802.11B Wireless Networking Basics; Related Publications; Wireless Networking; Wireless Network Configuration - NETGEAR MA401 Reference Manual

Appendix B

802.11b Wireless Networking Basics

This chapter provides an overview of IP networks, routing, and wireless
networking.

Related Publications

As you read this document, you may be directed to various RFC documents for
further information. An RFC is a Request For Comment (RFC) published by the
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), an open organization that defines the
architecture and operation of the Internet. The RFC documents outline and define
the standard protocols and procedures for the Internet. The documents are listed
on the World Wide Web at www.ietf.org and are mirrored and indexed at many
other sites worldwide.

Wireless Networking

The MA401 Wireless PC Card conforms to the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b standard for wireless LANs (WLANs). On
an 802.11b wireless link, data is encoded using direct-sequence spread-spectrum
(DSSS) technology and is transmitted in the unlicensed radio spectrum at 2.5GHz.
The maximum data rate for the wireless link is 11 Mbps, but it will automatically
back down from 11 Mbps to 5.5, 2, and 1 Mbps when the radio signal is weak or
when interference is detected.
The 802.11b standard is also called Wireless Ethernet or Wi-Fi by the Wireless
Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA, see http://www.wi-fi.net), an industry
standard group promoting interoperability among 802.11b devices.

Wireless Network Configuration

The 802.11b standard offers two methods for configuring a wireless network - ad
hoc and infrastructure.
802.11b Wireless Networking Basics B-1