Aironet ISA3500 Use and care manual

Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc. • 3875 Embassy Parkway
Akron, Ohio 44333-8357
www.aironet.com
User’s Guide andTechnical
Reference Manual
Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter
Products supported:
ISA3500 and PCI3500
DOC-710-004491-A0
ISA PCI

Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc.
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any means, elec-
tronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the written permission of Aironet.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Aironet makes
no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this manual and
specifically disclaims any express or implied warranties of merchantability or
fitness for any particular purpose.
© 1999 Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc.
All rights reserved.
LM3500
TM
, AP3500
TM
, PC3500
TM
, MC3500
TM
, UC3500
TM
, ISA3500
TM
, PCI3500
TM
,
BR100
TM
, BR500
TM
, BRE100
TM
, BRE500
TM
, and Aironet
TM
are trademarks of
Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc.
Other trademarks used are properties of their respective owners.
Printed in USA
DOC-710-004491-A0

i
Table of Contents
About the User’s Guide and Technical Reference
Manual .........................................................................vii
Typographical Conventions ...................................ix
Section 1
Welcome to the Aironet 3500 Series
Wireless LAN Adapter ............................................... 1-1
Safety Information .............................................. 1-2
Dipole Antenna ............................................ 1-3
High Gain Antennas .................................... 1-3
Other Devices in the Wireless Network ....... 1-3
Radio Characteristics ......................................... 1-4
Frequency Hopping Radio Technology .............. 1-4
Data Transparency and Protocols ...................... 1-4
Protocols Supported ........................................... 1-5
Radio Ranges ..................................................... 1-5
Site Survey .................................................. 1-5
Link Test ...................................................... 1-7
Security Features ............................................... 1-7
Terminology ........................................................ 1-8
System Configurations ..................................... 1-10
Coverage Options ............................................ 1-14
Section 2
Installing the Hardware .............................................. 2-1
Before You Start ................................................. 2-2
Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter ................... 2-4
Installation ................................................... 2-4
Configuring the DIP Switches (ISA Only) ........... 2-7
Base Address .............................................. 2-8
IRQ Level .................................................... 2-9
Attaching the Antenna ...................................... 2-10
Viewing the Indicator Displays ......................... 2-11

ii
Section 3
Installing the Software ............................................... 3-1
Driver Overview .................................................. 3-1
Windows 95 or Windows 98 NDIS3 Installation . 3-4
Windows NT NDIS3 Installation ......................... 3-5
Windows for Workgroups NDIS2 Installation ..... 3-7
DOS NDIS2 Installation ...................................... 3-8
DOS Packet Driver Installation ......................... 3-10
ODI Driver Installation ...................................... 3-11
General Information .......................................... 3-13
Driver Keywords and Settings .......................... 3-15
Section 4
Utilities ....................................................................... 4-1
Site Survey and Link Test .................................. 4-1
Using Windows 3.11 or DOS to Perform a
Link Test Using Telnet ................................ 4-2
Using Windows 95 or Windows 98 to
Perform a Link Test ..................................... 4-4
Link Test Command in WinDGS ........................ 4-5
Linkscope .................................................... 4-6
Loading New Firmware Versions ............................... 4-7
Upgrading Firmware for Windows 95 or
Windows 98......................................................... 4-7
Loading Firmware for Windows 3.11 and DOS .. 4-8
Section 5
Error Messages and Trouble Shooting ...................... 5-1
Indicator LEDs .................................................... 5-1
If Your Radio Fails to Establish Contact ............. 5-3
Appendix A
Wireless LAN Adapter Specifications .................A-1
LAN Drivers Supported ......................................A-1
Radio Specifications ...........................................A-2
Power Requirements ..........................................A-3
Physical Specifications .......................................A-3

iii
Appendix B
Using the WinDGS Utility ...........................................B-1
Commands Menu ......................................................B-1
Select Card .........................................................B-1
Load New Firmware ...........................................B-2
Edit Properties ....................................................B-2
Statistics .............................................................B-2
Status .................................................................B-2
Link Test .............................................................B-3
Site Survey .........................................................B-3
Radio Off/On ......................................................B-3
Exit .....................................................................B-3
Options Menu ............................................................B-4
Preferences ........................................................B-4
Screen Update Timer .........................................B-4
Save Properties Options ....................................B-5
Edit Parameters .........................................................B-5
System Parameters ............................................B-6
Name ...........................................................B-6
SSID ............................................................B-6
Network type (Infrastructure Mode) .............B-6
Network type (Ad Hoc Mode) ......................B-7
Constant Awake Mode (CAM) .....................B-7
Power Save Mode .......................................B-7
Fast Power Save Mode ...............................B-7
Network Parameters ...........................................B-8
RF Network Parameters .....................................B-8
Advanced (Infrastructure) .................................B-10
Specified Access Point ..............................B-10
RTS Threshold ..........................................B-10
RTS Retry Limit .........................................B-11
Advanced (Ad Hoc/IBSS) .................................B-11
Channel .....................................................B-11
Beacon Period ...........................................B-12
Wake Duration ..........................................B-12

iv
Appendix C
Manufacturers Federal Communication
Commission Declaration of Conformity
Statement.......................................................... C-1
Department of Communications–Canada
Canadian Compliance Statement .....................C-2
European Telecommunications Standards
Institute Statement of Compliance
Information to User............................................C-3
Declaration of Conformity..................................C-4
Appendix D
Technical Support ...............................................D-1
Communications .........................................D-1
Web Site ......................................................D-1

v
List of Figures
Figure 1.1 - Ad Hoc Wireless LAN ...............................1-10
Figure 1.2 - Wireless Infrastructure.............................. 1-11
Figure 1.3 - Wireless Infrastructure with Workstations
Accessing a Wired LAN............................ 1-12
Figure 1.4 - Extended Infrastructure Using Repeaters.1-13
Figure 1.5 - Minimal Overlap Coverage Option............1-14
Figure 1.6 - Heavy Overlap Coverage Option..............1-15
Figure 1.7 - Multiple Overlapping Systems Coverage
Option ....................................................... 1-16
Figure 2.1 - Overview of the Wireless LAN Adapter....... 2-3

vi
List ofTables
Table 3.1 - Driver Disk Structure................................... 3-2
Table 3.2 - Minimum PROTOCOL.INI Driver Settings..3-8
Table 3.3 - Minimum AWCPKT.INI Driver Settings..... 3-10
Table 3.4 - Minimum NET.CFG Driver Settings..........3-12
Table 3.5 - General Network Keywords...................... 3-16
Table 3.6 - Advanced Network Keywords...................3-18
Table 3.7 - Fragmentation Keywords.......................... 3-19
Table 3.8 - Power Management Keywords.................3-20
Table 3.9 - Scanning Keywords .................................. 3-22
Table 3.10 - Infrastructure Keywords............................ 3-23
Table 3.11 - Ad Hoc Keywords .....................................3-24
Table 3.12 - Wireless LAN Adapter Keywords..............3-25
Table 5.1 - Green LED Operating Messages................5-2
Table 5.2 - Amber LED Operating Messages............... 5-2
Table A.1 - Supported Drivers.......................................A-1
Table A.2 - Radio Specifications ...................................A-2
Table A.3 - Power Requirements ..................................A-3
Table A.4 - Physical Charactistics.................................A-3

About the User’s Guide and Technical Reference Manual
vii
About the User’s Guide and
Technical Reference Manual
This guide covers the installation, configuration, control,
and maintenance of your Aironet 3500 SeriesWireless LAN
Adapter.
Please read Sections 2 and 3 before attempting to install or
use the hardware and software described in this guide.
This Guide is arranged as follows:
Section 1 – Welcome to the Aironet 3500 Series Wireless
LAN Adapter – provides you with a general introduction to
the 3500 Series Card, frequency hopping radio technology,
and the various configurations you can use when operating
the 3500 Series Card in your infrastructure.
Section 2 – Installing the Hardware – describes the physi-
cal installation of the Wireless LAN Adapter and antenna
(ISA Only).
Section 3 – Installing the Software – describes installation
and configuration of the various network drivers.
Section 4 – Utilities – provides detailed procedures for
using the utilities to perform link tests and site surveys as
well as loading new firmware versions.
Section 5 – Error Messages and Troubleshooting –
provides detailed descriptions of the LED messages and
error codes, as well as general procedures for correcting
common problems.

About the User’s Guide and Technical Reference Manual
viii
Appendix A – Wireless LAN Adapter Specifications –
provides radio and physical specifications.
Appendix B – Using theWinDGS Utility – provides detailed
descriptions on using the WinDGS utility.
Appendix C – Channels – provides channel identifiers and
channel center frequencies for various area regulatory
agencies.
Appendix D – Declaration of Conformity – provides
conformity information about the Wireless LAN Adapter.
Appendix E – Technical Support – provides contact
information for Aironet.

About the User’s Guide and Technical Reference Manual
ix
Typographical Conventions
When reading the User’s Guide and Technical Reference
Manual, it is important to understand the symbol and
formatting conventions used in the documentation.The fol-
lowing symbols are used in the guide.
Convention Type of Information
Indicates a note which contains important
information.
A caution message that appears before
procedures which, if not observed, could
result in loss of data or damage to the
equipment.
Bold type An action you must perform such as type
or select.

About the User’s Guide and Technical Reference Manual
x

Welcome to the Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter
1-1
Section 1
Welcome to the Aironet 3500
SeriesWireless LAN Adapter
The Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter provides
transparent wireless data communications between fixed,
portable, or mobile devices and other wireless devices or a
wired network infrastructure (Ethernet or Token Ring).Host
devices can be any device equipped with a PC/AT, PC/XT,
ISA (Industry Standard Architecture), or 32 bit PCI (Periph-
eral Component Interconnect) slot.
The Wireless LAN Adapter is fully compatible when used in
a device supporting Plug-and-Play technology.

Welcome to the Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter
1-2
Safety Information
The FCC with its action in ET Docket 96-8 has adopted a
safety standard for human exposure to radio frequency (RF)
electromagnetic energy emitted by FCC certified equip-
ment.The Aironet products meet the uncontrolled environ-
mental limits found in OET-65 and ANSI C95.1, 1991.
Proper operation of this radio according to the instructions
found in this manual will result in the user
exposure to be substantially below the FCC recommended
limits.
• Do not touch or move antenna(s) while the unit is
transmitting or receiving.
• Do not hold any component containing the radio such
that the antenna is very close or touching any exposed
parts of the body, especially the face or eyes, while
transmitting.
• Do not operate a portable transmitter near unshielded
blasting caps or in an explosive environment unless it
is a type especially qualified for such use.
• Do not operate radio or attempt to transmit data unless
the antenna is connected, if not, the radio may be
damaged.
LISTED
UL
®
®

Welcome to the Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter
1-3
Dipole Antenna
Always orient antenna such that it is at least 15 cm
(6 inches) away from your body.
High Gain Antennas
High gain wall mount or mast mount antennas are
designed to be professionally installed and should be
located at a minimum distance of 30 cm (12 inches) or
more from your body. Please contact your professional
installer, VAR, or antenna manufacturer for proper
installation requirements.
Other Devices in theWireless Network
Refer to the User’s Guide or Technical Reference
Manual for the Access Point, Universal Client, or Bridge
for additional information.

Welcome to the Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter
1-4
Radio Characteristics
The Wireless LAN Adapter operates in the 2.4 GHz license-
free Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) band. Data is
transmitted over a half-duplex radio channel operating up to
2 Megabits per second (Mbps).
Frequency Hopping RadioTechnology
The Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter uses
Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) transmission
previously developed for military “anti-jamming” and “low
probability of intercept” radio systems.The signal is
transmitted over a wide frequency range, using multiple
frequencies.This protects the data transmission from inter-
ference.
DataTransparency and Protocols
The Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter transports
data packets transparently as they move through the
wireless infrastructure.The Wireless LAN Adapter operates
similarly to a standard network product except the wire is
replaced with a radio connection.No special wireless net-
working functions are required. All existing applications,
which operate over a network, will operate using the Aironet
3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter.

Welcome to the Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter
1-5
Protocols Supported
The Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter can be
used in a variety of infrastructure configurations. Aironet
Access Points (AP3500) provide connections to Ethernet or
Token Ring Networks.When using the Aironet standard
device drivers, the Wireless LAN Adapter is fully compliant
with the following protocols and wired networks:
Radio Ranges
This section provides general guidelines on factors that
influence network performance (see Section 4 - Site
Survey and Link Test ).
Site Survey
Because of differences in component configuration,
placement and physical environment, every network
application is a unique installation. Before installing the
system, users should perform a site survey in order to
determine the optimum utilization of networking compo-
nents and to maximize range, coverage and network
performance.
Drivers Operating System
ODI DOS based driver for Novell NetWare
NDIS2 MS DOS, Windows 3.xx
NDIS3 Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT
Packet MS DOS, Windows 3.xx

Welcome to the Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter
1-6
Here are some operating and environmental conditions that
need to be considered:
•Data Rates. Sensitivity and range are inversely propor-
tional to data bit rates.The maximum radio range is
achieved at the lowest workable data rate.There will be
a decrease in receiver threshold sensitivity as the radio
data rate increases.
•AntennaType and Placement.Proper antenna config-
uration is a critical factor in maximizing radio range. As
a general guide, range increases in proportion to
antenna height.
For a detailed explanation of antenna types and config-
urations along with guidelines on selecting antennas for
specific environments, see the Aironet Antenna Guide,
document number 710-003725.
•Physical Environments. Clear or open areas provide
better radio range than closed or filled areas. Also, the
less cluttered the work environment, the greater the
range.
•Obstructions. A physical obstruction such as metal
shelving or a steel pillar can hinder the performance of
the Wireless LAN Adapter. Avoid locating the comput-
ing device and antenna in a location where there is a
metal barrier between the sending and receiving
antennas.
•Building Materials. Radio penetration is greatly influ-
enced by the building material used in construction.For
example, drywall construction allows greater range than
concrete blocks. Metal or steel construction is a barrier
to radio signals.

Welcome to the Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter
1-7
LinkTest
The link test tool is used to determine RF coverage.The
test results help the installer eliminate low RF signal
level area that can result in loss of connection.
Security Features
The Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter employs
Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum Technology, previ-
ously developed for military “anti-jamming” and “low proba-
bility of intercept” radio systems.
The Aironet Access Point must be set to the same Service
Set Identifier (SSID) as all other Aironet devices on the
wireless infrastructure.Units with a different SSID will not
be able to directly communicate with each other.

Welcome to the Aironet 3500 Series Wireless LAN Adapter
1-8
Terminology
When configuring your system, and when reading this
manual, keep in mind the following terminology:
Association – Each root unit or repeater in the
infrastructure contains an association table that controls
the routing of packets between the Access Point and the
wireless infrastructure.The association table maintains
entries for all the nodes situated below the Access Point on
the infrastructure including repeaters and client nodes.
End Node – A client node that is located at the end of the
Network Tree.
Infrastructure – The wireless infrastructure is the
communications system that combines Access Points,
mobile nodes and fixed nodes.Access Points within the
infrastructure can be either root units, which are physically
wired to the LAN backbone, or can act as wireless repeat-
ers.Other RF enabled devices serve as fixed nodes or
mobile client nodes.
Parent/Child Node – Refers to the relationships between
nodes in the wireless infrastructure.The complete set of
relationships is sometimes described as a Network Tree.
For example, the Access Point (at the top of the tree) would
be the parent of the end nodes.Conversely, the end nodes
would be the children of the Access Point.