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Wireless Hardware and Software Setup

In this tutorial:

  • Connection Options
  • Setting Up Hardware
  • Software Overview
  • Using Ad-hoc Mode
  • Working with Access Points
  • Access Points with Built-in Routers
  • Troubleshooting
  • Placing Your Equipment
  • Creating a Peer-to-Peer Network
  • Creating an Infrastructure Network
  • Setting up a Hybrid Network
  • Connecting Network Multimedia Devices
  • Mixing 802.11 Equipment

You get to start connecting the wireless hardware you've been reading about in the previous tutorials. Whether you have just two computers you want to network or an office full of PCs that need configuring, now you can find out how to get your computers communicating with each other.

Most of the work involved in getting your wireless network adapters communicating happens in this tutorial. You'll also find tips on buying equipment that will make setup easier. An access point with a built-in router is an example.

We'll also consider how to install your equipment and look for connection problems. In the following tutorials we'll work through changing settings on your PCs to share data, but the connection building starts now.

In this tutorial:

  1. Connection Options
  2. Setting Up Hardware
  3. Software Overview
  4. Using Ad-hoc Mode
  5. Working with Access Points
  6. Access Points with Built-In Routers
  7. Troubleshooting
  8. Placing Your Equipment
  9. Creating a Peer-to-Peer Network
  10. Creating an Infrastructure Network
  11. Setting Up a Hybrid Network
  12. Connecting Network Multimedia Devices
  13. Mixing 802.11 Equipment