The 54 Mbps Wireless USB Adapter features the latest wireless technology and security protocols to keep your data accessible and secure. This easy-to-set-up, easy-touse product is perfect for the mobile, home, or small office computer user. If you want to take your computing to the next level, the Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless USB Adapter is one of the keys to your success. This User Manual will show you how to set up the 54 Mbps Wireless USB Adapter and customize its configuration to get the most out of your wireless network. The 54 Mbps Wireless USB Adapter is compliant with the 802.11g specifications and requires a wireless access point, router/gateway, or any other compatible wireless device. Package Contents s Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless USB Adapter s USB cable s Installation CD (includes user manual) s Quick Start guide Minimum System Requirements A computer with the following: s USB connector (USB 1.1, 2.0 compatibility) s Microsoft Windows 98 SE, Millennium Edition (Me), 2000, or XP s TCP/IP network protocol installed s Internet Explorer 5.0 or Netscape Navigator 5.0 (or higher) s 64 Mb (or more) of RAM s 200 MHz (or faster) processor 1 Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless USB Adapter User Manual 2 Features s IEEE 802.11b and 802.11g standards conformity s USB interface (USB 1.1 [11 Mbps max.], 2.0 [54 Mpbs max.] compatible) s WEP, WPA, WPA_PSK, and 802.1x support Technical Support Actiontec Electronics prides itself on making durable, high-performance, highquality products. If you need assistance, the Actiontec Technical Support Department is available all day every day to provide professional support. Actiontec Electronics, Inc. 760 N. Mary Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94085 United States Technical Support Phone: (USA) 1-888-436-0657 (UK) 0845-65-80411 E-mail: Internet: 2 Understanding the Wireless Network Wireless local area networks (WLAN) perform the exact same functions as wired local area networks (LAN). Each computer in the WLAN uses a data radio device to connect to the network, and all computers in the network share the same frequency and method for identifying wireless devices. Wireless local area networks differ from wired local area networks only in their operating mode. The two operation modes are Ad Hoc and Infrastructure. Ad Hoc Mode Ad hoc mode is a networking framework by which wireless devices or stations communicate directly with each other, without the need for an access point or wireless router/gateway. Ad hoc mode is also called peer-to-peer mode or independent basic service set (IBSS). This mode is useful when communicating among many computers locally without the need to connect to printers or file servers on a wired LAN. 3 Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless USB Adapter User Manual 4 Infrastructure Mode Infrastructure mode is a networking framework where devices communicate with each other by first going through an access point or wireless router/gateway. Infrastructure mode lets wireless devices communicate with each other or with a wired network. Two types of service can exist while in infrastructure mode: Basic Service Set (BSS) - An access point connected to a wired network and a set of wireless stations. Extended Service Set (ESS) - A set of two or more basic service sets forming a single subnetwork. . Note: Corporate WLANs require infrastructure mode to use services such as file servers or printers. 3 Setting Up the Adapter The instructions that follow in this chapter parallel the steps contained in the Actiontec Connection 1-2-3® setup utility, which provides a visual, step-by-step guide to setting up the USB Adapter. It is recommended the user run Connection 1-2-3 first, before attempting any other procedures. M Caution: Do not plug in the Adapter until instructed during the installation procedure. 1. Insert the Installation CD in the CD-ROM drive of the computer. Connection 1-2-3 starts automatically. Temporary files and drivers for the Adapter are loaded onto the hard drive, then the first Connection 1-2-3 screen appears. Read the onscreen instructions, then click Next. . Note: If Connection 1-2-3 does not start automatically, click Start from the desktop, then select Run. Type d:\c123.exe (with “d” representing the drive letter of the computer’s CDROM drive) in the “Open” text box, and click OK. 5 Actiontec 54 Mbps Wireless USB Adapter User Manual 6 2. Get the USB cable and Adapter from the box, then click on Next. 3. Plug the smaller end of the USB cable into the port on the front of the Adapter, then click Next. 4. Plug the other end of the USB cable into the USB port located on the back of the computer. . Note: After plugging in the Adapter to the computer, wait for the “Add New Hardware Wizard” to complete before clicking Next. Click Next. 5. If using Windows XP, follow the steps on the next screen. Otherwise, click Next to continue. . Note: For systems running Windows 98 SE, the Windows 98 SE Installatio...