Installing the Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN Adapter

You can view the online installation guide in two ways: through a browser [html format] or through the Adobe Acrobat Reader* [pdf format]. Only the installation guide in pdf format contains detailed hardware installation and troubleshooting instructions.  

To read the installation guide in pdf format, make sure that you have installed the Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5.0 on your computer. If it is not installed and you want to install it now, click here.

If Adobe Acrobat Reader is installed and you want to view the installation guide in pdf format, click here.

More Information Related to the Installation

For information about uninstalling the adapter driver and software, click here.

For information about reinstalling the adapter driver and software, click here.

If you need technical information about wireless networks and how to set one up, see the Administrator's Guide . This guide in html format is primarily for network administrators.

Summary of Installation Steps

To install the adapter

  1. Install the hardware. Detailed hardware installation instructions are only available in pdf format.
  2. Install the driver.
  3. Install the adapter software.
  4. Make sure the LED on the adapter is functioning correctly.

Step 1: Install the Hardware

  1. Turn on power to the computer and wait for Windows* to load.
  2. Insert the adapter into the PC Card slot on your computer and proceed to Step 2: Install the Driver.

Step 2: Install the Driver

Click the link below for your version of the Windows operating system and follow the instructions.

Windows XP

  1. The Found New Hardware Wizard begins. Do NOT click Next yet. Verify that Automatic search for a better driver (Recommended) is checked.
  2. Insert the Intel CD in the CD-ROM drive. The Intel(R) PRO Network Connections window displays. Disregard this screen for now and click the wizard screen.
  3. Windows XP installs the driver. The adapter's properties dialog box displays. Click Close to use the default profile and continue with the installation.
  4. You can configure the adapter later on with either Windows XP or Intel PROSet II. However, if you want to configure the adapter at this point, click the Setting tab and type in the SSID for your wireless network.
  5. The Found New Hardware dialog box displays again stating Windows has finished installing the software required for this device. Click Finish.

Windows 2000

NoteBefore proceeding, make sure that you are operating Windows 2000 with administrative rights. If you log in to Windows 2000 without administrative rights, you may have problems during the installation.

NoteWindows 2000 offers extensive wireless configuration and status information. During the driver installation, the Windows My WLAN Places dialog box is accessed for setup purposes. After the driver installation has been completed, a configuration profile is stored on your computer. If reconfiguration is required, this profile can be accessed from the My Computer icon. For additional information consult your Windows 2000 documentation. 

  1. Windows 2000 displays the Found New Hardware Wizard. Click Next. The "Install Hardware Device Drivers" dialog box displays.
  2. If you are installing the software and driver from the Intel CD, insert the Intel CD into the CD-ROM drive. If the Intel® PRO/Wireless LAN Products menu screen is displayed, leave it open for future use.
  3. Click the Install Hardware Device Drivers screen to activate it. Search for a suitable driver for my device (recommended), then click Next.
  4. The "Locate Driver Files" dialog is displayed. Select Specify a location.
  5. If you are installing the adapter driver and software from the Intel CD, select CD-ROM and click Next. If you downloaded the software package from the Intel support website, type the directory location of the software package.
  6. The Adapter Properties screen displays. On the Settings tab:
  7. In the Add New Hardware Wizard window, click Finish.

Windows 98SE

  1. Windows 98SE detects the adapter and the "Add New Hardware Wizard" dialog displays. Click Next.
  2. If you are installing the software and driver from the Intel CD, insert the Intel CD into the CD-ROM drive. If the Intel® PRO Network Connections menu screen is displayed, leave it open for future use.
  3. Click the New Hardware Wizard screen to make it active. Select Search for the best driver for your device (Recommended) and click Next.
  4. If you are installing the adapter driver and software from an Intel CD, select CD-ROM drive and click Next. If you downloaded the software package from the Intel support website, type the directory path of the software package location.
  5. The Adapter Properties screen displays. On the Settings tab:
  6. In the Add New Hardware Wizard screen, click Finish.
  7. When prompted to restart the computer, click No. You will restart the computer manually later.

Windows Me (Millennium Edition)

  1. Windows Me detects the adapter and the "Add New Hardware Wizard" dialog displays. DO NOT click Next yet. Verify that Automatic search for a better driver (Recommended) is selected.
  2. If you are installing the software and driver from the Intel CD, insert the Intel CD into the CD-ROM drive. Windows installs the driver on the Intel CD. If the Intel® PRO/Wireless LAN Products menu screen displays, leave it open for future use.
  3. The Adapter Properties window displays. On the Settings tab:
  4. Click Finish on the Add New Hardware Wizard window when the driver installation is complete.
  5. When prompted to restart the computer, click No. You will restart your computer manually later.

Windows NT*

   Before you install the driver
   To install the driver
  1. Double-click My Computer, Control Panel, and then the Network icon
  2. Click the Adapters tab and click Add.
  3. Click Have Disk, and browse to the driver files that you extracted from the CD.
  4. Select Intel PRO/Wireless LAN 3.3 volt PC Card and click OK
  5. If Windows prompts you for the Windows installation CD, follow the instructions to install networking components.
  6. In the Easy Setup window, enter the Network Name (SSID) for your wireless network.
  7. Click the Advanced button and click the WLAN Adapter tab.
  8. Choose the appropriate Interrupt Number for your laptop and click OK.
  9. Click OK in Network properties and restart your computer.
  10. Install Service Pack 6 again.

If Card Wizard notifies you of a conflict with the selected Interrupt, click the Card Wizard's Correct button to open Network properties. Then select the Intel PRO/Wireless adapter, click the Properties button and return to step 6, above.

Windows 95

  1. Windows 95 detects the adapter. The Hardware Wizard dialog box displays. If you are installing the adapter driver and software from the Intel CD, insert the Intel CD into the CD-ROM drive.
  2. Select Next.
  3. When the Hardware Wizard is finished, select Other Locations
  4. Type the drive name for the CD-ROM drive followed by the Win95 directory or the location of the software package you downloaded from the Intel support website.
  5. Windows displays a message similar to the following: "Windows found the following updated driver for this device: Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B PC Card". Click Finish.
  6. Complete the installation instructions displayed by the operating system.
  7. Type the ESSID, also called SSID, for the network in the Intel® Easy Setup window. Click OK.
  8. Click Finish.
  9. When prompted, restart the computer.

Windows CE

When the driver is installed on a Windows CE device, Intel® WLAN Monitor and the Network Control Panel Applet (NCPA) are installed automatically. With Intel WLAN Monitor, you can view how the adapter is functioning. With NCPA, you can change settings for the adapter.

Intel delivers the installation package in a file called Intel PRO Wireless For PocketPC V1.0.exe. 

To install both the driver and the software

  1. In the Intel® PRO Network Connections window, click Install Base Drivers.
  2. Connect the sync cable between the Windows CE device and a laptop or desktop computer. Make sure that the Microsoft ActiveSync* software shipped with your device is installed on the laptop or desktop computer. Wait until the laptop/desktop computer and the Windows CE device establish a partnership with each other.
  3. The Install Base Drivers window displays. Click Install Driver in the Install wireless drivers for Windows CE section.
  4. The Installing Application dialog box displays. Click Yes. The installation program uses the default application install directory.
  5. The Application Downloading Complete dialog box displays, click OK
  6. When the download from the laptop/desktop computer to the Windows CE device is complete, the Easy Setup dialog box displays.
  7. In the Easy Setup dialog box, type the ESSID. This is also called the SSID or Network Name.
  8. If the Easy Setup dialog box does not display on the Windows CE device, tap Start, Settings, and then Intel PRO/Wireless Settings. This is another way to display the Easy Setup dialog box.
  9. Click the Advanced button. Select the tabs along the bottom of the Intel WLAN Setup window to make changes to the advanced settings. This includes security settings. 
  10. When you finish making changes, click OK to close the application.
  11. Insert the adapter and reset your Windows CE device. On some devices, you are not prompted to reset the device. However, for the adapter to function properly, you must reset the device.

Step 3: Install the Software

If you are running Windows 95, adapter software includes the Intel® PlusPack Utilities and Intel® Site Survey. 

If you are running Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98SE, or Windows ME, the adapter software includes Intel PROSet II and the Intel® Access Point Administration Tools. Intel PROSet II manages Intel PRO/Wireless LAN adapters. The Administration Tools include tools for managing access points. If you are not a network administrator, Intel strongly recommends that you do NOT install the Administration Tools.

Click the link below for your version of the Windows operating system.

NoteIf you are installing the software on a Windows CE device, click here.

Windows XP

You can manage adapters through either Intel® PROSet II or Windows XP.

If you want to manage your adapters through Intel PROSet II, do the following.

  1. Install the software using the instructions for Windows 2000.
  2. Left-click the Windows XP Network icon in the System Tray. This is typically in the lower right corner of your computer screen.
  3. Click the Properties button.
  4. Click the Wireless Network tab.
  5. Click Advanced.
  6. Select an SSID from Available Networks and then select Configure. Configure the required Encryption and WEP key settings. The selected SSID is listed under Preferred Networks when configuration is complete.
  7. Make sure that the Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings checkbox is checked.
  8. Follow the instructions below for installing the software on a Windows 2000 system.
  9. On the desktop, click Start, Settings, and then Control Panel. Double-click Intel PROSet II. You are prompted to select Intel PROSet II as the management software for your wireless settings.
  10. Click Yes.
  11. Configure your wireless settings in Intel PROSet II. For more information, click here

If you decide to manage your adapters through Windows XP, do the following.

  1. Left-click the Windows XP Network icon in the System Tray. This is typically in the lower right corner of your computer screen.
  2. Click the Properties button.
  3. Click the Wireless Network tab.
  4. Make sure that the Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings checkbox is checked.

Windows 98SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000, and Windows NT

  1. In the Intel® PRO Network Connections window, click Install Software and follow the instructions and online help on the screen. If the menu screen is not visible, try the following:
  1. Click Next.
  2. If you have not installed the software before, a license agreement displays. Click I accept to continue with the installation. The Setup Type dialog box displays.
  3. If you installed the software before, a maintenance window displays. To upgrade the software, click Modify.
  4. Select one of two options:
  1. Follow the instructions in the installation program.
  2. If prompted, restart your computer.
  3. When the installation is complete, a log of the installation process displays. Review the log to view details of the installation.

Windows 95

Install the Intel® PlusPack Utilities.  To install this software, run the setup program. 

If you have the Intel CD, the setup program is located in the wireless\apps\win95\setup directory. If you download the software package from the Intel support website, navigate to the directory location of the software package, and then to the wireless\apps\win95\setup directory under that location. Double click setup.exe.

Step 4: Make sure that the adapter is functioning correctly

When the adapter is associated with an access point or other computer, the LED on the adapter flashes steadily. When the adapter is sending or receiving information, the light flashes quickly. For more information on the LED indicator, click here.

Uninstalling the Adapter and Adapter Software

To Uninstall the Adapter Drivers

Windows XP and Windows 2000

  1. Right-click My Computer and select Manage.
  2. Select Device Manager from the list on the left.
  3. Expand the Network Adapters item in the tree on the right.
  4. Right-click Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN Adapter and select Uninstall.

Windows 98SE and Windows Me

  1. Right-click the My Computer icon and select Properties.
  2. Select the Device Manager tab.
  3. Under Network adapters find and select the Intel PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN Adapter from the displayed list.
  4. Click Remove. Windows removes the adapter.

Windows NT

  1. Right-click the Network Neighborhood icon and select Properties.
  2. Select the Adapters tab.
  3. Under Network adapters, find and select the Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3.3 volt LAN PC card from the list.
  4. Click Remove. Windows removes the adapter.

To Uninstall Intel® PROSet II Software

  1. Open the Windows Start menu, select Settings, and then select Control Panel.
  2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
  3. Find Intel(R) PROSet II.
  4. Click Install/Uninstall or Change/Remove.
  5. If you have installed the Intel Access Point Administration Tools, repeat Steps 2 through 4 to uninstall those tools.

Reinstalling the Adapter and Adapter Software


To reinstall PRO/Wireless hardware and software, first uninstall the Intel PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN Adapter as described under the heading Uninstalling. Be sure to reboot the computer after uninstalling and before attempting to reinstall. Reinstall the Intel PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN Adapter using the installation instructions in this document.

Upgrading Adapter Software from Version 3.0 to Version 3.1x

Under Windows 2000

  1. Right-click My Computer and select Manage.
  2. Select Device Manager from the list on the left.
  3. Expand the Network Adapters item in the tree on the right.
  4. Double-click the adapter.
  5. Click the Driver tab.
  6. Click Update driver.
  7. Install the software. For instructions, click here.

Under Windows 98SE

  1. Right-click the My Computer icon and select Properties.
  2. Select Device Manager.
  3. Expand the Network Adapters item in the tree on the right.
  4. Select the adapter.
  5. Click Remove. Windows removes the adapter.
  6. Install the 3.1x driver. For instructions, click here.
  7. Install the software. For instructions, click here.


Under Windows Me

  1. Right-click the My Computer icon and select Properties.
  2. Select Device Manager.
  3. Expand the Network Adapters item in the tree on the right.
  4. Select the adapter.
  5. Click Remove. Windows removes the adapter.
  6. Install the 3.1x driver. For instructions, click here.
  7. Install the software. For instructions, click here.

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