Aironet Wireless Communications 102038 Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Data Transceiver User Manual

Aironet Wireless Communications Inc Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Data Transceiver

manual

Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc. • 3875 Embassy ParkwayAkron, Ohio 44333-8357www.aironet.comTechnical User’s Guide 4800 SeriesAironet Wireless LAN Adapter PC4800DOC-710-00520-A0

Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc.No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any means, elec-tronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the written permission of Aironet. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Aironet makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this manual and specifically disclaims any express or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose.© 1999 Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.LM4500TM, AP4500TM, PC4500TM, LM4800TM, AP4800TM, PC4800TM, and AironetTM are trademarks of Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc.Other trademarks used are properties of their respective owners.Printed in USADOC-710-00520-A0

Table of ContentsiAbout the Technical User’s Guide ............................... viiTypographical Conventions ................................. viiiSection 1Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter ..............................9Before You Start ...................................................10Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter .....................11Section 2Drivers for Special Installations ...................................25Driver Overview ....................................................25Windows for Workgroups NDIS2 Installation ............................................................28DOS NDIS2 Installation ........................................29DOS Packet Driver Installation .............................31ODI Driver Installation ..........................................33General Information .............................................34Driver Keywords and Settings ..............................36Section 3Using the WinDGS Utilities ..........................................49WinDGS Commands Menu .........................................49Select Card ..........................................................49Load New Firmware .............................................49Edit Properties ......................................................51Statistics ...............................................................51Status ...................................................................51Link Test ...............................................................52Site Survey ...........................................................54Radio Off/On ........................................................56Exit .......................................................................56Options Menu ..............................................................56Preferences ..........................................................56Core Dump ...........................................................57NDIS Driver Core Dump .......................................57Using Edit Properties ...................................................57System Parameters ..............................................58Network Parameters ............................................60RF Network Parameters .......................................60Advanced (Infrastructure) .....................................62Advanced (Ad Hoc/IBSS) .....................................64Using the Site Survey Active Mode Feature ................65Destination MAC Address ....................................65Continuous Link Test ...........................................66Destination is Another Aironet Device ..................66Number of Packets ...............................................66Packet Size ..........................................................66

Table of ContentsiiData Retries .........................................................66Data Rates ...........................................................66Delay Between Packets .......................................67Packet Tx Type ....................................................67Packet Success Threshold ...................................67Using the Linkscope Utility ..........................................68Section 4Error Messages and Troubleshooting .........................69Indicator LEDs ......................................................69If Your Radio Fails to Establish Contact ...............71Appendix AAironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview .....................73Safety Information ................................................74Radio Characteristics ...........................................76Direct Sequence Radio Technology .....................76Data Transparency and Protocols ........................76Protocols Supported .............................................77Radio Ranges ......................................................77Radio Antenna .....................................................78Security Features .................................................79Terminology .........................................................79System Configurations .........................................81Coverage Options ................................................85Appendix BPC Card Specifications ...............................................89LAN Drivers Supported ........................................89Radio Specifications .............................................90Power Requirements ............................................91Physical Specifications .........................................91Mechanical Description ........................................92Appendix CChannels .....................................................................93Appendix DDeclarations of Conformity ..........................................95Appendix ETechnical Support .....................................................101

About the Technical User’s GuideiiiAbout the Technical User’s GuideThis guide covers the installation, configuration, control, and maintenance of your Aironet 4800 Series PC Card Wireless LAN Adapter. The Guide is arranged as follows:Section 1 – Installation – describes installation of the PC Card.Section 2 – Drivers for Special Installations – describes installation and configuration of the various network drivers.Section 3 – Utilities – provides detailed procedures for using the utilities to load new firmware versions, as well as how to perform link tests and site surveys.Section 4 – Error Messages and Troubleshooting – provides detailed descriptions of the LED messages and error codes, as well as general procedures for correcting common problems.Appendix A – Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview – provides a general introduction to the 4800 Series PC Card, direct sequence radio technology, and the various configu-rations you can use when operating the 4800 Series PC Card in your infrastructure.Appendix B – Specifications – provides radio and physical specifications.Appendix C – Channels – provides channel identifiers and channel center frequencies for various area regulatory agencies.Appendix D – Declarations of Conformity – provides conformity information about the 4800 Series Wireless LAN Adapter.Appendix E – Technical Support – provides contact information for Aironet.

About the Technical User’s GuideivTypographical ConventionsWhen reading the User’s Guide and Technical Reference Manual, it is important to understand the symbol and formatting conventions used in the documentation. The following symbols are used in the guide.Convention Type of Information Indicates a note which contains important information.Indicates procedures which, if not observed, could result in loss of data or damage to the equipment.Bold type An action you must perform, such as typing a character or making a selection with your mouse.

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter1Section 1Installing the Wireless LAN AdapterThis section describes the procedures for installing the Wireless LAN Adapter.Here’s what you’ll find in this section:• Before You Start• Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter2Before You StartFor the PC Card to be used with a computing device (desk-top personal computer, notebook, laptop computer, portable or hand-held device), the device must be equipped with an internal or external PC Card Type II or Type III slot. All driv-ers and supporting software (card and socket services) for the PC Card slot must be loaded and configured.After unpacking the PC Card, make sure the following items are present and in good condition:•PC4800 Wireless LAN Adapter•Software Driver Diskette•Utilities DisketteIf any item is damaged or missing, contact your Aironet sup-plier. Save all shipping and packing material to repack the unit should service be required.NOTE: Any remote antenna and its associated wiring are ordered and packed separately.

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter5

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter6

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter7Note: Steps 8, 9, 10, and 11 allow you to name your client card and specify the name of the access point your card will “talk to.” Your client card will work fine if you skip these steps, however. For the simplest setup of your client card, click OK and skip to step 13 of these instructions.

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter8

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter9

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter10If the operating system on your computer is Windows NT, follow these steps:1. Turn your computer off, plug the card into the PCM-CIA slot, and turn the computer back on.2. On your Windows Control Panel (click the Start button, then select Settings, then Control Panel), select the Network icon. The Network window appears.

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter11

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter12Note: Steps 9, 10, 11, and 12 allow you to name your client card and specify the name of the access point your card will “talk to.” Your client card will work fine if you skip these steps, however. For the simplest setup of your client card, click OK and skip to step 14 of these instructions.

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter13

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter14

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter15

Section 1: Installing the Wireless LAN Adapter16

Drivers for Special Installations17Section 2Drivers for Special Installa-tionsThe PC Card is supplied with PACKET, NDIS2, NDIS3 and ODI drivers allowing operation under DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, Windows 98, Win-dows NT, and Novell Netware. The PC Card is fully IEEE 802.11 compliant.Driver OverviewThe PC Card is shipped with two diskettes:• WinDGS diagnostics diskette• Aironet driver disketteThis section covers the drivers. The utilities are discussed in Section 3 – Utilities.To use the DOS, Windows 3.x and Windows for Work-groups based drivers, you must create or edit a configura-tion file created with an ASCII text editor. Installation of each driver is discussed in the following tables.

Drivers for Special Installations18The driver disk shipped with the Wireless LAN Adapter is organized as follows:Table 2.1 - Driver Disk StructureREADME.TXT Contains latest information about the disk contentsDIAG Directory containing utilitiesFLSH3545.COM PC card flash firmware45C???.BIN Latest firmware releaseNDIS2 Directory containing NDIS2 driver filesAWC2N45C.DOS NDIS2 driverOEMSETUP.INF NDIS2 compatible install file for MicroSoft Windows for WorkgroupsPROTOCOL.INI The required configuration file for the NDIS2 driver. The PROTOCOL.INI file on the diskette provides sample entries for operation in Infrastructure Mode.PROTOCOL.AHC Sample PROTOCOL.INI file with entries for Ad Hoc ModePKT Directory containing DOS packet driver filesAWCP45C.COM DOS based packet driverAWCPKT.INI The required configuration file for the Packet driver. The AWCPKT.INI file on the diskette has sample entries for operation in Infrastructure Mode.AWCPKT.AHC Sample AWCPKT.INI file with entries for Ad Hoc Mode.

Drivers for Special Installations19NDIS3 (PC4500) Directory containing NDIS3 driver filesPC4500.INF WIN95/98 install filePC4500.SYS NDIS3 driverPC4500.DLL NDIS3 libraryVXD4500.VXD Virtual device driver for Aironet WinDGS utilityOEMSETUP.INF WIN NT install fileODI Directory containing ODI driver filesAWCO45C.COM PC4500 DOS based ODI driverNET.CFG The required configuration file for ODI. The NET.CFG file on the drive diskette contains sample entries for operation in Infrastructure Mode.NDIS3 (PC4800) Directory containing NDIS3 driver filesPC4800.INF WIN95 install filePC4800.SYS NDIS3 driverPC4800.DLL NDIS3 libraryVXD4800.VXD Virtual device driver for Aironet WinDGS utilityOEMSETUP.INF WIN NT install fileODI Directory containing ODI driver filesAWCO45C.COM PC4800 DOS based ODI driverNET.CFG The required configuration file for ODI. The NET.CFG file on the drive diskette contains sample entries for operation in Infrastructure Mode.

$Drivers for Special Installations20Windows for Workgroups NDIS2 Installation1. Turn on your computer and start Windows for Work-groups.2. Go to the Network program group and click on NetworkSet-Up.3. Under Network Setup, choose Networks.....4. Under Networks, choose Install Microsoft Windows Network. Select OK.5. Under Network Setup, choose Drivers....6. Under Network Drivers, choose Add Adapters.7. If the drivers were already copied to the hard disk, they will be displayed in the list.8. Under Add Adapter, choose the appropriate Aironet Adapter. If it is not on the menu list, choose Unlisted or Updated Network Driver. The Install Driver pop up window will ask you for the Aironet driver disk.9. Place the driver disk in drive A. 10. Type A:\NDIS2\ at the prompt and press Enter.11. Choose the correct Aironet Adapter and click OK.12. If the chosen adapter is displayed in the Network Drivers, click on Setup.13. Select the appropriate parameters, such as Infrastruc-ture Mode, SSID, Channel, and Bitrate.14. Exit Windows for Workgroups.15. To modify the PC Card system parameters, edit the PROTOCOL.INI file in the Windows directory.16. Reboot your computer.$

$Drivers for Special Installations21DOS NDIS2 InstallationThe Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter can be installed in a NetBIOS compliant DOS environment such as MicroSoft LAN Manager or PC LAN.The installation of this driver includes creating or editing a configuration file (PROTOCOL.INI). PROTOCOL.INI must contain the following lines:Table 2.2 - Minimum PROTOCOL.INI Driver SettingsAdditional variables defined in the following section may also be used.1. Power on your computer.2. Copy the \NDIS2\AWC2N45C.DOS from the Aironet Device Driver diskette to the directory containing the network files.3. Copy the PROTOCOL.INI file to the network directory or merge statements from the Aironet supplied file into your existing PROTOCOL.INI file.4. Modify the CONFIG.SYS file. After the line containing: Device=PROTMAN.DOS, add Device=[drive:] [path] AWC2N45C.DOS.Infrastructure Mode Ad Hoc Mode[AW2N45C] [AW2N45C]DRIVERNAME=AWC2N45C$ DRIVERNAME=AWC2N45C$If INFRASTRUCTURE is omitted the default will be “ON”INFRASTRUCTURE = “NO”SSID = “your_SSID_here”SSID = “your_SSID_here”CHANNEL = <channel>$

Drivers for Special Installations225. To modify the PC Card system parameters, edit the PROTOCOL.INI file in the network directory. For a list of parameters which can be modified, see Table 2.2.6. Reboot your computer.

$Drivers for Special Installations23DOS Packet Driver InstallationThe installation of this driver includes creating or editing a configuration file (AWCPKT.INI). This file must contain the following lines:Table 2.3 - Minimum AWCPKT.INI Driver SettingsAdditional variables defined in the following section may also be used.The Wireless LAN Adapter can be installed in a DOS environment using DOS IP stack products such as FTP software.1. Power on your computer.2. Copy the \PKT\AWCP45C.COM file from the Aironet Device Driver diskette to the directory containing the network files.3. Copy the AWCPKT.INI file from the Aironet Device Driver diskette to the directory containing the Packet driver.4. If you would like to modify the PC Card system parame-ters, edit the AWCPKT.INI file. For a list of parameters which can be modified, see Table 3.3.Infrastructure Mode Ad Hoc Mode[AWCPKT] [AWCPKT]If INFRASTRUCTURE is omit-ted the default will be “ON”INFRASTRUCTURE = “NO”SSID = “your_SSID_here”SSID = “your_SSID_here”CHANNEL = <channel>$

Drivers for Special Installations245. Load the driver by typing AWCP45C [-cinuw] <int_number> at the DOS prompt (i.e. AWCP45C 0x65) and press Enter.NOTE: To unload the driver, type AWCP45C –u <int_number> (i.e. AWCP45C –u 0x65).6. Load the DOS IP stack.

$Drivers for Special Installations25ODI Driver InstallationThe PC Card can be installed in an ODI compliant DOS environment such as Novell NetWare.Table 2.4 - Minimum NET.CFG Driver Settings1. Power on your computer.2. Copy the \ODI\AWCO45C.COM driver from the Aironet Driver diskette to the directory containing the network files.3. Copy the \ODI\NET.CFG file from the Aironet Driver dis-kette or merge the Aironet supplied NET.CFG file into your existing NET.CFG file in the network directory.4. Modify the PC Card system parameters by editing the NET.CFG file. For a list of parameters which can be modified, see Table 3.4.5. Run the batch files created by the NetWare installation disks or manually load the driver from AUTOEXEC.BAT or the command line. This can be done by running LSL, followed by AWCO45C, IPXODI, and NETX or VLM.Infrastructure ModeLink Driver AWCO45CIf INFRASTRUCTURE is omitted the default will be “ON”SSID = “your_SSID_here”CHANNEL = <channel> (only required in ad hoc mode)$

Drivers for Special Installations26General Information•AWCPKT.INI file must have a section header of [AWCPKT].•PROTOCOL.INI file can have any section header, but the section must contain the keyword and parameter DRIVERNAME=ìAWC2N45C$î.•NET.CFG file must have a section header of [Link Driver AWCO45C].NOTE: These lines may appear anywhere within a section. Only the sections that contain these lines will be parsed.•Multiple sections are supported.•Blank lines are supported.•Comments begin with semi-colon and may appear any-where on a line.•Keywords can be upper or lower case and may be sur-rounded by white space if desired.•Any parameter that begins with “0x” will be assumed to be hexadecimal. Any parameter that begins with a digit (excluding the “0x” case) will be assumed to be deci-mal. Any parameter that begins with quotes will be assumed to be a quoted string parameter. Any other parameter will be assumed to be an unquoted string parameter.•For PROTOCOL.INI string parameters, double quotes are required around the string if the string contains any special characters.NOTE: PROTOCOL.INI does not support some of the white space characters in a quoted string. If a string begins with an alphabetic character and contains no special characters, the quotes may be omitted.

Drivers for Special Installations27•For Packet string parameters, the string can be enclosed with double quotes or single quotes. If a string is quoted, any character except a “null” and the quote delimiter itself can occur between the quotes.NOTE: If double quotes are used for a delimiter, a single quote may appear in the string, and vise versa. If the string begins with an alphabetic character and contains no special characters, the quotes may be omitted.•For numeric parameters, the value can be hexadecimal or decimal. Hexadecimal numbers must be preceded with the characters “0x” but all characters can be upper or lower case.•Mac address parameters are parsed as string parame-ters, therefore, the addresses must be enclosed in sin-gle or double quotes. NOTE: The MAC address cannot be a multicast address.

Drivers for Special Installations28Driver Keywords and SettingsThe default PC Card configuration is set to: •Constant Awake Mode•Infrastructure Mode – This allows association with any Aironet Access Point matching the SSID supplied by the user•The factory supplied network address•Receive directed packets to this address as well as multicasts and broadcasts•Retry data packets up to 16 times before discarding the frame•Retry RTS sequence up to 16 times before discarding the frame•RTS exchange on all frames greater than 300 bytes•Fragment frames longer than 700 bytes•Kill fragmented transmit packets if not delivered in 5 seconds•Kill fragmented receive frames if not complete after 10 seconds•Active scanning with 3 Kµsec energy detect time and 20 Kµsec probe response wait timeout•Re-scan if eight beacons are consecutively missed•Send an Access Point keep-alive message every 10 seconds

Drivers for Special Installations29The following tables contain keywords and parameter set-tings common to both the NDIS2 PROTOCOL.INI, ODI NET.CFG, and the PKT AWCPKT.INI configuration files.Basic system operation can be adjusted with the following parameters.Table 2.5 - General Network KeywordsKeywords Value DescriptionINFRASTRUCTURE ON, YESOFF, NO Optional – specifies whether system operation uses an infrastructure or peer-to-peer/ad hoc network (default is ON, YES).SSID 1 to 32 character string This parameter must match the SSID of the system for proper operation.NODENAME 1 to 16 character string Optional – specifies a readable name for the station.NETADDRESS Any IEEE MAC address except broadcast and multicastOptional – this setting allows for locally administered MAC addresses by overriding the unique MAC ID on the PC Card.NODE ADDRESS Same as NETADDRESS (keyword only valid in NET.CFG file).RXMODE NORMAL,UNICAST,NOMULTICASTOptional – this setting determines what frames are delivered to the driver from the PC Card (default is NORMAL). NORMAL indicates unicast, multicast and broadcast frames are received.DATARATE1 0-255 Optional – specified in increasing speed to identify the network configuration to associate to (default is 1_2 [4500] or 1_11 [4800]).DATARATE2 0-255 Optional – specified in increasing speed to identify the network configuration to associate to.

Drivers for Special Installations30Network performance can be optimized with the following variables.Table 2.6 - Advanced Network KeywordsKeywords Value DescriptionLONGRETRYLIMIT 0 – 255 Optional – specifies the number of times an unfragmented packet will be retried before the packet is dropped and a transmit error is reported to driver (default is 16).SHORTRETRYLIMIT 0 – 255 Optional – specifies the number of times that a fragmented packet will be retried to gain access before a packet is dropped and a transmit error is reported to the driver (default is 16).RTSTHRESHOLD 0 – 2312 Optional – specifies the minimum frame size, in bytes, for which RTS/CTS delivery will be used. Packets longer than this value will be deliv-ered using RTS/CTS handshaking (default is 300).TXMSDULIFETIME 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – specifies the maximum time to attempt packet delivery (default is 5,000 Kµsec [5 seconds]).RXMSDULIFETIME 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – specifies the maximum time for receiving a fragmented packet (default is 10,000 Kµsec [10 seconds]).TXPOWERLEVEL 0 – 100 Optional – selects the next highest programmed power level for trans-mit in mW.RXDIVERSITY DEFAULT, ON,RIGHT, LEFT Optional – specifies the receive diversity method to be used by the PC Card (default is on).TXDIVERSITY DEFAULT, ON,RIGHT, LEFT Optional – specifies the transmit diversity method to be used by the PC Card (default is on).

Drivers for Special Installations31Additional system performance adjustments can be made with the following group of variables.Table 2.7 - Fragmentation KeywordsKeywords Value DescriptionFRAGTHRESHOLD 256 – 2312 (must be even) Optional – specifies the fragmenta-tion size in bytes. Frames longer than this value will be transmitted using multiple packets (default is 700).

Drivers for Special Installations32The Wireless LAN Adapter power management can be adjusted with the following group of variables.Table 2.8 - Power Management KeywordsKeywords Value DescriptionPOWERSAVEMODE CAM, PSP, FASTPSP Optional – specifies a particular operational mode (default is CAM).CAM = Constant Awake ModePSP = Power Save ModeFASTPSP = Fast Power Save ModeNote: In Ad Hoc Mode, ATIMDU-RATION must also be set.ATIMDURATION Between 0 and less than the beacon interval.Optional – ad hoc/IBSS only – spec-ifies the length of time in Kµsec for ATIMs following a beacon (this value must be non-zero for PSP ad hoc operation. 0 is Constant Awake Mode (default is 5).This value is only used when start-ing a new network. When joining a network, the value currently in use will be adopted.SLEEPFORDTIM ON, OFF Optional – infrastructure with PSP or Fast PSP Modes only – if ON, the node is allowed to sleep through DTIMs for extra power saving. Broadcast and multicast traffic may be missed (default is OFF).LISTENTIME 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – infrastructure with PSP or Fast PSP Modes only – deter-mines how often to awaken for bea-cons. Note that the PC Card will always awaken to receive DTIMs when in PSP Mode, unless sleep for DTIMs is set (default is 200 Kµsec [200 ms]).

Drivers for Special Installations33Table 2.8 - Power Management Keywords (Continued)Keywords Value DescriptionFASTLISTENTIME 0 – 0xFFFF Determines how often to awaken for beacons. Note that the PC Card will always awaken to receive DTIMs when in Fastpsp Mode (default is 100 Kµsec).LISTENDECAY 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – infrastructure with PSP or Fast PSP Modes only – rate at which the listen interval grows. The number of times to use the current listen interval before doubling it. Listen interval will begin at FASTLINSTENTIME and eventu-ally decay to LISTENTIME (default is 2).FASTLISTENDELAY 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – infrastructure with PSP or Fast PSP Modes only – time to delay immediately after a transmis-sion before beginning atFASTLISTENTIME (default is 200 Kµsec).

Drivers for Special Installations34Additional system performance adjustments can be made with the following group of variables.Table 2.9 - Scanning KeywordsKeywords Value DescriptionSCANMODE ACTIVE,PASSIVE,ADVANCEDOptional – parameter to determine the current scanning mode to be used by the PC Card (default is ACTIVE).BEACONLISTENTO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – for passive scanning mode, determines the amount of time (Kµsec) to listen for a beacon on each channel (default is 40 Kµsec).PROBEENERGYTO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – for active scanning mode, determines the amount of time to lis-ten for RF energy following a probe (default is 3 Kµsec).PROBERESPON-SETO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – for active scanning mode, determines the amount of time to wait for a probe response after energy is detected on a channel (default is 20 Kµsec).STATIONARY ON, OFF,YES, NO Optional – indicates whether or not the station is mobile (default is OFF).PROBEDELAY 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – indicates how long to wait on a frequency before sending a probe request (default is 3 Kµsec).OFFSCANINTERVAL 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – how often to attempt to use the “off line” scanning method to search for new Access Points (default is 0 which disables off line scanning).OFFSCANDURATION 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – how long to use the “off line” scanning method during each attempt (default is 0 which disables off line scanning).

Drivers for Special Installations35Additional system performance adjustments can be made with the following parameters.Table 2.10 - Infrastructure KeywordsKeywords Value DescriptionSSID 1 to 32 charac-ter string This parameter must match the SSID of the system for proper infra-structure operation.BEACONLOSTTIME 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – determines the interval of consecutively missed beacons which will cause a re-scan (default is 500 Kµsec).REFRESHINTERVAL 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – determines the amount of time in seconds between refresh packets to the Access Point. Use 0xFFFF to disable (default is 10,000 Kµsec [10 sec]).SPECIFIEDAP Any IEEE MAC address except broadcast and multicastOptional – forces association to the specified Access Point.SPECIFIEDAP2 Any IEEE MAC address except broadcast and multicastOptional – forces association to one of the specified Access Points.SPECIFIEDAP3 Any IEEE MAC address except broadcast and multicastOptional – forces association to one of the specified Access Points.SPECIFIEDAP4 Any IEEE MAC address except broadcast and multicastOptional – forces association to one of the specified Access Points.

Drivers for Special Installations36Table 2.10 - Infrastructure Keywords (Continued)Keywords Value DescriptionSPECIFIEDAPTO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – time in Kµsec to attempt to associate to a specified Access Point before searching for any avail-able Access Points (with matching SSID) (default is 10,000 Kµsec [10 sec]).AUTHTIMEOUT 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – time to attempt to authen-ticate to an Access Point (default is 2,000 Kµsec [2 sec]).AUTHTYPE OFF, OPEN,HAREDKEY,ENCRYPTONLYOptional – determines the level of security of the wireless network (default is OPEN).ASSOCIATIONTO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – indicates the maximum amount of time the client will wait for a response to an association request from the Access Point (default is 2,000 Kµsec [2 sec]).

Drivers for Special Installations37Ad hoc system operation is accomplished with the following group of variables.Table 2.11 - Ad Hoc KeywordsKeywords Value DescriptionJOINNETTO 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – determines the amount of time that an ad hoc station will scan before starting its own network (default is 10,000 Kµsec [10 sec]).BEACONPERIOD 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – specifies the beaconing interval in Kµsec. (default is 100 Kµsec).DSCHANNEL 0-14 Optional – this parameter is valid only for a node that starts a network. This is the channel identifier specify-ing the frequency to communicate on. For all other nodes, the radio will scan for the proper frequency. Default is 0, which will cause the radio to pick a default channel appropriate for its programmed carrier set. Any other value (1-14) will be validated against the programmed carrier set and rejected if invalid.ATIMDURATION Between 0 and less than the beacon intervalAd hoc only – specifies the length of time for ATIMs following a beacon (this value must be non-zero for PSP ad hoc operation) (default is 5).This value is only used when start-ing a new network. When joining a network, the value currently in use will be adopted.

Drivers for Special Installations38The following is a list of keywords that will control the host system hardware resources the Aironet 4000 Series Wire-less LAN Adapter requires. NOTE: At a minimum, the PC Card requires 64 consecutive 16-bit I/O ports, one non-sharable Interrupt and one PC Card type II slot.If you are using card services, these resources will be assigned for you. However, you may override the card ser-vices resource assignments by including the PortBase and/or INT/IRQ keywords in the appropriate configuration file.If you are not using card services, your host system must have an Intel 82365 or compatible PC Card controller chip. The 4000 Series driver will then configure the PC Card controller chip directly and each of the following parameters should be specified in your configuration file.

Drivers for Special Installations39Table 2.12 - PC Card KeywordsKeywords Value DescriptionPORTBASE 0 – 0xFFFF Optional – specifies the starting address for a block of 64 consecu-tive 16-bit I/O ports. Make sure the block of I/O addresses does not overlap the address of another device in the machine. This can be used to override a card service assignment. If card services are not used, this will default to 0x140. PORT Only valid in NET.CFG file (same as PORTBASE).INT 2-15 Optional – specifies the hardware interrupt the PC Card will use. The Interrupt must be unique (i.e. not used by another device in the machine). This can be used to over-ride a card service assignment. If card services are not used, this will default to 11.IRQ Same as INT.SOCKET 0-7 Optional – If card services are used, this keyword is ignored. If card ser-vices are not used, this is the PC Card socket the PC Card is inserted into (default is 0).MEMORY 0xC000 – 0xDF00 Optional – If card services are used, this keyword is ignored. If card ser-vices are not used, this is a block of memory the driver will use to view the PC Card CIS (default is 0xD000). In the NET.CFG file the parameter is D0000, not 0xD000.MEM Same as MEMORY.

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities41Section 3Using the WinDGS UtilitiesWinDGS is used to perform user level diagnostics on your Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Card in the Windows 95, 98, or Windows NT operating system environment. WinDGS Commands MenuThe Commands Menu includes:•Select Card• Load New Firmware• Edit Properties•Statistics•Status•Link Test• Site Survey• Radio Off/On•ExitSelect CardThis allows another installed Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Card to be chosen. The property screens will change to reflect the parameters specific to each card type.Load New FirmwareThe firmware is contained in the card’s flash memory. Flash memory allows for easy updating of the firmware as neces-sary.

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities42Upgrading Firmware for Windows 95 or Windows 98The WinDGS program is used to load new firmware. To load new firmware:1. Make sure the PC Card is up and running.2. Select Commands.3. Select Load New Firmware.4. Select Look In....Use the drop down button to select the appropriate path and image file.5. Select Open. This will flash the card with the selected image.Upgrading Firmware for Windows 3.11 and DOSThe FLSH3545.COM program is used to load new firmware to systems operating under DOS and Windows 3.11.To load new firmware:1. Before upgrading the firmware, uninstall the driver or reboot the computer and do not load the driver during the boot process.2. Type FLSH3545 at the DOS prompt.3. Enter the option (see Table below).NOTE: If using card and socket services, no options should be required.

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities434. Type the filename of the new firmware.5. Press Enter.Edit PropertiesWinDGS allows you to change the configuration parame-ters of your currently installed Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter. See “Using Edit Properties” on page 3-49 for details on this command.StatisticsThe Statistics screen shows the current statistics from the PC Card. Statistics are updated at the rate specified by the Screen Update Timer. Clear the current statistics by clicking on Reset. Exit the Statistics screen by clicking on OK, or by clicking on the X in the upper right hand corner of the dialog box.StatusThe Status screen shows the current status from the PC Card. Status is updated at the rate specified by the Screen Update Timer. Exit the Status screen by clicking on OK, or Utility Description-p Specifies the starting address for a block of 64 consecutive 16-bit I/O ports. Make sure the block of I/O addresses does not overlap the address of another device in the machine. This can be used to override a card service assignment. If card services are not used, this will default to 0x140. -s Optional – If card services are used, this parameter is ignored. If card services are not used, this is the PC Card socket the PC Card is inserted into (default is 0).-m If card services are used, this parameter is ignored. If card services are not used, this is a block of memory the driver will use to view the PC Card CIS (default is 0xD000). -q Quiet Mode, no messages will appear while flash upgrade is in progress.

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities44by clicking on the X in the upper right hand corner of the dialog box.Link TestYou can use WinDGS to assess the performance of RF links. TCP/IP protocol must be installed on your system to run this link test. See the Windows 95/98/NT Help section for more information on installing and setting up TCP/IP. An IP address must also be configured for the Access Point.1. From the link test command menu, enter the following parameters:• IP address of Aironet Access Point:This parameter specifies the IP address of the Access Point with which you want to test the RF link. Set this value before running the link test. •Number of Packets:This parameter specifies the number of packets the link test will attempt to send. The display will show the number of packets of the specified size that are successfully transmitted and received. This parame-ter is ignored if Continuous Link Test is selected.•Packet Size:This parameter specifies the size of the data packet to be sent to the Aironet Access Point. Be aware that the TCP/IP stack that comes with Windows 95 will fragment packets greater than 512 bytes. Therefore, the number of packets transmitted will not match the number of packets received (even if none are lost) if the packet size is greater than 512 bytes.•Continuous Link Test:Selecting this item causes the link test to run contin-uously until Stop, OK, or Cancel is selected. The Number of Packets parameter is ignored if Continu-ous Link Test is selected.2. Once the parameters have been entered, click on the Start button at the bottom of the dialog box to start the

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities45link test. When the link test is running, necessary statis-tics will be displayed and updated periodically.3. To stop the link test, click on Stop, OK, or Cancel at the bottom of the dialog box. Once the link test has sent the number of packets specified, the Stop button will toggle back to a Start button.Using Windows 3.11 or DOS to Perform a Link Test Using TelnetTo perform the link test using a telnet session:1. Install the drivers.2. Configure the drivers for network operation.3. Ensure unique IP assignments of mobile/portable PC Card devices and Aironet Access Point.4. Set up an Aironet Access Point for the intended operation (set fragmentation thresholds, RTS thresholds, etc.)5. Start the operating system on the mobile station.6. Configure the adapter.7. Make sure the mobile station is associated to the Aironet Access Point.8. Start a telnet session on the mobile station to the Aironet Access Point. Depending on the system in use, the telnet application may have logging and note taking capability. If so, enable these modes.9. Navigate through the Aironet Access Point menu to the link test option. See the appropriate Access Point Technical Reference Manual for more infor-mation.10. Set up the test options to accurately model the system.11. Set the test for continuous operation with a 1 second delay.12. Begin traversing the area around the Aironet Access Point to determine its coverage. If logging

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities46and notes are not possible with the telnet applica-tion, maintain a manual log. The telnet session packets are interspersed with test packets which may increase the round-trip time for some frames. The link test will show progress changes as the test is being conducted.The first-time delivery success rate for the packet may not be important for transaction-based systems, and can result in a slightly larger range. Using longer packets can provide some degree of safety margin in the range estimate.NOTE: Roundtrip time will be effected by the telnet session maintenance.Using Windows 95 or Windows 98 to Perform a Link TestYou may use either:•Telnet•The link test or site survey commands in WinDGS•LinkscopeSite SurveyTo perform a meaningful site survey, you need to conduct a test that will accurately model the intended use of the sys-tem. It is important to perform a site survey using equipment which is similar to the equipment that will be implemented. Common survey items include:•Transmit power•Antenna type(s)•Antenna location(s)•Packet (fragment) size•InterferenceYou should always conduct a site survey with all variables

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities47set to the operational values. You should also try to perform the survey during the time the RF link will generally be func-tioning with all other systems and noise sources opera-tional. For efficiency, you should execute the site survey application entirely from the mobile station.The link test tool helps determine the RF network coverage. The results of the link test will help eliminate low RF signal level areas that can result in loss of connection between the PC Card and the Aironet Access Point.It is important to remember the information being displayed is from the Aironet Access Point’s viewpoint. Therefore, packets sent are from the Aironet Access Point to the PC Card client. Packets received are from the PC Card to the Aironet Access Point. Signal quality is an estimate of the signal strength recorded at the time of packet reception by the radio.Note: If your Wireless LAN Adapter contains new firmware, you can use WinDGS’s Active Mode Survey. See “Using the Site Survey Active Mode Feature” on page 3-57 for details.The Overall Link Quality rating on the Site Survey window indicates the ability of the Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter to successfully communicate with an Access Point. Ratings are Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor. The rating is derived from the Current Signal Strength (PC4500/PC4800) and Current Signal Quality. •Excellent: Both values are greater than 75%•Good: Both values are greater than 40%, but one or both are less than 75%•Fair: Both values are greater than 20% but one or both are less than 40%•Poor: One or both values are less than 20%

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities48Radio Off/OnRadio Off/On allows you to selectively turn off or on the power to the radio. Turning the radio off prevents all RF energy from being transmitted by the PC Card.ExitCloses all windows and exits WinDGS.Options MenuThe Options Menu includes:•Preferences•Core Dump•NDIS Driver Core DumpPreferences The WinDGS Preferences allow you to customize various parameters that control the operation of WinDGS. For example, you can set the rate at which the values are updated in the status and statistics screens via the Screen Update Timer. You can also set the Save Properties Options, which controls what is done with changes to the current settings.Screen Update Timer The Screen Update Timer controls how often the statistics and status screens are updated. The screen can be updated in one second increments, from once a second to once every 60 seconds. The default is once every five sec-onds. You can use either the edit box or the slider to change this value.

$Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities49Status Bar Options Use the Status Bar Options to include seconds on the clock display on the WinDGS main screen.Core Dump Core Dump allows you to perform a core dump of the Wire-less LAN Adapter’s firmware. Enter file names for core dumps 1 and 2, or accept the defaults (C:\Aironet\Win-DGS4_07\Core4800.1 and Core4800.2). Click the Do Core Dump button to perform the dump.NDIS Driver Core Dump NDIS Driver Core Dump allows you to perform a core dump of the Wireless LAN Adapter’s drivers. Enter a file name for the core dump, or accept the default (C:\Aironet\Win-DGS4_07\Core4800.cor). Click the Do Core Dump button to perform the dump.Using Edit PropertiesThe Edit Proper-ties screen, which you access from the Commands menu, includes four “pages,” which you select by clicking the tabs at the top of the window:•System Parameters• Network Parameters$

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities50•RF Network Parameters•Advanced (Infrastructure or Ad Hoc)Each sub-screen is described below.System ParametersSystem parameters include:•Name•SSID•Network Type (Infrastructure or Ad Hoc)•Constant Awake Mode (CAM)•Power Save Mode•Fast Power Save Mode•Maximum Power Save ModeNameThe station name is displayed in the table of connected devices on the Access Point. It provides a logical name to determine which machines are connected without having to memorize every MAC address. The name can be up to 16 characters.SSIDThe Service Set Identifier (SSID) controls access to a given wireless network. This value MUST match the SSID of any/all Access Points that you want to commu-nicate with. If the value does not match, access to the system is not granted. The SSID can be up to 32 char-acters (case sensitive).Network type (Infrastructure Mode)This mode is used to set up a connection to a wired network, such as Ethernet or Token Ring. This mode requires an Access Point to gain access to the wired network.

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities51Network type (Ad Hoc Mode)This mode is used to set up a small, temporary network between two or more computers. For example, you might set up an ad hoc network between computers in a conference room so users can share information in a meeting.Constant Awake Mode (CAM)Constant Awake Mode is the normal mode for desktop machines or other machines where power consumption is not an issue. It keeps the radio powered up continu-ously so there is little latency for responding to messages. This mode is recommended for devices where high availability is desired.Power Save ModePower Save Mode is recommended for devices where power consumption is a major concern, such as small battery powered devices. If the client node is powered from an AC line, PSP should not be used. Power Save Mode causes the Access Point to buffer incoming mes-sages. The Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter must wake up periodically and poll the Access Point to see if there are any buffered messages waiting. The PC Card can request each message and then go back to sleep.Fast Power Save ModeFast Power Save Mode (Fast PSP Mode) switches between PSP and CAM based on network traffic. When retrieving a high number of packets, Fast PSP Mode will switch to CAM to retrieve the packets. Once the packets are retrieved, it switches back to PSP.Maximum Power Save ModeMaximum Power Save Mode (Max PSP Mode) can only be used in conjunction with PS or Fast PSP Modes.This mode allows the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities52Adapter to conserve the most power while still main-taining an infrastructure connection. Using Max PSP Mode conserves power but will reduce throughput.Network ParametersUser modifiable parameters are limited to the choice of MAC Address:•Factory MAC Address: This is the default MAC address which is guaranteed to be unique. Unless you have a very good reason to define your own MAC address, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you use the factory MAC address.•User Defined MAC Address: If you must define your own MAC address, you can enter it here. If you do not use a unique value, you may not be able to communi-cate to your wired network or you may disrupt other net-work devices. For this reason, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you use the factory MAC address. The MAC address is 12 hexadecimal digits. You do not need to use delimiters, but you can use spaces or the colon character.RF Network ParametersRF Network Parameters include:•Fragment Threshold: This parameter defines a thresh-old above which the RF packet will be split up or frag-mented. If a packet is fragmented or transmission of part of it is interfered with, only the portion that was unsuccessful would need to be re-sent. The throughput will generally be lower for fragmented packets since the fixed packet overhead consumes a higher portion of the RF bandwidth.•Data Retries: This parameter defines the number of times a packet will be re-sent if the initial transmission is unsuccessful. If the network protocol automatically re-tries itself, set this to a small value. A “bad” packet sta-

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities53tus will be sent up the protocol stack more quickly so the application can re-transmit the packet.•Basic Data Rate: This parameter determines the data rate used to transfer all management frames by the cli-ent device when associated within a given Basic Ser-vice Set (BSS). When operating in Infrastructure Mode, this parameter should be set to correspond to the Access Point setting. When operating in Ad Hoc Mode, all stations should have the same setting. •Authentication type: This parameter controls the vali-dation of the WEP Key. Shared Key Authentication vali-dates that the client is using the same WEP Key as the Access Point. The Access Point sends a known, un-encrypted “challenge packet” to the client. The client then encrypts the challenge packet and sends it back to the Access Point. The Access Point then attempts to decrypt the encrypted challenge packet, and sends an Authentication response packet indicating the success or failure of the decryption back to the client. Open Authentication does not check for a matching WEP Key. The Shared Key selection is not available if the cli-ent’s WEP Key is not set.•Modulation: This parameter determines the type of radio modulation that the Wireles LAN Adapter uses at the 5.5 Mbps and 11 Mbps data rates. Older versions of firmware use MOK modulation, while newer firmware versions use the IEEE 802.11 Standard CCK modula-tion. The modulation that the PC4800 uses must match the modulation of the Access Point (in an Infrastructure Mode configuration) or other Wireless LAN Adapters (in an Ad Hoc Mode configuration). Otherwise, the radio will not communicate with the other devices.Model Allowable Selections4500 1 Mbps or 2 Mbps4800 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, or 11 Mbps

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities54•Supported Data Rates: This parameter specifies the data rates that will be supported by a given radio device in the BSS.Advanced (Infrastructure)The following parameters are contained in both the Infra-structure and Ad Hoc Modes:•Antenna Mode•Specified Access Point•RTS Threshold•RTS Retry LimitAntenna ModeThree options are available for the type of antenna you have connected to the Aironet 4000 Series Wireless LAN Adapter:•Antenna Diversity: This allows the PC Card to use the stronger signal from the two antenna ports. Diversity can help the radio maintain the RF connection in areas of interference. Due to the nature of how RF signals are affected by the surroundings, one antenna may be in an RF “null” where the signal is very weak, but the other antenna (even though it is only a small distance away) may have a stronger signal strength. The PC Card would automatically select the antenna that has the highest signal strength. Antenna Diversity is the recommended setting for the standard Snap-On antenna.Model Allowable Selections4500 1 Mbps, 1_2 Mbps, or 2 Mbps4800 1 Mbps, 1_2 Mbps, 1_5.5 Mbps, 1_11 Mbps2 Mbps, 2_5.5 Mbps, 2_11 Mbps,5.5 Mbps, 5.5_11 Mbps, or 11 Mbps

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities55•Right Antenna Only (J1): Choose this option if the antenna you are using is connected to the right hand antenna port and you are not using the standard Snap-On antenna. The PC Card will not attempt to communicate using the left hand antenna port since no antenna is connected to it.•Left Antenna Only (J2): Choose this option if the antenna you are using is connected to the left hand antenna port and you are not using the standard Snap-On antenna. This tells the PC Card not to attempt to communicate using the right hand antenna port since no antenna is connected to it.Specified Access PointThis parameter is the MAC address of the preferred Access Point you want to associate with. It is important to note that if you specify the Access Point, you MAY associate to another Access Point if the Specified Access Point is not found. If you roam out of range, you will probably associate with another Access Point. Setting a Specified Access Point will slow down the roaming process. Thus, for normal operation for the majority of users, leave this field blank.RTS ThresholdThis parameter controls what size data packet the low level RF protocol issues to an RTS packet. There are several trade-offs to consider when setting this parameter. Setting this parameter to a small value causes RTS packets to be sent more often, consuming more of the available bandwidth, therefore reducing the apparent throughput of other network packets. How-ever, the more often RTS packets are sent, the quicker the system can recover from interference or collisions. Refer to the IEEE 802.11 Standard for more information on the RTS/CTS mechanism.

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities56RTS Retry LimitThis parameter controls the number of times the PC Card will re-send the RTS packet if it does not receive a CTS from the previously sent RTS packet. Setting this to a large value will decrease the available bandwidth whenever interference is encountered, but will make the system more immune to interference and collisions. Refer to the IEEE 802.11 Standard for more information on the RTS/CTS mechanism.Advanced (Ad Hoc/IBSS)In Ad Hoc Mode, you can also modify the following parameters:•Channel•Beacon Period•Wake DurationChannelThis parameter specifies the channel identifier the unit will use if it must start its own network. For all other situ-ations, the radio will scan for the proper frequency. See Appendix C for channel identifier parameters.Beacon PeriodThis parameter specifies the duration between beacon packets that are used by IEEE 802.11 systems to synchronize the “hops” (change to another frequency). The beacon packet contains timing information and hop pattern information that is broadcast over the airwaves. Any station that can hear the beacon packet can then synchronize their internal timer so that it can hop at the correct time. The default beacon period is one-half of the dwell period so two beacons are transmitted per hop dwell period (default is 100 Kµsec). Refer to the IEEE 802.11 Standard for more information on the timing and scanning mechanism.

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities57Wake DurationThis parameter specifies the amount of time per Hop Dwell Period that the adapter stays awake listening for data packets. This is only used in Power Save Mode.Using the Site Survey Active Mode FeatureIf your PC4800 Wireless LAN Adapter contains the latest firmware, and if you have the latest drivers on your system, you can use the Site Survey Active Mode feature to set up a customized link test.When you select Site Survey from the Commands menu and click the Setup but-ton at the bot-tom of the window, the Setup window appears. Each setting is described below.Destina-tion MAC AddressThis parameter specifies the Access Point that will be involved in the test. The default is the MAC address of the AP the Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter is currently associ-ated with.

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities58Continuous Link TestIf you click this check box, the Active Mode test will run repeatedly until you press the OK or Stop buttons on the Site Survey page. (The test will loop repeatedly for the num-ber of packets you specify on the Number of Packets set-ting.)Destination is Another Aironet DeviceClick this check box if the Access Point you named in the Destination MAC Address field is an Aironet Access Point. Number of PacketsThis parameter sets the quantity of packets that will be sent during the test.Packet SizeThis parameter sets the size of the packets that will be sent during the test. You should use a packet size that will be typical during normal use of the system. Data RetriesThis parameter sets the number of times a transmission will be retried if an ACK is not returned by the destination device. Click None for no retries, or Default Retries for the firmware’s default value for retries.Data RatesThis parameter sets the bit rate at which packets will be transmitted. No rate shifting will occur during the test.

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities59Delay Between PacketsThis parameter sets the delay (in milliseconds) between successive transmissions.Packet Tx TypeThis parameter sets the packet type that will be used during the test. If you select Unicast, the system will expect an ACK back from the destination, and retries can occur. If you select Multicast, no packet retries will occur during the test.Packet Success ThresholdThis parameter controls the red line on the “Percent Suc-cessful” histogram. Percentages greater than or equal to this value will show up as green bars, while percentages below this value will show up as yellow bars on the Percent Successful histogram.

Section 3: Using the WinDGS Utilities60Using the Linkscope UtilityThe Linkscope utility provides a graphical display of:•Signal Quality•Signal StrengthLinkscope determines the performance of the RF link between a PC Card and an Aironet Access Point. Any Win-dows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT unit associated to an Airo-net Access Point can run the linkscope test.Signal strength is dis-played along the verti-cal axis of the graphical display. Signal quality is displayed along the horizontal axis. The combined result is represented by a diagonal line. The Aironet Access Point associating with the PC Card is indicated along the bottom of the display as well as its MAC address. For more information on the Airo-net Access Point testing procedures, see the appropri-ate Access Point Technical Reference Manual.

Error Messages and Troubleshooting61Section 4Error Messages and Trouble-shootingThe Wireless LAN Adapter provides LED messages and error codes. This section provides the general procedures for correcting common problems encountered when installing the PC Card system.Indicator LEDsThe PC Card has two indicator LEDs (green and amber) on the face of the card.The green indicator is the Link Integrity/Power LED. It lights when the card is receiving power and flashes slowly when the PC Card is linked with the network.The amber indicator is the Link Activity LED. It flashes when the PC Card is receiving or transmitting data or in a pattern to indicate an error condition.See Tables 4.1 and 4.2 for an explanation of the LED Messages.

Error Messages and Troubleshooting62Table 4.1 – Green LED Operating MessagesTable 4.2 – Amber LED Operating MessagesGreen LED ConditionOff No power or errorFlashing Quickly Power on, self-test OK, scanning for networkFlashing Slowly Associated with an infrastructure networkAmber LED Green LED ConditionFlashing Continuously on or flashing slowly PC Card is transmitting or receiving data while associated with an Access PointFlashing in a Pattern Continuously on Indicates an error condition

Error Messages and Troubleshooting63If Your Radio Fails to Establish Contact• Change your location or the location of the antenna by a few feet and try again.• Make sure the antenna is securely attached.• Make sure the PC Card is securely inserted in the PC Card slot.• Make sure the receiving equipment is turned on and operating.• Make sure the receiving equipment is properly con-nected to the host computer.• Check that all parameters are set properly for both the PC Card and the Aironet Access Point.If the radio fails to establish contact, contact Aironet Techni-cal Support for additional assistance:Phone - (330) 664-7903Fax - (330) 664-7990e-mail - techsupp@aironet.comhttp://www. aironet.com

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview65Appendix AAironet Wireless LAN Adapter OverviewThe Aironet 4800 Series Wireless LAN Adapter is a PC Card radio module that provides transparent wireless data communications between fixed, portable, or mobile devices and other wireless devices or a wired network infrastructure (Ethernet or Token Ring). Host devices can be any device equipped with a PC Card Type II or Type III slot. These devices include:• Desktop systems• Portable laptops• Notebook computers• Personal digital assistants• Pen based computers• Other data collection devicesThe PC Card is fully compatible when used in a device supporting Plug-and-Play technology. The PC Card can also be built into peripheral devices such as printers to provide a transparent wireless connection to a wired network.

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview66Safety InformationThe FCC with its action in ET Docket 96-8 has adopted a safety standard for human exposure to radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic energy emitted by FCC certified equipment. The Aironet products meet the uncontrolled environmental limits found in OET-65 and ANSI C95.1, 1991. Proper operation of this radio according to the instructions found in this manual will result in exposure substantially below the FCC’s recommended limits.•Do not touch or move antenna(s) while the unit is transmitting or receiving.•Do not hold any component containing the radio so that the antenna is very close or touching any exposed parts of the body, especially the face or eyes, while transmit-ting.•Do not operate a portable transmitter near unshielded blasting caps or in an explosive environment unless it is a type especially qualified for such use.•Do not operate radio or attempt to transmit data unless the antenna is connected; if the antenna is not con-nected, the radio may be damaged.Snap-On AntennaAlways orient the antenna so that it is at least 5 cm (2 inches) away from your body.

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview67Dipole AntennaAlways orient the antenna so that it is at least 15 cm (six inches) away from your body.High Gain AntennasHigh gain wall mount or mast mount antennas are designed to be professionally installed and should be located at a minimum distance of 30 cm (12 inches) or more from your body. Please contact your professional installer, VAR, or antenna manufacturer for proper installation requirements.Warning for Laptop UserTo comply with the FCC RF exposure limits, it is recom-mended when using a laptop with the snap-on antenna, that the antenna should not be positioned closer than 5 cm (two inches) from your body or nearby persons for extended periods of time while it is transmitting (or operating). If the antenna is positioned less than 5 cm (two inches) from the user, it is recommended that the user limit exposure time. Other Devices in the Wireless NetworkRefer to the User’s Guide and Technical Reference manual for the Access Point, Universal Client, or Bridge for additional information.

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview68Radio CharacteristicsThe PC Card operates in the 2.4 GHz license-free Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) band. Data is transmitted over a half-duplex radio channel operating up to 2 Megabits per second (Mbps) for the PC4500 or up to 11 Mbps for the PC4800.Direct Sequence Radio TechnologyThe Aironet 4800 Series Wireless LAN Adapter uses Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) transmission originally developed for military “anti-jamming” and “low probability of intercept” radio systems. The signal is transmitted over a wide frequency range, using multiple frequencies simulta-neously. This protects the data transmission from interfer-ence.If a particular frequency encounters a level of noise and/or interference, there is enough redundancy built into the sig-nal on other frequencies that the Aironet 4800 Series Wire-less LAN Adapter will usually still be successful in its transmission.Data Transparency and ProtocolsThe Aironet 4800 Series Wireless LAN Adapter transports data packets transparently as they move through the wire-less infrastructure. The PC Card operates similarly to a standard network product except the wire is replaced with a radio connection. No special wireless networking functions are required. All existing applications, which operate over a network, will operate using the Aironet 4800 Series Wire-less LAN Adapter.

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview69Protocols SupportedThe Aironet 4800 Series Wireless LAN Adapter can be used in a variety of infrastructure configurations. Aironet Access Points (AP4500 and AP4800) provide connections to Ethernet or Token Ring Networks. When using the Airo-net standard device drivers, the PC Card is fully compliant with the following protocols and wired networks:Radio RangesThis section provides general guidelines on factors that influence network performance (see Section 4 - Site Survey and Link Test).Site SurveyBecause of differences in component configuration, placement and physical environment, every network application is a unique installation. Before installing the system, users should perform a site survey to deter-mine the optimum utilization of networking components and to maximize range, coverage and network perfor-mance. Here are some operating and environmental conditions you should consider:•Data Rates. Sensitivity and range are inversely propor-tional to data bit rates. The maximum radio range is achieved at the lowest workable data rate. There will be Drivers Operating SystemODI DOS based driver for Novell NetWareNDIS2 MS DOS, Windows 3.xxNDIS3 Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NTPacket MS DOS, Windows 3.xx

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview70a decrease in receiver threshold sensitivity as the radio data rate increases.•Antenna Type and Placement. Proper antenna config-uration is a critical factor in maximizing radio range. As a general guide, range increases in proportion to antenna height. For a detailed explanation of antenna types and config-urations along with guidelines on selecting antennas for specific environments, see the Aironet Antenna Guide, document number 710-003725.•Physical Environments. Clear or open areas provide better radio range than closed or filled areas. Also, the less cluttered the work environment, the greater the range.•Obstructions. A physical obstruction such as metal shelving or a steel pillar can hinder the performance of the PC Card, particularly when using the small Snap-On antenna. Avoid locating the computing device and antenna in a location where there is a metal barrier between the sending and receiving antennas.•Building Materials. Radio penetration is greatly influ-enced by the building material used in construction. For example, drywall construction allows greater range than concrete blocks. Metal or steel construction is a barrier to radio signals.Link TestThe link test tool is used to determine RF coverage. The test results help the installer eliminate low RF sig-nal level area that can result in loss of connection.Radio AntennaThe Snap-On Diversity antenna comes standard with the PC Card and provides omni-directional coverage.

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview71A benefit of the diversity antenna system is improved cover-age. At the edges of the RF coverage or fringe areas, there are very often multiple signals reaching the receiver, all from the same transmitter. These signals travel in different paths (multipath) and are caused by reflection and shadows of the RF signals. When the signals combine, the receiver may have trouble decoding the data. The Aironet radio’s ability to switch and sample between these antennas allows it to select the optimum antenna for receiving the packet.Optional antennas are offered for the PC Card. Consult the Aironet Antenna Guide (document number 710-003725) for more information.Security FeaturesThe Aironet 4800 Series Wireless LAN Adapter employs Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Technology, previously developed for military “anti-jamming” and “low probability of intercept” radio systems.The Aironet Access Point must be set to the same Service Set Identifier (SSID) as all other Aironet devices on the wireless infrastructure. Units with a different SSID will not be able to directly communicate with each other.TerminologyWhen configuring your system, and when reading this man-ual, keep in mind the following terminology:Association – Each root unit or repeater in the infrastruc-ture contains an association table that controls the routing of packets between the Access Point and the wireless infra-structure. The association table maintains entries for all the nodes situated below the Access Point on the infrastructure including repeaters and client nodes.End Node – A client node that is located at the end of the Network Tree.

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview72Infrastructure – The wireless infrastructure is the commu-nications system that combines Access Points, mobile nodes and fixed nodes. Access Points within the infrastruc-ture can be either root units, which are physically wired to the LAN backbone, or can act as wireless repeaters. Other RF enabled devices serve as fixed nodes or mobile client nodes. Parent/Child Node – Refers to the relationships between nodes in the wireless infrastructure. The complete set of relationships is sometimes described as a Network Tree. For example, the Access Point (at the top of the tree) would be the parent of the end nodes. Conversely, the end nodes would be the children of the Access Point.Power Saving Protocol (PSP) and Non-Power Saving Protocol – The Power Saving Protocol allows computers (usually portable computers) to power up only part of the time to conserve energy. If a client node is using the Power Saving Protocol to communicate with the network, the Airo-net Access Point must be aware of this mode and imple-ment additional features such as message store and forward. If the client node is powered from an AC line, PSP should not be used.Repeater – A repeater is an Access Point that extends the radio range of the infrastructure. A repeater is not physically attached to the wired LAN, but communicates via radio to another Access Point, which is either a root unit or another repeater. Root Unit – The root unit is an Access Point that is located at the top, or starting point, of a wireless infrastructure. A root unit provides the physical connection to the wired LAN (such as Ethernet or Token Ring) and contains configura-tion information in its association table that covers all nodes that access the wired network (backbone). All Access Points directly attached to the wired LAN backbone are root units.

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview73System ConfigurationsThe Aironet 4800 Series Wireless LAN Adapter can be used in a variety of network system configurations. Aironet Access Points (AP4500 or AP4800) provide connections to your Ethernet or Token Ring networks or act as repeaters increasing wireless communication range. The maximum communication range is based on how you configure your wireless infrastructure.Examples of some common system configurations are shown on the pages that follow, along with a description of each.Figure 1.1 - Ad Hoc Wireless LANAn ad hoc wireless LAN is the simplest wireless LAN con-figuration. In a wireless LAN, using an ad hoc network oper-ating system (such as Windows for Workgroups or Windows 95), all devices equipped with the PC Card can be linked together and communicate directly with each other.

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview74Figure 1.2 - Wireless InfrastructureIn a wireless infrastructure, an Aironet Access Point is used as a stand-alone root unit. The root unit is not attached to any wired LAN (such as an Ethernet or Token Ring LAN), but functions as a hub linking all stations together. This configuration is similar to the ad hoc network, except the Aironet Access Point serves as the focal point for communi-cations. This increases the effective communication range over the ad hoc LAN since both stations are not required to be in direct communication range of each other. Workstation WorkstationAccess Point(Root Unit)

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview75Figure 1.3 - Wireless Infrastructure with Workstations Accessing a Wired LANA Micro-Cellular Network can be created by placing two or more Aironet Access Points on a LAN. The Aironet roaming protocols allow remote workstations to move from one microcell domain to another. The process is seamless and transparent. The connection to the file server or host is maintained without disruption. This configuration is useful with portable or mobile stations allowing them to be directly connected to the wired network, even while mov-ing about (roaming). When an infrastructure is configured using multiple Aironet Access Points and/or repeaters, a mobile station is automatically associated and re-associ-ated to the Aironet Access Point which provides the best performance. This is referred to as seamless roaming.File ServerWired LANWorkstation Workstation WorkstationAironetAccess Point(Root Unit)AironetAccess Point(Root Unit)

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview76Figure 1.4 - Extended Infrastructure Using RepeatersAn Aironet Access Point can be configured as a stand-alone repeater to extend the range of your infrastructure, or to overcome an RF blocking obstacle. The repeater for-wards traffic between the Aironet 4800 Series Wireless LAN Adapter equipped workstations and devices and the wired LAN by sending packets to either another repeater or to another Aironet Access Point attached to the wired LAN. The data is sent through whichever route provides the greatest performance for the client. Multiple repeater hops can be supported in the path to the wired LAN.File ServerWired LANWorkstationAironetAccess Point(Root Unit)AironetAccess Point(Repeater)WorkstationWorkstation

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview77Coverage OptionsThe system architecture options of the wireless station and Access Points provide for a variety of coverage alternatives and flexibility. The system can be designed to provide a wide coverage area with minimal overlap (Figure 1.5) or coverage with heavy overlap (Figure 1.6). The latter improves system performance and protection against downtime in the event of a component failure.Figure 1.5 - Minimal Overlap Coverage OptionBy arranging the Access Points so the overlap in coverage area is minimized, a large area can be covered with minimal system cost. The total bandwidth available to each mobile station will depend on the amount of data each mobile sta-tion desires to transfer and the number of stations located in each cell. Seamless roaming is supported as a mobile sta-tion moves in and out of range of each Access Point, thereby maintaining a constant connection to the wired LAN. Each Access Point (and PC Card) must be configured with the same Service Set Identifier (SSID) in order to pro-vide the roaming capability.Wired LAN

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview78Figure 1.6 - Heavy Overlap Coverage OptionBy arranging the Access Points so the overlap in coverage area is nearly maximized, a large number of mobile stations can be supported in the same wireless infrastructure. How-ever, units in overlapping coverage areas on the same fre-quency will detect adjacent cell traffic and delay transmissions that would cause collisions. This reduces the aggregate radio system throughput. Heavy cell overlap is not recommended for maximum system throughput. Due to the redundancy in coverage overlap, system access is not lost in the event of an Access Point failure. Upon failure of the Access Point, the station will automatically roam to an operational Access Point. With this architecture, all Access Points and PC Card units must be configured with the same Service Set Identifier (SSID).Wired LAN

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview79Figure 1.7 - Multiple Overlapping Systems Coverage OptionMultiple systems can operate in the same vicinity. The architecture provides multiple channels, which can exist in the same area with virtually no interference to each other. In this mode, each system must be configured with different Service Set Identifiers (SSID) and different channels, which prevent clients from roaming to Access Points of a different wireless system.Wired LAN 1Wired LAN 2

Appendix A: Aironet Wireless LAN Adapter Overview80

Appendix B: PC Card Specifications81Appendix BPC Card SpecificationsLAN Drivers SupportedTable B.1 – Supported DriversProtocol Operating SystemODI DOS based driver for Novell NetwareNDIS 2 MS DOS, Windows 3.xxNDIS 3 Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NTPacket MS DOS, Windows 3.xxAppenBspecs.fm Page 81 Monday, October 18, 1999 1:54 PM

Appendix B: PC Card Specifications82Radio SpecificationsTable B.2 – Radio SpecificationsItem Specification DescriptionRadio Type Direct Sequence 2.4 GHz ISM BandOperating Frequency 2400-2497 MHz North American, ETSI, and Japan channel coverage,factory configurableFCC ID LOZ102036 FCC approval Channeling 1 MHz increments Programmable for IEEE 802.11Type of Modulation BPSK 1 Mbit/sQPSK 2 Mbit/sCCK 5.5 and 11 Mbits/sNominal 10 MHz BW (-6 db)Power Output (North American Configuration)30 mW Meets FCC Part 15.247 requirementsAntenna Type Diversity Integrated antennaAntenna Connec-tors 2 Amphenol MicroMate female Unique connector per FCC Part 15.203. Snap-On with 1.5-2.5 lb retension forceMating Cable Connectors Huber & Suhner:Amphenol: MMCX-50 SeriesMicroMate Series PCMCIA Connector Card Connector Per PC Card (Nov 95) Physical Specification 4.1AppenBspecs.fm Page 82 Monday, October 18, 1999 1:54 PM

Appendix B: PC Card Specifications83Power RequirementsTable B.3 – Power RequirementsPhysical SpecificationsTable B.4 – Physical CharacteristicsSpecification ValueOperational Voltage 5.0V ±0.25 VoltsReceive Mode Current 260 mA (220 mA typically)High Power Transmit Mode Current (30 mW) 490 mA (350 mA typically)Sleep Mode Current 10 mAItem DescriptionSize 3.37" L x 2.13" W x .20" H(8.56 cm L x 5.41 cm W x .51 cm H)Enclosure PC Card Type IIWeight 1.3 oz.Operating Temperature 0° C to 70° C minimum (-22° F to 158° F)Storage Temperature -40° C to +85° C (-40° F to 185° F)Humidity, Shock, Drop, Vibration, Thermal Shock per PC Card version 2.01, section 13.6.2 specificationsESD 15kV (human body model)Connectors 68-pin PC CardStatus Indicators Green and Amber LEDs – link association/activityAppenBspecs.fm Page 83 Monday, October 18, 1999 1:54 PM

Appendix B: PC Card Specifications84Mechanical DescriptionFigure B.1 – Mechanical OutlineAppenBspecs.fm Page 84 Monday, October 18, 1999 1:54 PM

Appendix C: Channels85Appendix CChannelsThe channel identifiers and the channel center frequencies of each 22 MHz wide channel are shown in the table below, as appropriate for the various areas or regulatory agencies.Regulatory DomainsChannelIdentifier CenterFrequency NorthAmerica ETSI Spain France Japan1 2412 MHz X X - - -2 2417 Mhz X X - - -3 2422 MHz X X - - -4 2427 Mhz X X - - -5 2432 Mhz X X - - -6 2437 Mhz X X - - -7 2442 MHz X X - - -8 2447 MHz X X - - -9 2452 MHz X X - - -10 2457 MHz X X X X -11 2462 MHz X X X X -12 2467 MHz - X - X -13 2472 MHz - X - X -14 2484 MHz - - - - X

Appendix D: Declarations of Conformity87Tested To ComplyWith FCC StandardsFOR HOME OR OFFICE USEAppendix DDeclarations of ConformityManufacturers Federal Communica-tion Commission Declaration of Conformity StatementModels: PC4500, PC4800Manufacturer:Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc.3875 Embassy ParkwayAkron, OH 44333-8357330-664-7900This device complies with Part 15 rules. Operation is sub-ject 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.This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits of a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide rea-sonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a residential environment. This equipment generates, uses, and radiates radio frequency energy, and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur. If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equip-ment off and on, the user is encouraged to correct the inter-ference by one of the following measures:• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

$Appendix D: Declarations of Conformity88•Increase separation between the equipment and receiver.•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit differ-ent from which the receiver is connected.•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio\TV techni-cian.User WarningThe Part 15 radio device operates on a non-interference basis with other devices operating at this frequency. Any$

Aironet Wireless Communications 102038 Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Data Transceiver User Manual

Aironet Wireless Communications Inc Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Data Transceiver

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