Zoom ZoomAir AP11 User manual

ZoomAir
ZoomAirZoomAir
ZoomAir™AP11
AP11AP11
AP11
Installation Guide &
Reference Manual

NOTICE
NOTICENOTICE
NOTICE
This document contains proprietary information protected by copyright, and
this Manual and all the accompanying hardware, software, and
documentation are copyrighted. All rights are reserved. No part of this
document may be photocopied or reproduced by mechanical, electronic, or
other means in any form.
The manufacturer does not warrant that the hardware will work properly in
all environments and applications, and makes no warranty or representation,
either expressed or implied, with respect to the quality, performance,
merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose of the software or
documentation. The manufacturer reserves the right to make changes to the
hardware, software, and documentation without obligation to notify any
person or organization of the revision or change.
All brand and product names are the trademarks of their respective owners.
© Copyright 2000
All rights reserved.

Contents
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................7
OVERVIEW............................................................................................ 7
Security ................................................................................................ 8
CONTENTS OF THE ZOOMAIR AP11 PACKAGE. ........................ 10
ZOOMAIR DEFAULT SETTINGS...................................................... 10
ROAD MAP.......................................................................................... 11
Creating an All-Wireless Network .................................................... 11
Adding New Wired Ethernet Clients to Your Wireless Network....... 12
Adding Your Wireless Network to an Established Wired Network .. 12
Ensuring Wireless Security................................................................. 13
Implementing Additional Network Controls....................................... 13
Monitoring the ZoomAir AP11 ........................................................ 13
Maintaining the Firmware ................................................................. 13
1 CREATING AN ALL-WIRELESS NETWORK ........................... 15
SELECTING A LOCATION FOR THE ZOOMAIR AP11 ................. 15
Other Considerations.......................................................................... 16
SETTING UP THE ZOOMAIR AP11 ................................................ 16
Options for Managing your AP11 ..................................................... 16
General Strategy................................................................................. 17
Procedure ........................................................................................... 18
INSTALLING AND CONFIGURING ZOOMAIR PC CARDS ON
CLIENT COMPUTERS......................................................................... 19
Installing the First ZoomAir Client ................................................... 20
Configuring DHCP........................................................................... 22
Installing Subsequent ZoomAir Clients.............................................. 23
SETTING UP THE ZOOMAIR AP11 ON AN EXISTING WIRELESS
NETWORK........................................................................................... 23
TESTING AND TROUBLESHOOTING THE WIRELESS LAN........ 24
2 CONNECTING AN ALL-WIRELESS NETWORK AND A WIRED
NETWORK ..............................................................................27
ADDING NEW WIRED ETHERNET CLIENTS TO YOUR
WIRELESS NETWORK ....................................................................... 27
Installing the NIC Cards on Client Computers.................................. 27
Providing IP Addresses ...................................................................... 28

Making the Connections to a Hub ..................................................... 28
ADDING YOUR WIRELESS NETWORK TO AN ESTABLISHED
WIRED NETWORK............................................................................. 29
Making the IP Addresses of the Wired and Wireless LANs Compatible29
Implementing DHCP in Wired Clients.............................................. 30
Changing the IP Address of the ZoomAir AP11 and Disabling DHCP31
CONFIGURING ROUTES ................................................................... 33
Providing IP Addresses for the Wireless Clients.................................. 34
Making the Connections to a Hub ..................................................... 35
TESTING AND TROUBLESHOOTING THE WIRELESS/WIRED
LAN COMBINATION ........................................................................ 35
3 ENSURING WIRELESS SECURITY .........................................37
SSID AND CHANNEL SETTINGS .................................................... 37
WIRED EQUIVALENT PRIVACY ...................................................... 39
ADVANCED SETTINGS ..................................................................... 41
4 IMPLEMENTING ADDITIONAL NETWORK CONTROLS........45
DYNAMIC HOST CONFIGURATION PROTOCOL (DHCP).......... 46
When To Implement DHCP............................................................. 46
Disabling and Enabling DHCP ....................................................... 47
Dynamic Address Assignment Pools .................................................. 48
Static Address Assignment ................................................................ 49
5 MONITORING THE ZOOMAIR AP11 .................................... 51
QUICKVIEW MONITOR.................................................................... 51
IP ROUTES MONITOR ...................................................................... 51
DHCP MONITOR .............................................................................. 52
DIAGNOSTICS MONITOR ................................................................. 52
WIRELESS STATIONS MONITOR ..................................................... 52
6 MAINTAINING THE FIRMWARE...........................................55
ACCESSING MAINTENANCE IN WEBMANAGE............................ 55
BACKUP SYSTEM CODE.................................................................... 55
UPGRADING THE SYSTEM SOFTWARE .......................................... 55
RESTARTING THE ZOOMAIR AP11 ............................................... 56
APPENDIX A LED INDICATORS ..............................................57
WIRELESS LED INDICATORS.......................................................... 57
LAN LED INDICATORS .................................................................. 57
APPENDIX B CONSOLE COMMANDS .......................................59
SETTING UP THE CONSOLE ............................................................ 59

CONFIGURING THE SYSTEM IP ADDRESS.................................... 60
CONFIGURING OTHER PARAMETERS ........................................... 60
Get Commands: Display the Configuration ........................................ 60
Set Commands: Change the Configuration.......................................... 62
For More Help .................................................................................. 64
APPENDIX C IP NETWORKING BASICS ...................................65
WHAT IS TCP/IP?............................................................................. 65
IP ADDRESSING ................................................................................ 66
CLASSES OF IP ADDRESSES ............................................................. 67
IP SUBNETTING................................................................................. 68
Example: Using Subnets on a Class C IP Internet ............................ 69
BROADCAST ADDRESSES ................................................................. 71
NETWORK TIME PROTOCOL .......................................................... 72
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS .................................................... 72
APPENDIX D IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS FOR CABLE AND
DSL USERS.............................................................................73
SETTING THE IP ADDRESS.............................................................. 73
SETTING WIRELESS BASIC............................................................... 75
DISABLING DHCP............................................................................ 76
APPENDIX E REGULATORY INFORMATION ............................77

Introduction 7
Introduction
Your ZoomAir AP11™
™™
™Wireless Access Point provides ease and
flexibility in extending a wired or wireless Local Area Network
(LAN) for use with wireless clients. This Introduction includes
the following:
•A list of the components included with the unit and other
items you will need.
•Details of the ZoomAir AP11 and its feature set as a
wireless access point.
•An implementation plan or “road map” that guides you
through several phases of installation and setup of the
ZoomAir AP11 and its integration into your LAN.
Tip: Be sure to read the road map. It will greatly simplify your
understanding of the ZoomAir AP11 installation process.
You can get up and running by mastering basic operations,
and tackle more complex concepts and operations as your
future needs dictate.
Overview
The ZoomAir AP11 is a hardware access point for linking IEEE
802.11b DSSS-compliant wireless clients to each other and to a
wired LAN. Laptop computers and desktop computers equipped
with their own ZoomAir Wireless LAN Cards can communicate
with each other, and with computers, printers, and other devices
on your wired LAN. See the following illustration.

8 Installation Guide: ZOOMAIR AP11
With an access point, you gain tremendous flexibility in planning
and implementing your wireless LAN. For example, one of your
sales representatives can come into the office with a laptop
computer and link instantly to the network (with built-in security
provisions). From the laptop, the sales representative can print to
networked printers and copy files to and from other computers on
the network. Also, desktop computers equipped with ZoomAir PC
Cards can be located just about anywhere in an office without
having to be wired to a hub. Changing offices requires no rewiring
and no changing of settings on the computer or central servers.
Difficult installations suddenly become easy!
Security
The ZoomAir PC Card included with the ZoomAir AP11 is IEEE
802.11b-compatible, using Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum
(DSSS) technology. Spread spectrum signals are inherently difficult
for unauthorized users to decode. Also, all wireless nodes on your
network must use a special Service Set Identifier (SSID) to be
recognized. Finally, Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) software
provides security that equals or exceeds that of wired networks.
Installing a basic access point usually involves plugging in the
ZoomAir PC Card and its antenna, making two connections (data
and power), and turning on the unit. See the following illustration.

Introduction 9
If ZoomAir Wireless LAN cards are installed at the same time on
client computers, most users will not even need to reconfigure their network.
The on-board configuration software (i.e. WebManage) can be run
from nearly any computer using a Web-compatible browser
(Netscape Navigator 4.0 or later or Internet Explorer (IE) 4.0 or
later). Administration of the LAN is simplified, thanks to DHCP
(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). DHCP dynamically
assigns IP addresses to client computers.

10 Installation Guide: ZOOMAIR AP11
Contents of the ZoomAir AP11 Package.
In addition to this manual, the ZoomAir AP11 package includes
the following components:
•ZoomAir AP11 base unit
•ZoomAir PC Card
•External antenna for the Wireless LAN PC Card
•White Ethernet 10BaseT straight-through cable for connection
of the LAN port to a network hub
•RJ-45 to RJ-45 cable for connecting the ZoomAir AP11
console port to the serial port of a computer
•Power adapter
•Paper wall-mounting template and anchors
•Antenna Options and Installation Instructions Flyer.
ZoomAir Default Settings
LAN Defaults IP Address: 192.168.0.240
Mask: 255.255.255.0
Broadcast: 192.168.0.255
DHCP Disabled
WAPBS*SSID: Zoom 802.11 LAN
Channel: 10
WAPSS** WEP State: Disabled
PassPhrase: User Determined
WAPAS‡Beacon Period: 100
DTIM: 2
Ethernet Conversion: RFC1042
Fragmentation Threshold: 2304
Authentication: Open System
Basic Rate Set 1: 2, 5.5, and 11 Mbps
clients.
Routes Default Gateway: 0.0.0.0
*Wireless Access Point Basic Security.
**Wireless Access Point Security Settings.
‡Wireless Access Point Advanced Settings.

Introduction 11
In addition each wireless client must have an 802.11b or 802.11-
compatible wireless Network Interface Card (NIC) using DSSS
technology.
Tip:For ease of installation and configuration, we recommend the
ZoomAir Wireless PC Cards, which are pre-configured to
work with ZoomAir AP11. In most cases, minimal setup is
required.
Road Map
The ZoomAir AP11 can be as simple or complex as your
networking needs, and it can grow with you as your network grows.
The implementation strategy in this manual is to divide the
installation into four phases that are more or less self-contained;
each phase builds on previous phases. Therefore, you need to go
only as far as your current needs require.
The installation instructions in this manual, especially in the first
two phases, can be followed by most people with little networking
experience if the number of wired and wireless clients on the
network is between 2 and 20. For networks with more than 20
clients or for complicated installations involving multiple routers or
sophisticated security considerations, we expect that users will have
an in-house MIS staff or retain the services of a networking
consultant. Your reseller should be able to supply or recommend
the consulting and installation assistance you’ll need.
The following section is a preview of the installation phases; each
phase corresponds to a section in this book. There are two
variations in Chapter 2, and they are labeled Adding New Wired
Ethernet Clients to Your Wireless Network and Adding Your
Wireless Network to an Established Wired Network.
Creating an All-Wireless Network
In Chapter 1, you set up and test ZoomAir AP11 and the ZoomAir
wireless clients as an all-wireless network. The installation in most
cases involves plugging in the ZoomAir AP11 unit and installing
ZoomAir radio cards in client computers. Default settings are
taken care of automatically, and your wireless network is as close to
“plug and play” as you can get. If all you need is an access point to

12 Installation Guide: ZOOMAIR AP11
extend and manage an all-wireless network, you are finished—you
have created an instant LAN.
At this point, you may have all that you need in a LAN. If all of the
clients can communicate with each other through the access point,
you can stop here. If you require multiple access points or
otherwise need to have a wired LAN component, continue to
Chapter 2.
Adding New Wired Ethernet Clients to Your
Wireless Network
In Chapter 2, you add wired Ethernet LAN clients to your all-
wireless network that you setup in Chapter 1. Your wireless and
wired clients will be able to communicate with each other. Once
the ZoomAir AP11 is properly set up, the wireless and wired LAN
operate as one LAN without any distinction between the two.
Adding Your Wireless Network to an
Established Wired Network
In Chapter 2, you plug your all-wireless LAN into an existing wired
Ethernet LAN. Because you have set up and tested ZoomAir AP11
in an all-wireless network in Chapter 1, you know that the wireless
part of your network is already working.

Introduction 13
When you have completed Chapter 1 and the applicable portion of
Chapter 2, you will have a fully functioning LAN, with wired and
wireless clients working seamlessly together. You will not have
needed to know much about the intricacies of networking.
Ensuring Wireless Security
In Chapter 3, you can add security features to your wireless
network. Wireless LANs that conform to the 802.11b or 802.11-
DSSS standard provide three security measures: a unique network
name called the Service Set Identifier (SSID); a channel number,
which is similar in concept to the channels used in wireless
telephones; and Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), which provides a
way of creating an electronic “key” and locking out anyone who
does not have the key.
Implementing Additional Network Controls
In Chapter 4, you have the option of configuring additional
network access control features through the use of Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and the AP11’s WebManage
utility. This function allows you to add additional security to your
LAN, by letting one device (the AP11) assign (lease) IP Addresses
to hosts, or clients, on a network.
Monitoring the ZoomAir AP11
In Chapter 5, you can use the AP11’s WebManage utility to
monitor the computers on your wireless network. The monitor
screens in WebManage allow you to see the state of the ZoomAir
AP11 and the connections of the wireless clients.
Maintaining the Firmware
In Chapter 6, you can utilize the maintenance function of the AP11
through the WebManage utility, which allows you to update the
firmware of the AP11 unit.

1 Creating an All-Wireless Network 15
1
Creating an All-Wireless
Network
Chapter 1 explains how to create a wireless network by setting
up the ZoomAir AP11 and installing ZoomAir PC Cards on your
wireless clients. If this is a new installation, you can use the
default settings for identifying and addressing your access point
and clients. If you use the defaults, your ZoomAir Wireless LAN
is almost plug-and-play.
Topics covered in this chapter include the following:
•Selecting a location for the ZoomAir AP11.
•Setting up the ZoomAir AP11.
•Installing and configuring the ZoomAir clients.
•Setting up the ZoomAir AP11 on an existing wireless
network.
•Testing and troubleshooting.
Selecting a Location for the ZoomAir AP11
As an access point for a wireless LAN, the ZoomAir AP11 unit
must be located so that it can pick up radio signals from the client
computers equipped with wireless LAN devices. The ZoomAir
AP11 will work best as an access point if it is centrally located with
respect to existing or potential wireless clients. The range of a
ZoomAir access point or client is approximately 300 feet
(approximately 90 meters) in a typical partitioned office or 1000
feet (about 300 meters) in unobstructed line of sight. Remember:
The effective range depends on the composition of the walls and
floors of your building. Inside a wiring closet may not be the best
location for a wireless access point. For additional tips, see the
Antenna Options & Installation Instructions Flyer included in
your ZoomAir AP11 package.

16 Installation Guide: ZOOMAIR AP11
If you are planning an all-wireless network (with no Ethernet
connection to a wired LAN), you are currently limited to one
access point. If you are planning to connect your wireless clients to
a wired LAN, you can have multiple access points.
You can extend the range of coverage for wireless clients by
installing additional access points (for use with a wired LAN)
and/or by purchasing optional antennas for the ZoomAir AP11
unit(s). Please see the enclosed flyer for details and ordering
information.
For your initial setup, you may find it convenient to set up the
ZoomAir AP11 in the same room as one of your intended wireless
client computers. You can move the access point unit to its
permanent location when you have ascertained that it is working
properly.
Other Considerations
Your plan for the permanent location of the ZoomAir AP11
should also include the following:
Power: You’ll need an electrical outlet for the power adapter.
Ethernet: If you plan to connect to a wired LAN, the ZoomAir
AP11 unit must be located near an available Ethernet connection
such as a port on a hub or an unused workstation connection.
Setting Up the ZoomAir AP11
Even if you ultimately plan to use the ZoomAir AP11 as an access
point for a wired Ethernet LAN, we recommend that you set up
the wireless portion of your LAN before connecting it to your
wired LAN. This way, you can verify that the wireless portion of
your LAN is working properly and do any troubleshooting before
adding any further complexity.
If you are setting up a wireless network for the first time, you have
probably purchased the ZoomAir AP11 and at least one additional
ZoomAir PC Card.
Options for Managing your AP11
The program for setting up and maintaining ZoomAir AP11 is
contained in its firmware.

1 Creating an All-Wireless Network 17
1The most convenient access to this software is through a
computer connected to the wired portion of the LAN or
connected directly to the Ethernet port on the AP11:
•An IBM-compatible PC or Macintosh with a compatible
Web browser for accessing the on-board WebManage
utility to set up and maintain ZoomAir AP11.
Note: The hub and AC outlet should be located near the
place where you will be installing ZoomAir AP11.
2For connecting a computer directly to the Ethernet port of
ZoomAir AP11 without a hub, you will also need the
following:
•A crossover twisted-pair (RJ-45 to RJ-45) 10BaseT cable
(not included).
3Another way to configure and maintain ZoomAir AP11 is by
using a command-line program accessible through its console
port using the RS-232 cable supplied with the unit. You may
also need an adapter for attaching the console cable to your
computer’s serial port: a DB-9 to DB-25 adapter for a PC or a
DB-9 to 8-pin Mini-DIN for a Macintosh. See your
computer’s documentation for more details.
General Strategy
Install the ZoomAir AP11 first, and then install a ZoomAir PC
Card on each computer that will be a wireless client. If you use all
the out-of-the-box defaults, you will have a working wireless LAN
in the time it takes you to do the following:
•Plug in the ZoomAir AP11 unit and slide in the wireless
Card with the LED indicator facing up.
•Plug in a ZoomAir PC Card in the first client computer and
run the installation program contained on the CD that came
with it. For further information see the Answer File
Installation Appendix in the ZoomAir Client Manual.
•Plug in a ZoomAir PC Card in each remaining client computer.
As an option, run the simple CD wizard program to use the
floppy disk(s) created above.

18 Installation Guide: ZOOMAIR AP11
Procedure
Follow these steps:
1Gently insert the ZoomAir PC Card in the slot marked
WIRELESS LAN on the back of the ZoomAir AP11 unit.
The ZoomAir label on the narrower front section of the card
should be facing up.
Slide the card in carefully until you feel some resistance; then
push it gently into place. Do not force it, or you may bend
the pins in the slot.
2Remove the antenna from the box. The antenna is L-shaped
and the short part of the Lhas a built-in connector with a
silver hexagonal collar. The ZoomAir PC Card has a mating
connector with a knurled brass collar.
To maintain consistent antenna orientation, hold the antenna
vertically and gently tighten its hexagonal collar until the
antenna stays in place. Do not attempt to turn the knurled
brass collar on the card. It is glued in place.
Note: If you later want to reposition the antenna due to
orientation changes, you must first loosen the antenna’s
hexagonal nut, reposition the antenna, and then retighten the
nut.
3Plug the power adapter into the 12VDC jack on the ZoomAir
AP11. Then plug the power cube into an AC outlet.
CAUTION
Do not use a power adapter other than the
one supplied with the ZoomAir AP11.
Adapters may look similar but have very
different voltages.
4Turn on the power switch at the back of the unit. Be sure you
can see the LEDs.
5Check the ON light to make sure that the unit is receiving
power. It takes two to three minutes for the ZoomAir AP11 to
boot up.

1 Creating an All-Wireless Network 19
Installing and Configuring ZoomAir PC
Cards on Client Computers
The ZoomAir AP11 is now installed and sending radio signals,
trying to connect to a wireless client. Of course, at this point it has
nobody with whom to communicate.
The next step is to install ZoomAir PC Cards in the client
computers that will make up your wireless network. Then, all your
wireless client computers will be communicating with each other—
and be capable of sharing data files and printers—using the
ZoomAir AP11 as an access point.
In this section, the first task is to install a ZoomAir PC Card on the
first of your client computers. The default installation automatically
sets up this client to communicate with the ZoomAir AP11 using
preprogrammed fixed IP addresses. You can then use this
communication link to run the WebManage utility built into the
ZoomAir AP11.
Note: If your are using a Cable or DSL modem, see Appendix D
on page 73 for instructions on setting the IP Address,
Wireless Basic settings and the DHCP.

20 Installation Guide: ZOOMAIR AP11
Installing the First ZoomAir Client
Follow these steps:
1Make sure your ZoomAir AP11 is turned on. The green
indicator light on the ZoomAir PC Card should be flashing.
Install the first of the ZoomAir client cards in one of the client
computers according to the directions in the documentation
that came with the card.
If you are using Zoom-only products, select the AP11 install
option and follow the instructions on-screen.
The AP11 DHCP Server is disabled by default:
For the first client computer you must assign an IP address so
the AP11 and the client can recognize each other. This Step
should be taken care of automatically by the ZoomAir 11MB
Client installation. You can check by doing the following:
•On the desktop of the computer, select Start | Settings |
Control Panel. Double-click the Network icon.
•Scroll down to the TCP/IP -> entry for the ZoomAir PC
Card and highlight it. Click on the Properties button.
•In the next dialog box, click on the IP Address tab. Click
on the radio button next to Specify an IP address. Enter
192.168.0.1 for the IP address and 255.255.255.0 for the
subnet mask. Click OK to close the Network dialog boxes.
Restart your computer.
•For Non-Zoom Clients: You must include an IP address, a
SSID (Network name) that matches the AP11.
Note: All clients must have Netscape Navigator 4.0 or later
or Internet Explorer (IE) 4.0* installed, and it must be
configured to connect via a LAN. See your browser
instructions if you need help.
*For IE 4.0 to display WebManage correctly, you
must change the IE default configuration. Click
Tools | Internet Options | General Page |
Temporary Internet Files | Settings. Click the
radio button next to Every visit to the page, and
then click OK twice.