7. WIRELESS LAN SYSTEM
7.1 802.11 Ad-Hoc Configuration
An 802.11 Ad-Hoc wireless LAN is a group of computers, each equipped with one wireless LAN card, connected as
an independent wireless LAN. Computers in a specific 802.11 Ad-Hoc wireless LAN must be configured at the same
radio channel and BSS ID. 802.11 Ad-Hoc wireless LAN is applicable to a departmental scale for a branch or SOHO
operation.
Notebook with Wireless PC Card
Notebook with
Wireless PC Card
Desktop PC with
Wireless PC Card
Figure 1. 802.11 Ad-Hoc Configuration
7.2 Infrastructure
Configuration
An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called an infrastructure configuration. A group of wireless LAN cards and an
Access Point (AP) is called a Basic Service Set (BSS). Each wireless LAN card in this BSS can be linked to any
computer in the wired LAN infrastructure via the AP.
Infrastructure configuration not only extends the accessibility of a wireless LAN card to the wired LAN, but also
doubles the effective wireless transmission range between two wireless LAN cards.
BSS ID is, in essential, the ID of each independent wireless LAN card. All wireless LAN cards configured without
roaming options in this independent BSS must be configured with BSS ID of that AP. You may need to check BSS
ID of your AP by using its vendor supplied program.
Infrastructure configuration is applicable to enterprise scale for wireless access to central database, or wireless
application for mobile workers.
Two APs can be used as a point-to-point link between two LANs. LAN interconnection is applicable to a wireless
backbone between buildings.
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