1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Sony Manuals
  4. Computer Hardware
  5. PCWA-C150S - Wireless Lan Pc Card
  6. Operating instructions manual

Sony PCWA-C150S Operating Instructions Manual

2.4 ghz wireless lan pc card
Hide thumbs Also See for PCWA-C150S:
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

Download this manual See also: Troubleshooting Manual, Read This First
A-B6H-100-11(1)

Operating Instructions

2.4GHz
Wireless LAN PC Card
PCWA-C150S
© 2002 Sony Corporation

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading

Related Manuals for Sony PCWA-C150S

Summary of Contents for Sony PCWA-C150S

  • Page 1: Operating Instructions

    A-B6H-100-11(1) Operating Instructions 2.4GHz Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C150S © 2002 Sony Corporation...
  • Page 2 The model and serial numbers are located on the back of the unit. Record the serial number in the space provided below. Refer to them whenever you call upon your Sony dealer regarding this product. Model No. PCWA-C150S Serial No.______________...
  • Page 3 • In no event will SONY be liable for any financial damage or loss of profits, including claims made by third parties, arising out of the use of the software supplied with this product.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    ® manual, the marks are not specified. Notes: • The user interface of the Sony supplied software may differ slightly from that shown in this manual. • This manual assumes that you are familiar with basic operations of the Windows operating system.

  • Page 5: Overview

    Overview What you can do with your Wireless LAN PC Card You can build a wireless LAN using the Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA- C150S (subsequently referred to as “Wireless LAN PC Card”). Equipping multiple computers with Wireless LAN PC Cards and installing the supplied software enables the computers to communicate and exchange data without a physical connection.
  • Page 6 Communication through Access Point (Infrastructure Mode) Direct communication between computers (Peer-to-Peer Mode) z Tip For details about peer-to-peer connections with Windows XP, see Windows XP Help.

  • Page 7: About The Supplied Software

    About the supplied software The Wireless LAN PC Card comes with the following software. Client Manager Client Manager is utility software for displaying the communication status of the Wireless LAN PC Card. Usually, the software operates in the background and shows the communication status using an icon in the system tray (notification area in Windows XP).

  • Page 8: System Requirements

    Microsoft Microsoft Note Correct operation in an OS upgrade environment is not assured, except for factory provided Windows XP upgrade packages for Sony VAIO s Display High color (16 bit color) and above, 800 × 600 pixels and above Notes •...

  • Page 9: About This Manual

    About this manual Note When using an Access Point, first connect and configure the Access Point as explained in its documentation. This manual explains the operation of the Wireless LAN PC Card and the installation and setup of the supplied Client Manager software. For details on using the Client Manager, refer to the online Help within the software.

  • Page 10: Unpacking

    Unpacking Your Wireless LAN PC Card comes with the following items. • Wireless LAN PC Card • CD-ROM (Setup disc) • Read This First • Quick Start Guide • Troubleshooting Guide • Warranty card • Other printed materials...

  • Page 11: Installing The Software

    Installing the software Before installing the software: • Configure and connect the Access Point. • Quit all Windows programs. Note In Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems, only users with administrator privileges can install the software. If you have logged on to Windows 2000 with a user account not listed in “Administrator”...
  • Page 12 Check that the displayed folder is the one where you want to install the software, and click “Next”. The Select Program Folder dialog box appears. z Tip If you want to install the software into a different folder, click “Browse” and select the folder or directly enter the folder name.

  • Page 13: Installing The Driver Software

    Installing the driver software Note Before installing the driver software, install the supplied utility software. For details on installing the supplied utility software, see “Installing the software” on page 11. Installing the driver software The installation procedure varies depending upon whether the CD-ROM drive is available when the Wireless LAN PC Card is inserted.
  • Page 14 Windows Me Insert the supplied CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. Note If your computer has two PC card slots and your CD-ROM drive must be connected through one of them, connect the CD-ROM drive to the bottom slot. Insert the Wireless LAN PC Card into the PC card slot. The Add New Hardware Wizard appears.

  • Page 15: Windows 2000

    Click “Next” to begin driver installation. Wait for installation to complete. The Add/Edit Configuration Profile dialog box appears when installation is complete. Click “Cancel” on the Add/Edit Configuration Profile dialog box. Click “Finish”. Restart the computer. Windows 2000 Note In Windows 2000, only users with administrator privileges can install drivers. Log on to Windows 2000 with a user account listed in “Administrator”.
  • Page 16 Click “Next”. Confirm that “Search for a suitable driver for my device” is selected, and click “Next”. Select Specify a location, and click “Next”. Click “Browse”. Select the folder containing the driver, and click “Open”. • When installing from the supplied CD-ROM in a CD-ROM drive connected to the computer: Select the “2Win2k”...
  • Page 17 Windows XP Note In Windows XP, only users with administrator privileges can install drivers. If you have logged on to Windows XP with a user account not defined as “computer administrator”, you will be asked to type a user account name and password for an account with administrator privileges when you attempt to install the driver.

  • Page 18: Verifying The Installation

    Select the folder that contains the driver and click “OK”. • When installing from the supplied CD-ROM in a CD-ROM drive connected to the computer: Select the “3WinXP” folder on the CD-ROM. • When installing after copying the contents of the supplied CD- ROM to a hard disk: Select the “3WinXP”...
  • Page 19 If the message “This device is working properly” is not displayed, the Wireless LAN PC Card is not working properly. In this case, click “OK” to close the Sony PCWA- C150 Wireless PC Card Properties dialog box, and then click “Remove”. When the Confirm Device Removal dialog box appears, click “OK”...
  • Page 20 Socket Status. Note If “Sony PCWA-C150 Wireless PC Card” is not displayed in the PC Card (PCMCIA) Properties dialog box, the Wireless LAN PC Card is not working properly. Repeat steps 1 through 4. Click “Sony PCWA-C150 Wireless PC Card”...
  • Page 21 Double-click the System icon. The System Properties dialog box appears. Click the “Hardware” tab, then click “Device Manager”. The Device Manager window appears. Double-click “Network adapters”. Double-click “Sony PCWA-C150 Wireless PC Card”. The Sony PCWA-C150 Wireless PC Card Properties dialog box appears.
  • Page 22 If the message “This device is working properly” is not displayed, the Wireless LAN PC Card is not working properly. In this case, click “OK” to close the Sony PCWA- C150 Wireless PC Card Properties dialog box, and then click “Uninstall” on the “Action”...
  • Page 23 If the System icon is not displayed, click “Switch to Classic View”. Click the “Hardware” tab, and click “Device Manager”. The Device Manager window appears. Double-click “Network adapters”. Double-click “Sony PCWA-C150 Wireless PC Card”. The Sony PCWA-C150 Wireless PC Card Properties dialog box appears.
  • Page 24 If the message “This device is working properly” is not displayed, the Wireless LAN PC Card is not working properly. In this case, click “OK” to close the Sony PCWA- C150 Wireless PC Card Properties dialog box, right-click “Sony PCWA-C150 Wireless PC Card”, and then click “Uninstall”...

  • Page 25: Inserting The Wireless Lan Pc Card

    Inserting the Wireless LAN PC Card This section explains how to insert the Wireless LAN PC Card into your computer and how to remove it. You do not need to turn off your computer when inserting the Wireless LAN PC Card. Insert the Wireless LAN PC card into the PC card slot of the computer.

  • Page 26: Starting Client Manager

    Notes • If your computer has two PC card slots, insert the Wireless LAN PC Card into the top slot. If the card is inserted into the bottom slot, the antenna of the Wireless LAN PC Card will block the top slot. •...

  • Page 27: To Remove The Wireless Lan Pc Card

    To remove the Wireless LAN PC Card Close any running software that uses the wireless LAN for example, Client Manager. Stop the Wireless LAN PC Card according to the manuals provided with your computer. Remove the Wireless LAN PC Card according to the documentation of your computer.

  • Page 28: Uninstalling The Software And Driver

    Tip If the Add/Remove Programs icon is not shown, select “view all Control Panel options”. Select “Sony Wireless LAN Client Manager” from the list of automatically removable software, and click “Add/Remove”. The Confirm File Deletion dialog box appears. Click “OK”.
  • Page 29 Panel”. Control Panel appears. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon. The Add/Remove Programs dialog box appears. From the “Currently installed programs” list, select “Sony Wireless LAN Client Manager”, then click “Change/Remove”. The Confirm File Deletion dialog box appears. Click “OK”. The software uninstall process is carried out.

  • Page 30: Uninstalling The Wireless Lan Pc Card Driver

    Click “Add or Remove Programs” (double-click if the Control Panel “Classic View” is selected). The Add or Remove Programs dialog box appears. From the “Currently installed programs” list, select “Sony Wireless LAN Client Manager”, and click Change/Remove. The Confirm File Deletion dialog box appears.
  • Page 31 If System is not displayed, click “view all Control Panel options”. Click the “Device Manager” tab. Select “Devices by type”. Double-click “Network adapters”, then click “Sony PCWA- C150 Wireless PC Card”, and click “Remove”. The Confirm Device Removal dialog box appears.
  • Page 32 Click the “Hardware” tab, and click “Device Manager”. The Device Manager window appears. Double-click “Network adapters”. Double-click “Sony PCWA-C150 Wireless PC Card”. The Sony PCWA-C150 Wireless PC Card Properties dialog box appears. Click the “Driver” tab, and click “Uninstall”. The Confirm Device Removal dialog box appears.
  • Page 33 Click the “Hardware” tab, and click “Device Manager”. The Device Manager window appears. Double-click “Network adapters”. Double-click “Sony PCWA-C150 Wireless PC Card”. The Sony PCWA-C150 Wireless PC Card Properties dialog box appears. Click the “Driver” tab, and click “Uninstall”. The Confirm Device Removal dialog box appears.

  • Page 34: Setting Up The Connection Environment

    Setting up the connection environment Windows Me or Windows 2000 Establishing communication with the Access Point This section describes how to configure settings for communication with an Access Point. When not using an Access Point, see “Configuring communication settings for Peer-to-Peer Mode” on page 40. Before configuring the settings, the following tasks must be completed: •...
  • Page 35 From the “Actions” menu, select “Add/Edit Configuration Profile”. The Add/Edit Configuration Profile dialog box appears. Click “Add”. The Edit Configuration dialog box appears. z Tip To edit an existing profile, click “Edit”.
  • Page 36 Enter an alphanumeric name for the profile in the “Profile Name” field (letters, numbers, and symbols are allowed). Verify that Access Point is selected in the “Network Type” list, and click “Next”. The Identify Your Network window shown below appears. In the “Network Name”...
  • Page 37 Click “Next”. The Set Security window shown below appears. If Data Security (also called WEP or Encryption) is enabled at the Access Point, enter matching setting values for the Wireless LAN PC Card, as described below. Notes • Input is case sensitive. Be sure to use the same uppercase/lowercase spelling as at the Access Point.
  • Page 38 3. In the field “Key 1”, “Key 2”, “Key 3”, or “Key 4”, type the encryption key set at the Access Point. Notes • Type the number of characters or digits as indicated below. Access Point is encrypted with a 128-bit WEP Access Point is encrypted with a 64-bit WEP •...
  • Page 39 1. From the “Start menu”, click “Run”. 2. Type “winipcfg” (without quotation marks), and click “OK”. The IP Configuration dialog box appears. 3. Select “Sony Wireless PC Card” from the drop-down list, and click “Renew”. 4. Confirm the IP address shown in “Adapter Address”.
  • Page 40 Configuring communication settings for Peer-to-Peer Mode Click the Client Manager icon The Client Manager window appears. From the “Actions” menu, select “Add/Edit Configuration Profile”. The Add/Edit Configuration Profile dialog box appears. on the taskbar.
  • Page 41 Click “Add”. The Edit Configuration dialog box appears. z Tip To edit an existing profile, click “Edit”. Enter a desired alphanumeric name into the “Profile Name” field (letters, numbers, and symbols are allowed). In the “Network Type” drop-down list, select “Peer-to-Peer Group”, and click “Next”.
  • Page 42 Select the channel number from the “Channel Number” drop-down list. Note When creating a new network, you can select any channel number. z Tip When connecting to an existing network, the channel number is selected automatically. Click “Next”. The Set Security window shown below appears. When creating a new network or when connecting to an existing network where Data Security (also called WEP or Encryption) is enabled, use the following settings.
  • Page 43 3. Type the encryption key in the “Key” field. Notes • Type the number of characters or digits indicated below. With a 128-bit WEP With a 64-bit WEP • Alphanumeric characters are case sensitive. • Alphanumeric characters may include symbols. Click “Next”.

  • Page 44: Windows Xp

    1. From the “Start menu”, click “Run”. 2. Type “winipcfg” (without quotation marks), and click “OK”. The IP Configuration dialog box appears. 3. Select “Sony Wireless PC Card” from the drop-down list, and click “Renew”. 4. Confirm the IP address shown in “Adapter Address”.
  • Page 45 • Check the Network Name (also called SSID) and the Data Security (also called WEP or Encryption) settings of the Access Point. For details about these settings, consult your network administrator. The factory-default configuration settings for the Access Point are listed in the Access Point documentation. Note Before configuring the Wireless LAN PC Card, perform the following steps to confirm that the “Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings”...
  • Page 46 If Data Security (also called WEP or Encryption) is enabled at the Access Point, type the encryption key in the “Network key field”. Notes • Input is case sensitive. Be sure to use the same uppercase/lowercase spelling as at the Access Point. •...

  • Page 47: Checking The Communication Status

    Checking the communication status Checking the wireless signal strength The communication status is shown by the Client Manager icon in the system tray (notification area in Windows XP). Client Manager icon Meaning of icon appearance (Green) (Green) (Yellow) (Yellow) (Red) (No color) Excellent Good...

  • Page 48: Client Manager Menus

    Client Manager menus File menu Enable Radio/Disable Radio Enables or disables wireless communication. Close Window Closes the Client Manager window. Actions menu Add/Edit Configuration Profile Creates a new profile or edits an existing profile. In Windows XP, the connection function built into Windows XP is used, and this function is not available.
  • Page 49 Help menu Contents Opens the Client Manager Help. Version Info Displays the versions of Client Manager, Wireless LAN PC Card driver, Wireless LAN PC Card hardware, and Wireless LAN PC Card firmware.

  • Page 50: Precautions

    Precautions Safety Do not drop or cause a mechanical shock to the 2.4 GHz Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C150S, as this may damage the unit. Installation Do not expose the Wireless LAN PC Card to the following conditions: • Unstable surfaces •...

  • Page 51: Specifications

    Design and specifications are subject to change without notice. Getting help This section describes how to get help and support from Sony, as well as troubleshooting tips for your Wireless LAN PC Card. About Sony’s Support Options Sony provides several support options for your Wireless LAN PC Card.
  • Page 52 Just send your question in an e- mail message and a customer service representative will reply. To send a question to Sony e-mail support, fill out the e-mail form at http://www.ita.sel.sony.com/ support/wirelesslan/ The Sony fax-back service provides answers to commonly asked questions.

  • Page 53: Glossary

    Glossary Channel number The frequency used for wireless communications. Wireless communications are possible only among client computers and Access Points that use the same channel. Data Security IEEE 802.11 compliant security system (also called WEP or Encryption). Using the encryption key as the password, only client computers and Access Points that have the same key may log onto the same wireless LAN.

  • Page 54: Troubleshooting

    Troubleshooting If you have difficulfy with your Wireless LAN PC Card, try the suggestions listed below. If you still cannot resolve the problem, contact Sony Customer Information Services. Symptom The computer does not detect the Wireless LAN PC Card. Other computers on the wireless LAN are not displayed.
  • Page 55 Symptom Cause/Remedy c Return Access Point to factory default settings and then Forgot the encryption reconfigure it. For details, see the documentation of the key. Access Point. 11 Mbps is a theoretical value. Under real-world conditions, Transfer rate is 11 transfer rate will normally be in the range of 4 - 5 Mbps.
  • Page 56 Symptom Cannot connect to the network. An error message indicating a conflict between network components is displayed. Cause/Remedy The Access Point and the computer are too far apart. c Move the computer closer to the Access Point. Communication settings are incorrect. c Check the settings for Network Name, Data Security, Profile, and so on.
  • Page 60 Just send your question in an e-mail message and a customer service representative will reply. To send a question to Sony e-mail support, fill out the e-mail form at http://www.ita.sel.sony.com/support/wirelesslan/ The Sony fax-back service provides you with answers to commonly asked questions.

Table of Contents