Appendix C Upgrading the Presentation Player’s Firmware

Figure A-1

Instant WirelessTM Series

Ad-hoc versus Infrastructure Mode

Unlike wired networks, wireless networks have two different modes in which they may be set up: Infrastructure and Ad-hoc. Choosing between these two modes depends on whether or not the wireless network needs to share data or peripherals with a wired network or not.

If the computers on the wireless network need to be accessible by a wired network or need to share a peripheral, such as a printer, with the wired network computers, the wireless network should be set up in the Infrastructure mode, as shown in Figure A-1. The basis of Infrastructure mode centers around an access point, which serves as the main point of communications in a wireless network. Access points transmit data to PCs equipped with wireless network card, which can roam within a certain

radial range of the

access point.

Multiple access points can be arranged to work in succession to extend the roaming range, and can be set up to communicate with your Ethernet hard- ware as well.

If the wireless network is relatively small and needs to share resources only with the other computers on the wireless network, then the Ad-hoc mode can be used, as shown in Figure A-2. Ad-hoc mode allows computers equipped with wireless transmitters and receivers to communicate directly with each other, eliminating the need for an access point. The drawback of the Ad-hoc mode is that wireless-equipped computers are not able to communicate with computers on a wired network. In addition, communication between the wire-

less-equipped com- puters is limited by the distance and interfer- ence directly between them.

Figure A-2

Presentation Player