Radio Interface
–The 802.11b/g radio channel that the access point uses to communicate with wireless clients. When multiple access points are deployed in the same area, set the channel on neighboring access points at least five channels apart to avoid interference with each other. For example, in the United States you can deploy up to three access points in the same area (e.g., channels 1, 6, 11). Also note that the channel for wireless clients is automatically set to the same as that used by the access point to which it is linked. Range: 1‐11; Default: 6
•Auto Channel Select enables the access point to automatically select an unoccupied radio channel. Default: Enabled
•Working Mode (802.11b/g ONLY). The access point can be configured to support both 802.11b and 802.11g clients simultaneously, 802.11b clients only, or 802.11g clients only.
Default: 802.11b and 802.11g
•Transmit Power adjusts the power of the radio signals transmitted from the access point. The higher the transmission power, the farther the transmission range. Power selection is not just a trade off between coverage area and maximum supported clients. You also have to ensure that high‐power signals do not interfere with the operation of other radio devices in the service area. (Options: 100%, 50%, 25%, 12.5%, minimum.) Default: 100%
•Auto Data Rate Select lets the access point cycle through various data rates during client association and authentication, depending on the distance and RF neighborhood. Default: Disabled.
•Software Retry lets the access point increase client attempts for association based on distance and RF neighborhood, in conjunction with the base hardware retry. Default: Disabled.
•Maximum Tx Data Rate identifies the highest desired transmission speed for the broadcast traffic as forwarded by the AP to the wireless LAN.
–802.11a defines 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbps data rates in the 5 GHz band.
–802.11b only defines: 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbps data rates in the 2.4 GHz band.
–802.11g only defines: 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbps data rates.
–802.11b and 802.11g defines: 1,2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbps data rates.
•Multicast Data Rate sets the speed to support for multicast traffic.
The faster the transmit speed, the shorter the coverage area at that speed. For example, an AP with an 802.11b 11 Mbit/s Radio Card can communicate with clients up to a distance of
375 feet in a semi‐open environment. However, only clients within the first 165 feet can communicate at 11 Mbit/s. Clients between 165 and 230 feet communicate at 5.5 Mbit/s. Clients between 230 and 300 feet communicate at 2 Mbit/s; and clients between 300 to 375 feet communicate at 1 Mbit/s.
•Beacon Interval (20‐1000) sets the rate at which beacon signals are transmitted from the access point. The beacon signals allow wireless clients to maintain contact with the access point. They may also carry power‐management information. Default: 100 Ms
•Data Beacon Rate (1‐255) sets the rate at which stations in sleep mode must wake up to receive broadcast/multicast transmissions.
Known also as the Delivery Traffic Indication Map (DTIM) interval, it indicates how often the MAC layer forwards broadcast/multicast traffic, which is necessary to wake up stations that are using Power Save mode. The default value of 2 indicates that the access point will save all broadcast/multicast frames for the Basic Service Set (BSS) and forward them after every second beacon. Using smaller DTIM intervals delivers broadcast/multicast frames in a more timely manner, causing stations in Power Save mode to wake up more often and drain power