ReadMe File for HF000X9 V0.6 Windows 95/98/ME Driver package part Table of contents 1. Overview 2. Contents 3. Installation 4. Driver options 5. FAQ 6. Revision history 7. Disclaimer 8. Copyright notices ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Overview HF000X9 is a driver package for the Diamond Multimedia HomeFree Wireless LAN line of cards and adapters for Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000 and XP operating systems, supporting PCMCIA, ISAPNP and PCI cards and adapters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Contents HF000X9 for Windows 95, 98 and ME consists of the following files BIGSKYLN.VXD - The VxD Memory trace device HF000X9 .INF - The INF file for all Windows operating systems HOMEPING.EXE - The HomeFree wireless lan utility HOMEPING.TXT - The WLU ReadMe README9X.TXT - This file SKYHOOK .VXD - The Windows 95 support SKYLINE .SYS - The W9X driver for HomeFree WLAN cards and adapters ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Installation You must be familiar with network setup procedures. When prompted for the driver, select 'Have disk', choose the drive and directory where HF000X9 was extracted and select HF000X9.INF. Additional internet sharing utilites from the original W9X distribution are not neccesary for Windows ME and XP, both including the 'Network Installation Assistent' to create a diskette, containing necessary files to grant support for bridge based internet access. You may use Windows 9X/ME network properties and settings to configure workgroups, shared drives etc. Example W9x TCP/IP configuration User : GUEST (Setup) Computername: COMP1 (Setup / network properties, ident.) Workgroup : HOMEFREE (Network properties, identification) Description : MYNETWORK (Network properties, identification) IP-Address : 192.168.000.001 (Protocol properties) Subnet mask : 255.255.255.000 (Protocol properties) DNS : - (Protocol properties) CoNetId : MYNETWORK (Network properties, adv. / HomePing) ME TCP/IP configuration User : GUEST (Setup) Computername: COMP2 (Setup / network properties, ident.) Workgroup : HOMEFREE (Network properties, identification) Description : MYNETWORK (Network properties, identification) IP-Address : 192.168.000.002 (Protocol properties) Subnet mask : 255.255.255.000 (Protocol properties) DNS : - (Protocol properties) CoNetId : MYNETWORK (Network properties, adv. / HomePing) NT4/2K/XP TCP/IP configuration User : GUEST (Setup) Computername: COMP3 (Setup / network properties, ident.) Workgroup : HOMEFREE (Network properties, identification) Description : MYNETWORK (Network properties, identification) IP-Address : 192.168.000.003 (Protocol properties) Subnet mask : 255.255.255.000 (Protocol properties) DNS : - (Protocol properties) CoNetId : MYNETWORK (Driver / network properties, adv.) CoNetId 'MYNETWORK' for Windows 9X/ME is 'hardwired' into the INF file. To customize the entry use the driver / network advanced properties page or the 'HomePing' WLU to change the current value. All text entries should or must be in upper case. Windows 95 defaults to IPX/SPX without NetBIOS, no shared resources and access rights during network installation. TCP/IP protocol, shared drives and printers, access rights and path have to be supplied manualy. Windows 98/SE and ME default to TCP/IP, no shared resources and access rights during network installation. Shared drives and printers, access rights and path have to be supplied manualy. Windows XP Home and Pro default to TCP/IP, no shared resources and access rights during network installation. Shared drives and printers, access rights and path have to be supplied manualy. XP and XP with Service Pack 1 do not support NetBEUI, use 'NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS compatible protocol' for XP and 'IPX/SPX compatible protocol' with activated 'NetBIOS over IPX/SPX' to connect W9X/ME to XP instead. XP with Service Pack 2 supports NetBEUI. Minimum TCP/IP configuration is preferable to and more reliable than NetBIOS over IPX/SPX. Configurations testet TCP/IP connecting W95 / HFPCMCIA (Generic) to W95 / HFPCMCIA (Diamond) TCP/IP connecting W95 / HFPCMCIA (Generic) to Win XP / HFPCI (Generic) TCP/IP connecting W98 / HFPCMCIA (Generic) to Win XP / HFPCI (Generic) TCP/IP connecting W95 / HFPCMCIA (Diamond) to Win ME / HFPCI (Generic) TCP/IP connecting W98 / HFPCMCIA (Generic) to Win ME / HFPCI (Diamond) NetBEUI connecting W95 / HFPCMCIA (Diamond) to W98 / HFPCMCIA (Generic) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Driver options Physical driver and network parameters can be modified, changing default values in the network properties advanced tab, optimizing performance or to customize settings. 'CoNetId' (network identification) is a unique identfier distinguish- ing accessable nodes of one wireless lan from foreign wlans. Default : MYNETWORK Max. length : 32 letters and digits Case : Upper and lower case possible 'MaximumLinkSpeed' limits the actual transfer speed (bitrate) of possible connections; higher bitrats possible due to hardware capability, but not confirmed. Default : 1.0 Mbit Values : 0.5 Mbit, 1.0 Mbit (,1.5 Mbit, 2.0 Mbit) 'NetworkAddress' allows to substitude the current network address. Default : 'Auto' Max. length : 12 hexadecimal letters and digits Case : Upper case only 'TxMinimumHoldoff' defines timeout hold off to prevent packet collisions. Default : 1000 Range : 0...10000 Step : 100 'VendorDescription' identifies the vendor of the network. Default : HOMEFREE Max. length : 32 letters and digits Case : Upper and lower case possible ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. FAQ Q. Can 'HF000X9' replace the original windows driver package? A. 'HF000X9' contains only necessary and compatible parts. It provides the functionality and support needed and usual for wireless lan products. Q. Windows 95 reports missing files 'HOMEPING.DOC' and 'SVRAPI.DLL' during installation and several others during removal of the original driver package. A. The installation and removal procedures and sequences are cleaned up. Q. Windows ME crashes during installation of original drivers. A. The original drivers missused 'SKYNDI.DLL' for extended installation options. The complete procedure is no longer used. Q. HomePing won't report any visible nodes. A. Add the protocol 'NetBEUI' to your bindings. HomePing must be running on every node to be reported. Q. Are common wireless lan utilities and sniffers compatible with the HomeFree wlan? A. HomeFree wireless lan emulates an IEEE 802.3 cable based lan. It's Windows 95/98 driver design restricts performance and interface, providing support for common and advanced protocol analysation on network protocol level only. (-> NetGroup 'Analayser', System Internals 'TDIMON') ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Revision history 08/21/2004, V0.1, Crosscompare version for ALL_OS.INF assembled 07/19/2005, V0.2, All OS version stripped down to W9X/ME only 07/28/2005, V0.3, Optional parameters added 08/03/2005, V0.4, HomePing WLU support added 08/08/2005, V0.5, Reintegration into ALL_OS.INF 12/01/2005, V0.6, Advanced network properties, WHQL conformity ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Disclaimer This driver is provided in good faith and the hope that it is useful for users, however the author explicitly disclaims all liability for damages that are a result of the usage of this driver. The author is not affiliated with any company mentioned, nor is any support available from them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Copyright notices BIGSKYLN.VXD, SKYHOOK.VXD and SKYLINE.SYS are Copyright (C) Alation Systems , Inc. HOMEPING.EXE is Copyright (C) Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. HomeFree (R) is Registered Trademark (TM) Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. Windows (R) 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2k and XP are Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp. NetGroup Analsyser is Copyright (C) Politecnico di Torino, Italy TDIMON is Copyright (C) Mark RussinovichDownload Driver Pack
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