Belkin F506230-3 user manual Wireless Networking Using 802.11b, Infrastructure Mode

Wireless Networking Using 802.11b

Notebook with Wireless

Notebook Network Card

Notebook Wireless

Notebook Network Card

PC with Wireless Desktop PCI

Network Adapter

Infrastructure Mode

The use of a Wireless Access Point(WAP) to connect a wireless LAN to a wired LAN is called the Infrastructure Mode. A WAP serves as a bridge between the wired and wireless network. Connecting the Access Point to any port on the wired network will give wireless access to all wireless- equipped computers within its coverage area. An access point is configured with a Service Set Identifier, a “name” given to the wireless network and used by the wireless-equipped computers to access the wireless network. Access points can also be configured to use encryption or they can grant access to computers with specific MAC addresses. They effectively double the distance that computers in the wireless LAN can be located from one another. This is because the unit serves as a central point for routing of all the wireless network traffic between the wireless- equipped computers. Wireless-equipped computers networked together in Infrastructure Mode form a group called a Basic Service Set (BSS). Up to 64 individual computers can exist at a single time in a BSS. This is due to the ability of the WAP to handle no more than 64 clients. The diagram below illustrates how the WAP works to increase the covered area range of your wireless network.

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