Planet Pre-N Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter WNL-U550 User manual

Pre-N Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter
WNL-U550
User Manual
Version: 1.00
Date: January 2007

PLANETWNL-U550 UserManual
Copyright
Copyright ©2007 by PLANET Technology Corp. All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or
translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of PLANET.
PLANET makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to
the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any warranties, merchantability or fitness for any
particular purpose.Any software described in this manual is sold or licensed "as is". Should the
programs prove defective following their purchase, the buyer (and not PLANET, its distributor,
or its dealer) assumes the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair, and any incidental or
consequential damages resulting from any defect in the software. Further, PLANET reserves
the right to revise this publication and to make changes from time to time in the contents hereof
without obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes.
All brand and product names mentioned in this manual are trademarks and/or
registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Federal Communication Commission Interference Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of 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 or
more of the following measures:
1. Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
2. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
3. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver
is connected.
4. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio technician for help.
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 the
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.
Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Radiation Exposure Statement
This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure set forth for an uncontrolled
environment. In order to avoid the possibility of exceeding the FCC radio frequency
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exposure limits, human proximity to the antenna shall not be less than 20 cm (8 inches)
during normal operation.
R&TTE Compliance Statement
This equipment complies with all the requirements of DIRECTIVE 1999/5/CE OF THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF 9 March 1999 on radio equipment and
telecommunication terminal Equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity (R&TTE)
The R&TTE Directive repeals and replaces in the directive 98/13/EEC (Telecommunications
Terminal Equipment and Satellite Earth Station Equipment)As of April 8,2000.
Safety
This equipment is designed with the utmost care for the safety of those who install and use
it. However, special attention must be paid to the dangers of electric shock and static
electricity when working with electrical equipment. All guidelines of this and of the computer
manufacture must therefore be allowed at all times to ensure the safe use of the
equipment.
WEEE regulation
To avoid the potential effects on the environment and human health as a result of
the presence of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, end
users of electrical and electronic equipment should understand the meaning of the
crossed-out wheeled bin symbol. Do not dispose of WEEE as unsorted municipal
waste and have to collect such WEEE separately.
Revision
User’s Manual for PLANET Pre-N Wireless USB2.0 Adapter
Model: WNL-U550
Rev: 1.0 (January. 2007)
Part No. EM-WNLU550
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TABBLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Introduction.................................................................................2
1.1 Features............................................................................................................2
1.2 Specification ....................................................................................................3
1.3 Package Contents.............................................................................................4
1.4 Minimum System Requirements......................................................................4
1.5 Installation Considerations...............................................................................4
1.6 PLANET WNL-U550......................................................................................5
Chapter 2 Installation Procedure..........................................................6
2.1 Configuration Utility & Driver Installation.....................................................6
Chapter 3 Configuration Utility..........................................................13
3.1 Status Information..........................................................................................14
3.2 Site Survey.....................................................................................................14
3.3 Profile Manager .............................................................................................16
3.4 Advanced Setting ...........................................................................................21
3.5 Network Status...............................................................................................23
3.6 About..............................................................................................................24
Appendix A: Troubleshooting.....................................................................25
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Chapter 1 Introduction
WNL-U550 is a USB2.0 wireless adapter that can operate in either Ad-Hoc mode (Point to
Point/Point to Multipoint without an Access Point) or Infrastructure mode (Point to Point/Point to
Multipoint with an Access Point). Uses 2.4GHz frequency band; it is backward environment base
on your Existing wireless network. With the latest innovative Pre-N technology integrated, the
maximum date rate of WNL-U550 is up to 300Mbps which almost three times of standard G.
Featuring smart antenna technology, the Pre-N design helps combat distortion and interference
so the Network Card can send its date streams greater distances, more reliably.
The WNL-U550 supports both 64/128-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA/WPA2
(Wi-Fi Protected Access) for securing wireless network connections. The driver and utility
supports most popular operating systems: Windows 2000 Professional/XP SP2. With advanced
features and high performance capability, the WNL-U550 is an excellent choice for constructing a
wide range of wireless solutions.
1.1 Features
z2.4GHz ISM band, unlicensed operation
zCompliant with IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n (draft 1.0)
zUSB 2.0 A-type standard, compatible with USB 1.1
zPre-N provides up to 300Mbps data rate
zSupport 64/128-bit WEP and WAP/WAP2 high-level security mechanisms
zSupport Ad-Hoc / Infrastructure mode
zPlug-and-Play installation
zSupport of most popular operating systems including Windows 2000 /XP
General Application
WNL-U550 offers a fast, reliable, cost-effective solution for wireless access to the various
network scenarios:
1. Remote access to corporate network for information
E-mail, file transfer and terminal service.
2. Difficult-to-wire environments
Historical or old buildings, public occasions, venues and open area where it is difficult
to wire.
3. Frequently changing environments
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Factories, Retailers, and Offices that frequently change locations and rearrange the
workplace
4. Temporary network access
Events, exhibitions, construction sites or some important occasions that require
temporary network access.
5. Access to database for mobile workers
Doctors, nurses, retailers, white-collar workers who need access to database while
roaming in the hospital, retail store or office.
6. SOHO (Small Office and Home Office) users
SOHO users who are in need of easy-to-install and wide coverage networking.
1.2 Specification
Interface USB2.0 A-type connector
Standards Conformance Compliant with IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n
(draft 1.0)
Data Rate
Pre-N: Up to 300Mbps
802.11g: 54, 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9 and 6Mbps with auto-rate fall
back
802.11b: 11, 5.5, 2 and 1Mbps with auto-rate fall back
Working Mode Infrastructure Mode, Ad-Hoc Mode
Security
64/128 WEP
802.1x
WPA-PSK(TKIP/AES)
WPA2-PSK(TKIP/AES)
WPA-RADIUS
WPA2-RADIUS
RF Modulation
802.11b: DSSS, CCK, QPSK, BPSK
802.11g: OFDM
802.11n: 64QAM, 16QAM, QPSK, BPSK
Channels 2.412~2.462GHz(FCC, Canada)/11 Channels
2.412~2.4835GHz(Japan, TELEC)/14 Channels
2.412~2.472GHz(Euro ETSI)/13 Channels
Media Access Protocol CSMA / CA +ACK (Half-Duplex)
Transmit Power 16.5dBm (max.)
LED Indicators LNK/ACT
Operating Systems Windows 2000 / XP
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Environmental & Mechanical Characteristics
Dimensions (D x W x H) 13 x 40 x 97 mm
Power 5V
Certifications FCC Class B,CE
Operating Temp 0~55 degrees C
Storage Temp -20~80 degrees C
Management Built-in utility or Windows XP Zero Configuration utility
Humidity 0~90%, Non-Condensing
1.3 Package Contents
Before installation, please check the items of your package. The package should include the
following items:
1 x WNL-U550
1 x Driver and User’s manual CD
1 x Quick Installation Guide
If any of the above items is missing, contact your supplier as soon as possible.
1.4 Minimum System Requirements
Before installation, please check the following requirements with your equipment.
Pentium Based (above) IBM-compatible PC system with one vacancy USB2.0/1.1 port
CD-ROM drive
Windows 2000/XP or above
At least 10MBytes of free disk space for utility and driver installation
1.5 Installation Considerations
Beware of the walls and ceilings. Each wall or ceiling can reduce your wireless cover range form
3-90 feet. Properly position yourAccess Points, Residential Gateways, and computers so that
the number of walls or ceilings residing between Access Points and clients is minimized.
Building materials make a difference – Asolid metal door or aluminum studs may have a
negative effect on signal coverage range. Try to properly position Access Points and computers
with wireless adapters so that there would be less obstacles existing between them.
Keep your wireless LAN devices away from microwaves, cordless phones and child incubators.
It is likely that the latter will cause interferences to the operation of your wireless LAN devices.
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1.6 PLANET WNL-U550
The status LED indicators of the PLANET WNL-U550 are described in the following.
zBlue: Power on
zFlashing: Indicates the Adapter is transmitting or receiving data.
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Chapter 2 Installation Procedure
Before you proceed with the installation, it is necessary that you have enough information about
the Wireless USB Adapter.Follow the procedure described below in this chapter to install the
USB adapter under Windows 2000 Professional / XP SP2.
2.1 Configuration Utility & Driver Installation
The following installation operates under Window XP. The procedure also applies to Windows
2000.
Note 1: If you had ever installed the other Wireless Cards before, please uninstall the
existed drivers and utilities first.
Note 2: Please install the configuration utility before insert WNL-U550 into the USB
port of the computer.
zInsert the bundled CD into the CD-ROM driver.
zThe Wizard should run automatically. Once completed, a welcome menu screen will appear.
zClick the “WNL-U550 Utility” hyperlink in the WNL-U550 filed to initiate the installation
procedure. You will see the below InstallShield Wizard dialog box. Please select the desired
installation language on the screen and click “Next” to continue.
Note: If the welcome screen does not appear, click “Start” at the taskbar. Then, select “Run”
and type “D:\Utility\WNL-U550\setup.exe”, where “D” is your CD-ROM drive.
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zThe “Welcome to the InstallShield Wizard for WNL-U550” will display on the screen and
click “Next” to continue.
zPlease select your Country Domain and click “Next” to continue.
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zPlease click “Next” to continue.
zIf your operation system is Windows XP, the below window will pop up. Please
select “Continue Anyway” to continue.
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zThe program will start installing the WNL-U550 drivers and utility automatically. You
will see the below pop-up screen and please inserting WNL-U550 into the USB port
on your computer now.
zWindows will detect the new driver and show you the “Found New Hardware
Wizard”, please select “No, not this time” and click “Next” to continue.
zPlease choose “Install the software automatically (Recommended)”. Then click
“Next” to continue.
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zWhen this screen appear to inform you that the USB adapter has not passed
Windows Logo testing (WHQL). Click “Continue Anyway” to proceed.
zPlease click “Continue Anyway” to continue.
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zPlease click “Finish” to complete the driver installation.
zA screen will appear to inform you that you most restart your computer. Click “Yes”
to restart your computer now.
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Chapter 3 Configuration Utility
The Configuration Utility is a powerful application that helps you configure the WNL-U550 and
monitor the link status and statistics during the communication process.
When the WNL-U550 is installed, the configuration utility will be displayed automatically. This
card will auto connect to wireless device which has better signal strength and no wireless
security setting
If the Configuration Utility does not appear, you can double-click the on your
system desktop start it.Another way to start the Configuration Utility is to click on Start >
Programs > PLANET > WNL-U550 > WNL-U550 Configuration Utility.
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3.1 Status Information
The menu options available from the system tray icon are:
zRestore – This will display the main screen.
zRadio Off – The wireless adapter is not associated with the network when the radio is off.
zExit – Terminate the connection to the WNL-U550.
Connection is established. The number of green bar indicates signal strength.
All red bars are mean that no connection.
WNL-U550 is unplugged.
3.2 Site Survey
This screen is displayed when the WNL-U550 utility start.
Display PC to Select this check box to display ad-hoc (computer-to-computer) networks.
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PC (Ad-Hoc)
Display 802.11b
Access Point
Select this check box to display 802.11b (infrastructure) network.
Display 802.11a
Access Point
Select this check box to display 802.11a (infrastructure) network. This
function is disable now.
Display 802.11g
Access Point
Select this check box to display 802.11g (infrastructure) network.
Network Name Available wireless networks are listed.
MAC Address This is the MAC address of the Access Point (or Wireless station, if the
network is anAd-hoc network).
Security Data encryption and authentication methods used on the wireless network
CH. The channel used by the Wireless network.
Signal This is displayed as percentage (0~100%)
Frequency The Wireless band used by this Wireless network.
Network Type This will indicate “Infrastructure” (displayed device is an Access Point) or
“Ad-hoc”. (displayed device is a Wireless station)
Rescan Click this button to rescan for all Wireless networks.
Connect Click the desired network to which you want to connect, and then click
connect
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3.3 Profile Manager
This screen is accessed by clicking the Profile Manager tab on the main screen.
Profile Name Enter or select a suitable name for this profile. Each profile must
have a unique name.
Network Name (SSID) If the desired wireless network is currently available, you can select
its SSID. Otherwise, type in the SSID of the desired wireless
network.
Advanced Setting On the resulting sub-screen, enter the required data for the
advanced settings.
Network Type Select the desired option:
zInfrastructure – This operation mode requires the presence of
an 802.11 Access Point. All communication is done via the
Access Point or Router.
zAd-Hoc – Select this mode if you want to connect to another
wireless station in the Wireless LAN network without through
an Access Point or Router.
Wireless Mode Select the desired wireless mode to which you want to connect.
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Prefer Channel Select the channel you would like to use.
Authentication Mode This setting has to be consistent with the wireless network that the
device intends to connect. You must select the option to match the
wireless LAN you wish to join. The available option are:
Open System – No authentication is needed among the wireless
network.
Shared Key – Only wireless devices using a shared key (WEP Key
identified) are allowed to connecting each other.
Auto Switch – This is another WEP system; it will select either
Open System or Shared Key as required.
802.1x – You can also enable IEEE 802.1x setting to use the
authentication server or certification server to authenticate client
users.
WPA-PSK –PSK means “Pre-sharked Key”. It is a special mode
designed for home and small business users who do not have
access to network authentication servers. In this mode, known as
Pre-Shared Key, the user manually enters the starting password in
their access point or gateway, as well as in each wireless stations in
the network. WPA-PSK takes over automatically from that point,
keeping unauthorized users that don't have the matching password
from joining the network, while encrypting the data traveling
between authorized devices
WPA2-PSK –This is a further development of WPA-PSK, and offers
even greater security. WPA2-PSK is also for home and small
business. The difference between WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK is that
WPA2-PSK provides data encryption via theAES. In contrast,
WPA-PSK uses Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP)
WPA Radius - This version of WAP require a Radius server on your
LAN to provide the client authentication according to the 802.1x
standard. Data transmissions are encrypted using the WPA
standard.
WPA2 Radius – This version of WAP2 require a Radius server on
your LAN to provide the client authentication according to the
802.1x standard. Data transmissions are encrypted using the WPA2
standard.
Encryption Method The available options depend on authentication method selected
above. The possible option are:
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