The information in this manual is subject to change without notice. Bewan systems cannot be held liable for any partial non-compliance between this manual and the product which it describes, nor for any accidental damage resulting from the use of the above. The manual provided is protected by Copyright law, and may neither be copied nor distributed in any way for any purpose. Use of the documentation is intended for private use only. Any total or partial representation or reproduction requires the approval of the author or of the latter’s legal successors. Commercial use is strictly forbidden. Violation of these regulations may result in prosecution by law and any prosecuted persons being held financially liable for any inconvenience and loss to the Copyright owner. Copyright © 2006, Bewan systems. All rights reserved. December 2006 edition.
Registered trademarks and copyright: •
Bewan and the Bewan logo are the registered trademarks of Bewan systems.
•
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or in other countries.
•
Super G is a registered trademark of Atheros Communications, Inc.
Similarly, the product names indicated in this manual for identification purposes may be commercial brands, registered or not by their respective companies.
The hardware you have purchased must not be disposed of with your other household waste. Instead, you should return it to your retailer for replacement, or alternatively, dispose of waste equipment by handing it over to a designated collection point for the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment. The separate collection and recycling of your waste equipment at the time of disposal will help to conserve natural resources and ensure that it is recycled in a manner that protects human health and the environment.
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Table of contents Foreword.................................................................................................... 4 Box contents .........................................................................................................................4 Technical assistance .............................................................................................................4 Knowledge required .............................................................................................................4
Installing the card ..................................................................................... 5 With Windows 2000.............................................................................................................5 With Windows XP................................................................................................................9 Physically installing the card..............................................................................................15
Configuring the card............................................................................... 16 Operating modes.................................................................................................................16 Infrastructure mode ...................................................................................................................17 Ad-Hoc mode .............................................................................................................................20
Configuring encryption.......................................................................................................23 WEP encryption .........................................................................................................................23 WPA encryption .........................................................................................................................26
Configuring the computers .................................................................... 28 PC running Windows 2000.................................................................................................28 Dynamic IP address...................................................................................................................28 Fixed IP address ........................................................................................................................29 Internet Gateway........................................................................................................................30 Verification of the wireless connection......................................................................................31
PC running Windows XP ...................................................................................................32 Dynamic IP address...................................................................................................................32 Fixed IP adress ..........................................................................................................................33 Internet Gateway........................................................................................................................35 Verification of the wireless connection......................................................................................36
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Foreword The Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card allows you to interconnect PCs (laptops or desktops) to each other and/or an existing local network. They enable you to exchange data within a local network or to access a shared Internet access. Based on the IEEE 802.11g standard (54 Mbps), they are also compatible with 802.11b wireless equipment.
Box contents The box must contain the following basic elements: •
a Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G, with a 3-year warranty,
•
a Quick installation guide,
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a Bewan Wi-Fi CD-ROM containing: − the card driver and utility, − the complete documentation in PDF format.
•
a card containing the General Warranty Terms and Conditions.
Note: should any of these elements be missing or damaged, contact your retailer or the Bewan client services.
Technical assistance The Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card and its documentation are designed to be as simple as possible, so that they can be used not only by professionals but also by individual home users. Before proceeding with the installation of your product, we recommend that you register it on the Bewan website (http://www.bewan.com). This will give you access to all Bewan services. Follow the step-by-step instructions in this User’s guide. If you encounter any problems installing or using the product, you are advised to contact your retailer to have your configuration checked. Note: for information about the Bewan technical assistance service, or to obtain product upgrades, visit the Bewan website.
Knowledge required In the Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card’s documentation, we assume that you are already familiar with the Windows user interface, commands and utilities. We will therefore not go over these points. If necessary, please refer to the Windows manual or the Windows on-line help. Prior knowledge of telecommunications is not necessary when using the Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card.
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Installing the card This chapter contains a detailed description of the installation procedure for the Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card, using Windows 2000 and Windows XP. We recommend that you follow the installation steps in order. Before beginning, deactivate any software that might disrupt the installation procedure, such as anti-virus products. Close all open applications. Note: do not install your card into its slot without first launching the driver and utility for
your card. At the end of the installation, use the set-up utility to configure your wireless network. Installation under Windows is relatively simple.
With Windows 2000 1. Turn on your computer. 2. Place the Bewan Wi-Fi CD-ROM in the drive. If the PC configuration authorises this, the installation program will be launched automatically. If this program does not launch automatically, run the program autorun.exe, located in the CD-ROM root. 3. Select your product. 4. Select your language, then click on Driver and utility. 5. The card’s driver and utility installation Assistant appears. Click on Next.
Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G 6. Read the licence agreement carefully, then click on Yes.
7. Click on Next to install the card software in the default folder.
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Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G 8. The files are copied.
9. The following window appears. Click on Yes.
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10. A window will inform you that the driver and the configuration utility have been installed correctly. Close the Assistant window. Click on Finish.
11. Now switch off your computer manually. Once your PC is switched off, install the card in its slot. For this, you should refer to the section “Physically installing the card” on page 15. Then restart your computer. 12. After restarting, your new hardware is detected.
13. The following window appears. Click on Yes. The installation is completed.
14. Your equipment is ready for use. You can now configure your Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card. Refer to the chapter “Configuring the card” on page 16. First, to connect your Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card to a wireless network, check that your network parameters are configured correctly and are compatible with the remote Wireless equipment. If necessary, refer to the chapter “Configuring the computers” on page 28.
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With Windows XP 1. Turn on your computer. 2. Place the Bewan Wi-Fi CD-ROM in the drive. If the PC configuration authorises this, the installation program will be launched automatically. If this program does not launch automatically, run the program autorun.exe, located in the CD-ROM root. 3. Select your product. 4. Select your language, then click on Driver and utility. 5. The driver and utility installation Assistant appears. Click on Next.
6. Read the license agreement carefully, then click on Yes.
Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G 7. Click on Next to install the card software in the default folder.
8. The files are copied.
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9. The following window appears. Click on Continue Anyway.
10. A window informs you that the driver and configuration utility have been installed. Close the Assistant window. Click on Finish.
11. Switch your computer off manually. Once your PC is switched off, install the card in its slot. For this, refer to the section “Physically installing the card” on page 15. Then restart your computer.
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12. After restarting, the Found New Hardware Wizard appears. (Only with Windows XP SP2: select No, not this time, then click on Next). 13. Select Install the software automatically (Recommended), then click on Next.
14. The installation is carried out.
Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G 15. The following screen appears. Click on Continue Anyway.
16. The installation is carried out.
13
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17. A window informs you that the driver and configuration utility have been installed. Click on Finish.
18. Your equipment is ready for use. You can now configure your Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card. Refer to the chapter “Configuring the card” on page 16. First, to connect your Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card to a wireless network, check that your network parameters are configured correctly and are compatible with the remote Wireless device. If necessary, refer to the chapter “Configuring the computers” on page 28.
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Physically installing the card Before installing the Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card, you should switch off your PC. Once your PC is switched off, install the card as follows: 1. Unplug the power supply from the PC. 2. Remove the cover to access the internal extension connectors. 3. Choose an available PCI connector.
4. Unscrew and remove the metal tab opposite the connector. 5. Insert the card into the connecter and ensure that it is fitted correctly. 6. Screw in the tap on the Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card. 7. Refit the cover to the PC. 8. Reconnect the power supply and switch on the computer. Note: to optimise performance and obtain a better signal quality, we recommend that you position your CPU containing the card in a high place.
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Configuring the card The following chapter describes how to use the utility to configure your card, as well as the advanced functions. This utility allows rapid access to all of the card’s parameters. It allows you to modify or verify information relating to the configuration of your card. After installation of the drivers, an icon appears in the task bar. Double-click on this to open the utility’s main menu. Note: if the icon does not appear, click on start, go to All Programs, Wireless Utility, then click on Wireless Utility. Double-click on the icon to launch the utility. The icon’s colour indicates the current status of your connection: Red
No connection to the Wireless network
Blue
Æ
Connection to the Wireless network established
Configuration procedure: The configuration procedure for the client workstation is relatively simple: 1. Initial search for an Access Point (“Infrastructure” mode) or for client stations present on the network (“Ad-Hoc” mode). 2. Configuration of the Wireless connection. 3. Association and authentication with the Access Point or the chosen client workstation.
Operating modes Standard 802.11 defines two operating modes for your Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card. The mode to be selected depends on the type of wireless network configuration: •
Infrastructure mode, in which the client workstations equipped with the Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card are connected to an Access Point.
•
Ad-Hoc mode, to connect directly to another Wireless workstation without an Access Point or connection to a wired network.
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Infrastructure mode In this mode, the wireless network consists of at least one Access Point (also called a hub), connected to the infrastructure of the wired network (which can itself be connected to Internet) and a series of wireless network workstations (the client workstations). These workstations (desktop or laptop PCs), equipped with Bewan Wi-Fi cards, are connected to the Access Point that serves as the bridge between the wired network and the wireless client workstations.
Thanks to a much broader operating perimeter, the Access Point will allow you to extend the range of communications and to authorise the connection of a much greater number of users. Given that the Access Point is fixed, the network’s radius is easy to identify. In case of mobile users, the workstations can easily be moved around within the cell that corresponds with the area covered by the Access Point. Through the Access Point, the wireless users will be able to communicate with one another and with the wired network.
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Configuration Once the utility has been launched, proceed as follows: 1. Click on the AP List tab. If an Access Point is already configured, it should now be detected and made available. Note: click on the Refresh button to update the information displayed. 2. According to the Network Name, click on the identification value for the Access Point to which you wish to connect, then click on the Connect button (or double-click on the Network Name).
3. When a circle appears in the Access Point icon, this means that your wireless connection is established with the remote Access Point.
Note: your card connects to the Access Point on the communication channel it has set. Likewise, the transfer rate used corresponds to that indicated by the Access Point.
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4. To obtain information about the Access Point in question, click on the Link Information tab. The following screen appears.
5. Click on the More… button. The window will display the current connection parameters (network name, operating mode, channel used, encryption activated or not, rate of transmission).
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Ad-Hoc mode In this mode, the client workstations (maximum five) communicate directly with one another, with no Access Point or connection to a wired network. This mode provides for quick and simple creation of a wireless network in locations where there is no wired infrastructure or when access to the wired network is forbidden. This is referred to as a peer-to-peer architecture.
The connection’s speed will depend on the distance between the various stations and on the type of building in which the network is installed. Given the absence of relays (as the network does not require an Access Point), the operating perimeter is smaller. This operating mode is more suited to short distances, and for when the users are not moving around during the transmission. Required configuration: When two machines are in the same perimeter, they must recognize each other in order to exchange data. The parameters must therefore be the same on all workstations if the wireless network is to operate. All of the workstations must: •
be configured in “Ad-Hoc” mode,
•
use the same network name (SSID parameter),
•
select the same communication channel,
•
enter the same encryption key, if they want to use the Encryption WEP in order to secure the Wireless network.
Note: in this mode, no DHCP server is available. Each workstation on the wireless network must therefore be assigned a static IP address within the same addressing plan. To configure your computer, refer to the “Configuring the computers” chapter on page 28.
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Configuration Once the utility has been launched, you should proceed as follows: 1. Click on the Profile Setting tab, then on the Add button. 2. In the Profile Name section, enter the name of your new profile. Click on Next.
3. In the Network Name section, enter the identification value for the network to which you wish to connect. Note: you must respect case (capitals/lower case). 4. In the Network Type section, select the Peer to Peer operating mode (synonym of Ad-Hoc). 5. In the Transfer Rate section, select the transfer rate. Check that the rate chosen corresponds to that configured on the remote Wireless station. 6. In the Channel section, select the option chosen for communication with the remote Wireless equipment. Then click on Next.
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7. You can now decide whether or not to activate WEP encryption on your card. If you activate WEP encryption, refer to the section “WEP encryption” on page 23. 8. In the IP Setting section, select Enable, then click on Next. 9. In the DHCP Status section, select Disable in order to allocate a fixed IP address to your Wireless station. 10. In the IP Address and Subnet Mask sections, enter the IP address you wish to attribute to your card and the corresponding subnet mask. 11. Click on the Complete button to validate the parameters in your profile. 12. Once your profile is created, the driver seeks an existing Ad-Hoc network using the same SSID (Network Name) to establish the connection. Note: if the remote Wireless device is already configured, it should be detected and available in the AP List tab. You just need to double-click on the name (Network Name field) of the corresponding hardware to establish the Wireless connection.
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Configuring encryption One of the major aspects of the wireless network is its security. For obvious reasons, wireless connections are easy to intercept. Data encryption helps to ensure the security of data transmissions.
WEP encryption With WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), a user identification mechanism, you can ensure the security of data transmission between the client station and an Access Point (or router) or other client stations, using an encryption key. Without encryption, anyone within the network coverage zone can intercept and decode frames sent to other parties. The aim of WEP encryption is to provide confidentiality of data, equivalent, if not superior, to wired networks, and thus optimise reliability in the transmission of data packets. To configure and activate WEP, you should proceed as follows: 1. In the the Authentication Mode section, select the configuration options in order to verify the identity and access privileges of mobile network cards. This consists of validating a user or system, prior to communication. It is possible to choose between Open System or Shared Key. •
Open System: Open system identification is the simplest identification algorithm available. It is an algorithm which requires no identification. Any station requesting identification with this algorithm will be accepted if the type of identification on the receiver station is set to receive open system identification. This identification allows any wireless devices to communicate with each other.
•
Shared Key (only in “Infrastructure” mode): Shared Key identification uses the WEP network key to identify the remote Wireless device. If the remote device uses an incorrect key, or no key, the user is denied access. Shared Key identification prevents unauthorised devices from connecting to your equipment.
2. Click on Next.
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3. In the Encryption section, select the level of encryption (corresponding to the length of the key): 64 bits or 128 bits. We recommend you use the highest level of encryption.
Then click on Next. 4. In the Input Method section, select the input method: Alphanumeric, Hexadecimal or Passphrase format.
•
If you select Alphanumeric mode, you should use characters between "a-z", "A-Z" and "09".
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If you select Hexadecimal mode, you should use characters between "a-f", "A-F" and "0-9".
•
If you select Passphrase, you ask the computer to generate encryption keys automatically. Select a word or phrase (e.g. "bewan") in the Key section. The keys are generated automatically. This notably facilitates the key setting and memorisation process.
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5. In the Key section, enter your key. Use of WEP keys: •
64 bit WEP key: enter 5 alphanumeric characters or 10 hexadecimal characters.
•
128 bit WEP key: enter 13 alphanumeric characters or 26 hexadecimal characters.
For example, a 64 bit WEP key in Alphanumeric mode or Hexadecimal mode could have this type of format: •
Alphanumeric: MaCle
•
Hexadecimal: 11AA22BB33
6. In the Key Index section, select the key to be used. There are 4 keys, but only one may be used. Reminder: WEP uses a secret key. For the Bewan Wi-Fi card to be able to dialogue with a client station (Ad-Hoc mode) or an Access Point (Infrastructure mode), the card and the remote equipment must use the same encryption key. It is important to note the result obtained, carefully, to be able to configure your other wireless devices (cards or Access Points). Activate WEP on each of your cards or Access Points, then enter the key of the Bewan Wi-Fi card you have entered, and the link will be established between the cards (when WEP encryption was activated on the Bewan Wi-Fi card, the link was logically interrupted with the other cards).
7. Click on Next. When your profile has been fully created, the encryption is acknowledged. The padlock symbol appears next to your profile name.
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WPA encryption In addition to WEP, you can also use WPA encryption with the Bewan Wi-Fi card. Caution: the WPA protocol can only be configured in Infrastructure mode (with an Access Point). To configure WPA using the utility programme provided, you must first update your version of Windows XP. If you have already installed Windows XP Service Pack 2, the Windows XP patch for WPA is included in the update. If not, you will have to download and install the patch, which is available free of charge from the official Microsoft website. Here is a link to the Windows XP (KB826942) patch download page: >> Click here to download the Windows XP patch for WPA WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is a security protocol designed to replace the current WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) for Wi-Fi links using static keys, which must be changed manually. WPA uses different data encryption protocols (or algorithms): •
TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol): instead of using a set key to encode the data packets, it regularly generates new dynamic keys derived from the main key, providing increased security. Note: all existing devices can benefit by simply upgrading the software used.
•
AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): this is a symmetrical algorithm for block encoding. It operates using 128 bit blocks. This block encryption provides a greater level of security. Caution: this requires the use of a dedicated chip. It is therefore not possible to upgrade existing equipment. Its compatibility remains limited to devices fitted with this chip.
Proceed as follows: 1. In the Authentication Mode section, select WPA-PSK. 2. In the Encryption section, select TKIP or AES.
3. Click on Apply.
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4. Then enter your key value. The key must comprise a minimum of 8 characters.
5. Click on Next. When your profile has been fully created, the encryption is acknowledged. The padlock symbol appears next to your profile name. Note: you must use the same algorithm (TKIP or AES) as that used for the Access Point. You must also enter the same key so that both pieces of Wireless hardware can communicate.
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Configuring the computers To connect the Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card to a Wireless network, first check that the card parameters are compatible with the wireless network parameters. The configuration TCP/IP varies, depending on whether or not a DHCP server is present on the wireless network. We will refer here to the configuration of computers running the following operating systems: Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
PC running Windows 2000 Dynamic IP address You have chosen to configure your Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card in order to connect to an Access Point or a Wireless router using a DHCP server. The latter dynamically assigns IP addresses to computers on the wireless network. Proceed as follows: 1. Click on Start, then point to Settings, and then click on Control Panel. Then double-click on the Network and Dial-up Connections icon. 2. With the right mouse button, click on Local Area Connection 2 and select Properties in the menu. 3. Select the element Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), then click on Properties.
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4. Select the option Obtain an IP address automatically, then click on OK.
5. Click on OK to validate the modifications.
Fixed IP address You have chosen to configure your Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card in order to connect to an Access Point, a router or another Wireless device using a static IP address. You must therefore assign fixed IP addresses to your computer and to any others on the wireless network. Proceed as follows: 1. Click on Start, then point to Settings, and then click on Control panel. Then double-click on the Network and Dial-up Connections icon. 2. With the right mouse button, click on Local Area Connection 2 and select Properties in the menu. 3. Select the element Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), then click on Properties. 4. Select Use the following IP address. 5. In the IP address field, enter the IP address that you have decided to assign to the PC. Important: •
The PC’s IP address must imperatively fall within the same addressing range as the one used by the Access Point or the remote Wireless device.
•
The PC’s IP address must be unique, i.e. different from the ones used by other devices present on the local network (other computers, Access Point, router, Wireless card…).
•
The PC’s IP address must fall into a range reserved for private networks. Indeed, your local network must not use addresses that are reserved for the Internet. This would cause problems when connecting your network to the Internet.
In case of uncertainty regarding these points, check with a network specialist.
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6. In the Subnet mask field, enter the corresponding subnet mask value of the Bewan Wi-Fi PCI 54 Super G card, i.e. « 255.255.255.0 » in our example.
7. Click on OK to validate the modifications.
Internet Gateway To access a shared Internet connection via the wireless network, you should enter your Internet proxy (router IP address). This applies, irrespective of the type of IP address chosen (static or dynamic). You can also enter the DNS server address. If you have a dynamic IP address, proceed as follows: 1. Click on the button Advanced…. 2. In the area Default gateways, click on Add….
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3. In the Gateway field, indicate the router’s IP address, then click on Add. 4. Then click on OK in each of the windows and follow the instructions on the screen in order to validate the modifications. If you have a fixed IP address, proceed as follows: 1. After entering the IP address and the corresponding Network mask, in the Default gateway section, also indicate the router’s IP address.
2. Then click on OK to validate the modifications.
Verification of the wireless connection The Ping utility, included with Windows 2000, allows you to verify that the PC’s network connection is correct and that it can dialogue with remote Wireless devices using the TCP/IP protocol. Proceed as follows: 1. Click on Start, Programs, point to Accessories, then click on Command prompt. 2. In the Command prompt window, enter “ping” followed by the IP address of the remote Wireless device (Access Point, wireless router or other computer equipped with a Wireless card), then press the ENTER key. If your connection is correct and if the dialogue between the PC and the remote Wireless device has been correctly established, you will obtain a response of the following type from the remote Wireless device: Response from 192.168.1.250: bytes=32
time
