Linksys WAP54GPE User Manual page 32

Wireless-G Exterior Access Point
advertised. The Basic Data Rates are not the rates transmitted; the rates transmitted can be configured through
the TX Rate setting on the Wireless - Basic Wireless Settings tab.
Beacon Interval. This value indicates the frequency interval of the beacon. A beacon is a packet broadcast by
the Access Point to keep the network synchronized. A beacon includes the wireless networks service area, the
Access Point address, the Broadcast destination addresses, a time stamp, Delivery Traffic Indicator Maps, and
the Traffic Indicator Message (TIM).
DTIM Interval. This value indicates how often the Access Point sends out a Delivery Traffic Indication Message
(DTIM). Lower settings result in more efficient networking, while preventing your PC from dropping into power-
saving sleep mode. Higher settings allow your PC to enter sleep mode, thus saving power, but interferes with
wireless transmissions.
RTS Threshold. This setting determines how large a packet can be before the Access Point coordinates
transmission and reception to ensure efficient communication. This value should remain at its default setting of
2347. Should you encounter inconsistent data flow, only minor modifications are recommended.
Fragmentation Threshold. This specifies the maximum size a data packet can be before splitting and creating
a new packet. It should remain at its default setting of 2346. A smaller setting means smaller packets, which will
create more packets for each transmission. If you have decreased this value and experience high packet error
rates, you can increase it again, but it will likely decrease overall network performance. Only minor modifications
of this value are recommended.
Power Output. You can adjust the output power of the Access Point to get the appropriate coverage for your
wireless network. Select the level you need for your environment. If you are not sure which setting to choose,
then keep the default setting, 100%.
Change these settings as described here and click Save Settings to apply your changes, or click Cancel
Changes to cancel your changes. Help information is displayed on the right-hand side of the screen, and click
More for additional details.
Chapter 6: Configuring the Wireless-G Exterior Access Point
The Wireless - Advanced Wireless Settings Tab
beacon internal: data transmitted on your wireless network
that keeps the network synchronized.
packet: a unit of data sent over a network.
dtim (delivery traffic indication message): a message
included in data packets that can increase wireless
efficiency.
rts (request to send): a networking method of coordinating
large packets through the RTS Threshold setting.
fragmentation: breaking a packet into smaller units
when transmitting over a network.
26