Getting Started Creative Network Blaster Wireless PCMCIA Card 2021 Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Creative Technology Ltd. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the license agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any other medium except as specifically allowed in the license agreement.
Contents Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv General Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv FCC Radiation Exposure Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Setup Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Before you Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 6 6 7 7 7 Contents Introduction . . . . . . .
B What Is Wireless Network? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Features and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 C Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Problems With Your Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Problems With Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 D Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Safety Instructions General Safety FCC Radiation Exposure Statement ❍ This equipment must be installed and operated in accordance with provided instructions and a minimum 2.5 cm spacing must be provided between the product and the user during wireless modes of operation. ❍ This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Setup Guide ❍ Go to "Before you Begin"— Shows you what to do before you begin installing your PCMCIA card. Understand your Product ❍ Go to Chapter 1— Shows you the parts of your PCMCIA card. ❍ Go to Chapter 2— Shows you how to install your product’s hardware and software. Setup Guide 1 2 3 4 5 6 Before You Begin Install your Product Connect Card ❍ Go to Chapter 3— Shows you how to connect your PCMCIA card. Configure Card ❍ Go to Chapter 4— Shows you how to configure yourPCMCIA card.
Before you Begin Introduction The Creative Network Blaster Wireless PCMCIA Card 2021 is a fully featured wireless network solution for your Notebook, from the makers of Sound Blaster®. It installs quickly and effortlessly, and uses auto-sensing capabilities to ensure fast connections and great performance. Before you Begin Complete 802.11b compatibility allows you to connect wirelessly at home and work, or even connect directly to other wireless enabled computers or Notebooks.
Recording Model and Serial Numbers Your PCMCIA card has a model number and a serial number. The numbers are found on the bottom-side of the device. After removing the Network Blaster from its packaging, write down its model and serial numbers for future reference. You will need to provide these numbers when contacting our Technical Support.
1 About Your Product About Your PCMCIA Card The LEDs on your PCMCIA card can be seen in Figure 1-1: About Your Product Activity LED This indicates the activity status. Blinking green: the PCMCIA card is transferring or receiving data. Power LED Lights up when the PCMCIA card is connected to the Notebook and activated. Figure 1-1: PCMCIA card Do not tamper with the internal assembly or circuit board of the PCMCIA card as none of its parts are user replaceable.
2 Device Installation DO NOT insert the PCMCIA card into your Notebook before installing the software. You will be required to do so halfway during the installation. In Windows 98 SE/Me/2000/XP 1 4 Click the Install Software option. Device Installation 2 3 Turn on your Notebook and insert the Installation CD into your CD-ROM drive. Select the drivers and applications to install, then click the OK button. When the InstallShield Wizard dialog box similar to Figure 2-1 appears, click the Next button.
5 Figure 2-2 When the Insert adapter now dialog box similar to Figure 2-3 appears, insert your PCMCIA card into your Notebook (Figure 2-4), and then click the OK button. Device Installation 6 When the dialog box similar to Figure 2-2 appears, click the Typical option, and then click the Next button. Figure 2-3 Figure 2-4 Windows 98 SE users may be prompted to insert the Win 98 SE installation CD. Insert the Win 98 SE installation CD into your CD-ROM drive, and then click the OK button.
7 For Windows 2000 only: When the Digital Signature not Found dialog box similar to Figure 2-5 appears, click the Yes button. Figure 2-5 Device Installation For Windows XP only: When the Found New Hardware Wizard dialog box similar to Figure 2-6 appears, click the Install the software automatically (Recommended) option, and then click the Next button. If the Hardware Installation dialog box similar to Figure 2-7 appears, click the Continue Anyway button.
At the time of this product’s release, Microsoft strongly encouraged companies to submit their hardware solutions for certification. If a hardware device driver is not submitted, or does not qualify, for Microsoft certification, a warning message similar to Figure 2-7 appears. You may see this message when installing this driver. If you do, you may choose to click the Continue Anyway button. Creative has tested this driver on Windows XP, and it does not impair or destabilize your computer.
Uninstalling Driver and Network Blaster 2021 Utility You may at times need to uninstall and then reinstall the drivers to correct problems or make version upgrades. The following instructions tell you how to uninstall the driver and Network Blaster 2021 Utility in all Windows operating systems. Close all applications. Click Start -> Programs or All Programs -> Creative Network Blaster 2021 -> Uninstall Network Blaster 2021 Utility. When the Confirm File Deletion dialog box appears, click the OK button.
Ejecting the PCMCIA Card You can remove the PCMCIA card from your Notebook. You need not turn off your Notebook when removing the card. However, before ejecting the card, you should exit any applications, and disable the PCMCIA card. This is to prevent data loss. To disable the PCMCIA card: Double-click the PC card icon OR on the taskbar. On the menu that appears, click Wireless LAN PCMCIA Card, and then click the Stop button. Click the OK button. Click the Close button.
3 Device Connection This chapter explains how to connect your PCMCIA card in Windows 98 SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Before you can connect your PCMCIA card, you need to choose whether you will be connecting directly to another wireless enabled Notebook, computer or to an access point.
Connecting to a Network in Windows 98 SE/Me/2000 1 4 Click the Site Survey tab. Click the Re-Scan button. A list of available access points and Ad-hoc stations appear. Device Connection 2 3 After installing the driver and software, the Network Blaster Wireless LAN PCMCIA Card Utility dialog box appears (Figure 3-4). If it does not, double-click the Network Blaster 2021 Utility icon on the taskbar (Figure 3-1).
Connecting to a Network in Windows XP 1 2 4 5 Figure 3-5 Right-click the Windows Wireless Network Connection icon, and then click View Available Wireless Networks. When the Connect to Wireless Network dialog box similar to Figure 3-6 appears, click the available network that you want, to select it. Device Connection 3 After installing the driver and Network Blaster 2021 Utility, the Windows Wireless Network Connection icon (Figure 3-5) appears on the taskbar.
4 Device Configuration After connecting to a selected network, you should configure your PCMCIA card’s network settings. Configuring a Network in Windows 98 SE/Me/2000 1 4 5 Device Configuration 2 3 After connecting to a selected network, the Network Blaster Wireless LAN PCMCIA Card Utility dialog box appears (Figure 4-1). The status of your wireless connection is displayed. Click the Monitor tab.
5 6 Click the Statistics tab (Figure 4-2). The available statistic information is displayed. To renew or update the statistics, click the Clear button.
8 9 Click the Encryption tab (Figure 4-3). Click the Encryption box, and then select either 64 or 128 bit. either the Hex or 10 Click ASCII option to select it, and then complete the key table with either hexadecimal or ASCII values. These keys serve as passwords that encrypt your data before transmission.
Click the Advanced tab 12 (Figure 4-4). the Fragmentation 13 Drag Threshold and RTS/ CTS Threshold sliders to the rate that you want. Device Configuration Figure 4-4 For more information on Fragmentation Treshold, refer to “Fragmentation Threshold” on page 42, and for more information on RTS Treshold, refer to “Request to Send (RTS) Threshold” on page 45. enable the power saving mode, click the 802.11 Power Save check box 14 To to select it. 15 Click the Submit button.
Configuring a Network in Windows XP 1 2 Right-click the Windows Wireless Network Configuration icon on the taskbar, and then click View Available Networks. When the Connect to Wireless Network dialog box (Figure 4-6) appears, click the Advanced button.
3 4 5 When the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialog box similar to Figure 4-7 appears, click the available network that you want. Click the Configure button. Device Configuration When the Wireless Network Properties dialog box appears, click the Data Encryption (WEP enabled) check box to select it. Figure 4-7 Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) ensures that information is encrypted before transmission.
6 7 8 Click the The key is provided for me automatically check box to deselect it. Click the Key format box, and then click either ASCII characters or Hexadecimal digits. Device Configuration Click the Key length box, and then click the appropriate key length depending on your access point settings. Depending on your access point settings, 40 bits may be indicated as 64 bits, and 104 bits may be indicated as 128 bits. 9 Complete the Network key box with random hexadecimal values or ASCII characters.
12 When the Wireless Network Connection Status dialog box similar to Figure 4-8 appears, click the General tab. This displays the connection status, duration, speed and signal strength. Device Configuration Figure 4-8 Click the Support tab 13 (Figure 4-9). This displays the address type, IP address, subnet mask and default gateway.
Configuring a Wireless Network When configuring a wireless network, take note of the following points: ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ 26 Device Configuration ❍ Start by determining the areas to be networked, the number of users and the type of devices to be used. Then determine the number of access points required and where they should be placed. An access point provides a data rate of up to 11 Mbps, which is shared by all wireless clients in the area covered by the access point.
5 Network Security The Importance of Network Security Your PCMCIA card comes with security features that protect your wireless network. As your information is transmitted and recieved by radio waves, enabling the encryption security will keep your data safe.
Security Features The following security features are incorporated in your PCMCIA card: ❍ Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP) — This data stream encryption technology allows for the definition of up to four keys shared between access points and clients. Unauthorized wireless network stations not having the same keys are locked out. When typing the keys, use either hexadecimal characters, which are the letters A to F and the numbers 0 to 9, or alphanumeric characters.
default key default key When Keys 1-4 for both wireless network stations are different but the selected default key is the same, the stations can communicate with each other. default key default key Network Security When Keys 1-4 and the selected default key in both wireless network stations is different, the stations cannot communicate with each other.
A Technical Specifications This appendix lists the general specifications of your PCMCIA card. Wireless Interface ❍ ❍ IEEE 802.11b compliant WEP security support (64-bit and 128-bit encryption) Antenna ❍ Built-in strip antenna Frequency Range ❍ 2.4 - 2.4835 GHz (ISM Band) ❍ Technical Specifications Modulation DSSS - Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Channels ❍ ❍ ❍ 11 Channels (US, Canada) 13 Channels (Europe) 14 Channels (Japan) Data Rate ❍ 11/5.
B W hat Is A W ireless Network? Wireless network is a revolutionary way of connecting devices to each other or to a Local Area Network wirelessly through the use of radio frequency waves. This means that you will be able to move around in a room or move from one floor to another without being disconnected from the network. In most companies, a wireless network is an extension of a wired network. In small offices or hard-to-wire areas, it may be the only network solution.
An Ad-hoc network is also known as a Peer-to-Peer network. Ad-hoc mode allows for wireless-to-wireless communication. Select this mode when connecting to other wireless adaptors, which comply to the 802.11b standard. Users on the network can share files, printers, drives and other peripherals, and access the Internet using a shared modem. However, users can only communicate with other wireless network stations that are in the wireless network workgroup and that are within a fixed range.
C Troubleshooting This appendix provides tips and solutions for resolving some of the problems you might encounter with your PCMCIA card either during installation or normal use. Problems With Your Card Windows does not auto-detect the new PCMCIA card when it is inserted into the laptop. To solve this problem, refer to the section that corresponds to your Windows operating system. 1 2 3 4 5 Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. On the menu that appears, click Properties.
In Windows 2000: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. On the menu that appears, click Properties. The System Properties dialog box appears. Click the Hardware Profile tab. Click the Device Manager button. Click the View devices by type option. Click the plus sign next to Network adapters. The name of the PCMCIA card appears. Be sure that there is no red “X” or yellow “!” next to it. The red “X” or yellow “!” signs indicates incorrect or incomplete installation.
Ejecting the PCMCIA card from the PCMCIA slot causes your laptop to restart or stop responding. To solve this problem: • Before removing the PCMCIA card, close all files and network applications, such as E-mail and Internet Explorer. • Disable the PCMCIA card before removing it from the computer. See ‘Ejecting the PCMCIA Card” on page 14. When reinserted, the card is not detected. When the PCMCIA card is removed and reinserted, the signals may become destabilized and cause the card to be misread.
After inserting the PCMCIA card, my laptop can detect the PCMCIA card but not the drivers in the Installation CD. To solve this problem: 1 2 3 When the Add New Hardware Wizard dialog box appears, click the Cancel button. Remove the PCMCIA card, and then install the software from the beginning. Insert the PCMCIA card only when instructed. My laptop is unable to establish a connection with an access point. There is radio interference.
My laptop cannot connect to the Internet. To solve the problem: In Windows 98 SE/Me: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Click Start -> Run. In the Open box, type winipcfg, and then click the OK button. The IP Configuration dialog box appears. Click the Adaptor box, and then click your product’s name. Click the Release button. When the IP Address box dipslays 0.0.0.0, click the Renew button. Click the OK button. 1 2 3 4 Troubleshooting In Windows 2000/XP: Click Start -> Run.
D Glossary This appendix explains the technical terms used in this manual. Access point A networking device that transparently bridges wireless computers and laptops to a wired local network. Ad-hoc mode A small peer-to-peer network mode, in which wireless Notebooks are connected to each other directly without using an access point. Some of the wireless Notebooks are part of the network for a limited duration. They are also in close proximity with the rest of the network. According to the IEEE 802.
Bridge A hardware device that links two or more physical networks and manages the transfer of data between these networks. The two networks connected can be alike or dissimilar. Broadband A transmission media that can handle the transmission of multiple messages at different frequencies, at one time. Broadband signals use analog carriers. Channel A channel is a separate path through which signals can flow.
Driver A program that a computer uses to control the operation of a peripheral device, such as a keyboard, modem, monitor, card, or cable. Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) A digital modulation technique that spreads data transmissions across the entire available frequency band in a pre-arranged scheme. Under DSSS, each bit of data to be transmitted is encoded with a redundant pattern called a chip.
Firewall protection Creative’s built-in router provides firewall protection to all the computers on its network. All these computers share a single public IP address and are assigned local IP addresses, which are hidden from the outside world. For the external world, there is no network, only a single device. Creative router blocks any attempt by any external computer to connect to local resources. Fragmentation Threshold The size at which the transmitted data packets are fragmented.
Infrastructure mode A local area network or other small network mode in which wireless clients are part of the network and use one or more access points to connect to a wired network. Each access point is connected to the Ethernet network using a standard Ethernet cable. In IEEE 802.11b specification, the infrastructure mode is referred to as the Basic Service Set. Interface The physical arrangement that supports the attachment of a device to a connector or to another device.
Kilobytes (KB) 1,024 bytes. Megabits per second (Mbps) A measure of data transfer speed. Megabits/Megabytes One million bits/bytes. Modem A device that allows a computer to transmit data to other computers via telephone lines. Network Address Translation (NAT) Network Mask See Subnet Mask. Network Interface Card (NIC) A card that is installed in a computer so that it can be connected to a network. The NIC manages the flow of network information to and from the computer.
Packet Internet Groper (PING) An Internet program used to determine whether a specific IP address is accessible. It works by sending a packet to the specified address and waiting for a reply. PING is used primarily to troubleshoot network connections. Preamble A preamble is a signal, in the form of series of pulses, used in network communication to synchronize the transmission timing between two or more systems. There are two options, Short and Long. The Short option improves throughput performance.
Service Set Identity (SSID) A group name shared by all members of an IEEE 802.11 standard wireless network. Only wireless devices with the same SSID are allowed to establish connections. Static IP address A permanent IP address assigned to a computer (host) connected on a specific network. Subnet or Subnetwork Any network that is a part of a larger IP network and is identified by a subnet address.
Universal Serial Bus (USB) A plug-and-play interface that allows the user to attach a device without having to add an adapter card and turning off the computer. Wide Area Network (WAN) A computer network that spans a relatively large geographical area. Typically, a WAN consists of two or more local-area networks (LANs). Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) A wired security policy defined by the IEEE 802.11 working group. WEP uses the RC-4 40-bit encryption algorithm to scramble all data before it is transmitted.
E Service and Warranty This chapter provides Technical Support and Warranty information for the following geographic regions: ❍ ❍ The Americas Asia The Americas Product Returns To return a Creative product for a factory service, contact the Creative Technical Support office. Once the staff has verified the product is defective, you will be given a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number.
Technical Support Tech Support BEFORE YOU CONTACT US Please fill out the following information and be seated at your computer.
Warranty Information Warranty Information CREATIVE (“the manufacturer”) warrants that equipment furnished will be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the confirmed date of purchase of the product new from the retail location. Upon written notice of any such defect, the manufacturer will, at its option, repair or replace the defective item under the terms of this warranty, subject to the provisions and specific exclusions listed herein.
Asia Our company is happy to assist and support our customers. If you have trouble or questions relating to any purchased equipment, follow the steps below: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Duplicate the problem. Once a problem occurs, try to restart your hardware and software from the beginning and see if the problem happens again. If a problem is intermittent, finding it may be difficult because there may be more than one cause and, consequently, more than one solution. Contact the dealer who sold you the equipment.
9 When returning equipment to us, please use the following procedures: • • • Include a note inside the package that has the RMA, along with your name and address. Also, write your RMA number on the shipping label and with your return address. Please send the package postage paid. We will not accept packages sent COD. Ship the well-packed equipment to: Creative Technology Ltd.
❍ Hong Kong & Macau Creative Labs (Hong Kong) Ltd, Unit 31, 9/F, Hong Kong International Trade & Exhibition Centre, No 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay, KOWLOON, HONG KONG. Operating Hours:9:15 a.m.-5:45 p.m. Mon-Fri & 9:15 a.m.-12.45 p.m. Sat, except for Public Holidays. Hotline: (852)2148-6151/6152. Fax: (852)2331-2151. Web Site: http://asia.creative.com/hongkong/ E-mail Form: http://asia.creative.com/support/lookup.