- Proxim_Harmony 802.11a Network Adapter User's Guide

Configuration Parameters 28
802.11a Software Parameters
The following configuration parameters are available for a Harmony 802.11a network
adapter. Refer to Chapter 5 for instructions on how to change these configuration
settings using the Harmony Utility.
Network Mode
Network Mode configures a Harmony 802.11a network adapter to operate in either Ad
Hoc mode or Infrastructure mode.
When set to Ad Hoc, all Harmony 802.11a devices must have the same SSID, Channel,
and WEP Keys (if WEP is enabled) to communicate. An Ad Hoc network is a wireless
network that consists of only 802.11a client adapters (i.e., a network that does not
have an Access Point).
Note: Products sold in Europe do not support Ad Hoc mode.
When set to Infrastructure mode, an 802.11a network adapter must have the same
SSID and security settings as the Access Points on the network to communicate. An
Infrastructure network is any network that includes one or more 802.11a Access
Points. By default, the adapter operates in Infrastructure mode.
SSID
The SSID (Service Set ID), which is also referred to as the ESSID (Extended Service Set
ID), is a text string that all members of the same 802.11a network share.
The SSID may be up to 32 alphanumeric characters long, including spaces. Also,
when configured to “any,” a Harmony 802.11a network adapter can communicate with
any available Access Point regardless of the Access Point’s SSID.
In an Infrastructure network, the SSID must match on all Harmony 802.11a Access
Points and 802.11a clients (unless a client’s SSID is “any”). Devices that do not share
the same SSID cannot communicate.
In an Ad Hoc network without an Access Point, each 802.11a device must have the
same SSID to participate in the network. A node cannot use the “any” SSID to join an
Ad Hoc network.
By default, an 802.11a adapter’s SSID is set to “any”.