Multicast rate, Network parameters, Caution – Proxim ORiNOCO AP-2500 User Manual
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Network Parameters
CAUTION
!
You should conduct a Site Survey to determine the strength of the wireless connection on the borders of your
hotspot. Contact your reseller for information on how to conduct a Site Survey.
Multicast Rate
The multicast rate determines the rate at which broadcast and multicast packets are transmitted by the Access Point to
the wireless network. Stations that are closer to the Access Point can receive multicast packets at a faster data rate
than stations that are farther away from the AP. Therefore, you should set the Multicast Rate based on the size of the
Access Point’s cell. For example, if the Access Point’s cell is very small (e.g., Distance Between APs is set to
Microcell), you can expect that all stations should be able to successfully receive multicast packets at 11 Mbits/sec so
you can set Multicast Rate to 11 Mbits/sec. However, if the Access Point’s cell is large, you need to accommodate
stations that may not be able to receive multicast packets at the higher rates; in this case, you should set Multicast
Rate to 1 or 2 Mbits/sec.
Figure 4-10 1 Mbits/s and 11 Mbits/s Multicast Rates
NOTE
The diagram above illustrates how the proximity of wireless clients can affect Multicast Rate. It is not meant to
illustrate a roaming network.
There is an inter-dependent relationship between the Distance between APs and the Multicast Rate. In general, larger
systems operate at a lower average transmit rate. The variation between Multicast Rate and Distance Between APs is
presented in the following table:
The Distance Between APs must be set before the Multicast Rate, because when you select the Distance Between
APs, the appropriate range of Multicast values automatically populates the drop-down menu. This feature is not
available if you are using an ORiNOCO 802.11a/b ComboCard or a non-ORiNOCO client with the AP.
1.0 Mbit/s
2.0 Mbits/s
5.5 Mbits/s
11 Mbits/s
Large
yes
yes
Medium
yes
yes
yes
Small
yes
yes
yes
yes
Minicell
yes
yes
yes
yes
Microcell
yes
yes
yes
yes
11 Mbits/s
1 Mbit/s