Farallon SkyLINE 11Mb User manual

SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card
User’s Guide

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2
Copyright © 2000 Farallon Communications, Inc. v.0400
All rights reserved.
This manual and any associated artwork, software, and product designs are
copyrighted with all rights reserved. Under the copyright laws this manual,
artwork, software, and product designs may not be copied, in whole or part,
without the written consent of Farallon. Under the law, copying includes
translation to another language or format.
Farallon Communications
3089 Teagarden St.
San Leandro, CA 94577-5720
U.S.A.
For additional copies of this user’s guide, order Farallon part number
6120369-00-01.
Other products and corporate names may be trademarks of other companies
and are used only for explanation and to the owner’s benefit without intent to
infringe.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Introduction .................................................................................1
SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card features ......................................................2
Package contents ...................................................................................2
System requirements ...................................................................................3
Macintosh ..............................................................................................3
Windows ................................................................................................3
Infrastructure network requirements .........................................................3
Network configuration ..................................................................................4
Ad Hoc network .......................................................................................4
Infrastructure network .............................................................................4
Chapter 2 - Installation ..................................................................................5
Macintosh installation ..................................................................................6
Installing SkyLINE software ......................................................................6
Installing SkyLINE hardware .....................................................................7
Configuring the SkyLINE Card for Macintosh ..............................................8
Configuring your card for your network ......................................................9
Configuring Macintosh networking software .............................................14
Card ejection ........................................................................................15
Windows installation ..................................................................................16
Windows 95/98 installation ...................................................................16
Windows NT 4.0 installation ..................................................................20
Configuring the SkyLINE Card for Windows ..............................................21
Chapter 3 - Operation and Troubleshooting ...................................................23
SkyLINE card operation ..............................................................................24
SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card LED .....................................................24
Macintosh card operation ......................................................................24
Windows card operation ........................................................................25
Troubleshooting .........................................................................................26
No CD-ROM drive on your computer ........................................................26
Environment and operation ....................................................................26
Macintosh troubleshooting .....................................................................27
Checking installed files ..........................................................................29
Windows troubleshooting .......................................................................30
Windows NT Diagnostics ........................................................................32
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Chapter 4 - Farallon Technical Support .........................................................33
Appendix A - Specifications & Regulations ...................................................35
Technical specifications .............................................................................35
Regulatory notices .....................................................................................36
DSSS PHY frequency channel plan ..............................................................38
Appendix B - Macintosh configurations .........................................................39
Infrastructure with Macintosh and Lucent ................................................39
Ad Hoc with Macintosh and Lucent .........................................................40
Glossary ......................................................................................................41
Warranties ..................................................................................................43
Index ..........................................................................................................47
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1
Chapter 1
Introduction
Farallon’s SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card provides network
connectivity for laptop computers equipped with a PC Card (PCMCIA)
slot. SkyLINE allows computers to join an IEEE 802.11 compliant
DSSS wireless Local Area Network (LAN). A wireless LAN offers the
advantages of a wired LAN in situations where it is impractical to run
conventional wiring.
The SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card allows Macintosh PowerBook
and Windows notebook users to build an Ad Hoc network or connect
to an Infrastructure network. An Ad Hoc network connects two or
more computers directly to each other. An Infrastructure network
allows computers to tap into the resources of a wired network using
a wireless LAN access point. An access point (such as Apple’s
AirPort Base Station) links wireless computers to an Ethernet
network.
Farallon’s SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card uses a radio frequency
modulation technology called Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum
(DSSS), which provides up to 11 Mbps bandwidth. The card’s
compliance with the 802.11b standard ensures compatibility with
many popular wireless access points as well as interoperability with
other DSSS 802.11 compatible wireless devices.
In situations where more than one access point is used, a computer
with the SkyLINE card installed can roam from access point to
access point, significantly increasing the range of the wireless LAN.
TM
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2
S
KY
LINE 11M
B
W
IRELESS
PC C
ARD FEATURES
■
Compatible with other 2.4 GHz/DSSS wireless cards and LAN
access points
■
Complies with IEEE 802.11b standards for easy interoperability
■
Provides network services anywhere within range, without wires
■
Operable with existing Ethernet equipment in combination with
an access point or a software router
■
Provides drivers for Mac OS, Windows 95/98 and Windows NT
■
Easy Plug-and-Play installation
■
Supports popular network protocols including TCP/IP, Apple-
Talk, NetBEUI and IPX/SPX
■
Offers an extended range up to 150 feet indoors and up to 300
feet outdoors
■
Provides multi-channel frequency selection between 2.4 GHz to
2.4835 GHz
■
Delivers a data rate of up to 11 Mbps using Direct Sequence
Spread Spectrum (DSSS) radio technology, which is more resis-
tant to the effects of noise than other wireless technologies
■
Automatically adjusts data rate, stepping down speed from 11
to 5.5 to 2 and 1Mbps to increase range
■
Requires no external circuitry or AC power, and uses low power
consumption to preserve computer battery life
P
ACKAGE CONTENTS
Your SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card package should include the
following:
■
SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card
■
Farallon software CD-ROM for Mac and Windows
■
This user’s guide
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Introduction 3
S
YSTEM REQUIREMENTS
M ACINTOSH
■
PowerBook that meets Mac OS 7.5.5 requirements or higher (up
to Mac OS 9), including the G3, 2400, 3400, 1400, 5300 and
190 PowerBooks
■
Available PC (PCMCIA) card slot
■
Minimum 16 MB RAM (24 MB RAM for Mac OS 8.5 and up)
■
Farallon SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card driver for Macintosh
(provided)
W INDOWS
■
Windows notebook with Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4.0
■
Original Windows 95/98 or Windows NT software CD or dis-
kettes
■
Available PC (PCMCIA) card slot
■
Minimum 16 MB RAM
■
Farallon SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card driver for Windows
(provided)
I NFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK REQUIREMENTS
An Infrastructure network requires the use of one or more IEEE
802.11 DSSS compliant wireless LAN access points.
When the network is configured properly, a portable computer with the
SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card installed can access a number of
different brands of access points when they are in use on a network.
For an updated list of compatible access points, visit us online at
www.farallon.com or call 510-346-8001.
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4
N
ETWORK CONFIGURATION
Computers with Farallon’s SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card installed
can join a wireless LAN configured as an Ad Hoc or Infrastructure
network.
A
D
H
OC NETWORK
The Ad Hoc network offers peer to peer connections between
workstations, allowing communication between computers within
range that have an 802.11 DSSS compatible PC card installed. A
wireless Ad Hoc network can also access a wired LAN’s TCP/IP
services (such as email and the Internet) by using a TCP/IP software
router on an Ethernet equipped PowerBook or notebook.
I NFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK
The Infrastructure network uses an access point (or several access
points) as a gateway, linking the wireless network to a wired LAN. As a
result, portable workstations on your wireless network have access to
all of the features of your wired LAN including email, Internet access,
network printers and file servers.
wired LAN
server
access point
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5
Chapter 2
Installation
Installation of your SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card involves three
steps:
■
Installing the software
■
Installing the card
■
Configuring the card and networking software
The SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card can be configured for use with
wireless networks using Ad Hoc mode or Infrastructure mode. During
configuration you also set the card to the Address mode (Translation
or Encapsulation of Ethernet packets) of your network.
The SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card can be used in a cross-platform
environment, allowing Macs and PCs wireless connectivity on a
shared network. This chapter is divided into sections that address
installation and configuration for both Mac OS and Windows.
■
Installation for Mac OS, see page 6.
■
Installation for Windows 95/98, see page 16.
■
Installation for Windows NT, see page 20.
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6 Chapter 2
M
ACINTOSH INSTALLATION
Macintosh installation begins with the SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC
Card driver software. Once the driver is installed, you can install the
card and configure it using the Wireless Control Panel. Finally, you
must configure the networking software on your Macintosh to use the
wireless card for your network.
Note: If you do not have a CD-ROM drive in your computer, you can
download the driver software from the Farallon website at
www.farallon.com . A disk image is also available on the Faral-
lon CD-ROM included in your SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card
package. This disk image can be used to create an installer
diskette on a desktop machine with a CD-ROM drive.
I
NSTALLING
S
KY
LINE
SOFTWARE
The SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card requires Mac OS 7.5.5 or higher.
1. With your computer’s power on, insert the Farallon CD-ROM into
the CD drive of your computer.
2. Double-click the Installer icon. The Easy Install dialog box
appears.
3. Click the Install button. The Installer places the required
networking software in your System Folder.
4. After installation is complete, restart your computer and continue
installation instructions on the next page.
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Installation 7
I
NSTALLING
S
KY
LINE
HARDWARE
1. After installing the driver and restarting your computer, insert the
SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card into a PCMCIA slot on your
PowerBook.
2. The Farallon Wireless icon will appear on your desktop.
Continue with “Configuring the SkyLINE Card for Macintosh” on the
next page.
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8 Chapter 2
CONFIGURING THE SKYLINE CARD FOR MACINTOSH
Use the Wireless Configuration Control Panel to configure your card
for use with a wireless network. All devices on the network, including
any access points, must be set to the same configuration settings.
Click the Save Changes button to establish the wireless connection
after you have finished setting up or making changes to your Wireless
Configuration.
1. Open the Wireless Configuration Control Panel by double-clicking
the Wireless desktop icon.
2. The Wireless Configuration window will open, offering several
pop-up menus to help you configure your wireless network.
Note: Choose Show Balloons from the Help menu for more informa-
tion about the items in the configuration panel.
SAVE CHANGES BUTTON
The configuration pop-up menus offer configuration choices described
below. Always remember to click the Save Changes button at the
bottom corner of your configuration panel when you have finished
setting up or making changes to your Wireless Configuration.
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Installation 9
CONFIGURING YOUR CARD FOR YOUR NETWORK
If you have access points installed on your network you will need the
following information to configure your SkyLINE 11Mb Card:
■SSID (Service Set Identification): the name of the access point
■Address mode: how wireless packets are being converted to
Ethernet on your wireless network
■Max Data Rate: the maximum rate of data transmittal on the network
■Encryption: any passwords or keys used by your access point for
Wireless Encryption (WEP)
NETWORK MODE
Configure your Network Mode by selecting Ad Hoc or Infrastructure
from the Network Mode pop-up menu.
Ad Hoc mode
Ad Hoc mode allows wireless computers to be linked on a local area
network. In Ad Hoc mode all operations are peer to peer and no access
point is required. Ad Hoc networks can only be started when computers are
within range of each other (approximately 150 feet depending on
environment). If you select Ad Hoc, you will also select a Channel. All
computers must have the same channel and Address Mode selected.
Note: See “Ad Hoc with Macintosh and Lucent” on page 40 if you
are connecting to an iBook computer using Ad Hoc mode.
Infrastructure mode
In Infrastructure mode, all wireless communication between mobile
computers and the wired LAN take place through a wireless access
point. If you select Infrastructure mode, you must configure the
wireless card by setting the SSID selection, Address mode and
Encryption to correspond to the access point you are using.
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10 Chapter 2
ADDRESS MODE
Next you must set your Address Mode. The address mode determines
how the Ethernet packets on your network are addressed. All devices
on the network, including any access points, must be set to the same
address mode setting.
The default setting for Address Mode is Translation-Apple/Lucent,
which is compatible with Apple AirPort products. If you are not using
Apple’s AirPort or a Lucent brand access point, select Translation-
Other or Encapsulation and click Save Changes to test the setting.
SSID SELECTION
Be sure to click the Save Changes button after you select or change
your SSID (Service Set Identification) selection method.
The SSID pop-up menu offers three access point selection methods:
■Select the best
■Select from list
■Select other
SSID Select the best
This method automatically scans for available access points and picks
the one with the strongest signal level. Pick Select the best from the
SSID pop-up menu and then click the Save Changes button. The name
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Installation 11
of the access point with the strongest signal will appear in the Status
window at the top of the configuration panel.
SSID Select from list
This method opens a window displaying a list of available wireless
access points. The panel shows the data rate of each access point
and whether WEP (encryption) is enabled on that access point.
Highlight the name of the desired access point and click the Select
button. You can also simply double-click the name of the desired
access point and it will be selected. Click the Re-scan button if all of
the access points you are expecting to see do not appear on the list.
When you return to the Wireless Configuration panel, be sure your
network and address modes match the settings for the access point
you selected from the list. Then click the Save Changes button.
SSID Select other
This selection method allows you to enter the name of the access
point you want to use into the Wireless Base Station panel. This is
useful if an access point is in closed mode, or configured not to
appear unless the user knows the exact name of that access point.
Enter the name of the access point you want to use and click the Select
button. The panel is case and space sensitive, so be sure to enter the
name precisely. When you return to the Wireless Configuration panel, be
sure your network and address modes match the settings for the access
point you selected from the list. Then click the Save Changes button.
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12 Chapter 2
DATA RATE
Use the Max Data Rate pop-up menu to set the rate of data
transmission to 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps or 11 Mbps. A higher data
rate allows higher throughput, a lower data rate allows better
performance at a greater distance from the access point.
The SkyLINE driver will automatically adjust the data rate to
compensate for distance from the access point in use. The closer a
computer is to an access point, the greater the performance will be.
Since a lower data rate allows for greater distance from the access
point, manually selecting a lower data rate may help with network
performance in some situations.
ENCRYPTION
Clicking the Encryption button opens the Wireless Encryption panel,
where you can set up encryption keys to decipher and encode data on
the wireless network.
Check the Enable Encryption box if you are connecting to an access
point that has encryption enabled.
If you are using Apple’s AirPort base station with WEP, enter the
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Installation 13
AirPort’s password into the first panel. The software will automatically
transform your password into a numerical key code.
If you are connecting to another brand of access point that uses WEP,
you can manually enter as many as four keys (provided by your
network manager) and switch between them as desired. Keys must be
hexadecimal digits (meaning they are limited to combinations of the
numbers 0-9 and letters A-F).
Refer to the documentation that came with your access point for more
information about WEP implementation.
STATUS WINDOW
The Status text string at the top of the configuration window shows
the name of the active access point and channel. If the card is
configured for an Infrastructure network, the Signal Strength meter
will appear, indicating the strength of the card’s connection to the
access point.
After you have configured the Wireless Control Panel, configure the
AppleTalk and TCP/IP Control panels of your Macintosh (see
instructions on the next page).
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14 Chapter 2
CONFIGURING MACINTOSH NETWORKING SOFTWARE
After you have configured the Wireless Control panel, you will need to
configure the AppleTalk and TCP/IP Control panels of your Macintosh.
1. Open the Wireless Control Panel. The Windows menu allows
immediate access to the Information and Statistics panels as
well as your computer’s AppleTalk and TCP/IP Control Panels.
2. Open the AppleTalk Control Panel and select Farallon Wireless
from the Connect via pop-up menu. (For PowerBook models 190,
1400 and 5300, select Alternative Ethernet from the Connect
via pop-up menu). When you are finished, close the Control Panel
and save your settings.
3. Open the TCP/IP Control Panel from the Windows menu and
select Farallon Wireless from the Connect via pop-up menu.
Make sure the rest of your TCP/IP panel is configured correctly for
your wireless network.
4. Close the TCP/IP panel, saving your changes.
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Installation 15
CARD EJECTION
To properly eject the SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card, drag the
Wireless desktop icon into the Trash. Manual ejection without first
trashing the desktop icon can freeze your system.
Do not attempt to eject the card by pulling on it.
On PowerBooks 190, 1400, and 5300, switch your AppleTalk
connection from Alternate Ethernet using the AppleTalk Control Panel
before trying to eject the card. The system automatically disables
AppleTalk when the card is ejected.
Note: If you are using Mac OS 9’s Enable File Sharing Over TCP/IP
function be sure to uncheck the box for this option before
ejecting the card.
When the wireless card is re-inserted, you must activate AppleTalk in
order to use AppleTalk services.
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16 Chapter 2
WINDOWS INSTALLATION
Have your original Windows system software CD-ROM or diskettes on
hand when you begin installation.
Note: If you do not have a CD-ROM drive in your computer, you can
download the driver software from the Farallon website at
www.farallon.com. A disk image is also available on the Faral-
lon CD-ROM included in your SkyLINE 11Mb Wireless PC Card
package. This disk image can be used to create an installer
diskette on a desktop machine with a CD-ROM drive.
If you have access points installed on your network you will need the
following information to configure your SkyLINE 11Mb Card:
■SSID (Service Set Identification): the name of the access point
■Address mode: how wireless packets are being converted to
Ethernet on your wireless network
■Data rate: the rate data is being transmitted on the network
■Encryption: any passwords or keys used by your access point for
Wireless Encryption (WEP
WINDOWS 95/98 INSTALLATION
INSTALLING SKYLINE SOFTWARE
1. Insert the SkyLINE CD-ROM into the CD drive of your computer.
2. The software installer should start. If the CD does not autostart,
select Run from the Start menu, and type x:setup.exe (where x is
the designation of your CD ROM drive). Click OK.
3. Select Next at each screen to install the software, and Yes to
accept the software agreement.
4. When prompted, enter the name of your local area network SSID. This
name must be the same for all computers on the network. The SSID
name is case and space sensitive and must be entered precisely.
5. When prompted, select Ad Hoc or Infrastructure network mode.
Ad Hoc: Ad Hoc allows several wireless workstations to be linked
on a local area network. In Ad Hoc mode all the operations are
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