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EDGE Pro CNC
Field Service Bulletin 808110 Revision 1
Wireless networking for EDGE Pro CNCs
Wireless troubleshooting
Follow these guidelines if you are experiencing problems using the wireless network on your CNC.
The wireless network card requires a bus mastering slot on the motherboard. On the EDGE Pro motherboard
(141110), PCI slot 1 is not a bus mastering slot. Make sure the wireless card is installed in PCI slot 2.
The wireless network card conforms to 802.11N and 802.11G standards and connects to either a wireless G or N
local area network (LAN). It provides wireless G or better performance for part program downloads, remote Help, or
other network tasks.
An 802.11G wireless network can operate at reasonable speeds up to 38 m (125 feet) from the wireless router
or access point, even if the path between the CNC and the access point is obstructed with a wall or door.
An 802.11N wireless network can operate at reasonable speeds up to 70 m (230 feet) from the wireless router
or access point. However, 802.11N requires a clear line of sight between antennas.
When in doubt, use the 802.11G wireless network connection.
The network must be set to broadcast its SSID for it to be visible as a connection.
Make sure the wireless network card appears in the Windows Device Manager under the “Network Adapters”
heading, and does not have a yellow ! or ? next to it.
Use the Windows Network Connections Manager to locate your router or wireless network access point. Choose
Start > Settings > Network Connections.
If the network connection wizard does not list any company wireless networks, check the network availability using a
Windows XP laptop or other wi-fi device to verify the router or access point connection is available at that physical
location.
Signal strength diminishes with distance. A wireless network connection does not require 100% signal strength to be
effective (shown as four solid bars on the screen). If the Network Connections Manager shows two or three signal
strength bars, the network connection is reasonable.
If the connection speed frequently dips below 24 Mbs or signal strength dips below two bars, move the wireless
router or access point closer to the CNC, or add another access point closer to the CNC.
For best network performance, minimize the number of clients on the wireless network.
Avoid connecting slower wireless devices to the network (for example, 802.11B devices) because the performance
of the entire network may decrease to that level.
Contact your network administrator for additional support.
