Proxim ORiNOCO AP-2500 - Manual (Page 16)

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Introduction
Networking Features
The AP-2500 provides wireless access to the Internet for hotspot subscribers. This means that your customers can
surf the Internet and send e-mails from anywhere within range of the Access Point without having to install extra wires
or cabling.
Figure 1-2 Sample AP-2500 Hotspot Configuration
The AP-2500 supports the full set of wireless networking features that are typically available with traditional access
points (that is, access points that do not supply hotspot connectivity), including:
• Easy installation and operation
• Over-the-air encryption of data
• High speed network links
• Support for multiple IEEE standards
IEEE 802.11 Specifications
In 1997, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) adopted the 802.11 standard for wireless devices
operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. This standard includes provisions for three radio technologies: direct
sequence spread spectrum, frequency hopping spread spectrum, and infrared. Devices that comply with the 802.11
standard operate at a data rate of either 1 or 2 Megabits per second (Mbits/sec).
In 1999, the IEEE modified the 802.11 standard to support direct sequence devices that can operate at speeds of up to
11 Mbits/sec. The IEEE ratified this standard as 802.11b. 802.11b devices are backwards compatible with 2.4 GHz
802.11 direct sequence devices (that operate at 1 or 2 Mbits/sec).
Also in 1999, the IEEE modified the 802.11 standard to support devices operating in the 5 GHz frequency band. This
standard is referred to as 802.11a. 802.11a devices are not compatible with 2.4 GHz 802.11 or 802.11b devices.
802.11a radios use a radio technology called Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) to achieve data
rates of up to 54 Mbits/sec.