XH8227

DSE 802.11g USB Adaptor

Installation Guide
V1.1 – Last Updated on 30/04/04 by Julius Spencer – © Copyright 2004- DSE(NZ)Ltd
 L i fe Sup p or t Ap p l i c a ti o ns

This product is not designed for use in life support appliances, devices, or systems where
malfunction of the product can reasonably be expected to result in personal injury. Customers
using this product for use in such applications do so at their own risk and agree to fully indemnify
DSE(NZ)Ltd for any damages resulting from such improper use or sale.

Wa rni ng

This is a Class B product. In a domestic environment, this product may cause radio interference
in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.

Ma nua l Ve rs i o ns

Date Version Author Changes

22/04/2004 1.0 Julius Spencer Original Version

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Contents

1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................3
1.1 PACKAGE CONTENTS ...................................................................................................3
1.2 MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................3
2 FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS....................................................................................4

3 WIRELESS LAN BASICS................................................................................................5

4 ADAPTOR DESCRIPTION ..............................................................................................6

5 INSTALLATION...............................................................................................................7
5.1 INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE ..........................................................................................7
5.2 W INDOWS 98SE/ME .................................................................................................10
5.3 W INDOWS 2000/XP ..................................................................................................11
6 TCP/IP CONFIGURATION ............................................................................................13
6.1 W INDOWS 98SE/ME CONFIGURATION .........................................................................13
6.2 W INDOWS 2000/XP CONFIGURATION .........................................................................14
7 USING THE CONFIGURATION UTILITY ......................................................................15
7.1 BASIC CONFIGURATION ..............................................................................................16
7.2 W IRELESS EQUIVALENT PRIVACY (WEP) .....................................................................19
7.3 STATUS ....................................................................................................................21
7.4 INFORMATION ............................................................................................................22
8 ABOUT WI-FI ................................................................................................................23
8.1 W I-FI IS FREEDOM.....................................................................................................23
8.2 W I-FI CERTIFIED = CONFIDENCE .............................................................................23
8.3 W I-FI CONNECTS YOU ...............................................................................................23
8.4 W HO CAN USE W I-FI?...............................................................................................23
9 TROUBLESHOOTING ..................................................................................................24

10 SUPPORT..................................................................................................................25

11 WARRANTY...............................................................................................................25

12 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ............................................................................................26

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1 Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the DSE 802.11g USB WLAN adaptor. Using radio frequency (RF)
technology, wireless networks (WLANs) transmit and receive data over the air, minimizing the
need for wired connections. Thus, WLANs combine data connectivity with user mobility, and
through simplified configuration, enable movable LANs.

This wireless networking solution has been designed for both large and small businesses, and it
is scalable so that you can easily add more users and new network features as your business
grows.

It will allow you to connect to wireless networks with speeds of up to 54Mbps. It supports
64/128-bit WEP encryption and is backward compatible with older 802.11b 11Mbps WiFi
products.

1.1 Package Contents

Carefully unpack and remove the contents. If any of the following items are missing or damaged,
contact the Dick Smith Electronics store you purchased the device from.

• 1 x XH8227 DSE 802.11g USB Adaptor

• 1 x USB cable

• Installation CD

• This installation guide

1.2 Minimum System Requirements

• A computer with an available USB port

• Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME, or Windows 98SE

• At least 32 MB of memory and a 300 MHz processor or higher

• An 802.11b/g Access Point for (Infrastructure Mode) or another computer with an

802.11b/g wireless card installed (for Ad-Hoc Mode)

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2 Features & Specifications

• Up to 54Mbps high speed data transfer rate

• Easy USB Plug & Play installation

• Hardware-based 40/64-bit & 128-bit WEP encryption

• Standards: IEEE 802.11b/ IEEE 802.11g

• Signal Type: DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum)

• Modulation: BPSK/ QPSK/ CCK/ QAM

• Host Interface: USB 2.0

• Antenna: built-in dielectric antenna

• Data Encryption: 64/128bit WEP encryption

• Wireless Speeds: 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 54 Mbps (auto rate
capable); compatible with 802.11b or 802.11g

• Frequency Band: 2.4GHz ~ 2.4835GHz ISM Band

• Channel: 13 channels

• Data Rate: Up to 54Mbps (with automatic scale back)

• Transmit Power Output: 802.11b: 17dBm; 802.11g: 13dBm

• Receive Sensitivity: 802.11b: -82dBm at 11Mbps; 802.11g: -65dBm at 54Mbps

• Range: 802.11b: 100~300M; 802.11g: 20~70M (this will vary depending on the
environment)

• System Requirements: MS Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP. One available USB 2.0 port.

Minimum disk space: 7MB for utility and driver installation

• Chipset: NET2280 USB 2.0 to PCI Bridge with Intersil ISL3880 Wireless LAN
Integrated Medium Access Controller & Baseband Processor

• USB Identifiers: VID: 09AA - PID: 1000

• Packaging Insides: 1x 802.11g USB 2.0 Adaptor, 1x USB A Male to Mini-B 5-Pin Male
Cable, 1x Installation CD, 1x User's Manual

• Warranty: 12 months return to DSE(NZ) Ltd – in store swap out warranty.

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3 Wireless LAN basics

A Wireless LAN network defined by IEEE 802.11b standard committee can be configured as:

• an Ad Hoc wireless LAN, or

• an Infrastructure wireless LAN

An Ad Hoc network is a group of computers with wireless adaptors called a BSS (Basic Service
Set). These computers use their wireless adaptors to communicate with one another. In this
configuration, they cannot connect to a wired network or the Internet.

STA 2

STA 1

STA 3

The main difference between an Infrastructure and an Ad Hoc wireless network is that the
computers in an Infrastructure wireless network can connect to a wired network or the Internet
through an Access Point or wireless capable broadband router.



 
 


STA 1 STA 3

STA 2

Setting up your network as Ad Hoc or Infrastructure depends completely on your requirements.

Generally, if you need to have access to a wired network or the Internet, then you should set your
wireless network as Infrastructure.

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4 Adaptor Description

LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode.

The WLAN 802.11g USB Adaptor has two LEDs: LINK and PWR. The table below describes
the LED activity and each different associated operating mode of the card.

LINK

PWR

Network Mode LED Activity

Network Activity LINK light flickers, PWR light on
Searching for a Network PWR light flickers
Connection
Associated with the PWR light is on
Network, but No Activity

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5 Installation

The following section outlines the steps you will need to take to install the 802.11g USB Adaptor
for various operating systems. Please note that the screenshots may be different from what you
will see on your screen.

Important note: Make sure that you install the software BEFORE you plug the USB adaptor into
your computer.

5.1 Installing the software

1. Insert the installation CD into your CDROM drive and the setup screen will appear
automatically. If it doesn’t appear, run the setup program located on the CDROM. Click
on Install Software.

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2. Click Next.

3. Click Next.

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4. Click Next.

5. Click Finish.

6. After the software installation a reboot may be required. After this is completed, plug the
USB cable provided into the spare USB port in the computer and the Wireless Adaptor.

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5.2 Windows 98SE/Me

Windows will automatically detect the USB Adaptor once it is inserted.

1. Click Next to search for the best driver.

2. Check Specify a location, click Browse and navigate to the folder named
drivers\Driver\98me in your CD drive and click Next.

3. Windows will find the driver. Click Next. Note that Windows may ask you to insert the
Windows 98 CD so have it handy.

4. Click Finish to complete the installation.

5. Click Yes to restart your computer.

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5.3 Windows 2000/XP

1. After you have inserted the USB adaptor, a Found New Hardware Wizard dialog box will
appear. Choose Install the software automatically (Recommended) and click Next.

2. A warning message may appear. Click Continue Anyway.

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 XH8227 – DSE 802.11g USB Adaptor

3. Another warning message may appear. Click Continue Anyway.

4. When Windows has finished, you’ll see a screen notifying you that the installation process
has been completed. Click Finish.

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6 TCP/IP Configuration

If connecting to an Access Point you now need to configure your computer to use DHCP via the
TCP/IP protocol. DHCP allows each computer connected to the Access Point / Router to obtain
an IP address automatically. If using Ad-Hoc mode you must choose an IP network and IP
address for each computer.

6.1 Windows 98SE/Me Configuration

1. From the Windows desktop, click the Start button and choose Settings, then click Control
Panel.

2. From Control Panel, double-click the Network icon.

3. In the Network window, under the Configuration tab, double-click the TCP/IP entry of the
PRISM WLAN adaptor.

4. a) If connecting to an Access Point, on the IP address tab, make sure Obtain an IP

address automatically is selected. If not, select it, click OK and OK again. Note that
Windows may ask you to insert the Windows 98 CD so have it ready.

b) If using Ad-Hoc mode, select Specify an IP address and choose you IP address and
Subnet Mask so that this device can communicate with all computers in your BSS.

5. Restart your computer.

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6.2 Windows 2000/XP Configuration

1. From the Windows desktop, click the Start button. Choose Settings, then click Control
Panel.

2. From Control Panel, double-click the Network & Dial-Up Connections icon.

3. Double-click the icon that corresponds to the connection to your router.

4. Click Properties and double-click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

5. a) If connecting to an Access Point, in the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog

box, make sure Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address
automatically are selected. If not, select them and click OK to close the window.

b) If using Ad-Hoc mode, select Specify an IP address and choose you IP address and
Subnet Mask so that this device can communicate with all computers in your BSS.

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7 Using the Configuration Utility

The Configuration Utility is provided to allow you to configure the DSE 802.11g USB adaptor
and your wireless network. Once the WLAN adaptor is installed correctly, the configuration utility
icon will appear in the system tray.

Windows XP

Although Windows XP has built-in support for Wireless Networks, it is highly recommended that
you use the configuration utility provided with the WLAN adaptor. To turn the Windows XP
support off, open up the Properties associated with the device in the Network Connections
found in the Control Panel. Select the Wireless Networks tab and remove the tick next to Use
Windows to configure my wireless network settings. Then click OK.

To use the configuration utility, right click on the diamond shaped icon found in the system tray
and select Status Monitor. The Configuration Utility will then appear. Changes to any of the
parameters in this panel can be applied to the driver without the need to restart the PC under
Windows 2000 and XP.

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7.1 Basic Configuration

The Utility starts with the Network tab shown. This tab is used to scan for wireless networks and
devices, configure existing connections, add new connections and show the status of current
connections.

To scan for Wireless devices click the Scan button. A list of available wireless devices will
appear showing information about each such as: SSID, Channel number, Signal strength and
BSSID.

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To connect to a network device which is not using any form of encryption or authentication,
double click on the device you wish to connect to and you will be connected to the device
automatically. An example of this kind of device is AP_Router shown below.

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If the SSID of the device you wish to connect to is not shown in the list, click the New button and
the following screen should appear.

Enter in a name for the connection in the Profile Name field provided, select the Operating Mode
from the drop down box (see section 3 for more information) and enter in the SSID of the
network device you wish to connect to.

In Ad Hoc mode you must also select the Channel number (1-13). This must be the same as the
channel being used by other devices in the BSS.

The Operating mode will be Infrastructure if you are connecting to an Access Point and Ad Hoc
if you are not using an Access Point and connecting to other wireless devices only.

If you are not using WEP to secure your network you can select the Submit button at this stage
and your computer should attach itself to the network. Note: If using Ad Hoc mode remember to
assign an IP address to the adaptor (see section 6).

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7.2 Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP)

If the device is using encryption a small lock will be shown beside the device’s SSID shown in the
list. An example of this is the device with SSID ap11g. If you double click on this, the WEP
Setting tab will appear within the Profile Edit window. Select the type of encryption from the drop
down box and enter in the WEP encryption key.

Encryption keys must be entered in HEX. See the description below describing HEX. The
options provided in the drop down box allow for keys of length 64 (10 HEX characters) or 128 bits
(26 HEX characters). In order for communication to take place, the key entered must be the
same for all devices in the BSS.

HEX (hexadecimal notation): While the more common decimal system uses a base of ten to
represent all possible numbers, hexadecimal notation uses a base of sixteen: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F. While such a system may seem confusing at first, it works extremely well
in computing environments. For example, a single byte of information can be represented as
eight bits (10011101), decimal numerals (913), or simplified to hex (9D). In hex, every byte can
be shown as two hexadecimal characters.

After selecting the encryption type and entering in the key, select the Submit button.

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After configuring your connection the profile should appear on the left in the Existing Profile box.
If it is black then there this profile is not currently connected. If it appears in blue and green then
you are currently connected to this device. You can change the settings for a profile by selecting
it and clicking the Edit button.

It is possible to have multiple profiles for different environments such as work and home. The
preferred profile can be managed by selecting a profile and clicking the Up or Down button below
the list of profiles. The profile at the top of the list is the one which the adaptor will try to connect
to first.

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7.3 Status

The Status tab is useful for troubleshooting a connection. At the bottom of the tab two bars can
be seen indicating the Signal strength and Link Quality which help determine the best place to
locate your adaptor.

Other information shown helps determine the Operating Mode, SSID, Channel and transmit rate
the device is operating at.

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7.4 Information

The Information tab has basic information about the adaptor and the software used to configure
it.

Driver: Shows the version of the driver.

Firmware: Shows the Firmware version.

Application: Shows the version of the Monitor Application

DLL Version: Shows the version of the DLL.

MAC Address: Shows the MAC address of the Adaptor.

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8 About Wi-Fi

8.1 Wi-Fi is Freedom

Wi-Fi, or Wireless Fidelity, is freedom: it allows you to connect to the Internet from your couch at
home, a bed in a hotel room or a conference room at work without wires. How? Wi-Fi is a
wireless technology like a cell phone. Wi-Fi enabled computers send and receive data indoors
and out; anywhere within the range of a base station. And the best thing of all, it's fast. In fact, it's
several times faster than the fastest cable modem connection. However, you only have true
freedom to be connected anywhere if your computer is configured with a Wi-Fi CERTIFIED
radio adaptor (a PC Card or similar device). Wi-Fi certification means that you will be able to
connect anywhere there are other Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products - whether you are at home, the
office or corporate campus, or in airports, hotels, coffee shops and other public areas equipped
with a Wi-Fi access available.

8.2 Wi-Fi CERTIFIED = Confidence

Look for the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo on a product before you buy it. The Wi-Fi certified logo is
your only assurance that the product has met rigorous interoperability testing requirements to
assure products from different vendors will work together. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo means
that it's a "safe" buy. Wi-Fi Certification comes from the Wi-Fi Alliance, a nonprofit international
trade organisation that tests 802.11-based wireless equipment to make sure it meets the Wi-Fi
standard and works with all other manufacturers' Wi-Fi equipment on the market. Thanks to the
Wi-Fi Alliance, you don't have to read the fine print or study technical journals: if it says Wi-Fi, it
will work.

8.3 Wi-Fi Connects You

Imagine working on your laptop or checking e-mail from anywhere in your home. Imagine being
able to connect to your office network from an airport or coffee shop. Imagine retrieving files or
presentations from the corporate network, cruising the Internet or sending instant messages to
co-workers - and doing it all from a conference room or the company cafeteria. Now, imagine
doing all these things easily and quickly - without worrying about finding a wired network
connection. That is Wi-Fi.

8.4 Who Can Use Wi-Fi?

Everyone can use Wi-Fi, almost everywhere in the world. Home Wi-Fi networks can connect
multiple computers to each other, to peripherals, and to the Internet. A Wi-Fi network can
connect a family's computers together to share such hardware and software resources as
printers and the Internet. That means everyone in the family can share stored files, photos and
documents and print them out on a single printer attached to one desktop computer - all without
unsightly cables running throughout the home. In a home or home office, using Wi-Fi
CERTIFIED equipment in your wireless network gives you the ability to share a single
high-speed broadband cable or DSL connection. A Wi-Fi network can easily be expanded to ten
users or more. It also gives you assurance that the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED equipment you purchase
today will work with the equipment you add to your network in the future. Wi-Fi networks also
work well for small businesses, providing connectivity between mobile salespeople, floor staff
and behind-the-scenes finance and accounting departments. Because small businesses are
dynamic, the built-in flexibility of a Wi-Fi network makes it easy and affordable for them to
change and grow.

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9 Troubleshooting

Symptom: The LED is off.

Possible Remedy: Make sure the USB cable is inserted properly at each end.

Symptom: The LED is always on, not blinking.

Possible Remedy: Make sure that you have installed the driver from the installation CD.

Symptom: The Monitor application icon is green, but you can’t access the wired-LAN.

Possible Remedy: Make sure there is an 802.11b or 802.11g access point in your network.

1. Make sure the USB adaptor is configured as infrastructure mode.

2. Make sure the network settings are correct.

Symptom: The Monitor application icon is green, but you can’t share files with others.

Possible Remedy: Make sure the file and printer sharing function is enabled. Please refer to
your operating system documentation on how to do this.

Symptom: Slow or erratic performance.

Possible Remedy: Try to change the channel of the communicating group or move your
device.

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10 Support

Should you encounter problems with the installation of this device, please follow these steps:

1. Make sure you installed the software before you plugged in the adaptor.

2. Make sure you have disabled WEP for the initial network set up. You can then re-enable
WEP when you have your network up and running.

3. Make sure you have instructed Windows XP not to configure your wireless network settings.

4. Read the troubleshooting guide.

5. Contact the DSE Support Team

DSE support operates during normal business hours.
– Phone: 09-414-2836
– email: support@dse.co.nz
– or call into your nearest Dick Smith Electronics store

Note: Consumers are advised not to rely on our ability to provide support for Open Source,
GNU, Freeware or Shareware software, as this software is often under continual development.
We will however help where we can which may be limited to providing web links only. Windows
software that does not fall into the categories above is supported.

Limited support is provided for Wireless Super-G (108Mbps) with the drivers included. This
product is not marketed or sold as Super-G, but as an 802.11g product and hence no support is
provided for Super-G functionality.

Please visit our website http://www.dse.co.nz from time to time as the most up-to-date drivers
and manuals will be posted there.

11 Warranty
This device is supplied with a 12-month, non-transferable end user warranty. In the unlikely
event that this device should fail within the warranty period, please return it, along with your
purchase receipt, to your nearest Dick Smith Electronics store.

Please Note:
Damage due to misuse, abuse or electromagnetic discharge (including, but not limited to
lightning, etc) is not covered by warranty.

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12 Glossary of terms

IEEE 802.11 Standard: The IEEE 802.11 is a standard that has been developed by the IEEE (Institute
of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) for Wireless local area networks (WLAN).

802.11a: An IEEE standard for wireless networks that operate in the 5 GHz frequency range (5.725
GHz to 5.850 GHz) with a maximum data transfer rate of 54 Mbps.

802.11b: An IEEE standard for wireless networks that operate in the 2.4 GHz frequency range (2.4
GHz to 2.4835 GHz) with a maximum data transfer rate of 11 Mbps. This is a very commonly used
frequency. Microwave ovens, cordless phones, medical and scientific equipment, as well as Bluetooth
devices, all work within the 2.4 GHz frequency band.

802.11g: An IEEE standard similar to 802.11b but with a maximum data transfer rate of 54 Mbps. It
also operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band but uses a different radio technology in order to boost
overall bandwidth. 802.11g devices are backward compatible with 802.11b devices.

Access Point: An internetworking device that seamlessly connects wired and wireless networks
together. Access points can also bridge to each other if they have a wireless bridge function.

Ad Hoc: An Ad Hoc wireless LAN is a group of computers, each with a WLAN adaptor, connected as
an independent wireless LAN.

ADSL: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line is a DSL technology that is asymmetric, thereby reserving
more downstream bandwidth (coming to the user from the Internet) than upstream bandwidth (going
from the user to the Internet). This type of DSL is advantageous for residential users that do not need
the same bandwidth speed in both directions.

Backbone: The core infrastructure of a network or the portion of the network that transports
information from one central location to another central location. The information is then off-loaded
onto a local system.

Bandwidth: The amount of transmission capacity that is available on a network. The available
bandwidth depends on several variables such as the data transmission rates between networked
devices, number of users and the type of network devices used. The more bandwidth a network
provides, the more data can flow through it. 802.11b provides a maximum bandwidth of 11 Mbps while
802.11a and 802.11g provide a maximum bandwidth of 54 Mbps.

Bit: The basic unit in data communications, represented as either a one or a zero. When discussing
digital data, a small "b" refers to bits, and a capital "B" refers to bytes.

Bit rate: The number of bits of data transmitted per second.

Bridge: A device that connects a local area network (LAN) to another local area network that uses the
same protocol (e.g. wireless, Ethernet or token ring). Wireless bridges are commonly used to link
buildings.

Broadband: A relatively fast Internet connection. Services such as ISDN, cable modem, ADSL and
satellite are all considered broadband as compared to dial-up Internet access.

BSS: A group of computers with a WLAN adaptor each and an Access Point compose a Basic
Service Set (BSS).

BSSID: Computers in a BSS must be configured with the same BSSID.

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Client: Any computer connected to a network that requests services (e.g. files, print capability) from
another member of the network.

DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is a method in which IP addresses are dynamically
assigned by a server to clients on the network. DHCP is used for Dynamic IP Addressing and requires
a dedicated DHCP server on the network.

Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum: This is the method the wireless cards use to transmit data over
the frequency spectrum. The other method is frequency hopping. Direct sequence spreads the data
over one frequency range (channel) while frequency hopping jumps from one narrow frequency band
to another many times per second.

Diversity antenna: A type of antenna system that uses two antennas to maximize reception,
transmission quality and reduce interference.

EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol), defined in RFC 2284 -- PPP Extensible Authentication
Procotol (EAP), is the original 802.11 standard.

EAP-TLS (Extensible Authentication Protocol - Transport Layer Security) was created by Microsoft
and accepted as RFC 2716: PPP EAP TLS Authentication Procotol..

EAP-TTLS (Tunneled Transport Layer Security) was developed by Funk Software and Certicom, and
is supported by Agere Systems, Proxim, and Avaya.

Encryption key: An alphanumeric string that enables data to be encrypted and then decrypted so it
can be safely shared among members of a network. WEP uses an encryption key that automatically
encrypts outgoing wireless data. On the receiving side, the same encryption key enables the computer
to automatically decrypt the information so it can be read.

ESS: Stands for Extended Service Set. More than one Basic Service Sets (BSS) can be configured as
an Extended Service Set. An ESS is basically a roaming domain.

ESSID: Computers in an ESS must be configured with the same ESSID.

Ethernet: Ethernet is a 10/100Mbps wired network that runs over dedicated home/office wiring. Users
must be wired to the network at all times to gain access.

Firewall: A device that secures a network and prevents access by unauthorized users. Firewalls can
be software, hardware or a combination of both. Firewalls can prevent unrestricted access into a
network, as well as restrict data from flowing out of a network.

Gateway: A gateway is a hardware and software device that connects two dissimilar systems, such as
a LAN and a mainframe. Generally, a gateway is used as a funnel for all traffic to the Internet.

HotSpot: A place where you can access Wi-Fi service. This can be free or for a fee. HotSpots can be
inside a coffeeshop, airport lounge, train station, convention center, hotel or any other public meeting
area. Corporations and campuses are also implementing HotSpots to provide wireless Internet access
to their visitors and guests. In some parts of the world, HotSpots are known as CoolSpots. There are
several hot spots in New Zealand, predominantly in Wellington and Auckland. See the HotSpots in
New Zealand section for a list of HotSopts.

IEEE: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is a membership organization comprised of
engineers, scientists, and students that sets standards for computers and communications.

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 XH8227 – DSE 802.11g USB Adaptor

Infrastructure: Compared to Ad-Hoc mode where PCs communicate directly with one another,
clients set in Infrastructure mode all pass data through an access point. The access point not only
mediates wireless network traffic, but also provides communication with the wired network. If the
wireless clients need to have access to the wired LAN, they will have to be set in Infrastructure mode.

IP address: A 32-bit number that identifies each computer across a network or the Internet.

IPX: Short for Internetwork Packet Exchange, IPX is a networking protocol used by the Novell
NetWare operating systems. Like UDP/IP, IPX is a datagram protocol used for connectionless
communications.

ISM Band: The FCC and their counterparts outside of the U.S. have set aside bandwidth for
unlicensed use in the so-called ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band. Spectrum in the vicinity of
2.4 GHz, in particular, is being made available worldwide. This presents a truly revolutionary
opportunity to place convenient high-speed wireless capabilities in the hands of users around the
globe.

ISO: The International Organization of Standardization develops, coordinates, and promulgates

international standards that facilitate world trade.

ISP: An Internet Service Provider is an organization offering and providing Internet access to the public
using computer servers connected directly to the Internet.

ITU: The International Telecommunication Union is a United Nations organization that coordinates the
use of the electromagnetic spectrum and creation of technical standards for telecommunication
and radio communication equipment.

LEAP (Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol) was developed by Cisco. Cisco is phasing out
LEAP in favor of PEAP.

Local Area Network (LAN): A LAN is a group of computers, each equipped with the appropriate
network adaptor card connected by cable that share applications, data and peripherals. All
connections are made via cable, but a LAN does not use telephone services. It typically spans a single
building.

MAC address: Every network device has its own specific MAC address hard-coded into it. This unique
identifier can be used to provide security for networks.

NAT: Network Address Translation enables a local area network (LAN) to use one set of IP addresses
for internal traffic and a second set of IP addresses for external traffic. This feature is used so that an
end user can have an internal computer network in their home, with all its computers using internal IP
addresses, using only one routable IP address, which accesses the outside (Internet).

Network: A network is a system of computers connected to one another. Data, files, and messages
can be transmitted over this network. Networks may be local or wide area networks.

PCMCIA: Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. A PCMCIA card is also
referred to as a PC Card. PCMCIA cards are usually used with notebooks.

PEAP: (Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol) was developed by Microsoft, Cisco and RSA
Security.

Peer-to-peer network: A wireless or wired network that has no server, access point, hub or router. All
the networked PCs are connected directly to one another and are equally able to act as a network
server or client.

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Protocol: A protocol is a standardized set of rules that specify how a conversation is to take place,
including the format, timing, sequencing and error checking.

Proxy server: Used in larger companies and organizations to improve network operations and
security, a proxy server is able to prevent direct communication between two or more networks. The
proxy server forwards allowable data requests to remote servers and/or responds to data requests
directly from stored remote server data.

Range: The range is a measure of how far your wireless network will stretch.

Roaming: In an infrastructure network, this is when a wireless PC moves out of range of the previously
connected access point and connects to a newly connected access point. Throughout the network
environment where access points are deployed, PCs can always be connected regardless of where
they are located.

Router: A device in a packet-switched computer network that directs and controls the flow of data
through the network.

Server: A computer that provides its resources to other computers and devices on a network. These
include print servers, Internet servers and data servers.

Site survey: The process whereby a wireless network installer inspects a location prior to putting in a
wireless network. Site surveys are used to identify the radio and client-use properties of a facility so
that access points can be optimally placed.

SSID: A Network ID unique to a network. Only clients and Access Points that share the same SSID
are able to communicate with each other. This string is case-sensitive. A device will not be permitted to
join the BSS unless it can provide the unique SSID. Because an SSID can be sniffed in plain text from
a packet, it does not supply any security to the network.

SNMP: Simple Network Management Protocol is the network management protocol of TCP/IP. In
SNMP, agents (which can be hardware as well as software) monitor the activity in the various devices
on the network and report to the network console workstation. Control information about each device is
maintained in a structure known as a management information block.

Static IP Addressing: A method of assigning IP addresses to clients on the network. In networks with
Static IP addresses, the network administrator manually assigns an IP address to each computer.
Once a Static IP address is assigned, a computer uses the same IP address every time it reboots and
logs on to the network, unless it is manually changed.

Subnet: Found in larger networks, these smaller networks are used to simplify addressing between
numerous computers. Subnets connect to the central network through a router, hub or gateway. Each
individual wireless LAN will probably use the same subnet for all the local computers it talks to.

TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol is the protocol suite developed by the
Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). It is widely used in corporate Internet works, because
of its superior design for WANs. TCP governs how each packet is sequenced for transmission through
the network. The term TCP/IP is often used generically to refer to the entire suite of related protocols.

VPN: A type of technology designed to increase the security of information transferred over the
Internet. VPN can work with either wired or wireless networks, as well as with dial-up connections.
VPN creates a private encrypted tunnel from the end user's computer, through the local wireless
network, through the Internet, all the way to the corporate servers and database.

29
 XH8227 – DSE 802.11g USB Adaptor

WAN: A Wide Area Network consists of multiple LANs that are tied together via telephone services
and / or fiber optic cabling. WANs may span a city, a state, a country, or even the world.

WEP: Wired Equivalent Privacy is a basic wireless security as described in the IEEE 802.11 standard.
In some instances, WEP may be all a home or small-business user needs to protect wireless data.
WEP is available in 40-bit (also called 64-bit), or in 108-bit (also called 128-bit) encryption modes. As
128-bit encryption provides a longer algorithm that takes longer to decode, it can provide better
security than basic 40-bit (64-bit) encryption.

Wi-Fi: An interoperability certification for wireless local area network (LAN) products based on the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard.

WLAN: A Wireless LAN does not use cable to transmit signals, but rather uses radio to transmit
packets through the air. Radio Frequency (RF) is the commonly used type of wireless transmission.

30
 Co p yr ig ht

Copyright  2004 by DSE(NZ)Ltd - all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any
language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
magnetic, optical, chemical, manual or otherwise, without the prior written permission of
DSE(NZ)Ltd.

D is c l a i me r

DSE(NZ)Ltd makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect

to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any warranties, merchantability or fitness for
any particular purpose. Any software described in this manual is sold or licensed "as is". Should
the programs prove defective following their purchase, the buyer (and not DSE(NZ)Ltd, its
distributor, or its dealer) assumes the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair, and any
incidental or consequential damages resulting from any defect in the software. Further,
DSE(NZ)Ltd reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes from time to time
in the contents hereof without obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes.

All brand and product names mentioned in this manual are trademarks and/or registered
trademarks of their respective holders.

31
 XH8227 – DSE 802.11g USB Adaptor

Dick Smith Electronics Stores

!"$#&%'( 14 John Street, Phone: (09) 438 0687, Fax: (09) 438 9635.
$)+*,.-/!0(
Albany: Don McKinnon Drive,
Albany MegaCentre, Phone: (09) 415 7410, Fax: (09) 415 4360; Glenfield: Glenfield Road, (Above Westfield Shopping
Town), Phone: (09) 442 2314, Fax: (09) 442 2317; Takapuna: 451 Lake Road, Phone: (09) 486 4037, Fax: (09) 486 4039;
City: 26-28 Wyndham Street, Phone: (09) 303 1355, Fax: (09) 303 2783; New Lynn: 3045 Great North Road, Phone: (09)
827 0433, Fax: (09) 827 0466; Henderson: Level 1 (Shop 128), Westcity Mall, Phone: (09) 838 8024, Fax: (09) 838 9258;
Botany: Shop B01 Botany Town Centre, Phone: (09) 271 4100, Fax: (09) 271 4101; Karangahape Road: 442 Karangahape
Road, Phone: (09) 309 4402: Fax: (09) 373 4456; Newmarket: 50 Remuera Road, Phone: (09) 524 7033, Fax: (09) 524
7033; St Lukes: Cnr St Lukes Road and Wagener Road, Phone: (09) 845 0102, Fax: (09) 845 0105; Onehunga: 252-258
Onehunga Mall, Phone: (09) 634 6767; Pakuranga: Westfield Shoppingtown, Reeves Road, Phone: (09) 576 6604, Fax:
(09) 576 4446; Manukau City: Cnr Ronwood Avenue & Great South Road, Phone: (09) 262 4150, Fax: (09) 262 4151;
Papakura: 130 Great South Road, Phone: (09) 298 0943, Fax: (09) 296 1713; Pukekohe: 106 Manukau Road, Phone: (09)
237 1530, Fax: (09) 237 1534.
1324'-6587(
Barton Street: 299 Barton Street, Phone: (07) 839 4491, Fax: (07) 838 1226;
Ward Street: 131-135 Ward Street, Phone: (07) 838 1484, Fax: (07) 834 1138.
53).#9$$"93(
Cnr Willow & Springs
Street, Phone: (07) 578 7071, Fax: (07) 577 6674.
#1715 7$#1)$( 1175 Pukuatua Street, Phone: (07) 349 0270, Fax: (07) 348
2464.
25:2!).";3$).'( !<9'%=#1( 233 Emerson
Shop 6, 2 Owens Place, Phone: (07) 574 3942, Fax: (07) 574 3943.
St, Phone: (06) 835 5137, Fax: (06) 834 0463.
% = >
 
< 6
- +
? 4
2 +
7 9
) &
5 +
 ( 70-72 Devon Street East, Phone: (06) 758 3309, Fax:
(06) 758 5034.
@!"9!+).'( 122b Victoria Ave, Phone: (06) 348 7270, Fax: (06) 348 7275. <!-A2B%A#.C 587D7$#5&+(
Cnr Fitzherbert Ave & Ferguson St, Phone: (06) 359 4447, Fax: (06) 359 4452.
:%-A-A'EF"9587+( Featherston Street: 171
Featherston Street, Phone: (04) 473 9858, Fax: (04) 473 0407; Vivian Street: 57 Vivian Street, Phone: (04) 384 8198, Fax:
(04) 801 6258; Manners Mall: 4 Manners Mall, Phone: (04) 385 6788, Fax: (04) 385 6785; Lower Hutt: 90 Queens Drive,
Phone: (04) 566 2022, Fax: (04) 566 1277; Porirua: Porirua Mega Centre, 36 Parumoana Street, Phone: (04) 237 6654, Fax:
(04) 237 6456.
+%-GC97+$( 150 Hardy Street, Phone: (03) 548 9161, Fax: (03) 548 2900.
*#.'C 58*9+).#.*$(
Manchester
Street: 130 Manchester Street, Phone: (03) 365 5560, Fax: (03) 365 5561; The Palms: Cnr Marshlands & New Brighton
Roads, Shirley, Phone: (03) 386 2670, Fax: (03) 386 2147; Colombo Street: Cnr Colombo & St Asaph Streets, Phone: (03)
366 2703, Fax: (03) 379 4684; Papanui: Cnr Main North Rd & Langdon's Road, Phone: (03) 352 8770, Fax: (03) 352 7608;
5&'2$#.).( 295 Stafford Street, Phone: (03)
Riccarton: 107 Riccarton Road, Phone: (03) 343 0812, Fax: (03) 343 3880.
684 6876, Fax: (03) 684 7678.

0 +
) %  +
0 
' (
Moray Place: 342 Moray Place, Phone: (03) 474 1096, Phone: (03) 477 4495,
Fax: (03) 474 1032; Cumberland Street: 59 Cumberland Street, Phone: (03) 470 1680, Phone: (03) 470 1681, Fax: (03) 470
1682.
'H!%A#.* !#&"'--A( 63 Leven Street, Phone: (03) 214 4363, Fax: (03) 214 0672

Authorised Distributors
KERIKERI: Kerikeri Electronics Ltd, 63 Main Street, Kerikeri, Phone: (09) 407 5589, Fax: (09) 407 5587. OREWA: Tronix,
Westpac Plaza, Bakehouse Lane, Orewa, Phone: (09) 426 2007, Fax: (09) 427 8085. MATAMATA: Electronics Plus, 80
Arawa Steet, Matamata, Phone: (07) 888 5955, Fax: (07) 888 5944. THAMES: Piaggi Systems & Software Ltd, 509 Pollen
Street, Thames, Phone: (07) 868 9691, Fax: (07) 868 7980. WHAKATANE: Boonen Electronics, 76 The Strand, Whakatane,
Phone: (07) 308 8761, Fax: (07) 308 9151. TE PUKE: Electronic Plus, 63 Jellicoe Street, Te Puke, Phone: (07) 573 7544,
Fax: (07) 573 9490. TAUPO: Talktime 2000 Limited, Cnr Gascoigne & Tamamutu Steets, Taupo, Phone: (07) 377 0668, Fax
(07) 377 0669. GISBORNE: AMPS Electronics, 131 Gladstone Road, Gisborne, Phone: (06) 868 1366, Fax (06) 867 9103.
HASTINGS: Baytech Services Limited, 114 North King Street, Hastings, Phone: (06) 878 8962, Fax: (06) 878 5509.
MASTERTON: Hedley's Home & Office, 152 Queen Street, Masterton, Phone: (06) 370 9202, Fax: (06) 370 9303. Fielding:
David Brice Electronics Ltd, 47 Kimbolton Road, Fielding, Phone: (06) 323 7141, Fax: (06) 323 7921. BLENHEIM: Quantum
Electronics, 5 Maxwell Road, Blenheim, Phone: (03) 578 1132, Fax: (03) 577 8981. ALEXANDRA: Central Betta Electrical,
15 Tarbert Street, Alexandra, Phone: (03) 448 7317, Fax: (03) 448 7631. KAPITI: Kapiti Electronics Ltd, 7-8 Kapiti Lights,
Amohia Street, Paraparaumu, Wellington, Phone: (04) 904 4100, Fax: (04) 904 4101

32