Introduction; Technical Background - Samsung MagicLAN SWL-2000P User Manual

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1. MagicLAN Introduction

1.1 Introduction

Thank you for your purchase of SAMSUNG MagicLAN (SWL-2000P) Wireless LAN Adapter.. Installing

card allows the computer to join a wireless network based on the IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN standard. You

will be surprised how easy for you to be a part of network with no bother of twisted cables.

• What is IEEE 802.11?

The IEEE 802.11 specification is a wireless LAN standard developed by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and

Electronic Engineering) committee in order to specify an "over an air" interface between a wireless client

and a base station or Access Point, as well as among wireless clients.

Like other IEEE 802 families, IEEE 802.11 specification addresses both Physical (PHY) layer and Media

Access Control (MAC) layer.

• IEEE 802.11 Physical (PHY) Layer

At the PHY layer, IEEE 802.11 defines three physical characteristics for LAN: diffused infrared, Direct

Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS), and Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS). While the infrared

PHY operates at the baseband, the other two PHYs operate at the 2.4GHz ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and

Medical) band, which can be used for operating wireless LAN devices without the need for end-user

licenses. In order for wireless devices to be interoperable, they have to be conform to the same PHY

standard.

• IEEE 802.11 Media Access Control (MAC) Layer

The IEEE 802.11 MAC Layer is mainly concerned with rules for accessing the wireless medium. There are

two network architectures defined: StructureNet Network and Peer-to-Peer Network.

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