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Proxim Harmony User Manual

802.11a network adapter
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Harmony
Harmony 802.11a Network Adapter
User's Guide

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  • Page 1 Harmony Harmony 802.11a Network Adapter User's Guide...
  • Page 2 Limited Warranty, Disclaimer, Limitation Of Liability For a period of three (3) years from the date of purchase by the retail customer, Proxim warrants the Harmony 802.11a CardBus Cards (Models 8450 and 8455) and the Harmony 802.11a PCI Card (Model 8150) against defects in materials and workmanship.

  • Page 3: Declaration Of Conformity

    Place and Date of the declaration Lieu et date de la declaration – Ort und Datum der Konformitätserklärung Name and Signature Nom et Signature – Name und Unterschrift Carmelo S. Amarena International Product Manager Proxim Corporation & Proxim Europe B.V.
  • Page 4 Proxim will only ship products that are type approved in the destination country. Refer to Proxim’s Web site at http://www.proxim.com/support/80211acertifications/ for a list of countries that have approved Proxim’s 802.11a products. This Web site also details any special requirements that govern the use of 802.11a products in a particular country.

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents Chapter 1 - Introduction .................. 7 The Harmony Family ..................8 The Product Package ..................9 Harmony 8455 802.11a CardBus Card ............9 Harmony 8450 802.11a CardBus Card ............9 Harmony 8150 802.11a PCI Card ...............9 System Requirements .................. 10 Overview of Country-Specific Features ............11 Chapter 2 - Installation ..................
  • Page 6 Configuring Networking Clients and Protocols ..........61 Windows XP/2000 ................. 61 Windows ME/98 SE ................62 Windows NT ...................62 Uninstalling a Harmony 802.11a Network Adapter ........63 Range ......................64 CardBus Card LED Indicators ................64 Common Technical Support Questions ............65 Appendix A - Technical Specifications .............

  • Page 7: Chapter 1 - Introduction

    The Harmony 802.11a network adapters can be used with other 802.11a devices to form a stand-alone wireless Ad Hoc network* or used in conjunction with a Harmony infrastructure to provide mobile clients with wireless access to an Ethernet network.

  • Page 8: The Harmony Family

    Two models are available: Model 8450 and Model 8455. • The Harmony PC Card is a wireless LAN adapter that fits into a PCMCIA Type II slot in a laptop computer. Two models are available to support the IEEE 802.11b (8430 Series) or OpenAir (7430 Series) wireless standard.

  • Page 9: The Product Package

    Introduction The Product Package The items included with each Harmony 802.11a network adapter are listed below. If any of these items are missing or damaged, please contact your reseller or Proxim Technical Support. Harmony 8455 802.11a CardBus Card Each Harmony 802.11a CardBus Card Model 8455 comes with the following: •...

  • Page 10: System Requirements

    Introduction System Requirements To begin using a Harmony 802.11a network adapter, you must have the following minimum requirements: • A computer that meets the following specifications: • Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition (ME), Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), or Windows NT (Service Pack 6 or later)* installed •...

  • Page 11: Overview Of Country-Specific Features

    Introduction Overview of Country-Specific Features This user’s guide provides information on how to install and use the Harmony 802.11a CardBus Card and the Harmony 802.11a PCI Card. Product features vary by region/country. The following table summarizes the product differences based on region: U.S./Canada...

  • Page 12: Chapter 2 - Installation

    802.11a PCI Card Users (Model 8150): It is the responsibility of the installer and users of the Harmony 802.11a PCI Card Model 8150 to guarantee that the antennas are operated at least 20 centimeters from any person.

  • Page 13: Windows Me And Windows 98 Se Installation Cd Requirement

    Harmony 802.11a CardBus Cards, Models 8450 and 8455, and the Harmony 802.11a PCI Card, Model 8150, comply with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation of either product is subject to the following two...

  • Page 14: Windows Nt Laptops Require A Plug & Play Utility

    Proxim’s Web site at http://www.proxim.com/support/. Follow the installation instructions contained in this chapter. When the instructions call for either the Windows CD or the Harmony Installation CD, search the CAB files or the temporary folders you created in Steps #2 and 3.

  • Page 15: Installation Instructions

    Inserted Before Running the Installation Program” on page 58 for instructions. Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP Follow these steps to install a Harmony 802.11a network adapter in a Windows 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000, or Windows XP computer. Turn on the computer and logon to Windows, if applicable.
  • Page 16 Click Finish to complete the Harmony Utility installation and to continue the installation of a Harmony 802.11a network adapter. 10. The Harmony Device Setup wizard will prompt you to insert a Harmony 802.11a network adapter, as shown below. Harmony 802.11a CardBus Card users: Insert the CardBus Card into an available CardBus slot and proceed to Step #11.
  • Page 17 13. The Harmony Utility’s Status Monitor icon will appear in Windows Taskbar, as shown below. 14. The Harmony 802.11a network adapter is now ready for use. Use the Harmony Utility (described in Chapter 5) to configure the adapter and determine if it is communicating with other 802.11a devices.

  • Page 18: Windows Nt

    SETUP.EXE from the Harmony Installation CD to launch the program, shown in the following example. Click Next to continue. Select a destination folder for the Harmony Utility files and click Next to continue. Enter a name for the utility’s Program Manager group and click Next. Click Next to install the utility.
  • Page 19 Installation 10. Click Install when prompted by the Harmony Device Setup screen, shown below. Note: Proxim recommends that you let the installation wizard install the card for you. However, if you want to install the adapter manually, click Control Panel to open the Network screen’s Adapter window. Click OK after you have manually installed the adapter to return to the installation wizard.
  • Page 20 18. The Status Monitor icon will appear in Windows Taskbar, as shown below. 19. The Harmony 802.11a network adapter is now ready for use. Use the Harmony Utility (described in Chapter 5) to configure the adapter and determine if it is communicating with other 802.11a devices.

  • Page 21: Related Topics

    • Refer to Chapter 5 beginning on page 36 for information on how to use the Harmony Utility. • See “Configuring Networking Clients and Protocols” on page 61 for information on how to configure a networking protocol like TCP/IP (so you can configure the...

  • Page 22: Upgrading To Version 1.4

    If you already have an earlier version of the Harmony 802.11a software installed, follow these steps to upgrade to version 1.4: Insert the Harmony Installation CD into the CD-ROM drive. If you do not have a CD that contains software version 1.4, you can download the software from Proxim’s Web site at http://www.proxim.com.

  • Page 23: Chapter 3 - Wireless Topologies

    Figure 1. Figure 1 Ad Hoc To use a Harmony 802.11a network adapter as a member of an Ad Hoc network with other 802.11a-compatible cards, configure the adapter to operate in Ad Hoc mode. See “Network Mode” on page 28 for details.

  • Page 24: Infrastructure

    See the Harmony Access Point Controller User’s Guide for more information. Connecting to a Single AP Figure 2 depicts a Harmony network that uses a single Access Point (AP) with a Harmony Access Point Controller. Figure 2 Single AP...

  • Page 25: Roaming Between Multiple Aps

    The mobile clients will connect to any 802.11a Access Point that is within range. Figure 3 Roaming Each Harmony 802.11a Access Point within a roaming network must have a unique, independent Channel, but all must have the same SSID and security settings (if applicable).
  • Page 26 As the mobile client seamlessly switches from cell to cell, its network connectivity is preserved. The user can move freely between the Harmony 802.11a Access Points in the network. When the roaming client leaves the transmission range of one 802.11a Access Point, the software automatically polls the other 802.11a Access Point(s) in the...

  • Page 27: Chapter 4 - Configuration Parameters

    Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) to achieve data rates of up to 54 Mbps. In addition, the Harmony 802.11a network adapters support 2X Mode. This mode is not part of the IEEE 802.11a specification but it allows data rates of up to 108 Mbps.

  • Page 28: 802.11A Software Parameters

    Network Mode configures a Harmony 802.11a network adapter to operate in either Ad Hoc mode or Infrastructure mode. When set to Ad Hoc, all Harmony 802.11a devices must have the same SSID, Channel, and WEP Keys (if WEP is enabled) to communicate. An Ad Hoc network is a wireless network that consists of only 802.11a client adapters (i.e., a network that does not...

  • Page 29: Power Saving Mode

    Access Points is not required. If the coverage area provided by 802.11a Access Points is sparse, set Roaming to Slow. Harmony adapters will not roam until they are nearly out of range of the Access Point with which they are associated.

  • Page 30: Channel

    Configuration Parameters Channel 802.11a devices spread a radio signal over a range of frequencies. The IEEE 802.11a specification allocates the available frequencies in the 5 GHz band into a series of operating Channels that are identified by a Channel number and a center carrier frequency.

  • Page 31: Send Rate

    The IEEE 802.11a specification supports eight data rates: 54 Mbps, 48 Mbps, 36 Mbps, 24 Mbps, 18 Mbps, 12 Mbps, 9 Mbps, and 6 Mbps. Harmony’s 2X mode supports eight data rates: 108 Mbps, 96 Mbps, 72 Mbps, 48 Mbps, 36 Mbps, 24 Mbps, 18 Mbps, and 12 Mbps.

  • Page 32: Rts/Cts

    While RTS/CTS adds overhead to the radio network, it is particularly useful for large packets that take longer to resend after a collision occurs. You may configure a Harmony 802.11a network adapter to never use RTS/CTS (i.e., disable RTS/CTS) or to use RTS/CTS for packets over a certain size. For example, if the RTS/CTS Threshold is set to 1000 Bytes, then a sending radio will use RTS/CTS before transmitting any packet 1000 Bytes or larger.
  • Page 33 If the WEP Keys do not match on two radios, no data communication will take place between these devices. A Harmony 802.11a network adapter can support up to four WEP Keys (all four Keys must have the same Key Size). A Harmony 802.11a adapter can decrypt information that was encrypted with any of its four WEP Keys, but it will only use the Default Key to encrypt outgoing information.
  • Page 34 Once the user has been authenticated by the Harmony System, the 802.11a adapter receives a unique 152-bit WEP Key from the Harmony System, and it can begin to exchange data with the Ethernet network. Refer to the Harmony Access Point Controller User’s Guide for more information on the Harmony Security Protocol.
  • Page 35 Access Point and its clients use the AP’s configured Global WEP Keys. The Harmony Utility does not include configuration settings for 802.1x. To enable 802.1x support and configure 802.1x settings (like EAP authentication type), you need to use a client utility provided by a RADIUS server manufacturer, like Microsoft or Funk Software.

  • Page 36: Chapter 5 - Harmony Utility

    If the adapter has the Harmony Security Protocol enabled and it is has not been authenticated by the Harmony System, the icon will appear as follows:...

  • Page 37: Configuration Utility

    “Enabled,” “Not Authenticated,” “User Not Logged In,” “User Associ- ated,” and “User is using Unique Encryption Key” (with time of login). The Harmony Security Protocol only supports Infrastructure mode; if a client is in Ad Hoc mode, this field reports: “Harmony Security does not support Ad Hoc Mode.”...
  • Page 38 Harmony Utility Send Signal Strength: The Signal bar displays the signal strength for the last • acknowledgment (ACK) received by the adapter. Signal strength is reported in decibels (dB). The color-coded chart below the Signal bar indicates the relative strength of the signal: a signal in the red or orange section indicates a weak con- nection;...

  • Page 39: Station Configuration

    Harmony Utility Receive Signal Strength: The Signal bar displays the signal strength for the last • packet received by the adapter. Signal strength is reported in decibels (dB). The color-coded chart below the Signal bar indicates the relative strength of the sig- nal: a signal in the red or orange section indicates a weak connection;...
  • Page 40 Harmony Utility Edit the configuration parameters as necessary and click Apply to save your changes. To change the operating Channel, Send Rate, RTS/CTS, and Fragmentation settings, click the button labeled Advanced Configuration to display these parameters. The configuration parameters are described in Chapter 4 beginning on page 27; some options may not be available in all countries (see “Overview of Country-Specific...
  • Page 41 Note to Windows XP Users Windows XP provides built-in support for wireless networks. Windows XP’s wireless network management features are used in lieu of the Harmony Utility. For PCI Card users, support for the Harmony Utility is disabled by default (i.e., Windows XP wireless settings are enabled);...

  • Page 42: Security

    Security Click the Security tab to configure the adapter’s security settings. From within this screen, you can enable WEP for Authentication and Encryption, enable the Harmony Security Protocol, and configure the adapter’s WEP Keys. See “Security Options” on page 32 for more information on these settings.
  • Page 43 Harmony Utility Enter one to four WEP Keys in the fields provided, as shown in the following example. Use only hexadecimal digits (i.e., 0-9 and A-F). For 64-bit encryption, enter 10 digits for each Key; for 128-bit encryption, enter 26 digits for each Key; for 152-bit encryption, enter 32 digits for each Key.
  • Page 44 Harmony Utility In the following example, Key 3 is the Default Key. A Harmony 802.11a network adapter can decrypt information that was encrypted with any of its four WEP Keys but it will only use the Default Key to encrypt outgoing information.
  • Page 45 Select Use Harmony Security Protocol within the Security Level box. Place a check mark in the Log on to Harmony Security before Windows Logon box if you want to connect to the wireless network before logging on to the Windows operating system.
  • Page 46 Click Apply or OK to save the new security settings. Log off Windows or restart the computer. Log on to Windows when prompted (if the Log on to Harmony Security before Windows Logon option is disabled). The Harmony logon prompt will appear. Enter your Harmony User Name and...
  • Page 47 Access Point, and the Log on to Harmony Security before Windows Logon option is disabled. If you are not in range of a Harmony Access Point, place a check mark in the box labeled Defer logon for current session if Access Point is out of range. The Harmony software will store your User Name and Password and automatically initiate the logon procedure without any user intervention once the 802.11a...
  • Page 48 • To reset your Harmony Password to match your Windows Password, check the box labeled Synchronize Password with Windows Logon. Click Logon to log on to the Harmony System. 10. Log on to Windows when prompted (if the Log on to Harmony Security before Windows Logon option is enabled). Note: See “Common Technical Support Questions”...
  • Page 49 Microsoft or Funk Software. Note: Confirm that the Harmony Utility’s Security Level is set to No Security before enabling 802.1x support using a third-party client utility. As of the release of this user’s guide, Microsoft provides 802.1x support for Windows XP users only as part of the operating system.
  • Page 50 Harmony Utility Click the Authentication tab. Configure the 802.1x settings. Contact your network administrator or refer to Windows XP’s on-line Help if you need assistance configuring these settings. Note: Depending on the network’s EAP authentication type, your network adminis- trator may need to provide you with a smart card or install a digital certificate on your computer.

  • Page 51: Network Traffic Statistics

    Harmony Utility Network Traffic Statistics Click the Statistics tab to view information about the number of packets sent and received by the adapter, as shown below. The default Statistics screen displays the following statistics: • Unicast Packets Sent : : : : This statistic reports the number of packets transmitted by the adapter that were destined for a single network node.
  • Page 52 Harmony Utility The advanced Statistics screen displays the following additional statistics: Send • Send Rate: This field reports the adapter’s current transmit rate. • Unicast Bytes Sent: This statistic reports the total number of bytes contained in the unicast packets transmitted by the adapter.
  • Page 53 Harmony Utility Last ACK RSSI: This statistic reports the RSSI (Received Signal Strength) for the • last acknowledgment (ACK) received by the adapter. RSSI is reported in decibels (dB) and typically ranges from 0 to 75. In general, an RSSI less than 15 indicates a weak signal and an RSSI greater than 30 indicates a strong signal.

  • Page 54: 802.11A Networks

    Harmony Utility 802.11a Networks Click the 802.11a Networks tab to view the list of Access Points or Ad Hoc stations within range of the adapter. In the example below, the utility detected one Access Point and one Ad Hoc node.
  • Page 55 Harmony Utility If you want the adapter to associate with one of the detected Access Points or join the same Ad Hoc network as one of the detected Ad Hoc nodes, highlight the node within the device list and click Associate. The adapter’s Network Mode and/or SSID will automatically change to match the selected device’s configuration settings.
  • Page 56 Harmony Utility Click one of the Channels in the Channel RSSI Map to determine if any 802.11a devices are transmitting at that frequency. A selected Channel has a blue outline. If one or more 802.11a Access Points are using the selected Channel, information about these Access Points will appear in the APs on specific channel selected from RSSI Map box.

  • Page 57: Version Information

    Harmony Utility In addition, the utility displays the current success rate in the Instantaneous Success field and the average success rate (since the beginning of the test) in the Average Success field. By default, the adapter uses a packet size of 500 Bytes and automatically switches between all rates as necessary during the test (greater range generally means a lower transfer rate).

  • Page 58: Chapter 6 - Troubleshooting

    Support and Training,” on page 72. How to Obtain Help with Your LAN Installation If you require assistance to install your LAN, Proxim can put you in touch with an 802.11a reseller in your area. The reseller is an expert in the design, installation, and...
  • Page 59 Troubleshooting Follow these steps: Note: PCI Card users should begin at Step #1. CardBus Card users should begin at Step #8. Turn off the computer, unplug its power cord from the wall outlet, and remove the computer cover. Locate an unused PCI slot and refer to your PC’s manual for instructions on how to remove the plate that covers the slot (if applicable).

  • Page 60: Windows 98/Me/2000/Xp Troubleshooting

    14. Run SETUP.EXE from the Harmony Installation CD to launch the Harmony Utility Setup program. 15. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the Harmony Utility. Refer to Chapter 5 beginning on page 36 for information on how to use the Harmony Utility. Windows 98/ME/2000/XP Troubleshooting Adapter Not Listed in Device Manager Follow these steps if you have installed an 802.11a network adapter but it doesn’t...

  • Page 61: Configuring Networking Clients And Protocols

    Select a client or protocol from the list of installed components and click Properties to configure its settings. For example, if you want to assign the Harmony 802.11a adapter a static IP address, highlight Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click Properties.

  • Page 62: Windows Me/98 Se

    Select a client or protocol from the list of installed components and click Properties to configure its settings. For example, if you want to assign the Harmony 802.11a adapter a static IP address, highlight TCP/IP or TCP/IP -> Harmony 802.11a Network Adapter and click Properties.

  • Page 63: Uninstalling A Harmony 802.11A Network Adapter

    Troubleshooting Uninstalling a Harmony 802.11a Network Adapter Follow these steps if you need to uninstall a Harmony 802.11a network adapter: Note: You do not need to uninstall the current software to upgrade to the latest Harmony software. See “Upgrading to Version 1.4” on page 22 for details.

  • Page 64: Range

    The IEEE 802.11a specification supports eight data rates: 54 Mbps, 48 Mbps, 36 Mbps, 24 Mbps, 18 Mbps, 12 Mbps, 9 Mbps, and 6 Mbps. Harmony’s 2X mode supports eight data rates: 108 Mbps, 96 Mbps, 72 Mbps, 48 Mbps, 36 Mbps, 24 Mbps, 18 Mbps, and 12 Mbps.

  • Page 65: Common Technical Support Questions

    Troubleshooting Common Technical Support Questions This section discusses some of the most common problems using a Harmony 802.11a network adapter and offers possible solutions. Symptom/Question Possible Solution/Answer I installed the adapter card in the Follow the on-screen instructions to install computer before running the adapter using Microsoft’s Add New...
  • Page 66 If you would like to learn more about the site survey procedure, you should consider signing up for a Proxim Technical Training class in your area. Refer to Proxim’s Web site at http://training.proxim.com/ for more information. I’ve entered my Harmony User Either your User Name or Password is Name and Password but I can’t log...
  • Page 67 Password via the Harmony System’s User What can I do? Database. My computer can’t reestablish a You need to logon to Harmony Security first network connection when the before logging on to Windows to gain Harmony Security Protocol is immediate access to network resources.

  • Page 68: Appendix A - Technical Specifications

    The following technical specification is for reference purposes only. Actual product’s performance and compliance with local telecommunications regulations may vary from country to country. Proxim Corporation will only ship products that are type approved in the destination country. Technical Specifications General Compatibility ........Fully interoperable with IEEE 802.11a compliant...
  • Page 69 Roaming...........Seamless among 802.11a compliant access points, including across subnets via Harmony AP Controller Radio Radio Data Rate .......54 Mbps, 48 Mbps, 36 Mbps, 24 Mbps, 18 Mbps, 12 Mbps, 9 Mbps, 6 Mbps in 802.11a mode; 108 Mbps, 96 Mbps, 72 Mbps, 48 Mbps,...

  • Page 70: Parameters

    2345 Threshold Security Level No Security, Use WEP for Authentication No Security and Encryption, Use Harmony Security Protocol Key Size 64 Bit, 128 Bit, 152 Bit 64 Bit *Ad Hoc mode not available in Europe; 2X mode not available in Europe, Japan, or Singapore.
  • Page 71 Parameter Range Default WEP Keys Up to 4 Keys: Blank (When Security Level 10 hexadecimal digits per key for 64 Bit, is set to Use WEP for 26 hexadecimal digits per key for 128 Bit, Authentication and 32 hexadecimal digits per key for 152 Bit Encryption) Default Key One of the four configured WEP Keys...

  • Page 72: Appendix B - Technical Support And Training

    Appendix B Technical Support and Training If you are having a problem using a Harmony 802.11a network adapter and cannot resolve it with the information in Chapter 6, gather the following information and contact Proxim Technical Support: • What kind of network are you using? •...

  • Page 73: Index

    Index ..................ACK Errors ............... Ad Hoc ............Add New Hardware Wizard ..........– Alternate Installation Instructions ..............Antenna ................Antenna Diversity ................Antenna Success ............. – Association Information ................Association State ..............Average Packets/Sec ..............Bad Frame Checksum .................. Battery Life ..................
  • Page 74 Excessive Retries ..........Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) ................................Fragmentation ................Frequency Band ..........Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum ..............Funk Odyssey Server Harmony ........– – 802.11a Access Point ............ Access Point Controller ................Power System ............– – Security Protocol ........
  • Page 75 ................Last Frame’s RSSI ............LED Indicators (CardBus Card) ................– Link Quality ......Log on to Harmony Security before Windows Logon ..............Media Access Protocol ..Microsoft Windows 2000 Internet Authentication Service (IAS) Server .................. Modulation ..............Multicast Bytes Received ..............
  • Page 76 ................. RADIUS Server ..................Range ................. – Read Keys ................. Receive Rate .......... – Regulatory Information and Warnings ..........Remove Status Monitor From Task Bar ................– Roaming .................... RSSI See also Signal Strength ................RTS/CTS ............Run 802.11a Configuration Utility ..............
  • Page 77 Unicast Bytes Sent ..............Unicast Packets Received ............... Unicast Packets Sent ..............Uninstall Instructions ..............Upgrade Instructions ..........– Use Harmony Security Protocol ...... – – Use WEP for Authentication and Encryption ................. User Database ................. – User Name ................

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