3com 3CRWE52196 User Guide

The IEEE standard to which the 3Com OfficeConnect Wireless Cable/DSL 
Gateway conforms. This standard provides for 1,2,5 and 11 Mbps data 
rates and a set of fundamental signaling methods and other services (see 
WECA).

The IEEE specification for 10 Mbps Ethernet over Category 3, 4 or 5 
twisted pair cable.

The IEEE specification for 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet over Category 5 
twisted-pair cable. 

An Access Point is a device through which wireless clients connect to 
other wireless clients and which acts as a bridge between wireless clients 
and a wired network, such as Ethernet. Wireless clients can be moved 
anywhere within the coverage area of the access point and still connect 
with each other. If connected to an Ethernet network, the access point 
monitors Ethernet traffic and forwards appropriate Ethernet messages to 
the wireless network, while also monitoring wireless client radio traffic 
and forwarding wireless client messages to the Ethernet LAN.

Ad Hoc mode is a configuration supported by most wireless clients. It is 
used to connect a peer to peer network together without the use of an 
access point. It offers lower performance than infra-structure mode, 
which is the mode the gateway uses. (see also Infra-structure mode.)

Some devices in the OfficeConnect range support auto-negotiation. 
Auto-negotiation is where two devices sharing a link, automatically 
configure to use the best common speed. The order of preference (best 
first) is: 100BASE-TX full duplex, 100BASE-TX half duplex, 10BASE-T full 
duplex, and 10BASE-T half duplex. Auto-negotiation is defined in the IEEE