ActionTec 802AA User manual

Actiontec Electronics, Inc.
802AA
User Guide

PRELIMINARY
Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Contents
Preface ...............................................................vii
About this Document..................................................................................vii
Audience ...................................................................................................viii
Additional Resources.................................................................................viii
Regulatory Compliance Information............................................................ix
Radio Frequency Interference Requirements..........................................ix
FCC Warning.........................................................................................ix
RF Exposure Requirements.....................................................................x
1. Introduction..................................................................1-1
Package Contents.......................................................................................1-1
System Requirements.................................................................................1-2
2. Access Point Physical Description...............................1-1
Top Panel...................................................................................................1-1
Rear Panel..................................................................................................1-3
1. AP Web Server.......................................................... A-2-2
Accessing the AP Web Server.................................................................A-2-2
Configuration Windows.........................................................................A-2-4
Working With Configuration Windows...........................................A-2-4
General Configuration Window.............................................................A-2-5

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
General Advanced Configuration Window............................................A-2-8
Shared Key Configuration......................................................................A-2-8
Per Station Privacy Configuration Window..........................................A-2-10
Script Configuration Window..............................................................A-2-12
Firmware Update Configuration Windows..........................................A-2-14
Statistics Windows...............................................................................A-2-15
AP Statistics...................................................................................A-2-16
Station Statistics.............................................................................A-2-18

PRELIMINARY
Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL

PRELIMINARY
Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Preface
The intent of this document is to familiarize you with the Actiontec Access Point
(AP) Reference Design, its physical characteristics, setup, configuration, and
usage. AP hardware developers should refer to the AP Reference Design Functional
Specification, AP Hardware Design Guide, AP Reference Design Board Layouts, AP
Reference Design Schematics, and AP Reference Design Bill of Materials. AP
software developers should refer to the AP Programmer’s Guide. Both the AR5110
Data Sheet and the AR5210 Data Sheet will provide valuable AR5000 chipset
reference for both hardware and software developers.
After reading this user’s guide, you should be able to install, configure, control,
and maintain the Actiontec AP Reference Design provided as part of an Actiontec
Evaluation or Developer’s Kit.
a. About this Document
This document consists of the following chapters and appendixes:
Chapter 1 Introduction—Describes the Access Point package
contents and system requirements.
Chapter Error!
Reference
source not
found.
2. Access Point Physical Description—Provides a
physical description of the Access Point.
Chapter 2 AP Network Attachment and Configuration—
Describes the Access Point network connections
and initial software configuration.
Appendix AAP Web Server—Describes the use of the web
server to configure the Access Point.

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
b.Audience
The intended audience for this user’s guide is evaluators and developers of AP
products. The reader is assumed to have conceptual and practical knowledge
about AP concepts, features, and functions. This guide relies on the reader’s
familiarity with APs in general, while discussing the specific characteristics of the
Actiontec AP Reference Design.
c. Additional Resources
Actiontec Reference Design hardware, software, and documentation contain
proprietary information of Actiontec Electronics, Inc., and are provided under a
license agreement containing restrictions on use and disclosure, and are also
protected by copyright law. Reverse engineering of this hardware, software, or
documentation is prohibited.
If you are working with an Actiontec Developers Kit, the following
resources should be referenced regarding topics that are not addressed in this
document:
1. AR5110 Radio-on-a-Chip for 5-GHz Wireless LANs data sheet
2. AR5210 MAC/Baseband Processor for IEEE 802.11a 5-GHz Wireless LAN
data sheet
3. AP Reference Design Functional Specification
4. AP Hardware Design Guide
5. AP Reference Design Bill of Materials
6. AP Reference Design Board Layouts
7. AP Reference Design Schematics
8. CLI Quick Reference
9. AP Programmer’s Guide
10. STA User’s Guide

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
If you are using an Actiontec Evaluation Kit, you may receive a subset of these
documents.
d.Regulatory Compliance Information
This section contains Regulatory Compliance Information for the AP.
i. Radio Frequency Interference Requirements
This device is restricted to indoor use due to its operation in the 5.15 to 5.25 GHz
frequency range. FCC regulations require this product to be used indoors to
reduce the potential for harmful interference.
High power radars are allocated as primary users of the 5.25 to 5.35 GHz and 5.65
to 5.85 GHz bands. These radar stations can cause interference with and/or
damage to this device.
ii. FCC Warning
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules., as well as ICES 003 B/ NMB
003 B. 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 undesirable operation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
11. Reorient or relocate the radio/TV receiving antenna.
12. Increase the separation between the equipment and the radio/TV receiver.
13. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that which
the radio/TV receiver is connected.
14. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Modifications made to the product, unless expressly approved by Actiontec
Electronics, Inc., could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
iii. RF Exposure Requirements
While this device is in operation, a separation distance of at least 20 centimeters
must be maintained between the radiating antenna and the body of all persons
exposed to the transmitter in order to meet the FCC RF exposure guidelines..
Installers and end-users must follow the installation instructions provided in this
user guide.

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc.COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
1.
Introduction
Actiontec AP Reference Design implements an IEEE 802.11a wireless LAN
(WLAN) AP or data-oriented Residential Gateway (RG) on a single PCB.
This Reference Design is intended to provide high-level information to designers
who want to develop a manufacturing-ready product, or architect a new product
based on the Actiontec AR5000 802.11a wireless LAN chipset and the Motorola
MPC8245 Power PC processor.
Detailed information regarding the Actiontec AR5110 and AR5210, Motorola
MPC8245 processor, National Semiconductor DP83185 Ethernet controller, Micron
SDRAM, and Intel Flash memory devices can be found in the appropriate vendor
datasheets or by contacting the appropriate company.
The Actiontec AP Reference Design hardware together with AP Reference Design
software provide an IEEE 802.11a Access Point supporting up to 128 IEEE 802.11a
station associations including the AP itself. Rates of 6 to 54 Mbps are supported in
standard IEEE 802.11a mode, and 12 to 72 Mbps in Actiontec turbo mode. All
transmission rates are supported across the 5.15 to 5.35 GHz spectrum.
e. Package Contents
The Actiontec AP Reference Design is provided in a completely enclosed plastic
housing with two antennas (180°swivel motion), a power supply, and a serial
cable for use in AP software configuration. The AP Reference Design contains a
single 10/100 Ethernet port. Use an RJ-45 cable Ethernet cable (not provided by
Actiontec) to connect the AP to a wired Ethernet LAN. Refer to

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
AP Network Connections in Chapter 3 for information on connecting the AP to
your LAN.
f. System Requirements
The AP contains a small boot executive that allows the main operating system
software to be downloaded using the Ethernet port over an FTP connection. The
Operating system software can also reside in the Flash memory of the AP, which
allows booting without the need to download the operating system from the host
PC over an FTP connection. A configuration file is created in Flash memory to
store user configurable parameters such as WEP keys. A terminal or PC with an
Ethernet connection is required to perform the initial Operating system software
loading operation, as well as AP configuration. A freeware FTP server (“a-
ftp.exe”) is included on the Actiontec distribution CD in the \utils directory.
Actiontec Electronics provides an FTP site you can use to evaluate the firmware
update capabilities of the AP for test purposes only. By default, Actiontec
Electronicswill set to NULL the default address of the FTP connection. Contact
Actiontec Electronics for the location of the FTP site containing test firmware.
Use the updateparam command to enter parameters for your image and FTP site.
Refer to the AP Programmer’s Guide for information on the updateparam
command.
WARNING: You must confirm that your End User License Agreement (EULA)
covers upgrades to the firmware. The Reference Design upgrade code permits
direct upgrades of the AP from the configuration screen. As a precaution, you
should also use the EULA as your FTP startup text in the event some of your
users log in manually.
You can also use the AP Web Server for firmware updates. Refer to Appendix A,
Firmware Update Configuration Windows for information on the web server.

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc.COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
2. Access Point Physical
Description
This section provides an overview of the physical characteristics of the Actiontec
Reference Design Access Point (AP).
G. Top Panel
The top panel of the AP provides 3 LEDs for status indication, and a pair of side-
mounted antennas that rotate 180°for alternative reception positioning and
compact packaging.
WARNING: To ensure compliance with FCC FR exposure requirements,
position the AP so that its antenna is separated by at least 20 centimeters (cm)
from all persons.
Refer to Table 1-1for a description of the functionality of each LED.

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc.COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Figure 1-1.Access Point Top Panel
Table 1-1.LED Functionality
LED 1 Description
Off No Power
On Power On and Ready for Operation
Blink Power On but Not Ready for Operation—at initial power on or reset, this indicates
self-test or software loading; at other times, this indicates a system fault
LED 2 Description
Off No Ethernet Link Detected
Green On 100 Mbps Link Detected but No Activity
Green Blink 100 Mbps Link Activity—blink rate is proportional to activity
Amber On 10 Mbps Link Detected but No Activity
Amber Blink 10 Mbps Link Activity—blink rate is proportional to activity
LED 3 Description
Off Wireless Link Disabled
LED 1 (Power Status)
LED 2 (Ethernet Link)
LED 3 (Wireless Link)
Fold this way for storage
and packaging
Fold this way for
wall mount

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc.COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
LED 1 Description
Very Slow Blink Looking for Network Association
Slow Blink Associated with Network but No Activity
Fast Blink Associated with Network—blink rate is proportional to activity
H. Rear Panel
The rear panel of the AP (see Fig ref) provides an RS-232 serial interface, an RJ–45
Ethernet jack, a reset button, and a power supply connector (see Figure 1-2). Table
1-2describes each connection and its function.
Figure 1-2.Access Point Rear View
Table 1-2.Rear Panel Descriptions
Item Description
RS
-
232 Serial
Interface connector
Provides configuration of
the AP through a terminal or PC (serial cable
provided), and external connectivity to devices such as analog modems.
RS-232 Serial Connector
RJ-45 Ethernet Connector
Reset Button
Power Supply Connector

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc.COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Item Description
Interface connector provided), and external connectivity to devices such as analog modems.
Selectable serial interface speeds up to 115 Kbps (default is 9600 baud, 8 data
bits, one stop bit, and no parity).
RJ-45 Ethernet
connector Provides 10/100 Mbps connectivity to a wired Ethernet LAN.
Reset button Manual push-button to reset processor, memory, and PCI devices.
Power Supply
connector Connection for the provided 3.3 V power supply.

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
2.
AP Network Attachment
and Configuration
This section provides procedures for connecting and configuring the AP to a Host
PC (HPC). Configuration can be performed either from a web browser accessing
the built-in web server, or by entering command through the serial port command
line interface (CLI). For detailed information on using the web server, refer to AP
Web Server in Appendix A. For detailed information on using CLI
AP Network Connections
Connect your HPC to the AP using one of the following two methods:
Use an Ethernet crossover cable (not supplied) to connect directly to the Ethernet
port of the HPC.
15. Use standard Ethernet cables (not supplied) to connect through a hub or
Ethernet switch. Follow these steps to establish the network connections:
17. Attach the supplied serial cable from the AP RS-232 serial interface to the HPC serial
COM port.
18. Connect the AP Ethernet port to the HPC Ethernet card through the Ethernet
hub/switch or an Ethernet crossover cable.
19. Plug in the provided 3.3 V power supply to the AP power supplyconnector.

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
AP Initial Configuration
When you have completed loading the operating system software, initially
configure the AP for its channel frequency and Service Set Identifier (SSID)
unique to your application. This configuration can be done either through a web
browser with access to the built-in AP web server, or by issuing commands
through the serial port command line interface (CLI).
You can fully configure the AP at any time to tailor the AP for your application
environment. For more information on configuring the AP using the web
browser, refer to Appendix A, AP Web Server. For more information on using the
CLI, refer to Appendix B,
The following description illustrates the use of the web browser. For information
on using the CLI, refer to Command-Line Interface on page 2-4.
i. Web Browser
Follow these steps to configure the channel frequency and SSID using a
web browser:
1. Launch a web browser (Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer are
examples of commonly used web browsers).
2. From the HPC, enter the IP address that is assigned to the AP as the URL
address, for example http://192.168.1.1.
20. Select the Actiontec Access Point Web Server hotlink.
21. A dialog box will appear that requests login authorization. When prompted, enter the
following information to log in:
Log in: Admin (case sensitive)
Password: ***

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
Click OK to complete the login process
22. Select the Configuration hotlink from the navigation bar.
23. Enter the SSID (name or address) for the AP in the SSID field. The SSID must be 1
through 32 characters in length.
You can have more than one AP in a single SSID. If you are
configuring more than one AP in a single SSID, you must
specify a unique System Name for each AP within a single
SSID.
24. Specify the radio channel of operation of the AP by selecting the desired value from the
Radio Channel drop-down menu. This value specifies the frequency the stations (STAs)
under the AP are associating with in Infrastructure mode.
Note that the radio channel is specified using the IEEE 802.11a
standard. For example, channel 48 is the equivalent of 5.240
GHz. The formula below shows how the channel number is
derived:
Channel Number = Channel Frequency (in MHz) – 5000
MHz
5 MHz
25. Click Update to commit the changes.

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Actiontec Electronics, Inc. COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
At this time you can also change other settings. Refer to
Appendix A, AP Web Server for more information about each
configuration option.
26. You must reboot the AP to enable any configuration change. To reboot the AP, click on
the REBOOT AP button that appears.
Command-Line Interface
The following procedures show the steps required to configure the AP SSID and
channel frequency using the command-line (CLI) interface and HyperTerminal.
3. After the AP boots and the operating system software loads, press Enter
to invoke the AP login: prompt. When prompted, enter the following
information to log in:
Username: Admin (case sensitive)
Password: ***
27. Press Enter to complete the login process. The Actiontec Access Point Software revision
prompt will appear.