NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual NETGEAR, Inc.
©2008 by NETGEAR, Inc. All rights reserved. Technical Support Please refer to the support information card that shipped with your product. By registering your product at http://www.netgear.com/register, we can provide you with faster expert technical support and timely notices of product and software upgrades. NETGEAR, INC. Support Information Phone: 1-888-NETGEAR, for US & Canada only. For other countries, see your Support information card. E-mail: support@netgear.
• Connect the equipment to an outlet other than the receiver’s • Consult a dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for assistance FCC Caution: Any change or modification to the product not expressly approved by Netgear could void the user’s authority to operate the device. FCC RF Radiation Exposure and SAR Statements SAR Statement The NETGEAR WN111v2 has been tested for body-worn Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) compliance.
Europe - EU Declaration of Conformity A printed copy of the EU Declaration of Conformity certificate for this product is provided in the WN111v2 product package. Èesky [Czech] NETGEAR, Inc. tímto prohlašuje, že tento NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 je ve shodì se základními požadavky a dalšími pøíslušnými ustanoveními smìrnice 1999/5/ES. Dansk [Danish] Undertegnede NETGEAR, Inc. erklærer herved, at følgende udstyr NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.
Malti [Maltese] Hawnhekk, NETGEAR, Inc., jiddikjara li dan NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 jikkonforma mal-tiijiet essenzjali u ma provvedimenti orajn relevanti li hemm fid-Dirrettiva 1999/5/EC. Magyar [Hungarian] Alulírott, NETGEAR, Inc. nyilatkozom, hogy a NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 megfelel a vonatkozó alapvetõ követelményeknek és az 1999/5/EC irányelv egyéb elõírásainak. Polski [Polish] Niniejszym NETGEAR, Inc.
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Contents About This Manual Conventions, Formats, and Scope ................................................................................... ix How to Use This Manual ................................................................................................... x How to Print This Manual .................................................................................................. x Chapter 1 Basic Setup What You Need Before You Begin .............................................................
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Setting Up WEP Encryption Security ........................................................................ 16 Smart Wizard Statistics and Advanced Settings .............................................................. 18 Monitoring Statistics .................................................................................................. 18 About Your Smart Wizard .............................................................................
About This Manual The NETGEAR® RangeMax™ Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual describes how to configure and troubleshoot the NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2. The procedures in this manual assume that you have installed the adapter as described in the Installation Guide for the NETGEAR RangeMax™ Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2, provided with your wireless-N USB adapter and on the Resource CD.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual • Scope. This manual is written for the RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 according to these specifications: Product Version NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 Manual Publication Date May 2008 For more information about network, Internet, firewall, and VPN technologies, see the links to the NETGEAR website in Appendix B, “Related Documents. Note: Product updates are available on the NETGEAR, Inc.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual – • Click the PDF of This Chapter link at the top left corner of any page in the chapter you want to print. The PDF version of the chapter you were viewing opens in a browser window. • Click the print icon in the upper left of your browser window. Printing a PDF version of the complete manual. Use the Complete PDF Manual link at the top left corner of any page.
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Chapter 1 Basic Setup This chapter includes basic information about your RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2. Installation procedures are described in the Installation Guide for the NETGEAR RangeMax™ Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2, provided with your wireless-N USB adapter and on the Resource CD. Advanced wireless network set up is covered in Chapter 2, “Network Connections and Wireless Security. Note: Indoors, computers can easily connect to 802.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual • • A CD drive. 10 Mbytes of free hard disk space. • Vista, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional, or Windows 2000. Some versions of Windows ask for the original Windows operating system installation files to complete the installation of the WN111v2 driver software. Note: Windows XP users must install SP2 or install the KB822603 hot fix (update), which fixes the USB 2.0 host controller driver.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual What Is in the Box The product package should contain the following items: • NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 • USB cable and adapter cradle • Installation Guide • Resource CD, including: – The Smart Wizard Installation Assistant – This manual – Installation Guide • Warranty and Support information card If any of the parts are incorrect, missing, or damaged, contact your NETGEAR dealer.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Connecting to Wireless Networks and the Internet The WN111v2 has indicators in three locations that show the status of your connection to a wireless network and to the Internet: • WN111v2 icon. After you install the WN111v2 software, the icon appears on the desktop and in the right on the Windows task bar. It is color coded to show the status of the connection. See “WN111v2 Icon . • Smart Wizard status bar.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual If you right-click theWN111v2 icon in the system tray, you can disable its Internet notification feature by clearing the check mark enabling notification, as shown in the following figure. If you do so, then only the IP address is shown. Figure 1-1 In Vista, there is one more option: Enable NETGEAR Smart Wizard.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Understanding the Status Bar (continued) Channel The wireless channel used by the network. If many wireless networks in your area use the same channel, they can interfere with one another. Data rate To optimize the wireless data rate (throughput), connect to a network with a highspeed router or access point and a high-speed Internet connection. See Chapter 3, “Wireless Network Performance.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual • Select Windows Start menu >Control Panel > Add or Remove Program, and then select the RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 option, and follow the screen prompts. Upgrading the WN111v2 Software Upgrades might be available at the NETGEAR website. To install an upgrade, follow these steps. 1. Write down the settings for any profiles that you want to save. They will not be retained. 2.
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Chapter 2 Network Connections and Wireless Security This chapter explains how to use your Wireless-N USB Adapter to connect to your wireless local area network (WLAN) and how to set up wireless security for the Wireless-N USB Adapter so that it matches the wireless security settings for your network. If you chose the Windows XP or Windows Vista Zero Configuration utility during installation, and now you want to use the Smart Wizard that is installed on your PC, you must disable the Windows utility.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Using the Smart Wizard to Modify Your Settings These instructions explain how to use the NETGEAR WN111v2 Smart Wizard to change the wireless-N USB adapter wireless settings. When you installed the software from the Resource CD, the icon appears on your desktop and in the Windows system tray. The Windows system tray is located on the Windows taskbar.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual The screen shows the following information for each network scanned: • Network Name (SSID). The name assigned to a wireless network. This is the same as the SSID or ESSID configuration parameter. Note that as a security measure, some wireless access points do not broadcast their SSID. In such cases, the SSID field is blank even though the rest of the information is still displayed. • Channel.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual 1. Use the icon to open the Smart Wizard. On the status bar, click Join a Network. 2. If the Smart Wizard detects an access point or router with WPS, it displays the WPS screen (Figure 2-4 on page 2-6). WPS is described in “Using Push 'N' Connect (WPS) to Connect to a Wireless Network”. To connect without using WPS, select No, and click Next. 3. Select a network from the drop-down list.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual If an access point or router in the wireless network that you are trying to connect to supports WPS, you can use WPS to set up the wireless settings of your wireless-N USB adapter and connect securely to the access point or router. Notes: If you connect your wireless-N USB adapter using WPS, the adapter security is set to WPA-PSK [TKIP] by default. Some routers that support WPS also support WPA2-PSK [AES], with the same SSID and passphrase.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Using a WPS Push Button to Connect to a Wireless Access Point or Router To join a network using a push button: 1. Use the icon to open the Smart Wizard. On the status bar, click Join a Network. The adapter detects a network with WPS: Figure 2-4 2. Select Yes to use WPS, and then click Next. 3. Select Yes (to use a push button), and then click Next. 4. Log in to the access point or router that you have selected. 5.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Generating a PIN to Connect to a Wireless Access Point or Router There are two ways to enable the wireless-N USB adapter to join a wireless network: using the router or access point’s security PIN; or using the wireless-N USB adapter’s security PIN (the wireless-N USB adapter can generate a PIN to connect to the router). To use either the router's security PIN or the adapter's security PIN: 1.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual The adapter will connect with the router. Figure 2-6 • To use the adapter’s security PIN, select the bullet for the adapter to generate a random PIN, as shown in Figure 2-7. The adapter generates and displays a random PIN. – Write down the generated PIN. Figure 2-7 – On the access point or router that you have selected, log in to the router or access point, then follow the prompts to enter the adapter’s PIN.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Creating a Profile The WN111v2 Smart Wizard uses profiles to store all the settings for a particular wireless network. There are two special profile names: Default and Profile. • Default. The profile named Default automatically scans for any available network. You cannot change this profile name. • Profile. If you do not enter a name in the Profile Name field, the name Profile is used to save your settings.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual 1. Use the icon to open the Smart Wizard. The Settings tab displays: Figure 2-8 2. Enter the network settings. a. In the Network Type section, make sure that Access Point (Infrastructure) is selected. b. In the Profile field, type a name for the profile. c. In the Network Name (SSID) field, select a network or enter the SSID.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Setting up a Computer-to-Computer (Ad Hoc) Profile The Computer-to-Computer setting uses Ad Hoc mode. Ad Hoc mode is an 802.11 networking framework in which devices or computers communicate directly with each other, without the use of a router or access point. For example, this mode is used when two Windows computers are configured with file and print sharing enabled and you want to exchange files directly between them.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual b. Click Apply, then click Close to exit the Smart Wizard, or click Cancel to return to the previous settings. 4. Configure the computer network settings. a. Configure each computer with either a static IP address or with the IPX protocol. b. Restart the computers. 5. Verify wireless connectivity between your peer devices with the ping program: a. On the Windows taskbar, select Start > Run. Figure 2-10 b.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Starting a Computer-to-Computer (Ad Hoc) Network Connection 1. On the Settings tab of the Smart Wizard, select or type the network name (SSID). 2. Select the Computer-to-Computer (Ad Hoc) network type. Note: for Windows Vista computers, you must have administrator rights. Otherwise, this option is not available for selection. 3. Click Initiate Ad Hoc. The Ad Hoc Setting screen displays: Figure 2-12 4.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Connect (WPS) to set up WPA-PSK [TKIP] security (see “Using Push 'N' Connect (WPS) to Connect to a Wireless Network” on page 2-4). Otherwise, you can manually set one of the following types of wireless security used for home networks: • Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-Shared Key or Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 Pre-Shared Key. See “Setting Up WPA-PSK [TKIP] or WPA2-PSK [AES] Security” on page 2-15 • Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP).
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual – • Passphrase: ______________________________ These characters are case-sensitive. Enter a word or group of printable characters. When you use WPA-PSK, the other devices in the network cannot connect unless they are set to WPA-PSK as well, and are configured with the correct passphrase. If WEP authentication is used: – WEP encryption key size. Identify one: 64-bit or 128-bit.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual c. In the Security section, select WPA-PSK [TKIP] or WPA2-PSK [AES], and enter the passphrase. Figure 2-13 For more about WPA2-PSK, see the link to “Wireless Communications:” in Appendix B. 3. Save your settings in a profile. a. Click the Save Profile button. All the configuration settings are saved in this profile. b. Click Apply, and then click Close to exit the Smart Wizard.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual c. In the Security section, select WEP. Figure 2-14 3. Select the WEP encryption strength you will use. • 64-bit WEP data encryption • 128-bit WEP data encryption Note: Larger encryption keys require more processing and may slow the communications response times. 4. Select Create with Passphrase, and enter the passphrase. The configuration utility automatically generates the WEP keys. Note: The characters are case-sensitive.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Smart Wizard Statistics and Advanced Settings The Smart Wizard provides the ability to track transmit and send use statistics to monitor trend data through your router. It also provides some advanced settings capabilities, which should be used with caution. Monitoring Statistics The Statistics tab provides real time and historical trend information about the data traffic and performance of your wireless adapter.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual About Your Smart Wizard The About tab displays the current version information. Figure 2-16 The following information is displayed in the About tab: • • Device: – Regional Domain. This is the region setting for the wireless adapter. The approved channels for the region are automatically scanned. Governments regulate the channels used for wireless transmission. Operating the wireless adapter in a different region might violate local laws.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual – Date. The release date of the Smart Wizard. Advanced Settings The default advanced settings usually not require adjustment. Except for the power saving setting, changing any of the settings incorrectly could cause your wireless connection to fail. On the Settings tab, click the Advanced Settings button to display the settings. Note: for Windows Vista computers, you must have administrator rights.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual • RTS/CTS Threshold. The packet size that is used to determine whether it should use the CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) mechanism or the CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance) mechanism for packet transmission. CSMA/CD is slightly more efficient. Note: The default settings for the Fragmentation Threshold field and RTS/CTS Threshold field usually work fine.
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Chapter 3 Wireless Network Performance This chapter explains how to use your RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 to connect to your wireless local area network (WLAN) and how to maximize the performance of your WN111v2 within your network. Included are scenarios for setting up your network in a mixed use environment and the trade-off of using different types of technology—wireless, wired, Powerline, etc.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Avoid windows unless communicating between buildings. Place wireless devices away from various electromagnetic noise sources, especially those in the 2400–2500 MHz frequency band. Common noise-creating sources are: • – Computers and fax machines (no closer than 1 foot) – Copying machines, elevators, and cell phones (no closer than 6 feet) – Microwave ovens (no closer than 10 feet) Choose your settings.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Figure 3-1 In planning your network, think about which tasks will have the heaviest traffic flow between them.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual • Wireless A high-speed wireless router can provide a wireless data throughput of up to 300 Mbps using technology called multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), in which multiple antennas transmit multiple streams of data. The use of multiple antennas also provides excellent range and coverage. With the introduction of the newer WPA and WPA2 encryption and authentication protocols, wireless security is extremely strong.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual • Streaming HD video requires 10 to 30 Mbps per stream. Because latency and packet loss can disrupt your video, plan to provide at least twice the capacity you need. • Streaming MP3 audio requires less than 1 Mbps per stream and does not strain most modern networks. Like video, however, streaming audio is also sensitive to latency and packet loss, so a congested network or a noisy link can cause problems.
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Chapter 4 Troubleshooting This chapter provides information about troubleshooting your RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2. For information about connecting to wireless networks and the Internet, see “Basic Setup” in Chapter 1. Troubleshooting Tips Use the following information to solve common problems you may encounter. Also, refer to the knowledge base on the NETGEAR website at http://www.netgear.com/support. Table 4-1. Troubleshooting Tips Problem Action The LED is not lit.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Table 4-1. Troubleshooting Tips (continued) Problem Action Throughput is only 54 Mbps or only 14 Mbps. The RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 can operate at faster speeds. • At 54 Mbps you are probably connecting to a standard 802.11g network. See Chapter 3, “Wireless Network Performance”. • If you do not have a USB 2.0 port on your PC, the throughput is limited to the 14 Mbps of the USB 1.1 standard.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Ad Hoc Mode Is Not Working Correctly You must click the Initiate Ad Hoc button before you click Apply. Here is how you start an Ad Hoc network: 1. Fill in the Network Name (SSID) field. 2. Select the Computer-to-Computer (Ad Hoc) network type. 3. Click Initiate Ad Hoc. 4. Accept the default settings, or make your changes and click OK. 5. Click Apply.
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Appendix A Technical Specifications and Factory Default Settings Technical Specifications The following table provides technical specifications for the wireless-N USB adapter. Antenna 1 integrated internal wireless antenna Standards 802.11n, 802.11g, or 802.11b Radio Data Rate 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54, 08, 140, 246, and 300 Mbps (Auto Rate Sensing) Frequency 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz CCK and OFDM Modulation) Power 5V Bus powered Emissions FCC, CE Bus interface USB 2.
NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter WN111v2 User Manual Factory Default Settings The following table lists the default settings of your wireless-N USB adapter. Feature Description Smart Wizard Enabled Wireless Wireless Communication Enabled Wireless Network Name (SSID) Any (will connect to first wireless network that responds) Security Disabled Network Type Infrastructure Transmission Speed Autoa Country/Region United States (varies by region) Operating Mode 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.
Appendix B Related Documents This appendix provides links to reference documents you can use to gain a more complete understanding of the technologies used in your NETGEAR product. Document Link Windows XP and Vista Wireless Configuration Utilities Application Note http://documentation.netgear.com/reference/enu/winzerocfg/ index.htm Internet Networking and TCP/IP Addressing: http://documentation.netgear.com/reference/enu/tcpip/index.htm Wireless Communications: http://documentation.netgear.
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