The Wi-Fi Experience: Everyone’s Guide to 802.11b Wireless Networking

Chapter 3. Larger Scale Wi-Fi Setups

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In this chapter

• The Need to Plan: Before the Site Survey 53

• Conduct a Site Survey 55

• Doing a Survey Yourself 56

• Setting Up the LAN 58

• The Testing Process 59

• Channel Design 60

• Going Beyond a Single Building 61

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In Chapter 2, “Setting Up Your Personal Wireless Network,” you set up a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi network by merely plugging PCM cards into portables, or adding PCM/PCI cards or USB units to your computers. This system works well where a network is relatively small. There is no server, nor are there any Wi-Fi access point units.

A larger Wi-Fi system involves more than those little PCM cards. You must also install access point units. These units typically weigh about one pound and ...