Reference Guide

hp psc 2500 series
chapter 15
142
wireless network setup
In Infrastructure mode, all wireless communication between network
devices goes through an access point. Each wireless network device must
have a wireless network adapter that connects it to an access point.
Note: If your HP PSC connects through a wireless residential gateway that
provides access point functions, choose infrastructure mode.
• Ad-hoc (Peer-to-Peer) (factory default): the HP PSC communicates with your
computer directly, rather than through an access point or base station.
Each wireless device on an ad-hoc network must have a wireless network
adapter. The adapter enables each device to communicate with the other
devices on the network. For more information, see the glossary of terms on
page 168.
Ad-hoc mode is usually limited to simple, small wireless networks because
performance degrades significantly after connecting six network devices.
This option is recommended when you are not trying to share an Internet
connection or when you are only connecting two network devices. You can
access the Internet in an ad-hoc network by connecting to a Windows
computer that has Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) enabled.
If you are a PC owner and are setting up a wireless network, you will need an
802.11b/Wi-Fi (wireless-fidelity) compatible PC card that operate in ad-hoc
mode. If your network is set up for infrastructure mode, you will need an 802.11b
wireless transceiver. Wireless network adapters with transceivers are available in
PCMCIA card form. But some manufacturers do offer PCI or ISA format cards,
not just adapters.
If you are a Macintosh owner, setting up an 802.11b/Wi-Fi compatible network
is easy. Apple sells an easy-to-configure access point called AirPort. AirPort has
to be connected to a Macintosh, but it accepts signals from any
802.11b-compatible wireless network card, whether PC or Macintosh based.
Note: For more information on Wi-Fi and wireless network adapters, see the
glossary of terms on page 168.