Sierra Wireless AirCard 750 Installation guide

2130204

Rev 1.0

AirCard

®

750 Wireless Network Card

Installation Guide

Rev. 1.0 May.02 iii

Important Notice Because of the nature of wireless communications, trans-

mission and reception of data can never be guaranteed. Data

may be delayed, corrupted (i.e., have errors) or be totally lost.

Although significant delays or losses of data are rare when

wireless devices such as the Sierra Wireless network card are

used in a normal manner with a well-constructed network, the

Sierra Wireless network card should not be used in situations

where failure to transmit or receive data could result in

damage of any kind to the user or any other party, including

but not limited to personal injury, death, or loss of property.

Sierra Wireless, Inc. and its affiliates accept no responsibility

for damages of any kind resulting from delays or errors in data

transmitted or received using the Sierra Wireless network card,

or for failure of the Sierra Wireless network card to transmit or

receive such data.

Safety and Hazards Do not operate the Sierra Wireless AirCard

®

wireless network

card in areas where blasting is in progress, where explosive

atmospheres may be present, near medical equipment, life

support equipment, or any equipment which may be suscep-

tible to any form of radio interference. In such areas, the Sierra

Wireless network card MUST BE POWERED OFF. The Sierra

Wireless network card can transmit signals that could interfere

with this equipment.

Do not operate the Sierra Wireless network card in any aircraft,

whether the aircraft is on the ground or in flight. In aircraft, the

Sierra Wireless network card MUST BE POWERED OFF.

When operating, the Sierra Wireless network card can transmit

signals that could interfere with various onboard systems.

Note: Some airlines may permit the use of cellular phones while the

aircraft is on the ground and the door is open. Sierra Wireless network

cards may be used at this time.

The driver or operator of any vehicle should not operate the

Sierra Wireless network card while in control of a vehicle.

Doing so will detract from the driver or operator's control and

operation of that vehicle. In some states and provinces,

operating such communications devices while in control of a

vehicle is an offence.

FCC RF Exposure

Information

In August 1996 the Federal Communications Commission

(FCC) of the United States with its action in Report and Order

FCC 96-326 adopted an updated safety standard for human

exposure to radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic energy

emitted by FCC regulated transmitters. Those guidelines are

iv 2130204

consistent with the safety standard previously set by both U.S.

and international standards bodies. The design of this wireless

network card complies with the FCC guidelines and these

international standards.

Use only the supplied or an approved antenna. Unauthorized

antennas, modifications, or attachments could impair call

quality, damage the phone, or result in violation of FCC

regulations.

To comply with FCC RF exposure requirements (US) the

AirCard PCS GSM modem card must be operated with a

minimum separation distance of 2.5 cm (1 inch) between the

user/nearby persons and the antenna. Always place the

antenna in the upright position (oriented vertically) when

using the AirCard in a laptop computer.

For more information about RF exposure, please visit the FCC

web site at www.fcc.gov

.

Limitation of

Liability

The information in this manual is subject to change without

notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of

Sierra Wireless, Inc. or its affiliates. SIERRA WIRELESS, INC.

AND ITS AFFILIATES SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY

FOR ANY AND ALL DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL,

GENERAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE

OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES INCLUDING, BUT NOT

LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUE OR ANTICI-

PATED PROFITS OR REVENUE ARISING OUT OF THE USE

OR INABILITY TO USE ANY SIERRA WIRELESS PRODUCT,

EVEN IF SIERRA WIRELESS, INC.AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES

HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH

DAMAGES OR THEY ARE FORESEEABLE OR FOR CLAIMS

BY ANY THIRD PARTY. NOTWITHSTANDING THE

FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL SIERRA WIRELESS,

INC. AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES’ AGGREGATE LIABILITY

ARISING UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SIERRA

WIRELESS PRODUCT, REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF

EVENTS, OCCURRANCES OR CLAIMS GIVING RISE TO

LIABILITY, BE IN EXCESS OF THE PRICE PAID BY THE

PURCHASER FOR THE SIERRA WIRELESS PRODUCT.

Patents Portions of this product are covered by some or all of the

following US patents:

6339405, D452496, D452495, 6327154, D442170, 6199168,

6191741, 6169884, D416857, 5929815, 5890057, 5878234,

5847553, 5845216, 5748449, 5682602, 5629960, 5617106,

D372701, D372248, 5515013, D367062 and other patents pend-

ing.

Rev. 1.0 May.02 v

Trademarks AirCard

®

and Heart of the Wireless Machine

®

are registered

trademarks of Sierra Wireless, Inc.

Sierra Wireless, the Sierra Wireless logo, the red wave design,

the red-tipped antenna, and Watcher are trademarks of Sierra

Wireless, Inc.

Other trademarks are the property of the respective owners.

All product specifications are subject to change without notice.

vi 2130204

Rev 1.0 May.02 1

Table of Contents

Introducing the AirCard® Wireless Network Card . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Supported operating systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

The AirCard as a network card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

The AirCard as a mobile phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Supported GSM frequency bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Your account and coverage area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

AirCard software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Before you can begin using the AirCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Package contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The SIM Card and Your Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Inserting a SIM card into your AirCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Removing a SIM card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Installation on Notebook PCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Installation on Windows 95, 98, 2000, and Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Installation on Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Installation on Windows NT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Inserting the AirCard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Installing the network card driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Installing the modem driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Changing the interrupt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Setting Internet Explorer to use the AirCard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Installation on Handheld and Pocket PCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Installing the software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

AirCard 750 Installation Guide

2 2130204

Inserting the AirCard into a Pocket PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Inserting the AirCard into a Handheld PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Configuring Your Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Setting up a profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

The Advanced Profile window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

The Default Profile button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Care and Maintenance of Your Network Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Stopping and ejecting the AirCard on a notebook PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Ejecting the AirCard on a Pocket PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Ejecting the AirCard on a Handheld PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Watcher™ Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Launching Watcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

The Watcher window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Icons and indicators on the main Watcher window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

View options (notebook PCs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Status Icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Power Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Power Down and Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Transmit power consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Frequency band and network selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Frequency band selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Network selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

LED operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Radio frequency and electrical specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Table of Contents

Rev 1.0 May.02 3

Environmental specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

AirCard 750 Regulatory

Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

CE approval (European Union) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Declaration of conformity for CE Marking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Industry Canada approval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Singapore IDA Safety Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Aircraft Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Explosive Atmospheres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Road Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Non-Ionising Radiations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

FCC approval (US) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

AirCard 750 Installation Guide

4 2130204

Rev 1.0 May.02 1

1: Introducing the AirCard

®

Wireless Network Card

• Your account and

coverage area

• AirCard software

• Before you can begin

using the AirCard

• Package contents

Caution: Do not insert your

AirCard into your PC Card slot

before installing the software.

The AirCard 750 wireless network card is an accessory for

your PC that allows you to connect to the Internet, send and

receive e-mail, and connect to a corporate network, without

the need of a network cable or phone line. The AirCard 750

also allows you to use your PC as a mobile phone.

The wireless technology used by the cards is called GPRS

(General Packet Radio Service). This is a high-speed, data-only

service that is an add-on to the GSM (Global System for Mobile

Communications) cellular network—a type of network used to

provide cellular phone service.

The AirCard fits into the standard (Type II) PC Card slot

available on most notebook and Handheld PCs. You can also

use the AirCard with a Pocket PC provided you have the

PCMCIA jacket accessory.

Supported operating systems

Note: You can move the AirCard

network card from notebook to

Handheld PC or Pocket PC at

any time—as long as you have

installed the proper software and

drivers on each computer.

The AirCard 750 wireless network card works in:

• Notebook PCs running Windows 95, 98 SE, Me, NT, XP,

NT 4.0, and 2000

• Handheld PCs running Windows CE 3.0 (Handheld PC

2000)

• Pocket PCs running Windows CE 3.0 (Pocket PC and

Pocket PC 2002).

For more details, see the "System requirements" on page 9

(notebooks) and page 19 (Pocket PCs).

The AirCard as a network card

The AirCard 750 can be configured to provide the “always-

on” data connection that an Ethernet card or other wired LAN

card provides. That is, you can set options in Watcher™ (a

AirCard 750 Installation Guide

2 2130204

program that comes with the AirCard) that will cause the

AirCard to establish a network connection whenever you

insert it, assuming GPRS service is available. Otherwise, you

can configure Watcher to connect only when you select a

button.

The AirCard as a mobile phone

You can use the AirCard 750 as a phone simply by connecting

an approved headset. (See page 4.) The dial pad for the phone

is in the Watcher program.

Supported GSM frequency bands

Every GSM network operates on one of three radio frequency

bands:

• 900 MHz band—used by some European service

providers

• 1800 MHz band—used by some European and Asian

service providers

• 1900 MHz band—(also called the PCS band) used by

North American service providers

As a tri-band product, the AirCard 750 functions on networks

operating on any of the three bands.

Your account and coverage area

Note: If you purchased the

AirCard from a GSM service

provider, you may already have

an account. Otherwise, your

retailer should be able to provide

you with the names of

companies that provide this

service.

Companies that operate GSM networks and provide access to

those networks are called service providers. You must have an

account with a GSM service provider that offers GPRS service

to use the AirCard.

When you obtain your account, you will be given a SIM card,

otherwise called a “smart card” or “smart chip”. (Depending

on how you purchased your AirCard, you may already have

an account, and your SIM card may have been included in

your package.) The SIM card contains account information

and must be inserted in the AirCard anytime you use it.

Before you can use the AirCard, you must install the AirCard

software and ensure that your AirCard is configured to use

your account. Instructions on completing these steps are

provided in the chapters that follow.

Introducing the AirCard Network Card

Rev 1.0 May.02 3

Once installed and configured, you can connect to the Internet

with the AirCard in any area in which you can obtain GPRS

service. Your ability to obtain GPRS service depends on these

factors:

Note: The fee for service is

usually higher when you are

“roaming” (connected to a

network other than the one

belonging to your service

provider).

• Proximity to a GPRS/GSM network—You must be within

the coverage area of a GSM network on which GPRS has

been implemented, in order to use the AirCard.

• Service provider—If you are within the coverage area of a

network that is not operated by your own service

provider, you can only obtain service if there is a roaming

agreement between your service provider and the network

operator.

• Account provisions—Your account may restrict your

usage to certain networks or limit the amount of time you

can use the network.

Most service providers have coverage maps on their web sites.

AirCard software

The AirCard comes with this software:

• Sierra Wireless’s Watcher program that you use to manage

the AirCard and monitor your connections

• The driver software that forms the interface between the

network card and your Windows operating system

• For notebook PCs only, Sierra Wireless’s Network Adapter

Manager software that allows you to switch between the

AirCard and other network cards

Before you can begin using the

AirCard

Before you can use the AirCard for the first time you must:

1. Install the AirCard software: Watcher, the Network

Adapter Manager (notebooks only), and the AirCard

driver.

2. Attach the antenna, insert the SIM into the AirCard and

insert the AirCard into your PC Card slot. (Do not insert

the AirCard before installing the software.)

3. Obtain a GSM/GPRS account (if this wasn’t done when

you purchased the AirCard).

4. Configure the AirCard to use your account (unless it was

pre-configured.)

AirCard 750 Installation Guide

4 2130204

5. If your Internet browser is configured to use a dial-up

modem, you may need to set it to use a network card.

The next three chapters guide you through this process.

Package contents

Your AirCard package contains the following:

• AirCard 750 wireless network card

• Antenna

• Installation CD containing the AirCard software and an

installation guide

• Quick reference card

If you want to use the AirCard 750 as a phone, a headset is

necessary. Only a 4-wire headset with a 2.5 mm connector will

work with the AirCard 750. Approved headsets are available

on the Sierra Wireless web site, www.sierrawireless.com.

Rev 1.0 May.02 5

2: The SIM Card and Your Account

• Inserting a SIM card

into your AirCard

• Removing a SIM card

You require a GSM/GPRS account and a SIM (Subscriber

Identity Module) card to use the AirCard. The SIM card is a

small chip (about the size of a postage stamp) that you insert

into the AirCard. The SIM contains account information used

by the network to validate your access.

Note: Without a valid SIM card

and a valid account, your

AirCard will not work.

Depending on how you purchased your AirCard, you may

already have an account. In this case, the SIM should be

included in your package. Otherwise, your retailer should

direct you to a local company that provides GSM service.

Note: Do not attach labels to

your SIM as this may cause it to

become jammed in the AirCard.

To activate an account, the service provider needs from you:

• Billing information (such as a credit card number) used to

collect payment for your network usage

• Possibly the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment

Identity)—a number that identifies your device (AirCard

model) on the GSM network. This number is printed on

the AirCard box and on the AirCard label.

Note: Keep a written record, in a

secure place, of the account

information that your service

provider gives you. Instructions

on creating a profile are in the

section "Configuring Your

Account" beginning on page 25.

Your AirCard must be configured to use your account. If

purchased from a service provider, your AirCard may have

been pre-configured. Otherwise, you must obtain the

necessary information and set up a profile in Watcher.

Depending on your service provider and account, some or all

of this information must be entered in your profile:

• Phone number

• APN

1

• User name and password

Less commonly you may need to specify:

• An IP (Internet Protocol) address for your AirCard

• A DNS

2

address or addresses

• That IP header compression is to be used

1. APN (Access Point Name)—Name of the gateway between the

wireless network and other networks such as the Internet or a

corporate network (Example: internet.serviceprovider.ca).

2. DNS (Domain Name Server)—a computer that converts web

site names, such as www.sierrawireless.com, into IP

addresses, such as 64.114.87.11.

AirCard 750 Installation Guide

6 2130204

Note: If you change GSM

service providers (such as if you

move to a new city), you will

need a new SIM card from your

new service provider. You will

also need to enter your new

profile information into the

Watcher software (see “Config-

uring Your Account” on

page 25).

Inserting a SIM card into your

AirCard

To install your SIM card into the AirCard network card, follow

these steps:

1. Hold the AirCard network card with the label on top and

the antenna closest to you.

2. Locate the thin SIM card slot on the left side of the AirCard

PC Card’s antenna end.

3. Orient the SIM card, as shown in the diagram on the

bottom side of the AirCard.

4. Insert the end of the SIM card into the slot, and gently

push it until it clicks into place.

Figure 2-1: Inserting the SIM card Into the AirCard SIM card slot

5. Once the SIM card is properly inserted, it should not

extend beyond the end of the card. See Figure 2-2.

Figure 2-2: A SIM card properly inserted

Removing a SIM card

To remove the SIM card, you will need a narrow object, such

as a pen or a straightened paper clip, to push into the eject

hole.

1. Place the AirCard PC Card on a smooth, hard surface such

as a tabletop, as shown in Figure 2-3.

The SIM Card and Your Account

Rev 1.0 May.02 7

Figure 2-3: Positioning a pen to eject the SIM card

2. Position your pen or paperclip above the eject hole, which

is on the top surface of the AirCard housing, just to the

right of the SIM card slot. (See the photo above.)

3. Press down gently (without excessive force) on the eject

hole. The SIM card should pop out of its slot.

Figure 2-4: Ejecting and removing the SIM card

4. Gently pull the SIM card from the slot until it slides free.

AirCard 750 Installation Guide

8 2130204

Rev 1.0 May.02 9

3: Installation on Notebook PCs

• System requirements

• Installation on

Windows 95, 98, 2000,

and Me

• Installation on

Windows XP

• Installation on

Windows NT

• Setting Internet

Explorer to use the

AirCard

This chapter guides you through the steps necessary to making

the AirCard operational on a notebook PC. The basic steps are:

1. Insert the AirCard CD into your CD-ROM drive and install

Watcher and the Network Adapter Manager.

2. Insert the AirCard into the PC card slot and install the

AirCard driver from the CD.

Note: Do not insert the

AirCard into your PC card slot

before installing the software.

Before you begin the installation process, ensure your PC is

running a supported operating system and meets the

hardware requirements described below.

System requirements

Note: Winsock is a component

of the Windows operating

system required by the AirCard.

The version of Winsock shipped

with Windows 95 OSR2 does not

meet the AirCard requirements.

If you are using Windows 95

OSR2 and have not yet

upgraded to Winsock2 or later,

you must do so before installing

the AirCard. Winsock2 can be

downloaded from the Microsoft

web site, www.microsoft.com.

The AirCard wireless network card is supported on:

• Windows 95 OSR2 and higher with Winsock2

• Windows 98 SE

• Windows 2000 with Service Pack 1

• Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6a and Networking

installed

• Windows Me

• Windows XP (Home and Professional versions)

To install the AirCard, you require these system resources:

Table 3-1: System resource requirements

Card slots 1 Type II PCMCIA (PC Card) slot

Disk drive CD-ROM

I/O resources 1 IRQ, 40 bytes I/O space

Memory 32 MB

AirCard 750 Installation Guide

10 2130204

Installation on Windows 95, 98,

2000, and Me

Note: Users of Windows 2000

must be logged in with adminis-

trative privileges.

Note: Users of Windows 95 must have Winsock2 installed. See the

note in the margin above. You must also verify that your PC Card

slots are enabled and that TCP/IP is installed. For instructions on

installing TCP/IP and enabling your PC Card slots, see the Windows

95 online Help (available by selecting Start > Help).

Note: You may require your Windows CD (particularly if you are using

Windows 95). Ensure you have the CD before proceeding.

1. If the AirCard CD is not already in your CD-ROM drive,

insert it. The CD should auto-start and display a menu.

· If the CD does not auto-start, select

Start > Run and enter

d:\launch.exe where d is the drive letter of your CD-ROM

drive.

2. From the CD start-up menu, select

notebook installation and

documentation

and then notebook software installation to

launch the InstallShield

®

Wizard.

3. Use the

Next and Back buttons to navigate through the

wizard.

Using the default settings for the Destination Location and

Program Folder is recommended unless you have special

requirements and an advanced understanding of PC con-

figuration.

4. If you are using Windows 2000, the

Digital Signature Not

Found

window appears. (This may happen several times.)

Click

Yes (to continue the installation).

5. When prompted to insert the AirCard:

a. Attach the antenna.

Figure 3-1: Attaching the antenna to the AirCard

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Sierra Wireless AirCard 750 Installation guide

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