Wireless Local Area Network (Wlan) - Siemens GIGASET SX762 WLAN DSL Manual

The Gigaset SX762 WLAN dsl

Wireless local area network (WLAN)

In a wireless local area network (WLAN), PCs are linked without wires or cables. The PCs
have to be equipped with a wireless local area network adapter (WLAN adapter), for
example a Gigaset USB Adapter 108.
We generally differentiate between two types of wireless network:
Infrastructure mode
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Ad-hoc mode
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Infrastructure mode
Infrastructure mode connects wireless and wired networks with one another. In addi-
tion to the mobile stations, infrastructure mode needs an access point such as the
Gigaset SX762 WLAN dsl. In infrastructure mode, the stations in the network always
communicate via this access point. The access point sets up the wireless network on a
permanent basis. Each station that wants to be part of the wireless network must first
register with the access point before it can exchange data.
The access point establishes the connection between the mobile stations of a wireless
network and a wired LAN (Ethernet) or the Internet. In this case this is described as the
device's router functionality. The router sends data packets that are not addressed to sta-
tions within the network "outside" and forwards data packets originating from "outside"
to the appropriate station within the network.
You can use the Gigaset SX762 WLAN dsl to connect
wirelessly networked PCs to the Internet and
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wirelessly networked PCs to an Ethernet network.
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Infrastructure mode is the default configuration for the Gigaset SX762 WLAN dsl.
Ad-hoc mode
An ad-hoc network is a wireless network that has been configured without an access
point or a router. The mobile network components that communicate with each other
directly and wirelessly form the network on an "ad-hoc" basis, i.e. as and when required.
All the stations in the network have the same rights. Ad-hoc networks are used wher-
ever communications networks have to be set up quickly and there is no existing net-
work infrastructure, and where the participants are on the move.
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