user guide to determine if it supports oper- these functions simultaneously requires a dynamic RF networking technologyation over a network. that links Access Points and nodes. In such a system, the users end node under-takes a search for the best possible access to the system. First, it evaluates such2930 19. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter factors as signal strength and quality, as well as the message load currently noise. There are two main alternatives, Direct Sequence Spread Spectrumbeing carried by each Access Point and the distance of each Access Point to the (DSSS) and Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS).wired backbone. Based on that information, the node next selects the rightAccess Point and registers its address. Communications between end node and What is DSSS? What is FHSS? And what are their differences?host computer can then be transmitted up and down the backbone. Frequency-Hopping Spread-Spectrum (FHSS) uses a narrowband carrier thatchanges frequency in a pattern that is known to both transmitter and receiver.As the user moves on, the end nodes RF transmitter regularly checks the sys- Properly synchronized, the net effect is to maintain a single logical channel. Totem to determine whether it is in touch with the original Access Point or an unintended receiver, FHSS appears to be short-duration impulse noise.whether it should seek a new one. When a node no longer receives acknowl- Direct-Sequence Spread-Spectrum (DSSS) generates a redundant bit patternedgment from its original Access Point, it undertakes a new search. Upon find-for each bit to be transmitted. This bit pattern is called a chip (or chippinging a new Access Point, it then reregisters, and the communication process con- code). The longer the chip, the greater the probability that the original data cantinues. be recovered. Even if one or more bits in the chip are damaged during trans-mission, statistical techniques embedded in the radio can recover the originalWhat is BSS ID? data without the need for retransmission. To an unintended receiver, DSSSA specific Ad hoc LAN is called a Basic Service Set (BSS). Computers in a appears as low power wideband noise and is rejected (ignored) by most nar-BSS must be configured with the same BSS ID.rowband receivers. What is ESS ID? Would the information be intercepted while transmitting on air?An Infrastructure configuration could also support roaming capability for WLAN features two-fold protection in security. On the hardware side, as withmobile workers. More than one BSS can be configured as an Extended ServiceDirect Sequence Spread Spectrum technology, it has the inherent security fea-Set (ESS). Users within an ESS could roam freely between BSSs while servedture of scrambling. On the software side, WLAN offers the encryption functionas a continuous connection to the network wireless stations, and Access Points(WEP) to enhance security and Access Control.within an ESS must be configured with the same ESS ID and the same radiochannel.Can Instant Wireless products support printer sharing?Instant Wireless products perform the same function as LAN products.What is ISM band? Therefore, Instant Wireless products can work with NetWare, WindowsThe FCC and their counterparts outside of the U.S. have set aside bandwidth NT/2000, or other network operating systems to support printer or file sharing.for unlicensed use in the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band.Spectrum in the vicinity of 2.4 GHz, in particular, is being made available What is WEP?worldwide. This presents a truly revolutionary opportunity to place convenientWEP is Wired Equivalent Privacy, a data privacy mechanism based on a 40 bithigh-speed wireless capabilities in the hands of users around the globe.shared key algorithm, as described in the IEEE 802.11b standard. What is Spread Spectrum?Spread Spectrum technology is a wideband radio frequency technique devel-oped by the military for use in reliable, secure, mission-critical communica-tions systems. It is designed to trade off bandwidth efficiency for reliability,integrity, and security. In other words, more bandwidth is consumed than in thecase of narrowband transmission, but the trade-off produces a signal that is, ineffect, louder and thus easier to detect, provided that the receiver knows theparameters of the spread-spectrum signal being broadcast. If a receiver is nottuned to the right frequency, a spread-spectrum signal looks like background 3132 20. Instant WirelessTM SeriesWireless USB Network AdapterFirmware - Code that is written onto read-only memory (ROM) or program-Appendix B: Glossary mable read-only memory (PROM). Once firmware has been written onto the ROM or PROM, it is retained even when the device is turned off.Ad-hoc Network - A simple peer-to-peer network or the sharing of localresources between wireless networked PCs.Hot Swap - The ability to replace a card or other hardware part in a hardware device without turning it off or losing functionality.Default Gateway - The router used to forward all traffic that is not addressedto a station within the local subnet.IEEE - The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The IEEE describes itself as the worlds largest technical professional societypromot-DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) - A protocol that lets networking the development and application of electrotechnology and allied sciencesadministrators manage centrally and automate the assignment of Internetfor the benefit of humanity, the advancement of the profession, and the well-Protocol (IP) addresses in an organizations network. Using the Internets set ofbeing of our members.protocol (TCP/IP), each machine that can connect to the Internet needs aunique IP address. When an organization sets up its computer users with a con- The IEEE fosters the development of standards that often become national andnection to the Internet, an IP address must be assigned to each machine. international standards. The organization publishes a number of journals, hasWithout DHCP, the IP address must be entered manually at each computer and,many local chapters, and several large societies in special areas, such as theif computers move to another location in another part of the network, a new IP IEEE Computer Society.address must be entered. DHCP lets a network administrator supervise and dis-tribute IP addresses from a central point and automatically sends a new IP Infrastructure - An infrastructure network is a wireless network or other smalladdress when a computer is plugged into a different place in the network.network in which the wireless network devices are made a part of the network through the Access Point which connects them to the rest of the network.DHCP uses the concept of a lease or amount of time that a given IP addresswill be valid for a computer. The lease time can vary depending on how long aIP Address - In the most widely installed level of the Internet Protocol (IP)user is likely to require the Internet connection at a particular location. Its espe- today, an IP address is a 32-binary digit number that identifies each sender orcially useful in education and other environments where users change fre-receiver of information that is sent in packet across the Internet. When youquently. Using very short leases, DHCP can dynamically reconfigure networksrequest an HTML page or send e-mail, the Internet Protocol part of TCP/IPin which there are more computers than there are available IP addresses. includes your IP address in the message (actually, in each of the packets if more than one is required) and sends it to the IP address that is obtained by lookingDHCP supports static addresses for computers containing Web servers that up the domain name in the Uniform Resource Locator you requested or in theneed a permanent IP address. e-mail address you're sending a note to. At the other end, the recipient can see the IP address of the Web page requester or the e-mail sender and can respondDNS - The domain name system (DNS) is the way that Internet domain nameby sending another message using the IP address it received.are located and translated into Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. A domain nameis a meaningful and easy-to-remember handle for an Internet address. IPCONFIG - A utility that provides for querying, defining and managing IP addresses within a network. A commonly used utility, under Windows NT andDynamic IP Address - An IP address that is automatically assigned to a client2000, for configuring networks with static IP addresses.station in a TCP/IP network, typically by a DHCP server. Network devices thatserve multiple users, such as servers and printers, are usually assigned static IPaddresses.ESS - More than one BSS in a network.3334 21. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter ISP - An ISP (Internet service provider) is a company that provides individualsery of the data, TCP takes care of keeping track of the individual units of dataand companies access to the Internet and other related services such as Web site (called packet) that a message is divided into for efficient routing through thebuilding and virtual hosting.Internet. LAN - A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associatedTCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is thedevices that share a common communications line and typically share thebasic communication language or protocol of the Internet. It can also be usedresources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area (foras a communications protocol in a private network (either an intranet or anexample, within an office building). extranet). When you are set up with direct access to the Internet, your comput- er is provided with a copy of the TCP/IP program just as every other computerMAC Address - The MAC (Media Access Control) address is your computersthat you may send messages to or get information from also has a copy of theunique hardware number.TCP/IP. mIRC - mIRC runs under Windows and provides a graphical interface for log- UDP (User Datagram Protocol) - A communications method (protocol) thatging onto IRC servers and listing, joining and leaving channels. offers a limited amount of service when messages are exchanged between com- puters in a network that uses the Internet Protocol (IP). UDP is an alternativeNetwork Mask - also known as the Subnet Mask.to the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and, together with IP, is sometimes referred to as UDP/IP. Like the Transmission Control Protocol, UDP uses thePing - (Packet INternet Groper) An Internet utility used to determine whetherInternet Protocol to actually get a data unit (called a datagram) from one com-a particular IP address is online. It is used to test and debug a network by send- puter to another. Unlike TCP, however, UDP does not provide the service ofing out a packet and waiting for a response. dividing a message into packets (datagrams) and reassembling it at the other end. Specifically, UDP doesnt provide sequencing of the packets that the dataRoaming - The ability to use a wireless device and be able to move from onearrives in. This means that the application program that uses UDP must be ableaccess points range to another without losing the connection. to make sure that the entire message has arrived and is in the right order. Network applications that want to save processing time because they have verySSID (Service Set Identifier) is an identification name that wireless devicessmall data units to exchange (and therefore very little message reassembling touse to make connections. In order for wireless devices to communicate, theydo) may prefer UDP to TCP.must all be set to the same channel and they all must use the same SSID. Forinstance, if you are using an access point to connect two computers using wire-USB (Universal Serial Bus) - A plug-and-play interface between a comput-less devices, the access point and each of the wireless devices must use the er and add-on devices (such as audio players, joysticks, keyboards, telephones,same SSID. Even if they are set to the same channel, they cannot communicate scanners, and printers). With USB, a new device can be added to your comput-unless the SSID is the same. er without having to add an adapter card or even having to turn the computer off. The USB peripheral bus standard was developed by Compaq, IBM, DEC,Static IP Address - A permanent IP address that is assigned to a node in a Intel, Microsoft, NEC, and Northern Telecom; and the technology is availableTCP/IP network.without charge for all computer and device vendors. Subnet Mask - The method used for splitting IP networks into a series of sub-USB supports a data speed of 12 megabit per second. This speed will accom-groups, or subnets. The mask is a binary pattern that is matched up with the IPmodate a wide range of devices, including MPEG video devices, data gloves,address to turn part of the host ID address field into a field for subnets.and digitizers. It is anticipated that USB will easily accommodate plug-in tele- phones that use Integrated Services Digital Network and digital private branchTCP (Transmission Control Protocol) - A method (protocol) used along withexchange.the Internet Protocol (IP) to send data in the form of message units betweencomputers over the Internet. While IP takes care of handling the actual deliv-35 36 22. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network Adapter Since October 1996, the Windows operating systems have been equipped withUSB driver or special software designed to work with specific I/O device types.USB is integrated into Windows 98. Today, most new computers and peripher- Appendix C: Specificationsal devices are equipped with USB. Model Number: WUSB11 ver. 2.6A different plug-and-play standard, FireWire/IEEE 1394, is designed to sup-port much higher data rates and devices such as video camcorders and DVD Standards:IEEE 802.11b, USB 1.1(digital video disk or digital versatile disk) players. Both standards are expect-ed to exist together, serving different device types.WEP:64 and 128 bitWEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) - A data privacy mechanism based on a 64-bit shared key algorithm, as described in the IEEE 802.11b standard. Channels: 11 Channels (US, Canada) 13 Channels (Europe)WINIPCFG - Configuration utility based on the Win32 API for querying,14 Channels (Japan)defining and managing IP addresses within a network. A commonly used util-ity under Windows 95, 98, and Me. Wireless Operating Range:* Indoors: Up to 300' (91 m) Outdoors:Up to 1500' (457 m)LEDsPower, Link*Distance may vary depending on the connection speed and environmental conditions. 37 38 23. Instant WirelessTM Series Wireless USB Network AdapterAppendix D: Environmental Appendix E: Warranty InformationDimensions3.58" x 2.8" x 0.9" BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE AND A BARCODEFROM THE PRODUCTS PACKAGING ON HAND WHEN CALLING.(W x D x H) (91 mm x 71 mm x 23 mm) RETURN REQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT PROOF OFPURCHASE.Unit Weight:2.9 oz. (0.08 kg.)IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYS LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICE PAIDPower Output: 19 dBm (typical)FOR THE PRODUCT FROM DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDEN-TAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USEOF THE PRODUCT, ITS ACCOMPANYING SOFTWARE, OR ITS DOCU-Certifications: FCC Class B, CE Mark, Wi-Fi MENTATION. LINKSYS DOES NOT OFFER REFUNDS FOR ANY PROD-UCT.Operating Temp: 32F to 131F (0C to 55C)LINKSYS OFFERS CROSS SHIPMENTS, A FASTER PROCESS FOR PRO-CESSING AND RECEIVING YOUR REPLACEMENT. LINKSYS PAYSStorage Temp: -13F to 158F (-25C to 70C)FOR UPS GROUND ONLY. ALL CUSTOMERS LOCATED OUTSIDE OFTHE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND CANADA SHALL BE HELDOperating Humidity: 0% to 70% Non-CondensingRESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES. PLEASECALL LINKSYS FOR MORE DETAILS.Storage Humidity: 10% to 90% Non-Condensing 3940 24. Instant WirelessTM SeriesAppendix F: Contact InformationFor help with the installation or operation of this product, contact LinksysTechnical Support at one of the phone numbers or Internet addresses below. Sales Information 800-546-5797 (LINKSYS)Technical Support 866-242-8558RMA Issues949-261-1288Fax 949-261-8868Email [email protected] http://www.linksys.comFTP Siteftp.linksys.com 4142 25. http://www.linksys.com Copyright 2002 Linksys, All Rights Reserved.
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