Package Contents; Chapter 2: Planning Your Wireless Network; Network Topology; Roaming - Linksys WAP54A User Manual

Package Contents

• One Wireless Access Point (IEEE 802.11a)
• One Power Adapter
• One User Guide
• Registration Card (not shown)
Minimum Requirements
s
• One Pentium Class, 200MHz or Faster, PC equipped with Windows 98,
Millennium, NT version 4.0, 2000, or XP, 64 MB RAM, and an Ethernet
Adapter with Network Cable for Initial Setup
• One 802.11a-compliant Wireless Adapter
2
Instant Wireless
Figure 1-1
Series Wireless Access Point
TM
Chapter 2: Planning Your
Wireless Network

Network Topology

A wireless LAN is a group of computers, each equipped with one Instant
Wireless™ Series adapter. Computers in a wireless LAN must be configured
to share the same radio channel.
The Instant Wireless™ Series adapters provide access to a wired LAN for wire-
less workstations.
Infrastructure configuration. A group of Instant Wireless™ Series adapter
users and an Instant Wireless™ Wireless Access Point compose a Basic Service
Set (BSS). Each Instant Wireless™ Series adapter PC in a BSS can talk to any
computer in a wired LAN infrastructure via the Instant Wireless™ Wireless
Access Point.
An infrastructure configuration extends the accessibility of an Instant
Wireless™ Series adapter PC to a wired LAN, and doubles the effective wire-
less transmission range for two Instant Wireless™ Series adapter PCs. Since
the Wireless Access Point is able to forward data within its BSS, the effective
transmission range in an infrastructure LAN is doubled.

Roaming

Infrastructure mode also supports roaming capabilities for mobile users. More
than one BSS can be configured as an Extended Service Set (ESS). This con-
tinuous network allows users to roam freely within an ESS. All PCs equipped
with an Instant Wireless™ Series adapter within one ESS must be configured
with the same ESS ID and use the same radio channel.
Before enabling an ESS with roaming capability, choosing a feasible radio
channel and optimum Wireless Access Point position is recommended. Proper
Wireless Access Point positioning combined with a clear radio signal will
greatly enhance performance.
An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called an
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