ZyXEL Communications ZyAIR B-620 User manual

ZyAIR B-620
Mini-PCI 11M Wireless LAN Card
User's Guide
Version 1.0
May 2003

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
ii Copyright
Copyright
Copyright ©2003 by ZyXEL Communications Corporation
The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any part or as a whole, transcribed, stored in a
retrieval system, translated into any language, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, photocopying, manual, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of ZyXEL Communications Corporation.
Published by ZyXEL Communications Corporation. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
ZyXEL does not assume any liability arising out of the application or use of any products, or software
described herein. Neither does it convey any license under its patent rights nor the patents' rights of others.
ZyXEL further reserves the right to make changes in any products described herein without notice. This
publication is subject to change without notice.
Trademarks
Trademarks mentioned in this publication are used for identification purposes only and may be properties
of their respective owners.

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
ZyXEL Limited Warranty iii
ZyXEL Limited Warranty
ZyXEL warrants to the original end user (purchaser) that this product is free from any defects in materials
or workmanship for a period of up to one (1) year from the date of purchase. During the warranty period
and upon proof of purchase, should the product have indications of failure due to faulty workmanship
and/or materials, ZyXEL will, at its discretion, repair or replace the defective products or components
without charge for either parts or labor and to whatever extent it shall deem necessary to restore the product
or components to proper operating condition. Any replacement will consist of a new or re-manufactured
functionally equivalent product of equal value, and will be solely at the discretion of ZyXEL. This warranty
shall not apply if the product is modified, misused, tampered with, damaged by an act of God, or subjected
to abnormal working conditions.
NOTE
Repair or replacement, as provided under this warranty, is the exclusive remedy of the purchaser. This
warranty is in lieu of all other warranties, express or implied, including any implied warranty of
merchantability or fitness for a particular use or purpose. ZyXEL shall in no event be held liable for
indirect or consequential damages of any kind of character to the purchaser.
To obtain the services of this warranty, contact ZyXEL's Service Center for your Return Material
Authorization (RMA) number. Products must be returned Postage Prepaid. It is recommended that the unit
be insured when shipped. Any returned products without proof of purchase or those with an out-dated
warranty will be repaired or replaced (at the discretion of ZyXEL) and the customer will be billed for parts
and labor. All repaired or replaced products will be shipped by ZyXEL to the corresponding return address,
Postage Paid. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights that vary
from country to country.
Online Registration
Register online at www.zyxel.com.for free future product updates and information.

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
iv Information for Canadian Users
Information for Canadian Users
The Industry Canada label identifies certified equipment. This certification means that the equipment meets
certain telecommunications network protective operation and safety requirements. The Industry Canada
does not guarantee that the equipment will operate to a user's satisfaction.
Before installing this equipment, users should ensure that it is permissible to be connected to the facilities
of the local telecommunications company. The equipment must also be installed using an acceptable
method of connection. In some cases, the company's inside wiring associated with a single line individual
service may be extended by means of a certified connector assembly. The customer should be aware that
compliance with the above conditions may not prevent degradation of service in some situations.
Repairs to certified equipment should be made by an authorized Canadian maintenance facility designated
by the supplier. Any repairs or alterations made by the user to this equipment, or equipment malfunctions,
may give the telecommunications company cause to request the user to disconnect the equipment.
For their own protection, users should ensure that the electrical ground connections of the power utility,
telephone lines, and internal metallic water pipe system, if present, are connected together. This precaution
may be particularly important in rural areas.
Caution
Users should not attempt to make such connections themselves, but should contact the appropriate
electrical inspection authority, or electrician, as appropriate.
Note
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus
set out in the radio interference regulations of Industry.

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
FCC Statement v
Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) Interference Statement
The Wireless LAN Adapter compliance with Part 15 of FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
• This device may not cause harmful interference.
• This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operations.
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 protection against harmful
interference in a commercial environment. 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.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio/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 the 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/TV technician for help.
Notice 1
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the
user's authority to operate the equipment.
Caution
1. To comply with FCC RF exposure compliance requirements, a separation distance of at least 20 cm
must be maintained between the antenna of this device and all persons.
2. This Transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or
transmitter
Additional Information to OEM Integrators
The end user should NOT be provided any instructions on how to remove or install the device.
End Product Labeling
This transmitter module is authorized only for use in devices where the antenna may be installed such that
20 cm may be maintained between the antenna and users (for example access points, routers, wireless

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
vi Information for Canadian Users
ASDL modems, and similar equipment). The final end product must be labeled in a visible area with the
following: Contains TX FCC ID: I88B620
IMPORTANT NOTE
1. In the event that these conditions can not be met (for example certain laptop configurations or co-
location with another transmitter), then the FCC authorization is no longer considered valid and the
FCC ID can not be used on the final product. In these circumstances, the OEM integrator will be
responsible for re-evaluating the end product (including the transmitter) and obtaining a separate FCC
authorization.
2. To comply with FCC RF exposure compliance requirements, the antenna used for this transmitter must
be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 20 cm from all persons and must not be co-
located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter."
Certifications
Refer to the product page at www.zyxel.com.

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
Customer Support vii
Customer Support
When contacting your Customer Support Representative, please have the following information ready:
 Product model and serial number.
 Warranty Information.
 Date you received your product.
 Brief description of the problem and the steps you took to solve it.
METHOD
LOCATION
E-MAIL
SUPPORT/SALES
TELEPHONE/FAX WEB SITE/ FTP SITE REGULAR MAIL
[email protected]m.tw [phone] www.zyxel.com
www.europe.zyxel.com
WORLDWIDE
[e-mail] [phone] ftp.europe.zyxel.com
ZyXEL Communications
Corp., 6 Innovation Road II,
Science-Based Industrial Park,
Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
[email protected]m [phone]
800-255-4101
www.zyxel.comNORTH
AMERICA
[e-mail] [phone] ftp.zyxel.com
ZyXEL Communications Inc.,
1650 Miraloma Avenue,
Placentia, CA 92870, U.S.A.
[email protected] [phone] www.zyxel.dkSCANDINAVIA
[e-mail] [phone] ftp.zyxel.dk
ZyXEL Communications A/S,
Columbusvej 5, 2860
Soeborg, Denmark
[email protected] [phone] www.zyxel.deGERMANY
[e-mail] [phone]
ZyXEL Deutschland GmbH.
Adenauerstr. 20/A2 D-52146
Wuerselen, Germany

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
Table of Contents ix
Table of Contents
Copyright.......................................................................................................................................................ii
ZyXEL Limited Warranty ..........................................................................................................................iii
Information for Canadian Users.................................................................................................................iv
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Interference Statement.................................................... v
Customer Support.......................................................................................................................................vii
List of Figures...............................................................................................................................................xi
List of Tables ...............................................................................................................................................xii
Preface.........................................................................................................................................................xiii
Chapter 1 Wireless Network Basics .........................................................................................................1-1
1.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................1-1
1.2 Benefits of a Wireless LAN .........................................................................................................1-1
1.3 Applications .................................................................................................................................1-1
1.3.1 Ad-hoc..................................................................................................................................1-1
1.3.2 Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................1-2
Chapter 2 Disable Windows XP Wireless LAN Configuration Tool.....................................................2-1
Chapter 3 Using the ZyAIR Utility...........................................................................................................3-1
3.1 Accessing the ZyAIR Utility........................................................................................................3-1
3.2 Viewing Current Configuration ...................................................................................................3-1
3.2.1 Common Screen Command Buttons ....................................................................................3-3
3.3 The About Screen.........................................................................................................................3-3
3.4 Wireless LAN Parameters............................................................................................................3-4
3.4.1 SSID.....................................................................................................................................3-5
3.4.2 Channel ................................................................................................................................3-5
3.4.3 Transmission Rate (Tx Rate)................................................................................................3-5
3.5 Wireless Network Type................................................................................................................3-5
3.5.1 Ad-Hoc (IBSS).....................................................................................................................3-5
3.5.2 Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................3-6
3.6 Roaming.......................................................................................................................................3-7
3.7 The Site Survey Screen ................................................................................................................3-8
3.7.1 Connecting to a Network....................................................................................................3-10
3.8 Configuring the ZyAIR Wireless Parameters.............................................................................3-10
3.9 Network Configuration Profile Setting ......................................................................................3-12
3.9.1 Resetting to Factory Default Values ..................................................................................3-12
3.9.2 Saving the Current Setting to a Profile...............................................................................3-12
3.9.3 Using a Pre-configured Profile...........................................................................................3-13
3.9.4 Deleting a Profile ...............................................................................................................3-13
Chapter 4 Wireless LAN Security ............................................................................................................4-1
4.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................4-1
4.2 Data Encryption with WEP..........................................................................................................4-1

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
x Table of Contents
4.2.1 Configuring the WEP Encryption on the ZyAIR.................................................................4-1
Chapter 5 Advanced Configuration .........................................................................................................5-1
5.1 Overview......................................................................................................................................5-1
5.1.1 Threshold Control ................................................................................................................5-1
5.1.2 Authentication Mode ...........................................................................................................5-2
5.1.3 Preamble Type .....................................................................................................................5-2
5.2 The Advanced Screen ..................................................................................................................5-2
Chapter 6 Removing and Upgrading the ZyAIR Utility ........................................................................6-1
6.1 Removing the ZyAIR Utility .......................................................................................................6-1
6.2 Upgrading the ZyAIR Utility.......................................................................................................6-1
Chapter 7 Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................................7-1
7.1 Problems Starting the ZyAIR Utility Program.............................................................................7-1
7.2 Problems Communicating With Other Computers ......................................................................7-1
7.3 Problem with the Link Status.......................................................................................................7-2
Index ............................................................................................................................................................. A

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
List of Figures xi
List of Figures
Figure 1-1 Ad-hoc Application Example 1 ..................................................................................................1-2
Figure 1-2 Ad-hoc Application Example 2 ..................................................................................................1-2
Figure 1-3 Infrastructure Application Example............................................................................................1-3
Figure 2-1 Windows XP: System Tray Icon.................................................................................................2-1
Figure 2-2 Windows XP: Wireless Network Connection Status ..................................................................2-2
Figure 2-3 Windows XP: Connect to Wireless Network..............................................................................2-2
Figure 2-4 Windows XP: Wireless Network Connection Properties............................................................2-3
Figure 3-1 ZyAIR Utility: System Tray Icon ...............................................................................................3-1
Figure 3-2 ZyAIR Utility: Link Info............................................................................................................3-2
Figure 3-3 ZyAIR Utility: About .................................................................................................................3-4
Figure 3-4 Ad-hoc Network Example ..........................................................................................................3-6
Figure 3-5 BSS Example..............................................................................................................................3-6
Figure 3-6 Infrastructure Network Example ................................................................................................3-7
Figure 3-7 Roaming Example ......................................................................................................................3-8
Figure 3-8 ZyAIR Utility: Site Survey.........................................................................................................3-9
Figure 3-9 Site Survey Warning.................................................................................................................3-10
Figure 3-10 ZyAIR Utility: Configuration.................................................................................................3-11
Figure 4-1 ZyAIR Utility: WEP Encryption ................................................................................................4-2
Figure 5-1 RTS Threshold............................................................................................................................5-1
Figure 5-2 ZyAIR Utility: Advanced ...........................................................................................................5-3

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
xii List of Tables
List of Tables
Table 3-1 ZyAIR Utility: System Tray Icon ................................................................................................3-1
Table 3-2 ZyAIR Utility: Link Info .............................................................................................................3-2
Table 3-3 Common Screen Command Buttons............................................................................................3-3
Table 3-4 ZyAIR Utility: About...................................................................................................................3-4
Table 3-5 ZyAIR Utility: Site Survey ..........................................................................................................3-9
Table 3-6 Color Indicator for Link Quality/Link Strength.........................................................................3-10
Table 3-7 ZyAIR Utility: Configuration .................................................................................................... 3-11
Table 4-1 ZyAIR Utility: WEP Encryption..................................................................................................4-2
Table 5-1 ZyAIR Utility: Advanced ............................................................................................................5-3
Table 7-1 Troubleshooting Starting ZyAIR Utility Program .......................................................................7-1
Table 7-2 Troubleshooting Communication Problems ................................................................................7-1
Table 7-3 Troubleshooting Link Quality......................................................................................................7-2

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
Preface xiii
Preface
Congratulations on the purchase of your new ZyAIR!
About This User's Guide
A practical and comprehensive tool, this manual provides information about the ZyAIR Wireless LAN
Utility. Familiarize yourself with the Syntax Conventions listed for better and faster understanding.
The ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility is common to ZyAIR B-x20 Wireless LAN Adapter series, thus the
model name shown in the screens may vary from what you actually purchased.
Related Documentation
 Support Disk
Refer to the included CD for support documents and device drivers.
 Quick Installation Guide
Our Quick Installation Guide is designed to help you get your ZyAIR up and running right away.
It contains a detailed easy-to-follow connection diagram and information on installing your
ZyAIR.
 ZyXEL Glossary and Web Site
Please refer to www.zyxel.com for an online glossary of networking terms and additional support
documentation.
Syntax Conventions
• “Type” or “Enter” means for you to type one or more characters. "Select" or "Choose" means for
you to use one of the predefined choices.
• Window and command choices are in Bold Times New Roman font. Predefined field choices are
in Bold Arial font.
• The ZyAIR B-620 Mini-PCI 11M Wireless LAN Card is referred to as the ZyAIR in this guide.
• The ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility may be referred to as the ZyAIR Utility in this guide.

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
Wireless Network Basics 1-1
Chapter 1
Wireless Network Basics
This chapter gives you an overview of what a wireless network is, its advantages and
applications.
1.1 Introduction
A wireless LAN (WLAN) provides a flexible data communication system that you can use to access
various services (navigating the Internet, email, printer services, etc.) on the wired network without
additional expensive network cabling infrastructure. In effect, a wireless LAN environment provides you
the freedom to stay connected to the wired network while moving in the coverage area.
1.2 Benefits of a Wireless LAN
 Access to network services in areas otherwise hard or expensive to wire, such as historical
buildings, buildings with asbestos materials and classrooms.
 Doctors and nurses can access a complete patient’s profile on a handheld or notebook computer
upon entering a patient’s room.
 It allows flexible workgroups a lower total cost of ownership for networks that are frequently
reconfigured.
 Conference room users can access the network as they move from meeting to meeting- accessing
up-to-date information that facilitates the ability to communicate decisions “on the fly”.
 It provides campus-wide networking coverage, allowing enterprises the roaming capability to set
up easy-to-use wireless networks that transparently covers an entire campus.
1.3 Applications
Unlike wired networks, you can set up wireless networks in two different modes: infrastructure and ad-hoc.
Set up your wireless network depending on your network needs. The following sections describe each
network mode.
1.3.1 Ad-hoc
An ad-hoc network consists of two or more computers communicating with one another through the
wireless network. No access points (APs) or existing wired networks are needed. An access point acts as a
bridge between the wireless and wired networks

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
1-2 Wireless Network Basics
Figure 1-1 Ad-hoc Application Example 1
Figure 1-2 Ad-hoc Application Example 2
1.3.2 Infrastructure
When wireless clients wish to access and share resources on the wired network, they should use
infrastructure mode. Wireless clients may move from one coverage area to another seamlessly without
network interruption. This is called roaming.
The figure below depicts an infrastructure network example

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
Wireless Network Basics 1-3
Figure 1-3 Infrastructure Application Example

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
Disable Windows XP Wireless LAN 2-1
Chapter 2
Disable Windows XP Wireless LAN
Configuration Tool
Windows XP includes a configuration tool for wireless devices.
DO NOT use the Windows XP configuration tool and the ZyAIR Utility at the same
time. Always use the ZyAIR Utility to configure the ZyAIR.
Follow the steps below to disable the configuration tool in Windows XP after you install the ZyAIR Utility.
Step 1. Double-click on the network icon for wireless connection in the system tray. If the icon is not
present, proceed to Step 2. Otherwise skip to Step 5.
Figure 2-1 Windows XP: System Tray Icon
Step 2. If the icon for the wireless network connection is not in the system tray, click Start, Control
Panel and double-click on Network Connections.

ZyAIR B-620 User’s Guide
2-2 Disable Windows XP Wireless LAN
Step 3. Double-click on the icon for wireless network connection to display a status window as shown
next.
Figure 2-2 Windows XP: Wireless Network Connection Status
Step 4. Click Properties and click the Wireless Networks tab. Then skip to Step 6.
Step 5. When a Connect to Wireless Network window displays, click Advanced….
Figure 2-3 Windows XP: Connect to Wireless Network