Important If your computer came equipped with an internal radio frequency wireless device, see “Safety, Regulatory, and Legal Information” in your user’s guide for general wireless regulatory and safety guidelines. To find out if your computer has an internal wireless device, check the device manager. For more information, see “Determining if wireless Ethernet is already installed on your computers” on page 91.

Important Note any antenna placement constraints in the user guide of each type of wireless device in your network.

Wireless Ethernet speed and frequency

Wireless Ethernet is available at two different speeds and at two different frequencies. The following table compares the various wireless Ethernet network types.

Network TypeSpeedFrequencyAdvantagesDisadvantages

 

 

 

 

 

 

IEEE 802.11a

54 Mbps

5 GHz

Less possible

■

Shorter range (25

 

 

 

interference than

 

to 75 feet) than

 

 

 

IEEE 802.11b and

 

IEEE 802.11band

 

 

 

IEEE 802.11g

 

IEEE 802.11g

 

 

 

 

 

■

Not compatible

 

 

 

 

 

 

with

 

 

 

 

 

 

IEEE 802.11b or

 

 

 

 

 

 

IEEE 802.11g

 

 

 

 

 

 

networks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IEEE 802.11b

11 Mbps

2.4 GHz

■

Large number of

■

Possible

 

 

 

 

access points

 

interference from

 

 

 

 

already exist in

 

cordless

 

 

 

 

airports, college

 

telephones and

 

 

 

 

campuses, and

 

microwaves

 

 

 

 

businesses

■

Not compatible

 

 

 

■

Compatible with

 

with

 

 

 

 

IEEE 802.11g

 

IEEE 802.11a

 

 

 

 

networks

 

networks

 

 

 

■

Longer range (100

 

 

 

 

 

 

to 150 feet) than

 

 

 

 

 

 

IEEE 802.11a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

88

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