Belkin F5D70010 User manual

F5D7010
Connect your laptop computer
to a FAST wireless network
Wireless G Notebook
Network Card
2.4GHz • Wireless
802.11b
Ethernet
E
Wired
Mbps
10/100
Ethernet
Gigabit
E
Wired
Mbps
10/100/1000
Gigabit Ethernet
Mbps
2.4GHz • Wireless802.11g
Mbps
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www.belkin.co.uk/support

1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Advantages of a Wireless Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Placement of your Wireless Networking Hardware for
Optimal Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Product Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Applications and Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Product Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Package Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3 Installing and Setting Up the Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Step 1: Install the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Step 2: Install the Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4 Using the Belkin Wireless Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
How to Access the Belkin Wireless Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Monitoring the Status of your Network Connection. . . . . . . . . . . 12
Configuring your Current Network Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Securing your Wi-Fi Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Finding Available Networks in your Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Setting Wireless Network Profiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Monitoring Data Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
5 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6 Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Table of Contents

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Thank you for purchasing the Belkin Wireless G Notebook Network
Card (the Card). The Card features 802.11g technology, allowing you
to take advantage of wireless networking without using cables. The
Card works like a conventional network card, but without the wires.
The easy installation and setup will have you networking in minutes.
Please be sure to read through this User Manual completely, and pay
special attention to the section entitled “Placement of your Wireless
Network Hardware for Optimal Performance”.
Advantages of a Wireless Network
• Mobility – you no longer need a dedicated “computer
room”—you can work on a networked laptop or desktop
computer anywhere within your wireless range
• Easy installation – Belkin Easy Installation Wizards make
setup simple
• Flexibility – set up and access printers, computers, and other
networking devices from anywhere in your home
• Easy Expansion – the wide range of Belkin networking products
let you expand your network to include devices such as printers
and gaming consoles
• No cabling required – you can spare the expense and hassle of
retrofitting Ethernet cabling throughout the home or office
• Widespread industry acceptance – choose from a wide range
of interoperable networking products
Introduction

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Placement of your Wireless Networking Hardware for
Optimal Performance
Your wireless connection will be stronger the closer your computer
is to your wireless router (or access point). Typical indoor operating
range for your wireless devices is between 100 and 200 feet. In the
same way, your wireless connection and performance will degrade
somewhat as the distance between your wireless router (or access
point) and connected devices increases. This may or may not be
noticeable to you. As you move further from your wireless router (or
access point), connection speed may decrease. Factors that can
weaken signals simply by getting in the way of your network’s radio
waves are metal appliances or obstructions, and walls.
If you have concerns about your network’s performance that might be
related to range or obstruction factors, try moving the computer to a
position between five and 10 feet from the wireless router (or access
point) in order to see if distance is the problem. If difficulties persist
even at close range, please contact Belkin Technical Support.
Note: While some of the items listed below can affect network
performance, they will not prohibit your wireless network from
functioning; if you are concerned that your network is not operating
at its maximum effectiveness, this checklist may help.
1. Placement of your Wireless Router or Access Point
Place your wireless router (or access point), the central connection
point of your network, as close as possible to the center of your
wireless network devices.
To achieve the best wireless network coverage for your “wireless
clients,” (i.e. computers enabled by Belkin Wireless Notebook
Network Cards, Wireless Desktop Network Cards, and Wireless
USB Adapters):
• Ensure that your wireless router’s (or access point’s) antennas
are parallel to each other, and are positioned vertically (toward
the ceiling). If your wireless router (or access point) itself is
positioned vertically, point the antennas as much as possible in
an upward direction.
• In multistory homes, place the wireless router (or access point) on a
floor that is as close to the center of the home as possible. This may
mean placing the wireless router (or access point) on an upper floor.
• Try not to place the wireless router (or access point) near a
cordless 2.4GHz phone.
Introduction

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2. Avoid Obstacles and Interference
Avoid placing your wireless router (or access point) near devices that
may emit radio “noise”, such as microwave ovens. Other objects that
can inhibit wireless communication can include:
• Refrigerators
• Washers and/or dryers
• Metal cabinets
• Large aquariums
• Metallic-based UV tinted windows
If your wireless signal seems weak in some spots, make sure that
objects such as these are not blocking the signal’s path between your
computers and wireless router (or access point).
3. Cordless Phone Placement
If the performance of your wireless network is impaired after
attending to the above issues, and you have your cordless phone:
• Try moving cordless phones away from the wireless router
(or access point) and your wireless-enabled computers.
• Unplug and remove the battery from any cordless phone
that operates on the 2.4GHz band (check the manufacturer’s
information). If this fixes the problem, the phone may
be interfering.
• If your phone supports channel selection, change the
channel on the phone to the furthest channel from your
wireless network, as possible. For example, change the
phone to channel 1 and move your wireless router (or
access point) to channel 11. See your phone’s user manual
for detailed instructions.
• If necessary, consider switching to a 900MHz or 5GHz
cordless phone.
4. Choose the “Quietest” Channel for your Wireless Network
In locations where homes or offices are close together, such as
apartment buildings or office complexes, there may be wireless
networks nearby that can conflict with yours. Use the Site Survey
capabilities of your Wireless Utility to locate any other wireless
Introduction

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networks, and move your wireless router (or access point) and
computers to a channel as far away from other networks as possible.
Experiment with more than one of the available channels in order to
find the clearest connection and avoid interference from neighboring
cordless phones or other wireless devices.
Use the detailed information in the “Finding Available Networks in
your Area” section in this User Manual.
5. Secure Connections, VPNs, and AOL
Secure connections typically require a user name and password, and
are used where security is important. Secure connections include:
• Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections, often used to connect
remotely to an office network
• The “Bring Your Own Access” program from America Online
(AOL), which lets you use AOL through broadband provided by
another cable or DSL service
• Most online banking websites
• Many commercial websites which require a user name and
password to access your account
Secure connections can be interrupted by a computer’s power
management setting, which causes it to “go to sleep.” The simplest
solution to avoid this is to simply reconnect by re-running the VPN or
AOL software, or by re-logging into the secure website.
A second alternative is to change your computer’s power management
settings so it does not go to sleep; however, this may not be appropriate
for portable computers. To change your power management setting
under Windows, see the “Power Options” item in the Control Panel.
If you continue to have difficulty with Secure Connection, VPNs, and
AOL, please review steps 1-4 in the previous pages to be sure you
have addressed these issues.
These guidelines should allow you to cover the maximum possible area
with your wireless router. Should you need to cover an even wider
area, we suggest the Belkin Wireless Range Extender/Access Point.
For more information regarding our networking products, visit our
website at www.belkin.com/networking or call Belkin Technical Support.
Introduction

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Product Features
The Card complies with the IEEE 802.11g standard in order to
communicate with other 802.11g-compliant wireless devices at
54Mbps. The Card is compatible with all 802.11g devices as well as
other 802.11b products at 11Mbps. 802.11g products operate on the
same 2.4GHz frequency band as 802.11b Wi-Fi products.
• 2.4GHz ISM (Industrial, Science, and Medical) band operation
• Integrated easy-to-use Wireless Utility
• CardBus interface, for operation in virtually any notebook computer
• WPA, 64-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), 128-bit encryption,
and 802.1x authentication
• Wireless access to networked resources
• Support for both Infrastructure and Ad-Hoc (peer-to-peer)
networking modes
• Easy installation and use
• Internal antenna
• LED power and network link indicators
Overview

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Applications and Advantages
• Wireless roaming with a laptop around the home or office
Offers the freedom of networking without cables
• Compatibility with 802.11b products
802.11g wireless LAN solutions are backward-compatible with
existing Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b) products and with other products
that display the Wi-Fi mark
• 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
• Temporary LANs for special projects or peak time
Sets up temporary networks (such as at trade shows, exhibitions,
and construction sites) on a short-term basis; also companies
that 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 32-bit Cardbus
Power Consumption Tx/Rx peak 450/260mA @ 3.3VDC (max.)
Operating Temperature 32—185 degrees F (0—85 degrees C)
Storage Temperature -40—194 degrees F (-40—90 degrees C)
Humidity (Max. 95% (non-condensing)
Typical Operating Range 100 to 200 feet (30-60 meters)
Overview

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Overview
(a) Link LED
Lights up when the Card links to a wireless network
(b) Activity LED
Lights up and flashes when the Card is active
(c) Card Connector
Part of the Card that fits into your computer’s CardBus slot
System Requirements
• PC-compatible laptop with one available CardBus slot
• Windows® 98SE, Me, 2000, XP
Package Contents
• Wireless G Notebook Network Card
• Quick Installation Guide
• Installation Software CD
• User Manual
(a)
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Step 1 Install the Software
WARNING: INSTALL THE SOFTWARE BEFORE INSERTING THE CARD.
1.1 Insert the Installation Software CD into your CD-ROM drive.
1.2 The Belkin Wireless Utility screen will automatically appear (may take
15–20 seconds to appear). In the menu window, drag your mouse
over the “Install” button, then select “Click here” to start the software
installation program.
Note: If the Wireless Utility screen does not appear within 20
seconds, access your CD-ROM by double-clicking on the “My
Computer” icon and and double-click on the CD-ROM drive that the
installation CD has been placed in. Double-click on the folder named
“Files”, then double-click on the icon named “setup.exe”.
Installing and Setting Up the Card
1.3 Click “Next” to install the software.

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Installing and Setting Up the Card
1.5 Click “Next” to add the software to
a program folder.
1.4 You will be prompted to choose an
installation location. Click “Next”
to accept the default location, or
click “Browse” to select a different
location before clicking “Next”.

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Step 2 Install the Hardware
2.1 During the install process, you
will be prompted to insert your
Card. Insert the Card, label side
UP, into your computer’s CardBus
slot firmly until it stops. Click
“OK” to continue.
Note: If your system did not
prompt you to insert your Card
after the installation is completed,
please do so now.
2.2 Select “United States of
America – (1-11)” from the
“Country Channel Select”
drop-down box and click “OK”.
Installing and Setting Up the Card

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How to Access the Belkin Wireless Utility
Double-click the Signal Indicator icon to bring up the “Belkin
Wireless Utility”. If the icon is not present, click on “Start >
Programs > Belkin 802.11g Wireless Card > Belkin 802.11g
Wireless Card Utility”.
Note: The color of the icon reflects the connection link: green
for good, yellow for weak, and red if it is not active.
Using the Belkin Wireless Utility

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Monitoring the Status of your Network Connection
Click on the “Status” tab to monitor the link status of your
network connection.
(a) Connected to
This is the current network SSID, the network name of the router (or
access point) you are connected to
(b) Encryption
Will display “Off” when encryption is disabled, “WEP” when either
64-bit or 128-bit encryption is enabled, or “WPA” when WPA is enabled
(c) Speed
Displays the data rate of the current connection
(d) Channel
Shows the channel the network is on
Using the Belkin Wireless Utility
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(k)
(f)

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(e) Tx Packets
Displays the data packets that have been transmitted
(f) Rx Packets
Displays the data packets that have been received
(g) Signal Strength
The signal strength of the related router (or access point)
(h) Network Mode
Will display either “Infrastructure” if connected to a router (or an
access point) or “Ad-Hoc” when connected to another computer
(i) BSSID
Displays the MAC address of the wireless router (or access point) that
you are connected to
(j) IP Address
Shows the IP address of the computer
(k) Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings
Click this box to use the Windows Zero Configuration Utility
Using the Belkin Wireless Utility

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Configuring your Current Network Settings
Click on the “Configure” tab to make any changes to the
current network settings or to make changes to a saved profile.
(a) Network Mode
Select the current wireless mode the Card is operating in from
the two available operating modes. Infrastructure is used when
connecting your PC to a wireless router (or access point),
and Ad-Hoc is used when connecting two or more computers
together without a wireless router (or access point).
(b) Network SSID
The SSID is the wireless network name of a router (or access
point). Select an available SSID from the drop-down box or
enter an SSID name of a wireless router (or access point) you
would like to connect to that is in range of your PC.
Using the Belkin Wireless Utility
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
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(c) 2.4GHz (802.11b)
Click here to use only the 802.11b radio band.
(d) 2.4GHz (802.11b/g)
Click here to use both the 802.11b and 802.11g radio band.
(e) Fragmentation threshold
Click on the bar to adjust the fragmentation threshold.
Fragmentation can be set between 256 and 2346 bytes. Using
fragmentation to divide frames into smaller pieces can increase
transmission reliability but increase overhead and reduce
performance speeds. Setting the fragmentation threshold to 2346
disables fragmentation and is the default setting.
(f) RTS/CTS Threshold
Click on the bar to adjust the RTS/CTS threshold. RTS/CTS can
be set between 256 and 2346 bytes. Using RTS/CTS (Request
to Send/Clear to Send) will control the data sent to minimize
collisions with other PCs sending data on the same network.
Setting RTS/CTS threshold to 2346 disables RTS/CTS and is the
default setting.
(g) Power Saving
Select from either Off, Max, or Dynamic. The “Max” setting draws
less power from your PC when you want to conserve battery
power or when you are in close range; the “Off” setting will
enable the highest performance but draws the most power from
your PC; and the “Dynamic” setting will adjust the power setting
automatically for a moderate level of power.
(h) Transmitted Rate
Select the transmit rate for data transmission. Lower speeds will
give better range but slower throughput speeds.
(i) 2.4GHz Preamble
Select from either “Long” or “Auto Preamble” type. Auto is
recommended for high network traffic environments.
Using the Belkin Wireless Utility

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Securing your Wi-Fi® Network
Here are a few different ways to maximize the security of your
wireless network and protect your data from unwanted intrusion. This
section is intended for the home, home office, and small office user.
At the time of publication, three encryption methods are available.
Encryption Methods:
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)
WEP is a common protocol that adds security to all Wi-Fi-compliant
wireless products. WEP gives wireless networks the equivalent level
of privacy protection as a comparable wired network.
64-Bit WEP
64-bit WEP was first introduced with 64-bit encryption, which
includes a key length of 40 bits plus 24 additional bits of
system-generated data (64 bits total). Some hardware manufacturers
refer to 64-bit as 40-bit encryption. Shortly after the technology was
introduced, researchers found that 64-bit encryption was too easy
to decode.
Using the Belkin Wireless Utility
Name 64-bit Wired
Equivalent Privacy
128-bit
Encryption
Wi-Fi
Protected
Access
Wi-Fi
Protected
Access
Acronym 64-bit WEP 128-bit WPA-TKIP WPA-AES
Security Good Better Best Best
Features Static keys Static keys Dynamic key
encryption
and mutual
authentication
Dynamic key
encryption
and mutual
authentication
Encryption keys
based on RC4
algorithm (typically
40-bit keys)
Added security
over 64-bit
WEP using a
key length of
104 bits, plus
24 additional
bits of system-
generated data
TKIP (temporal
key integrity
protocol)
added so
that keys are
rotated and
encryption is
strengthened
AES
(Advanced
Encryption
Standard)
does not
cause any
throughput
loss.

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128-Bit Encryption
As a result of 64-bit WEP’s potential security weaknesses, a more
secure method of 128-bit encryption was developed. 128-bit
encryption includes a key length of 104 bits plus 24 additional bits of
system-generated data (128 bits total). Some hardware manufacturers
refer to 128-bit as 104-bit encryption.
Most of the new wireless equipment in the market today supports
both 64-bit WEP and 128-bit WEP encryption, but you might have
older equipment that only supports 64-bit WEP. All Belkin wireless
products will support both 64-bit WEP and 128-bit encryption.
Encryption Keys
After selecting either the 64-bit WEP or 128-bit encryption mode, it is
critical that you generate an encryption key. If the encryption key is
not consistent throughout the entire wireless network, your wireless
networking devices will be unable to communicate with one another.
You can enter your key by typing in the hex key. A hex (hexadecimal)
key is a mixture of numbers and letters from A–F and 0–9. For 64-bit
WEP, you need to enter 10 hex keys. For 128-bit WEP, you need to
enter 26 hex keys.
For instance:
AF 0F 4B C3 D4 = 64-bit WEP key
C3 03 0F AF 0F 4B B2 C3 D4 4B C3 D4 E7 = 128-bit key
Write down the hex WEP key from your wireless router (or access
point) and enter it manually into the hex WEP key table in your Card’s
configuration screen.
Using the Belkin Wireless Utility

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WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access)
WPA is a new Wi-Fi standard that improves upon the security features
of WEP. To use WPA security, the drivers and software of your
wireless equipment must be upgraded to support it. These updates
will be found on your wireless vendor’s website. There are two types
of WPA security: WPA-PSK (no server), and WPA (with radius server).
WPA-PSK (no server) uses what is known as a pre-shared key as
the network key. A network key is a password that is between eight
and 63 characters long. It can be a combination of letters, numbers,
or characters. Each client uses the same network key to access the
network. Typically, this is the mode that will be used in a
home environment.
WPA (with radius server) is a system where a radius server
distributes the network key to the clients automatically. This is
typically found in a business environment. For a list of Belkin wireless
products that support WPA, please visit our website at www.belkin.
com/networking.
Most wireless products ship with security turned off. So once you
have your network working, you may need to activate WEP or WPA
and make sure all your wireless devices are sharing the same
network key.
Using the Belkin Wireless Utility