NORTEL NETWORKS, INC. BayStack 650/ BayStack 660 802.11 WIRELESS LAN ACCESS POINT ACCESS POINT FIRMWARE DISK Release Version 3.40 September 10, 1999 ============================================================================= Thank you for purchasing the BayStack 650 or BayStack 660 Access Point. This README.TXT file contains information about this release or information not included in the User's Guide. If you have compatibility issues related to your specific environment, or you have general questions, please contact Nortel Networks Technical Support. Contact numbers for Nortel Networks Technical Support are located at the end of this file. Remember to register your BayStack Access Point to receive information about future software upgrades and new products. NOTE: If you are upgrading from a Netwave-mode AirSurfer Plus AP you must first download the file AP_From_Netwave.exe from our website. CONTENTS ======== 1) Description 2) New Features 3) Requirements 4) Installation Instructions 5) Special Software Notes 6) Nortel Networks Technical Support 1) DESCRIPTION =========== This release of BayStack 6xx in 802.11 mode Access Point is in support of the Wireless LAN industries IEEE 802.11 standard. 802.11 compliance means that the BayStack Access Point will interoperate with other 802.11 compliant systems, provided that the system types match. 802.11 specifies both Frequency Hopping and Direct Sequence modulation techniques. These system types are not interoperable, even if supplied by the same vendor. This release includes new firmware and software not available in previous releases. Be sure to read Section 3) Requirements, if you are using older Bay Networks or Netwave Technologies products. 2) NEW FEATURES ============ This release of the BayStack 6xx Access Point for Ethernet features: Version 3.40 - Support for 802.11 Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption for both authentication sequences and data packets. - Full support for 802.11 Power Saving. - Full Telnet management capability. - Full support of the 802.11 SNMP MIB. - Failover detection (both 10BT link integrity based and uplink ping based). - Ability to manage the AP from a mobile unit associated with the AP. - 10BASE-T/ 10BASE-2 Ethernet port selection. Version 3.20.1 Disabled the 10BASE-2 Ethernet port; this allows the 10BASE-T port to work properly on networks that use 10/100 autosensing hubs and switches in the infrastructure. This is the only difference for v3.20.1, and it is intended to ease network setup for 10BASE-T users. NOTE: Customers that use the 10BASE-2 port are advised to use v3.20, which has the 10BASE-2 port enabled. Version 3.20 Detected Ethernet Recieve Interrupt condition which caused the AP to hang when connected to some networks. Reset upon this condition. Added Support for MU Roaming and Load Balancing. Added Adapter upgrade feature. Version 3.06 Fixed Memory leak in error detection code that caused AP to hang. Refined error detection code. Version 3.05 Improved Reset code reporting mechanism. Fixed quick card insertion/removal problem which caused AP to hang. Fixed bugs concerning card removal and configuration of Fragmentation Threshold, Beacon Interval and DTIM period. Changed IP subnet mask factory default from 0.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.0. Version 3.02 Fixed bugs in wireless and ethernet data paths that, under specific stress related conditions, caused the system to hang. Version 3.01 Fixed ordering problem in AP. Added error condition detect/reset and reporting code. Release 3.00 Conversion from Netwave Mode to 802.11 mode. 3) REQUIREMENTS ============ Minimum Firmware Level Prior to Upgrade --------------------------------------- Access Points to be upgraded to v3.40 firmware must already be at either v3.20 or v3.20.1. Upgrading to v3.40 for 10BASE-2 Network Users --------------------------------------------- Access Point firmware v3.40 provides a method of selecting which Ethernet port to use, either the 10BASE-T port or the 10BASE-2 port. In the previous release this was addressed with two separate versions of the Access Point firmware: v3.20 - for 10BASE-2 networks v3.20.1 - for 10BASE-T networks All upgrades from any version <= 3.40 upgrading to firmware v3.40 MUST be performed on a 10BASE-T network. After the Access Point has been upgraded to v3.40, the Ethernet port selection control can be set to 10BASE-2. Then the AP can again be used on a 10BASE-2 network. Any future firmware upgrades (if required) can then be done on the 10BASE-2 network. For existing 10BASE-2 network users this may require a two step upgrade process. First, using the previous generation BaySatck AP Manager, "upgrade" the AP from v3.20 to v3.20.1. The AP can now be used on a 10BASE-T network. Next, install BayStack AP Manager v3.40. Then use the new BayStack AP Manager (on a 10BASE-T network) to upgrade the AP to v3.40. The default port selection setting (after the upgrade) is to enable the 10BASE-T port. Use the new BayStack AP Manager v3.40 to set the Ethernet port selection to 10BASE-2. The AP can now be used on a 10BASE-2 network. Upgrading Netwave-mode Access Points: ------------------------------------- If you are upgrading from Netwave Mode please download the file AP_From_Netwave.exe from our website. The only Access Points that are upgradeable to the 802.11 firmware are those that are labeled BayStack 650 or "AirSurfer Plus Access Point". The firmware in all such Access Points must first be upgraded to 802.11 mode (v3.06), and then to either v3.20 or v3.20.1. Firmware versions prior to v3.40 can be obtained by contacting Technical Support or via the Nortel Networks' website (see below). SSIDs create logical wireless LANs: ----------------------------------- All Access Points that are part of the same BayStack wireless network must have the same SSID. The recommended setup is to also have all the Access Points on the same logical Ethernet segment. All wireless workstations desiring access to that network must have the same SSID listed in their network driver configuration files. Access Points on the same wired network could be assigned to different wireless networks, and therefore have different SSIDs. Wireless networks using different SSIDs are invisible to each other. 4) INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS ========================= To upgrade the firmware in an Access Point: 1. The program BayStack AP Manager must be used to upgrade an Access Point. To upgrade an Access Point, both the Access Point and the management workstation must have an IP address and the workstation must support the TCP/IP protocol. See your Operating System documentation for more information on obtaining/ setting the IP address for the management workstation. See the users guide for setting the IP address for the AP. If you are not using a standard SNMP manager skip to step 3. 2. If you plan to use a standard SNMP manager you must also have a TFTP server running. You need to set ntiTFTPServerAddress MIB with the IP address of the server. You then should set the ntiFWUpgradeFilename MIB with the path and root filename of the upgrade file. The upgrade comes in multiple files. The extension of the file will be .1 and .2. Once the AP knows the path and root filename (i.e. the part), it will handle the coordination. 3. In order to upgrade using the BayStack AP Manager, the AP must already have an IP address. Execute the BayStack AP Manager. Select the "Actions" menu. Then select Discover to get into the discover dialog box. If the AP Manager is on the same subnet as the AP, the AP will be discovered by the AP Manager. If the AP Manager is on a different subnet than the AP, then you must "Add" the IP Address from the discover menu item in the BayStack AP Manager. Once the AP to be upgraded is highlighted, select OK. Then the Actions dialog box appears. Select "Upgrade access point firmware" and then click on "OK." You will be prompted to provide the path for the upgrade file. Once you have provided the upgrade path, the AP will be upgraded. To upgrade the firmware in the BayStack Wireless Adapter: 1. For BayStack AP Manager, follow step 3 described above for upgrading the AP firmware, but select "Upgrade adapter firmware" instead of "Upgrade access point firmware." 2. For SNMP Manager follow Step 2 above and instead of ntiFWUpgradeFilename MIB fill in the path for the adapter upgrade file to ntiAdapterFWUpgradeFilename. 5) SPECIAL SOFTWARE NOTES ====================== On-the-fly Changes of the Network Type ====================================== The BayStack 650/ BayStack 660 "Hot Switch Wireless Network Select" Utility (ASPSEL.EXE) allows on-the-fly switching of the network type. Switching the network type from infrastructure to ad hoc will disconnect your wired network services. BayStack 650/ BayStack 660 Connection Quality (ASPCQ32.EXE) and Site Survey (ASPSIT32.EXE) will tell you which Access Point you are connected to, but do not confirm a network connection. The BayStack 650/ BayStack 660 Connection Quality, Site Survey and Hot Switch Wireless Network Select Utilities are located on the BayStack 650/ BayStack 660 Software CD included with the PC Card adapter. 6) NORTEL NETWORKS TECHNICAL SUPPORT ================================= To obtain technical support for your Nortel Networks product, please call the appropriate number listed below and use Express Routing Code (ERC) 178: Europe, Middle East, Africa +33-4-92-966-968 Asia Pacific +61-2-9927-8800 China 800-810-5000 North America 1-800-2LANWAN (1-800-252-6926) Please also visit our Web site at http://www.nortelnetworks.com/. Support information can be found under the "Customer Support" link, then the "Bay Networks Service & Support". See the "Contact us/ERC" link for an explanation of the Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) system. ============================================================================= Thank you for making BayStack products a part of your network. Nortel Networks acknowledges all trade names and trademarks used in this document as the property of their respective owners. ==================================[ END ]==================================