Boca Systems Wireless LAN PC Card 11Mbps User manual

11Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card
User’s Guide
Version 1.45

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INFORMATION TO USER
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of the following measures:
 Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
 Increase the separation between the equipment or device.
 Connect the equipment to an outlet other than receiver’s.
 Consult a dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for assistance
FCC Caution: To assure continued compliance, (example - use only shielded interface cables
when connecting to computer or peripheral devices) any changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this
equipment.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
IMPORTANT NOTE: FCC Radiation Exposure Statement:
This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled
environment. End-users must follow the specific operating instructions for satisfying RF exposure
compliance.
This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or
transmitter.
Regulatory
The wireless LAN PC Card must be installed and used in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions. This device complies with the following radio frequency and safety standards.
Europe - R&TTE Directive
This device complies with the specifications listed below:
⌧ ETS 300-826 General EMC requirements for Radio equipment.
⌧ ETS 300-328 Technical requirements for Radio equipment.
⌧ EN60950 Safety requirements for Radio equipment.
EU Countries not intended for use
The ETSI version of this device is intended for home and office use in Austria, Belgium, Denmark,
Finland, France (with Frequency channel restrictions). Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.
The ETSI version of this device is also authorized for use in EFTA member states Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction.............................................................................................3
The 11Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card...................................................................3
Features..............................................................................................................3
Package Contents...............................................................................................4
System Requirements.........................................................................................4
Chapter 2: Network Configuration and Planning......................................................5
Wireless LAN Basic.............................................................................................5
Network Topology................................................................................................5
Roaming..............................................................................................................7
Chapter 3: Installing the Drivers and Configuration Utility for Windows 9X/ME/
2000..............................................................................................................8
Running the Auto Driver & Utility Installation.......................................................8
Inserting the adapter..........................................................................................10
Chapter 4: Configuration Utility...............................................................................12
Using the configuration utility.............................................................................12
Chapter 5: Installation Procedure Under Windows NT 4.0.....................................19
About Windows NT 4.0......................................................................................19
Installing the Driver............................................................................................19
Configuration / Uninstall....................................................................................22
Chapter 6: Installation Procedure Under WindowsXP............................................23
About Windows XP............................................................................................23
Installing the Driver / Utility................................................................................23
Configuration Under WinXP...............................................................................23
Uninstall Procedure Under WinXP.....................................................................24
Appendix A: Troubleshooting..................................................................................25
Appendix B: Glossary.............................................................................................26
Appendix C: Specifications.....................................................................................28
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Chapter 1: Introduction
The 11Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card
The 11Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card now has a new , higher-powered antenna that provides a
greater range than ever. The increased sensitivity helps filter out interference and notice to keep
your signal clear. Improved error correction in the chipset keeps you operating at higher transmission
rates for longer distances. And since you only need one Type II or III PCMCIA slot, you’re free to use
your other slots for additional accessories.
Plug-and-Play device, Windows 98/ME/2000/XP will automatically recognize the wireless LAN
card and initiate the installation process. Upon successful installation, the wireless LAN card will
communicate seamlessly with other wireless home and office networking products.
Using radio frequency (RF) technology, WLANs transmit and receive data over the air,
minimizing the need for wired connections. Thus, WLANs combine data connectivity with user
mobility, and through simplified configuration, enable movable LANs. This wireless networking
solution has been designed for both large and small businesses, and it is scalable so that you can
easily add more users and new network features as your business grows.
This manual will assist you in the installing WLAN PC Card.
Features
 IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence high rate compatible.
High data rate 11/5.5/2/1 Mbps.
Auto Rate fallback
IPX, NetBEUI, TCP/IP protocols supported.
Wired Equivalent Privacy Algorithm (WEP) (64 bits/128 bits)
802.11 Power save in infrastructure mode.
Passive/Active scan. Long/Short preamble.
RTS/CTS handshake.
Beacon and Probe response generation in an IBSS.
Plug-N-Play and easy setup
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Package Contents
 One 11Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card.
One setup Utility CD-ROM (User Guide on CD).
Quick Installation Guide.
System Requirements
 One PCMCIA Type II or Type III slot.
PCMCIA revision 2.10 compliant card and socket services.
Operating System: Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, or XP.
2M bytes free disk space for utility and driver installation.
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Chapter 2: Network Configuration and
Planning
Network Topology
Wireless LAN Basic
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An Ad-Hoc wireless LAN is a group of computers, each equipped with one WLAN adapter,
connected as an independent wireless LAN. Computers in a specific Ad-Hoc wireless LAN must be
configured to share the same radio channel.(Fig 2-1)
Fig 2-1 Ad-Hoc Wireless LAN
Notebook with PCMCIA WLAN Card
Notebook with PCMCIA WLAN Card
Desktop with USB WLAN Adapter
The WLANs supports legacy Ethernet LAN network configuration options as defined by the
IEEE 802.11b standards committee.
The WLAN Card can be configured as:
 Ad-Hoc for departmental or SOHO LANs.
Infrastructure for enterprise LANs.
LAN-Interconnection for point-to-point link as campus backbone.

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The adapter provides access to a wired LAN for wireless workstations. An integrated wireless
and wired LAN is called an infrastructure configuration. A group of WLAN PC users and an Access
Point compose a Basic Service Set (BSS). Each WLAN PC in a BSS can talk to any computer in the
wired LAN infrastructure via the Access Point.(Fig 2-2)
An infrastructure configuration extends the accessibility of a WLAN equipped PC to a wired
LAN, and doubles the effective wireless transmission range for 2 WLANs PCs. Since the Access
Point is able to forward data within its BSS, the effective transmission range in an infrastructure LAN
is double.(Fig 2-3)
The use of a unique ID in a BSS is essential. All WLAN equipped PCs configured without
roaming options in independent BSS must be configured with a BSS ID corresponding to the Access
Point used in the BSS. Check your Access Point for its BSS ID or use the Access Point Browser
Utility program to determine the BSS ID.(Fig 2-4)
The infrastructure wireless LAN configuration is appropriate for enterprise-scale wireless
access to a central database, or as a wireless application for mobile users.
Fig 2-2 Infrastructure Wireless LAN
Notebook with PCMCIA WLAN Card
Desktop with USB WLAN Adapter
Access Point 1
Access Point 2
Server Desktop PC
Fig 2-3 The effective transmission range

Roaming
Infrastructure mode also supports roaming capabilities for mobile users. More than one BSS
can be configured as an Extended Service Set (ESS). The continuous network allows users to roam
freely within an ESS. All WLAN PCs and Access Point within one ESS must be configured with the
same ESS ID.
Before enabling an ESS with roaming capability, it is recommended to select a feasible radio
channel and optimum Access Point position. Proper Access Point positioning combined with a clear
radio signal will greatly enhance performance.
Fig 2-4 Roaming in an Extended Service Set (ESS)
Access Point 1
Access Point 2
Notebook I
Notebook I
BSS1 BSS2
ESS
USB WLAN Adapter
USB WLAN Adapter
Server Desktop PC
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Chapter 3: Installing the Drivers and Con-
figuration Utility for Windows 9X, ME,
2000
Running the Auto Driver & Utility Installation
1. Click “Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP Driver & Utility - PCMCIA” to install driver/utility for
your PCMCIA WLAN Card. You will see Welcome to the InstallShield Wizard for 802.11 Wireless
LAN. Click “Next >” (Fig 3-2).
2. After clicking “Next >”, components’ version of package will be shown on this screen. (Fig 3-
3).
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If this screen doesn’t appear automatically, you can access the installation by clicking the Start
button and choosing Run. In the drop-down box provided type D:\Setup.exe (where D: is the letter
of your CD-ROM drive). Alternately, double-click My Computer and double-click the Setup.exe icon
in the folder that appears.
Fig 3-1 Auto-run feature of Windows
Before installing your card, insert the Auto-Install CD into your CD-ROM driver. Unless you
have deactivated the auto-run feature of Windows, the screen shown in Fig 3-1 should appear
automatically.
NOTE: You must install this software before installation of the hardware
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3. The installation provides you to install package Custom or Typical. (Fig 3-4)
4. If “Custom” be chosen, you can select package individually. If you choose “Typical”, The
3 packages will be installed in your system. (Fig 3-5)
The 3 packages mean Application, PCMCIA card driver, and USB adapter driver. (Fig 3-6).
Fig 3-2 Install WLAN Driver / Utility Fig 3-3 Components Version
Fig 3-4 Setup Type
Fig 3-6 Custom Setup
Fig 3-5 Typical Setup

Fig 3-7 Select Program Folder
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5. You can specify a folder name of this program. (Fig 3-7)
6. After copying files, you will finish the installation. (Fig 3-8)
Inserting the adapter
After properly inserting the Network Adapter into your notebook, continue with the WLAN driver
and configuration utility installation.(Fig 3-9)
NOTE: The PCMCIA slot allows “hot swap” of PCMCIA adapter. You may insert or remove the
WLAN PCMCIA adapter from the slot anytime, even when the power of your computer is on.
NOTE: Windows 98 requires that the Network card and socket services must be compliant with
the PCMCIA revision 2.10 specification. Please check the documentation of the PCMCIA driver
before installing the WLAN PCMCIA adapter.
To insert the wireless LAN Card into a notebook computer, do the following:
1. Locate an available Type II or Type III PCMCIA slot.
2. With the PCMCIA adapter’s 68-pin connector facing the PCMCIA slot and the “Brand Name of
PCMCIA” label facing up side the PCMCIA adapter completely into the PCMCIA slot.
Fig 3-9 Insert the Wireless LAN card into Notebook
Fig 3-8 Finish

After installing PCMCIA WLAN Card driver and utility. Please insert the WLAN Card. You will
see Found New Hardware. Please select “Install the software automatically” then click “Next>”
(Fig 3-10). The screen in Windows XP (Fig 3-11) will appear click “Continue Anyway”. The Win-
dows has finished installing software for the device. Click “Finish” to finish the installation.(Fig 3-
12). Configuration Utility please see Chapter 4
Fig 3-10 Found New Hardware
Fig 3-12 Finish the installation
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Fig 3-11 Windows XP Screen

Chapter 4: Configuration Utility
Using the Configuration Utility
The Configuration Utility is provided to allow you further customization of the WLAN PC Card
and your wireless network.
After the Configuration Utility has been installed, an icon will placed in the system tray (next to
click button of your screen) when the WLAN PC Card is inserted, as shown in Fig 4-1.
Fig 4-1
The utility is divided into six parts: Status, Statistics, Site Survey, Encryption, Advanced,
and Info. You should change all your configuration settings for your WLAN PC Card using this utility
and not with the Network Properties section in your Control Panel.
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Status
The Status screen (Shown in Fig 4-2) provides information about the current link between the
Network PC Card and Wireless Access Point.
When in Infrastructure Mode, Status will display the connection statistics for the network
segment that you are on.
The Channel field shows to what channel the WLAN PC Card is set.
The SSID field shows the current SSID set for the wireless network. This SSID can be modified
at you click Change button.
The Tx Rate field shows the transfer rate in megabits per second.
The Int. Roaming field shows to use this feature to allow your adapter to retrieve country
information from the access point and behave according to that country’s regulations.
The Radio field shows on / off radio signal

Fig 4-2
The Signal Strength field will display a bar indicating the percentage, between 0 and 100
percent, of the strength of the signal. The higher the percentage, the stronger the signal.
The Link Quality field will display a bar indicating the percentage, between 0 and 100 percent,
of the quality of the link. The higher the percentage, the better the link.
The Change button, allows you to customize the settings for the WLAN PC Card and your
wireless network.
The Operating Mode setting determines the architecture of your wireless network select Ad-
Hoc or Infrastructure Mode depending on your network type. The Ad-Hoc mode is used for sample
peer-to-peer network and allows the sharing of local resources only between Network PC Card
without needing a Wireless Access Point. The Infrastructure mode allows a wireless network to be
integrated into an existed, wired network through an Access Point. Infrastructure networks permit
roaming between Access Points while maintaining a connection to all network resources.
NOTE: When in Ad-Hoc mode, Signal Strength and Link
Quality indicators will not be available.
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An acronym for Service Set Identifier, SSID is the unique name shared among all points in a
wireless network. The SSID must be identical for all points in the network. It is case sensitive and
must not exceed 32 characters.
The Tx Rate field shows the current transfer rate for the Network PC Card. To optimize perfor-
mance and range, the Tx Rate should be set to Auto, which will automatically adjust the transfer
speed for best performance and longest range.
The Channel setting specifies the channel used in wireless communication and should be set
to the same channel as the other points in the wireless network. The setting can only be adjusted in
Ad-Hoc mode.
Fig 4-3
Statistics
The Statistics screen (Shown in Fig 4-3) provides information about the Tx / Rx Data, Manage-
ment, and rejected Packets.
Site Survey
The Site Survey screen shows some features of the available access points or other stations.
Click on the desired access point / station. Then double click BSSID to connect or Re-Scan to
search for more access points. (Shown in Fig 4-4)
Fig 4-4
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Encryption
On the Encryption screen, show in Fig 4-5, you can set the level of security with which you will
be using the WLAN PC Card.
Under the drop-down box, you can choose to have WEP encryption Disabled, 64-Bit, or 128-
Bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is an encryption scheme use to protect wireless data communi-
cation. If you decide to use encryption, you can choose any of the available WEP keys (1 to 4). You
also have option to select the WEP mode (Mandatory/optional). If you select “Mandatory”, then not
only WEP will be used, but also any other station needs to use WEP encryption in order to establish
a communication with your station. This requirement is in line with the IEEE 802.11b standard. If, on
the other hand, you choose “Option”, then your station can communication with every other station
regardless if they use WEP or not. The Disabled setting prevents the sharing of data with other
computers on the WEP network. When Enable encryption for the WEP Key entry, enter the hexa-
decimal number (the letters “A” through “F” and the numbers “0” through “9”) set by the other
wireless WEP settings; these settings must be identical to the WEP encryption on all points in your
wireless network in order to network to your WLAN PC Card. The security keys are four 10 digit key
for the 64-Bit WEP setting and four 26 digit key for the 128-Bit WEP setting.
Fig 4-5
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NOTE: The WEP Key Entry must match the Key on all other devices on the
wireless network or this device will be unable to transmit or receive data.
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Advanced
The Advanced screen (Fig 4-6) allows you to set Fragmentation Threshold, the RTS/CTS
Threshold, and the Preamble Type. The Fragmentation Threshold Value indicates how much of
the network resources is devoted to recovering packet errors. The value should remain at its default
setting of 2,346. If you experience high packet error rates, you can decrease this value but it will
likely decrease overall network performance. Only minor modifications of this value are recom-
mended.
Fig 4-6
For Authentication Type, you may choose between Open System or Shared Key.
Shared Key is when both the sender and recipient share a secret key. Both units this key for
an extended length of time, sometimes indefinitely. Any eavesdropper that discovers the key may
decipher all packets unit the key is changed.
Open System the default setting, is when the sender and the recipient do not share a secret
key. Each party generates its own key-pair and asks the receiver to accept the (usually randomly)
generated key. Once accepted, this key is use for short time only: then a new key is generated and
agrees upon.
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The About screen (Fig 4-8) shown the release information for the Driver Version, Firmware
Version, Application Version, and MAC Address. Use the “Exit” button in order to exit the application.
About
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The RTS Threshold Value should remain at its default setting of 2,347. A preamble is a signal
used to synchronize the transmission timing between two or more systems. A series of transmission
pulses is sent before the data to indicate that “someone is about transmit data.” this ensures that
systems receive the information correctly when the data transmission starts.
The Preamble Type should be set to Short (if the network environment is “noisy”) or Long (if
the environment is “clear”) Click Submit to complete the configuration.
Power Save, you can select 5then submit to allow your adapter to go to sleep mode while the
adapter doesn’t precede the data transmission. Or unselect disabled to make the adapter never
go to sleep mode. Click submit to save the settings.
The Profiles screen (Fig 4-7) allows you can manage the profiles that you have created for the
wireless network at home, office and in public places. You can create New file for Save a profile or
Delete and Rename the profiles.
Profiles
Fig 4-7

Fig 4-8
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How to Uninstall the Configuration & Monitor Utility
In order to uninstall the Configuration & Monitor Utility from Windows 9X/ME/2000/XP, you can
RUN Setup utility again then you will see Fig 4-9 then step by step remove all installed components.
It is recommended to stop the WLAN adapter and “Exit” the application prior to staring the
uninstallation procedure.
Fig 4-9

Chapter 5: Installation Procedure Under
Windows NT 4.0
About Windows NT 4.0
Use the procedures described in this section to install and configure the WLAN adapter under
MS Windows NT 4.0.
Although Windows NT 4.0 are similar in appearance wit Windows 95/98/ME, and Windows
2000, they have different philosophy when installing a new hardware.
Throughout this section it is assumed that you have basic working knowledge of Windows NT
4.0 and how to install new network cards on them. However, in this paragraph, some specific
features of Windows NT 4.0 are briefly explained.
Unlike Windows 95/98/ME, and Windows 2000. Windows NT 4.0 do not support the “Plug &
Play” and “Hot Swapping” features.
In Windows NT 4.0 you need to inform the operating system about the existence of the new
card in order to star installing the driver. Also, if you want to swap cards, you need to restart the PC
in order to recognize the card.
Another difference between Windows 95/98/ME and Windows NT 4.0 is how these operating
systems handle the “User Profiles” feature. Windows 2000 handle “User Profiles” in the same way
as Windows NT 4.0.
In Windows 95/98/ME, the “User Profiles” are use only in order to customize the appearance of
the desktop between the different users. However, in Windows NT 4.0, “User Profiles” play the role
of accounts and are associated with certain privileges on the machine. Therefore, we have different
“User Profiles” (and privileges) for simple users, power users, and administrators. The privilege
settings for each user are set in the “User Manager” program of Windows NT 4.0.
Installing the Driver
NOTE: In order to be able to install the WLAN adapter on to your PC
running under Windows NT 4.0, you will need to log on as “Administrator”. Also to
have at least NT Service Pack 4 installed.
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First of all, in order to obtain the necessary privileges for the driver installation, you need to log
on as Administrator to Windows NT 4.0.
Since Windows NT 4.0 do not support “Plug & Play”, you must enable the detection of PC
cards by the operating system by following the following procedure:
1. Click Start XSettingsXControl Panel.
2. Double click the “Network” icon.
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