FCC ID: I88B320 802.11b WLAN PCI

ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility User's Guide Version 2.1 November 2003 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility 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. ii Copyright ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility 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. ZyXEL Limited Warranty iii ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility 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 B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the radio interference regulations of Industry. iv Information for Canadian Users ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Federal Communications Commission

(FCC) Interference Statement The device complies 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. 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 Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver. 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. Certifications Refer to the product page at www.zyxel.com. FCC Statements v ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility 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. E-MAIL SUPPORT/SALES TELEPHONE/FAX WEB SITE/ FTP SITE REGULAR MAIL METHOD LOCATION WORLDWIDE NORTH AMERICA SCANDINAVIA support@zyxel.com.tw

+886-3-578-3942 www.zyxel.com www.europe.zyxel.com sales@zyxel.com.tw

+886-3-578-2439 ftp.europe.zyxel.com support@zyxel.com

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+45-3955-0700 www.zyxel.dk sales@zyxel.dk

+45-3955-0707 ftp.zyxel.dk ZyXEL Communications Corp., 6 Innovation Road II, Science-Based Industrial Park, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan ZyXEL Communications Inc., 1130 N. Miller St. Anaheim, CA 92806, U.S.A. ZyXEL Communications A/S, Columbusvej 5, 2860 Soeborg, Denmark ZyXEL Deutschland GmbH. Adenauerstr. 20/A2 D-52146 Wuerselen, Germany GERMANY support@zyxel.de

+49-2405-6909-0 www.zyxel.de sales@zyxel.de

+49-2405-6909-99 Customer Support vii ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility 2.1 1.1 1.2 1.3 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 Getting Started.........................................................................................................................1-1 ZyAIR Hardware and Utility Installation.....................................................................................1-1 Disable Windows XP Wireless LAN Configuration Tool ...........................................................1-1 Accessing the ZyAIR Utility........................................................................................................1-3 Chapter 2 Using the ZyAIR Utility...........................................................................................................2-1 About Wireless LAN Network.....................................................................................................2-1 SSID.....................................................................................................................................2-1 2.1.1 Channel ................................................................................................................................2-1 2.1.2 2.1.3 Transmission Rate (Tx Rate)................................................................................................2-1 2.1.4 Wireless Network Application .............................................................................................2-2 2.1.5 Roaming...............................................................................................................................2-3 The Link Info Screen ...................................................................................................................2-4 The Configuration Screen ............................................................................................................2-6 The Site Survey Screen ................................................................................................................2-9 Connecting to a Network....................................................................................................2-10 2.5 Wireless LAN Security ..............................................................................................................2-11 Data Encryption with WEP................................................................................................2-11 The Security Screen ...................................................................................................................2-11 Advanced Wireless LAN Parameters.........................................................................................2-14 Fragmentation Threshold ...................................................................................................2-14 RTS/CTS Threshold...........................................................................................................2-14 Authentication Mode..........................................................................................................2-15 Preamble Type ...................................................................................................................2-15 The Advanced Screen ................................................................................................................2-16 The About Screen.......................................................................................................................2-17 Chapter 3 Maintenance .............................................................................................................................3-1 Removing the ZyAIR Utility........................................................................................................3-1 Upgrading the ZyAIR Utility .......................................................................................................3-1 2.7.1 2.7.2 2.7.3 2.7.4 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.6 2.7 3.1 3.2 2.8 2.9 2.4.1 2.5.1 Table of Contents ix ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility 4.1 4.2 4.3 Chapter 4 Troubleshooting.......................................................................................................................4-1 Problems Starting the ZyAIR Utility Program.............................................................................4-1 Problems Communicating With Other Computers ......................................................................4-2 Problem with the Link Status.......................................................................................................4-2 Index ............................................................................................................................................................. C x Table of Contents ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility List of Figures Figure 1-1 Windows XP: System Tray Icon.................................................................................................1-1 Figure 1-2 Windows XP: Wireless Network Connection Status ..................................................................1-2 Figure 1-3 Windows XP: Connect to Wireless Network..............................................................................1-2 Figure 1-4 Windows XP: Wireless Network Connection Properties............................................................1-3 Figure 1-5 ZyAIR Utility: System Tray Icon...............................................................................................1-3 Figure 2-1 BSS Example..............................................................................................................................2-2 Figure 2-2 Infrastructure Network Example ................................................................................................2-3 Figure 2-3 Roaming Example ......................................................................................................................2-4 Figure 2-4 Link Info.....................................................................................................................................2-5 Figure 2-5 Configuration .............................................................................................................................2-7 Figure 2-6 Site Survey .................................................................................................................................2-9 Figure 2-7 Site Survey Warning.................................................................................................................2-11 Figure 2-8 Security.....................................................................................................................................2-12 Figure 2-9 RTS Threshold..........................................................................................................................2-14 Figure 2-10 Advanced................................................................................................................................2-16 Figure 2-11 About ......................................................................................................................................2-18 List of Figures xi ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility List of Tables Table 1-1 ZyAIR Utility: System Tray Icon ................................................................................................1-4 Table 2-1 Link Info......................................................................................................................................2-5 Table 2-2 Configuration...............................................................................................................................2-7 Table 2-3 Site Survey.................................................................................................................................2-10 Table 2-4 Color Indicator for Link Quality/Link Strength.........................................................................2-10 Table 2-5 Security......................................................................................................................................2-12 Table 2-6 Advanced ...................................................................................................................................2-17 Table 2-7 About .........................................................................................................................................2-18 Table 4-1 Troubleshooting Starting ZyAIR Utility Program .......................................................................4-1 Table 4-2 Troubleshooting Communication Problems ................................................................................4-2 Table 4-3 Troubleshooting Link Quality......................................................................................................4-2 xii List of Tables ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Preface Congratulations on the purchase of your new ZyAIR!

About This User's Guide This manual provides information about the ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility. This guide is for ZyAIR wireless LAN adapters that use the ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility for configuration, thus the model name shown in the screens may vary from what you actually purchased. 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 ZyXEL ZyAIR wireless LAN adapter is referred to as the ZyAIR in this guide. The ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility may be referred to as the ZyAIR WLAN Utility or, simply, as the ZyAIR Utility in this guide. 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. User Guide Feedback Help us help you! E-mail all Users Guide-related comments, questions or suggestions for improvement to techwriters@zyxel.com.tw or send regular mail to The Technical Writing Team, ZyXEL Communications Corp., 6 Innovation Road II, Science-Based Industrial Park, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan. Thank you!

Preface xiii ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Chapter 1 Getting Started This chapter prepares you to using the ZyAIR Utility. 1.1 ZyAIR Hardware and Utility Installation Follow the instructions in the Quick Installation Guide to install the ZyAIR Utility and driver and make hardware connections. 1.2 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. It is recommended you 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 1-1 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. Getting Started 1-1 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Step 3. Double-click on the icon for wireless network connection to display a status window as shown next. Figure 1-2 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 1-3 Windows XP: Connect to Wireless Network 1-2 Getting Started Step 6. ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility In the Wireless Network Connection Properties window, make sure the Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings check box is not selected. Click OK. Figure 1-4 Windows XP: Wireless Network Connection Properties 1.3 Accessing the ZyAIR Utility After you installed the ZyAIR Utility, an icon for the ZyAIR Utility appears in the system tray. When the ZyAIR Utility system tray icon displays, the ZyAIR is installed properly. Figure 1-5 ZyAIR Utility: System Tray Icon The color of the ZyAIR Utility system tray icon indicates the status of the ZyAIR. Refer to the following table for details. Getting Started 1-3 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Table 1-1 ZyAIR Utility: System Tray Icon COLOR DESCRIPTION Red Blue The ZyAIR is working properly but is not connected to any AP or wireless station. The ZyAIR is connected to a wireless network. Double click on the ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility icon in the system tray to open the ZyAIR Utility. 1-4 Getting Started ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Chapter 2 Using the ZyAIR Utility This chapter shows you basic ZyAIR wireless LAN configuration using the ZyAIR Utility. 2.1 About Wireless LAN Network This section describes the wireless LAN network terms and applications. 2.1.1 SSID The SSID (Service Set Identity) is a unique name shared among all wireless devices in a wireless network. Wireless devices must have the same SSID to communicate with each other. 2.1.2 Channel A range of radio frequencies used by IEEE 802.11b wireless devices is called a channel. 2.1.3 Transmission Rate (Tx Rate) ZyAIR provides various transmission (data) rate options for you to select. Options include Fully Auto, 1 M bit/sec, 2 M bit/sec, 5.5M bit/sec, 11M bit/sec, 16.5M bit/sec and 27.5M bit/sec1. In most networking scenarios, the factory default Fully Auto setting proves the most efficient. This setting allows your ZyAIR to operate at the maximum transmission (data) rate. When the communication quality drops below a certain level, the ZyAIR automatically switches to a lower transmission (data) rate. Transmission at lower data speeds is usually more reliable. However, when the communication quality improves again, the ZyAIR gradually increases the transmission (data) rate again until it reaches the highest available transmission rate. If you wish to balance speed versus reliability, you can select any of the above options 11M bit/sec or 5.5M bit/sec is used in a networking environment where you are certain that all wireless devices can communicate at the highest transmission (data) rate. 1M bit/sec or 2M bit/sec are used often in networking environments where the range of the wireless connection is more important than speed. 1 Not available at the time of writing. Using the ZyAIR Utility 2-1 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility For ZyAIR B122 and ZyAIR B-320, you may select the proprietary transmission rates of 16.5M bit/sec or 27.5M bit/sec if you are connecting to another ZyAIR B-

320, ZyAIR B-122 client or ZyAIR B-500 AP and vice versa. 2 2.1.4 Wireless Network Application Wireless LAN works in either of the two modes: ad-hoc and infrastructure. To connect to a wired network within a coverage area using Access Points (APs), set the ZyAIR operation mode to Infrastructure(BSS). An AP acts as a bridge between the wireless stations and the wired network. In case you do not wish to connect to a wired network, but prefer to set up a small independent wireless workgroup without an AP, use the Ad-hoc (IBSS) (Independent Basic Service Set) mode. Ad-Hoc (IBSS) Ad-hoc mode does not require an AP or a wired network. Two or more wireless clients communicate directly to each other. An ad-hoc network may sometimes be referred to as an Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS). Figure 2-1 BSS Example A series of overlapping BSS and a network medium, such as an Ethernet forms an Extended Service Set

(ESS) or infrastructure network. All communication is done through the AP, which relays data packets to other wireless clients or devices connected to the wired network. Wireless clients can then access resource, such as the printer, on the wired network. 2 At the time of writing, the proprietary transmission rates are only available for ZyAIR B-122, ZyAIR B-

320 and ZyAIR B-500. 2-2 Using the ZyAIR Utility ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Figure 2-2 Infrastructure Network Example 2.1.5 Roaming Roaming is where in an infrastructure network, wireless clients are able to switch from one BSS to another as they move between coverage areas. During this period, the wireless client maintains uninterrupted connection to the network. As the wireless client moves from place to place, it scans for the most appropriate AP depending on the signal strength, network utilization or other factors. The following figure depicts a roaming example. When Wireless Client B moves to position X, the ZyAIR in Wireless Client B automatically switches the channel to the one used by access point AP 2 in order to stay connected to the network. Using the ZyAIR Utility 2-3 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Figure 2-3 Roaming Example 2.2 The Link Info Screen When the ZyAIR Utility starts, the Link Info screen displays, showing the current configuration of your ZyAIR. The model name shown in the screens may vary depending on the model you are using. 2-4 Using the ZyAIR Utility ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility The following table describes the fields in this screen. Figure 2-4 Link Info LABEL Device Re-Connect Table 2-1 Link Info DESCRIPTION Select an available wireless card from the drop-down list menu if you have more than one wireless cards in your computer. Click Re-Connect to re-establish connection to the wireless network whose SSID is shown in the Current Service Set Identifier field. Current Channel This field displays the radio channel the ZyAIR is currently using. Current Transfer Rate This field displays the current transmission rate of the ZyAIR in megabits per second. Using the ZyAIR Utility 2-5 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility LABEL Current Service Set Identifier Tx/Rx Frame Table 2-1 Link Info DESCRIPTION This field displays the name of the wireless device to which the ZyAIR is associated. Transmitted This field displays the number of data frames transmitted. Received This field displays the number of data frames received. Link Quality Link Strength Percent/dBm OK Cancel Help The status bar and the percentage number show the quality of the signal. The status bar and the percentage number or a number in dBm show the strength of the signal. Click this button to display either percentages in the Link Quality and Link Strength fields or a number in dBm in the Link Strength field. Click OK to save all changes and close the ZyAIR Utility. Click Cancel to discard changes and close the ZyAIR Utility. Click Help to display on-line help window. 2.3 The Configuration Screen Click Configuration in the ZyAIR Utility program to display the Configuration screen as shown next. 2-6 Using the ZyAIR Utility ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Figure 2-5 Configuration The following table describes the labels in this screen. FIELD Table 2-2 Configuration DESCRIPTION Profile The Profile function allows you to save the wireless network settings in this screen, use one of the pre-

configured network profiles or reset the settings in this screen to the factory default values. Remove To delete an existing wireless network configuration, select a profile from the drop-down list box and click Remove. Create Enter a descriptive name in the drop-down list box and click Create to save the current settings in the Configuration screen to a new profile, Using the ZyAIR Utility 2-7 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility FIELD Table 2-2 Configuration DESCRIPTION Activate To use a previously saved network profile, select the profile file name from the drop-

down list box and click Activate. Configuration Operating Mode Select Infrastructure(BSS) or Ad-Hoc(IBSS) from the drop-down list box. Service Set Identifier (SSID) Transfer Rate Channel Power Saving Mode Select Infrastructure(BSS) to associate to an AP. Select Ad-Hoc(IBSS) to associate to a peer ad-hoc computer. Enter the SSID of the AP or the peer ad-hoc computer to which you want to associate in this field. To associate to an ad-hoc network, you must enter the same SSID as the peer ad-hoc computer. Enter Any to associate to or roam between any infrastructure wireless networks. This is the default setting. Select a transmission speed from the drop-down list box. Choose from Fully Auto

(default), 1M bit/sec, 2M bit/sec, 5.5M bit/sec, 11M bit/sec, 16.5M bit/sec and 27.5M bit/sec3. For ZyAIR B-122 and ZyAIR B-320, the proprietary transmission rates of 16.5M bit/sec and 27.5M bit/sec are available from the drop-down list. Select an option if you are connecting to another ZyAIR B-122, ZyAIR B-320 clients or ZyAIR B-500 and vice versa4. Select the channel number from the drop-down list box. To associate to an ad-hoc network, you must use the same channel as the peer ad-hoc computer. Select Enable from the drop-down list menu to save power (especially for laptop computers). This forces the ZyAIR to go to sleep mode when it is not transmitting data. When you select Disable, the ZyAIR will never go to sleep mode. Click Undo Changes to start configuring the fields again. Restore Default Click Restore Default to reset all fields back to factory default values. Undo Changes Apply Changes Click Apply Changes to save the changes back to ZyAIR. OK Cancel 3 Not available at the time of writing. 4 At the time of writing, the proprietary transmission rates are only available for connection with another ZyAIR B-122, ZyAIR B-320 or ZyAIR B-500. Click OK to save all changes and close the ZyAIR Utility. Click Cancel to discard changes and close the ZyAIR Utility. 2-8 Using the ZyAIR Utility FIELD ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Table 2-2 Configuration DESCRIPTION Help Click Help to display the on-line help window. 2.4 The Site Survey Screen Use the Site Survey screen to scan for and connect to a wireless network automatically. Figure 2-6 Site Survey The following table describes the fields in the table. Using the ZyAIR Utility 2-9 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Table 2-3 Site Survey DESCRIPTION FIELD SSID BSSID Channel Signal WEP This field displays the SSID (or name) of each wireless device. This field displays the MAC address of the wireless device. This field displays the channel number used by each wireless device. This field displays the signal strength of each wireless device. This field shows whether the WEP data encryption is activated (Enable) or inactive

(Disable). Click Search to scan for available wireless device within transmission range. Click Connect to associate to the selected wireless device. Click OK to save all changes and closes the ZyAIR Utility. Click Cancel to discard changes and close the ZyAIR Utility. Click Help to display the on-line help window. Search Connect OK Cancel Help The following table describes the colors used for the entries in the Site Survey screen. Table 2-4 Color Indicator for Link Quality/Link Strength COLOR Green Blue Red DESCRIPTION Excellent link quality or link strength. Good link quality or link strength. Poor link quality or link strength. 2.4.1 Connecting to a Network Follow the steps below to connect to a network. Step 1. Click Search to scan for all available wireless networks within range. Step 2. To join a network, either click an entry in the table to select a wireless network and then click Connect or double-click an entry. If the WEP field is Enable for the selected wireless network, the following screen displays. Step 3. 2-10 Using the ZyAIR Utility ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Figure 2-7 Site Survey Warning Step 4. Click OK to display the Security screen and refer to Section 2.6 to set up WEP keys. Otherwise click Cancel and connect to another wireless network without WEP encryption. Step 5. To verify that you have successfully connected to the selected network, check the network information in the Link Info screen. 2.5 Wireless LAN Security Wireless LAN security is vital to your network to protect wireless communication between wireless clients and the wired network. Configure the wireless LAN security using the Security screen. If you do not enable any wireless security on your ZyAIR, communication between the ZyAIR and the wired network is accessible to any wireless networking device that is in the coverage area. 2.5.1 Data Encryption with WEP WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption scrambles all communication transmitted between the ZyAIR and the AP or other wireless stations to keep network communications private. Both the wireless clients and the access points must use the same WEP key for data encryption and decryption. There are two ways to create WEP keys in your ZyAIR. Automatic WEP key generation based on a password phrase called a passphrase. The passphrase is case sensitive. You must use the same passphrase for all WLAN adapters with this feature in the same WLAN. For WLAN adapters without the passphrase feature, you can still take advantage of this feature by writing down the four automatically generated WEP keys from the Encryption screen of the ZyAIR Utility and entering them manually as the WEP keys in the other WLAN adapter(s). Enter the WEP keys manually. Your ZyAIR allows you to configure up to four 64-bit or 128-bit WEP keys but only one key can be enabled at any one time. 2.6 The Security Screen Click the Security tab to display the Security screen as shown below. Using the ZyAIR Utility 2-11 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Figure 2-8 Security Follow the instructions in the table to configure WEP encryption. Table 2-5 Security LABEL Encryption (WEP) DESCRIPTION Select either 64 Bits or 128 Bits from the drop-down list box to activate WEP encryption and then fill in the related fields. Select Disable to deactivate the WEP encryption. WEP Key Entry The WEP keys are used to encrypt data before transmitting. The values for the keys must be set up exactly the same on the APs or other peer ad-hoc wireless computers as they are on the ZyAIR. Create with Passphrase Select this option if you want the ZyAIR to automatically generate a WEP key based on the passphrase specified in the Passphrase field. 2-12 Using the ZyAIR Utility ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility LABEL DESCRIPTION Table 2-5 Security Passphrase When you select the Create with Passphrase option, enter the passphrase. As you enter the passphrase, the ZyAIR automatically generates four different WEP keys and displays them in the key fields below. Write down the automatically generated WEP keys in and use them to manually set the WEP keys in other WLAN adapters. The passphrase is case-sensitive. You must use the same passphrase for all wireless LAN adapters with this feature in the same WLAN. Select this option if you want to manually enter the WEP keys. Then select a default WEP key to use for data encryption. Manual Entry Key Type Select either the HEX or ASCII WEP key type. Key 1 4 Enter the WEP keys in the fields provided. If you select 64 Bits in the Encryption field.

Enter either 10 hexadecimal digits in the range of A-F, a-f and 0-9

(e.g. 11AA22BB33) for HEX key type or

Enter 5 ASCII characters (case sensitive) ranging from a-z, A-Z and 0-9 (e.g. MyKey) for ASCII key type. If you select 128 Bits in the Encryption field,

Enter either 26 hexadecimal digits in the range of A-F, a-f and 0-9

(for example, 00112233445566778899AABBCC) for HEX key type or

Enter 13 ASCII characters (case sensitive) ranging from a-z, A-Z and 0-9 (for example, MyKey12345678) for ASCII key type. You must configure all four WEP keys the first time you use the ZyAIR. ASCII WEP keys are case sensitive. Restore Default Undo Changes Apply Changes OK Cancel Click Restore Default to reset all fields back to factory default values. Click Undo Changes to start configuring the fields again. Click Apply Changes to save the changes back to ZyAIR. Click OK to save all changes and close the ZyAIR Utility. Click Cancel to discard changes and close the ZyAIR Utility. Using the ZyAIR Utility 2-13 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Table 2-5 Security LABEL DESCRIPTION Help Click Help to display the on-line help window. 2.7 Advanced Wireless LAN Parameters The following sections describe the wireless LAN parameters in the Advanced screen. 2.7.1 Fragmentation Threshold A Fragmentation Threshold is the maximum data fragment size (between 256 and 2432 bytes) that can be sent in the wireless network before the ZyAIR will fragment the packet into smaller data frames. A large Fragmentation Threshold is recommended for networks not prone to interference while you should set a smaller threshold for busy networks or networks that are prone to interference. If the Fragmentation Threshold value is smaller than the RTS/CTS Threshold value (see previously) you set then the RTS (Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake will never occur as data frames will be fragmented before they reach RTS/CTS Threshold size. 2.7.2 RTS/CTS Threshold A hidden node occurs when two stations are within range of the same access point, but are not within range of each other. The following figure illustrates a hidden node. Both stations are within range of the access point (AP) or wireless gateway, but out-of-range of each other, so they cannot hear each other, that is they do not know if the channel is currently being used. Therefore, they are considered hidden from each other. Figure 2-9 RTS Threshold When station A sends data to the AP, it might not know that the station B is already using the channel. If these two stations send data at the same time, collisions may occur when both sets of data arrive at the AP at the same time, resulting in a loss of messages for both stations. 2-14 Using the ZyAIR Utility ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility RTS/CTS Threshold is designed to prevent collisions due to hidden nodes. An RTS/CTS Threshold defines the biggest size data frame you can send before an RTS (Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake is invoked. When a data frame exceeds the RTS/CTS Threshold value you set (between 0 to 2432 bytes), the station that wants to transmit this frame must first send an RTS (Request To Send) message to the AP for permission to send it. The AP then responds with a CTS (Clear to Send) message to all other stations within its range to notify them to defer their transmission. It also reserves and confirms with the requesting station the time frame for the requested transmission. Stations can send frames smaller than the specified RTS/CTS Threshold directly to the AP without the RTS (Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake. You should only configure RTS/CTS Threshold if the possibility of hidden nodes exists on your network and the cost of resending large frames is more than the extra network overhead involved in the RTS

(Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake. If the RTS/CTS Threshold value is greater than the Fragmentation Threshold value (see next), then the RTS (Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake will never occur as data frames will be fragmented before they reach RTS/CTS Threshold size. Enabling the RTS Threshold causes redundant network overhead that could negatively affect the throughput performance instead of providing a remedy. 2.7.3 Authentication Type The IEEE 802.11b standard describes a simple authentication method between the wireless clients and AP. Three authentication modes are defined: Auto, Open and Shared. Open authentication mode is implemented for ease-of-use and when security is not an issue. The wireless station and the AP do not share a secret key. Thus the wireless stations can associate with any AP and listen to any data transmitted plaintext. Shared authentication mode involves a shared secret key to authenticate the wireless station to the AP. This requires you to enable a security feature and specify a shared secret key (usually the WEP encryption and WEP key) on both the wireless station and the AP. Auto authentication mode allows the ZyAIR to switch between the open and shared key authentication modes automatically. Use the auto mode if you do not know the authentication mode of the other wireless clients. 2.7.4 Preamble Type A preamble is used to synchronize the transmission timing in your wireless network. There are two preamble modes: Long Preamble and Short Preamble. Short preamble takes less time to process and minimizes overhead, so it should be used in a good wireless network environment when all wireless clients support it. Using the ZyAIR Utility 2-15 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Select Long Preamble if you have a noisy network or are unsure of what preamble mode the access point or the other wireless clients support as all IEEE 802.11b compliant wireless adapters must support long preamble. However, not all wireless adapters support short preamble. Use long preamble if you are unsure what preamble mode the wireless adapters support, to ensure interpretability between the ZyAIR and the access point/wireless stations and to provide more reliable communication in noisy networks. Select Auto to have the ZyAIR automatically use short preamble when all access point/wireless stations support it, otherwise the ZyAIR uses long preamble. The ZyAIR and the access point/wireless stations MUST use the same preamble mode in order to communicate. 2.8 The Advanced Screen To set the advanced features on the ZyAIR, click the Advanced tab. The following table describes the fields in this screen. Figure 2-10 Advanced 2-16 Using the ZyAIR Utility ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility FIELD Transmit Threshold Control Table 2-6 Advanced DESCRIPTION Fragmentation Threshold The threshold (number of bytes) for the fragmentation boundary for directed messages. It is the maximum data fragment size that can be sent. Move the slider to set the fragmentation threshold. RTS/CTS Threshold Data with its frame size larger than this value will perform the RTS/CTS handshake. Setting this attribute to be larger than the maximum MSDU (MAC service data unit) size turns off the RTS/CTS handshake. Setting this attribute to zero turns on the RTS/CTS handshake. Move the slider to set the RTS/CTS threshold. Security Authentication Type Select this checkbox to select an authentication method. Choices are Auto, Shared Preamble Type Restore Default Undo Changes Apply Changes OK Cancel Help and Open. Refer to Section 2.7.3 for more information. Select a preamble type from the drop-down list menu. Choices are Long Preamble, Short Preamble and Auto. The default setting is Auto. Refer to Section 2.7.4 for more information. Click Restore Default to reset all fields back to factory default values. Click Undo Changes to start configuring the fields again. Click Apply Changes to save the changes back to ZyAIR. Click OK to save all changes and close the ZyAIR Utility. Click Cancel to discard changes and close the ZyAIR Utility. Click Help to display the on-line help window. 2.9 The About Screen The About screen displays related version numbers of the ZyAIR. Using the ZyAIR Utility 2-17 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Figure 2-11 About The following table describes the read-only fields in this screen. Table 2-7 About FIELD Driver Version Utility Version Firmware Version OK Cancel Help DESCRIPTION This field displays the version number of the ZyAIR wireless card driver. This field displays the version number of the ZyAIR Utility. This field displays the version of the firmware on which the driver and the utility are based. Click OK to save all changes and close the ZyAIR Utility. Click Cancel to discard changes and close the ZyAIR Utility. Click Help to display the on-line help window. 2-18 Using the ZyAIR Utility ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Chapter 3 Maintenance This chapter describes how to uninstall or upgrade the ZyAIR Utility. 3.1 Removing the ZyAIR Utility Follow the steps below to remove (or uninstall) the ZyAIR Utility from your computer. Step 1. Click Start, Programs, ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility, Uninstall. Step 2. When prompted, click OK to remove the driver and the utility software. Step 3. When prompted to restart your computer, click Yes and then click Finish. 3.2 Upgrading the ZyAIR Utility Before you uninstall the ZyAIR Utility, save the current network configuration. To perform the upgrade, follow the steps below. Step 1. Download the latest version of the utility from the ZyXEL web site and save the file on your Step 2. computer. Follow the steps in the Removing the ZyAIR Utility section to remove the current ZyAIR Utility from your computer. Step 3. Restart the computer when prompted. Step 4. After restarting, refer to the procedure in the Quick Installation Guide to install the new utility Step 5. Check the version numbers in the About screen to make sure the new utility is installed software. properly. Maintenance 3-1 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Chapter 4 Troubleshooting This chapter covers potential problems and the possible remedies. After each problem description, some instructions are provided to help you to diagnose and to solve the problem. 4.1 Problems Starting the ZyAIR Utility Program Table 4-1 Troubleshooting Starting ZyAIR Utility Program Cannot start the ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility The ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility displays only three tabs. Make sure the ZyAIR is properly inserted and the LED(s) is on. Refer to the Quick Installation Guide for the LED descriptions. Use the Device Manager to check for possible hardware conflicts. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, System, Hardware and Device Manager. Verify the status of the ZyAIR under Network Adapter. (Steps may vary depending on the version of Windows). Install the ZyAIR in another computer. If the error persists, you may have a hardware problem. In this case, you should contact your local vendor. When the ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility displays only three tabs, you are using the Windows XP wireless configuration tool at the same time. Refer to the Section 1.2 to disable the Windows XP wireless configuration tool. Troubleshooting 4-1 ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility 4.2 Problems Communicating With Other Computers Table 4-2 Troubleshooting Communication Problems PROBLEM CORRECTIVE ACTION The ZyAIR computer cannot communicate with the other computer. A. Infrastructure Make sure that the AP and the associated computers are turned on and working properly. Make sure the ZyAIR computer and the associated AP use the same SSID. Change the AP and the associated wireless clients to use another radio channel if interference is high. Make sure that the computer and the AP share the same security option and key. Verify the settings in the Security screen. B. Ad-Hoc (IBSS) Verify that the peer computer(s) is turned on. Make sure the ZyAIR computer and the peer computer(s) are using the same SS ID and channel. Make sure that the computer and the peer computer(s) share the same security option and key. Change the wireless clients to use another radio channel if interference is high. 4.3 Problem with the Link Status PROBLEM The link quality and/or signal strength is poor all the time. Table 4-3 Troubleshooting Link Quality CORRECTIVE ACTION Search and connect to another AP with a better link quality using the Site Survey screen. Move your computer closer to the AP or the peer computer(s) within the transmission range. There is too much radio interference (for example microwave or another AP using the same channel) around your wireless network. Relocate or reduce the radio interference. 4-2 Troubleshooting ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility A About ............................................................2-17 Accessing the ZyAIR Utility...........................1-3 Authentication Mode.....................................2-15 Auto ..........................................................2-15 Open..........................................................2-15 Shared .......................................................2-15 Auto authentication mode .............................2-15 Automatic WEP key generation....................2-11 C Communication Problem ................................4-2 Ad-hoc(IBSS) .............................................4-2 Infrastructure...............................................4-2 Connecting to a Network ..............................2-10 Copyright ...........................................................ii Disclaimer......................................................ii Trademarks ....................................................ii Create with Passphrase..................................2-12 CTS (Clear to Send .......................................2-15 Customer Support ............................................vii D Data encryption.............................................2-11 E ESS..................................................................2-2 Extended Service Set ..............................See ESS F Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Interference Statement ................................... v Fragmentation Threshold ..............................2-14 Index H Hidden node ..................................................2-14 I IBSS ................................................................2-2 Independent Basic Service Set ..............See IBSS Information for Canadian Users........................iv Caution..........................................................iv Note...............................................................iv L Link Info .........................................................2-4 M Manual Entry.................................................2-13 N Network Type .................................................2-2 Ad-Hoc(IBSS).............................................2-2 O Online Registration ...........................................iii Open authentication mode.............................2-15 Operating Mode ..................... See Network Type P passphrase .....................................................2-11 Passphrase .....................................................2-13 Power Saving Mode ........................................2-8 Preamble Mode .............................................2-15 Preface.............................................................xiii problem description.........................................4-1 Index C ZyAIR Wireless LAN Utility Proprietary transmission rates..................2-2, 2-8 W R Related Documentation................................... xiii Roaming..........................................................2-3 Example......................................................2-3 RTS (Request To Send) ................................ 2-15 RTS/CTS handshake..................................... 2-15 RTS/CTS Threshold ..................................... 2-14 S Service Set Identity............................... See SSID Shared authentication mode.......................... 2-15 Site Survey......................................................2-9 SSID ...............................................................2-1 Syntax Conventions........................................ xiii T Transfer Rate ..................................................2-8 Transmission Speed........................................2-8 Transmission Speeds ......................................2-1 Troubleshooting..............................................4-1 Checking Hardware Conflict ......................4-1 Communication problems...........................4-2 Radio interference.......................................4-2 Starting ZyAIR Utility................................4-1 U Using the ZyAIR Utility .................................2-1 Warranty ...........................................................iii Note...............................................................iii WEP..............................................................2-11 WEP Data Encryption Configuring...............................................2-11 WEP Data Encryption with...........................2-11 WEP Key .............................................2-11, 2-12 Type ..........................................................2-13 Windows XP Requirement .............................1-1 Wired Equivalent Privacy..................... See WEP Wireless LAN Parameters Channel.......................................................2-1 Configuring.................................................2-6 Network Type .............................................2-2 SSID............................................................2-1 Transmission Rate.......................................2-1 Wireless LAN Security.................................2-11 Data Encryption with WEP.......................2-11 Wireless Network Basics ................................1-1 Z ZyAIR Utility..................................................3-1 About ........................................................2-18 Before you upgrade.....................................3-1 Link Info .....................................................2-5 Removing....................................................3-1 Site Survey..................................................2-9 Upgrading ...................................................3-1 D Index