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Appendix B
About Wireless LANs
This Appendix provides some background information about using
Wireless LANs (WLANs).
Modes
Wireless LANs can work in either of two (2) modes:
Ad-hoc
Infrastructure
Ad-hoc Mode
Ad-hoc mode does not require an Access Point or a wired (Ethernet) LAN. Wireless
Stations (e.g. notebook PCs with wireless cards) communicate directly with each
other.
Infrastructure Mode
In Infrastructure Mode, one or more Access Points are used to connect Wireless
Stations (e.g. Notebook PCs with wireless cards) to a wired (Ethernet) LAN. The
Wireless Stations can then access all LAN resources.
Access Points can only function in "Infrastructure" mode, and
can communicate only with Wireless Stations which are set to
"Infrastructure" mode.
BSS/ESS
BSS
A group of Wireless Stations and a single Access Point, all using the same ID (SSID),
form a Basic Service Set (BSS).
Using the same SSID is essential. Devices with different SSIDs are unable to com-
municate with each other.
ESS
A group of Wireless Stations, and multiple Access Points, all using the same ID
(ESSID), form an Extended Service Set (ESS).
Different Access Points within an ESS can use different Channels. In fact, to reduce
interference, it is recommended that adjacent Access Points SHOULD use different
channels.
As Wireless Stations are physically moved through the area covered by an ESS, they
will automatically change to the Access Point which has the least interference or best
performance. This capability is called Roaming. (Access Points do not have or require
Roaming capabilities.)