Cisco Systems OL-1744-02 Data Transparency and Protocols

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Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Adapters Installation and Configuration Guide for MS-DOS

OL-1744-02

Chapter 1 Overview Data Transparency and Protocols

Note For a detailed explanation of antenna types and configurations along with guidelines on selecting

antennas for specific e nviron men ts, see the Aironet Antenna Guide on Cisco’s. web site:

http://www.cisco.com /univercd/cc/td/doc/ product/wireless/ air_legc/antennas /index.htm

•Physical Enviro nme nts—Clear or open areas provide better radio range th an closed or filled areas.

Also, the less cluttered the work environment, the greater the range.

•Obstructions—Avoid locating the co mp ut in g d evice an d an ten n a i n a location where there is a

metal barrier be tw een the sending an d receiving anten na s.

•Building Materials—Radio penetration is greatly influenced by the building material used in

construction. For e xampl e, dr ywal l cons tr ucti on all o ws gr eat er range t han c oncr et e blo c ks. Meta l or

steel construction is a barrier to radio signals.

The link test tool is used to de termine RF coverage. The te st results help the insta ller eliminate low RF

signal level area that ca n re sult in loss of connec tion.

Note External antennas u sed in combinati on with a power sett ing resulting in a radiated power leve l above

100 mW equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) are not allowed for use within the European

community and other countries that have adopted the European R&TTE directive or the CEPT

recommendation Rec 70.03 or both. For more details on legal combinations of power levels and

antennas in those countri es , co nt act C isco C orporate Compliance.

Data Transparency and Protocols

The Cisco Aironet Wireless LA N A d ap ter t ra nsp o rt s d at a p ack ets tr an spa re nt ly a s th ey m ove t hro ug h

the wireless infrastructur e. The PC Card operates simi larly to a standard network pro duct except that the

wire is replaced with a radio connection. No special wireless networking functions are required. All

existing applications, which operate over a network, operate using the Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN

Adapter.

The Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Client Adapter can be used in a variety of infrastructure

configurations. Cisc o Aironet access points provide connections to Ethernet Networks. When using the

Cisco Aironet standard device drivers, the PC Card is fully compliant with the protocols and wired

networks listed in Table 1-1

Table1-1 Protocols Supported

Drivers Operating Systems

ODI MS-DOS-based driver for Novell N et Ware