Instruction/ maintenance manual of the product PCWA-C500 Sony
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Operating Instructions 5GHz Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C500 4-657-719- 11 (1) © 2002 Sony Corporation.
2 WARNING To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture. Owner’s Record 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.
3 About the supplied software THE SUPPLIED SOFTWARE IS SUPPLIED PURSUANT TO THE APPLICABLE END- USER LICENSE AGREEMENT. • Copyright laws prohibit reproducing the software or the software manual in whole or in part, or renting the software without the permission of the copyright holder.
4 Table of contents Overview ............................................... 5 What you can do with your Wireless LAN PC Card ............. 5 System requirements ..................... 9 About manuals and Help files ............. 10 Accessing Online Help .
5 Overview What you can do with your Wireless LAN PC Card The 5GHz Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C500 is a wireless network card in a PC card format. You can use the Wireless LAN PC Card to construct a wireless LAN environment for connecting multiple computers.
6 With Windows XP: Available networks.
7 Accessing the Internet from various places in the house (with Access Point Network connection mode) Access Point Network connection mode allows you to construct a wireless network based on an Access Point (optional).
8 High bit rate movie streaming playback * (with Peer to Peer Nework connection mode) Peer to Peer Network connection mode allows computers equipped with Wireless LAN PC Cards to communicate directly, without using a Wireless LAN Access Point. With this connection mode, users can share files directly from one computer to another.
9 System requirements To use the software provided, the following hardware and software is required. ❑ A computer with the following specifications: – 128 MB of RAM (or more) – A CardBus-compati.
10 About manuals and Help files The following manuals and Help file are provided with this product. ❑ 5GHz Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C500 Quick Start Guide for Microsoft ® Windows ® Millennium Edi.
11 Getting star ted Unpacking Your Wireless LAN PC Card comes with the following items: • Wireless LAN PC Card • PC card case • CD-ROM (Setup disc) • Operating Instructions • Quick Start Gui.
12 Indicators 12 1 POWER indicator 2 NETWORK indicator Indicator modes POWER NETWORK Description Blinking rapidly Communication in progress (The rate of flashing changes with the amount of data flow.) Blinking slowly in unison Standby (Data transfer is possible, however no data is being sent or received.
13 Getting star ted Insert the card in the direction of the arrow. Inserting the Wireless LAN PC Card If you are inserting the 5GHz Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C500 for the first time, see Quick Start Guide for details. This section explains how to insert and remove the Wireless LAN PC Card from your computer.
14 If your computer is already turned on when you insert the Wireless LAN PC card, the driver installation wizard starts automatically. Refer to the Quick Start Guide for details on driver installation. To remove the Wireless LAN PC Card: 1 Close any software that is using the Wireless LAN.
15 Software setup About the software provided The CD-ROM provided contains the following software: ❑ 5GHz Wireless LAN PC Card driver This software is required for 5GHz Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C500 operation. ❑ Wireless Panel Wireless Panel is a utility software that displays the status of wireless communications.
16 2 Double-click System. The System Properties dialog box appears. z Hint If System is not displayed, click “view all Control Panel options.” 3 Click the Device Manager tab. 4 Select Devices by type. 5 Double-click Network adapters. 6 Double-click Sony 802.
17 Software setup • Double-clicking Network adapters does not display the Sony 802.11a Wireless LAN Adapter. c Remove the Wireless LAN PC Card from the computer, and reinsert it. Then, reinstall the Wireless LAN PC Card driver. • Double-clicking Other devices displays the Sony 802.
18 3 Click the Device Manager tab, then double-click Network adapters. 4 Double-click the network card you want to disable. 5 Click the General tab, then select the Disable in this hardware profile check box. Windows 2000: 1 From the Start menu, point to Settings, then select Control Panel.
19 Software setup 6 Double-click Sony 802.11a Wireless LAN Adapter. The Sony 802.11a Wireless LAN Adapter Properties dialog box appears. Note The Wireless LAN PC Card is not working properly if the following occurs: • The Sony 802.11a Wireless LAN Adapter is represented in the Device Manager list by a yellow question mark or exclamation point.
20 7 Confirm that the message “ This device is working properly ” is displayed under Device status. Note If the message “ This device is working properly ” is not displayed, the Wireless LAN PC Card is not working properly. In this case, repeat steps 1 to 5, and right-click Sony 802.
21 Software setup Windows XP: 1 From the start menu, select Control Panel. The Control Panel appears. 2 Double-click System. The System Properties dialog box appears. z Hint If the System icon is not displayed, click “ Switch to Classic View ” . 3 Click the Hardware tab, then click Device Manager.
22 Note The Wireless LAN PC Card is not working properly if the following occurs: • The Sony 802.11a Wireless LAN Adapter is represented in the Device Manager list by a yellow question mark or exclamation point. c Right-click Sony 802.11a Wireless LAN Adapter, and click Uninstall to delete the Wireless LAN PC Card driver.
23 Software setup When using a computer that has an Ethernet interface other than a Wireless LAN PC Card, it is recommended that you disable the Ethernet interface to avoid any unexpected difficulties. After completing all of the above steps, perform the following steps.
24 4 Select Devices by type. 5 Double-click Network adapters, then click Sony 802.11a Wireless LAN Adapter, and click Remove. The Confirm Device Removal dialog box appears. 6 Click OK. The message “To finish removing your hardware, you must restart your computer.
25 Software setup 6 Click the Driver tab, then click Uninstall. The Confirm Device Removal dialog box appears. 7 Click OK. You are returned to the Device Manager window. 8 Click to close the Device Manager window. You are returned to the System Properties dialog box.
26 5 Double-click Network adapters, then double-click Sony 802.11a Wireless LAN Adapter. The Sony 802.11a Wireless LAN Adapter Properties dialog box appears. 6 Click the Driver tab, then click Uninstall. The Confirm Device Removal dialog box appears. 7 Click OK.
27 Software setup 3 Click 5GHz Wireless LAN, then click Add/Remove. The Confirm File Deletion dialog box appears. 4 Click OK. The program is removed, and the Maintenance Complete dialog box appears. Note If the ReadOnly File Detected dialog box appears, click Yes to delete the file.
28 5 Click Finish. Note If the Shared File Detected dialog box appears, it is recommended that you click No and keep shared files. Windows XP: Notes • Log on to Windows XP using an account with computer administrator privileges. • Close all programs before removing the Wireless Panel.
29 Wireless LAN connection Initial settings for constructing a wireless LAN Windows Me or Windows 2000 When you install the Wireless Panel onto your computer for the first time, the Wireless Connection Easy Setup Wizard starts automatically after you have installed the Wireless Panel.
30 1 Select the Use Easy Setup Wizard check box, and click Next. The Connection mode panel appears. 2 Select Access Point Network, and click Next. The Network Setup panel appears. 3 Configure Nickname, Network, and WEP. Items to be configured: • Nickname This is the nickname for the network.
31 Wireless LAN connection • Network Name The Network Name is an ID used to identify wireless networks, and is also referred to as the “ SSID ” .
32 [ASCII/Hex] This is the format for entering the password (WEP key) required when connecting to networks where WEP is enabled. You can select ASCII (alphanumeric characters, and may include symbols) or Hex (hexadecimal notation).
33 Wireless LAN connection 5 Confirm your settings, then click Next. The Connected with access point panel appears when communication with the Access Point is established. (It may take some time before a connection is established.) Note If an error message is displayed, the settings are not correct.
34 Notes • If your web browser is configured to use a web proxy server, set the web browser proxy setting so that the browser does not use a proxy server for the Access Point IP address.
35 Wireless LAN connection 9 Change the computer settings to match those you set for the Access Point. 10 Click Next. The settings that you selected are displayed. 11 Confirm your settings, then click Next. Communication with the Access Point is established.
36 3 When all of the items are set, click Next. The settings that you have made are displayed. 4 Confirm your settings, then click Next. Your settings are saved. This may take several minutes. 5 When the Completing the Wireless Connection Easy Setup Wizard panel appears, click Finish.
37 Wireless LAN connection Windows XP Note Before configuring the Wireless LAN PC Card Perform the following steps to confirm that the Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings check box is selected. This option is selected as the default setting.
38 Note Refer to the Wireless Panel Online Help on how to register additional networks. 4 From Available Networks list in Connect to Wireless Network, click the network that you want to connect to. z Hint Network Names of Access Points within communication range are listed in Available Networks.
39 Wireless LAN connection 6 Click Connect. Communication with the Access Point is established. If you are not going to change the Access Point settings, this completes all the necessary settings. If you want to change the Access Point settings, follow the instructions below.
40 8 Set up the Access Point following the onscreen instructions. z Hint To use the online help, click the question mark icon on the page. WARNING If you change the Network Name (SSID) or WEP settings.
41 Wireless LAN connection 3 When the computer is connected to a wireless network: Double-click the Received Signal Level indicator on the taskbar to display the Wireless Panel and click Network List to display the Network Connections window. Then, right-click “ Wireless Connection * ” (where the asterisk represents a number.
42 5 Click the Wireless Networks tab..
43 Wireless LAN connection 6 Click Add. The Wireless Network Properties dialog box appears. 7 Enter a Network name (SSID) for this network (up to 32 characters, and may include symbols). The Network name is an ID used to identify wireless networks, and is also referred to as the “ SSID ” .
44 8 Select the Data Encryption (WEP enabled( check box, and clear the The key is provided for me automatically check box. Note WEP is a function designed to prevent unauthorized access to your network data. When the Data Encryption (WEP enabled) check box is not selected, data is not encrypted.
45 Wireless LAN connection Viewing communication status Viewing the signal reception level You can check the level of the signal you are receiving using the Received Signal Level indicator on the taskbar.
46 Viewing detailed network information You can use the Wireless Panel utility to view detailed information about the network your computer is connected to. Double-click the Received Signal Level indicator on the taskbar. The Wireless Panel main screen appears, indicating the status of the network that your computer is connected to.
47 Wireless LAN connection Using Wireless Panel Wireless Panel is software for displaying the status of wireless communications. Normally, it runs in the background, displaying the status of your wireless connection as an icon on the taskbar. You can get more detailed connection information by displaying its main screen.
48 Displaying the main screen of the Wireless Panel To display the main screen of the Wireless Panel, double-click the Received Signal Level indicator on the taskbar. The main screen of the Wireless Panel appears, displaying the status of the network that your computer is connected to.
49 Wireless LAN connection Status tab 1 Wireless Status This area displays the communication status of the Wireless Panel. Nickname The Nickname of the network that computer is currently connected to.
50 Rate Indicates the data transfer rate. Frequency Indicates the communication channel and frequency currently being used. Connection Mode Indicates the connection mode for the connected network.
51 Wireless LAN connection AP Scan tab 1 Wireless Status Displays all networks operating within the communication range of your computer. Selected In this column, “ >>> ” indicates the currently selected Access Point. Nickname Nicknames for networks registered in the Wireless Panel.
52 WEP Indicates whether the data is encrypted or not. Ch Displays the network channel that is currently being used by the network. 2 Network List button / Network Registration button Windows Me/2000: Network List When none of the networks on the list is selected, this button appears as Network List.
53 Wireless LAN connection 3 Scan button Clicking the Scan button updates the Network List by searching for all wireless networks that are currently in range.
54 Signal Log tab 1 Signal Log Displays the signal status and signal rate for signals as a graph. The red line indicates the data reception rate, the green line the transmission rate, and the blue line the signal level (strength). 2 Wide Plot button / Narrow Plot button This button toggles between the Wide Plot and the Narrow Plot display modes.
55 Additional inf ormation Precautions Safety Do not drop or cause a mechanical shock to the 5GHz Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C500, as this may damage the unit.
56 Specifications Protocol support TCP/IP compliant Standard IEEE802.11a/IEEE802.11 Radio frequency 5.15 to 5.35 GHz Modulation method OFDM (IEEE802.11a compliant) General Power requirements 3.
57 Additional inf ormation ❒ The Sony fax-back service provides you with answers to commonly asked questions. You can use this automated service to request a list of available topics then select the topics you want to receive. To contact the Sony fax-back service, call 1-877-760-7669 .
58 LAN (Local Area Network) A network which is accessible only to its members, unlike the Internet which is open to an unlimited number of people. A LAN may be built for different purposes. For example, you can build an office LAN that is accessible only to members of the same department or a home LAN that is accessible only to family members.
59 Additional information Troubleshooting Read the Troubleshooting section of this guide before calling Sony Customer Information Services. If you still cannot resolve your issue after reading this section, call Sony Customer Information Services. Symptom Cause/Remedy My computer does not detect the Wireless LAN PC Card.
60 Symptom Cause/Remedy I cannot remember the WEP Key. No communication is available even though my computer is located within 150 feet (50 m) of the Access Point, in direct line of sight. c When using an Access Point, reset the Access Point to its defaults.
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Printed in Japan ❒ The Sony e-mail support service answers your questions by electronic mail. 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.
An important point after buying a device Sony PCWA-C500 (or even before the purchase) is to read its user manual. We should do this for several simple reasons:
If you have not bought Sony PCWA-C500 yet, this is a good time to familiarize yourself with the basic data on the product. First of all view first pages of the manual, you can find above. You should find there the most important technical data Sony PCWA-C500 - thus you can check whether the hardware meets your expectations. When delving into next pages of the user manual, Sony PCWA-C500 you will learn all the available features of the product, as well as information on its operation. The information that you get Sony PCWA-C500 will certainly help you make a decision on the purchase.
If you already are a holder of Sony PCWA-C500, but have not read the manual yet, you should do it for the reasons described above. You will learn then if you properly used the available features, and whether you have not made any mistakes, which can shorten the lifetime Sony PCWA-C500.
However, one of the most important roles played by the user manual is to help in solving problems with Sony PCWA-C500. Almost always you will find there Troubleshooting, which are the most frequently occurring failures and malfunctions of the device Sony PCWA-C500 along with tips on how to solve them. Even if you fail to solve the problem, the manual will show you a further procedure – contact to the customer service center or the nearest service center
