ZyXEL Communications Zyair B-1000 v.2, User Manual

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ZyAIR Access Point Series User’s Guide
D-2 Wireless LAN and IEEE 802.11
unlicensed ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band. The third method is infrared technology, using
very high frequencies, just below visible light in the electromagnetic spectrum to carry data.
Ad-hoc Wireless LAN Configuration
The simplest WLAN configuration is an independent (Ad-hoc) WLAN that connects a set of computers
with wireless nodes or stations (STA), which is called a Basic Service Set (BSS). In the most basic form, a
wireless LAN connects a set of computers with wireless adapters. Any time two or more wireless adapters
are within range of each other, they can set up an independent network, which is commonly referred to as
an Ad-hoc network or Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS). See the following diagram of an example of
an Ad-hoc wireless LAN.
Diagram D-1 Peer-to-Peer Communication in an Ad-hoc Network
Infrastructure Wireless LAN Configuration
For infrastructure WLANs, multiple access points (APs) link the WLAN to the wired network and allow
users to efficiently share network resources. The access points not only provide communication with the
wired network but also mediate wireless network traffic in the immediate neighborhood. Multiple access
points can provide wireless coverage for an entire building or campus. All communications between
stations or between a station and a wired network client go through the access point.