NETGEAR HA501 - Manual (Page 3)

Determine the Network Configuration
To set up the wireless adapter, you need to determine the network setting of your wireless network.
Are you running the wireless network in ad-hoc mode or
infrastructure mode?
There are two modes of configuring your wireless adapter: ad-hoc mode or infrastructure mode. In
an ad-hoc wireless network, there is no access point. Each node communicates with any other node
directly. (A node is a network connection point. For example, a PC in a LAN is a node.)
In the infrastructure mode, the wireless access point bridges between the wired LAN and wireless
network. Connecting multiple access points via a wired Ethernet backbone can further extend the
wireless network coverage. As a mobile computing device moves out of the range of one access
point, it moves into the range of another. As a result, wireless clients can freely roam from one
Access Point domain to another and still maintain a seamless network connection.
If you are running a wireless network in infrastructure mode, please set up the access point (such as
the NETGEAR HE102 802.11a Wireless Access Point) first, before you set up this wireless adapter.
Ad-hoc mode or infrastructure mode: _________________________________________
3
What’s in the Box
When you open the box, verify that you received everything.
The package includes:
• HA501 802.11a Wireless CardBus Adapter
• HA501 Resource CD-ROM, including a full reference guide
• HA501 Installation Guide (this document)
• Warranty and registration card
• Support information card
If you don’t have everything listed above, see the Support information card for contact
information. If the support information card is missing, go to
www.NETGEAR.com/support_contacts.html to obtain contact information.
2
1
1
NOTEBOOK with
HA501
Wireless Adapter
NOTEBOOK with
HA501
Wireless Adapter
NOTEBOOK with
HA501
Wireless Adapter
Ad Hoc
DSL or cable modem
10 Mbps
Ethernet
10/100 Mbps
FR318 Firewall Router
HE102 Wireless Access Point
PC with
FA311
PC with
FA311
Internet MR314 MODEL
Cable/DSL Wireless Router LOCAL INTERNET LNK ACT 100 LNK/ACT PWR TEST
4 3 2 1
WIRELESS LNK ACT
HE 102 802.11a Access Point
NOTEBOOK with
HA501
Wireless Adapter
NOTEBOOK with
HA501
Wireless Adapter
NOTEBOOK with
HA501
Wireless Adapter
HA501 Qcard-Final 1/4/02 8:41 AM Page 5