NETGEAR GA302T User manual

Reference Guide
Everybody’s connecting.™
10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet GA302T
32bit PCI
Copper Gigabit Adapter

ii
© 2001 by NETGEAR, Inc. All rights reserved.
Trademarks
NETGEAR®is a registered trademark of NETGEAR, INC. in the United States and in other countries.
Microsoft®Windows®and Windows®logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and/or the other countries. Other brand and product names are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without
notice.
Statement of Conditions
In the interest of improving internal design, operational function, and/or reliability, NETGEAR reserves
the right to make changes to the products described in this document without notice.
NETGEAR does not assume any liability that may occur due to the use or application of the product(s)
or circuit layout(s) described herein.
Certificate of the Manufacturer/Importer
It is hereby certified that the NETGEAR Model GA302T Gigabit Adapters have been suppressed in
accordance with the conditions set out in the BMPT-AmtsblVfg 243/1991 and Vfg 46/1992.The opera-
tion of some equipment (for example, test transmitters) in accordance with the regulations may, however,
be subject to certain restrictions. Please refer to the notes in the operating instructions.
Federal Office for Telecommunications Approvals has been notified of the placing of this equipment on
the market and has been granted the right to test the series for compliance with the regulations.
VCCI Statement
This equipment is in the Class B category (information equipment to be used in a residential area
or an adjacent area thereto) and conforms to the standards set by the Voluntary Control Council for
Interference by Data Processing Equipment and Electronic Office Machines aimed at preventing radio
interference in such residential areas.
When used near a radio or TV receiver, it may become the cause of radio interference.
Read instructions for correct handling.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Compliance Notice: Radio Frequency Notice
Note: Modifications to this device change it from the original state it was in when tested and
may alter the device so that it no longer complies with FCC testing limitations for Class B digital
devices. According to FCC regulations, the user could be prohibited from operating this equipment
if it is modified.

iii
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.
2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Note: 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 pro-
tection 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 instruc-
tions, 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 interfer-
ence 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 or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is
connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
EN 55 022 Statement
This is to certify that the NETGEAR Model GA302T Gigabit Adapter are shielded against the
generation of radio interference in accordance with the application of Council Directive 89/336/EEC,
Article 4a. Conformity is declared by the application of EN 55 022 Class B (CISPR 22).
Compliance is dependent upon the use of shielded data cables.
Canadian Department of Communications Radio Interference Regulations
These digital apparatus (NETGEAR Model GA302T Gigabit Adapter) do not exceed the Class B limits
for radio-noise emissions from digital apparatus as set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the
Canadian Department of Communications.
Règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique du ministère des Communications
Ces appareils numériques (NETGEAR Model GA302T Gigabit Adapter) respectent les limites de bruits
radioélectriques visant les appareils numériques de classe B prescrites dans le Règlement sur le brouil-
lage radioélectrique du ministère des Communications du Canada.

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Customer Support
For assistance with installing and configuring your NETGEAR system or with questions or problems
following installation:
• Check the NETGEAR Web page at http://www.NETGEAR.com.
• Call Technical Support at the phone number listed on the Support Information Card that shipped
with your switch.
• Email Technical Support at [e-mail].
Defective or damaged merchandise can be returned to your point-of-purchase representative.
Internet/World Wide Web
NETGEAR maintains a World Wide Web home page that you can access at the universal resource locator
(URL) http://www.NETGEAR.com. A connection to the Internet and a Web browser such as Internet
Explorer or Netscape are required.

contents v
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Benefits 1-1
Features 1-1
CHAPTER 2
HARDWARE INSTALLATION
Package Contents 2-1
Requirements 2-2
Hardware Description 2-5
Preparing to Install Your GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter 2-6
Installing Your GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter 2-7
Connecting the Network Cables 2-8
CHAPTER 3
WINDOWS XP DRIVER SOFTWARE
Installing the Driver Software 3-1
Moving the Network Card to a Different Slot 3-6
CHAPTER 4
WINDOWS 2000 DRIVER SOFTWARE
Installing the Driver Software 4-1
Moving the Network Card to a Different Slot 4-7
Removing the Driver Software 4-7
CHAPTER 5
WINDOWS Me DRIVER SOFTWARE
Installing the Driver Software 5-1
Moving the Network Card to a Different Slot 5-7

contents vi
CHAPTER 6
WINDOWS 98 DRIVER SOFTWARE
Installing the Driver Software 6-1
Moving the Network Card to a Different Slot 6-6
CHAPTER 7
WINDOWS NT 4.0 DRIVER SOFTWARE
Installing the Driver Software 7-1
Updating the Driver Software 7-6
Moving the Network Card to a Different Slot 7-7
CHAPTER 8
TROUBLESHOOTING
Checking the Port LEDs 8-1
Using a Troubleshooting Checklist 8-2
APPENDIX A
SPECIFICATIONS
Cable Specifications GA302T (10/100/1000BASE-T) A-1
Technical Specifications A-1
INDEX

contents vii
FIGURE
Figure 2-1. Front Panel of Model GA302T Gigabit Adapter 2-5
TABLES
Table 2-1. Software and Hardware Requirements 2-2
Table 2-2. GA302T LEDs 2-6
Table 2-3. GA302T (10/100/1000BASE-T) Cable Characteristics 2-8
Table 3-1. Parameter Descriptions 3-5
Table 4-1. Parameter Descriptions 4-6
Table 5-1. Parameter Descriptions 5-6
Table 6-1. Parameter Descriptions 6-6
Table 7-1. Parameter Descriptions 7-5
Table 8-1. GA302T (10/100/1000BASE-T) Port LED Activity 8-1
Table 8-2. PCI BIOS Parameters 8-2

introduction 1-1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of the NETGEAR®GA302T Copper Gigabit
Adapter. Designed especially for high-performance systems, such as servers and
high-end workstations, it offers 2 gigabits per second (Gbps) of aggregate bandwidth
and optimized performance while minimizing network overhead on the host system.
This guide describes the installation and use of the GA302T for operation within a
Microsoft®Windows®XP, Windows®2000, Windows®Me, Windows®98 or Windows®
NT 4.0 environment.
This chapter provides information about the features of the GA302T. It connects
your PCI-compliant workstation to a Gigabit Ethernet network, incorporating a new
technology that transfers data at a rate of 1 Gbps or 1000 megabits per second
(Mbps) over standard Category 5 cables.
Benefits
Performance is optimized and network overhead on the host system is minimized
with the use of the GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter.
The GA302T has demonstrated interoperability with all major Gigabit Ethernet
equipment on the market that is compliant with IEEE 802.3ab standards and should
work with most non-compliant Gigabit Ethernet products. In addition, because the
GA302T uses standard Ethernet frame and Media Access Control (MAC) formats,
it provides full compatibility with Fast Ethernet network equipment through network
switches from a variety of vendors, including NETGEAR®
.
The GA302T is 802.1p-compliant for frame priority tagging. Using it with
802.1p-compliant switches or routers, it offers a range of traffic prioritization of
Layer 2 frames, providing a higher Quality of Service on high-speed local area
networks.

introduction 1-2
Features
The key features of the GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter are:
• Full-duplex operation (2,000 Mbps: 1,000 Mbps each way) with DMA (Direct
Memory Access) Gigabit Ethernet interface (IEEE 802.3ab)
• RJ-45 connector for Category 5 unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable
• Interoperability with existing Fast Ethernet equipment compliance with the
following standards and protocols:
– IEEE 802.3ab Gigabit Ethernet
– IEEE 802.3u Fast Ethernet
– IEEE 802.3 Ethernet
– IEEE 802.3u Auto Negotiation
• Standard Ethernet frame size (up to 1,518 bytes)
• 33/66 MHz, 32/64-bit PCI bus master (Local Bus Revision 2.2 compliant)
with adaptive DMA channels
• Two independent DMA channels for simultaneous read and write operations;
as a bus master, the network card requests access to the PCI bus instead of
waiting to be polled
• Software driver support for Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows
98 and Windows NT 4.0.
• Universal dual-voltage signaling (3.3 V and 5 V)

CHAPTER 2: HARDWARE INSTALLATION
This chapter provides information about the package contents, system requirements,
and installation of the NETGEAR GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter.
Package Contents
The product package contains:
• GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter
• GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter Driver and Documentation CD
• GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter Installation Guide
• Warranty & Registration Card
• Support Information Card
Call your reseller or customer support in your area if there are any wrong, missing,
or damaged parts. Refer to the Support Information Card for the telephone number
of customer support in your area.
Keep the Support Information Card, along with the original packing materials.
Use the packing materials to repack the GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter
if you need to return it for repair.
To qualify for product updates and product warranty registrations, fill out the
registration information within 30 days of purchase. For priority service, register
online on the NETGEAR Web page at:
http://www.NETGEAR.com
You can also fill out and return the Warranty & Registration Card that is included in
your product package.
hardware installation 2-1

hardware installation 2-2
Requirements
Before installing the GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter, verify that your system meets
the operating system and hardware requirements outlined in Table 2-1.
Table 2-1. Software and Hardware Requirements
System Requirements
Windows XP
Hardware A Pentium-based workstation that meets Windows XP software requirements
One open 32-bit or 64-bit PCI slot.
Minimum 64 MB memory
Operating System Windows XP
Software GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter driver software, version 1.0 (or higher)
(loaded during for Windows, which is included on the
GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter
driver installation) Driver and Documentation CD in the \ directory.The necessary files are:
• GA302nd5.sys (network device driver file)
• Netga302.inf (information used by installation program)
Windows 2000
Hardware A Pentium-based workstation or server that meets Windows 2000 software
requirements
One open 32-bit or 64-bit PCI slot
Minimum 64 MB memory
Operating System Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, or Windows 2000
Advanced Server
Software GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter driver software, version 1.0 (or higher)
(loaded during for Windows 2000, which is included on the GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter
driver installation) Driver and Documentation CD in the \ directory.The necessary files are:
• GA302nd5.sys (network device driver file)
• Netga302.inf (information used by installation program)

hardware installation 2-3
Table 2-1. Software and Hardware Requirements (continued)
System Requirements
Windows Me
Hardware A Pentium-based workstation that meets Windows Me software requirements
One open 32-bit or 64-bit PCI slot
Operating System Windows Me
Software GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter driver software for Windows Me, which is
(loaded during included on the
GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter Driver and Documentation
driver installation) CD in the \ directory.The necessary files are:
• GA302nd5.sys (network device driver file)
• Netga302.inf (information used by installation program)
Windows 98SE ( 2nd edition )
Hardware A Pentium-based workstation that meets Windows98SE software requirements
One open 32-bit or 64-bit PCI slot
Operating System Windows 98SE
Software GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter driver software, version 1.0 (or higher)
(loaded during for Windows, which is included on the
GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter
driver installation) Driver and Documentation CD in the \ directory.The necessary files are:
• GA302nd4.sys (network device driver file)
• Netga302.inf (information used by installation program)

hardware installation 2-4
Table 2-1. Software and Hardware Requirements (continued)
System Requirements
Windows NT 4.0
Hardware A Pentium-based workstation or server that meets Windows NT 4.0
software requirements
One open 32-bit or 64-bit PCI slot
Minimum 64 MB memory
Operating System Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 5 or above.To download the latest
Service Pack, go to the following Microsoft Web page and search for the latest
service pack:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp
Software GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter driver software, version 1.0 (or higher)
(loaded during for Windows NT, which is included on the
GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter
driver installation) Driver and Documentation CD in the \Winnt directory.The necessary files are:
• GA302nd4.sys (network device driver file)
• Oemsetup.inf (information used by installation program; this file is in the root
directory)

hardware installation 2-5
Hardware Description
As illustrated in Figure 2-1, the GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter has an
RJ-45 connector port and three port LEDs.
Figure 2-1. Front Panel of Model GA302T Gigabit Adapter
The front panel of the GA302T has four LEDs: one for each port speed option
(10 Mbps,100 Mbps, and 1000 Mbps) to indicate which link is active, and one LED
for data transfer status. Once the hardware and its driver software are properly
installed on your system, the LEDs indicate the conditions described in Table 2-2.

Table 2-2. GA302T LEDs
Label Activity Description
DATA Blinking Brief bursts of data detected on the port
On Streams of data detected on the port
Off No data detected on the port
1000 On Good 1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet link
Off No 1000 Mbps link; possible link at different speed, possible bad cable,
bad connector, or configuration mismatch
100 On Good 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet link
Off No 100 Mbps link; possible link at different speed, possible bad cable,
bad connector, or configuration mismatch
10 On Good 10 Mbps Ethernet link
Off No 10 Mbps link; possible link at different speed, possible bad cable,
bad connector, or configuration mismatch
Preparing to Install Your GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter
Follow the instructions provided in this section for installing the GA302T Copper
Gigabit Adapter in your server or workstation. For additional information about per-
forming these tasks on your particular system, refer to the manuals
included with your system hardware.
Before installing your Gigabit Adapter:
1. Make sure that your system meets the hardware and software requirements
provided in Table 2-1.
2. Make sure that your system uses the latest BIOS.
3. Turn off the power to your PC.
If you are running Windows, close all applications and click Start from the
desktop menu, select Shut Down, and then select Shut down the computer.
hardware installation 2-6

hardware installation 2-7
Danger: You are installing the card in a machine that operates with voltages that can be
dangerous. Follow the steps after this warning to protect yourself and to prevent damage
to the PC components.
4. Protect yourself, the card, and your server by taking these precautions:
• Shut down the server software and turn off the power to your server.
• Use only insulated or non-conducting tools.
• Hold the Gigabit Adapter by the edges and place it on an antistatic
surface only.
• Check the card for visible signs of damage, particularly to the connector on
the edge of the card. Never attempt to install a damaged card.
Installing Your GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter
To install your GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter:
1. Remove the PC cover.
2. Choose an available 32-bit or 64-bit PCI expansion slot (PCI slots are usually the
shorter slots) and remove the corresponding back plate from the PC chassis.
Note: The connector dock in a 64-bit PCI slot is longer than in a 32-bit PCI
slot. When installed in a 64-bit PCI slot, part of the PCI slot remains open. This
situation is normal.
3. Insert the card into the PCI expansion slot.
Note: To avoid damaging any components on the card, handle it by the edges,
using your thumbs to push it securely into the PCI slot. Do not use excessive
force, but make sure the card is fully inserted into the slot to prevent the PC
operating system from freezing at startup.
4. Fasten the card to the rear of the computer chassis by tightening the screw that is
on the PC.
5. Replace the PC cover and reconnect the power cord to the PC.

Connecting the Network Cables
The GA302T has one RJ-45 connector used for attaching the system to an Ethernet
copper-wire segment.The card will automatically negotiate the fastest connection
speed and duplex possible. If a specific speed or duplex is desired, the card can be
placed into one of the supported modes: 1000 Mbps full duplex; 100 Mbps full
duplex, 100 Mbps half duplex; 10Mbps full duplex, 10Mbps half duplex.
1. Prepare an appropriate cable.
Table 2-3 lists the cable characteristics for connecting to 10/100/1000BASE-T
ports.
Table 2-3. GA302T (10/100/1000BASE-T) Cable Characteristics
Port Type Connector Media Maximum Distance
10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-45 CAT 5 UTP/CAT 5e UTP 325 feet (100 meters)
Note: 1000BASE-T signaling requires four twisted pairs of Category 5 balanced
cabling, as specified in ISO/IEC 11801:1995 and ANSI/EIA/TIA-568-A (1995)
and tested using procedures defined in TIA/EIA TSB95.
2. Connect one end of the cable to the GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter.
3. Connect the other end of the cable to an RJ-45 Ethernet network port.
4. Turn on power to the PC and then to the connected device.
5. Verify that one of the two link speed LEDs is on, indicating that there is a good
link to the card.
Note: See Table 2-2 for a description of port LED operation. See Chapters 3
through 7 for driver installation and configuration instructions.
hardware installation 2-8

Windows XP driver software 3-1
CHAPTER 3: WINDOWS XP DRIVER SOFTWARE
This chapter provides information about the Microsoft Windows XP driver software.
This chapter also describes how to:
• Install the driver software in the Windows XP environment
• Move the card to a different slot
• Remove the driver software
Note: The GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter must be physically installed in your
server or workstation prior to installing the driver software. See Chapter 2
“Hardware Installation” for details.
Installing the Driver Software
When the Windows XP system first boots up after installing a new hardware device,
such as a GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter, the system automatically detects the new
hardware and prompts you to install the driver software for the device.
A network driver must be installed before the GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter can
be used with your Windows XP system. You must have Network Administrator
privileges to install the driver software.

Windows XP driver software 3-2
To install software for Windows XP, perform the following procedure.
1. When you boot up he Windows XP system after installing the GA302TGigabit
Adapter, a Found New Hardware Wizard dialog box is displayed. Select “Install
from a list or specific location (Advanced)” and then click Next.
2. Insert the GA302T driver CD into your CD-ROM drive.