Belkin F5D6050 User manual

Wireless USB Adapter F5D6050
User’smanual

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Knowing Your Wireless USB Network Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Placing the Wireless USB Network Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Connecting to Your Wireless Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Uninstalling the Software and Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Using the Belkin Wireless LAN Monitor Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The Status Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The Statistics Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The Site Survey Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
The Encryption Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The Advanced Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Using Profile Manager Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Operating in Ad-Hoc Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
1
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing the Belkin Wireless USB Network Adapter
(the
Adapter). Now you can take advantage of this great new technology and
gain
the freedom you need around the home or office without using cables.
The
Wireless USB Network Adapter works like a conventional network
adapter, but
without the wires. The easy installation and setup will have you
networking
wirelessly in minutes. Please be sure to read through this manual
completely to
be sure that you are getting the most out of your Wireless USB Network
Adapter.
Features:
The Adapter complies with the IEEE 802.11b standard in order to
communicate
with other 802.11b-compliant wireless devices.
• 2.4GHz ISM (Industrial, Science, and Medical) band operation
• Integrated, easy-to-use profile manager for storing multiple wireless

network settings for work, school, home, or any other setup
• Wireless interface compliance with the IEEE 802.11b standard
• USB interface, for Plug-and-Play installation and convenience
• 64- or 128-bit Wireless (WEP) Encryption
• Wireless access to networked resources
• Support for both infrastructure and ad-hoc (peer-to-peer) networking
modes
• Data rate of up to 11Mbps
• Supports 11, 5.5, 2 or 1Mbps rates (auto-rollback)
• Easy installation and use
• External antennas
• LED link indicator
Applications and Advantages
• Wireless roaming with a laptop around the home or office
Offers the freedom of networking—without cables.
• Difficult-to-wire environments
Enables networking in buildings with solid or finished walls, or open
areas
where wiring is difficult to install.
• Frequently changing environments
Adapts easily in offices or environments that frequently rearrange or
change locations.
INTRODUCTION
2
• Temporary LANs for special projects or peak time
Sets up temporary networks such as at trade shows, exhibitions, and
constructions sites, which need networks on a short-term basis; also
companies who need additional workstations for a peak activity period.
• SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) networking needs
Provides the easy and quick small network installation SOHO users
need.
Product Specifications
Host Interface: USB 1.1
Power Consumption: 300mA (max)
Certification: FCC Class B, CE Mark, C-Tick
Operating Temperature: 32–131° F (0–55° C)
Storage Temperature: -13–158° F (-25–70° C)
Typical Operating Range: Indoor: 160' (50m) @ 11Mbps, 260' (80m)
@ 5.5Mbps or lower
Outdoor: 490' (150m) @ 11Mbps, up to 1800'

(550m) @ 5.5Mbps or lower
System Requirements
• PC with one available USB port
• Windows® 98, 2000, Me, or XP
Package Contents
• Belkin Wireless USB Network Adapter
• Quick Installation Guide
• Installation Software CD
• User Manual
KNOWING YOUR WIRELESS USB NETWORK
ADAPTER
3
Status Light
Indicates network
activity and power
Adjustable
Antenna
PLACING THE WIRELESS USB NETWORK
ADAPTER
4
The best location for your adapter is on top of your computer’s monitor.
Placing
the Adapter on your desktop is acceptable, however, avoid placing the
Adapter
near metal objects such as a computer case or speakers. Any object
that is metal
has the ability to block the radio signals from the Adapter.
Installing and Setting Up the Adapter
Installing your Adapter is done in three easy steps:
1. Install the software FIRST. If you connect your Adapter to your PC
before
you install the software, it will not work until you install the software.
2. Connect the Adapter to your PC.
3. Let Windows finish installing the Adapter.
NOTE: INSTALL THE SOFTWARE FIRST BEFORE YOU CONNECT
THE ADAPTER TO
YOUR COMPUTER

Software and Driver Installation
1. Insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. The Belkin Wireless USB Network Adapter Setup Utility screen will
automatically appear. If it does not appear within 15–20 seconds, then
select your CD-ROM drive and double-click on the folder named “Files”.
Next
double-click on the icon named “USB_UTILITY.exe”.
3. In the menu window,
drag your mouse over
the “Install” button
then select “Click here”
to start the software
installation program.
PLACING THE WIRELESS USB NETWORK
ADAPTER
5
4. The installer will start. Click on or select “Easy” to continue to the next
step.
If you are using Windows XP, it is recommended that you use the Belkin
Wireless USB Network Adapter Utility to manage the Adapter’s wireless
settings. If you want to
use Windows XP to manage
the Adapter, check “Use
the Windows XP Wireless
Network Connection
Utility”. Instructions on
how to use the Windows
XP Connection Utility are
available from Microsoft.
Click “Next” to continue.
5. After the software installation is
finished, the message “You can
plug in your WLAN adapter now”
will appear. Plug the Adapter to
an available USB port on your PC
or USB hub.
6. After connecting your Adapter,
Windows will detect that new
hardware has been installed.

Depending on your version of
Windows, a window similar to
the one pictured here will
appear. Select the option
“Install the software
automatically (Recommended)”.
PLACING THE WIRELESS USB NETWORK
ADAPTER
6
7. If you are using Windows 2000 or
Windows XP, you may see a screen
similar to this one. This does not
mean there is a problem. Select
“Continue Anyway”.
8. If you are using Windows 98
or Me, you will be asked to
restart your computer. Select
“Restart”. If you are using
Windows 2000 or XP, you will
see a window similar to this
one. Click “Finish”.
PLACING THE WIRELESS USB NETWORK
ADAPTER
7
9. When the installation is complete, the Belkin WLAN Monitor icon will
be on
your desktop. To open the Monitor Utility, double-click on this icon.
10. A small icon in your system tray (bottom right corner of most
screens) will
appear. This is your shortcut to the Belkin WLAN Monitor. It also
indicates
the status of your connection:
Red: No connection to a wireless network
Blue: Connected to a wireless network.
If you already have a wireless router or an access point in your home or
office, the Adapter will automatically attempt to connect to your wireless
network. In most cases, the Adapter will be able to connect to your

network
automatically. If you are using encryption, you will have to set the
encryption settings on your wireless router or access point before the
Adapter can successfully connect to your wireless network. For
information
about configuring your Adapter, see the next section in this manual.
CONNECTING TO YOUR WIRELESS NETWORK
8
If you already have a wireless router or an access point in your home or
office,
the Adapter will automatically attempt to connect to your wireless
network. In
most cases, the Adapter will be able to connect to your network
automatically. If
your wireless network is using encryption, you will need to set the
encryption
settings of your Adapter to match that of your wireless network. For
information
about configuring your Adapter, see the next section in this manual.
UNINSTALLING THE SOFTWARE AND DRIVERS
9
If you need to remove the software and drivers for any reason, you can
easily
accomplish this in one of two ways. You can insert the software CD and
click on
the “Uninstall” option in the menu, or you can go to the Windows Control
Panel
and select the “Add/Remove Programs” option. The Belkin wizard will
walk you
through the removal process.
When you launch the Wireless LAN Monitor Utility (the Utility), you will
be
presented with the screen below. The following small icon will also be
present in
your system tray.
The Utility can be set to always be on top of everything else
on your desktop when it is open. This setting can be changed
if you right-click on the icon in your system tray.
Place a check mark next to “Always on top” to keep the

utility on top all of the time. Remove the check mark to set
the window to move to the back when you select another window. You
can close
the Utility screen without shutting the Utility down by clicking Exit (l).
Double-clicking on the icon in the system tray will open the window.
The Status Tab
USING THE BELKIN WIRELESS LAN MONITOR
UTILITY
10
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
USING THE BELKIN WIRELESS LAN MONITOR
UTILITY
11
(a) Profile Name
The first thing you will notice is the “Profile Name”. Initially this will say
“default” and be grayed out until you have set up a profile. Also, the
Profile
Manager Mode (k) will be “OFF”. Using Profiles allows you to save
configurations
for different wireless networks. For instance, if you use your Adapter at
your
place of work and also at your home, your wireless network settings
may be
different for each location. Profiles let you store settings for each
location and
name them for easy identification. The “default” profile will contain the

initial
configuration setting when you install the Adapter. To learn how to use
Profiles,
see the section of this manual called “Using Profile Manager Mode”.
(b) Operating Mode
Shows the current wireless mode the Adapter is operating in. There are
two
operating modes: “Infrastructure” and “802.11 Ad-Hoc”. Infrastructure is
the
most common mode to operate in and is the factory default setting. Use
Infrastructure mode when connecting your PC to a wireless access
point or to a
wireless router. Ad-Hoc mode is used to connect two or more
computers together
without the use of an access point or wireless router. To change the
mode, click
the down-facing arrow next to the Operating Mode field. Select the
mode you
wish to use, then click “Apply”.
(c) Channel
Shows the current channel the Adapter is operating on. When operating
in
Infrastructure mode, the channel is set automatically by the access point
or
wireless router that the Adapter is connected to. You cannot change the
channels in Infrastructure mode. In Ad-Hoc mode, the channel can be
set
manually. For more information about operating in Ad-Hoc mode, see
“Operating
in Ad-Hoc Mode”.
(d) SSID
The SSID is the wireless network name. This field shows the current
SSID with
which the Adapter is associated. The default (factory) setting is “ANY”,
which
will cause the Adapter to automatically look for any wireless network in
the area.
To connect to a specific wireless network, you can manually enter the
SSID of
the known wireless network. Note that the SSID is case-sensitive, so,
capital

letters do make a difference. To change the SSID, click in the SSID field,
type the
SSID you want, then click “Apply”.
USING THE BELKIN WIRELESS LAN MONITOR
UTILITY
12
(e) Tx Rate
Displays the current rate of data transmission. There are five Tx rates
possible:
Fixed 11Mbps—Always transmit and receive at 11Mbps data rate
regardless of
signal quality.
Fixed 5.5Mbps—Always transmit and receive at 5.5Mbps data rate
regardless of
signal quality.
Fixed 2Mbps—Always transmit and receive at 2Mbps data rate
regardless of
signal quality.
Fixed 1Mbps—Always transmit and receive at 1Mbps data rate
regardless of
signal quality.
Auto—Adjust speed according to signal strength. This mode is the
recommended
setting. It will decrease the amount of transmit and receive errors by
reducing
the speed of transmission in favor of receiving error-free data. Note that
data
being sent at Fixed 11Mbps with low signal quality will not necessarily
get the
data to the computer faster. This is because when errors occur, the data
must be
resent. When the signal quality is low, the chances for errors to occur at
high
speeds are greatly increased. Sending the data at lower speeds when
the signal
quality is poor will reduce the chances of errors, and thus data will get to
the
computer in the shortest possible time.
(f) MAC Address