The Gigaset SE366 WLAN

Wireless local area network (WLAN)

In a wireless local area network (WLAN), PCs are linked without wires or cables. For this, the PCs have to be equipped with a wireless network adapter (WLAN adapter) such as a Gigaset PC Card 300 or a Gigaset USB Adapter 300.

We generally differentiate between two types of wireless network:

uInfrastructure mode u Ad-hoc mode

Infrastructure mode

Infrastructure mode connects wireless and wired networks with one another. In addition to the mobile stations, infrastructure mode needs an access point such as the Gigaset SE366 WLAN. In infrastructure mode, the stations in the network always communicate via this access point. Each station that wants to be part of a wireless network must first be registered with the access point before it can exchange data.

The access point establishes the connection between the mobile stations of a wireless network and a wired LAN (Ethernet) or the Internet. This is described as the device's router functionality. The router sends data packets that are not addressed to stations within the network "outside," and forwards data packets originating from "outside" to the appropriate station within the network.

You can use the Gigaset SE366 WLAN to connect

uwirelessly networked PCs to the Internet and

uwirelessly networked PCs to an Ethernet network.

Infrastructure mode is the default configuration of the Gigaset SE366 WLAN. This configuration is described in the quick start guide that comes with the device.

Ad-hoc mode

An ad-hoc network is a wireless network that has been configured without an access point or a router. The mobile network components communicate with each other directly and wirelessly form the network on an "ad-hoc" basis, i.e. as and when required. All the stations in the network have the same rights. Ad-hoc networks are used wherever communications networks have to be set up quickly and without any existing network infrastructure, and where participants are on the move.

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