2. Planning Your Wireless Network
2.1 Network Topology
A wireless local area network (WLAN) is exactly like a regular local area network (LAN), except
that each computer in the WLAN uses a wireless device to connect to the network. Computers in
a WLAN share the same frequency channel and SSID, which is an identification name for
wireless devices.
2.2 AD-Hoc versus Infrastructure Mode
An Ad-Hoc wireless LAN is a group of computers, each equipped with one WLAN adapter,
connected as an independent wireless LAN. Computers in a specific Ad-Hoc wireless LAN
must be configured to share the same radio channel.
The adapter provides access to a wired LAN for wireless workstations. An integrated wireless and
wired LAN is called an infrastructure configuration. A group of PC adapter/ card users and an
Access Point can compose a Basic Service Set (BSS). Each wireless node in a BSS can talk to
any computer in the wired LAN infrastructure via the Access Point.
Network Topology
Ad-Hoc versus Infrastructure Mode
