About The Prosafe Wireless Access Point - NETGEAR WNAP320 Reference Manual

ProSafe Wireless-N Access Point WNAP320 Reference Manual
About the ProSafe™ Wireless-N Access Point WNAP320
The NETGEAR ProSafe Wireless-N Access Point WNAP320 is the basic building block of a
wireless LAN infrastructure. It provides connectivity between Ethernet wired networks and
radio-equipped wireless notebook systems, desktop systems, print servers, and other
devices.
The access point provides wireless connectivity to multiple wireless network devices within a
fixed range or area of coverage—interacting with a wireless network interface card (NIC)
through an antenna. Typically, an individual in-building access point provides a maximum
connectivity area of about a 500 foot radius. Consequently, the NETGEAR ProSafe
Wireless-N Access Point WNAP320 can support a small group of users in a range of several
hundred feet. Most access points can handle between 10 to 30 users simultaneously.
The NETGEAR ProSafe Wireless-N Access Point WNAP320 acts as a bridge between the
wired LAN and wireless clients. Connecting multiple ProSafe Wireless Access Points through
a wired Ethernet backbone can further increase the wireless network coverage. As a mobile
computing device moves out of the range of one access point, it moves into the range of
another. As a result, wireless clients can freely roam from one access point to another and
still maintain seamless connection to the network.
The auto-sensing capability of the NETGEAR ProSafe Wireless-N Access Point WNAP320
allows packet transmission at up to 300 Mbps, or at reduced speeds to compensate for
distance or electromagnetic interference.
Chapter 1. Introduction | 7