Advertisement
W LAN
4 0 B
Wireless Local Area Networking (WLAN) enables two or more computers equipped with wireless adapter cards
to share resources.
A wireless network comprises two or more computers, each equipped with wireless adapter cards forming a
network. When the computers are within range of each other each computer has access only to the resources of
the other computer but not to any central server or other resource. This type of basic configuration is known as
an ad hoc network.
A more common and efficient use of a wireless network is one in which two or more computers equipped with
wireless adapter cards are linked to a WLAN access point. The access point allows each computer to have access
to shared resources, such as a broadband Internet connection, as well as to other computers on the network.
Such a configuration is known as infrastructure mode. This is the default configuration for WLAN in the UT.
P
ERFORMANCE
5 3 B
The performance of a WLAN network will be influenced by several factors including the number of users on the
network, the location of the antenna, the distance from the antenna, and the degree of blocking from buildings and
other infrastructure. Typical operating ranges are 200 to 300 meters outdoors and 30 to 60 meters indoors; the
performance degrades gradually as the signal strength decreases.
S SID
5 4 B
A wireless network is identified by a Service Set Identifier (SSID). An SSID is also referred to as a network name
because it is a name that identifies a wireless network. Wireless devices that wish to communicate with each other
must be configured with the same SSID. Several access points can be set up using the same SSID so that users can
roam from one access point to the other without losing network access. The SSID is broadcast so that any
wireless device in range can read the SSID and ask permission to associate with it. The SSID is not intended as a
security measure; it is used only to identify different networks.
36
Hughes 9350 BGAN Terminal User Guide
Advertisement
