User's Manual

802.11b/g WiFi Module
Features
The features supported by the ProST 802.11g WLAN Access Point are outlined below:
Interfaces directly to 10/100Mbps IEEE 802.3 Ethernet networks
Supports IEEE 802.11 WLAN functions
Supported WLAN Bridge function (WDS: Wireless Distribution System)
Firmware is stored in a flash memory and can be upgraded remotely.
Configurable through Web based management.
Power, Ethernet and wireless activity LED indicators.
One external and one internal inverted F antennas supporting diversity.
Wireless Network Configuration
Ad-hoc Mode (Peer-to-Peer Workgroup)
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard for wireless LANs (WLANs), 802.11, offers two
methods for configuring a wireless network — ad hoc and infrastructure. In an ad hoc network, computers are
brought together as needed; thus, there is no structure or fixed points to the network — each node can generally
communicate with any other node. There is no access point involved in this configuration. It enables you to quickly
set up a small wireless workgroup and allows workgroup members to exchange data or share printers as supported by
Microsoft Networking in the various Windows operating systems. Some vendors also refer to ad hoc networking as
Peer-to-Peer group networking.
In this configuration, network packets are directly sent and received by the intended transmitting and receiving stations.
As long as the stations are within range of one another, this is the easiest and least expansive way to set up a wireless
network.
To set up an ad hoc workgroup operating with standard protocols, do the following:
•
Set all stations to connect in Ad-hoc mode (or Peer-to-Peer workgroup mode)
•
Set all stations to use the same network name (or SSID).
•
Set all stations to use no WEP encryption key or an identical WEP encryption key
•
Set all stations to use the same wireless channel for communication
Infrastructure Mode
To set up an infrastructure network operating with standard protocols, do the following:
• Set all wireless stations to connect in infrastructure mode
• Set all stations to use the same network name (or SSID)
• Set all stations to use no WEP encryption key or an identical WEP encryption key
• Set up wireless channels used by individual access point. (It is not necessary to set channels on the stations as
the stations will automatically scan through all channels for the nearest access point.)