Chapter 1: Introduction Welcome; Chapter 1: Introduction; Welcome - Linksys WPC4400N User Manual

Wireless-N Business Notebook Adapter

Chapter 1: Introduction

Welcome

Thank you for choosing the Wireless-N Business Notebook Adapter. Setting up your network and your Wireless-N
Business Notebook Adapter is easier than ever.
The Wireless-N Notebook Adapter is the simple way to add or upgrade wireless connectivity in your notebook
computer. Just slide it into your notebook's PC Card slot and enjoy incredible high-speed wireless network
access while retaining true mobility.
The Wireless-N Notebook Adapter uses the very latest wireless networking technology, Wireless-N (draft
802.11n). By overlaying the signals of multiple radios, Wireless-N's "Multiple In, Multiple Out" (MIMO) technology
multiplies the effective data rate. Unlike ordinary wireless networking technologies that are confused by signal
reflections, MIMO actually uses these reflections to increase the range and reduce "dead spots" in the wireless
coverage area. The robust signal travels farther, maintaining wireless connections significantly farther than
standard Wireless-G.
With Wireless-N, the farther away you are, the more speed advantage you get. It works great with standard
Wireless-G and -B equipment, but when both ends of the wireless link are Wireless-N, the throughput can be
increased even more by using twice as much radio band, and can yield speeds beyond 100 Mbps.
The incredible speed of Wireless-N makes it ideal for media-centric applications like streaming video and Voice
over IP telephony; and gives you plenty of bandwidth to run multiple media-intense data streams through the
network at the same time, with no degradation in performance. Get your notebook connected to Wireless-N,
Wireless-G, and Wireless-B networks with the Wireless-N Business Notebook Adapter from Linksys.
But what does all of this mean?
PCs equipped with wireless cards and adapters can communicate without cumbersome cables. By sharing the
same wireless settings, within their transmission radius, they form a wireless network.
Once you're connected, you can keep in touch with your e-mail, access the Internet, and share files and other
resources such as printers and network storage with other computers on the network, wherever your work takes
you, without cables. Access the web or use instant messaging to communicate with your virtual office from
wherever you may be. You will also be able to connect with any of the growing number of public hotspots in
coffee shops, airport lounges, hotels and convention centers. Your wireless connection is protected by industrial-
strength WPA2 encryption.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Welcome
adapter: a device that adds network functionality
to your PC.
network: a series of computers or devices
connected for the purpose of data sharing,
storage, and/or transmission between users.
802.11n: a wireless networking draft standard that
specifies a maximum data rate of up to 600Mbps
(300Mbps is supported by this device), an operating
frequency of 2.4GHz, and backward compatibility with
802.11b/g devices.
802.11g: a wireless networking standard that
specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 54Mbps
and an operating frequency of 2.4GHz.
802.11b: a wireless networking standard that
specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 11Mbps
and an operating frequency of 2.4GHz.
encryption: encoding data transmitted in a network
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