User's Manual
Table Of Contents
- Reference Manual for the Model FWAG114 Cable/ DSL Wireless ProSafe Firewall
- Contents
- About This Manual
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Chapter 2 Connecting the Firewall to the Internet
- Chapter 3 Wireless Configuration
- Chapter 4 Firewall Protection and Content Filtering
- Chapter 5 Maintenance
- Chapter 6 Advanced Configuration
- Chapter 7 Troubleshooting
- Appendix A Technical Specifications
- Appendix B Network, Routing, Firewall, and Basics
- Appendix C Preparing Your Network
- Appendix D Wireless Networking Basics
- Glossary
- Index
- About This Manual
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Chapter 2 Connecting the Firewall to the Internet
- Chapter 3 Wireless Configuration
- Observe Performance, Placement, and Range Guidelines
- Implement Appropriate Wireless Security
- Understanding Wireless Settings
- Chapter 4 Firewall Protection and Content Filtering
- Firewall Protection and Content Filtering Overview
- Block Sites
- Using Rules to Block or Allow Specific Kinds of Traffic
- Services
- Using a Schedule to Block or Allow Specific Traffic
- Getting E-Mail Notifications of Event Logs and Alerts
- Viewing Logs of Web Access or Attempted Web Access
- Configuring E-Mail Alert and Web Access Log Notifications
- Chapter 5 Maintenance
- Chapter 6 Advanced Configuration
- Chapter 7 Troubleshooting
- Appendix A Technical Specifications
- Appendix B Network, Routing, Firewall, and Basics
- Appendix C Preparing Your Network
- Appendix D Wireless Networking Basics
- Glossary
- Index
Wireless Networking Basics D-1
Appendix D
Wireless Networking Basics
This chapter provides an overview of Wireless networking.
Wireless Networking Overview
The FWAG114 wireless firewall conforms to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE) 802.11b standard for wireless LAN
s (WLANs) and a product update will bring the
FWAG114 into conformance to the 802.11g standard when it is ratified. On an 802.11b or g
wireless link, data is encoded using direct-sequence spread-spectrum (DSSS) technology and is
transmitted in the unlicensed radio spectrum at 2.5GHz. The maximum data rate for the 802.11b
wireless link is 11 Mbps, but it will automatically back down from 11 Mbps to 5.5, 2, and 1 Mbps
when the radio signal is weak or when interference is detected. The 802.11g auto rate sensing rates
are 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 54 Mbps. Likewise, the 802.11a wireless link offers a
maximum data rate of 54 Mbps, but will automatically back down to rates 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9,
and 6 Mbps.
The 802.11 standard is also called Wireless Ethernet or Wi-Fi by the Wireless Ethernet
Compatibility Alliance (WECA, see http://www.wi-fi.net), an industry standard group promoting
interoperability among 802.11 devices. The 802.11 standard offers two methods for configuring a
wireless network - ad hoc and infrastructure.