Installation and User Guide WFB400 Windows Wireless LAN Client Adapters Installation and User Guide: WFB400 Windows Wireless LAN Client November 2007
Copyright © 2007 by QUALCOMM, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of unless such copying is expressly permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Contents CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................................................3 PREFACE ....................................................................................................................................................................4 OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................................................
Preface This guide explains how to install and configure the Windows Wireless LAN Client Adapter, which provides PC laptop and desktop users with access to 802.11 access points. The guide is intended for business and consumer users who want to install and configure QUALCOMM WFB/WFR4xxx-based Windows Wireless LAN Client Adapters quickly and easily. It is also intended for users who are interested in advanced configuration and troubleshooting.
Related Documentation The information related to the QUALCOMM wireless networking product line (WLAN) is available on the company website, http://www.cdmatech.com/products/wlan.jsp.
Overview The QUALCOMM Windows Wireless LAN Client Adapters provide the communication link between your laptop and other devices in a wireless network. Depending on the adapter configuration, it can operate in the 2.4 GHz radio frequency band or in the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequency bands and can communicate with any device that meets the compatible IEEE 802.11 standards. The QUALCOMM product number determines the operating bands for any given adapter.
Figure 1: PC Card Installation To safely remove the PC card while the computer is powered up: 2 Right-click the system tray icon entitled Safely Remove Hardware or Eject or Stop Hardware. The system prompts you to select the device to stop. 3 Select Wireless Adapter, and click Stop. 4 Click OK when asked to confirm. 5 Press the CardBus eject button on the side of your computer to release the slot locking mechanism and slide the PC card out.
3) Insert the QUALCOMM Network Driver CD into the CD drive on your computer; click the “No, not this time” radio button and click Next.
4) Click Next to have the driver software automatically installed from the CD. The wizard locates the driver software on the CD. A warning may appear regarding compatibility testing. Click Continue Anyway The system prompts you to wait while the driver is installed. The system copies the driver files onto your computer and then displays the Installation Complete screen. 5) Click Finish to complete the installation.
Verifying the Installation — Windows XP Open the Properties window in the Control Panel: 1) From the Start menu, select Control Panel. 2) Select System to open the System Properties window. 3) Select the Hardware tab.
4) Click the Device Manager Button.
5) Click the + sign to expand the Network adapter listing. Confirm that the QUALCOMM WFB400 802.11n Wireless Adapter is listed without a red X icon or yellow exclamation mark. NOTE: If you see the red X or yellow exclamation mark icon, contact your network administrator or technical support.. 6) Double-click QUALCOMM WFB400 802.11n Wireless Adapter to open its Properties window. Confirm that the Device Status area displays the message “Device is working properly.
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Introduction to Wireless Zero Configuration3 The Wireless LAN Client Adapter connects your PC to a wireless local area network (WLAN) using radio frequency signals. An access point is a wireless device that forwards data from the wired network to your WLAN equipped PC using radio frequency signals and provides network connectivity between your PC and other wireless and wired users and resources. The IEEE 802.
NOTE: The WLAN Client Adapter may be limited to a single frequency band or a restricted range of radio frequencies (channels) within a frequency band depending on regulatory requirements. See the Regulatory section of this document for additional regulatory information.
Click on the View Wireless Networks button to view the available Wireless Networks and to configure Network and related tasks. Network Tasks that can be performed with WZC include refreshing the available networks list and setting up a home or office wireless network. Related tasks include a tutorial on wireless networking as well as changing the order of preferred networks and configuring advanced settings 4 .
Double clicking on an unsecured network within radio range will initiate an association with that network. Clicking on a secured network within radio range will cause a network key page to appear. See the Wireless security section below for more information on wireless security.
Wireless Security Although security is important in any network, the characteristics of wireless networks can make them vulnerable to attack. Unlike wired networks, which require a physical connection that can be secured with lock and key, wireless networks require only a radio signal for communication, and physical barriers do not provide protection. A concern since the introduction of the IEEE 802.
The most effective encryption/authentication methods are part of the WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) cipher suite and are recommended for all environments in which security is an important consideration, whether in the enterprise, small office or home. WPA provides much more complete protection against discovery of encryption keys than does the WEP standards. WPA has progressed through two generations of encryption technology to date, with AES being the latest and most effective.
Configuration Overview Advanced settings can be configured through the Microsoft Advanced Properties page. The Advanced Properties page is launched by selecting the Change advanced settings on the Wireless Network Connection page. Select the Advanced tab. The following advanced properties can be configured: • • • • • • • • 802.11 Mode 802.11d Support 802.11 e Support 802.
• • • • • • • • Fragmentation Threshold LongRetryLimit Network Density RTS Threshold ShortRetryLimit Transmit Power Transmit Rate Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) Support Defaults for each of these IEEE 802.11 parameters have been chosen to maximize the WFB/WFR4xxx wireless client experience.
Regulatory FCC Certifications 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.
Glossary This glossary defines terms that apply to wireless and networking technology. 802.1x Standard for port-based authentication in LANs. Identifies each user and allows connectivity based on policies in a centrally managed server. 802.11 Refers to the set of WLAN standards developed by IEEE. The three commonly in use today are 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g, sometimes referred to collectively as Dot11. access control list (ACL) A list of services used for security of programs and operating systems.
Domain Name Service (DNS) A standard methodology for converting alphanumeric Internet domain names to IP addresses. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) A communications protocol enabling IP address assignments to be managed both dynamically and centrally. With DHCP enabled on a node (a system, device, network card, or access point), when it boots or is connected to a network, an address is automatically assigned.
Internet Protocol (IP) The network layer protocol for routing packets through the Internet. IP address 32-bit number, usually presented as a period-separated (dotted decimal) list of three-digit numbers, which identifies an entity on the Internet according to the Internet Protocol standard. local area network (LAN) A group of computers, servers, printers, and other devices connected to one another, with the ability to share data between them.
Packet INternet Groper (PING) A utility that determines whether a specific IP address is accessible, and the amount of network time (measured in milliseconds) needed for response. PING is used primarily to troubleshoot Internet connections. policy-based networking The management of a network with rules (or policies) governing the priority and availability of bandwidth and resources, based both on the type of data being transmitted and the privileges assigned to a given user or group of users.
Control Protocol (TCP) layers, SSL is a standard feature in Internet Explorer, Netscape, and most web server products. Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Protocol used to transfer email messages between email servers. Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) An efficient protocol for network management and device monitoring. SNMP trap A process that filers SNMP messages and saves or drops them, depending upon how the system is configured.
Trunk In telecommunications, a communications channel between two switching systems. In a wireless network, a trunk is a wireless connection from one Access Point to another. Type of Service (ToS) Sometimes also called IP Precedence, ToS is a system of applying QoS methodologies, based on headers placed into transmitted IP packets. User Datagram Protocol (UDP) A connectionless protocol similar to TCP/IP, but without the same level of error checking.
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