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User Manual for the NETGEAR RangeMax™ Wireless PC Card WPN511
3-2 Basic Setup
February 2005
Observing Location and Range Guidelines
Computers can connect over wireless networks indoors at a range which vary significantly based
on the physical location of the computer with the NETGEAR RangeMax™ Wireless PC Card
WPN511. For best results, avoid potential sources of interference, such as:
• Large metal surfaces
•Microwaves
• 2.4 GHz Cordless phones
In general, wireless devices can communicate through walls. However, if the walls are constructed
with concrete, or have metal, or metal mesh, the effective range will decrease if such materials are
between the devices.
Two Basic Operating Modes
The WPN511 Wireless PC Card can operate in the following two basic modes:
• Infrastructure Mode: An 802.11 networking framework in which devices and computers
communicate with each other by first going through an access point (AP). For example, this
mode is used when computers in a house connect to an Access Point that is attached to a router
which lets multiple computers share a single Cable or DSL broadband Internet connection.
• Ad-Hoc Mode: An 802.11 networking framework in which devices or computers
communicate directly with each other, without the use of an AP. For example, Ad-Hoc Mode
is used when two Windows computers are configured with file and print sharing enabled and
you want to exchange files directly between them.
Both of these configuration options are available with the WPN511 Wireless PC Card.
Infrastructure configuration procedures for basic network connectivity are covered below.
Advanced infrastructure configuration procedures and ad-hoc configuration are covered in
Chapter 4, “Configuration” of this manual.
WPN511 Default Wireless Configuration Settings
If this is a new wireless network installation, use the factory default settings to set up the network
and verify wireless connectivity. If this is an addition to an existing wireless network, you will
need to identify the wireless configuration and security parameters already defined.
Your NETGEAR RangeMax™ Wireless PC Card WPN511 factory default basic settings are: