Guide to Sierra Wireless AirCard 300 on Windows XP Professional/Home
Please note that there are many ways arrive at the appropriate screen in Windows XP, which may vary slightly, depending based on your configuration. For this reason two or more methods may be listed and you will have to choose the method appropriate for your Operating System configuration.
Note: Every copy of Windows XP ships with AirCard 300 drivers pre-installed. Note: drivers only - no Watcher software. For end-users, this means they can essentially "plug-and-play" the AirCard 300 on Windows XP devices.
Note: The Sierra Wireless Watcher software prior to v 1.2.1 does not work on Windows XP. If an earlier version of the software has been installed, you should remove it. To remove the software, proceed to Step 1, otherwise, proceed to Step 16.
- Enter implies either a double click or a single click depending on the configuration of your Operating System.
- Actions are in Bold Italics
- Names or Titles appear in Bold .
- Administrative Rights are required for any of the following procedures:
Removing Software :
1. Go to the Control Panel by using either of the methods below:
a. Start -> Settings -> Control Panel
b. Start -> Control Panel
2. Enter the Add or Remove Programs section.
3. Select "AirCard 3XX" or "AirCard 300 " from the list of installed programs.
4. Click on "Remove "
5. Exit the Control Panel. Removing Drivers:
6. Insert the Sierra Wireless AirCard 300 into the PC Card (PCMCIA) Slot.
7. Go to the Control Panel by using either of the methods mentioned above.
8. Enter either:
a. Performance and Maintenance -> Administrative Tools
b. Administrative Tools
9. Enter Computer Management
10. Select Device Manager
11. Expand the Network Adapter category by Clicking on the "+" sign next to "Network Adapters "
12. Right click on the "Sierra Wireless AirCard 300 CDPD Adapter" and select Uninstall .
13. Remove the Sierra Wireless AirCard from the PC Card (PCMCIA) Slot.
14. Please ensure the following before proceeding:
a. That the machine is not in a Docking Station or Port Replicator.
b. That the machine does not have any other cards in the PC Card (PCMCIA) Slot(s).
c. That there are no other network connections connected to the machine.
15. Exit the Computer Management window and Reboot the machine.
Installing the Sierra Wireless AirCard 300:
16. Login to the machine with Administrative Rights.
17. Insert the Sierra Wireless AirCard 300 into the PC Card (PCMCIA) Slot.
18. The following message should appear in the task bar:
19. Once the drivers for the Sierra Wireless AirCard 300 are finished installing the following message should appear in the taskbar and the drivers for he Sierra Wireless AirCard 300 will load:
20. A network connection will now appear for the Sierra Wireless AirCard 300. If the card has not previously been configured the following message will appear in the taskbar: Configuring the Sierra Wireless AirCard 300:
21. To access the properties of the Sierra Wireless AirCard 300, Right-click on the Wireless Network Connection icon in the taskbar. If the Sierra Wireless AirCard 300 has not previously been configured, the icon will have a red "X" next to it. If there is more than one network connection as seen in the example above, place the mouse over each connection (without clicking on it) to find the Wireless Connection . (The Tool Tip that comes up should describe the connection).
**NOTE: Even after you configure the AirCard 300 properly, you may still see the message "Wireless Network Connection Unavailable". Please note that this is a known issue that is currently being worked on. Microsoft will release a digitally signed version of the driver via a Windows Update in the future.
22. Select Open Network Connections and the Network Connections window will appear.
23. Right-Click on the Wireless Network Connection (under the LAN or High-Speed Internet heading) and Select Properties from the short cut menu that appears.
24. There will be a "Connect using" field with "Sierra Wireless AirCard 300 CDPD Adapter". Click on the "Configure " button.
25. Select the CDPD Settings tab and the following window should appear:
26. The "Account Settings" section allows you to enter your NEI, DNS and Side Preference according to the information provided by your CDPD provider (ISP)
27. After entering the required information for the first time (or changing any of the settings) and selecting OK, the following message will appear:
28. The "Monitoring" section allows you to monitor the Sierra Wireless Sierra Wireless AirCard?s connection to the CDPD network. This shows the signal strength, channel number and connection status. If the connection does not show "Registered ", contact your CDPD service provider for further troubleshooting.
For more information on "Monitoring" messages please consult your User Guide.