User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction
3
Wireless Network Topologies
The 802.11 standard defines two wireless modes: Infrastructure mode and Ad Hoc mode.
Ad Hoc Network
An Ad Hoc network offers peer to peer connections between wireless stations that are in range of each other. The stations communicate directly with
each other without using an Access Point or any connection to a wired network. This mode is useful for quickly and easily setting up a wireless network
anywhere that a wireless infrastructure does not exist or is not required for services. In an Ad Hoc network, all wireless stations must have the same
SSID, channel and WEP keys (if enabled) to communicate with each other.
Figure 1-1 Ad Hoc Network
Infrastructure Network
An Infrastructure wireless network consists of at least one Access Point connected to the wired network infrastructure and a set of wireless end stations.
The AP acts as a gateway, linking the wireless network to a wired LAN. As a result, wireless stations have access to all of the features of your wired
LAN including e-mail, Internet, network printers and files server access.
Figure 1-2 Infrastructure Network