AVM FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick N Quick guide

Installation,
Configuration
and Operation
FRITZ!WLAN
USB Stick

2
Legal Notice
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick v1.1
This documentation and the software it describes are protected by copyright. AVM grants the
non-exclusive right to use the software, which is supplied exclusively in what is known as ob-
ject code format. The licensee may create only one copy of the software, which may be used ex-
clusively for backup use.
AVM reserves all rights that are not expressly granted to the licensee. Without previous approv-
al in writing, and except for in cases permitted by law, it is particularly prohibited to
copy, propagate or in any other manner make this documentation or this software publicly
accessible, or
process, disassemble, reverse engineer, translate, decompile or in any other manner open
the software and subsequently copy, propagate or make the software publicly accessible in
any other manner.
Please consult the License.txt file on the product CD included in the package for specifics
about the licensing conditions.
This documentation and software have been produced with all due care and checked for cor-
rectness in accordance with the best available technology. AVM GmbH disclaims all liability
and warranties, whether express or implied, relating to the AVM product’s quality, performance
or suitability for any given purpose which deviates from the performance specifications con-
tained in the product description. The licensee bears all risk in regard to hazards and impair-
ments of quality which may arise in connection with the use of this product.
AVM will not be liable for damages arising directly or indirectly from the use of the manual or
the software, nor for incidental or consequential damages, except in case of intent or gross
negligence. AVM expressly disclaims all liability for the loss of or damage to hardware or soft-
ware or data as a result of direct or indirect errors or destruction and for any costs (including
connection charges) related to the documentation and the software and due to incorrect instal-
lations not performed by AVM itself.
The information in this documentation and the software are subject to change without notice
for the purpose of technical improvement.
We offer a manufacturer’s warranty for this original product. The conditions of this warranty are
contained in the “Warranty.pdf” file in the “Info” folder on the product CD included with deliv-
ery.
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AVM in the Internet: www.avm.de/en
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Alt-Moabit 95
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D 10559 Berlin D 10559 Berlin

3
Table of Contents
1 FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.1 Package Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.2 Operation Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.3 LEDs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.4 Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2 AVM Stick & Surf Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3 Installing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.1 Installation in Windows Vista 32-bit Edition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.2 Installation in Windows Vista 64-bit Edition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.3 Installation in Windows XP 32-bit Edition and Windows 2000 . . . . . 14
3.4 Installation in Windows XP 64-bit Edition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4 The FRITZ!WLAN Control Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.1 Operating FRITZ!WLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.2 Establishing a WLAN Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5 Microsoft WLAN Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6 More about WLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6.1 Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6.2 Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
6.3 Frequency Range. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
7 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
7.1 Errors During Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
7.2 WLAN Connection Is Not Established . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
7.3 Errors During Data Exchange with Other Devices in the Network . . . 38
7.4 Checking the IP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

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8 Removing the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
9 Customer Service Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
9.1 Product Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
9.2 Information in the Internet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
9.3 Support from the AVM Service Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Safety Instructions
5
Safety Instructions
When working with the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick, follow the
instructions below to protect yourself and the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick from damage.
Do not install FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick during an elec-
trical storm.
Unplug the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick from the computer
during an electrical storm.
Never let liquids get inside the FRITZ!WLAN USB
Stick. Otherwise, electric shocks or short circuits may
result.
Protect the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick from dust, mois-
ture and steam. Clean the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick with
a slightly moist, lint-free cloth. Intensive cleaning
products or solvents are not suitable.
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick is intended for indoor use on-
ly.
Do not open the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick housing. The
device contains hazardous components and should
only be opened by authorized repair technicians.
Disposal Instructions
The symbol next to this text means that old appliances
and electronic parts must be disposed of separate from
household waste.
In accordance with European regulations and the Electri-
cal and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG), the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick, as well as all devices and electron-
ic components contained in the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick
package may not be disposed with household waste.
Please bring these to your local collection points for dis-
posal.

6
Symbols and Highlighting
Symbols and Highlighting
The following highlighting and icons are used to designate
important information:
This symbol indicates important instructions that must be
observed to avoid malfunctions.
This symbol indicates useful hints to assist you in working
with the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick.
The table below explains the highlighting used in this
manual.
Highlighting Function Example
Quotation marks Keys
Buttons
Settings pages
Menus
Commands
File paths
File names
“F1” key
“Help”
“Advanced”
“Edit / Paste”
“Copy”
“C:/My Documents”
“Info”
Pointed brackets Joker <MSN>
Bold Emphasis Do not click the button...

FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick
7
1 FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick
An Overview
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick is a WLAN adapter for the Universal Serial Bus
(USB).
With the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick, you can connect your computer directly
with a WLAN access point, for example, with a AVM FRITZ!Box WLAN.
You can also connect to other WLAN devices, to printers, and to PDAs.
This grants you high mobility while allowing you to work with all of the
advantages of wireless connections, high throughput rates and fast
connections at maximum security.
1.1 Package Contents
The package contains:
one AVM WLAN-Controller FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick
one USB extension cable
one FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick CD with
–driver software
–control software with Online Help
–manual in PDF format
one printed quick guide
1.2 Operation Requirements
In order to operate FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick, your computer
must meet the following requirements:
A free port on your computer for USB devices. A
USB 2.0 port is recommended; USB 1.1 works at a
lower throughput rate.
 A computer with one of the following operating systems
installed:
–Microsoft Windows Vista (32- or 64-bit edition)
–Windows XP (32- or 64-bit edition)
–Windows 2000 (current service packs and up-
dates recommended).

8
LEDs
)
Installation of the latest service packs and updates is rec-
ommended.
Pentium-class computer or notebook (500 MHz CPU
or better)
At least 64 MB RAM and 5 MB free memory on the
hard drive.
one CD drive
You can install FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick if your computer
meets all of these requirements.
If you would like to connect additional computers, addi-
tional FRITZ!WLAN USB Sticks are required.
1.3 LEDs
During operation, the orange LEDs on the FRITZ!WLAN USB
Stick indicate the following:
WLAN flashes during data exchange between WLAN
devices
USB remains lit as soon as the FRITZ!WLAN USB
Stick has been detected by the operating sys-
tem

Technical Specifications
9
1.4 Technical Specifications
LEDs: 2 (connection / activity)
USB port: USB version 2.0, compatible with
USB 1.1 with reduced data throughput
WLAN module: Support for radio network in accor-
dance with IEEE 802.11g (54 Mbit/s)
and IEEE 802.11b (11 Mbit/s) stan-
dards
Frequency band: 2.4 GHz
Encryption: WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) /
WPA2 (802.11i) /
WEP 64-/128-bit (Wired Equivalent
Privacy)
Antenna: integrated antenna
Operating systems
supported:
Windows Vista (32- or 64-bit edition) /
Windows XP (32- or 64-bit edition) /
Windows 2000
Dimensions
(WxDxH):
approx. 53 x 20 x 11 mm
Weight: approx. 10 g
Power supply: powered by USB, no external power
supply required
Maximum power
consumption:
0.5W(idle)/1.5W(transfer)
Typical power con-
sumption:
1.4 W (transfer)
Transmitter power: max. 50 mW
Receiver sensitivity: max. -92 dBm
Supported data
throughput rates
(gross):
802.11g++ up to 125 Mbit/s*
802.11g up to 54 Mbit/s*
802.11b up to 11 Mbit/s*
* The actually achievable throughput rates
of the WLAN standards are presented in
the table on page 28.
Firmware: can be updated

10
Technical Specifications
Channels: 1 through 13 (ETSI)
Ambient tempera-
ture (during opera-
tion):
-5 to 45°C
Ambient tempera-
ture (idle):
-10 to 70°C
Humidity (idle/oper-
ation):
5to90%,no-condensation
Certification CE

AVM Stick & Surf Technology
11
2 AVM Stick & Surf Technology
Connecting Securely with a FRITZ!Box WLAN
With the AVM Stick & Surf technology the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick can
take over the WLAN security settings from FRITZ!Box WLAN products.
This allows a secure WLAN connection to be established between your
computer and your FRITZ!Box without any additional configuration.
For this, your FRITZ!Box WLAN must be equipped with a
port for USB devices (USB host function).
In order to use the AVM Stick & Surf technology for secure
WLAN connections, perform the following steps:
1. Insert the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick into the USB port on
your FRITZ!Box.
Port for USB devices on a FRITZ!Box WLAN
2. The FRITZ!Box “INFO” LED begins flashing to indicate
that the WLAN security settings are being transmitted
to the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick.
3. When data transmission has been completed, the
“INFO” LED stops flashing on the FRITZ!Box and re-
mains lit.
4. Remove the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick from the
FRITZ!Box USB port.
The WLAN security settings have now been transmitted to
the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick.
As soon as you connect the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick to your
computer, the security settings of your WLAN are imple-
mented in the FRITZ!WLAN control software and then delet-
ed from the Stick. The AVM Stick & Surf logo appears and a
WLAN connection to your FRITZ!Box is established auto-
matically.

12
Installing
3Installing
Installing FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick
The FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick can be installed in the operating systems
Windows Vista (32-bit and 64-bit edition), Windows XP (32-bit and 64-
bit edition) and Windows 2000.
Please install the current Microsoft Service Packs using
Microsoft Windows Update and use a USB 2.0 port for op-
timum performance of your FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick.
You can change the display of menus and folders in most
operating systems. The following instructions are based
on the standard installation of each operating system.
If you have a FRITZ!Box WLAN with USB host function, first
use Stick & Surf (see “AVM Stick & Surf Technology” on
page 11) to transmit the WLAN security settings from your
FRITZ!Box WLAN to your computer.
3.1 Installation in Windows Vista 32-bit Edition
Administrator rights are required to install the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick in Windows Vista! Over the course
of installation Windows will request the rights required for
installation. Answer every inquiry by clicking “Continue”
in the dialog.
In order to install the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick, perform the
following steps:
1. Switch on the WLAN device you wish to connect to.
2. Switch on your computer.
3. Insert the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick into the USB port on
your computer.
Windows detects the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick automat-
ically. This process may take some time.
4. In the “FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick selfinstall” dialog,
click the “AVM FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick Installation”
entry.

Installation in Windows Vista 64-bit Edition
13
5. Then click “Continue” in the “User Account Control”
dialog.
The drivers and the control software for the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick are installed automatically.
A progress bar indicates the progress and the conclu-
sion of the installation.
This completes the driver installation for the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick. Continue reading from section “In-
formation on WLAN Connections” on page 16.
3.2 Installation in Windows Vista 64-bit Edition
Administrator rights are required to install the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick in Windows XP 64-bit Edition!
In order to install the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick, perform the
following steps:
1. Switch on the WLAN device you wish to connect to.
2. Switch on your computer.
3. Insert the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick into the USB port on
your computer.
Windows detects the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick automat-
ically. This process may take some time.
4. In the “Autoplay” dialog, select the “AVM
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick Installation” option.
5. Then click “Continue” in the “User Account Control”
dialog.
6. In the “Found New Hardware” window, select “Locate
and install driver software (recommended)”.
If Windows reports that the program may not have
been installed correctly, click “The Program was in-
stalled correctly.” or “Cancel”.
7. Then click “Continue” in the “User Account Control”
dialog.

14
Installation in Windows XP 32-bit Edition and Windows 2000
8. Insert the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick CD when Windows
prompts you to do so.
The driver software is installed automatically.
This completes the driver installation for the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick. Continue reading from section “In-
formation on WLAN Connections” on page 16.
3.3 Installation in Windows XP 32-bit Edition and Windows 2000
Administrator rights are required to install the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick in Windows XP and Windows 2000!
In order to install the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick, perform the
following steps:
1. Switch on the WLAN device you wish to connect to.
2. Switch on your computer.
3. Insert the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick into the USB port on
your computer.
Windows detects the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick automat-
ically. This process may take some time.
4. The drivers and the control software for your
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick are installed automatically.
If you are prompted to do so, insert the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick CD and follow the instructions
on the screen.
If an additional Windows dialog asks if you want to
install software not digitally signed by Microsoft,
click “Continue Anyway” (Windows XP) or “Yes”
(Windows 2000). This request depends on the driver
signature options set on your computer.
A progress bar indicates the progress and the conclu-
sion of the installation.
This completes the driver installation for the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick. Continue reading from section “In-
formation on WLAN Connections” on page 16.

Installation in Windows XP 64-bit Edition
15
3.4 Installation in Windows XP 64-bit Edition
Administrator rights are required to install the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick in Windows XP 64-bit Edition!
In order to install the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick, perform the
following steps:
1. Switch on the WLAN device you wish to connect to.
2. Switch on your computer.
3. Insert the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick into the USB port on
your computer.
Windows detects the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick automat-
ically. This process may take some time.
4. When asked whether you would like to connect to
Windows Update, select the option “No, not this
time” and then click “Next”.
The “Add New Hardware Wizard” starts and searches
for drivers.
5. Insert the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick CD and select the
option “Install software automatically (recommend-
ed)”. Confirm with “Continue”.
If an additional Windows dialog asks if you want to
install software not digitally signed by Microsoft,
click the “Continue Anyway” button. This request de-
pends on the driver signature options set on your
computer.
6. A message appears: “The Wizard has finished install-
ing the software for this device”. Conclude the instal-
lation by clicking “Finish”.
This completes the driver installation for the
FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick. To continue the installation, turn to
the section „Information on WLAN Connections“.

16
Information on WLAN Connections
Information on WLAN Connections
If you performed installation using Stick & Surf, no further
steps are necessary to establish a WLAN connection. Your
FRITZ!Box WLAN will be identified automatically as WLAN
access point. A WLAN connection you can use immediate-
ly will be established.
If you performed installation without using Stick & Surf,
you have to select the WLAN remote site (the WLAN access
point) to connect with manually in your WLAN control soft-
ware. Please see the corresponding chapter of the control
software for more information:
If you are using the control software FRITZ!WLAN,
please continue by reading the section “Establishing
a Connection with a WLAN Access Point (Infrastruc-
ture Network)” from page 20.
If you are using Windows Vista’s Microsoft WLAN Ser-
vice, continue reading in the section “Establishing a
WLAN Connection (Windows Vista)” from page 25. If
you are using Windows XP’s Microsoft WLAN Service,
continue reading in the section “Establishing a WLAN
Connection (Windows XP from Service Pack 2)” from
page 26.

The FRITZ!WLAN Control Software
17
4 The FRITZ!WLAN Control Software
Establishing and Clearing WLAN Connections
With the FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick you can establish wireless network con-
nections (WLANs) with various WLAN devices. The FRITZ!WLAN control
software is available to manage all these WLAN connections.
With FRITZ!WLAN you can configure, establish and clear WLAN connec-
tions as well as view connection information.
If the FRITZ!WLAN control software has not yet been in-
stalled on your computer, please see the section “Micro-
soft WLAN Service” from page 24 for instructions on how
to install it now.
4.1 Operating FRITZ!WLAN
After FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick is installed, FRITZ!WLAN ap-
pears as a program icon in the notification area of the task
bar. You can open the user interface of the control soft-
ware in two ways:
Double-click the FRITZ!WLAN program icon in the no-
tification area of the Windows task bar.
Or click the FRITZ!WLAN program icon with the right
mouse button to open the context menu and select
the “Display Connection...” command.
FRITZ!WLAN user interface (connection example)

18
Operating FRITZ!WLAN
User Interface All elements of a WLAN connection are displayed as icons
in the user interface. The user interface window is divided
into three sections.
The left side shows your own WLAN device, the
FRITZ!WLANUSB Stick, complete with name and IP ad-
dress.
The middle section displays the icon of the WLAN connec-
tion as a box with links to the devices on the left and on
the right. The small icons in the box display the connec-
tion quality and the encryption used.
The right side shows the WLAN remote site with which you
are currently connected or were connected most recently.
Context Menus The features of FRITZ!WLAN are accessible using the con-
text menu:
1. Click the device or connection icons in the
FRITZ!WLAN user interface, or the FRITZ!WLAN pro-
gram icon in the notification area of the task bar.
The corresponding context menu opens.
2. Select the desired command.
Each icon displays its own selection of commands. You
can search for WLAN devices at your location and config-
ure them as WLAN remote sites, establish or clear WLAN
connections to known remote sites, and have information
displayed on device and connection properties.
For more information, please see the section “Establish-
ing a WLAN Connection” from page 19 or click the “Help”
button in the FRITZ!WLAN user interface to open the On-
line Help.

Establishing a WLAN Connection
19
Connection Status The colors of the connection icons in the FRITZ!WLAN user
interface and the FRITZ!WLAN program icon in the notifica-
tion area of the task bar show the current condition of the
connection:
4.2 Establishing a WLAN Connection
With FRITZ!WLAN you can establish WLAN connections to
WLAN remote sites (access points), which can provide ac-
cess to DSL, to printers, to mobile phones, PDAs, and even
to other WLAN clients. Direct connections are also possi-
ble to other FRITZ!WLAN USB Sticks.
No matter which device you want to connect to, connect-
ing with FRITZ!WLAN is always based on the principle:
search, find, and connect.
There are two basic types of WLAN connections:
Infrastructure
Network
When WLAN users connect with a WLAN access point like
the FRITZ!Box WLAN, they establish what is called an infra-
structure network. In this network the WLAN access point
manages bandwidth so that each device receives the opti-
mum amount. The access point can be used to establish
connections to a cable-connected network or the Internet.
In the device lists in the FRITZ!WLAN control software, this
type of connection is designated by the infrastructure net-
work icon.
Icon Meaning
and
WLAN connection active
WLAN connection is being
established or the ad-hoc net-
work you offered is ready to
connect
and
no WLAN connection

20
Establishing a Connection with a WLAN Access Point (Infrastructure Network)
Ad-hoc Network When WLAN users connect directly with each other with-
out using an access point, they have established an ad-
hoc network. This kind of direct connection is practical
when WLAN users in the immediate vicinity want to
exchange data with each other quickly and directly. The
ad-hoc network participants have to share the existing
bandwidth.
In the device lists in the FRITZ!WLAN control software, this
type of connection is designated by the ad-hoc connection
icon.
Establishing a Connection with a WLAN Access Point
(Infrastructure Network)
If you performed installation using Stick & Surf, no further
steps are necessary to establish a WLAN connection. Your
FRITZ!Box WLAN will be identified automatically as WLAN
access point. A WLAN connection you can use immediate-
ly will be established.
If you performed installation without using Stick & Surf,
you have to select the WLAN remote site (the WLAN access
point) to connect with manually. In this case the control
software FRITZ!WLAN automatically searches for WLAN de-
vices at your location. Once a list of the WLAN access
points found is displayed, proceed as follows:
1. Select the WLAN device to which you would like to es-
tablish a connection and confirm your selection by
clicking “Select” or “Connect”.
2. Enter the network key of the WLAN access point.
On the AVM FRITZ!Box family products, the network
key is printed on the underside of the device.
3. The WLAN connection is established.
Once the connection is established, the WLAN icon in the
notification area of the Windows task bar turns green.
Click the icon to display connection details.