1.1

Have you installed the USB drivers?

You must install USB drivers onto your computer before you can connect to the terminal over USB. The required USB drivers are provided on the installation CD supplied with the terminal, or can be downloaded from www.inmarsat.com/bgan-updates

NOTE: For the Nera 1000/1010, you don’t need USB drivers on a Mac.

How do I check that the USB drivers are installed?

• On the EXPLORER 300, 500, or 700, and Nera WorldPro 1000/1010 (Windows PC only) - To check that the installation of USB drivers on your computer was successful, display the list of modems on your operating system. To do this:

• On a Windows PC, select Start > Control Panel > Phone and Modem options, then select the Modems tab. If two ports associated with the terminal (either Thrane & Thrane or Nera) are displayed, the drivers have been installed. 
• On a Mac (drivers only required for a Thrane & Thrane terminal) – select Macintosh HD > Library > Modem Scripts. If two ports associated with the Thrane & Thrane terminal are displayed, the drivers have been installed. 

• On the HNS 9201 – To check that the installation of USB drivers on your computer was successful, connect to the terminal and look for the IP address 192.168.128.100.

To do this:  o On a Windows PC, select Start > Program Files/Hughes/USB LAN.  If you can see this IP address, the drivers have been installed. o On a Mac – select System Preferences > Network. If you can see this IP address, the drivers have been installed.

1.2

Have you installed the USB hardware?

When you connect the USB cable from the terminal to your computer, your operating system automatically discovers the terminal as new hardware. Follow the on-screen Wizard to install the terminal. 

1.3

Have you configured your Ethernet connection?

For the Ethernet interface to work without any further setup, your computer must be configured to obtain an IP address and a DNS server address automatically. You can do this by refreshing the computer’s IP address. 

NOTE: The settings from a previous network connection can sometimes be stored on your computer. Refresh the computer’s IP address to clear the previous settings. NOTE: Some corporate computers may be configured with a static IP address and DNS settings.

How do I refresh my IP address?

To check that these settings are configured on your computer, refresh your IP address. To do this:

• On a Windows PC, select Start > Run, in the Run dialog box type cmd and click OK. At the command line prompt type in ipconfig /release, and then press <Enter>. The current IP address is released, and the command prompt displays. At the command prompt, type in ipconfig /renew and press <Enter>. The new IP address displays. Close the command window.

• On a Mac, select System Preferences > Network > Built-in Ethernet > TCP/IP, then  select Using DHCP from the drop-down list, and click on Renew DHCP lease.  

NOTE: Rebooting your computer is another way of renewing the IP address.

How do I test my Ethernet connection?

You can test your Ethernet connection by attempting to ping the IP address of the terminal from your computer. If you receive a reply, the terminal is connected.

The IP address of each terminal is as follows: 

HNS 9201 = 192.168.128.100

Thrane & Thrane  

EXPLORER 300, 500, 700 = 192.168.0.1

Nera WorldPro 1010 = 192.168.0.1 

To ping the IP address from your computer:

• On a Windows PC, select Start > Run, in the Run dialog box type cmd and click OK. At the command line prompt type ping x.x.x.x, where x.x.x.x is the IP address for your terminal (see the table above). If you see the message Reply from x.x.x.x, the Ethernet connection is active. 

• On a Mac, select Finder > Applications > Utilities > Network Utility > ping. In the text box type in the IP address for your terminal (see the table above). If you see the message Reply from x.x.x.x, the Ethernet connection is active.

1.4

Are you using the correct Ethernet cable type?

Make sure you use a straight-though cable to connect the terminal to your computer. A suitable straight-through cable is supplied with your terminal. A cross-over cable is not suitable for connecting the terminal to your computer.

1.5

Is the Ethernet interface enabled on your computer?

Check the network connections settings for your operating system. The Ethernet connection must be enabled. To check this:

• On a Windows PC, select Start > Control Panel > Network Connections. Look for the Ethernet (or Local Area Network) connection, and make sure it is connected. If it is not, right-click on the icon and select Enable. 

• On a Mac, check your Network settings, and make sure Built-in Ethernet is enabled.

NOTE: If more than one network connection is open, refer to section 1.9 “Is more than one network connection open?”

1.6

Is the Ethernet interface enabled on the terminal?

The EXPLORER 300, 500 and 700 allow you to enable or disable the Ethernet interface. Use the EXPLORER’s display and keypad to check on the status of the interface, and enable the interface if it is currently disabled.

1.7

Is your wireless card compatible with the terminal?

Make sure that the wireless mode (802.11a/b/g) of your wireless card is supported by the terminal, and that the terminal is configured for the required wireless mode. 

• The HNS 9201 supports 802.11b mode only.

• The EXPLORER 700 supports 802.11a/b/g, but you must select the required mode on the terminal using BGAN LaunchPad.

1.8

Is your Bluetooth connection correctly configured?

This section applies to the EXPLORER 300, EXPLORER 500, EXPLORER 700 and Nera WorldPro 1000/1010.

• By default, the Bluetooth interface is disabled. To enable the interface, in BGAN LaunchPad go to Terminal > Bluetooth Interface Settings, and click on Enable.

• The terminal supports various Bluetooth profiles. Remember to activate/install the profile(s) you are going to use on your computer. For a list of supported profiles, refer to the documentation supplied with your terminal.

• The Bluetooth device should be placed within a specified maximum distance of the terminal. The maximum distance varies depending on the terminal. Note that this is the maximum distance in open air; the actual distance may be shorter, depending on the environment.

Refer to the documentation supplied with your terminal.

1.9

Is more than one network connection open?

Check the network connections settings for your operating system. The connection to the terminal should be the only active connection. (In normal operation, it is best to have only one active connection.) To check this:

• On a Windows PC, select Start > Control Panel > Network Connections. If you see an open connection other than the terminal connection, right-click on the connection and select Disable.

• On a Mac, simply make sure that the wireless and Bluetooth interfaces are disabled. 

Inmarsat recommends that you use BGAN LaunchPad to manage the BGAN terminal.

You can install BGAN LaunchPad onto your computer from our website, and use its in-built Wizard to point the terminal to the BGAN satellite and register with the network.

Once registered, you can use BGAN LaunchPad to open and close data connections, send and receive text messages, and manage phone operations, as well as manage the terminal interfaces, monitor status and usage and access support services.

The other options you have for managing the terminal are as follows:

• EXPLORER 300, 500 and 700 – use the terminal’s display and keypad to carry out registration and manage terminal operations. You can also use the Thrane web interface to carry out many management functions. To open this, connect to the terminal, then simply type the terminal’s IP address (192.168.0.1) into your web browser. Refer to the User Manual supplied with your terminal for guidance.

• Nera 1000/1010 – if you have a Nera WorldSet, you can use this to manage some terminal operations.

Possible Cause Invalid GPS fix

Do you have a valid GPS fix?

The BGAN terminal needs a GPS fix in order to register with the BGAN network.

Take the terminal outside, and lay it down flat with a clear view of as much of the open sky as possible. The GPS system is relatively tolerant of atmospheric conditions such as heavy cloud or rainfall. However, note that physical blockages, such as tall buildings can significantly degrade the ability of the GPS receiver to obtain a fix.  

It should take no more than 5 to 10 minutes to obtain a fix. Check the terminal to see if you have a valid GPS fix. 

• On the HNS 9201, the GPS LED lights solid green when you have a valid GPS fix.

• On a Thrane & Thrane EXPLORER terminal, enter the PROPERTIES > GPS STATUS menu on the terminal’s display and keypad. If the terminal has a GPS fix, and the position can be displayed, the latitude and longitude details are shown.  If the terminal has a GPS fix, but the position cannot be displayed, the word ACQUIRED is displayed. If the terminal is still searching for a GPS fix, the almanac data is displayed as a series of vertical bars giving the status of 16 GPS satellites.

• On the Nera 1000/1010, the Signal LED lights solid green when you have a GPS fix.

Have you installed a SIM card?

You must install a SIM card into the terminal before you can register with the network NOTE: Check that the gold contact strip of the SIM card is in contact with the SIM connectors on the terminal. Make sure the SIM card is flat against the terminal’s connectors.

NOTE: Handle the SIM card carefully, as damage to the gold contact strip can affect performance.

Is your SIM card correctly provisioned?

The SIM card you install must be correctly provisioned for use on the BGAN network. To check that it is correctly provisioned, contact your Service Provider.

Have you accurately pointed the terminal?

It is vital that you point the terminal as accurately as possible. 

Establishing a connection with the BGAN network requires the careful orientation of the BGAN terminal towards the satellite, a process called pointing. Accurate and precise pointing is important, because a badly-pointed antenna may mean you cannot register with the BGAN network, and will reduce the data rate achievable over the network.  

To point accurately, ensure clear line of sight: obstacles such as buildings, mountains, trees and vehicles will reduce your signal strength. Also, be aware when pointing a terminal through a window that many windows in offices, hotels and so on have a metallic finish to the glass which will also affect signal strength. Where possible, position the terminal outdoors.   

NOTE: During pointing, the location shown on the coverage map in BGAN LaunchPad is based on your previous location, or one that you entered yourself. The coverage map displays your current GPS position only after you are registered with the network. Your current city location only updates after you next register with the network. 

NOTE: On the HNS 9201, if your terminal tries to register automatically on start up, you may have automatic registration configured. If you have moved your terminal since you last registered, turn off automatic registration, and re-point the terminal manually.

What is the minimum signal strength I require for registration?

The typical minimum signal strength required to register on the BGAN network is as follows: 

HNS 9201 49 dBHz

Thrane & Thrane   EXPLORER 300, 500, 700  46 dBHz

Nera WorldPro 1000/1010 41 dBHz 

If you are connected to BGAN LaunchPad, check the signal strength on the status bar.  You can also use the LEDs or the display on the terminal to monitor signal strength. The amount and type of information provided depends on the terminal.

The typical minimum signal strength required to register on the BGAN network is as follows: 

HNS 9201 49 dBHz

Thrane & Thrane   EXPLORER 300, 500, 700  46 dBHz

Nera WorldPro 1000/1010 41 dBHz 

If you are connected to BGAN LaunchPad, check the signal strength on the status bar.  You can also use the LEDs or the display on the terminal to monitor signal strength. The amount and type of information provided depends on the terminal.

Do you need to reset the terminal?

If you point the terminal at the satellite using the instructions in BGAN LaunchPad, you should receive a signal. If you do not receive any signal, power off and power on the terminal.

NOTE: If you power off and power on the EXPLORER 500, and you still can’t obtain any signal, you may need to reset the terminal to factory defaults. we have detailed instructions on our support site that will outline this process under Thrane.

Possible Cause: Incorrect APN Selected

Have you checked the APN?

An Access Point Name (APN) identifies the external network that is accessible from a terminal. By default, the SIM Card in your terminal is configured with the APN of your Service Provider, and the terminal reads this information from the SIM card.  If you can’t make an IP data connection, it may be that an incorrect APN is being used by the terminal.

To check that the correct APN is being used, in BGAN LaunchPad select BGAN Services > LaunchPad APN Options. T

he APN that is currently being used is displayed in the APN Configuration screen.

To make sure this is the correct APN for your SIM card, select Fetch from SIM. Click on OK and try making the IP data connection again.  If you still can’t make an IP data connection, check that the individual connection is set to the default APN. To do this, select the Data tab, right-click on the data icon that you want to check and select Edit. Then select the Routing tab, and make sure that default it selected in the Select APN drop-down list. Click on OK, and try making the IP data connection again.

Have you set up user authentication for the APN?

If your Distribution Partner has provided you with a username and password for an APN, you must configure BGAN LaunchPad to prompt you for this username and password when you open an IP data connection.

To do this, in BGAN LaunchPad, select BGAN Services > LaunchPad APN Options, make sure the correct APN is displayed then click on Edit.

The APN Configuration screen is displayed. Check the Prompt for credentials check box, and click on Apply to save the change. This configures the username and password text box to display when you open a data connection in the terminal. When this box displays, enter the username and password details supplied by your Distribution Partner.

NOTE: A username and password is not required for the default Inmarsat APN (BGAN INMARSAT.COM).  But you will need to check with Galaxy 1 support to make sure that the General Inmarsat APN is opened up on your account.

Have you configured the DNS Server settings?

This section applies to the HNS 9201 only.

The DNS Server holds a database of domain names and IP addresses, so that when you enter a Web address or email address, you are sent to the correct IP address over the Internet.

Before you can register with the BGAN network, you must configure the DNS settings for the terminal.

To configure check the DNS server settings, in BGAN LaunchPad, select Terminal > IP Configuration, type in the Primary address and Secondary address (if any), click on Apply, the click on OK. You must now power off the power on the terminal for the changes to take effect.

Here are the DNS Settings DNS Settings for the different APN Values

08-06-2006 - Partners and end-users are being advised of a quick and easy way to increase the speed of BGAN's standard IP data traffic in the "send" direction.

The throughput speed of BGAN traffic in the "send" direction (i.e. data sent from the terminal) will be enhanced if the window size on the receiving PC or server is correctly set.

And Inmarsat has prepared a small software file, available for download here, which automatically configures the client computer or server.

The window size on an IP connection effectively sets the number of packets ¿in flight¿ between origin and destination, at any given time.

Setting an optimum window size is particularly relevant for channel Partners undertaking customer demonstrations, and for end-users

users who frequently access the same servers with applications such as FTP (e.g. media customers, or corporate customers accessing intranet sites).

The optimum window size for BGAN is 128k (default setting on many systems is 64k).

Disclaimer: Modifying the computer registry may cause problems that may require you to reinstall the operating system. We cannot guarantee that problems resulting from modifications to the registry can be solved. Use the information provided at your own risk. Inmarsat will not be liable for any issues or problems that may arise in using this software.

To set the window size for systems running Windows XP or Windows 2003, follow the instructions below:

How to use automatic registry key entry to manage a client computer's or server's TCP parameters:

1. Inmarsat supplies two .reg files that will automatically configure the client computer or server to use the recommended TCP parameters. Choose the appropriate file to match your operating system.

2. The two files are:

• WinNT.reg (for use with Windows NT)
• WinXP_Win2k_Win2ksvr_and_Win2k3svr.reg (for use with Windows XP, 2000 Professional, 2000 Server and 2003)

3. Save the relevant .zip to your desktop and uncompress.

4. Double click the .reg file to change parameters. When the following screen appears click "yes" to continue:

5. When the following screen appears click "OK" to finish.

6. Re-boot your PC for the changes to take effect.

Note: Windows NT does not support windows scaling and therefore only supports a 64k window size. Hence running Windows NT over BGAN will give a lower performance than other operating systems.

How to configure TCP parameters manually

Use the following settings when configuring the TCP parameters. Please ensure you re-boot after the settings have been entered.

Registry Settings
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters]

Value Name: TcpWindowSize
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value: HEX: 1FFFF or Decimal: 131071

Value Name: Tcp1323Opts
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value: HEX: 1 or Decimal: 1

08-06-2006 - Partners and end-users are being advised of a quick and easy way to increase the speed of BGAN's standard IP data traffic in the "send" direction.

The throughput speed of BGAN traffic in the "send" direction (i.e. data sent from the terminal) will be enhanced if the window size on the receiving PC or server is correctly set.

And Inmarsat has prepared a small software file, available for download here, which automatically configures the client computer or server.

The window size on an IP connection effectively sets the number of packets ¿in flight¿ between origin and destination, at any given time.

Setting an optimum window size is particularly relevant for channel Partners undertaking customer demonstrations, and for end-users

users who frequently access the same servers with applications such as FTP (e.g. media customers, or corporate customers accessing intranet sites).

The optimum window size for BGAN is 128k (default setting on many systems is 64k).

Disclaimer: Modifying the computer registry may cause problems that may require you to reinstall the operating system. We cannot guarantee that problems resulting from modifications to the registry can be solved. Use the information provided at your own risk. Inmarsat will not be liable for any issues or problems that may arise in using this software.

To set the window size for systems running Windows XP or Windows 2003, follow the instructions below:

How to use automatic registry key entry to manage a client computer's or server's TCP parameters:

1. Inmarsat supplies two .reg files that will automatically configure the client computer or server to use the recommended TCP parameters. Choose the appropriate file to match your operating system.

2. The two files are:

• WinNT.reg (for use with Windows NT)
• WinXP_Win2k_Win2ksvr_and_Win2k3svr.reg (for use with Windows XP, 2000 Professional, 2000 Server and 2003)

3. Save the relevant .zip to your desktop and uncompress.

4. Double click the .reg file to change parameters. When the following screen appears click "yes" to continue:

• Press [Menu] [4] [9]
• You will receive a message  " Handset reset will set all values to Factory setings and deletes last calls
• Press [Yes] Handset will appear to freeze, but will eventually shut down. 

DO NOT REMOVE THE HANDSET FROM THE SATELLITE PHONE TERMINAL.

You may need to then power cycle the satellite phone terminal.

Next, if you plan on using the terminal for incoming calls, you may want to reset the Mobile Subscriber Number (MSN) to match the terminal you are using.