TwinMOS Octopus G Series User manual

TwinMOS
Octopus G Series
802.11b/g
Wireless LAN Card
User’s Manual
TwinMOS®

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Contents
PACKAGE CONTENTS……........................................................2
INTRODUCTION..........................................................................3
WIRELESS NETWORK OVERVIEW............................................4
OCTOPUS WIRELESS NETWORK SCENARIOS………..6
INSTALLATION FOR WINDOWS.............................................…..11
CONFIGURATION UTILITY....................................................…..19
TROUBLESHOOTING....................................................…..27
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS.......................................…..28
FCC CAUTION ................…………………………………………………..........…..29

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PACKAGE CONTENTS
Unpack your Octopus WLAN Card kit and verify that all items are present.
 Octopus Wireless LAN card
 User’s Manual (on CD)
 Driver (on CD)
If any of the items described appear to be damaged or missing, please contact your reseller.

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INTRODUCTION
The Octopus WLAN Card is a wireless network client that complies with the IEEE 802.11b standard on
wireless LANs. The IEEE 802.11b standards compliance means this adapter gives you the flexibility to
connect it to any 802.11b network. The IEEE 802.11b Ethernet standard allows you to connect
computers and devices at speeds up to 11Mbps, dependent upon the distance between wireless adapters,
the configuration of your working environment, or the capabilities or limitations of your computer
systems.
This Octopus WLAN Card supports following WLAN features：
 Support for 54,48,36,24,18,12,9,and 6 Mbps OFDM,11 and 5.5Mbps CCK and legacy 2 and 1
Mbps data rates.
 Center frequency channel selection (2.4 GHz)
 Fully compliant with the IEEE 802.11g WLAN standards
 Roaming over multiple channels.
 Supports power save mode
 64/128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption.
This Octopus WLAN card comes with software drivers for the most popular Microsoft Windows
operating systems and can be integrated into a larger network, running Windows XP, Windows 2000,
Windows ME, or Windows 98 in either Ad-Hoc mode or infrastructure mode. This manual provides a
quick introduction to wireless technology and its application as it relates to networking. Take a moment
to read through this manual and familiarize you with wireless technology. You should also give
yourself some time to become familiar with your new wireless network.

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WIRELESS NETWORK OVERVIEW
A wireless local area network (LAN) is a flexible data communications system implemented as an
extension to, or as an alternative for, a wired LAN. Using radio frequency (RF) technology, wireless
LANs transmit and receive data over the air, minimizing the need for wired connections. Thus, wireless
LANs combine data connectivity with user mobility.
A local area network that transmit and receive over the air typically in an unlicensed frequency such as
the 2.4GHz band. A wireless LAN does not require lining up devices for line of sight transmission like
IrDA. Wireless access points (base stations) are connected to an Ethernet hub or server and transmit a
radio frequency over an area of several hundred to a thousand feet which can penetrate walls and other
nonmetal barriers. Roaming users can be handed off from one access point to another like a cellular
phone system. Laptops use wireless modems that plug into an existing Ethernet port or that are self
contained on PC cards, while stand-alone desktops and servers use plug-in cards (ISA, PCI, etc.).
Wireless LANs offer the following productivity, convenience, and cost advantages over traditional wired
networks：
Mobility - WLAN provide LAN users to access data in any location within the operating range of the
WLAN. Ad-hoc management decisions based on real-time information can significantly improve worker
efficiency.
Installation Speed and Simplicity - Installing a wireless LAN system can be fast and easy and can
eliminate the need to pull cable through walls and ceilings.
Installation Flexibility - Wireless technology allows the network to go where wire cannot go.
Reduced Cost-of-Ownership - While the initial investment required for wireless LAN hardware can
be higher than the cost of wired LAN hardware, overall installation expenses and life-cycle costs can be
significantly lower. Long-term cost benefits are greatest in dynamic environments requiring frequent
moves and changes.
Scalability - Wireless LAN systems can be configured in a variety of topologies to meet the needs of
specific applications and installations. Configurations are easily changed and range from peer-to-peer
networks suitable for a small number of users to full infrastructure networks of thousands of users that
enable roaming over a broad area.
Installation Considerations
Designed to go up to 300 feet (100 meters) indoors and up to 900 feet (273 meters) outdoors, Octopus
WLAN card lets you access your network from virtually anywhere you want. Keep in mind, however,
that the number and thickness of walls, ceilings or other objects that the wireless signals must pass thru
may limit range. Typical ranges vary depending on the types of materials and background RF noise in
your home or business. The key to maximizing range is to follow these basic principles:

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Keep the number of walls and ceilings between the access point and your receiving device to a minimum
- Each wall or ceiling can reduce your TwinMOS Octopus Wireless product’s range from 3-90 feet (1-30
meters.) For some businesses or for a large residential home deployment, it may be more beneficial to
have more than one access point with overlapping coverage.
1. Be aware of the direct line between Access Points, Residential Gateways, and Computers - A wall
that is 1.5 feet thick (.5 meters), at a 45-degree angle appears to be almost 3 feet (1 meter) thick. At
a 2-degree angle it looks over 42 feet (14 meters) thick! Try to make sure that the Access Points and
Adapters are positioned so that the signal will travel straight through a wall or ceiling for better
reception.
2. Building Materials make a difference - A solid metal door or aluminum studs may have a negative
effect on range. Try to position Access Points, Residential Gateways, and Computers so that the
signal passes through drywall or open doorways and not other materials.
3. Make sure that the antenna is positioned for best reception by using the software signal strength
tools included with your product.
4. Keep your product away (at least 3-6 feet or 1-2 meters) from electrical devices that generate RF
noise, like microwaves, monitors, electric motors, etc.
For the average residence, range should not be a problem. If you experience low or no signal strength in
areas of your home that you wish to access, consider positioning the Access Point in a location directly
between the Residential Gateways and/or Computers that will be connected. Additional Access Points
can be connected to provide better coverage in rooms where the signal does not appear as strong as
desired.
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.

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Octopus WIRELESS NETWORK SCENARIOS
The Octopus WLAN Card enables you to:
 Connect your computer to a Ad-Hoc workgroup of wireless computing devices (see Figure 1-1 on
page 7).
 Connect your computer to a Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) network that includes a Residential
Gateway (RG) access point (see Figure 1-2 on page 8).
 Connect your computer to a Local Area Network (LAN) Infrastructure that includes Access Points, or
other IEEE 802.11 compliant LAN systems (see Figure 1-3 and Figure 1-4).
 Expand the capabilities of your Access Points, to support wireless devices that have been equipped
with Octopus WLAN Card.
Ad-Hoc Workgroup
The Ad-Hoc workgroup configuration enables you to quickly set up a small wireless workgroup, where
the workgroup participants can exchange files using features like “Files and Printer Sharing” as
supported by Microsoft Networking.
Figure 1-1 Ad-Hoc Wireless Workgroup
You can use this option to setup a temporary or ad-hoc network in environments where no access points
are available (for example in Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) environments). As long as the stations
are within range of one another, this is the easiest and least expensive way to set up a wireless network.

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Home Networking
With the TwinMOS Octopus WLAN card, wireless access to the Internet or other computers is at your
fingertips. All you need to do is connect the wireless computers to an external cable, an xDSL or a ISDN
modem and you are ready to：
 Share files and printers, and
 Access the Internet
Figure 1-2 Connect to a Residential Gateway (RG)
Enterprise Networking
With the 11 Mbps Wireless LAN access point you can connect to a corporate Local Area Network (LAN)
infrastructure to have wireless access to all network facilities. LAN Infrastructures may either be:
 Stand-alone wireless LANs (Figure 1-3).
 Wireless network infrastructures connected to an existing Ethernet network (Figure 1-4).
Figure 1-3 Stand Alone Wireless LAN
XDSL

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Figure 1-4 LAN Infrastructure
It’s Easy
The Octopus WLAN Card functions like any standard wired Ethernet card, but Octopus WLAN Card
does not need any wires!
Where an Ethernet card requires a cable connection to a hub and/or patch panel, the cable physically ties
you down to the location of the wired connection.
Octopus WLAN Card allows you to connect your computer to a Local Area Network (LAN) system
from anywhere within the wireless coverage area. Expanding or re-designing your network is easy: Add
or relocate access point, power-up your (new) wireless computers, and you’re done!
Unlike Ethernet, TwinMOS Octopus WLAN Card will enable you to roam throughout the network while
remaining connected to the LAN.
Note
： The Octopus WLAN Card is a radio product. Refer to the flyer ”Information to the User” for
regulatory information that may apply in your country.

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INSTALLATION FOR WINDOWS
The following section will assist you to install Octopus WLAN Card successfully. You will plug in the
Octopus WLAN card and then install driver firstly, and finally set the network properties to
accommodate resource sharing and select the type of wireless network that you want to install.
In order to establish your wireless network connection, make sure some steps below will be performed.
■Install the Access Point (AP) at first if you use Access Point network mode.
■Plug in the Octopus wireless LAN card.
■Install the driver using the Installation CD.
■Install the network protocol(s) required to communicate on your network. Most likely you will
need the TCP/IP protocol.
The Octopus Wireless LAN Configuration Utility is installed by executing the “PRISMSTA.exe” file.
Note also that some versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems require administrator to install
software. If this is the case for your operating system, be sure that you have such privileges before
executing the Setup.exe file. To upgrade an existing driver, it is not necessary to remove your Octopus
driver from your computer. Simply run the Setup.exe file to replace the existing driver with the latest
version. After the new driver is installed, maybe you must restart the operating system (depend on the
Windows’ OS).
Please follow the following steps one by one in order to install the Octopus WLAN Card successfully.

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For Windows XP
Before you proceed with the installation, please notice following descriptions.
Note: The following installation was operated under Windows XP. (Procedures will be the same for
Windows 98SE/Me/2000.)
 Install the Driver
1. Insert the driver disk in your CD-ROM.
2. Insert the Octopus WLAN Card into the slot of your computer, the system will automatically find the
device and search for its driver.
CAUTION:
This assembly is designed to operate with a supply voltage of 3.3V in laptop computers supporting
the CARDBUS32 standard.

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3. Please select the “Driver” folder (select the folder based on your computer’s OS system) and the
system will complete the driver installation automatically.

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4. Click "Finish" to complete the installation.
5. After drivers are installed, restart windows
6. When you complete the driver installation, a new icon will be displayed in the taskbar at the bottom of
the screen.

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Using the Windows XP’s Utility
To connect to your wireless network, please do the following:
◎Double-lick the icon marked in red in the taskbar and you may start using the Windows XP’s wireless
utility
◎ The “Connect to Wireless Network” window will contain a list of all the available Wireless
Networks. Select the proper network for your needs. In this example, “TwinMOS” network was
selected as shown.

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Using the Utility of Octopus WLAN Card
◎ Get into Windows XP’s utility, click “Advanced“ button.
◎In “Wireless Network Connection Properties“ screen, uncheck the setting “Use Windows to
configure my wireless network settings“. Note that if you want to change back to the Windows XP
built-in utility, check the item again.
◎Double click the icon and start using the WLAN Card .

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Note: If you don’t disable the XP’s Utility, you can still see the status, bands, domain and about
during communication process from the adapter’s utility.

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CONFIGURATION UTILITY
TwinMOS Octopus WLAN Card uses the Configuration Utility as the management software. The
utility provides the user an easy interface to change any settings related to the wireless adapter. When
the computer is started, the Configuration Utility starts automatically and the system tray icon is loaded
in the toolbar (see illustration below.) Clicking on the utility icon will start the Configuration Utility.
Double-click on the icon shown above. The screen below will be displayed.

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Status Tab
The Status menu displays information on the current status of your connection to the wireless LAN. You
can display this menu by choosing the Wireless Network Status... command from the pop-up menu, or
by clicking on the Status tab when the Configuration Utility is displayed on your desktop.
The fields in this menu provide the following information:
•State: shows the association state of your computer with the wireless LAN. Possible values for this
field are:
•AdHoc: The adapter is operating in Peer-to-Peer mode. This field also shows the virtual MAC
address used by computers participating in the AdHoc network.
•Associated: The adapter is operating in Infrastructure mode. This field also shows the MAC address
of the Access Point with which you are communicating.
•Listening: Indicates that the adapter is listening on all allowed channels, but has not yet found a
peer-to-peer or infrastructure network with which to associate.
•Stopped: The radio has been stopped by the Disable Radio Button.
•Scanning: The adapter is scanning for transmissions by other wireless adapters on all channels.
•Associating: The adapter is in the process of associating with a network
•Not Associated: The adapter has not found any network with which to associate.
•Hardware Radio Switch OFF: The radio has been disabled by moving the hardware radio switch to
the off position. Note that not all adapters have a hardware switch.
•Current Tx Rate: shows the current transmit rate of the current association.

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•Current Channel: shows the channel on which the connection is made. In Infrastructure mode, this
number changes as the radio scans the available channels.
•Throughput: shows the short term transmit and receive throughput in bytes/second, and is
continuously updated.
•Link Quality: is based on the quality of the received signal of the Access Point beacon.
•Signal Strength: is based on the received signal strength measurement of the baseband processor of
the Beacon signal.
You can click the Disable Radio button to turn off the wireless radio. When you click this button, the
State field indicates that the radio has been stopped and the remaining fields in this window display
either a zero or Not Applicable. Click this button again to turn the radio back on. However, if the radio
has been disabled by the hardware switch on the adapter, clicking this button displays a popup message
telling you that the radio cannot be enabled.
You can click the Rescan button to force the radio to rescan all available channels. If your link quality
or signal strength is poor, rescanning can be used to push the radio off a weak Access Point and search
for a better link with another Access Point.
Configuration Tab
The Configuration menu lets you specify the operating parameters for your Octopus WLAN Interface
adapter. You can display this menu by choosing the Advanced Configuration ... command from the
pop-up menu, or by clicking on the Configuration tab when the Configuration Utility is displayed on
your desktop.

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 Profile Name
A profile is a named set of operating parameters for your Octopus WLAN adapter. The Profile Name:
field lets you set values for all parameters by selecting a previously defined profile. Click the down
arrow at the right of this field to display the available profiles for your PRISM WLAN Interface adapter.
You will always have at least one profile, named Default. Initially, this profile contains the parameters
configured at installation. You can modify this profile at any time after the installation. After changing
parameters, you can save them in the profile named in this field by clicking the Apply button in the
Configuration Utility panel.
You can also create additional profiles by typing a name in the Profile Name: field. When you change
the name in this field and then click the Apply button, the Configuration Utility uses the current
parameters for your adapter to create a separate profile. You can then switch between profiles by
clicking the down arrow at the right of the Profile Name: field, selecting a profile from the drop-down
list, and clicking the Apply button.
The following example describes a situation in which you would want to create multiple profiles.
Suppose that you use the wireless LAN at your work, but you also have a network in your home (with a
wireless Access Point) for sharing an internet connection and a printer between several computers.
Suppose also that you have another office within your business which also has WLAN capability, but
which is configured differently than your main office.
In this situation, you can create a different profile for each of these three environments. Each profile
specifies the parameters used on a single network. Moving from one location to another, you need only
apply the appropriate profile to be able to participate in the local network.
 Network Name
Officially, in wireless networks the network name is known as the SSID (Service Set IDentifier), and is
used by Access Points and stations to identify a wireless LAN. Your PRISM WLAN Interface adapter
scans the available channels looking for an Access Point or another station which has specified this same
SSID. It then attempts to associate with these Access Points or stations to form a wireless LAN.
To change the SSID, simply highlight it, type the new SSID, and click the Apply button.
In typical infrastructure applications a company will use a single SSID for all Access Points. If the radio
is scanning and cannot find a channel when an Access Point is known to be in range, verify that the
Network Name is set correctly.
 Network Type
The Octopus WLAN adapter can operate in one of two types of networks, which are specified in the
Network Type: field of the Configuration menu. Clicking the down arrow at the right of this field
displays the available types.
Peer-to-Peer
IEEE 802.11, the standard on which the WLAN protocol is based, defines two modes to handle two
separate needs. The first, called AdHoc (or IBSS) mode, is used when two or more wirelessly-enabled
PCs exchange data directly, without an Access Point. In this case the PCs can establish a peer-to-peer