User Manual Portsmith Express/Express+
User Manual Portsmith Express Portsmith Express +
Second Edition – May 2000 The information in this document is subject to change without notice. This document refers to numerous hardware and software products by their trade names. All other designations are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright© 2000 Portsmith LLC. All rights reserved. Portsmith LLC 1111 S. Orchard St.
Contents ________________________________ Product Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Package Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Hardware Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Installation . . . . . . . . .
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Product Overview ________________________ Portsmith Express is a universal port replicator that easily connects multiple desktop peripherals to any laptop PC through a single USB connection. Portsmith Express features the ability to “hot dock” the peripherals. This means you can connect the peripherals to the desktop and use them without restarting the laptop PC.
System Requirements Make sure your laptop PC system meets the following requirements: • One of the following operating systems: – Microsoft Windows 98 – Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition – Microsoft Windows 2000 • 32 MB of system memory • 1 MB of available hard drive space • One available USB connection on the laptop PC Hardware Description The ports supported by Portsmith Express are identified below. Refer to the illustration to see each port’s location on the back of the unit.
Portsmith Express has a series of lights on the front of the unit. These lights are status indicators. You can interpret the meaning of each status indicator light depending on whether the light is on, flashing, or off. Below is a key to the status indicators.
Installation ______________________________ Hardware Setup 1. Remove the Portsmith Express unit from the packaging. 2. Place the Portsmith Express unit near the laptop PC. 3. Connect the mouse, keyboard, and Ethernet (only on Portsmith Express+ units) to the back of the unit. NOTE For the smoothest setup, connect the other peripherals after installation is complete.
Software Installation In order to successfully use the Portsmith Express hardware, you must install the companion software. The software includes drivers for the Portsmith Express unit, and the Portsmith Express SoftDock Utility. (See “Portsmith Express SoftDock Utility” on page 8 for descriptions of all the SoftDock Utility features.) 1. From the Add New Hardware Wizard, click Next. 2. Select Search for the best driver for your device, then click Next. 3.
Ethernet Setup (Portsmith Express+) The Portsmith Express installation software will install default network settings. To customize your settings: 1. Go to your desktop and double click the My Computer icon. 2. Double-click Control Panel. 3. Double-click Network. NOTE The Portsmith Express Ethernet will be displayed as Portsmith Express Ethernet Adapter. 4. Select Add… to add any necessary components for your network settings or Properties to modify an existing component. 5. Click OK when finished.
To verify that the printer is set up and ready to print from Portsmith Express: 1. Go to your desktop and double-click the My Computer icon. 2. Double-click on Printer. 3. Right-click on the desired printer. 4. Select Properties. 5. Select the Details tab. 6. Verify that printer port is “LPTUSBn” on the Details tab. Serial Port Setup To add a new Plug-n-Play modem: 1. Connect the modem to the Portsmith Express unit. 2. Undock and redock the laptop PC (refer to “Hardware Setup” on page 4). 3.
Portsmith Express SoftDock Utility __________ The SoftDock software program provides you with several features that simplify using or troubleshooting your Portsmith Express unit. The SoftDock utility was installed during the product installation. See “Software Installation” on page 5 for instructions on installing the utility. With the Portsmith Express SoftDock Utility, you can: • View docking status. • View and modify information about peripherals and the Portsmith Express unit.
View Peripheral and General Information Portsmith’s SoftDock Utility displays information about all peripheral devices, whether they are docked or not. You can modify and save the settings for the peripherals, as well as for the overall functionality of the Portsmith Express unit. Below are the steps you should follow to view peripheral settings and Portsmith Express settings. Following the steps is a table listing each item’s modifiable settings. NOTE Not all items have modifiable settings.
Modifiable List Item Setting Options Portsmith Express profile name (at the top of the list) Rename – Use this setting to give each Portsmith Express unit a meaningful name. Display Serial Number – A quick way to retrieve the serial number for registering the unit or for technical support assistance. Printer Port Disable Printer Filters – The Portsmith Express unit arrives with the printer filters enabled. Click this checkbox to disable the printer filters.
Set Multiple Docking Profiles You can create a custom profile for every Portsmith Express unit that you dock to. This feature is particularly helpful if you want to have different settings for different Portsmith Express units. Each profile is user-configured and tracked separately in the software. To create an additional docking profile: 1. Dock a new Portsmith Express and a new profile will appear in the list. 2. Modify all the desired settings in the Portsmith Express SoftDock Utility. 3.
Customer Support ________________________ Troubleshooting The troubleshooting section provides you with several steps to resolve the most common issues with the Portsmith Express unit. After each step, verify that the Portsmith Express unit is working properly. If the unit is not working properly after the step is completed, then proceed to the next step. Problem 1: The Portsmith Express unit is not connecting properly.
Problem 2: One of the Portsmith Express ports/peripherals is not functioning properly. Upon docking, the status indicator lights on top of the Portsmith Express unit should turn on. If they do not, follow the steps below. Step 1: • Check the desktop for any Portsmith Express error messages. Step 2: • Make sure that the peripheral is securely connected to the Portsmith Express unit. Step 3: • Undock the Portsmith Express unit from the laptop PC.
Technical Support For additional information, refer to the FAQ List in the Support Section at www.portsmith.com. If you need additional assistance, you can contact a Technical Support specialist via e-mail at: support@portsmith.com.
Other Information ________________________ Hardware Warranty Portsmith LLC warrants this product against defects in materials and workmanship to the purchaser for a period of two (2) years from the date of shipment. This warranty is limited to a repair or replacement of the product. To obtain warranty service, the purchaser must first call Portsmith LLC for an RMA number, then return the product to Portsmith LLC for repair or replacement.
Software Warranty Portsmith LLC warrants the media (the diskettes) on which the software is furnished to be free of defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of shipment. This warranty applies only to software products. The warranty for hardware products is described elsewhere. Portsmith LLC does not warrant that the operation of the program will meet your requirements or be error free. The program is provided “AS IS” without warranty of any kind.
Software License Agreement Important: Before installing the software, please carefully read this License Agreement. Installation indicates your acceptance of the terms and conditions of this License. If you do not agree with these terms and conditions, you should return the software, and your money will be refunded. License Agreement This license permits you to … 1. Use this software in the conduct of business without limit when the software is used with Portsmith Express or Portsmith Express+. 2.
Regulatory Information This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy. If not installed and used according to the manufacturer's instructions, this equipment may cause interference with radio/TV reception. The Federal Communications Commission has established technical standards regarding radio frequency energy emitted by computing devices.
Index ___________________________________ A H Attachable peripherals 1 Hard drive space 2 Hardware description 2 setup 4 warranty 15 Hot docking 1 C COM port 2, 7 Connection, troubleshooting 12 Contents, of Portsmith Express package 1 Creating profiles 11 Customer support 12 D Description, of product 1 Docking 4 hot 1 multiple profiles 11 status 8 Drivers 4 I Icon, tray 8 Installation hardware 4 software 5 L License agreement, software 17 Lights, status 3 LPT port 2 E M Eject button 8 Ethernet po
O Options, SoftDock settings 9 Overview, of product 1 P Package contents 1 Path, software installation 5 Peripherals attachable 1 troubleshooting 13 Plug-n-Play device 6, 7 Ports, troubleshooting 13 Portsmith Express+ model 1, 2, 6 Printer setup 6 Product installation 4 Product overview 1 Profiles custom 11 renaming 11 R Regulatory information 18 Renaming profiles 11 Requirements, system 2 S Serial number, locating 14 Serial port setup 7 Setting up hardware 4 software 5 Settings modify 9 view 9 Setup Eth
Copyright © 2000 Portsmith LLC Printed in USA
