Netgear Wna3100 N300 Wireless Usb Adapter User Manual

							Wireless-N 300 USB Adapter WNA3100 User Manual
1-3
v1.0, December 2009
5.When prompted, browse to select the destination folder for your wireless adapter software, 
and then click Next.
6.Select one of the following methods to configure and manage your wireless network:
•Smart Wizard. Manage your wireless networks with the NETGEAR WNA3100 v1 
software and connect securely using Push N Connect, also called WPS. 
–Automatically. Let the Smart Wizard automatically configure the settings for your 
wireless-N USB adapter. 
–Manual. Specify the settings for your wireless-N USB adapter in the Settings screen.
•Windows Utility. Connect to and manage your wireless networks using only the Windows 
configuration utility. 
Figure 1-1
Figure 1-2 
						

							Wireless-N 300 USB Adapter WNA3100 User Manual
1-4
v1.0, December 2009
Then, Install Your WNA3100 v1 Adapter
You are prompted to insert your adapter:
1.Locate a USB port on your PC.
2.Insert the adapter into the USB port, or connect it with the USB cable.
Figure 1-3
Figure 1-4
Note: For best results, put the wireless adapter at least 4 feet (1 meter) away from your 
router.  
						

							Wireless-N 300 USB Adapter WNA3100 User Manual
1-5
v1.0, December 2009
3.Click Next. The WNA3100 v1 software detects the adapter. Follow the onscreen prompts to 
install the driver.
4.Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
How you connect to a network depends on what you selected during custom installation. 
• For automatic configuration, see the following section, “Use Smart Wizard Automatic 
Configuration to Connect to a Wireless Network.”
• If you selected manual configuration, the Settings tab displays. See “Joining a Network” 
on page 2-2.
• To use a Windows utility, see your Windows documentation or the NETGEAR application 
note at http://documentation.netgear.com/reference/enu/winzerocfg/index.htm.
Use Smart Wizard Automatic Configuration to Connect to a 
Wireless Network
After the driver is installed, you are prompted to connect to a wireless network.
1.One of the following screens displays:
• If no WPS networks are in your area, select your wireless network from the list and click 
Next. If you select a secured network, you need to enter the passphrase or network key. 
Figure 1-5
No WPS-capable networks in your area WPS-capable networks in your area 
						

							Wireless-N 300 USB Adapter WNA3100 User Manual
1-6
v1.0, December 2009
• If your router supports Push N Connect (also called WPS) click Next. The following 
screen displays:
Press and hold the push button on the side of the wireless-N USB adapter for 2 seconds. 
The LED flashes. Click Next. Follow the prompts to push the WPS button on your router 
and connect.
2.The adapter connects to the network, which can take a minute or two. Your settings are saved 
in a profile, which you can name:
Figure 1-6
Figure 1-7 
						

							Wireless-N 300 USB Adapter WNA3100 User Manual
1-7
v1.0, December 2009
3.Click Finish, and the Smart Wizard Settings screen displays. 
You are now connected to a wireless network!
The WNA3100 v1 icon   appears in the system tray and on the desktop so you can open the 
Smart Wizard to make changes or connect to a different wireless network. 
Monitoring Wireless Network and the Internet Connections
The wireless-N USB adapter provides several ways to check the status of your connection to a 
wireless network and to the Internet:
•WNA3100 v1 icon. After you install the WNA3100 v1 software, the   icon appears on the 
desktop and on the right end of the Windows task bar. It is color coded to show the status of 
the connection. See the following section, “WNA3100 v1 Icon.
•Smart Wizard status bar. Clicking   opens the Smart Wizard. The status bar at the bottom 
of the screen shows details about your wireless and Internet connection. See “Smart Wizard 
Status Bar” on page 1-9.
•Adapter LED. The LED on the wireless-N USB adapter indicates the condition of your 
wireless link. See “Wireless-N USB Adapter LED” on page 1-10.
Figure 1-8
Profile name
Status bar 
						

							Wireless-N 300 USB Adapter WNA3100 User Manual
1-8
v1.0, December 2009
WNA3100 v1 Icon 
The WNA3100 v1 icon is on the desktop and in the Windows system tray, on one end of the 
taskbar in the Microsoft Windows desktop. The WNA3100 v1 icon changes colors depending on 
the condition of the adapter. The following table describes the colors and conditions indicated.
If you right-click the WNA3100 v1 icon in the system tray, you can disable Internet notification by 
clearing the check mark. If you do so, then only the IP address is shown.
In Microsoft Windows 7 and Vista, there is one more option: Enable NETGEAR Smart Wizard. 
If you clear the check mark for Enable NETGEAR Smart Wizard, the NETGEAR Smart Wizard is 
disabled, and you must set up the wireless adapter with Vista autoconfiguration.
ColorConditionDescription
Red The adapter is not connected 
to a wireless network.The wireless-N USB adapter cannot link to any other wireless 
node, or the link is lost. Check your configuration, or try 
moving to a location where the wireless signal quality is better.
Yellow The adapter is connected to a 
wireless network.The wireless link is weak. Move to a better location, such as 
closer to the router. Also, look for possible interference such 
as a 2.4 GHz cordless phone or large metal surface.
Green The adapter is connected to a 
wireless network.Your adapter has established good communication with an 
access point, and the signal quality is strong.
Figure 1-9
Figure 1-10 
						

							Wireless-N 300 USB Adapter WNA3100 User Manual
1-9
v1.0, December 2009
Smart Wizard Status Bar
Click the   icon to open the Smart Wizard Settings tab. The status bar is located at the bottom of 
the Settings tab.
The following table describes how to interpret the Smart Wizard status bar.
Figure 1-11
Understanding the Status Bar 
Wireless network Identifies which wireless network you have joined.
Security •  A closed lock indicates that security is enabled. 
• An open lock indicates an open network without wireless security.
Channel The wireless channel used by the network. If many wireless networks in your area 
use the same channel, they can interfere with one another.
Data rate To optimize the wireless data rate, connect to a network with a high-speed router or 
access point and a high-speed Internet connection. See Chapter 3, “Wireless 
Network Performance.”
Signal strength More dots indicate a stronger signal. Usually, you experience higher data rate when 
the signal is strongest.
Join a Network Click Join a Network to start the Connection Wizard.
Connection 
statusThe status of your network connection.
•Connected to Internet. The wireless Internet connection is OK.
•Connected to Router. The wireless connection to the router is OK, but the router 
is not connected to the Internet.
169.254.x.x or ___.___.___.___. The wireless connection to the router is OK, but 
there is a problem with the router. 
Security
Channel
Data rate
Signal strength Connection status
Join a Network Wireless
network 
						

							Wireless-N 300 USB Adapter WNA3100 User Manual
1-10
v1.0, December 2009
Wireless-N USB Adapter LED
The LED on the wireless-N USB adapter indicates the condition of the wireless link, as described 
in the following table.
Removing the WNA3100 v1 Software
To remove the wireless adapter software:
1.Use the Windows Start menu in either of these ways:
• Select All Programs > NETGEAR WNA3100 Adapter program group > Uninstall 
NETGEAR WNA3100 Software.
• Select Control Panel > Add or Remove Program, and then select the NETGEAR 
WNA3100 wireless USB 2.0 adapter.
2.The following screen displays:
Wireless-N USB AdapterLED Meaning
Off • The wireless-N USB adapter is not plugged in to the USB port.
• The wireless-N USB adapter is in power save mode (default 
from power up or reset).
Blinking • The wireless-N USB adapter is scanning for a network.
• The wireless-N USB adapter is sending or receiving data.
Solid The wireless-N USB adapter is connected to a wireless network, 
but it is not sending or receiving data.
Figure 1-12 
						

							Wireless-N 300 USB Adapter WNA3100 User Manual
1-11
v1.0, December 2009
3.Select the Remove radio button and then click Next.
4.Follow the onscreen prompt to disconnect your adapter. A message displays confirming that 
the software has been removed.
Upgrading the WNA3100 v1 Software
Upgrades might be available at the NETGEAR website. To install an upgrade:
1.Open the Smart Wizard and click the About tab to display the following screen:
2.Click the Software Update Check button.
If a newer version of firmware is found at the NETGEAR website, the following screen 
displays:
Figure 1-13
Figure 1-14 
						

							Wireless-N 300 USB Adapter WNA3100 User Manual
1-12
v1.0, December 2009
3.Click OK. When the file has been downloaded a message like the following displays:
4.Click Yes. Follow the installer instructions, and if prompted, restart your computer.
Figure 1-15