Wireless LAN

Wireless LAN can operate with or without access points, depending on the number of users in the network. Infrastructure mode uses access points to allow wireless computers to send and receive information. Wireless LAN computers transmit to the access point; the access point receives the information and rebroadcasts it to other computers. The Wireless LAN access point can also connect to a wired network or to the Internet. Multiple access points can work together to provide coverage over a wide area.

There are three basic components that must be configured for an 802.11b Wireless LAN to operate properly:

Network Name—Each Wireless LAN network uses a unique Network Name to identify the network. This name is called the Service Set Identifier (SSID). When you set up your wireless adapter, you specify the SSID. If you want to connect to an existing network, you must use the name for that network. If you are setting up your own network you can make up your own name and use it on each computer. The name can be up to 32 characters long and contain letters and numbers.

Profiles—when you set up your computer to access a Wireless LAN network, Intel® PROSet creates a profile for the wireless settings that you specify. If you want to connect to another network, you can scan for existing networks and make a temporary connection, or create a new profile for that network. After you create profiles, your computer will automatically connect when you change locations.

Security—the 802.11b Wireless LAN networks use encryption to help protect your data. Wired equivalent privacy (WEP) uses a 64-bit or 128-bit shared encryption key to scramble data. Before a computer transmits data, it scrambles the data using the secret encryption key. The receiving computer uses this same key to unscramble the data. If you are connecting to an existing network, use the encryption key provided by the administrator of the Wireless LAN network. If you are setting up your own network you can make up your own key and use it on each computer.