3Com 3CRWE675075 - 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Workgroup... User manual

Quick Start Guide
11a/b/g Wireless Workgroup Bridge
3CRWE675075
The 3Com 11a/b/g Wireless Workgroup Bridge combines high-performance, interoperability, and ease-
of-use to join isolated wired networks into a cohesive wireless local area network (WLAN). Instead of
traveling over wires, data is transmitted across the WLAN using radio waves.
The 3Com 11a/b/g Wireless Workgroup Bridge includes a robust suite of standards-based security
features, and supports wireless network standards including 802.11a and 802.11g. For a complete list of
the Bridge’s features, see the 3Com 11 a/b/g Wireless Workgroup Bridge User Guide located on the
3Com Installation CD.
This Quick Start Guide describes the basic installation of the Bridge. It covers the following topics:
■Unpacking the Bridge
■Deciding Where to Place the Bridge
■Connecting the Bridge
■Checking the LED Indicators
■Attaching An External Antenna
■Determining if you Need to Configure the Bridge
■Using the 3Com Installation CD
For complete instructions on using the Bridge, see the 3Com 11 a/b/g Wireless Workgroup Bridge
User Guide located on the 3Com Installation CD.
11 a / b / g W i r e l e ss
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Observing Safety Precautions
This equipment must be installed in compliance with local and national building codes, regulatory
restrictions, and FCC rules. For the safety of people and equipment, only professional network personnel
should install the Bridge.
1 Unpacking the Bridge
Make sure that you have the following items, which are included with the Bridge:
■Power adapter and power cord.
■Standard Category 5 unshielded twisted pair (UTP) Ethernet cable.
■Locking bar (used for securing a wall-mounted installation).
■Rubber feet (four; used for a flat-surface installation).
■3Com Installation CD.
2 Deciding Where to Place the Bridge
Place the Bridge in a dry, clean location near the hub, computer, or printer that will be connected to the
Bridge. The location must have a power source and be within the following distance of a Wi-Fi-
compliant wireless LAN access point or ad hoc wireless station:
■For 802.11a compatibility, place the Bridge within 50 m (164 ft) of a Wi-Fi compliant wireless
LAN access point.
■For 802.11b/g compatibility, place the Bridge within 100 m (300 ft) of a Wi-Fi compliant
wireless LAN access point.
The location should be away from transformers, heavy-duty motors, fluorescent lights, microwave ovens,
refrigerators, or other equipment that could cause radio signal interference.
WARNING: To comply with FCC radio frequency (RF) exposure limits, a minimum body-to-
antenna distance of 20 cm (8 in.) must be maintained when the Bridge is operational.
WARNING: To avoid possible injury or damage to equipment, you must use either the provided
power supply or power supply equipment that is safety certified according to UL, CSA, IEC, or
other applicable national or international safety requirements for the country of use. All references
to power supply in this document refer to equipment meeting these requirements.
CAUTION: The 3Com power supply (part number 61-0107-000) input relies on a 16A rated
building fuse or circuit protector for short circuit protection of the line to neutral conductors.

Wall-mounting the Bridge
The Bridge comes equipped with a cradle for mounting on a wall. For additional security, the Bridge also
comes with a locking bar, which can be used with a security lock (not provided) to lock the Bridge to the
cradle after the Bridge is mounted to the wall.
To wall-mount the Bridge:
1Screw the cradle to a wall.
2Route the power and Ethernet cables through the large opening in the cradle.
The figures below show the cradle being mounted to a wall, and then a cable being routed
through the large opening in the cradle.
3Connect the power and Ethernet cables to the ports on the front of the Bridge.
4Snap the Bridge onto the cradle.
To install the locking bar, push the locking bar through the opening in the side of the cradle until the
hole on the locking bar is exposed. Insert a lock (not provided) through the hole on the locking bar,
and then close the lock to secure it in place. See the user guide for detailed instructions.
Placing the Bridge on a Flat Surface
To install the Bridge on a flat surface such as a table or desktop, remove the backing from the four
rubber feet and attach them on the bottom of the cradle.
CAUTION: Do not place the Bridge on any type of metal surface. Select a location that is clear
of obstructions and provides good reception.
Wall-mounting the cradle Routing a cable
C r a dl e
Inserting the locking bar Securing the bar with a lock
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3 Connecting the Bridge
Before connecting the Bridge to an Ethernet client, connect the power supply. The figure below shows
the ports for connecting the power and Ethernet cables.
The bridge can also be connected to a serial device. Serial cables come with a variety of connector sizes.
If your connector is large and prevents the cradle from being attached to the Bridge, remove the end cap
on the cradle. This allows the connector to extend through the cradle.
Connecting to an Ethernet Device
The Bridge is designed to be connected to an Ethernet client device such as a hub, computer, or printer.
Connecting to a Hub
You can supply network connections for up to 16 devices, such as computers and network printers, by
connecting the Bridge to an Ethernet hub, as shown below.
CAUTION: To avoid the possibility of a transmission loop situation between the Bridge and
an access point, which could disrupt network operation, do not connect a Bridge that is set
in Wireless Client (Infrastructure) mode directly to the LAN (for example, through a wall
port or through a hub that is connected directly to the LAN).
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11 a / b / g W i r e l e ss
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Connecting to a Network Printer
You can connect a network printer directly to the Bridge or to a hub that is connected to the Bridge.
Used this way, the Bridge allows you to place network printers in areas that are not wired for Ethernet.
1Configure the network printer as you would for connecting it to the wired LAN. For
details on configuring the printer, see your printer documentation.
2If necessary, configure the Bridge to associate with your access point.
3Connect the Bridge to power in its permanent location.
4Connect the network printer directly to the Bridge as shown in the figure below, or into a
hub that is connected to the Bridge as shown in the previous section, “Connecting to a
Hub.”
Connecting to a Computer
You can connect the Bridge directly to a computer through Ethernet as shown below. Used this way, the
Bridge can convert a desktop computer to a wireless computer. This connection also allows you to
configure a Bridge before connecting it to another device.
CAUTION: You can directly connect the Bridge to a hub that does not have an uplink
(MDIX) port, without the need of an Ethernet crossover cable.
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4 Checking the LED Indicators
When the Bridge is connected to power, LEDs indicate activity as follows (solid LED indicates connection;
blinking LED indicates activity):
5 Attaching An External Antenna
The Bridge has two internal diversity dual-band antennas. If you want to increase the range of the
Bridge, an external antenna can be attached to the external antenna connector on the Bridge. The
3Com-approved external antenna for this Bridge is the 3Com 2.4/5 GHz Omnidirectional Workgroup
Bridge Antenna (3CWE501). For more information, go to www.3Com.com
6 Determining if you Need to Configure the Bridge
If your network has a DHCP server and no special security requirements, you can most likely use the
Bridge just as it is shipped from the factory. View the Bridge’s default settings on the next page to
determine whether or not you need to configure the Bridge for your network.
It takes about one to two minutes for the Bridge to determine if there is a DHCP server on the network.
If your network does not have a DHCP server or is more complex, you will want to configure the Bridge
and organize devices so that you can manage the wireless LAN easily and keep it secure.
LED Color Indicates
Power Green
Off
The Bridge is powered up
and operating normally.
The Bridge is not receiving
power or there is a fault with
the power supply.
11a Green
Off
The Bridge has WLAN frame
transmission over the
802.11a 5 GHz radio band.
No link is present.
11g Green
Off
The Bridge has WLAN frame
transmission over the
802.11g 2.4 GHz radio band.
No link is present.
100 Green
Off
The Bridge has a 100 Mbps
Fast Ethernet connection.
No link is present.
10 Green
Off
The Bridge has a 10 Mbps
Ethernet connection.
No link is present.
CAUTION: For non-U.S. versions of the Bridge, you need to set the Country mode. This is done
when you first open the Bridge’s Configuration Management System. Select the Country in which
the Bridge is operating and then click Apply.
.11g .100
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Networks with a DHCP Server
If your network has a DHCP server, an IP address is automatically assigned to the Bridge. It takes about
one to two minutes for the Bridge to determine if there is a DHCP server on the network. Use the 3Com
Wireless Infrastructure Device Manager (Widman) included on the 3Com Installation CD to locate the
Bridge on the network and view its IP address.
After you determine the Bridge’s IP address, you can enter that IP address into a web browser on a computer
on the same subnet to view the Bridge’s system status or change its configuration.
Networks without a DHCP Server
If your network does not have a DHCP server, the Bridge uses a default IP address (169.254.2.2) that is
assigned at the factory. You can use that IP address to configure the Bridge, or you can assign a new
IP address to the Bridge.
To verify that the Bridge is using the default IP address assigned at the factory:
1Connect a computer directly to the Bridge using the supplied standard Category 5
UTP Ethernet cable.
2Enter the Bridge’s default IP address (169.254.2.2) into the computer’s web browser.
If the Configuration Management System starts, the Bridge is using the factory assigned
IP address. You can configure the Bridge with the following login information:
■Login name: admin
■Password: none (blank)
If the Configuration Management System does not start, the Bridge is on a different subnet
than the computer. Install and start the 3Com Wireless Infrastructure Device Manager to
discover the Bridge’s IP address.
Bridge Default Settings
The table below shows the Bridge configuration factory defaults.
Property Default Setting
Device Name 3Com WWB
Device Location None (blank)
Country For U.S. version, United States and Canada
For non-U.S. version, set by the user
Client Mode Support multiple wired Ethernet clients
IP Network Setting Obtain IP address automatically
IP Address Obtained automatically (with a DHCP server)
169.254.2.2 (without a DHCP server)
Subnet Mask Obtained automatically (with a DHCP server)
255.255.0.0 (without a DHCP server)
Gateway IP Address Obtained automatically (with a DHCP server)
0.0.0.0 (without a DHCP server)
Network Mode Wireless Client (Infrastructure)
Radio Mode Auto Select
Wireless LAN Service Area Attach to any WLAN Service Area (ESSID) automatically
Channel Selection Automatic Best Channel (uses access point setting)
Transmit Power 100%

Copyright © 2004 3Com Corporation. All rights reserved. 3Com and the 3Com logo are registered
trademarks of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the
respective companies with which they are associated.
DQA6750-75AAA01
Published July 2004
7 Using the 3Com Installation CD
The 3Com Installation CD contains the following tools and utilities:
■3Com Wireless Infrastructure Device Manager—an administration tool that helps you
select 3Com wireless LAN devices and launch their configurations in your Web browser.
■3Com 3CDaemon Server Tool—a firmware upgrade tool that can act as a TFTP Server, a
SysLog Server, an optional TFTP Client, or an optional FTP Server.
To use the 3Com Installation CD, you need a computer running Internet Explorer (latest version is
recommended) and one of the following operating systems: Windows XP, Windows 2000,
Windows NT 4.0, Windows Me, or Windows 98.
To install one of the tools on your computer:
1Turn on the computer.
2Insert the 3Com Installation CD in the CD-ROM drive.
The setup menu appears. If it does not appear, you can start the setup menu from the
Windows Start menu. For example: Start > Run > d:setup.exe.
3In the menu, click Tools and Utilities.
4In the next screen, click the tool you want to install.
5Follow the instructions on the screens to complete the installation.
Reboot the computer if prompted to do so.
6Launch the tool from the Windows Start menu.
For details on using the Wireless Infrastructure Device Manager, see “Using the 3Com
Wireless Infrastructure Device Manager” in the 3Com 11 a/b/g Wireless Workgroup Bridge
User Guide.
For instructions on using the 3CDaemon Server Tool, see the application’s online help.
Antenna Selection Internal
Data Preamble Long (if Network Mode is set to Ad-Hoc)
Same as access point setting (if Network Mode is set to Wireless Client
[Infrastructure])
Security Setting Open System (no security)
802.1x Authentication State Disabled
SNMP Enabled
Access Control List Disabled
Administration Login Name admin
Administration Password None (blank)
TFTP Server IP Address None
FTP Server IP Address None