Creative BLASTER PCMCIA Card Getting Started
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Creative BLASTER PCMCIA Card Getting Started

Creative BLASTER PCMCIA Card Getting Started

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  • Page 2 Wireless PCMCIA Card 2021 Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Creative Technology Ltd. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the license agreement.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Contents Safety Instructions ....... . . iv General Safety ......... . iv FCC Radiation Exposure Statement .
  • Page 4 B What Is Wireless Network? ......32 Features and Benefits ........32 C Troubleshooting .

  • Page 5: Safety Instructions

    Safety Instructions General Safety To avoid the risk of fire, electric shock or personal injury, note the following precautions when using the product: ❍ Do not expose the product to direct sunlight or excessive heat. ❍ Do not place the product in surroundings that exceed 40°C (104°F). ❍...

  • Page 6: Setup Guide

    Setup Guide Before You Begin ❍ Go to "Before you Begin"— Shows you what to do before you begin installing your PCMCIA card. Understand your Product ❍ Go to Chapter 1— Shows you the parts of your PCMCIA card. Install your Product ❍...

  • Page 7: Introduction

    Before you Begin Introduction The Creative Network Blaster Wireless PCMCIA Card 2021 is a fully featured ® wireless network solution for your Notebook, from the makers of Sound Blaster It installs quickly and effortlessly, and uses auto-sensing capabilities to ensure fast connections and great performance.

  • Page 8: Recording Model And Serial Numbers

    Recording Model and Serial Numbers Your PCMCIA card has a model number and a serial number. The numbers are found on the bottom-side of the device. After removing the Network Blaster from its packaging, write down its model and serial numbers for future reference. You will need to provide these numbers when contacting our Technical Support.

  • Page 9: About Your Product

    About Your Product About Your PCMCIA Card The LEDs on your PCMCIA card can be seen in Figure 1-1: Activity LED This indicates the activity status. Blinking green: the PCMCIA card is transferring or receiving data. Power LED Lights up when the PCMCIA card is connected to the Notebook and activated.

  • Page 10: Device Installation

    Device Installation DO NOT insert the PCMCIA card into your Notebook before installing the software. You will be required to do so halfway during the installation. In Windows 98 SE/Me/2000/XP Turn on your Notebook and insert the Installation CD into your CD-ROM drive. Click the Install Software option.
  • Page 11 When the dialog box similar to Figure 2-2 appears, click the Typical option, and then click the Next button. Figure 2-2 When the Insert adapter now dialog box similar to Figure 2-3 appears, insert your PCMCIA card into your Notebook (Figure 2-4), and then click the OK button.
  • Page 12 For Windows 2000 only: When the Digital Signature not Found dialog box similar to Figure 2-5 appears, click the Yes button. For Windows XP only: When the Found New Hardware Wizard dialog box similar to Figure 2-6 Figure 2-5 appears, click the Install the software automatically (Recommended) option,...
  • Page 13 You may see this message when installing this driver. If you do, you may choose to click the Continue Anyway button. Creative has tested this driver on Windows XP, and it does not impair or destabilize your computer. If you need more XP-related information, go to the product web site's Help or speak with Creative Technical Support staff.

  • Page 14: Uninstalling Driver And Network Blaster 2021 Utility

    Network Blaster 2021 Utility in all Windows operating systems. Close all applications. Click Start -> Programs or All Programs -> Creative Network Blaster 2021 -> Uninstall Network Blaster 2021 Utility. When the Confirm File Deletion dialog box appears, click the OK button.

  • Page 15: Ejecting The Pcmcia Card

    Ejecting the PCMCIA Card You can remove the PCMCIA card from your Notebook. You need not turn off your Notebook when removing the card. However, before ejecting the card, you should exit any applications, and disable the PCMCIA card. This is to prevent data loss.

  • Page 16: Device Connection

    Device Connection This chapter explains how to connect your PCMCIA card in Windows 98 SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Before you can connect your PCMCIA card, you need to choose whether you will be connecting directly to another wireless enabled Notebook, computer or to an access point.

  • Page 17: Connecting In Windows 98 Se/Me/2000

    Connecting to a Network in Windows 98 SE/Me/2000 After installing the driver and software, the Network Blaster Wireless LAN PCMCIA Card Utility dialog box appears (Figure 3-4). If it does not, double-click the Network Blaster 2021 Utility icon on the taskbar (Figure 3-1).

  • Page 18: Connecting In Windows Xp

    Connecting to a Network in Windows XP After installing the driver and Network Blaster 2021 Utility, the Figure 3-5 Windows Wireless Network Connection icon (Figure 3-5) appears on the taskbar. Right-click the Windows Wireless Network Connection icon, and then click View Available Wireless Networks.

  • Page 19: Device Configuration

    Device Configuration After connecting to a selected network, you should configure your PCMCIA card’s network settings. Configuring a Network in Windows 98 SE/Me/2000 After connecting to a selected network, the Network Blaster Wireless LAN PCMCIA Card Utility dialog box appears (Figure 4-1).
  • Page 20 Click the Statistics tab (Figure 4-2). The available statistic information is displayed. To renew or update the statistics, click the Clear button. Figure 4-2...
  • Page 21 Click the Encryption tab (Figure 4-3). Click the Encryption box, and then select either 64 or 128 bit. Click either the Hex or ASCII option to select it, and then complete the key table with either hexadecimal or ASCII values. These keys serve as passwords that encrypt your data before transmission.
  • Page 22 Click the Advanced tab (Figure 4-4). Drag the Fragmentation Threshold and RTS/ CTS Threshold sliders to the rate that you want. Figure 4-4 For more information on Fragmentation Treshold, refer to “Fragmentation Threshold” on page 42, and for more information on RTS Treshold, refer to “Request to Send (RTS) Threshold”...

  • Page 23: Configuring In Windows Xp

    Configuring a Network in Windows XP Right-click the Windows Wireless Network Configuration icon on the taskbar, and then click View Available Networks. When the Connect to Wireless Network dialog box (Figure 4-6) appears, click the Advanced button. Figure 4-5...
  • Page 24 When the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialog box similar to Figure 4-7 appears, click the available network that you want. Click the Configure button. When the Wireless Network Properties dialog box appears, click the Data Encryption (WEP enabled) check box to select it. Figure 4-7 Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) ensures that information is encrypted before transmission.
  • Page 25 Click the The key is provided for me automatically check box to deselect it. Click the Key format box, and then click either ASCII characters or Hexadecimal digits. Click the Key length box, and then click the appropriate key length depending on your access point settings.
  • Page 26 When the Wireless Network Connection Status dialog box similar to Figure 4-8 appears, click the General tab. This displays the connection status, duration, speed and signal strength. Figure 4-8 Click the Support tab (Figure 4-9). This displays the address type, IP address, subnet mask and default gateway.

  • Page 27: Configuring A Wireless Network

    Configuring a Wireless Network When configuring a wireless network, take note of the following points: ❍ Start by determining the areas to be networked, the number of users and the type of devices to be used. Then determine the number of access points required and where they should be placed.

  • Page 28: Network Security

    Network Security The Importance of Network Security Your PCMCIA card comes with security features that protect your wireless network. As your information is transmitted and recieved by radio waves, enabling the encryption security will keep your data safe. Protected by WEP feature Potential hacker...

  • Page 29: Security Features

    Security Features The following security features are incorporated in your PCMCIA card: ❍ Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP) — This data stream encryption technology allows for the definition of up to four keys shared between access points and clients. Unauthorized wireless network stations not having the same keys are locked out. When typing the keys, use either hexadecimal characters, which are the letters A to F and the numbers 0 to 9, or alphanumeric characters.
  • Page 30 default key default key When Keys 1-4 for both wireless network stations are different but the selected default key is the same, the stations can communicate with each other. default key default key When Keys 1-4 and the selected default key in both wireless network stations is different, the stations cannot communicate with each other.

  • Page 31: A Technical Specifications

    Technical Specifications This appendix lists the general specifications of your PCMCIA card. Wireless Interface ❍ IEEE 802.11b compliant ❍ WEP security support (64-bit and 128-bit encryption) Antenna ❍ Built-in strip antenna Frequency Range ❍ 2.4 - 2.4835 GHz (ISM Band) Modulation ❍...

  • Page 32: B What Is Wireless Network

    W hat Is A W ireless N etwork? Wireless network is a revolutionary way of connecting devices to each other or to a Local Area Network wirelessly through the use of radio frequency waves. This means that you will be able to move around in a room or move from one floor to another without being disconnected from the network.
  • Page 33 An Ad-hoc network is also known as a Peer-to-Peer network. Ad-hoc mode allows for wireless-to-wireless communication. Select this mode when connecting to other wireless adaptors, which comply to the 802.11b standard. Users on the network can share files, printers, drives and other peripherals, and access the Internet using a shared modem.

  • Page 34: Problems With Your Card

    Troubleshooting This appendix provides tips and solutions for resolving some of the problems you might encounter with your PCMCIA card either during installation or normal use. Problems With Your Card Windows does not auto-detect the new PCMCIA card when it is inserted into the laptop.
  • Page 35 In Windows 2000: Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. On the menu that appears, click Properties. The System Properties dialog box appears. Click the Hardware Profile tab. Click the Device Manager button. Click the View devices by type option. Click the plus sign next to Network adapters.

  • Page 36: Problems With Software

    Ejecting the PCMCIA card from the PCMCIA slot causes your laptop to restart or stop responding. To solve this problem: • Before removing the PCMCIA card, close all files and network applications, such as E-mail and Internet Explorer. • Disable the PCMCIA card before removing it from the computer. See ‘Ejecting the PCMCIA Card”...
  • Page 37 After inserting the PCMCIA card, my laptop can detect the PCMCIA card but not the drivers in the Installation CD. To solve this problem: When the Add New Hardware Wizard dialog box appears, click the Cancel button. Remove the PCMCIA card, and then install the software from the beginning. Insert the PCMCIA card only when instructed.
  • Page 38 My laptop cannot connect to the Internet. To solve the problem: In Windows 98 SE/Me: Click Start -> Run. In the Open box, type winipcfg, and then click the OK button. The IP Configuration dialog box appears. Click the Adaptor box, and then click your product’s name. Click the Release button.

  • Page 39: D Glossary

    Glossary This appendix explains the technical terms used in this manual. Access point A networking device that transparently bridges wireless computers and laptops to a wired local network. Ad-hoc mode A small peer-to-peer network mode, in which wireless Notebooks are connected to each other directly without using an access point.
  • Page 40 Bridge A hardware device that links two or more physical networks and manages the transfer of data between these networks. The two networks connected can be alike or dissimilar. Broadband A transmission media that can handle the transmission of multiple messages at different frequencies, at one time.
  • Page 41 Driver A program that a computer uses to control the operation of a peripheral device, such as a keyboard, modem, monitor, card, or cable. Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) A digital modulation technique that spreads data transmissions across the entire available frequency band in a pre-arranged scheme.
  • Page 42 All these computers share a single public IP address and are assigned local IP addresses, which are hidden from the outside world. For the external world, there is no network, only a single device. Creative router blocks any attempt by any external computer to connect to local resources.
  • Page 43 Infrastructure mode A local area network or other small network mode in which wireless clients are part of the network and use one or more access points to connect to a wired network. Each access point is connected to the Ethernet network using a standard Ethernet cable.
  • Page 44 Kilobytes (KB) 1,024 bytes. Megabits per second (Mbps) A measure of data transfer speed. Megabits/Megabytes One million bits/bytes. Modem A device that allows a computer to transmit data to other computers via telephone lines. Network Address Translation (NAT) An Internet standard that enables a local-area network to use one set of IP addresses for internal traffic and a second set of IP addresses for external traffic.
  • Page 45 Packet Internet Groper (PING) An Internet program used to determine whether a specific IP address is accessible. It works by sending a packet to the specified address and waiting for a reply. PING is used primarily to troubleshoot network connections. Preamble A preamble is a signal, in the form of series of pulses, used in network communication to synchronize the transmission timing between two or more...
  • Page 46 Service Set Identity (SSID) A group name shared by all members of an IEEE 802.11 standard wireless network. Only wireless devices with the same SSID are allowed to establish connections. Static IP address A permanent IP address assigned to a computer (host) connected on a specific network.
  • Page 47 Universal Serial Bus (USB) A plug-and-play interface that allows the user to attach a device without having to add an adapter card and turning off the computer. Wide Area Network (WAN) A computer network that spans a relatively large geographical area. Typically, a WAN consists of two or more local-area networks (LANs).

  • Page 48: E Service And Warranty

    Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number. When returning a product for factory service: • Shipment to Creative is at your expense and you assume all risk. Ship the package through a carrier that provides proof of delivery; insure the shipment at full product value. •...
  • Page 49 Support, 1523 Cimarron Plaza, Stillwater, OK 74075. If after consulting our online help, you still have an installation question on a Creative product, you may contact us by the following numbers (please have your system hardware and operating system configuration information and Creative product model and serial numbers available for the call): Telephone (405) 742-6622.
  • Page 50 The equipment warranty of Creative Technology Ltd., shall constitute the sole and exclusive remedy of any buyer of the manufacturer’s equipment and the sole and exclusive liability of the...

  • Page 51: Asia

    Asia Our company is happy to assist and support our customers. If you have trouble or questions relating to any purchased equipment, follow the steps below: Duplicate the problem. Once a problem occurs, try to restart your hardware and software from the beginning and see if the problem happens again. If a problem is intermittent, finding it may be difficult because there may be more than one cause and, consequently, more than one solution.
  • Page 52 Depending on your location, it could take two weeks to complete the return process. Helpline Information ❍ South Africa Creative Labs Africa (Pty) Ltd, 1F North East Wing, Corner K101 & Old Pretoria Road, Midrand, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA. Mailing Address: P O Box 76761, WENDYWOOD 2144, Republic of SOUTH AFRICA.
  • Page 53 ❍ Hong Kong & Macau Creative Labs (Hong Kong) Ltd, Unit 31, 9/F, Hong Kong International Trade & Exhibition Centre, No 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay, KOWLOON, HONG KONG. Operating Hours:9:15 a.m.-5:45 p.m. Mon-Fri & 9:15 a.m.-12.45 p.m. Sat, except for Public Holidays.

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