WPI-100G PCI Adapter
Wireless Broadband Anywhere
3
Planning Your Wireless Network
Network Topology
A wireless local area network (WLAN) is exactly like a regular local area network(LAN),
except that each computer in the WLAN uses a wireless device to connect to the network.
Computers in a WLAN share the same frequency channel and SSID, which is an
identification name for wireless devices.
Your Wireless
PCI adapter
should be placed in a safe and secure location. To ensure proper
operation, please keep the unit away from water and other damaging elements.
Ad-Hoc versus Infrastructure Mode
Unlike wired networks, wireless networks have two different modes in which they may be
set up:
infrastructure
and
ad-hoc
. In an infrastructure configuration a WLAN and wired
LAN communicate to each other through an access point. In ad-hoc configuration,
wireless-equipped computers communicate directly with each other. Choosing between
these two modes depends on whether or not the wireless network needs to share data or
peripherals with a wired network or not.
If the computers on the wireless network need to
be accessed by a wired network or need to share a
peripheral, such as a printer, with the wired
network computers, the wireless network should
be set up in
infrastructure
mode.(See Figure 2-1.)
The basis of infrastructure mode centers around
an
access point
, which serves as the main point of
communications between a wired and wireless
network. Access points transmit data to PCs equipped with wireless network adapters,
which can
roam
within a certain radial range of the access point. Multiple access points
can be arranged to work in succession to extend the roaming range, and can be set up to
communicate with your Ethernet (wired) hardware as well.
If the wireless network is relatively small and needs to share resources onlywith the other
computers on the wireless network, then the
ad-hoc
mode can be used. Ad-hoc mode
allows computers equipped with wireless transmitters and receivers to communicate
directly with each other, eliminating the need for an access point. Communication between
the wireless-equipped computers is limited by the distance and interference directly
between them.
