Tech Tip
162
Networking Fundamentals
infrastructure mode
a wireless network
that contains one or
more Wireless Access
Points.
ad hoc mode
a wireless network
that does not contain
a Wireless Access
Point.
Multiple Wireless Access Points within the same network should be confi gured
with the same SSID to support network roaming. When separate network systems
are within range of each other, the Wireless Access Points for each separate
network should use a different SSID to distinguish themselves from each other.
Most Wireless Access Points and wireless network adapters come with a default
SSID. If they are installed with minimal or no confi guration at all, all Wireless
Access Points will have the same SSID. The SSID can be readily reconfi gured.
Service Set Identifi er (SSID) names are case-sensitive.
Wireless network adapters and Wireless Access Points come with default
settings to make confi guration easy and, in some cases, automatic. However,
easy or preconfi gured settings make for weak security. Each device by the same
manufacturer uses the same default SSID. The SSID should be changed to make
the system more secure.
By default, most manufacturers do not enable encryption. The encryption
process slows the overall data rate of the system. It takes time to encrypt and
decrypt the packets. Encryption, however, should be enabled to make the
network more secure.
Wireless Network Modes
A wireless network that contains one or more Wireless Access Points is
arranged in infrastructure mode, Figure 4-15. When a WAP is not present in a
wireless network, it is arranged in ad hoc mode, Figure 4-16. The reference to the
term ad hoc means that the system is put together rapidly and is usually intended
to be a temporary installation rather than a permanent installation. An ad hoc
network can contain a maximum of 20 computers. Typically, an ad hoc network
consists of a laptop and a desktop computer. An ad hoc network can be compared
to a peer-to-peer network where all devices are equal.
Figure 4-15.
A wireless network
in infrastructure
mode.
Infrastructure Mode