X-Micro IEEE 802.11b User Manual

Page of 49
 
 
USER’S MANUAL OF X-MICRO WLAN 11b BROADBAND ROUTER 
Version: 2.6 
 
 
 
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4  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 
4.1  What and how to find my PC’s IP and MAC address? 
IP address is the identifier for a computer or device on a TCP/IP network. Networks 
using the TCP/IP protocol route messages based on the IP address of the destination. 
The format of an IP address is a 32-bit numeric address written as four numbers 
separated by periods. Each number can be zero to 255. For example, 191.168.1.254 
could be an IP address. 
 
The MAC (Media Access Control) address is your computer's unique hardware number. 
(On an Ethernet LAN, it's the same as your Ethernet address.) When you're connected to 
the Internet from your computer (or host as the Internet protocol thinks of it), a 
correspondence table relates your IP address to your computer's physical (MAC) address 
on the LAN. 
 
To find your PC’s IP and MAC address, 
9
  Open the Command program in the Microsoft Windows. 
9
  Type in ipconfig /all then press the Enter button. 
 
¾
  Your PC’s IP address is the one entitled IP Address and your PC’s MAC address is 
the one entitled Physical Address. 
 
4.2  What is Wireless LAN?   
A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a network that allows access to Internet without the need 
for any wired connections to the user’s machine.   
 
4.3  What are ISM bands?   
ISM stands for Industrial, Scientific and Medical; radio frequency bands that the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC) authorized for wireless LANs. The ISM bands are 
located at 915 +/- 13 MHz, 2450 +/- 50 MHz and 5800 +/- 75 MHz.   
 
4.4  How does wireless networking work?   
The 802.11 standard define two modes: infrastructure mode and ad hoc mode. In 
infrastructure mode, the wireless network consists of at least one access point connected 
to the wired network infrastructure and a set of wireless end stations. This configuration 
is called a Basic Service Set (BSS). An Extended Service Set (ESS) is a set of two or 
more BSSs forming a single subnetwork. Since most corporate WLANs require access