LevelOne WAB-1000 manual 802.11b, 802.11g, Network Configuration, Access point configurations

802.11b

The IEEE 802.11b standard, developed by the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance WECA) and ratified by IEEE, establishes a stable standard for compatibility. A user with an 802.11b product can use any brand of access point with any other brand of client hardware that is built to the 802.11b standard for basic interconnection. 802.11b devices provide 11 Mbps transmission in the 2.4 GHz band.

For wireless devices to communicate with the WAB-1000, they must meet the following conditions:

•The wireless device and wireless access point must have been configured to recognize each other using the SSID (a unique ID assigned in setup so that the wireless device is seen to be part of the network by the WAB-1000);

•Encryption, authentication capabilities and types enabled must conform.

•If MAC filtering is used; the WAB-1000 must be configured to allow the wireless device’s MAC address to associate (communicate) with the WAB-1000 wireless interface.

802.11g

Because 802.11g is backwards-compatible with 802.11b, it is a popular component in LAN construction. 802.11g broadens 802.11b’s data rates to 54 Mbps within the 2.4 GHz band using OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) technology.

Network Configuration

The WAB-1000 is an access point with bridging setup capability:

•Access point

•Wireless bridging with choice of:

•Point-to-point setup

•Point-to-multipoint setup

•Repeater setup

Bridging actually has more choices, but the above choices are popular and are discussed later in this user guide (Chapter 4).

Access point configurations

IP addresses for wireless devices are typically assigned by the wired network’s DHCP server. The wired LAN’s DHCP server assigns addresses dynamically, and the AP virtually connects wireless users to the host wired network. All wireless devices connected to the AP are

3