Votes - 0, Average rating: 0
(
)
)
|
manual abstract
• Transmit Statistics: Identifies transmit megabits per second (Mbps), transmit packets per second (Tx Packets/s), total transmitted packets, and transmit errors. • Receive Statistics: Identifies receive megabits per second (Mbps), receive packets per second (Rx Packets/s), total received packets, and reception errors. Network Connections and Wireless Security v2.0, February 2007 NETGEAR RangeMax NEXT Wireless PCI Adapter WN311B User Manual About Page The About page displays the current software version information. Figure 2-13 The following information is displayed in the About page: • Regional Domain: This is the region setting for the wireless adapter. The approved channels for the region are automatically scanned. Governments regulate the channels used for wireless transmission. Operating the wireless adapter in a different region may violate local laws. • Driver Version: The wireless adapter driver version. • Driver Date: The wireless adapter driver release date. • MAC Address: The MAC address of the adapter. The Media Access Control address is a unique 48-bit hardware address assigned to every network interface card. Some wireless networks will restrict access based on a list of known MAC addresses. If you are communicating with such a network, you would have to provide the address shown here to the network administrator before you would be allowed to connect. Restricting access by MAC address adds an obstacle against unwanted access to your network. However, unless you use data encryption security, the data broadcast over the wireless link is fully exposed. • IP Address: The IP address assigned to this adapter. • Smart Wireless Utility: The version and release date of the Smart Wizard. Network Connections and Wireless Security v2.0, February 2007 NETGEAR RangeMax NEXT Wireless PCI Adapter WN311B User Manual Network Connections and Wireless Security v2.0, February 2007 Chapter 3 Wireless Network Performance This chapter explains how to use your WN311T Wireless PCI Adapter to connect to your Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and how to set up wireless security for the WN311T Wireless PCI Adapter so that it matches the wireless security settings for your network. Optimizing Wireless Performance The speed and operating distance or range of your wireless connection can vary significantly based on the location of the wireless router. You should choose a location for your router that will maximize the network speed. The following list describes how to optimize wireless router performance. • Identify critical wireless links. If your network has several wireless devices, decide which wireless devices need the highest data rate, and locate the router near them. Many wireless products have automatic data-rate fallback, which allows increased distances without losing connectivity. This also means that devices that are further away may be slower. Therefore, the most critical links in your network are those where the traffic is high and the distances are great. Optimize those first. • Choose placement carefully. For best results, place your router: — Near the center of the area in which your computers will operate. — In an elevated location such as a high shelf where the wirelessly connected computers have line-of-sight access (even if through walls). • Avoid obstacles to wireless signals. — Keep wireless devices at least two feet from large metal fixtures such as file cabinets, refrigerators, pipes, metal ceilings, reinforced concrete, and metal partitions. — Keep away from large amounts of water such as fish tanks and water coolers. • Reduce interference. Avoid windows unless communicating between buildings. Place wireless devices away from various electromagnetic noise sources, especially those in the 2400–2500 MHz frequency band. Common noise-creating sources are: Wireless Network Performance v2.0, February 2007 NETGEAR RangeMax NEXT Wireless PCI Adapter WN311T User Manual 3-2 Wireless Network Performance v2.0, February 2007 — Computers and fax machines (no closer than one foot) — Copying machines, elevators, and cell phones (no closer than 6 feet) — Microwave ovens (no closer than 10 feet) • Choose your settings. — Use a scanning utility to determine what other wireless networks are operating nearby, and choose an unused channel. — Turn off SSID Broadcast, and change the default SSID. Other nearby devices may automatically try to connect to your network several times a second, which can cause significant performance reduction. Optimizing Your Network Bandwidth The speed of network connections depends on the type of equipment that you use. Try to use highspeed technologies for network connections with the heaviest traffic to avoid lower-speed bottlenecks in the path. The following figure shows a home network that includes many different connection speeds. Figure 3-1 ............ .............................. ........................ ........................ .............. .................. .......... .........