74
Network Parameters
Wireless (802.11a)
You can configure and view the following parameters within the Wireless Interface Configuration screen for an
802.11a radio:
NOTE
You must reboot the Access Point before any changes to these parameters take effect.
•Physical Interface Type: This field reports: “802.11a (OFDM 5 GHz).” OFDM stands for Orthogonal Frequency
Division Multiplexing; this is the name for the radio technology used by 802.11a devices.
•MAC Address: This is a read-only field that displays the unique MAC (Media Access Control) address for the
Access Point’s wireless interface. The MAC address is assigned at the factory.
•Network Name (SSID): Enter a Network Name (between 1 and 31 characters long) for the wireless network. You
must configure each wireless client to use this name as well. See Configure Network Names for the Wireless
Interfaces for more information.
•Auto Channel Select: The AP-2500 scans the area for other Access Points and selects a free or relatively unused
communication channel. This helps prevent interference problems and increases network performance. By default
this feature is enabled. Note that you cannot disable Auto Channel Select for 802.11a products in Europe (see
Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) for details).
•Frequency Channel: When Auto Channel Select is enabled, this field is read-only and displays the Access Point’s
current operating Channel. When Auto Channel Select is disabled, you can specify the Access Point’s Channel. If
you decide to manually set the unit’s Channel, ensure that nearby devices do not use the same frequency.
Available Channels vary based on regulatory domain. See 802.11a Channel Frequencies. Note that you cannot
manually set the channel for 802.11a products in Europe (see Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) for details).
•Transmit Rate: Use the drop-down menu to select a specific transmit rate for the 802.11a radio. Choose between
6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbits/s, and Auto Fallback. Auto Fallback is the default setting; it allows the AP to select
the best transmit rate based on the cell size.
Figure 4-8 Wireless Interface Configuration Screen (802.11a)
•DTIM Period: The Deferred Traffic Indicator Map (DTIM) is used with clients that have power management
enabled. DTIM should be left at 1, the default value, if any clients have power management enabled. This
parameter supports a range between 1 and 65535.
•RTS/CTS Medium Reservation: This parameter affects message flow control and should not be changed under
normal circumstances. Range is 0 to 2347. When set to a value between 0 and 2347, the Access Point uses the
RTS/CTS mechanism for packets that are the specified size or greater. When set to 2347 (the default setting),
RTS/CTS is disabled. See RTS/CTS Medium Reservation for more information.