Aironet PC4800B User manual

Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc. • 3875 Embassy Parkway
Akron, Ohio 44333-8357
www.aironet.com
User’s Guide
4800B Series
Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter
DOC-710-005314-A0
PC4800B LM4800B
PC4810B LM4810B
PC4820B LM4820B

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.
AP4800TM, PC4800TM, PC4800BTM, PC4810BTM, PC4820BTM, LM4800TM,
LM4800BTM, LM4810BTM, LM4820BTM, and AironetTM are trademarks of Aironet
Wireless Communications, Inc.
Other trademarks used are properties of their respective owners.
Printed in USA
DOC-710-005314-A0

Table of Contents
i
About the User’s Guide .................................................iii
Typographical Conventions....................................iv
Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter
Before You Start......................................................2
Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter........................3
Aironet Driver Installation Steps..............................4
Section 2: Using the WinDGS Utilities
WinDGS Commands Menu..........................................13
Select Card ...........................................................14
Load New Firmware..............................................14
Edit Properties.......................................................14
Statistics................................................................14
Status....................................................................15
Link Test................................................................15
Site Survey............................................................17
Radio Off/On .........................................................19
Exit ........................................................................19
Options Menu...............................................................19
Preferences...........................................................19
Core Dump............................................................20
NDIS Driver Core Dump........................................20
Using Edit Properties....................................................20
System Parameters...............................................21
RF Network Parameters........................................23
Advanced (Infrastructure)......................................25
Advanced (Ad Hoc/IBSS)......................................27
Using the Site Survey Active Mode Feature.................28
Destination MAC Address.....................................28
Continuous Link Test ............................................28
Destination is Another Aironet Device...................29
Number of Packets................................................29
Packet Size ...........................................................29
Data Retries ..........................................................29
Data Rates ............................................................29
Delay Between Packets ........................................29
Packet Tx Type .....................................................30
Percent Success Threshold ..................................30
Using the Linkscope Utility ...........................................31
Commands............................................................31
Options..................................................................32
Using the WEPKey Utility.............................................34
WEP Overview......................................................34

Table of Contents
ii
Using WEPKey......................................................34
Section 3: Error Messages and Troubleshooting
Error Messages and Troubleshooting ..........................41
Indicator LEDs.......................................................41
If Your Radio Fails to Establish Contact................43
Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview
Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview......................45
Safety Information.................................................46
Radio Characteristics............................................47
Direct Sequence Radio Technology......................47
Data Transparency and Protocols.........................48
Protocols Supported..............................................48
Radio Ranges .......................................................48
Radio Antenna ......................................................50
Security Features..................................................50
Terminology ..........................................................50
System Configurations..........................................52
Coverage Options .................................................56
Appendix B: PC Card Specifications
PC Card Specifications ................................................59
LAN Drivers Supported .........................................59
Radio Specifications..............................................60
Power Requirements.............................................61
Physical Specifications..........................................61
Appendix C: Channels
Channels ......................................................................63
Appendix D: Declarations of Conformity
Declarations of Conformity...........................................65
Appendix E: Technical Support
Technical Support ........................................................71

About the User’s Guide
iii
About the User’s Guide
This guide covers the installation, configuration, control,
and maintenance of your Aironet 4800B Series PC Card
Wireless LAN Adapter. The Guide is arranged as follows:
Section 1 – Installation – describes installation of the PC
Card.
Section 2 – Utilities – provides detailed procedures for
using the utilities to load new firmware versions, as well as
how to perform link tests and site surveys.
Section 3 – Error Messages and Troubleshooting –
provides detailed descriptions of the LED messages and
error codes, as well as general procedures for correcting
common problems.
Appendix A – Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview –
provides a general introduction to the 4800B Series PC
Card, direct sequence radio technology, and the various
configurations you can use when operating the 4800B
Series PC Card in your infrastructure.
Appendix B – Specifications – provides radio and physical
specifications.
Appendix C – Channels – provides channel identifiers and
channel center frequencies for various area regulatory
agencies.
Appendix D – Declarations of Conformity – provides
conformity information about the 4800B Series Wireless
LAN Adapter.
Appendix E – Technical Support – provides contact
information for Aironet.

About the User’s Guide
iv
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
following symbols are used in the guide.
Convention Type of Information
Indicates a note which contains important
information.
Indicates 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 typing a
character or making a selection with your
mouse.

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter
1
Section 1
Installing the Wireless LAN
Adapter
This section describes the procedures for installing the
Wireless LAN Adapter.
Here’s what you’ll find in this section:
•Before You Start
•Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter
2
Before You Start
For the PC Card to be used with a computing device (desk-
top personal computer, notebook, laptop computer, porta-
ble or hand-held device), the device must be equipped with
an internal or external PC Card Type II or Type III slot. All
drivers and supporting software (card and socket services)
for the PC Card slot must be loaded and configured.
Ask your system administrator for the following information,
which you may need to provide during driver installation:
•Your Wireless Client Name
•Your Wireless SSID
•For Windows 98 networking, your computer name and
workgroup name
•For your network account, your user name and pass-
word
•Your IP address (unless using a DHCP server)
After unpacking the PC Card, make sure the following items
are present and in good condition:
•PC4800B Wireless LAN Adapter
•Aironet 4800 Series for Windows 95 & NT CD
•Aironet 4800 Series for Windows 98 CD
If any item is damaged or missing, contact your Aironet sup-
plier. Save all shipping and packing material to repack the
unit should service be required.
NOTE: Any remote antenna and its associated wiring for
an LM4800B Series Wireless LAN Adapter is ordered
and packed separately. (The integrated antenna on the
PC4800B Series Wireless LAN Adapter is permanently
attached.)

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter
3
Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter
This section provides instructions for installing an Aironet
client card on a computer using Windows 98, Windows 95,
and Windows NT.
Before you begin, examine the PC Card. One end is a dual-
row, 68-pin PC Card connector. This side will be inserted
into the PC Card slot with the Aironet logo on the PC Card
facing up. The card is keyed so it can be inserted only one
way into the PC Card slot.
CAUTION: The following procedures and physical
connections apply generally to normal and conventional
PC Card slots. In the cases of custom or non-
conventional equipment, be alert to possible differences
in PC Card slot configurations.
The PC Card can be connected to a PC Card Type II slot.
This includes slots that support both Type II and Type III
cards.
CAUTION: Do not force the PC Card into the PC Card
slot. Forcing it will damage both the PC Card and the slot.
If the PC Card does not go in easily, remove the card and
re-insert it.

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter
4
Aironet Driver Installation Steps
Installing the Driver for Windows 98
If the operating system on your computer is Windows 98,
follow these steps (if 95, see page7; if NT, see page9):
1. Remove all PC Cards from your computer and turn
it on.
2. Hold the Aironet 4800B Series Wireless LAN
Adapter with the label facing up, and insert the card
into the slot, applying just enough pressure to make
sure it is fully seated.
NOTE: The PC Card slot will be on the left or right side of
the computer, depending on the model.
CAUTION: Do not force the PC Card into the PC Card
slot. Forcing it will damage both the PC Card and the slot.
If the PC Card does not go in easily, remove the card and
re-insert it.
Windows 98 automatically detects the Aironet
4800B Series PC Card Wireless LAN Adapter,
briefly opens a New Hardware Found window, and
starts collecting information for a driver information
database.
When Windows 98 is ready to configure the new
hardware, it opens the Add New Hardware Wizard
dialog box. The dialog box states that Windows will
search for new drivers for the Aironet PC4800.
3. Click "Next." A dialog box appears asking what you
want Windows to do.
4. Select "Search for the best driver for your device
(Recommended)" and click "Next."
5. Select "CD-ROM drive," unselect all the other
options, insert the Aironet 4800B Series for Win-
dows 98 CD, and click "Next."