Harmony 802.
Copyright © 2002 Proxim Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA. All rights reserved. Covered by one or more of the following U.S. patents: 5,231,634; 5,875,179; 6,006,090 5,809,060; 6,075,812; 5,077,753; 5,231,634. This user’s guide and the software described in it are copyrighted with all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form by any means without the written permission of Proxim Corporation.
FCC WARNING 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 residential installation. 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.
Table of Contents Chapter 1 - Introduction ............................................................................................... 6 The Harmony Family .....................................................................................................7 The Product Package ...................................................................................................7 System Requirements .................................................................................................
Appendix A - Technical Specifications .......................................................................... 44 Technical Specifications ........................................................................................... 44 Parameters ............................................................................................................... 46 Appendix B - Technical Support and Training ................................................................ 47 Index .............................
Chapter 1 Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of a Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card, a high performance wireless LAN adapter card that complies with the IEEE 802.11a and the 802.11b wireless standards. This means that the card is interoperable with IEEE 802.11b and 802.11a equipment from any manufacturer. The card cannot use both standards simultaneously but it can automatically switch between the two standards.
Introduction 7 The Harmony Family The Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card is a member of a product family that provides a complete wireless networking solution. • The Harmony Access Point Controller Model 7560 centralizes the management, security, and filtering capabilities of a wireless LAN. The Access Point (AP) Controller communicates with Harmony Access Points over the Ethernet network to provide wireless network access for mobile clients.
Introduction 8 System Requirements To begin using a Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card, you must have the following minimum requirements: • A computer that meets the following specifications: • Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition (ME), Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), or Windows NT (Service Pack 6 or later)* installed • PC Card expansion slot (32-bit CardBus) • At least 64 MB of memory • A 300 MHz processor or higher • At least one other IEEE 802.11a-compliant or 802.
Chapter 2 Installation This chapter describes how to install a Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card and software in a computer running Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition (ME), Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), or Windows NT 4.0 (SP 6 or later). Note: Run the Harmony Installation program before installing the 802.11a/b card in the computer. Pre-installation Considerations Review the following pre-installation considerations before installing a 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card.
Installation 10 Windows ME and Windows 98 SE Installation CD Requirement Before beginning the installation of an 802.11a/b card, confirm that you have a Windows 98 SE or Windows ME installation CD available (depending on the computer’s operating system). Windows 98/ME users may be prompted to insert a Windows CD during the installation. You should not need a Windows CD when installing an 802.11a/b card in a Windows XP or Windows 2000 computer.
Installation 11 Installation Instructions The instructions below describe how to install a Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card by running the Harmony Installation program before inserting the card into the computer. The Harmony Installation program installs the Harmony Utility first, and then it installs the CardBus Card and driver. If you inserted the card before running the Harmony Installation program, see “Card Inserted Before Running the Installation Program” on page 38 for instructions.
Installation 12 10. Insert the card into the computer’s Cardbus slot when prompted, as shown below. (Windows NT users will see a slightly different screen). 11. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the card. Note the following: • If prompted to identify the location of the file Prox11a.sys or Netpr11a.cat, direct the installation wizard to search the Harmony Installation CD. • Windows XP users: If prompted, select Install the software automatically (Recommended) and click Next.
Chapter 3 Wireless Topologies Harmony wireless products look and operate similar to Ethernet products. The only difference is that a radio replaces the wire between various nodes. This means that all of your existing applications that operate over Ethernet will work with Harmony without any special wireless networking software. The Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card supports several network topologies, which are described in this chapter.
Wireless Topologies 14 Infrastructure Many companies have an existing Ethernet or wired LAN infrastructure and want to be able to extend that capability to wireless nodes. This is accomplished by installing one or more Access Points on the Ethernet network. You can also add a Harmony Access Point Controller to the network to simplify Access Point management and take advantage of additional features. See the Harmony Access Point Controller User’s Guide for more information.
Wireless Topologies 15 Roaming Between Multiple APs For larger environments, the Harmony 802.11a/b Combo Card may roam from one Access Point to another while maintaining the same network connection. The Access Points establish coverage areas or cells similar in concept to those of a cellular phone network. The card will connect to any Access Point that is within range. The Harmony 802.11a/b Combo Card supports roaming between APs of the same type (for example, from one 802.
Wireless Topologies 16 Figure 4 illustrates roaming between APs of different radio types. Figure 4: Roaming Between APs of Different Radio Types In either case, each Access Point within a roaming network must have a unique, independent Channel, but all must have the same SSID and security settings (if applicable). Mobile clients equipped with an 802.11a/802.11b card are configured to operate in Infrastructure mode and have the same SSID and security settings as the Access Points.
Wireless Topologies 17 Guidelines for Roaming • A Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card can roam between multiple 802.11a Access Points, multiple 802.11b Access Points, or between both 802.11a and 802.11b Access Points. • To support roaming between 802.11a and 802.11b Access Points, the Combo CardBus Card’s Mode must be set to Auto. • Standard 802.11a clients can only roam between 802.11a Access Points. • Standard 802.11b clients can only roam between 802.11b Access Points.
Chapter 4 Configuration & the Harmony Utility Proxim provides a software utility that simplifies the management and configuration of a Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card. Chapter 2 describes how to install the utility. This chapter describes how to use the Harmony Utility after it has been installed. Status Monitor Icon After you have installed the utility, the Status Monitor icon will appear in Windows Taskbar. If the card is using the IEEE 802.11a standard, the icon is labeled a.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 19 Configuration Utility The Harmony Utility includes several tools for diagnostic and configuration purposes. Each of the utility’s screens is described below. For additional information about the Harmony Utility, click Help on any screen to view on-line Help documentation. Association Information The Association Information screen, shown below, displays information about the card’s connection with a wireless network.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 20 • Security: Reports the type of security that the card is using. Options include “No Security enabled (or 802.1x Security)”, “WEP Security”, and the “Harmony Security Protocol”. If using the Harmony Security Protocol, this field also reports the protocol’s status: “Not Authenticated,” “User Not Logged In,” “User Associated,” and “User is using Unique Encryption Key” (with time of login).
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 21 Mode Mode configures the Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card to operate in 802.11a, 802.11b, or Auto mode. In 802.11a mode, the card complies with the IEEE 802.11a standard and provides data rates of up to 54 Mbps. In addition, the card will automatically detect if an Access Point is operating in 2X mode and automatically switches to 2X mode as necessary. (2X mode provides data rates of up to 108 Mbps.) In 802.11b mode, the card complies with the IEEE 802.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 22 Power Saving The Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card supports optional power management to conserve battery life. When Power Saving Mode is set to Normal or Maximum, the card enters a “doze” mode where it becomes inactive and only wakes up periodically to receive control messages from the Access Point. The card wakes up more often in Normal mode than in Maximum mode so a card in Normal mode will respond sooner to network requests than a node in Maximum mode.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 23 When WEP is enabled, two 802.11a devices must have the same WEP Keys and both devices must be configured to support WEP in order to communicate. If one device is configured to use WEP for Authentication and Encryption but a second device is not, then the two devices will not communicate, even if both devices have the same WEP Keys. The Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card can support up to four WEP Keys (all four Keys must have the same Key Size).
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 24 4. Enter one to four WEP Keys in the fields provided, as shown below. 5. Use only hexadecimal digits (i.e., 0-9 and A-F). For 64-bit encryption, enter 10 digits for each Key; for 128-bit encryption, enter 26 digits for each Key; for 152-bit encryption, enter 32 digits for each Key. Note: If you created a text file that contains the WEP Keys, click Read Keys to upload those Keys to the card. See “Read Key File Format” on page 24 for formatting information. 6.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 25 Harmony Security Protocol The Harmony Security Protocol automates encryption management, assigning a unique and dynamic WEP Key to each user.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 26 The Windows 98/ME logon prompt is shown below. Note: 7. The Harmony logon prompt will not appear if your Windows User Name and Password match your Harmony User Name and Password, you are within range of a properly configured Access Point, and the Log on to Harmony Security before Windows Logon option is disabled.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 27 • Enter a new password twice in the fields provided to change your Harmony Password. The Password can be up to 32 characters and is case sensitive. • To reset your Harmony Password to match your Windows Password, check the box labeled Synchronize Password with Windows Logon. 9. Click Logon to log on to the Harmony System. 10. Log on to Windows when prompted (if the Log on to Harmony Security before Windows Logon option is enabled).
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 5. 28 Click the networking icon in the Windows Taskbar to open Windows XP’s built-in wireless network utility. WinXP Networking Icon 6. Click Properties (if associated with an AP) or Advanced (if not associated). 7. Click the Authentication tab. 8. Configure the 802.1x settings. Contact your network administrator or refer to Windows XP’s on-line Help if you need assistance configuring these settings.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 29 Advanced The Advanced configuration screen is shown below. You can configure the following parameters: Channel In a wireless network, the Channel specifies the range of frequencies that the network members use to communicate. 802.11a and 802.11b devices both communicate by spreading a radio signal over a range of frequencies, but they operate at different frequencies and employ different communication techniques. 802.11a devices operate in the 5 GHz band; 802.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 30 The available Channels associated with each mode are listed below. 802.11a The IEEE 802.11a specification allocates the available frequencies in the 5 GHz band into a series of operating Channels that are identified by a Channel number and a center carrier frequency. The number of available Channels varies by region. For United States and Canada: The Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card can use one of thirteen Channels in 802.11a-compliant mode: Channel 36 (5.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 31 For United States and Canada: The Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card can use Channels 1 through 11. However, only Channels 1, 6, and 11 are independent and do not overlap with each other.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 32 RTS/CTS The 802.11 standard supports optional RTS/CTS communication based on packet size. Without RTS/CTS, a sending radio listens to see if another radio is already using the medium before transmitting a data packet. If the medium is free, the sending radio transmits its packets. However, there is no guarantee that another radio is not transmitting a packet at the same time, causing a collision.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 33 Follow these steps to create a new profile: 1. Click Create New Profile... 2. Enter a name for the new profile in the Profile Name: field. 3. Select an existing profile to use as the basis for the new profile from the Copy settings from Profile: drop-down menu, as shown below. 4. Use the drop-down menu to select an SSID for the profile or enter a new SSID in the field provided. 5. Click Add. Follow these steps to delete a profile: 1. Click Delete Profile...
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 34 Statistics Click the Statistics tab to view information about the number of packets sent and received by the Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card. The default Statistics screen displays the following statistics: • Unicast Packets Sent: This statistic reports the number of packets transmitted by the card that were destined for a single network node.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 35 Receive • Receive Rate: This field reports the data rate at which the card is currently receiving packets sent by another wireless device (either 802.11a or 802.11b). • Unicast Bytes Received: This statistic reports the total number of bytes contained in the unicast packets received by the card. • Multicast Bytes Received: This statistic reports the total number of bytes contained in the multicast packets received by the card.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 36 Available Networks Click the Available Networks tab to view the list of Access Points and/or Ad Hoc stations within range of the card. In the example below, the utility detected multiple 802.11a Access Points.
Configuration & the Harmony Utility 37 Use the Network Display Filter settings to determine which devices appear in the Available Networks field. You can select one to four of the filters in any combination. • To see Ad Hoc stations, place a check mark in the Display Ad Hoc stations box. • To see 802.11a Access Points, place a check mark in the Display 802.11a Networks box. • To see 802.11a Access Points in 2X mode, place a check mark in the Display 802.11a 2x Networks box. • To see 802.
Chapter 5 Troubleshooting The Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card is designed to be very easy to install and operate. However, if you experience any difficulties, use the information in this chapter to help diagnose and solve the problem. If you still cannot resolve the problem, contact Proxim Technical Support as described in Appendix B, “Technical Support and Training,” on page 47.
Troubleshooting 39 8. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the Harmony Utility. Refer to Chapter 5 beginning on page 18 for information on how to use the Harmony Utility. Windows 98/ME/2000/XP Troubleshooting Card Not Listed in Device Manager Follow these steps if you have installed the Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card but it does not appear as a network adapter in the Device Manager: 1. Open the Device Manager (located within the Control Panel’s System icon). 2.
Troubleshooting 40 Windows ME/98 SE Follow these steps to configure a card’s networking clients and protocols in a Windows 98/ME computer: 1. Open the Control Panel’s Network icon. 2. Select a client or protocol from the list of installed components and click Properties to configure its settings. For example, if you want to assign the card a static IP address, highlight TCP/IP or TCP/IP -> Harmony Card and click Properties. Note: To add a new client or protocol, click Add...
Troubleshooting 41 Windows NT computers: • C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\PROX11ABN4.DLL • C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\PROX11ABN4.SYS Windows 2000 computers: • C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\PROX11AB.SYS • C:\WINNT\INF\NETPR11AB.INF • C:\WINNT\INF\NETPR11AB.PNF Windows XP computers: • C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\PROX11AB.SYS • C:\WINDOWS\INF\NETPR11AB.INF • C:\WINDOWS\INF\NETPR11AB.PNF 10. Shut down the computer. 11. Remove the card from the computer.
Troubleshooting 42 Common Technical Support Questions This section discusses some of the most common problems using a Harmony 802.11a/b Combo CardBus Card and offers possible solutions. Symptom/Question Possible Solution/Answer I installed the adapter card in the computer before running SETUP.EXE. What should I do? Follow the on-screen instructions to install the card using Microsoft’s Add New Hardware Wizard. When prompted, point the Wizard to search the Harmony Installation CD for driver files.
Troubleshooting 43 Symptom/Question Possible Solution/Answer I deferred my Harmony logon until my computer was in range of an Access Point. However, once the card associated with an Access Point, I could not access the network. Open the Harmony Utility’s Association Information screen and locate the Harmony Security Protocol field. If the field reports “User is not authenticated,” then either your User Name or Password is incorrect. Try logging on to Windows again.
Appendix A Technical Specifications The following technical specification is for reference purposes only. Actual product’s performance and compliance with local telecommunications regulations may vary from country to country. Proxim Corporation will only ship products that are type approved in the destination country. Technical Specifications General Compatibility ............................. Fully interoperable with IEEE 802.11a compliant products in 802.11a mode; Fully interoperable with IEEE 802.
Radio (802.11b Mode) Media Access Protocol ............... IEEE 802.11b Radio Data Rate ......................... 11 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 1 Mbps Frequency Band ......................... 2.4 GHz frequency band; actual frequencies in use vary by country Radio Type ................................. Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Modulation ................................ CCK, QPSK, BPSK Channels.................................... Varies by country. See “Channel” on page 29.
Parameters Parameter Range Default Network Type Ad Hoc*, Infrastructure Infrastructure Mode Auto, 802.11a, 802.11b Auto Auto Mode Preference 802.11a, 802.11b 802.11a Power Saving (Infrastructure only) Off, Normal, Maximum Off Roaming Fast, Slow, Normal Normal SSID Up to 32 characters any Security Level No Security or 802.1x, Use WEP for Authentication and Encryption, Use Harmony Security Protocol No Security or 802.1x Key Size 64 Bit, 128 Bit, 152 Bit (not available for 802.
Appendix B Technical Support and Training If you are having a problem using a Harmony 802.
Index A ACK Errors .................................................................................................................................. 34 Ad Hoc........................................................................................................................ 12, 13, 20, 46 Add New Hardware Wizard ...................................................................................................... 38, 42 Alternate Installation Instructions ...........................................
E 802.11a ....................................................................................................................................... 8 802.11b ..................................................................................................................................... 42 802.1x .................................................................................................................................. 27, 43 Configuration ........................................................
M Media Access Protocol .................................................................................................................. 45 Microsoft Windows 2000 Internet Authentication Service (IAS) Server................................................ 27 Mode ......................................................................................................................................... 21 Modulation ..........................................................................................
RTS/CTS ............................................................................................................................... 32, 46 Run Configuration Utility ............................................................................................................... 18 S Security Settings Configuration ....................................................................................................................... 28 Send Rate ........................................................
W Warranty Information ..................................................................................................................... 2 WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) ................................................................................................ 22–23 WEP Key................................................................................................................................ 24, 46 WEP Undecryptable ......................................................................
