Questions and Answers
- Terminology - Some basic definitions
- How far will my coverage extend?
- I have a large area to supply wireless coverage to, or dead spots in my
coverage.
- How do I set up the system? I am not at all technical.
- What is the difference between wired and wireless clients?
- Can I have both wired and wireless clients? Why would I want to?
- What is Bluetooth, and what about this 802.11a, and 802.11b and 802.11g stuff?
Terminology - Some basic definitions
- AP - Access Point - An interface between the wireless network and a wired network. Access points
combined with a distribution system (e.g. Ethernet). A Wireless hub or switch. This is the basic
definition of our Hotspot, but it also includes masquerading router functionality and controlled
access on a client by client basis.
- BSS - Basic Service Set - A set of 802.11-compliant stations that operate as a fully-connected
wireless network. Our Hotspot network with mesh nodes and attached clients fits into this category.
- CHANNEL: A specific portion of the radio spectrum; for example, the channels allotted to one of
the wireless networking protocols. 802.11b and 802.11g use 14 channels (11 channels in North America)
in the 2.4 GHz band, only 3 of which don't overlap (1, 6, and 11).
- SSID - Service Set Identifier - an identifier attached to packets sent over the wireless LAN that
functions as a "identifier" for joining a particular radio network (BSS). A single SSID can be
roughly equated with a "network". Just as you might have logically separate "networks" (addresses and
routing rules) running over the same physical wire, you can have separate "networks" operating on the
same wireless "channel". To fully utilize the available bandwidth, it is better to separate these
"networks" to use non-overlapping channels, just as you might run separate wires for separate wired
networks.
- MAC - Media Access Control - All network cards and interfaces have a unique MAC address built
into them. This includes the client's PC, the Hotspot master unit, and each of the mesh nodes. A
client "associates" with an AP based on it's MAC address. It uses the SSID and relative signal
strength to make a decision on which AP to associate with. When it moves beyond the range of one AP,
it then hunts for another AP with the same SSID and associates with it.
- WEP - Wired Equivalent Privacy - Generates secret shared encryption keys that both source and
destination stations can use to alter frame bits to avoid disclosure to eavesdroppers.
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How far will my coverage extend?
The normal range of a wireless access point is highly variable depending on environmental radio noise,
intervening walls and structures, and the placement and orientation of your antennas. As a general rule,
place the access point at reasonably high elevation with respect to your end user laptops to get the best
coverage. Ceilings or high on the walls are best. The general ballpark for normal wireless coverage can
be estimated at 100 meters (325 ft), although your coverage could be as small as 20 meters (65 ft) in
extremely poor environments or as much as 300 meters (980 ft) in extremely good environments.
- Each wall or ceiling the signal passes though will drop approximately 10 meters of range.
- Be aware of the direct line between units, mesh nodes, and client computers. (A 10 centimeter
thick wall, with line of sight at a 45 degree angle through the wall, will appear to be 20
centimeters thick - 2 walls.)
- Metal building materials make a big difference. A solid metal door, stucco plaster on metal mesh,
or aluminum studs will dramatically reduce range.
- Make sure that the antenna is positioned for best transmission and reception. The 2 Hotspot
antennas can be positioned independently.
- Place at least 1-2 meters from electrical devices that generate RF noise, like microwaves,
monitors, electric motors, etc.
- 2.4GHz cordless phones and other devices using the 2.4GHz band can interfere with the signal.
Place the Hotspot at least 2 meters from such devices.
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I have a large area to supply wireless coverage to, or dead spots in my coverage.
The units can be used to extend wireless range through a "daisy chain" arrangement. This allows you to
extend the wireless coverage in your site. Each unit will service the wireless clients in it's area of
coverage, and pass that signal on to the next unit in the "chain" to reach the internet. They all remain
part of the same controlled network, so the same access code can be used no matter which unit they are in
range of. Users can enable access when in range of one unit, and seamlessly wander to within range of
other units, without losing connectivity at any time. Each of the units can "mesh" with one or more other
nodes while simultaneously handling wireless clients. The units all have wired ports as well, which can
be used to attach wired systems into the network or extend the "wired" network without running additional
wires. Power for the meshed units is all that is required.
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How do I set up the system? I am not at all technical.
The system was designed to be very simple to set up. Default configuration will be done by us before we
ship the unit to you, although you can make changes to all settings yourself if you wish. For most
locations users will do the following to set up the system:
- Unpack the unit
- Mount it in it's new location
- Plug into an electrical outlet.
- Connect the Hotspot into your dedicated internet connection (Cable, DSL, or Network)
- Set up is done!
In most cases you do not need to hire someone to set up your system. If you wish to have it done
professionally, any computer service technician (or most neighborhood high school kids) should be able to
have it up and running in just a few minutes.
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What is the difference between wired and wireless clients?
A client is any device that can connect to the internet, a PC (desktop, laptop or tablet) a personal
digital assistant or any other device. Wireless clients connect using one of several wireless standards,
sometimes referred to as Wi-Fi. Wired clients plug into a wired connection, called ethernet, with a
connector that looks like a fat telephone plug.
Can I have both wired and wireless clients? Why would I want to?
You can use a mix of wired and wireless clients. Most locations will generally have at least one wired PC
to create tickets, usually the existing office PC. In most cases this will not interfere with the PC's
regular duties. You may also choose to have one or more wired PC's in a public area where guests who do
not have laptops can access the internet and their email, using the same ticketing control method as is
used for wireless clients.
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What is Bluetooth, and what about this 802.11a, and 802.11b and 802.11g stuff?
- Bluetooth is a different wireless protocol standard. It operates in the same 2.4GHz frequencies as 802.11b and
802.11g, but is MUCH shorter range, usually in the 2-10 meter range. Bluetooth devices cannot
communicate with 802.11 devices. It is primarily meant for short range communications such as PDA to
PDA data transfers (where you can bring the devices into close proximity).
- 802.11b is the predecessor to 802.11g, and operates at a slower speed (11Mb/sec vs 54Mb/sec).
Most 802.11g devices will inter-operate with 802.11b devices.
- 802.11a is similar to 802.11g, but operates in a higher frequency band (5GHz vs 2.4GHz). The 5GHz frequency band has coverage
that is less than the 2.4GHz band, usually 2/3rds of the coverage in similar environments, but it operates much faster than the 2.4GHz
frequency band. It's adoption has only recently become widespread, and most devices that operate in the 5GHz band also support operation
in the 2.4GHz band.
- 802.11n is an even later standard than 802.11g, and supports even higher speeds than 802.11g via "channel bonding",
essentially combining multiple "channels" in both the 802.11 frequency bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz) to achieve these higher speeds.
- 802.11ac is a further refinement of 802.11n, reaching even faster speeds, especially in the 5GHz frequency band.
- 802.11ax is the latest rendition of the 802.11 wireless protocols, supporting more devices per Access Point, as well as faster
speeds per device when both Access Point and Device are using the 802.11ax protocol.
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