Infrared Data Association Relnotes.doc File (Part 1 of 2)
ID: Q139542
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The information in this article applies to:
SUMMARY
This information is a copy of the information in the Relnotes.doc file
included with the Microsoft Windows 95 Infrared Communications Driver
version 1.0.
MORE INFORMATION
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Microsoft Windows 95 Infrared Communications Driver
Version 1.0
Release Notes
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
=================
Quick Start
Installing the IR Communications Driver
Using the IR Communications Driver
Troubleshooting
Product Support
QUICK START
===========
Congratulations! You are the proud owner of the Microsoft(r)
Windows(r) 95 Infrared (IR) communications driver. After you install
the IR communications driver you can start replacing your serial and
parallel cable connections with wireless IR links.
Wireless communications between computers is a new thing. And you're
part of it! Have fun experimenting with wireless IR links between
your computers and printers.
The Version 1.0 IR communications driver is a set of software
components that you can add to a Windows 95 computer to enable that
computer to send and receive data over IR communications links.
Installing the IR communications driver is as simple as running the
Setup program that is one of the driver components.
The IR communications driver supports IR communications links running
up to 115.2 kilobytes per second (Kbps). The infrared hardware can be
built into your Windows 95 computer or added by attaching an infrared
adapter to a serial or parallel port. A future release of the IR
communications driver will add support for high-speed IR devices
which run at 1.152 and 4.0 megabytes per second (Mbps).
Installing the IR Communications Driver
---------------------------------------
NOTE: You must always remove any previously installed version of the IR
communications driver every time you install the driver. For
example, if you have an earlier (Beta) version of the IR
communications driver already installed you must remove it before
you install Version 1.0. You may also need to remove an installation
of the Version 1.0 driver. For example, if you change the IR adapter
model that is connected to your computer, you must remove the
installed IR communications driver and reinstall it, specifying the
new IR adapter type. Instructions for removing the IR communications
driver are in "An Optional Step: Removing the IR Communications
Driver."
A Quick Start overview of the IR Communications driver installation
procedure is:
- If you are using an IR adapter (rather than a built-in IR device), make
sure the adapter is physically attached to a COM port and note which
COM port it is (COM1, COM2, and so on). If you are using a computer
with a built-in IR device, note which COM port that device is assigned
to.
- Start the setup program SETUP.EXE, which is one of the IR
communications components, to invoke the Windows 95 Add Infrared Device
Wizard. Respond to the wizard's prompts for physical COM port
information, IR device manufacturer and model information, and so on.
- If the wizard announces New Hardware Found events for the IR serial and
parallel ports, you can enable the IR device immediately after the
wizard is finished. Enable the IR device by double-clicking on the
Infrared device icon in the Control Panel. If the wizard does not
announce New Hardware Found events before it is finished, you must
restart the computer before you use the Control Panel icon to activate
the IR device.
For a detailed description of each of these steps, see "Roadmap for
Installing and Using the IR Communications Driver" later in this
document.
Using the IR Communications Driver
----------------------------------
End-users can install the IR communications device driver on their
Windows 95 computer and run applications using wireless infrared
communications instead of serial or parallel cables. The driver has
been successfully tested on the following Windows 95 notebook
computers, which have built-in IR ports:
Digital(r) HiNote Ultra CT475
Gateway(r) 2000 Liberty
Gateway Solo
HP(r) Omnibook(tm) 600CT
HP Omnibook 4000C
IBM(r) ThinkPad(r) 701C (Butterfly)
IBM ThinkPad 755 (most configurations)
Midwest Micro Elite
Midwest Micro Elite p90
Sharp(r) PC 3050
TI(r) TravelMate(tm) 5000
Toshiba(r) Satellite Pro 400 CDT
In addition, the driver has been successfully tested on Windows 95
platforms with the following IR adapters connected to serial ports:
ACTiSYS ACT-200L Infrared Wireless Interface
ACTiSYS ACT-220L Infrared Wireless Interface
Adaptec(tm) AIRport APA-9320 External Infrared Adapter (this adapter is
also called the Adaptec AIRport 2000)
Adaptec AIRport 1000
AMP PhasIR Serial Adapter
Extended Systems JetEye PC Infrared PC Interface (ESI-9680)
Parallax IR Adapter LiteLink PRA9500A
To obtain any of the IR adapters listed above, contact the adapter
manufacturer. The addresses of these manufacturers are listed in "IR
Adapter Manufacturer Names and Addresses" at the end of this
document.
The following applications have been run successfully over an IR
communications link, using the IR communications driver and the
hardware listed above:
Windows 95 Direct Cable Connection (DCC)
Various Windows communications applications, including HyperTerminal,
DynaComm, and Carbon Copy.
Because the IR link is simulating a serial communications link, some
communications applications may not perform as expected after they
connect over the IR link. See the "Troubleshooting" topic for more
information.
For instructions on running DCC over an IR link, see "Notes on
Running the Direct Cable Connection Application Over an IR Link"
later in this document.
Numerous Windows 95 applications have successfully printed over an IR
link to an HP(r) LaserJet(r) 5P or 5MP printer, which have built-in
IR ports.
Troubleshooting
---------------
Some general troubleshooting tips are:
- To get two IR devices to discover each other, you may have to realign
the IR devices so they point right at each other, move them closer
together, and/or change the batteries in an IR adapter or plug the AC
power into an IR adapter. The devices must be three feet apart, or
less, and the angle of the cone of IR transmission is 30 degrees. Some
devices work best if kept at least six inches apart.
- You must always remove any previously installed version of the IR
communications driver every time you install the driver. For example,
if you have an earlier (Beta) version of the IR communications driver
already installed you must remove it before you install Version 1.0.
You may also need to remove an installation of the Version 1.0 driver.
For example, if you change the IR adapter model that is connected to
your computer, you must remove the installed IR communications driver
and reinstall it, specifying the new IR adapter type. Instructions for
removing the IR communications driver are in "An Optional Step:
Removing the IR Communications Driver."
Some troubleshooting tips related to using particular applications
over IR links are:
- If you use the Windows 95 application HyperTerminal to transfer files,
you will not be able to transfer files successfully over an IR link
using the Zmodem protocol as it is implemented by HyperTerminal.
- When you run the Windows 95 application Direct Cable Connection (DCC)
and establish the connection between the host and guest computers, the
guest computer may display the message "Direct Cable Connection was
unable to display shared folders of the host computer" and prompt you
to enter the computer name of the host computer. A convenient way to
find the computer name of the host computer is on the Status tab of the
Infrared Monitor interface screen.
Troubleshooting tips related to specific infrared hardware are:
- The Adaptec AIRport 2000 infrared adapter can be powered by either the
serial port, installed AA batteries, or an external power supply. In
some cases, the serial port may not provide sufficient power for the
operation of the adapter. This can cause reduced operating range and/or
a failure to find another IR device which is nearby and aligned
correctly. If you suspect such a problem, connect an AC adapter or add
four AA batteries to the battery compartment in the infrared adapter.
This will assure sufficient power. In some instances, you may need to
separate the adapter by at least six inches the other IR device.
- If you have an ACTiSYS 220L IR adapter attached to your computer and
print to a printer that is using an Extended Systems ESI-9580 printer
IR adapter, or you are printing to the HP DeskJet 340, you must use the
Options tab in the Infrared Monitor to limit the connection speed to
19.2 Kbps to print successfully. If you allow the IR devices to
automatically negotiate the connection speed without setting this
limit, they will negotiate a higher connection speed and your
application will not be able to print.
- The TI TravelMate 5000 may communicate over an IR link only at very low
speeds (9600 baud).
- The Sharp PC 3050 may communicate over an IR link only at speeds
between 9600 baud and 19.2 Kbps.
- If you have an HP Omnibook 4000C or an HP Omnibook 600CT, you must
install a special echo-canceling serial driver in addition to the
components that make up the IR communications driver. The echo-
canceling driver, along with instructions on how to install it, are
available from Hewlett-Packard.
Product Support
For more information on your support options for this product, please refer to Support Options by Product online at:
http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp
Be prepared to give the following information:
- The version number of the Microsoft product that you are using.
- The type of hardware that you are using.
- The exact wording of any messages that appeared on your screen.
- A description of what happened and what you were doing when the problem
occurred.
- A description of how you tried to solve the problem.
Additional query words:
irda
Keywords : win95
Version : WINDOWS:95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo