Sony PCWA-C800S Read This First Quick start guide

Introduction

Notes

This Help system requires Internet Explorer 5 or later. It may not be displayed properly by earlier versions of Internet Explorer.

The appearance of the Wireless Panel software screenshots used in this Help system may differ slightly depending on your operating

system.

Refer to the sections below to find out about the Wireless Panel software and the connection modes.

What is the Wireless Panel software?

About the connection modes

Page 1

What is the Wireless Panel software?

The Wireless Panel softw are displays the communication status of the Wireless LAN PC Cards PCWA-C800S, PCWA-C700, PCWA-C500, and PCWA-C300S(*)

(hereafter "Wireless LAN PC Card"). Normally, it runs in the background. Here are some of its features.

Display of the signal status of the wireless connection as an icon on the Windows taskbar

The Wireless Panel softw are displays the signal status of your w ireless connection as an icon on the Window s taskbar. See section Checking the communication

status to find out w hat the icon looks like.

Confirm the status of the network to which you are connected

Detailed information about the netw ork to w hich you are currently connected, as w ell as available the access points appear in a list in the Wireless Panel w indow .

When using the Window s 2000 operating system, you can also use the Wireless Panel softw are to register netw ork settings on your computer or sw itch

betw een netw ork connections.

Wireless network connectivity

You can register several netw orks to the Wireless Panel softw are, making it simple to use a w ireless connection to access, for example, your office or personal

netw ork w ith the Access Point Netw ork or Peer to Peer Netw ork connection mode.

Hints

Use the connection modes above in the follow ing situations. For details, see About the connection modes.

Use the Access Point Netw ork connection mode to build a netw ork around a w ireless LAN access point (sold separately).

Use the Peer to Peer Netw ork connection mode to allow computers equipped w ith Wireless LAN PC Cards to communicate directly, w ithout using an

access point.

(*) Some functions outlined here are not available to the PCWA-C300S and PCWA-C500.

Page 2

About the connection modes

There are tw o connection modes. The Access Point Netw ork connection mode and Peer to Peer Netw ork connection mode.

Access Point Network connection mode

(Accessing the Internet from various points within your home)

The Access Point Netw ork connection mode allow s you to build a w ireless netw ork based on an optional access point. When you connect the access point to an

ADSL modem, cable modem, or ISDN router, using this connection mode allow s you to access the Internet through a w ireless netw ork from a computer connected

to the access point. Also, by using a computer w ith a Wireless LAN PC Card, you can communicate w ith the access point and share files w ith other computers

through the access point.

Note

Internet access requires the separate purchase of an Internet connection from an Internet service provider (ISP).

Peer to Peer Network connection mode

The Peer to Peer Netw ork connection mode allow s computers equipped w ith Wireless LAN PC Cards to communicate directly, w ithout using an access point. With

this connection mode, mobile users can share files directly from one computer to another.

Page 3

Precautions and limitations

The follow ing are precautions and limitations regarding the use of the Wireless LAN PC Card and the Wireless Panel softw are.

Window s 2000 and Window s XP operating system user limitations

Can I use my Wireless LAN PC Card and an Ethernet connection at the same time?

Page 4

Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating system user limitations

When using the Window s 2000 or Window s XP operating system, the operations that can be executed differ depending on the user access privileges.

Note

To install or configure the Wireless LAN PC Card softw are on computers running the Window s 2000 or Window s XP operating system, log on to Window s 2000

as one of the Administrators or to Window s XP as a user w ith computer administrator privileges. You cannot install the softw are or modify its settings w hen

logged on as any other user.

Users Lim itations

Window s 2000:

Administrators

Window s XP:

Computer administrators All functions are enabled.

(How ever, available functions differ betw een operating systems.)

Other users Window s 2000:

You cannot install the Wireless Panel softw are or Wireless LAN PC Card driver, or sw itch w ireless ON/OFF. You can only check the connection status and

configure the access point settings.

Window s XP:

You cannot install the Wireless Panel softw are or Wireless LAN PC Card driver, use the Streaming mode, sw itch w ireless ON/OFF, or specify a channel to build a

peer-to-peer netw ork.

Page 5

Basic use

This sections describes the Wireless Panel w indow , and explains how to check the communication status and register netw orks.

Note

To configure w ireless netw orking on computers running the Window s 2000 operating system, log on as one of the Administrators. You cannot make settings

when logged on as any other user.

Displaying the Wireless Panel w indow

Checking the communication status

Registering a netw ork

Page 6

Displaying the Wireless Panel window

Display the Wireless Panel w indow as follow s.

Display the Wireless Panel window

Double-click the Wireless Panel icon ( , , , or ) on the taskbar.

The Wireless Panel w indow appears.

(The screenshot above show s an example w hen using a Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C800S w ith a computer running the Window s XP operating system.)

Quit the Wireless Panel software

Right-click the Wireless Panel icon ( , , , or ) on the Window s taskbar and click "Exit".

The Wireless Panel softw are stops.

Hints

For details on the Wireless Panel icon, see Checking the communication status.

Depending on your operating system and Wireless LAN PC Card, the buttons appearing in the main w indow of the Wireless Panel w indow may be different

from those show n above. For details about each Wireless Panel w indow , see Wireless Panel w indow and functions.

Page 7

Checking the communication status

You can check the w ireless netw ork communication status w ith the Wireless Panel icon on the Window s taskbar or on the "Status" tab of the Wireless Panel

window . A variety of other details are also available on the "Status" tab.

Check the communication status in the Wireless Panel icon on the taskbar

Check detailed information on the "Status" tab

Check the communication status in the Wireless Panel icon on the taskbar

You can check the strength of the received signal w ith the Wireless Panel icon on the taskbar.

The Wireless Panel icon has tw o display modes, "Signal Level" and "Transmission Level", w hich can be changed on the "Setting" tab of the Wireless Panel

window .

Viewing the signal level

The Wireless Panel icon indicates the strength of the received signal. The meaning of each indication is as follow s.

Excellent

Good

Poor

Out of range or not connected

Card not inserted

(The Wireless LAN PC Card is not correctly inserted, w as not properly detected, or is disabled.)

Peer to Peer

(Communicating in Peer to Peer Netw ork connection mode.)

Viewing the transmission level

The Wireless Panel icon indicates the data transmission level as a bar graph. The red line on the left indicates the reception rate and the green line on the right

indicates the data transmission rate. When there is no card or w hen communicating in Peer to Peer Netw ork connection mode, the indication is the same as w hen

view ing the signal level.

Check detailed information on the "Status" tab

1. Double-click the Wireless Panel icon ( , , , or ) on the taskbar.

The Wireless Panel w indow appears.

2. Click the "Status" tab if it is not selected. Page 8

Detailed netw ork informations are displayed.

(The screenshot above show s an example w hen using a Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C800S w ith a computer running the Window s XP operating system.)

Note

For details on each item on the tab, refer to Wireless Panel w indow and functions.

3. When necessary, click "Show Graph" to display a graph indicating the com m unication status.

A graph indicating the communication status appears.

(The screenshot above show s an example w hen using a Wireless LAN PC Card PCWA-C800S w ith a computer running the Window s XP operating system.)

Page 9

Registering a network

Before connection, you must register the connected netw ork. You can register several netw orks to the Wireless Panel softw are, such as your office or personal