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Wireless Network Access Point
3
Planning Your Wireless Network
Network Topology
A wireless LAN is a group of computers, each equipped with one Instant
Wireless™ Series Adapter. Computers in a wireless LAN must be configured
to share the same radio channel.
The Instant Wireless™ Series Adapter provides access to a wired LAN for
wireless workstations. An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called an
Infrastructure configuration. A group of Instant Wireless™ Series Adapter
users and an Instant Wireless™ Network Access Point compose a Basic Service
Set (BSS). Each Instant Wireless™ Series Adapter PC in a BSS can talk to any
computer in a wired LAN infrastructure via the Instant Wireless™ Network
Access Point.
An infrastructure configuration extends the accessibility of an Instant
Wireless™ Series Adapter PC to a wired LAN, and doubles the effective wire-
less transmission range for two Instant Wireless™ Series Adapter PCs. Since
the Wireless Network Access Point is able to forward data within its BSS, the
effective transmission range in an infrastructure LAN is doubled.
The use of a unique ID in a BSS is essential. All Instant Wireless™ Series
Adapter PCs configured without roaming options in an independent BSS must
be configured with a BSS ID used in the BSS.
The wireless LAN Infrastructure configuration is appropriate for enterprise-
scale wireless access to a central database, or as a wireless application for
mobile users.
Infrastructure mode also supports roaming capabilities for mobile users. More
than one BSS can be configured as an Extended Service Set (ESS). This con-
tinuous network allows users to roam freely within an ESS. All Instant
Wireless™ Series Adapter PCs within one ESS must be configured with the
same ESS ID and use the same radio channel.
Before enabling an ESS with roaming capability, choosing a feasible radio
channel and optimum Wireless Network Access Point position is recommend-
ed. Proper Wireless Network Access Point positioning combined with a clear
radio signal will greatly enhance performance.
Instant Wireless
TM
Series
Package Contents
• One Instant Wireless
TM
Network Access Point
• One AC Power Adapter
• One Setup CD-ROM
• One User Guide
• One Quick Installation and Registration Card (not shown)
• Two Detachable Antennae
• One USB Cable
System Requirements
• A PC with USB Support or Ethernet Connection
• Windows 95, 98, Millennium, NT version 4.0, or 2000 Professional
• 500 kbytes of free disk space for utility and driver installation
• A 10 Mbps Category 3 or Better network RJ-45 connection
2
Roaming
Linux/Unix Users: Though these operating systems are not supported by
Linksys, the Wireless Access Point should work in these environments. The
WAP11 can be configured under these operating systems using SNMP. A
configurable Management Information Base file (MIB) named
AT76C510.MIB can be found on the Setup Utility CD. This file is for
Linux/Unix users only, and is not necessary for any Windows installation.