® A Division of Cisco Systems, Inc. 2.4 GHz 802.11g Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter WIRELESS Model No.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Copyright and Trademarks Specifications are subject to change without notice. Linksys is a registered trademark or trademark of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and certain other countries. Copyright © 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Other brands and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Welcome What’s in this Guide? 1 2 Chapter 2: Planning your Wireless Network Network Topology Roaming Network Layout Chapter 3: Getting to Know the Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter The LED Indicators Chapter 4: Setting up and Connecting the USB Adapter Starting the Setup Wizard Connecting the Adapter Setting Up the Adapter Chapter 5: Using the Wireless Network Monitor Accessing the Wireless Network Monitor Link Information Scree
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Appendix H: Regulatory Information Appendix I: Contact Information 63 69
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter List of Figures Figure 3-1: Front Panel Figure 4-1: Setup Wizard’s Welcome Screen Figure 4-2: Setup Wizard’s License Agreement Figure 4-3: The Connecting the Adapter Screen Figure 4-4: Available Wireless Network Figure 4-5: Available Wireless Network Figure 4-6: SecureEasySetup Figure 4-7: The SecureEasySetup Logo and Location Figure 4-8: SecureEasySetup Complete Figure 4-9: Available Wireless Network Figure 4-10: WEP Key Needed for Connection Figure 4-11: WPA-Personal Needed
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Figure 5-3: More Information - Wireless Network Status Figure 5-4: More Information - Wireless Network Statistics Figure 5-5: The SecureEasySetup Button Figure 5-6: The SecureEasySetup Logo and Location Figure 5-7: SecureEasySetup Figure 5-8: SecureEasySetup is Complete Figure 5-9: Site Survey Figure 5-10: WEP Key Needed for Connection Figure 5-11: WPA-Personal Needed for Connection Figure 5-12: PSK2 Needed for Connection Figure 5-13: Profiles Figure 5-14: Import a Profile Fi
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Figure 5-39: LEAP Figure 5-40: Confirm New Settings Figure 5-41: The Congratulations Screen Figure B-1: Wireless Network Monitor Icon Figure B-2: Windows XP - Use Windows XP Wireless Configuration Figure B-3: Windows XP Wireless Configuration Icon Figure B-4: Available Wireless Network Figure B-5: No Wireless Security Figure B-6: Network Connection - Wireless Security Figure B-7: Wireless Network Connection 42 43 43 48 48 48 49 49 50 50
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Chapter 1: Introduction Welcome Thank you for choosing the Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter. With this Adapter, your wireless networking experience will be faster and easier than ever. network: a series of computers or devices connected for the purpose of data sharing, storage, and/or transmission between users.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter What’s in this Guide? This user guide covers the steps for setting up and using the Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter. • Chapter 1: Introduction This chapter describes the Adapter’s applications and this User Guide. • Chapter 2: Planning Your Wireless Network This chapter discusses a few of the basics about wireless networking. • Chapter 3: Getting to Know the Compact USB Adapter This chapter describes the physical features of the Adapter.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter • Appendix G: Warranty Information This appendix supplies the Adapter’s warranty information. • Appendix H: Regulatory Information This appendix supplies the Adapter’s regulatory information. • Appendix I: Contact Information This appendix provides contact information for a variety of Linksys resources, including Technical Support.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Chapter 2: Planning your Wireless Network Network Topology A wireless network is a group of computers, each equipped with one wireless adapter. Computers in a wireless network must be configured to share the same radio channel. Several PCs equipped with wireless cards or adapters can communicate with one another to form an ad-hoc network.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Network Layout Linksys wireless access points and wireless routers have been designed for use with 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g products. With 802.11g products communicating with the 802.11b standard and some products incorporating both “a” and “g”, products using these standards can communicate with each other. Access points and wireless routers are compatible with 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Chapter 3: Getting to Know the Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter The LED Indicators The Adapter's LEDs display information about network activity. Figure 3-1: Front Panel Link Green. The Link LED flashes when there is network activity.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Chapter 4: Setting up and Connecting the USB Adapter The USB Adapter is set up with the Setup Wizard that comes on the CD enclosed with the Adapter. This chapter will guide you through the setup procedure. IMPORTANT: Do not connect the Adapter until you are instructed to do so or the setup will not work. Starting the Setup Wizard To begin the setup process, insert the Setup Wizard CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter 4. The Setup Wizard will now prompt you to connect the Adapter to your PC’s USB port. Once you’ve connect, click Next. 5. Windows 98SE and ME users will need to restart their PCs. Connecting the Adapter 1. Connect the Adapter’s connector to one of the USB ports on your computer.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Setting Up the Adapter The next screen to appear will be the Available Wireless Network screen. This screen provides three options for setting up the Adapter • SecureEasySetup. This Adapter features SecureEasySetup. This means that you can set it up with just the press of a button when connecting to wireless routers or access points that also feature SecureEasySetup. Both devices on the network must feature SecureEasySetup for this to work. • Available Wireless Network.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Setting Up the Adapter with SecureEasySetup With SecureEasySetup, setting up the Adapter is as simple as pushing a couple of buttons. Before you press any buttons, though, you should locate the SecureEasySetup button on the device you’re connecting the Adapter to, such as a wireless router or access point. 1. Starting from the Available Wireless Network screen, click the SecureEasySetup button on the right hand side. Figure 4-5: Available Wireless Network 2.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter 3. Press the Cisco logo or SecureEasySetup button on the wireless router or access point. When it turns white and begins to flash, click the Next button on the Setup Wizard screen. The logo or button will stop flashing on the wireless router or access point when the Adapter has been successfully added to the network. Repeat this procedure for any additional SecureEasySetup device. NOTE: You can only add one SecureEasySetup device at a time. 4.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Setting Up the Adapter with Available Networks If you’re not setting up the Adapter with SecureEasySetup, another method for setting up the Adapter is with the available networks listed on the Available Wireless Network screen. The available networks are listed in the table on the center of the screen by SSID. Select the wireless network you wish to connect to and click the Connect button.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter WPA-Personal Needed for Connection Encryption - Select the type of algorithm you want to use, TKIP or AES, from the Encryption drop-down menu. Passphrase - Enter a Passphrase, also called a pre-shared key, of 8-63 characters in the Passphrase field. Then, click Connect and proceed to the Congratulations screen. To cancel the connection, click Cancel.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter 2. After the Adapter has been configured for the network, the Congratulations screen will appear. Click Connect to Network to connect to your network. Figure 4-13: The Congratulations Screen Congratulations! Setup is complete. To check the link information, search for available wireless networks, or make additional configuration changes, refer to Chapter 5: Using the Wireless Network Monitor.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Setting Up the Adapter with Manual Setup If you are not taking advantage of SecureEasySetup and your network is not listed with the available networks, click Manual Setup on the Available Wireless Network screen to set up the adapter manually. 1. After clicking Manual Setup, the Network Settings screen will appear. If your network has a router or other DHCP server, click the radio button next to Obtain network settings automatically (DHCP).
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter 2. The Wireless Mode screen shows a choice of two wireless modes. Click the Infrastructure Mode radio button if you want to connect to a wireless router or access point. Click the Ad-Hoc Mode radio button if you want to connect to another wireless device directly without using a wireless router or access point. Then, enter the SSID for your network. Infrastructure Mode - Use this mode if you want to connect to a wireless router or access point.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter 4. The Wireless Security screen will appear. This step will configure wireless security. If your wireless network doesn’t use wireless security, select Disabled and then click the Next button to continue. Proceed to Step 5. Select WEP, WPA-Personal, PSK2, WPA Enterprise, Radius, or LEAP for the Encryption Method.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter WPA Personal WPA Personal offers two encryption methods, TKIP and AES, with dynamic encryption keys. Select TKIP or AES for encryption. Then enter a Passphrase that is 8-63 characters in length. Encryption - Select the type of algorithm you want to use, TKIP or AES, from the Encryption drop-down menu. Passphrase - Enter a Passphrase, also called a pre-shared key, of 8-63 characters in the Passphrase field.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter WPA Enterprise WPA Enterprise features WPA security used in coordination with a RADIUS server. (This should only be used when a RADIUS server is connected to the Router.) WPA Enterprise offers two authentication methods, EAPTLS and PEAP, as well as two encryption methods, TKIP and AES, with dynamic encryption keys. Authentication - Select the authentication method your network is using, EAP-TLS or PEAP.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter RADIUS RADIUS uses the security of a RADIUS server. (This should only be used when a RADIUS server is connected to the Router.) It offers two authentication methods: EAP-TLS and PEAP. Authentication - Select the authentication method your network is using, EAP-TLS or PEAP. EAP-TLS If you selected EAP-TLS, enter the login name of your wireless network in the Login Name field. Enter the name of the authentication server in the Server Name field (this is optional).
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter LEAP If you selected LEAP, then enter the Username and Password that will authenticate you on your wireless network. Select the Login Method, and if selecting Manual for your login, enter a Username and Password. Then, enter the password again to confirm it. Login Method - Select from Windows Login (your usual Windows password) or Manual (password entered below). Username - Enter a username used for authentication. Password - Enter a password used for authentication.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter 5. The next screen displays all of the Adapter’s settings. If these are correct, you can save these settings to your hard drive by clicking Save. Click Next to continue and finish the setup. If these settings are not correct, click Back to change your settings. To exit the setup, click Exit. Figure 4-27: Confirm New Settings 6. After the software has been successfully installed, the Congratulations screen will appear. Click Connect to Network to connect to your network.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Chapter 5: Using the Wireless Network Monitor Use the Wireless Network Monitor to check the link information, search for available wireless networks, or create profiles that hold different configuration settings. Accessing the Wireless Network Monitor NOTE: The Wireless Network Monitor should only be accessed AFTER connecting the Adapter. For more information on Setting Up and Connecting the Adapter, refer to Chapter 4: Setting Up and Connecting the USB Adapter.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Wireless Network Status The Wireless Network Status screen provides information on your current network settings. Status - This shows the status of the wireless network connection. SSID - This is the unique name of the wireless network. Wireless Mode - The mode of the wireless network currently in use is displayed here. Transfer Rate - The data transfer rate of the current connection is shown here. Channel - This is the channel to which the wireless network devices are set.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Wireless Network Statistics The Wireless Networks Statistics screen provides statistics on your current network settings. Transmit Rate - This is the data transfer rate of the current connection. (In Auto mode, the Adapter dynamically shifts to the fastest data transfer rate possible at any given time.) Receive Rate - This is the rate at which data is received.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter SecureEasySetup While using the Monitor, you might see the SecureEasySetup button on the right-hand side of the screen. This button can be used to set up the Adapter, if this has not already been done. With SecureEasySetup, setting up the Adapter is as simple as pushing a couple of buttons. Before you press any buttons, though, you should locate the SecureEasySetup button on the device you’re connecting the Adapter to, such as a wireless router or access point. 1.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter 2. Press the Cisco logo or SecureEasySetup button on the wireless router or access point. When it turns white and begins to flash, click the Next button on the Setup Wizard screen. The logo or button will stop flashing on the wireless router or access point when the Adapter has been successfully added to the network. Repeat this procedure for any additional SecureEasySetup device. NOTE: You can only add one SecureEasySetup device at a time. 3.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Site Survey The Site Survey screen displays a list of available networks in the table on the left. The table shows each network’s SSID, Channel, and the quality of the wireless signal the Adapter is receiving. You may click SSID, CH (Channel), or Signal, to sort by that field. SSID - The SSID or unique name of the wireless network is displayed here. CH - This is the channel that the network uses. Signal - This is the percentage of signal strength, from 0 to 100%.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter If the network has PSK2 wireless security enabled, then you will see the PSK2 Needed for Connection screen. Enter the network’s Passphrase or pre-shared key in the Passphrase field. To connect to the network, click Connect. To cancel the connection, click Cancel. Profiles The Profiles screen lets you save different configuration profiles for different network setups. The table on the left displays a list of available profiles with their profile names and SSIDs.
Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter Creating a New Profile On the Profiles screen, click the New button to create a new profile. Enter a name for the new profile, and click the OK button. Click the Cancel button to return to the Profiles screen without entering a name. The Available Wireless Network screen will appear. This screen provides three options for setting up the Adapter • SecureEasySetup. This Adapter features SecureEasySetup.
