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4-680-204-11(1)

 2004 Sony Corporation Printed in Japan

PCWA-AR800

Read This  First

The PCWA-AR800 consists of:

• Broadband Router Unit

PCWA-R1

• Wireless LAN Access Point

PCWA-A820

In this document, we refer to the Broadband Router Unit as the Router
Unit and to the Wireless LAN Access Point as the Wireless Unit.

The PCWA-AR800 can be used at frequency settings of 2.4 GHz and
5 GHz. Change this setting as necessary. (By default, the PCWA-AR800
is set to 2.4 GHz.)

WARNING

To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not
expose the unit to rain or moisture.
To avoid electrical shock, do not open the
cabinet. Refer servicing to qualified personnel
only.
Owner’s Record

The model and serial numbers are located on the back
or bottom of the product. Record the serial number in
the space provided below. Refer to them whenever you
call your Sony dealer regarding this product.

Model No. PCWA-R1

Model No. PCWA-A820

Serial No.____________

Serial No._____________

CAUTION

You are cautioned that any changes or modifications
not expressly approved in this document could void
your authority to operate this equipment.
This device contains the Transmitter Module
FCC ID: H8NRT410W

Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation

The radiated output power of the Wireless Broadband
Router is far below the FCC radio frequency exposure
limits.
Nevertheless, the Wireless Broadband Router shall be
used in such a manner that the potential for human
contact during normal operation is minimized.

FCC Radio-Frequency Exposure Statement

This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure
limits, set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This
equipment should be installed and operated with a
minimum distance of 20 cm (7.9 in.) between the
radiator and your body. This transmitter must not be
co-located or operated in conjunction with any other
antennas or transmitters.

NOTE:

This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio or communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in
a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment off and on,
you are  encouraged to try to correct the interference
by one or more of the following measures:

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

Increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver.

Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit
different from that to which the receiver is connected.

Wireless

Broadband Router

Continued on next page

Safety Information

WARNING

• Opening the unit, for whatever reason, could lead to damage that is not covered by the warranty.

• Do not touch the device or accessories during thunderstorms. Electrical shock could result.

• This equipment is made for use in the USA and Canada only.

• Do not use this equipment on hospital premises. Doing so may cause medical devices to malfunction.

• Do not use this equipment in an aircraft. Doing so could cause the aircraft’s equipment to malfunction.

• While using the Wireless Broadband Router, do not cover it or turn it on its side. Do not cover the Wireless

Broadband Router with objects such as magazines or newspapers or use it in confined, enclosed places, such as
the spaces between walls and furniture. Furthermore, do not turn the Wireless Broadband Router on its side while
using it. Either situation could cause heat to build up inside the Wireless Broadband Router, leading to
overheating and possible fire.

• Exercise care when installing the Ethernet cable, Wireless Unit cable, AC adapter, and power cord. Personal

injury or damage to the Wireless Broadband Router could result from people tripping over these. Protect wiring
by installing it in places where people do not walk.

• Do not swing the Router Unit, Wireless Unit, or AC adapter. Injury could result if they strike a person or fragile

material, such as glass.

• Keep the Wireless Broadband Router out of the reach of children. Unforeseen injury could result from

swallowing loose parts, etc.

• Place the Wireless Broadband Router on a stable surface. Do not place the Wireless Broadband Router on

wobbly or tilted surfaces.

• When hanging the units, make sure that the wall is strong enough to support the Wireless Unit and Router Unit.

They may fall if the wall is not strong enough, leading to unforeesen accidents. Further, be careful not to drop the
units or the tools used to install them. Doing so could result in unforeseen accidents.

• Avoid locations that are directly exposed to sunlight or heat. Internal overheating could result in fire or damage

to the unit.

• Make sure that the connectors are properly connected.

– Do not insert any metallic objects inside the connectors. Short-circuiting the pins could cause fire or damage to

the unit.

– Be careful to insert connectors squarely. Crooked insertion could cause pins to short-circuit, leading to fire or

damage.

• Use only the supplied AC adapter with your Sony Wireless Broadband Router. To disconnect your Wireless

Broadband Router from the power supply, unplug the AC adapter.

• ISDN and telephone lines cannot be connected to the WAN or LAN connectors of the Router Unit. If these

connectors are connected to the network or telephone lines mentioned below, high electric current to the
connectors may cause damage, overheating, or fire. Connecting to home or business-use telephone lines is
strictly prohibited.
– Telephone lines

– PBX (private branch exchange)

– Home or business-use telephone lines

– Lines other than those mentioned above

Wireless LAN security

Making security settings for the wireless LAN is extremely important. Sony assumes no responsibility for any
security problems that may arise from the use of the wireless LAN.

For customers in Canada

• This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

• Operation is subject to the following two conditions; (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this

device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.

• To prevent radio interference to the licensed service, this device is intended to be operated indoors and away

from windows to provide maximum shielding. Equipment (or its transmit antenna) that is installed outdoors is
subject to licensing.

• The term “IC” before the equipment certification number only signifies that Industry Canada technical

specifications were met.

• The installer of this radio equipment must ensure that the antenna is located or pointed in such away that it does

not emit an RF field in excess of Health Canada limits for general population. Refer to Safety Code 6, which can
be obtained from the Health Canada Web site at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/rbc.

• This equipment is made for indoor use only.

Pour les utilisateurs au Canada

• Ces appareils numériques de la classe B sont conformes à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
• L’utilisation de ces appareils est autorisée seulement aux conditions suivantes : (1) ils ne doivent pas produire de

brouillage et (2) l’utilisateur des appareils doit être prêt à accepter tout brouillage radioélectrique reçu, même si
ce brouillage est susceptible de compromettre le fonctionnement des appareils.

• Pour empêcher que ces appareils causent du brouillage au services faisant l’objet de licences, ils doivent être

utilisés à l’intérieur et devraient être placés loin des fenêtres afin de fournir un écran de blindage maximal. Si les
appareils (ou leurs antennes d’émission) sont installés à l’extérieur, ils doivent faire l’objet de licences.

• Le terme « IC » devant le numéro d’homologuation signifie simplement que les normes d’Industrie Canada ont

été respectées.

• L’installateur de ces appareils radio doit s’assurer que l’antenne soit située ou pointée de manière à ce qu’elle

n’émette pas de champs de radiofréquences électromagnétiques supérieurs aux limites spécifiées par Santé
Canada pour le grand public. Consultez le code de sécurité 6, disponible sur le site Web de Santé Canada à
l’adresse suivante : http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/rpb.

• Ce dispositif est conçu pour un usage intérieur seulement.

Getting Help

This section describes how to get help and support from Sony, as well as troubleshooting tips for your Wireless
Broadband Router.

About Sony’s Support Options

Sony provides several support options for your Wireless Broadband Router.

Documentation and Help
Read This First

 (this document) contains important information that you should read before using the Wireless

Broadband Router.

Quick Start Guide

 explains how to install the Wireless Broadband Router.

Troubleshooting Guide

 provides solutions to the most common problems users encounter with their Wireless

Broadband Router.

Wireless Broadband Router Setup Page Help

 explains how to configure the Wireless Broadband Router.

The Sony Wireless Broadband Router support Web site
http://www.sony.com/wirelesslansupport 

provides the latest information on wireless LAN products.

The Sony e-mail support service

 answers your questions by e-mail. Just send your question in an e-mail

message and a customer service representative will reply. To send a question to Sony e-mail support, fill out the
e-mail form at 

http://www.ita.sel.sony.com/support/pc/email.html.

The Sony fax-back service

 answers to frequently asked questions. You can use this automated service to

request a list of available topics, and then select the topics that you want to receive. To contact the Sony fax-back
service, call 

1-877-760-7669.

The Sony Customer Information Services Center

 offers information about your Wireless Broadband

Router, Wireless LAN PC Card, and other Sony products that work with your computer. To contact the Sony
Customer Information Services Center, 

call 1-877-760-7669. Open 24 hours/day, 7 days/week

.

Introduction

The PCWA-AR800 is a Wireless Broadband Router that compiles to the IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, and
IEEE 802.11g standards as a wireless LAN access point. It has the following features.

Wireless Internet access from various locations in your home

Using this product as a base station, you can build a network environment from computers with wireless LAN PC
cards (installed or built in), and devices with Access Points installed. When this product is connected to a DSL or
cable modem, it provides wireless Internet access for computers on the LAN.

Connect devices equipped with Ethernet connectors

The Router Unit has a LAN connector for Ethernet devices such as desktop computers, to provide Internet access.
The IP addresses of connected devices are automatically assigned by the Router Unit, so there is no need to set the
IP address of each device manually.

Documentation and Help

This product is supplied with the following documents and Help.

Read This First (this document)

Quick Start Guide

Describes the required preparations and settings initially necessary to connect to the Internet.

Troubleshooting Guide

Provides solutions to common problems.

Setup Page Online Help

This is Help for the pages used to set up this product. Refer to it for details about setup page operations and
setting items of this product.

To display the setup page online Help

Display the setup page of the Router Unit or Access Point, and click 

 or 

.

Refer to procedure 4 in the Quick Start Guide for details about how to display the setup page.

Names of Parts and Functions

Wireless Unit (PCWA-A820)

Front

Rear

(With rear cover removed)

7

8

9

Router Unit (PCWA-R1)

Front

(Opposite side view)

0

qa

qs

qd

qf

qg

qh

PO

WER

qj

Bottom

qk

1

Status indicator

Indicates the status of the Wireless Unit.

• Booting: Quickly flashes white

• Normal: Slowly flashes white

• During firmware update: flashes red

2

Reset switch

Returns Wireless Unit settings to their factory

defaults.

See “Resetting to factory default settings” overleaf

or Help for details.

3

LINK/ACT indicator

Lights when the Wireless Unit cable is connected

to the Wireless Unit/LAN connectors 

qs

 on the

Router Unit and a link is established, and flashes
while sending and receiving.

4

Wireless Unit cable

Connects to the Wireless Unit/LAN connectors 

qs

on the Router Unit.

5

Rear cover

Remove this cover if you want to hang the

Wireless Unit to a wall and to verify the MAC
address and network name (SSID). See “Hanging
the units” overleaf for details about removing the
rear cover.

6

Wall mounting holes

Use these holes to hang the Wireless Unit to a

wall. See “Hanging the units” overleaf for details.

7

ID

The six-character hexadecimal unique product ID

is printed here. This ID is used as the default
network name (SSID) of the Wireless Unit.

8

MAC address

The Wireless Unit MAC Address is printed here.

9

Quick Setup switch

Use this switch to set up the Wireless LAN

Converter PCWA-DE80 or PCWA-DE30. Refer to
the Quick Start Guide of the Wireless LAN
Converter or Help for details.

0

STATUS indicator

Indicates the status of the Router Unit.

• Booting: Flashes white

• During normal operation: Lights white

• During firmware update: Flashes red

qa

LINK/ACT indicators

Light when a link is established at the Wireless

Unit / LAN connectors 

qs

, LAN connectors 

qd

 or

WAN connector 

qf

, and flash when sending and

receiving data.

qs

Wireless Unit/LAN connectors

Connect to the Access Point or to a device such as

a computer with an Ethernet connector.

qd

LAN connectors

Connect via an Ethernet cable to a device such as a

computer with an Ethernet connector.

z

 Hint

Use a straight-through or cross-over Ethernet
cable.

qf

WAN connector

Connects via an Ethernet cable to a communication

device such as a cable or DSL modem.

z

 Hint

Use a straight-through or cross-over Ethernet
cable.

qg

Reset switch

Returns Router Unit settings to their factory

defaults.

See “Resetting to factory default settings” overleaf

or Help for details.

qh

DC IN connector

Connects to the AC adapter.

qj

MAC address

The Router Unit’s WAN port MAC address is

printed here.

qk

Wall mounting holes

Use these holes to hang the Router Unit to a wall.

See “Hanging the units” overleaf for details.

AC adapter

w;

ql

wa

ql

Power switch

Press to turn the device on (

?

) or off (

a

).

w;

100-240 V AC jack

Connect the supplied power cord.

wa

LED

Lights when the AC adapter is on.

DSL or cable
modem

Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV
technician for help.

You are cautioned that any changes or modifications
not expressly approved in this document could void
your authority to operate this equipment.
If you have questions about this product, call the Sony
Customer Information Center at 1-877-760-7669;
or write to the Sony Customer Information Center at
12451 Gateway Boulevard, Fort Myers, FL 33913.
The number below is for FCC-related matters only.
This device must not be co-located or operating in
conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.

Declaration of Conformity

Trade Name: Sony
Model No: PCWA-R1
Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc.
Address:

680 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell,
NJ 07649 USA

Telephone: 201-930-6972
This phone number is for FCC-related matters only.
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.

Declaration of Conformity

Trade Name: Sony
Model No: PCWA-A820
Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc.
Address:

680 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell,
NJ 07649 USA

Telephone: 201-930-6972
This phone number is for FCC-related matters only.
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.

The shielded interface cable recommended in this
document must be used with the equipment to comply
with the limits for a digital device pursuant to Subpart B
of Part 15 of the FCC Rules and Canadian ICES-003.

Le câble d’interface blindé recommandé dans ce
document doit être utilisé avec les appareils pour être
conforme aux limitations des appareils numériques
telles que spécifiées dans la norme NMB-003 du
Canada.

NOTE:

The power outlet should be installed near the
equipment and should be easily accessible.

Printed on 100% recycled paper using VOC (Volatile Organic Compound)-free
vegetable oil based ink.

• Sony, VAIO, 

,

 , and the Eco Info logo are trademarks of Sony Corporation.

• Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other

countries.

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