Wireless LAN USB

Adapter

USER’S MANUAL

VERSION 1.2
2008/03/24
Trademarks
All products, company, brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective companies. They are used for identification purpose only.
Specifications are subject to be changed without prior notice.

Disclaimer
All of the contents in this manual, product specifications, size and shape are subject to
change without prior notice.
The manufacturer makes no representations or warranties with regard to the contents hereof
and reserves the right to revise this manual without obligation to notify any person.
The manufacturer shall not be liable for any technical or editorial errors or omissions
contained in this manual, or for any damage, direct or indirect, from discrepancies between
the manual and the product it describes.
The manufacturer assumes no responsibility, directly or indirectly, for financial losses or
claims from third persons resulting from the use of this product and any of its functions.
Total accessible capacity varies depending on operating environment.
All references to speed are for comparison purposes only. Actual data throughput will vary.
This product is based on IEEE draft 802.11n specifications and is not guaranteed to be forward
compatible with future versions of IEEE 802.11n specifications.
Compatibility with draft 802.11n devices from other manufacturers is not guaranteed.

Precautions
Please follow the precautions listed below. Failure to do so may cause damage to the device
and void the warranty.
* Read this User’s Manual carefully and follow the procedures for installing and using the
device.
* Do not open the device or attempt to disassemble or modify it. If it appears to be
malfunctioning, contact Technical Support.
* Never expose the device to water or other liquids or in damp or wet conditions in order
to avoid danger of electric shock, short-circuiting or personal injury.
* If any of the following situations arises, have the equipment checked by service
personnel:
- The USB connector is damaged.
- Liquid has penetrated into the equipment.
- The equipment has dropped and damaged.
- The equipment has obvious sign of breakage.
Copyright Notice
The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any part or as a whole, stored,
transcribed in an information retrieval system, translated into any language, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, mechanical, magnetic, electronic, optical, photocopying,
manual, or otherwise, without the prior written permission.
We take every care in the preparation of this document, but no guarantee is given to the
correctness of its contents. Our products are under continuous improvement and we reserve
the right to make changes without notice.

Limited Warranty
This product is warranted against manufacturing defects for the period of one year.
The warranty period commences on the date of purchase from the authorized
reseller/retailer.
Your original purchase invoice, showing the date of purchase of the product is your proof of
the date of purchase.
During the warranty period, defective parts will be repaired or replaced. There will be no
charge for labor or parts during the one-year warranty period from the date of purchase.
Any shipping or other cost such as customs incurred costs, etc… is customers’ responsibility.
This warranty does not cover any failure resulting in loss to software, data, lost profits, lost
savings, any incidental damages or other economic consequential damages due to accident,
abuse, misuse, negligence and acts of God.

Technical Support and Service

If you experience problem please first refer to the Trouble Shooting Section in User’s
Manual inside the CD, answers to the most common questions can be found there.

For technical support please Email stsupport@samtack.com or

call 1-800-255-8048 (09:00am to 08:00pm Eastern Time).
Information To User ........................................................ i

1. Introduction ............................................................. 1

2. Wireless LAN Basics ..................................................... 3

3. IP ADDRESS ............................................................... 4

4. Install Driver/Utility (2000/XP) ....................................... 5

5. Wireless Network Configuration in Station Mode .................. 7

5.1 TRAY ICON ........................................................ 7

5.2 GENERAL CONNECTION SETTING .............................. 9
5.2.1 Current Status ........................................... 9
5.2.2 Profile Management .................................. 13
5.2.3 Diagnostics ............................................... 16
5.3 SECURITY ........................................................ 18
5.3.1 WPA/WPA2 .............................................. 18
5.3.2 802.1x .................................................... 29
5.3.3 WPA Passphrase ......................................... 29
5.3.4 Pre-Shared Key (Static WEP) ......................... 30
5.3.5 None ................................................... 30
5.4 JumpStart for Wireless ....................................... 31

6. Install VISTA Driver.................................................…. 37

7. Technical Specifications ...........................................… 44

8. Troubleshooting ....................................................... 46

9. Glossary ................................................................ 47
 INFORMATION TO USER
Federal Communication Commission Interference Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to
radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of the following
measures:
* Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
* Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
* Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver
is connected.
* Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
FCC Caution: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user's authority to operate this equipment.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
FCC Radiation Exposure Statement:

* This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set

forth for an uncontrolled environment. This equipment should be
installed and operated with minimum distance 20cm between the
radiator & your body.
* This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction
with any other antenna or transmitter.

i
REGULATORY INFORMATION
WLAN Mini USB Adapter must be installed and used in strict accordance with the instructions.
This device complies with the following radio frequency and safety standards.
USA - Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
This device complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept any interference that may cause undesired ooperation.
Europe - R&TTE Directive
This device complies with the specifications listed below
EN 300 328 V1.6.1 (2004-11)
EN 301 489-1 V1.4.1 (2002-08), EN 301 489-17 V1.2.1 (2002-08)
EN 60950-1: 2001

The channel identifiers, channel center frequencies, and regulatory domains of

each 22-MHz-wide channel are shown in following Table.

Channel Center Regulatory Domains

Identifier Frequency
North
(MHZ) Japan ETSI Israel France Mexico
America

1 2412 ˇ ˇ ˇ

2 2417 ˇ ˇ ˇ

3 2422 ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ

4 2427 ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ

5 2432 ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ

6 2437 ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ

7 2442 ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ

8 2447 ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ

9 2452 ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ

10 2457 ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ

11 2462 ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ ˇ

12 2467 ˇ ˇ ˇ

13 2472 ˇ ˇ ˇ

14 2484 ˇ

ii
Thank you for your purchase of the WLAN 11n ISM Band Dongle.
Featuring wireless technology, 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
depending on your business scale.

FEATURES
Support Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista.
Indoor up to 100 meters, Outdoor up to 280 meters.
270/240/180/120/90/60/54/48/36/30/24/22/18/12/11/6/5.5/2/1 Mbps
selectable Data Rate and maximum of 300Mbps.
Support USB 2.0 interface.
64-bit, 128-bit or WEP, TKIP, AES.
2.400GHz ISM Frequency Band.
Modulation Method : BPSK/QPSK/16-QAM/64-QAM
Spread Spectrum :
IEEE 802.11b : DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum).
IEEE 802.11g / n: OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing).
Easy operation and setting up.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Windows System: Windows 2000, XP, Vista
PCs must have a device driver installed. It allows you to communicate
with WLAN Mini USB Adapter.

1
BEFORE YOU START
1. Confirm Box Contents

CONNECTING YOUR WLAN USB ADAPTER TO PC

Quick Start Guide

Connect your WLAN USB dongle to
your PC.
Install driver.

GETTING TO KNOW WIRELESS LAN USB ADAPTER

LED

LED turns on when POWER is applied to the WLAN Mini USB Adapter.
LED is blinking when PC is sending data through WLAN Mini USB Adapter.

2
Wireless LAN network defined by IEEE 802.11n/b/g standard committee
could be configured as :
Ad Hoc wireless LAN, or
Infrastructure wireless LAN.

Ad Hoc network is a group of PCs installed with wireless LAN cards, this
group of PCs is called a BSS (Basic Service Set). PCs in this group can use
their wireless LAN cards to communicate with each other, but can not
connect to the Internet.

Ad Hoc Wireless Network Infrastructure Wireless Network

The most obvious difference between Infrastructure wireless network

and Ad Hoc wireless network is that the PCs in Infrastructure wireless
network can access the resource in the Internet through Access Point.

Depending on your requirement, you can easily set up your PC’s

network to be a “Ad Hoc” or “Infrastructure” wireless network. Generally
speaking, if in your network, there is an Access Point in it, we recommend
you to set your network as an “Infrastructure”, so it can connect to
the Internet.

3
To use the WLAN Mini USB Adapter with a computing device, the WLAN
Mini USB Adapter must be equipped with an USB 1.1 or 2.0 Interface. All
drivers and supporting software for the WLAN Mini USB Adapter must be
installed and configured first.

Ask your system administrator for the following information, which you
may need to provide during driver installation :
Your Wireless Client Name.
Your Wireless SSID.
Your computer’s unique client name and workgroup name.
For your network account, your user name and password.
Your IP address, gateway address, and subnet mask if you’re not
using a DHCP server.

Any computer on a network is identified by a unique network address.

There are two methods to assign a network address to a computer on a
TCP/IP network :
Static IP addressing.
Dynamic IP addressing (DHCP).

In network with static IP addressing, 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. You may manually change the IP address in the
Network Properties dialog box. Network using static IP address is easy to
set up and do not require additional network management software.

In network with dynamic IP addressing, a DHCP server in the network

dynamically assigns IP addresses to all clients every time they log on to
the network. Network using dynamic IP address requires setting up and
running a DHCP Server.

4
For Windows 2000 and XP.

The installation & driver CD will automatically activate the autorun

installation program after you insert the disk into your CD drive.

Step 1 :
Insert the installation & driver
CD into your CD-ROM, choose
your language and click OK to
continue.

Step 2 :
Insert WLAN USB adapter into
USB port and click OK to
continue.

Step 3 :
After installation complete,
system will be rebooted
immediately.

5
Step 4 :
Start copying files until it
finishes the installation.

Step 5 :
Installation complete and system will be rebooted immediately.

6
WLAN USB Adapter uses its own management software. All functions
controlled by users are provided by this application. When you insert the
WLAN USB Adapter into the USB port of your PC, a new icon should
appear in the Windows System Tray automatically.

5.1 TRAY ICON

The tray icon appears at the bottom of the screen, and shows the signal
strength using colors and the received signal strength indication (RSSI).

Hold the mouse cursor over the tray icon to display the current configuration
profile name and association, as well as transmit and receive speed and the
wireless adapter name and IP address.

Right-click on the tray icon to:

Help Open the online help.

Open Atheros Client Launch the Atheros Client Utility

Utility (ACU). Use the ACU to configure the
profile or view status and statistics
information.

Client Managed Test Run the Client Managed Test Utility.

7
 Preferences Set the startup options and menu options
for the ACU. Check whether the program
should start automatically when Windows
starts, and check the menu items that
should appear on the popup menu.

Enable/Disable Radio Enable or disable the RF Signal.

Manual LEAP Login Log in to LEAP manually, if LEAP is set to

manually prompt for user name and
password on each login.

Reauthenticate Reauthenticate to the access point.

Select Profile Click a configuration profile name to

switch to it. If no configuration profile
exists for a connection, add a profile first.

Show Connection Display the Connection Status

Status window. This window displays
information about the connection:
Displays the name of the
Active
active configuration
Profile
profile.
Auto Profile Shows whether auto
Selection profile selection is enabled.
Displays whether the
Connection
adapter is connected to a
Status
wireless network.
Lists the quality of the link
Link Quality
connection.
Displays the SSID of the
SSID
associated network.
Shows the name of the
Access Point
access point the wireless
Name
adapter is connected to.
Shows the IP address of
Access Point the access point the
IP Address wireless adapter is

8
 connected to.
Current Shows the current receive
Receive Rate rate in Mbps.
Current
Shows the current transmit
Transmit
rate in Mbps.
Rate
Client
Displays the IP address of
Adapter IP
the wireless adapter.
Address

Exit Exit the Atheros Client Utility application.

The colors are defined as follows:

Color Quality RSSI*

Green Excellent 20 dB +
Green Good 10-20 dB +
Yellow Poor 5-10 dB
Red Poor < 5 dB
Gray No Connection No Connection

*Received signal strength indication RSSI. Displayed in dB or percentage.

Enable or disable the tray icon in the Action menu.

5.2 GENERAL CONNECTION SETTING

5.2.1 Current Status

The Current Status tab contains

general information about the
program and its operations. The
Current Status tab does not
require any configuration.

9
The following table describes the items found on the Current Status screen.

Profile Name The name of the current selected configuration

profile. Set up the configuration name on the
General tab.

Link Status Shows whether the station is associated to the

wireless network.

Wireless Mode Displays the wireless mode. Configure the

wireless mode on the Advanced tab.

IP Address Displays the computer's IP address.

Network Type The type of network the station is connected
to. The options include:

• Infrastructure (access point)

• AdHoc

Configure the network type on the Advanced tab.

Current Shows the currently connected channel.

Channel
Control Shows the control channel. Available for 802.11n
Channel devices only.
Extension Shows the extension channel. Displayed only if the
Channel STA is connected in a 40 MHz channel. Available
for 802.11n devices only.
Server Based Shows whether server based authentication is used.
Authentication

Data Displays the encryption type the driver is

Encryption using. Configure the encryption type on the
Security tab.
Signal Strength Shows the strength of the signal.

Click the Advanced button to see the advanced status diagnostics.

10
The following table describes the items found on the Advanced Status screen.

Network Name Displays the wireless network name.

(SSID) Configure the network name on the General tab.

Server Based Shows whether server based authentication is used.

Authentication

Data Displays the encryption type the driver is

Encryption using. Configure the encryption type on the Security
tab.
Authentication Displays the authentication mode.
Type Configure the authentication mode on the General tab.

Message Shows whether MIC is enabled. MIC prevents bit-flip

Integrity Check attacks on encrypted packets.

Associated AP Displays the name of the access point the wireless

Name adapter is associated to.

Associated AP Shows the IP address of the access point the wireless

IP Address adapter is associated to.

Associated AP Displays the MAC address of the access point the

MAC Address wireless adapter is associated to.

11n MIMO Shows the MIMO power save mode status. Available
Power Save for 802.11n devices only.

Power Save Shows the power save mode. Power management is

Mode disabled in ad hoc mode.
Configure the power save mode on the Advanced tab.
Current Power Displays the transmit power level rate in mW.
Level Configure the transmit power level on the Advanced
tab.
Available Shows the 5 GHz and/or 2.4 GHz available power
Power Levels levels.

Current Signal Shows the current signal strength in dBm.

Strength

11
Current Noise Displays the current noise level in dBm.
Level

Up Time Shows how long the client adapter has been receiving
power (in hours:minutes:seconds). If the adapter runs
for more than 24 hours, the display shows in
days:hours:minutes:seconds.
802.11b Displays the 802.11b preamble format.
Preamble Configure the preamble format on the Advanced tab.

Current Shows the current receive rate in Mbps.

Receive Rate

Current Displays the current transmit rate in Mbps.

Transmit Rate

Channel Shows the currently connected channel.

Control Shows the current control channel. Available for

Channel 802.11n devices only.

Extension Shows the extension channel. Displayed only if the

Channel STA is connected in a 40 MHz channel. Available for
802.11n devices only.
Frequency Displays frequency the station is using.

Control Displays control frequency the station is using.

Frequency Available for 802.11n devices only.

Extension Displays extension frequency the station is using.

Frequency Available for 802.11n devices only.

Channel Set Shows the current channel set.

Channel Width Shows the channel width. Available for 802.11n devices
only.
QoS The type of quality of service that is currently being
used by your client adapter. QoS on wireless LANS
(WLAN) provides prioritization of traffic from the
access point over the WLAN based on traffic
classification.

A value of None represents that the WMM standard

QoS is not enabled. A value of WMM represents that a

12
 component of the IEEE 802.11e WLAN standard for
QoS is enabled.

5.2.2 Profile Management

Configure the wireless network

adapter (wireless card) from the
Profile Management tab of the
Atheros Client Utility.

a. Create or Modify a Configuration Profile

To add a new configuration profile, click New on the Profile Management tab.
To modify a configuration profile, select the configuration from the Profile
list and click the Modify button.

To configure a profile for ad hoc or access point (infrastructure) mode, edit

the Network Type field on the Advanced tab.

Note that the ACU only allows the creation of 16 configuration

profiles. After the creation of 16 profiles, clicking the New button displays
an error message. Remove an old profile or modify an existing profile for a
new use.

13
b. Remove a Configuration Profile

1. Go to the Profile Management tab.

2. Select the profile to remove from the list of configuration profiles.
3. Click the Remove button.

c. Activate a Configuration Profile

1. To switch to a different profile, go to the Profile Management tab.

2. Click on the profile name in the Profile List.
3. Click the Activate button.

The Profile List provides icons that specify the operational state for that
profile. The list also provides icons that specify the signal strength for that
profile.

d. Import and Export Profiles

Importing a Profile :

1. From the Profile Management tab, click the Import button. The Import
Profile window appears.
2. Browse to the directory where the profile is located.
3. Highlight the profile name.
4. Click Open. The imported profile appears in the profiles list.

Exporting a Profile :

1. From the Profile Management tab, highlight the profile to export.

2. Click the Export button. The Export Profile window appears.
3. Browse to the directory to export the profile to.
4. Click Save. The profile is exported to the specified location.

e. Ordering Profiles

Including a profile in the auto selection feature allows the wireless adapter to
automatically select that profile from the list of profiles and use it to connect
to the network.

14
Including a profile in auto profile selection:

1. On the Profile Management tab, click the Order Profiles button.

2. The Auto Profile Selection Management window appears, with a list of
all created profiles in the Available Profiles box.
3. Highlight the profiles to add to auto profile selection, then click Add.
The profiles appear in the Auto Selected Profiles box.

Ordering the auto selected profiles:

1. Highlight a profile in the Auto Selected Profiles box.

2. Click Move Up, Move Down, or Remove as appropriate.

The first profile in the Auto Selected Profiles box has highest priority,
and the last profile has lowest priority.

3. Click OK.
4. Check the Auto Select Profiles box.
5. Save the modified configuration file.

When auto profile selection is enabled by checking Auto Select Profiles

on the Profile Management tab, the client adapter scans for an
available network. The profile with the highest priority and the same
SSID as one of the found networks is the one that is used to connect to
the network. If the connection fails, the client adapter tries the next
highest priority profile that matches the SSID, and so on.

With auto profile selection enabled, the wireless adapter scans for available
networks. The highest priority profile with the same SSID as a found network
is used to connect to the network. On a failed connection, the client adapter
tries with the next highest priority profile.

15
5.2.3 Diagnostics

The Diagnostics tab of the Atheros Client Utility provides buttons used to
retrieve receive and transmit statistics. The Diagnostics tab does not require
any configuration.

The Diagnostics tab lists the following receive and transmit diagnostics for
frames received by or transmitted by the wireless network adapter:

• Multicast packets transmitted and received

• Broadcast packets transmitted and received
• Unicast packets transmitted and received
• Total bytes transmitted and received

Click the Adapter Information button for more general information about the
the wireless network adapter and the network driver interface specification
(NDIS) driver.

Click the Advanced Statistics button on the Diagnostics tab to also show
receive and transmit statistical information for the following receive and
transmit diagnostics for frames received by or transmitted to the wireless
network adapter:

Transmitted Frames Received Frames

• Frames transmitted • Frames received OK

OK • Beacons Received
• Frames retried • Frames Received with errors
• Frames dropped • CRC errors
• No ACK frames • Encryption errors
• ACK frames • Duplicate frames
• RTS frames • AP mismatches
• Clear-to-send • Data rate mismatches
(CTS) frames • Authentication time-out
• No CTS frames • Authentication rejects: the
• Retried RTS frames number of AP authentication
• Retried data frames failures received by the wireless
network adapter
• Association time-out

16
• Association rejects: the number
of access point authentication
rejects received by the wireless
network adapter
• Standard MIC OK
• Standard MIC errors
• CKIP MIC OK
• CKIP MIC errors

17
5.3 Security

In the Atheros Client Utility, access the Security tab by clicking New or Modify
on the Profile Management tab. Click the Security tab in the Profile
Management window.

Edit the fields in the Security tab of Profile Management to configure the
profile. To define the security mode, select the radio button of the desired
security mode. Make sure to also edit the General and Advanced tabs.

Note: If the Profile Locked checkbox is checked, Profile cannot be removed

or modified. However the password fields can be edited. Contact your
system administrator.

The type of security mode the station is using. The options include the
following:

5.3.1 WPA/WPA2

Enables the use of Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA).

Choosing WPA/WPA2 opens the WPA/WPA2 EAP drop-down menu. The

options include:

• EAP-FAST

To use EAP-FAST security, the machine must already support EAP-FAST.

Check with the IT manager.

1. Click the Security tab from the Profile Editor window.

2. Click Configure. The Define EAP-FAST window appears.
3. Choose an EAP-FAST authentication method from the EAP-FAST
Authentication Method drop-down list.
4. Click Configure.

o If you chose GTC Token/Password from the EAP-FAST

Authentication Method drop-down list and clicked Configure,

18
 the Define PEAP (EAP-GTC) Configuration window appears. To
know more about this option refer Using PEAP (EAP-GTC)
security.
o If you chose MSCHAPv2 Username and Password from the
EAP-FAST Authentication Method drop-down list and clicked
Configure, the Configure Username and Password window
appears. To know more about this option refer Using
PEAP-MSCHAP V2 security.
o If you chose TLS Client Certificate from the EAP-FAST
Authentication Method drop-down list and clicked Configure,
the Define Certificate window appears. When configuring
EAP-TLS for EAP-FAST, you can check the Authenticate Server
Identity check box to force the system to authenticate the
identity of the server as an added level of security. This option
is available only when configuring EAP-FAST. To know more
about this option refer Using EAP-TLS security.

5. If you want to force the client adapter to disassociate after you log off
so that another user cannot gain access to the wireless network using
your credentials, check the No Network Connection Unless User is
Logged In check box. The default setting is checked.
6. Perform one of the following:

o If you want to enable automatic PAC provisioning, make sure

the Allow Automatic PAC Provisioning for this Profile check box
is checked. A protected access credentials (PAC) file is obtained
automatically as needed (for instance, when a PAC expires,
when the client adapter accesses a different server, when the
EAP-FAST username cannot be matched to a previously
provisioned PAC, etc.). This is the default setting.
o If you want to enable manual PAC provisioning, uncheck the
Allow Automatic PAC Provisioning for this Profile check box.
This option requires you to choose a PAC authority or manually
import a PAC file.

19
7. From the Select one or more PAC Authority to use with this Profile list,
highlight the PAC authorities associated with the network defined by
the profile's SSID. The list contains the names of all the authentication
servers from which you have previously provisioned a PAC.

8. Click Manage. The Select EAP-FAST PAC window appears.

This window lets you group PAC authorities to facilitate authentication

while roaming. For example, if there are three PAC authorities at a
certain site covering different areas of the site, you can create a group
containing these authorities and select one of them in the PAC list. In
this way, if you're roaming around the site, the other authorities in the
group will allow you access to the network.
A group consists of one or more authorities. Each authority may have
one or more PAC files. A PAC authority can belong to only one group.

9. To create a new group, click New Group. A group consists of one or

more authority servers that the user trusts. To rename the group,
right-click the group and choose Rename. You can also rename the
group by clicking it and typing the new name.

When you create a new group, you can either import a PAC file into it
using the Import button or you can move a PAC from another group to
the new group.

10. To import a PAC, click Import. The PAC Import window appears. Do the
following:
a. Click Browse and select a PAC file to import. The default
location is C:/Program Files/Atheros.
b. Click the PAC file (*.pac) so that it appears in the File name box
at the bottom of the window.
c. Click Open.

20
 d. If the Enter Password window appears, enter the PAC file
password, which can be obtained from your system
administrator, and click OK.

Note: PAC file passwords are optional. The PAC authority

determines whether to issue PAC files that require
user-supplied passwords. Nevertheless, all PAC files (even
those without passwords) are encrypted and protected. PAC
file passwords are different from EAP-FAST passwords and need
to be entered only once, at the time a PAC is imported.
e. If you try to import a PAC file with the same PAC ID as a
previously imported PAC file, you are asked to update the
existing PAC. If you click Yes, the existing PAC is replaced by the
new one from the imported file.
f. If the PAC file was imported successfully, the following message
appears: "EAP-FAST PAC file was imported and is ready for use."
Click OK to return to the PAC Import window.
g. Click one of these PAC store options to determine where the
imported PAC file will be stored and by whom it will be
accessible:
Global - PACs that are stored in the global PAC store can be
accessed and used by any user at any logon stage. Global PACs
are available before or during logon or after the user is logged
off if the profile is not configured with the No Network
Connection Unless User is Logged In option.
Private - PACS that are stored in the private store can be
accessed and used only by the user who provisioned them or the
system administrator. They are not accessible until the user is
logged onto the local system. This is the default option.
h. Click Import. The PAC file appears under the selected group.
11. To delete a group, select the group and click Delete. You can also
delete the group by right-clicking the group and choosing Delete.
12. To close the Select EAP-FAST PAC window, click Close.
13. To automatically use PACs belonging to the same PAC authority group,
check the Use Any PAC Belonging to the Same Group check box.
14. Check the Use Machine PAC for Domain Logon check box if you want
the client to attempt to log into a domain using machine
authentication with user credentials rather than user authentication.

21
 Doing so enables your computer to connect to the network prior to
user logon. The default setting is unchecked.
15. Click OK when done configuring EAP-FAST.

• EAP-TLS

To use EAP-TLS security In the Atheros Client Utility, access the Security
tab in the Profile Management window.

1. On the Security tab, choose the WPA radio button.

OR: On the Security tab, choose the 802.1x radio button.
2. Choose EAP-TLS from the drop-down menu.

Enabling EAP-TLS security:

To use EAP-TLS security, the machine must already have the EAP-TLS
certificates downloaded onto it. Check with the IT manager.

1. If EAP-TLS is supported, choose EAP-TLS from the drop-down menu on

the right, then click the Configure button.
2. Click Configure. The Define Certificate window appears.
3. Check the Use Machine Information for Domain Login check box if you
want the client to attempt to log into a domain using machine
authentication with a machine certificate and machine credentials
rather than user authentication. Doing so enables your computer to
connect to the network prior to user logon. The default setting is
unchecked.

Note: If you do not check the Use Machine Information for Domain
Logon check box, machine authentication is not performed.
Authentication does not occur until you log on.
4. Check the Validate Server Identity check box to force the system to
authenticate the identity of the server as an added level of security.
5. If you checked the Use Machine Information For Domain Logon check
box in the previous step, the Always Do User Authentication check box
at the bottom of the window becomes active. Perform one of the
following:

22
 o Check the Always Do User Authentication check box if you want
the client to switch from using machine authentication to using
user authentication after you log on using your username and
password. This is the default setting.
o Uncheck the Always Do User Authentication check box if you
want the client to continue to use machine authentication after
the user's computer logs into the domain.

6. Choose your server certificate in the Select a Certificate drop-down

list.
7. Choose the certificate authority from which the server certificate was
downloaded in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities drop-down
list.
8. Perform one of the following:
o Leave the Server/Domain Name field blank to allow the client
to accept a certificate from any server that supplies a
certificate signed by the certificate authority listed in the
Trusted Root Certification Authorities drop-down list
(recommended).
o In the Server/Domain Name field, enter the domain name of the
server from which the client will accept a certificate.

9. If the Login Name is filled in automatically, enter your username in

this format: username@domain.
10. Click OK to save your changes and return to the Profile Management
(Security) window.
11. Click OK.
12. Activate the profile.

• EAP-TTLS

23
 To use EAP security In the Atheros Client Utility, access the Security tab in
the Profile Management window.

1. On the Security tab, choose the WPA/WPA2 radio button.

OR: On the Security tab, choose the 802.1x radio button.
2. Choose EAP-TTLS from the drop-down menu.

Enabling EAP-TTLS security:

To use EAP-TTLS security, the machine must already have the EAP-TTLS certificates
downloaded onto it. Check with the IT manager.

1. If EAP-TTLS is supported, choose EAP-TTLS from the drop-down menu on the

right, then click the Configure button.
2. Select the appropriate certificate from the drop-down list and click OK.
3. Specify a user name for EAP authentication:
o Check Use Windows User Name to use the Windows user name as the
EAP user name.
o OR: Enter a EAP user name in the User Name field to use a separate user
name and password and start the EAP authentication process.
4. Click Settings and:
o Leave the server name field blank for the client to accept a certificate from
any server with a certificate signed by the authority listed in the Network
Certificate Authority drop-down list. (recommended)
o Enter the domain name of the server from which the client will accept a
certificate.
o Change the login name if needed.
5. Click OK.
6. Enable the profile.

• PEAP (EAP-GTC)

To use PEAP (EAP-GTC) security In the Atheros Client Utility, access the Security
tab in the Profile Management window.

1. On the Security tab, choose the WPA radio button.

OR: On the Security tab, choose the 802.1x radio button.
2. Choose PEAP (EAP-GTC) from the drop-down menu.

24
To use PEAP (EAP-GTC) security, the server must have WPA-PEAP certificates, and the
server properties must already be set. Check with the IT manager.

1. Click the Configure button.

2. To resume connection without providing credentials again after a temporary loss of
connection, check Always Resume the Secure Session.
3. Select the appropriate network certificate authority from the drop-down list.
4. Specify a user name for inner PEAP tunnel authentication:
o Check Use Windows User Name to use the Windows user name as the
PEAP user name.
o OR: Enter a PEAP user name in the User Name field to use a separate user
name and start the PEAP authentication process.
5. Check the Validate Server Identity check box to force the system to authenticate
the identity of the server as an added level of security.
6. Choose the certificate authority from which the server certificate was downloaded
in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities drop-down box.
7. Choose Token or Static Password, depending on the user database.

Note that Token uses a hardware token device or the Secure Computing SofToken
program (version 1.3 or later) to obtain and enter a one-time password during
authentication.
8. Click Settings and:
o Leave the Specific Server or Domain field blank to allow the client to
accept a certificate from any server that supplies a certificate signed by the
certificate authority listed in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities
drop-down box on the Define PEAP (EAP-GTC) Configuration window
(recommended) or enter the domain name of the server from which the
client will accept a certificate.
o If the Login Name field is not filled in automatically, enter your username.
o Click OK to save your settings and return to the Profile Management
(Security) window.
9. Click OK.
10. Enable the profile.

• PEAP (EAP-MSCHAP V2)

25
 To use PEAP-MSCHAP V2 security In the Atheros Client Utility, access the Security
tab in the Profile Management window.

1. On the Security tab, choose the WPA radio button.

OR: On the Security tab, choose the 802.1x radio button.
2. Choose PEAP (EAP-MSCHAP V2) from the drop-down menu.

To use PEAP (EAP-MSCHAP V2) security, the server must have WPA-PEAP certificates,
and the server properties must already be set. Check with the IT manager.

1. Click the Configure button.

2. Check the Validate Server Identity check box to force the system to authenticate
the identity of the server as an added level of security.
3. Choose the certificate authority from which the server certificate was downloaded
in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities drop-down box.
4. Perform one of the following to specify how you want to establish a network
connection.

o If you want to connect using a username and password, choose User Name
and Password.
o If you want to connect using a user certificate installed on your computer,
choose Certificate, select a certificate from the drop-down box and go to
Step 6.

5. Specify the username and password for inner PEAP tunnel authentication:

o Check Use Windows User Name to use the Windows user name as the
PEAP user name.
o OR: Enter a PEAP user name in the User Name field to use a separate user
name for the PEAP authentication process.

26
 6. Click Settings. The Configuration Setting window appears.
7. Leave the Specific Server or Domain field blank to allow the client to accept a
certificate from any server that supplies a certificate signed by the certificate
authority listed in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities drop-down box on the
Define PEAP (EAP-MSCHAP V2) Configuration window (this is the
recommended option) or enter the domain name of the server from which the client
will accept a certificate.
8. If the Login Name field is not filled in automatically, enter your username with
nothing after it.
9. Click OK.
10. Enable the profile.

• LEAP

To use security In the Atheros Client Utility, access the Security tab in the Profile
Management window.

LEAP security requires that all infrastructure devices (e.g. access points and servers) are
configured for LEAP authentication. Check with the IT manager.

• Configuring LEAP
• Enabling LEAP

Configuring LEAP:

• On the Security tab, choose the WPA radio button. Choose WPA-LEAP from the
drop-down menu.
• OR: On the Security tab, choose the 802.1x radio button. Choose LEAP from the
drop-down menu.

1. Click the Configure button.

27
2. To resume connection without providing credentials again after a temporary loss of
connection, check Always Resume the Secure Session.
3. Specify a user name and password:

Select to Use Temporary User Name and Password by choosing the radio button:

o Check Use Windows User Name to use the Windows user name as the
LEAP user name.
o OR: Check Manually Prompt for LEAP User Name and Password to
manually login and start the LEAP authentication process.

Select to Use Saved User Name and Password by choosing the radio button:

o Specify the LEAP user name, password, and domain to save and use.
4. Enter the user name and password.
5. Confirm the password.
6. Specify a domain name:
o Check the Include Windows Logon Domain with User Name setting to
pass the Windows login domain and user name to the RADIUS server.
(default)
o OR: Enter a specific domain name.
7. If desired, check No Network Connection Unless User Is Logged In to force the
wireless adapter to disassociate after logging off.
8. Enter the LEAP authentication timeout time (between 30 and 500 seconds) to
specify how long LEAP should wait before declaring authentication failed, and
sending an error message. The default is 90 seconds.
9. Click OK.
10. Enable the profile.

28
5.3.2 802.1x

Enables 802.1x security. This option requires IT administration.

Choosing 802.1x opens the 802.1x EAP type drop-down menu. The options include:

• EAP-FAST
• EAP-TLS
• EAP-TTLS
• PEAP (EAP-GTC)
• PEAP (EAP-MSCHAP V2)
• LEAP

Please refer to 5.3.1 WPA/WPA2

If the access point that the wireless adapter is associating to has WEP set to Optional and
the client has WEP enabled, make sure that Allow Association to Mixed Cells is checked
on the Security Tab to allow association.

5.3.3 WPA Passphrase

To use WPA Passphrase security In the Atheros Client Utility, access the Security tab in
the Profile Management window.

1. On the Security tab, choose the WPA Passphrase radio button.

2. Click on the Configure button.
3. Fill in the WPA Passphrase.
4. Click OK.

29
5.3.4 Pre-Shared Key (Static WEP)

Enables the use of pre-shared keys that are defined on both the access point and the station.

To define pre-shared encryption keys, choose the Pre-Shared Key radio button and click
the Configure button to fill in the Define Pre-Shared Keys window.

If the access point that the wireless adapter is associating to has WEP set to Optional and
the client has WEP enabled, make sure that Allow Association to Mixed Cells is checked
on the Security Tab to allow association.

5.3.5 None
No security (not recommended).

30
5.4 JumpStart for Wireless

Note: JumpStart is an optional software to ease network setup. Make sure

you are connecting to a router that support WiFi Protected Setup protocol
before continue.

Jumpstart is an application for configuring the wireless network (Access

Point/wireless router). After a successful configuration, it also creates
profiles for the wireless network's client applications (like Microsoft’s
Wireless Zero Configuration and Atheros Client Utility), so that clients can
successfully connect to the wireless network.It enables the users to easily
setup a secured wireless network. This application is based on the Wi-Fi
Protected setup specification.

Step 1:
Run Setup.exe in folder “JSW_Install_CD” and follow onscreen instructions to
complete the installation.

If JumpStar request to enable UPnP Framework in Windows Firewall

exception list. Click Yes to continue.

After installation complete,

Start “Jumpstart” program from Windows Start Programs Atheros
Jumpstart or an icon called “Jumpstart” on desktop.

31
Step 2 :
Choose “Join a wireless
network” and click Next to
continue.

Step 3 :
Users have three ways to connect to an AP:

Following examples is for reference only, your AP’s configuration web

page might look different, please refer to your AP’s manual.

Method A Push Button Configuration:

1. Click “Push Button Configuration” in the configuration web page of your
AP that you want to connect.

32
2. Within two minutes, choose
the first option and click Next
to continue.

3. Search for the AP.

4. Connect Successfully.

33
Method B Enter a Pin code into AP :

1. Choose the second option

and you’ll get a Pin number.

2. Enter the Pin number in the configuration web page into the Client
PIN Number blank and click “Start PIN”.

34
3. Click Next to continue.

4.Connect Successfully.

35
Method C Enter a Pin from AP :

1. Choose the third option and

enter PIN number from the
configuration web page of
your AP.

2. Click Next and continue.

3.Connect Successfully.

36
6.1
The installation driver CD will automatically activate the autorun installation
program after you insert the disk into your CD drive.

Step 1:
Insert the installation & driver
CD into your CD-ROM, click
OK to continue.

Step 2:
Insert WLAN USB adapter into
USB port and click OK to
continue.

Step 3:
Choose setup language and
click Next to continue.

37
Step 4:
Click Cancel if Vista prompted Found New Hardware.

Step 5:
Click Next to continue.

Step 6:
Choose accept and click
Next to continue.

38
Step 7:
For Vista OS only driver are
required to install, please
click Yes to continue.

Step 8:
Setup might remind you to
connect the 11n adapter
again. Make sure the 11n
adapter was connected
before continue.

Step 9:
Start copying files until it
finishes the installation.

39
Step 10:
Click Finish to complete
installation.

40
6.2 Install Driver Manually:

Plug your USB dongle into USB interface, windows Vista will search for
compatible driver to install.

Step 1 :
Select “Locate and install the driver
software”, Windows will guide you
through the process of installing
driver software for your device.

Step 2 :
Insert the installation disc into the
CD-ROM and click “next” to continue
installation.

Step 3 :
Windows Vista search for the
software and it will be installed
successfully.

41
6.3 Connect to a Network :

Step 1 :
After installation, right click the
network icon on the Windows Vista
System Tray, and click “Connect to a
network”.

Step 2 :
Select a network to connect to and
click “Connect”.

42
Step 3 :
Click “Connect Anyway” if the
network is an unsecured network.

Step 4:
USB Dongle successfully connected
to network, Click “Close”

43
Product
WLAN 11n ISM Band Dongle
Name
Standard IEEE802.11n/b/g , 802.3, 802.3u
Frequency
2.400GHz ISM band
Band
Modulation
BPSK/QPSK/16-QAM/64-QAM
method
802.11b : DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum)
Spread
802.11g/n : OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)
Spectrum

270/240/180/120/90/60/54/48/36/30/24/22/18/12/11/6/5.5/
Data Rate
2/1Mbps and Maximum of 300Mbps.
Operation Ad hoc
mode Infrastructure (Access Points is needed)
Transmitter
Output < 14 dBm@11n, < 17 dBm@11b, < 14 dBm@11g
Power
Operating at 11Mbps: @ –80dBm
Receiver
Operating at 54Mbps: @ –70dBm
Sensitivity
Operating at 300Mbps: @ –64dBm
Operating
Indoor Up to 100 m, Outdoor Up to 280 m
Range
Security 64-bit, 128-bit or WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy); TKIP, AES

I/O Interface USB 2.0

LED Link/Active
Operating
system Windows 2000, XP and Vista
supported
Management Windows-based configuration utility and status monitoring
Regulation FCC for North America
CE/ETSI for European
Dimension 90 x 26 x 10.95 mm

44
Operating
0 ~ 50 ℃
Temperature
Storage
-10 ~ 70 ℃
Temperature
Humidity 5 ~ 90% maximum (non-condensing)

45
Symptom:
The LED is off.
Remedy:
Make sure the PC Card is inserted properly. Otherwise contact your vendor.

Symptom:
The LED is always on not blinking.
Remedy:
Make sure that you have installed the driver from attached CD. Otherwise
contact your vendor.

Symptom:
The LED is blinking but the PC Card icon does not appear in your icon tray.
Remedy:
Make sure that you have installed the Utility from the attached CD.

Symptom:
The PC Card is linking, but can’t share files with others.
Remedy:
Make sure the file and printer sharing function is enabled. You can
enable the function by checking the icon of My Computer -> Control
Panel -> Network -> file and printer sharing -> I want to be able to give
others to access to my files.

Symptom:
Slow or poor performance.
Remedy:
Try to select another channel for the communicating group or move your
device closer to the Access Point.

46
IEEE 802.11 Standard
The IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN standards subcommittee, which is formulating
a standard for the industry.
Access Point
An internetworking device that seamlessly connects wired and wireless
networks together.
Ad Hoc
An Ad Hoc wireless LAN is a group of computers, each with a WLAN
adapter, connected as an independent wireless LAN. Ad Hoc wireless LAN
is applicable at a departmental scale for a branch or SOHO operation.
BSSID
A specific Ad Hoc LAN is called a Basic Service Set (BSS). Computers in a
BSS must be configured with the same BSSID.
DHCP
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - a method in which IP addresses are
assigned by server dynamically 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.
ESSID
An Infrastructure configuration could also support roaming capability for
mobile workers. More than one BSS can be configured as an Extended
Service Set (ESS). Users within an ESS could roam freely between BSSs
while served as a continuous connection to the network wireless stations
and Access Points within an ESS must be configured with the same ESSID
and the same radio channel.

47
Ethernet
Ethernet is a 10/100Mbps network that runs over dedicated home/office
wiring. Users must be wired to the network at all times to gain access.
Gateway
A gateway is a hardware and software device that connects two dissimilar
systems, such as a LAN and a mainframe. In Internet terminology, a gateway
is another name for a router. Generally a gateway is used as a funnel
for all traffic to the Internet.
IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Infrastructure
An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called an Infrastructure
configuration. Infrastructure is applicable to enterprise scale for wireless
access to central database, or wireless application for mobile workers.
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.
Local Area Network (LAN)
A LAN is a group of computers, each equipped with the appropriate network
adapter card connected by cable/air, that share applications, data,
and peripherals. All connections are made via cable or wireless media,
but a LAN does not use telephone services. It typically spans a single
building or campus.
Network
A network is a system of computers that is connected. Data, files, and
messages can be transmitted over this network. Networks may be local or
wide area networks.

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

48
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 point is deployed, PCs can always be connected regardless of
where they are located or roam.
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.
Simple Network Management Protocol (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 address, 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.
Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP)
The Temporal Key Integrity Protocol, pronounced tee-kip, is part of the
IEEE 802.11i encryption standard for wireless LANs. TKIP is the next
generation of WEP, the Wired Equivalency Protocol, which is used to
secure 802.11 wireless LANs. TKIP provides per-packet key mixing, a
message integrity check and a re-keying mechanism, thus fixing the
flaws of WEP.

Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

TCP/IP 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 packet is
sequenced for transmission the network. The term “TCP/IP” is often
used generically to refer to the entire suite of related protocols.

49
Transmit / Receive
The wireless throughput in Bytes per second averaged over two seconds.
Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a nonprofit international association formed in 1999
to certify interoperability of wireless Local Area Network products based
on IEEE 802.11 specification. The goal of the Wi-Fi Alliance’s members is
to enhance the user experience through product interoperability. The
organization is formerly known as WECA.
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)
The Wi-Fi Alliance put together WPA as a data encryption method for
802.11 wireless LANs. WPA is an industry-supported, pre-standard version
of 802.11i utilizing the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP),
which fixes the problems of WEP, including using dynamic keys.
Wide Area Network (WAN)
A WAN 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.
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
Now widely recognized as flawed, WEP was a data encryption method
used to protect the transmission between 802.11 wireless clients and
APs. However, it used the same key among all communicating devices.
WEP’s problems are well-known, including an insufficient key length and
no automated method for distributing the keys. WEP can be easily
cracked in a couple of hours with off-the-shelf tools.

Wireless LAN (WLAN)

A wireless LAN does not use cable to transmit signals, but rather uses
radio or infrared to transmit packets through the air. Radio Frequency
(RF) and infrared are the commonly used types of wireless transmission.
Most wireless LANs use spread spectrum technology. It offers limited
bandwidth, usually under 11Mbps, and users share the bandwidth with
other devices in the spectrum; however, users can operate a spread
spectrum device without licensing from the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC).

50