User's Manual Part 2

N ETWORK T OPOLOGIES
37
Infrastructure Wireless LAN for Roaming Wireless PCs
The Basic Service Set (BSS) is the communications domain for
each wireless access point. For wireless PCs that do not need to
support roaming, set the domain identifier (SSID) of the wireless
card to the SS ID of the access point to which you want to
connect. Check with your administrator for the SS ID of the
access point to which he wants you to connect.
A wireless infrastructure can also support roaming for mobile
workers. More than one access point can be configured to create
an Extended Service Set (ESS). By placing the Access Points so
that a continuous coverage area is created, wireless users within
this ESS can roam freely. All wireless network cards, adapters,
and the wireles access point within a specific ESS must be
configured with the same SSID.
Note: If Access Point 2 is replaces by an SMC2671W set to
Repeater mode then the SMC2761W will not establish its
own BSS, but will repeat data messeges between Acess
Point 1 and end users, thus extending the coverage area
of Access Point 1.
File
Server
Switch
Desktop PC
<BSS2>
Seamless Roaming
<ESS>
Switch
<BSS1>
Notebook with Wireless
PC Card Adapter
Access Point 1
PC with Wireless
PCI Adapter
Access Point 2
Notebook with Wireless
PC Card Adapter