Port Networks MWB-200 User manual

MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE <#>
XConnects one or more
computers to any Wi-Fi
network, at up to 54Mbps
X25x more powerful than
most Wi-Fi adapters, for
better long-range links
XWeatherproof transmitter
uses one thin cable for
both data and power
401 East Pratt Street, 24th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202 [phone] [email protected]
wi-fi
MWB-200
PORT NETWORKS
Quick
Start
Guide
© 2006-11 Port Networks LLC
Printed June 2011
SERIOUS MARINE

MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE 1
PORT NETWORKS
Thank you for purchasing this Marine Wireless Bridge from Port Networks.
We designed the MWB-200 to help boat owners connect to wireless networks
more easily, and we hope it will serve you well in that regard. This Quick
Start Guide provides the information you will need to get the most out of your
Marine Wireless Bridge. If you have any questions that aren’t answered by
this Guide, please send an email to [email protected], or call us at
[phone].
What You Should Have
Please check that you have received the following items:
WARNING!
The Wi-Fi transmitter inside the MWB-200 generates significant heat while
operating. Because of the unit's weatherproof design, this heat is dissipated
through the outer case, rather than through air flow out of the unit. As a
result, the case may become warm or even hot to the touch. Please exercise
care while handling the MWB-200 if it has been operating long enough for the
case temperature to be elevated. When the MWB-200 is not in use, it can be
powered off by disconnecting its network cable from the power injector unit.
MWB-200 Base Unit
110V Power-
Over-Ethernet
Injector with AC
power cord
12V Power-
Over-Ethernet
Injector with DC
power cord
OR
Ethernet Power/Data
Cable
Ethernet Data
Cable

2 MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE
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How it Works
A wireless bridge acts as an intermediary between your computer and a
wireless network. The MWB-200 will connect to almost any Wi-Fi network,
and almost any computer with an Ethernet port can connect to the MWB-200.
To perform this role, the MWB-200 performs two tasks simultaneously. In
order to connect to the Internet, it uses its transmitter and antenna to look for
an available wireless network. When it finds one, it asks for an Internet
Protocol (IP) address. (An IP address is similar to a street address, in that it
tells servers where a web page or an email should be sent in order to reach
you.) Once it has an IP address, the MWB-200 has a wireless connection to
the Internet.
At the same time, the MWB-200 monitors whether any computers are
connected to its Ethernet port. If one is, and it requests an IP address of its
own, the bridge gives out an address from its own list, and the computer then
has a wired connection to the MWB-200.
Once these two connections are in place, any data that the computer tries to
send to the Internet is received by the MWB-200 and passed on through the
wireless network to the Internet, and any data sent back to the computer is
received by the MWB-200 from the wireless Internet, and passed back
through its Ethernet cable.

MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE 3
PORT NETWORKS
Setting Up the MWB-200
Setting up your new Marine Wireless Bridge should take only a few minutes.
Please follow these steps:
1. Place the MWB-200 above deck, in a location with good line-of-sight to
the wireless access point to which you are trying to connect. The MWB-
200 should be placed on its base, with its labels on top.
2. Rotate the antenna so that it is pointing straight up and down.
3. Locate the larger, waterproof connector at the end of the black Ethernet
power and data cable, and the black threaded connector on the MWB.
Plug the end of the cable into the MWB, then screw the waterproof cover
over the plug to seal the connection.
4. Run the other end of the Ethernet power and data cable below deck and
plug it into the port labeled “MWB” on the power injector.
5. Plug one end of the white Ethernet cable into the port labeled “DATA”
on the power injector. Plug the other end into your computer, or if you
are using multiple computers, into an open port on your network switch
or hub, or the WAN or Internet port on your router.
6. Plug the power cord into the power injector, then plug the other end into
either a properly-grounded 100V-240V AC outlet (for the 110V power
injector) or a properly-grounded 12V cigarette-lighter-style outlet (for the
12V power injector).
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Both types of power injector must be properly grounded!
For the 12V power injector, connect a 16AWG (or better) ground wire between
the grounding bolt on the injector (top right) and the power system ground.
For the 110V power injector, connect the supplied power plug only to a
grounded three-prong outlet. DAMAGE CAUSED BY FAILURE TO PROPERLY
GROUND YOUR SYSTEM IS NOT COVERED BY OUR WARRANTY.

4 MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE
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Configuring a Windows XP Computer
To communicate with the MWB-200, your computer(s) must be set to request
an IP address automatically. Most computers are set this way by default, but
here are instructions for confirming or switching to this configuration:
1. From the Start Menu, choose
Control Panels , then Network Connections .
2. Look for the network connection that uses your computer’s Ethernet port.
This is usually labeled
Local Area Connection .
Note: although you are trying to connect to a wireless network, you do
not want to change the configuration on any Network Connection labeled
“Wireless.” You will be connecting to the MWB-200 using your
computer’s Ethernet port.
3. Right-click on
Local Area Connection (or its equivalent) and select
Properties from the pop-up menu. In the Properties window that opens,
there will be a list under the heading This connection uses the following
items. Scroll to the bottom of this list and double-click on Internet
Protocol (TCP/IP).
4. In the next Properties window, click the round buttons next to Obtain an
IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically.
Click OK to close the Properties windows.
5. Right-click again on the
Local Area Connection (or its equivalent) and
select Status from the pop-up menu. Choose the Support tab on the
Status window that opens. If your IP Address is 10.11.12.xxx, you have
successfully connected to the MWB.

MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE 5
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Configuring a Windows Vista Computer
1. From the Start Menu, choose Control Panels , then Network and Internet ,
then Network and Sharing Center , then Manage network connections .
2. Look for the network connection that uses your computer’s Ethernet port.
This is usually labeled
Local Area Connection .
Note: Although you are trying to connect to a wireless network, you do
not want to change the configuration on any Network Connection labeled
“Wireless.” You will be connecting to the MWB-200 using your
computer’s Ethernet port.
3. Right-click on
Local Area Connection (or its equivalent) and select
Properties from the pop-up menu. In the Properties window that opens,
select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties .
4. In the next Properties window, click the round buttons next to
Obtain an
IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically.
Click OK to close the Properties windows.
5. Right-click again on the Local Area Connection (or its equivalent) and
select
Status from the pop-up menu. Click the Details button on the
Status window that opens. If your IPv4 IP Address is 10.11.12.xxx, you
have successfully connected to the MWB.

6 MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE
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Configuring a Windows 7 Computer
1. From the Start Menu, choose Control Panels , then Network and Internet ,
then Network and Sharing Center .
2. Look for the network connection that uses your computer’s Ethernet port.
This is usually labeled
LAN .
Note: Although you are trying to connect to a wireless network, you do
not want to change the configuration on any Network Connection labeled
“Wireless.” You will be connecting to the MWB-250 using your
computer’s Ethernet port.
3. Right-click on
LAN (or its equivalent) and select Properties from the
pop-up menu. In the Properties window that opens, select Internet
Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties .
4. In the next Properties window, click the round buttons next to
Obtain an
IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically.
Click OK to close the Properties windows. Click OK again to close the
LAN Properties window, but don't close the LAN Status window.
5. Click the
Details button on the LAN Status window that is already open.
If your IPv4 IP Address is 10.11.12.xxx, you have successfully
connected to the MWB.

MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE 7
PORT NETWORKS
Configuring a Macintosh Computer
1. From the Apple Menu, choose System Preferences , then Network .
2. From the list of network interfaces, choose Built-In Ethernet and click
Configure . The TCP/IP tab should be highlighted. If the lock on the
lower right is closed, you must open it to make changes.
Note: although you are trying to connect to a wireless network, you do
not want to change the configuration on any Airport adapter that may
already be installed in your computer. You will be connecting to the
MWB-200 using your computer’s Ethernet port.
3. From the pull-down menu labeled
Configure IPv4 choose Using DHCP
and then click Apply Now.
4. Click on the PPPoE tab, and make sure the box that is labeled Connect
using PPPoE
is unchecked. If you made a change, click Apply Now.
5. Close the Network system preferences panel.

8 MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE
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Configuring the MWB-200
Once your computer is connected to the MWB-200, you can configure the
unit by opening a web browser (Internet Explorer, FireFox, etc.) and in the
address bar, entering http://10.11.12.1 (the IP address of the MWB-200).
The default username is
admin and the password is mwb, but you can change
these settings on the System tab. Once you sign in, your computer will load a
set of configuration pages from the MWB-200. You may want to bookmark this
IP address for future use.
On the Main page, you will see the wireless network to which the MWB is
trying to connect, along with the status of its wireless link. At the bottom are
the unit’s Wide Area and Local network settings.
At startup, the MWB-200 will automatically attempt to connect to the
strongest, unsecured network. If it’s successful, and that network is properly
configured to provide you with Internet access, you will not need to make any
changes to the MWB-200 configuration pages.

MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE 9
PORT NETWORKS
Choosing a Wi-Fi Network
If you do want to select a different wireless network, move to the Link Setup
tab and click on Select Network. The MWB-200 will display a Site Survey list
showing each of the available access points, with its MAC Address (a unique
network “serial number”), Network Name (also known as the SSID), Security
Method, Signal Strength, Frequency, and Wi-Fi Channel.
To connect to a particular network, simply click the button next to it in the
list, and then click
Select This Network . Once the Site Survey window closes,
click Save Changes and then Apply .
IMPORTANT NOTE: You may not be able to connect to all of the networks you
find with the Site Survey. Network operators can block new connections
through the use of encryption, MAC address filtering, and other techniques.
Before calling us for support, please confirm that the network to which you
are trying to connect is openly available for your use.

10 MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE
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Using Encryption Keys
Some wireless networks use encryption to prevent unauthorized users from
connecting to their access points. In order to connect to one of these
networks, you need to first have an encryption “key” – a code that identifies
you as an authorized user.
For obvious reasons, most public Wi-Fi networks don’t use encryption. If you
should need to connect to an encrypted network, though, you can enter an
encryption key into the MWB-200 by moving to the
Link Setup tab and
entering the necessary information in the Wireless Security section
Choose the security method and authentication type (Open or Shared Key)
used by the access point to which you want to connect, then enter details in
the fields below. For WEP security, you will need a key length and key. For
WPA, you will need to specify an authentication system and a preshared key
or username/password.
After you have finished entering information, click on
Save Changes at the
bottom of the page, then click
Apply to use the new settings.
Advanced Settings
The MWB-200 is capable of a high degree of customization and includes a
wide array of advanced features, but few of these will be meaningful to the
boat owner who simply wants to connect to a local Wi-Fi network. If you
would like to learn more about the advanced settings of the MWB-200, please
visit www.portnetworks.com, then choose Support > Marine Wireless Bridges.

MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE 11
PORT NETWORKS
Troubleshooting
If you have followed the instructions in this Guide and cannot connect to the
Internet, please follow these steps:
1. Check your computer’s IP address. To do this on a Windows XP
computer, go to the
Start Menu , choose Control Panels , then Network
Connections , and right-click on Local Area Connection . Choose Status
and then click the Support tab. The IP address will be listed on the
second line. Using Windows Vista, go to the Start Menu , right-click
Network , then choose Properties. In the Network and Sharing Center ,
click on
Local Area Connection > View Status, then click Details and
look for IPv4 Address. On a Macintosh computer, go to the Apple menu,
choose System Preferences , then Network . Select Built-In Ethernet and
click the
TCP/IP tab, where the IP address will be listed.
Your computer should have an IP address of 10.11.12.xxx (where xxx
could be any number between 100 and 250). If you do not have an IP
address or have a different one, repeat the procedure in this Guide for
setting up your computer to receive an IP address, and follow Step 2 to
confirm that you are connected to the MWB-200.
2. Check that you are connected to the MWB-200. Begin by making sure
that all Ethernet cables and power cords are plugged in tightly. Make
sure that the Link light for the Ethernet port on your computer, switch,
or access point comes on when you insert the Ethernet data cable.
From your computer, open a web browser and enter the IP address
http://10.11.12.1 in the address bar. If the MWB-200 settings pages
come up, you are connected to the MWB-200. If not, check connections.
3. Confirm that the MWB-200 is connected to a Wi-Fi network. In the
Network Settings section of the Main configuration page, check that the
unit has a
WLAN MAC address and WLAN IP Address . If it does not,
repeat the procedure in this Guide for connecting to a Wi-Fi network.
4. Confirm that the MWB-200 is set to request an IP address. On the
Network configuration page, make sure WLAN IP Address is set to DHCP .
5. Confirm that the Wi-Fi network to which you are connected is available.
There are many reasons a Wi-Fi network may be unavailable, even if it
appears to allow open connections. Some private access points are set
up with filters that only allow traffic to pass through to pre-approved
computers. Some access points are set up with authentication pages
that load slowly or don’t load at all. Some access points are simply so

12 MWB-200 QUICK START GUIDE
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overloaded that they will not pass traffic to a new client, even though
they allow new clients to connect. If you aren’t sure whether a
particular Wi-Fi network is available, try connecting to a different
network. If you can successfully connect to the Internet through a
different network, the first network you were trying to connect to is
probably unavailable.
Standard Settings
To reset the unit to its original configuration, open the MWB enclosure while
the unit is powered on, and locate the hole marked “reset.” Straighten a
large paper clip and insert one end of the paper clip 0.5” through the hole.
Tilt the paper clip to the left to depress the reset switch for 10 seconds.
When you release the reset switch, the unit will reboot with standard settings.
Support
If you have any questions that aren’t answered by this Guide, please send an
email to [email protected], or call us at [phone]. Our
support staff is available weekdays 9am to 9pm, and weekends 12pm to 6pm,
Eastern Time.
paper clip
A
reset button
reset hole