NETGEAR WG311 manual Two Basic Operating Modes, Observe Location and Range Guidelines

Installation Guide for the NETGEAR 54 Mbps Wireless PCI Adapter WG311

Observe Location and Range Guidelines

Computers can connect over 802.11g wireless networks indoors at a range which varies significantly based on the physical location of the computer with the NETGEAR 54 Mbps Wireless PCI Adapter WG311. For best results, avoid potential sources of interference, such as:

•Large metal surfaces

•Microwaves

•2.4 GHz Cordless phones

In general, 802.11g wireless devices can communicate through walls. However, if the walls are constructed with concrete, or have metal, or metal mesh, the 802.11g effective range will decrease if such materials are between the devices.

Two Basic Operating Modes

The WG311 Wireless PCI Adapter, like all 802.11b/g adapters, can operate in the following two basic modes:

•Infrastructure Mode: An 802.11 networking framework in which devices and computers communicate with each other by first going through an access point (AP). For example, this mode is used when computers in a house connect to an AP that is attached to a router which lets multiple computers share a single Cable or DSL broadband Internet connection.

•Ad-Hoc Mode: An 802.11 networking framework in which devices or computers communicate directly with each other, without the use of an access point. For example, Ad-Hoc Mode is used when two Windows computers are configured with file and print sharing enabled and you want to exchange files directly between them.

Both of these configuration options are available with the WG311 Wireless PCI Adapter. Infrastructure configuration procedures for basic network connectivity are covered below. Advanced infrastructure configuration procedures and ad-hoc configuration are covered in Chapter 3, “Configuration” of this manual.

2-2 Basic Setup