Adaptec WirelessTM - Manual (Page 50)

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About Wireless Technology and LANs
About Wireless Technology
and LANs
This section provides a general overview of Wireless technology and
LANs. There are many books and Web sites dedicated to this topic
that can provide a more comprehensive explanation.
What’s a LAN?
A network is a group of computers that are connected together in a
way that lets them share and exchange information and resources.
A Local Area Network, or LAN, is a network of computers that are in
the same general physical location, usually within a building or
small group of buildings. Computers on a LAN can share devices
such as printers or scanners, they can share and exchange files
without using floppy disks or CDs, and they can all use a single
Internet connection.
What’s a Wireless LAN?
A Wireless LAN (WLAN) uses radio signals instead of cables or
wires to connect all the computers in the network.
There are different types of Wireless networks, each with it’s own
set of features and benefits. Adaptec Wireless Network products
are based on the Wi-Fi standard (wireless fidelity, like high fidelity
or Hi-Fi in audio equipment), which means that they communicate
at a maximum speed of 11 Mbps (Megabits per second) within a
radius of up to 1000 feet.
How Do I Create a Basic WLAN?
A WLAN can be as simple as two computers, each installed with a
Wireless Network Interface Card (NIC), such as Wireless USB
adapter or Wireless PC Card. You can expand your WLAN to
include more computers, and you can incorporate a WLAN into a
pre-existing wired LAN by using hubs, Wireless APs, Wireless
Routers, and additional Wireless NICs.
Go to the Adaptec Web site at www.adaptec.com for more
information on Wireless products.