-
What is 802.11b?
- How is a connection made to the network?
- What is Wi-Fi?
- Can
the Wireless LAN Card be used to connect to devices using
other types of wireless networks such as HomeRF and Bluetooth?
-
Can the Socket WLAN Card coexist with other
types of wireless networks?
- My
company uses DHCP. How do I enable it on my device?
- What
is an ESSID?
- What
is WEP?
- Can
I prevent someone from looking at the WEP key on my device?
- If
I can't get my device to connect to the network, what
should I check?
- Can
I connect to another device using a Socket Wireless LAN
Card?
- What
is a MAC address?
- There
is an option to set "Mandatory AP". What is
it and when would it be used?
- What
is the difference between Bluetooth and 802.11b?
- What
is Bluetooth?
- What
does Bluetooth deliver to end users?
- Do
Bluetooth products work only in certain areas of the world?
- What
are typical usage scenarios for a Bluetooth Card?
Q:What
is 802.11b?
A:
IEEE 802.11b is a wireless networking standard created
by the Institute
of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The standard uses a method
called Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum that allows a maximum
throughput data rate of 11 Mbps ("mega-bits per second").
Many companies are selling wireless networking product based
on the 802.11b standard.
Q:
How is a connection made to the network?
A:
Typically a network is enabled for wireless access by
connecting Access Points (AP's) to the network. A mobile
unit, such as a Pocket PC with a Socket Wireless LAN Card,
communicates with an AP that is connected to the network.
Q:
What is Wi-Fi?
A:
The Wi-Fi logo signifies that a product is interoperable
with wireless networking equipment from other vendors. A
Wi-Fi logo product has been tested and certified by the
Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA). The Socket
Wireless LAN Card is Wi-Fi certified, and that means that
it will work (interoperate) with any brand of Access Point
that is also Wi-Fi certified.
Q:
Can the Wireless LAN Card be used to connect
to devices using other types of wireless networks such as
HomeRF and Bluetooth?
A:
No, it can only be used to connect to other 802.11b
Wi-Fi Certified equipment.
Q:
Can the Socket WLAN Card coexist with other
types of wireless networks?
A:
Yes, the Wireless LAN Card can be used in environments
where other networks such as HomeRF or Bluetooth are employed.
Q:
My company uses DHCP. How do I enable it on
my device?
A:
In DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), IP addresses
are assigned dynamically to client devices. For Pocket PCs,
this is normally the default setting. If for some reason
it is not, you can set this on your Pocket PC through the
Socket WLAN Card utility.
Q:
What is an ESSID?
A:
ESSID stands for Extended Service Set Identifier and
identifies the wireless LAN. The ESSID of the mobile device
must match the ESSID of the AP to communicate with the AP.
The ESSID is a 32-character maximum string and is case-sensitive.
Q:
What is WEP?
A:
WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy and adds encryption
as a way of preventing others from seeing your data as it
is transmitted over the air. WEP uses either 40 or 128 bit
keys that must match between mobile device and AP. To operate
correctly, WEP security must be enabled on both the Access
Point and the Socket WLAN Card.
Q:
Can I prevent someone from looking at the WEP
key on my device?
A:
The Socket WLAN Card Utility is written such that once
it is entered and applied, it will no longer be visible.
Asterisks will appear in place of the hexadecimal digits.
Q:
If I can't get my device to connect to the network,
what should I check?
A:
1. The ESSID is correct (note that it is case-sensitive)
2. The
WEP key is correctly entered (if WEP security is turned
on)
3. You
are in range of a working access point
Q:
Can I connect to another device using a Socket
Wireless LAN Card?
A:
Yes, this is called the "Ad Hoc" or "Point-to-Point"
mode. A wireless connection between two mobile units is
called an "Ad Hoc" network. This can be set in
the Socket WLAN Card utility. Keep in mind that to use this
mode requires an application that can take advantage of
an Ad Hoc connection.
Q:
What is a MAC address?
A:
MAC stands for Media Access Control. The MAC address
is a 48-bit address (usually expressed as 12 hexadecimal
digits) that is assigned to the Socket WLAN Card during
the manufacturing process and cannot be changed by the user.
It is the unique identifier of the Socket WLAN Card that
allows it to communicate at the "physical" layer
level.
Q:
There is an option to set "Mandatory AP".
What is it and when would it be used?
A:
Mandatory AP is used when you know specifically which
AP you want to associate with. More often than not, this
is used for testing rather than general use, when you would
want to see performance under specific operating conditions.
Q:
What is the difference between Bluetooth and
802.11b?
A:
bluetooth vs 802.11.pdf
Q:
What is Bluetooth?
A:
Bluetooth refers to a short-range radio technology aimed
at simplifying communications among Net devices and between
devices and the Internet. It also aims to simplify data
synchronization between Net devices and other computers.
Products
with Bluetooth technology must be qualified and pass interoperability
testing by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group prior to
release.
Q:
What does Bluetooth deliver to end users?
A:
Bluetooth enables users to connect a wide range of computing
and telecommunications devices easily and simply, without
the need to buy, carry, or connect cables. Bluetooth delivers
opportunities for rapid ad-hoc connections, and the possibility
of automatic, unconscious connections between devices. It
virtually eliminates the need to purchase additional or
proprietary cabling to connect individual devices. Because
Bluetooth can be used for a variety of purposes, it also
potentially replaces multiple cable connections via a single
radio link.
Q:
Do Bluetooth products work only in certain areas
of the world?
A:
Bluetooth technology uses unlicensed radio spectrum
and works worldwide.
Q:
What are typical usage scenarios for a Bluetooth
Card?
A:
There are many different usage scenarios for the product.
Here is a list of a few when the Bluetooth Card is installed
into a Windows CE-based handheld:
- Handheld-to-mobile
phone: wireless modem for web access and e-mail
- Handheld-to-printer:
wireless connection to Bluetooth printer
- Handheld-to-desktop:
ActiveSync
- Handheld-to-Bluetooth
LAN access points: wireless in building connection to
your corporate network for email and web access