12.5. Installing a Wireless Network

Let's say you just bought a wireless NIC and a WAP for your laptop. What's next? Well, that all depends on the type of installation you want to create with your new toys. There are two main installation types: ad hoc and infrastructure mode, and each 802.11 wireless network device can be installed in one of these two modes, also called service sets.

12.5.1. Ad hoc Mode: Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS)

This is the easiest way to install wireless 802.11 devices. In this mode, the wireless NICs (or other devices) can communicate directly without the need for an AP. A good example of this is two laptops with wireless NICs installed. If both cards were set up to operate in ad hoc mode, they could connect ...

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