Chapter 1 Introduction; About The Wireless Access Point - NETGEAR ProSafe WG102-500 Reference Manual

1.
Introduction
The NETGEAR ® WG102-500, WGAP150 ProSafe™ 802.11g Wireless Access Point Reference
manual describes how to install, configure and troubleshoot the wireless access point. The
information in this manual is intended for readers with intermediate computer and Internet skills
The remainder of this chapter introduces the wireless access point. Minimal requirements for
installation are on

About the Wireless Access Point

The wireless access point 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 wireless access point interacts with wireless network interface cards (NIC) in wireless
devices within a fixed range or area of coverage. Typically, a wireless access point inside a
building works best with devices within a 100 foot radius. The WGAP150 can support a small
group of users in a range of several hundred feet. Most wireless access points are rated
between 30 users simultaneously.
Note: The WGAP150 requires an external antenna to be connected to the
WGAP150 before powering on the access point. An external
antenna is not included in the product package and must be
purchased separately. The environment in which you deploy the
WGAP150 determines the type of antenna that functions best with
the WGAP150.
The WGAP150 acts as a bridge between the wired LAN and wireless clients. Connecting
multiple WGAP150 access points via a wired Ethernet backbone can further lengthen the
wireless network coverage. As a mobile computing device moves out of the range of one
wireless access point, it moves into the range of another. As a result, wireless clients can
freely roam from one wireless access point to another and still maintain seamless connection
to the network.
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