fulton.net.au
Netgear Wireless Products FAQ
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Fulton
Network ABN: 68 087 124 481 29
Westleigh Drive Ph: Fax:
+61 2 9481 8079 |
Welcome to our Netgear Wireless products FAQ. We'll be updating the FAQ and adding many more questions/answers over the coming weeks. We'd love to hear feedback from you with suggestions, corrections, and new questions.
Please report any problems you find, including typos, missing or incorrect links, unclear or wrong answers etc.
Wireless networks use radio frequencies (RF) as an alternative to standard Ethernet cabling as means of networking multiple PCs.
Wireless networking enables notebook PC users to roam throughout a building while remaining connected to corporate network resources such as Internet/Intranet, email, network file servers and printers.
In addition, by installing wireless cards in desktop PC's and/or servers, wireless networks can be used to extend existing Ethernet networks to remote locations within a building where standard cabling installation would be difficult or expensive.
What wireless products does Netgear offer?
Initially there are three products in the range:
The MA101 USB 802.11b Wireless NIC, suitable for both desktop and notebooks PC's.
The MA301 PCI Carrier. This carrier card can be installed in a desktop or server PC. An MA401 PC Card is then installed in the carrier card.
The MA401 802.11b Wireless PC Card. This is a hot-pluggable PCMCIA card for use in a notebook PC.
The ME102 802.11b Wireless Access Point. This is a basestation/bridge that provides connectivity between a wireless network and a normal ethernet network.
The MR314 Cable/DSL Wireless Router. This is a gateway router similar in function and features to the RP114, and includes 4 built-in 10/100 switched ethernet ports, as well as a built-in wireless access point.
Are these home or office products?
Both. They are well suited to both home and small or medium business use, and help avoid the expense and complication of installing fixed wiring.
For rented premises, wireless networking offers the opportunity to take your investment with you when you move.
Wireless networking also great flexibility for hot-desking environments, as well as simplifying interoperability between the home and office.
The potential range will vary depending on many variables including the operating speed, interference, presence of building floors and walls, large metal objects etc.
As a guide, ranges of up to 250 meters can normally be achieved in open air, and up to 50 meters indoors. (Both at the maximum 11 Mbps speed).
At the minimum 1Mbps speed, ranges of 2 to 3 times these values may be possible.
The number of devices per network is mainly limited by traffic on the overall network. In typical networks, the practical limit is often around 50 devices.
When will they be available for purchase?
At the time of writing all items in the range are normally carried in stock, for immediate delivery. Call or email to confirm.
MR314 Cable/DSL Wireless Router
What technology/standards are these products based on?
Netgear's wireless products are based on the IEEE 802.11b standard, which defines a standard for wireless devices operating at a speed of 11Mbps.
The technology is based on Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum.
Netgear's wireless products conform to the FCC Part 15 Class B standard for EMI.
The products include 40-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption to assist in ensuring network privacy.
Are they approved for use in Australia?
Yes. All Netgear products marketed in Australia conform to all local regulations and requirements.
No. As with cordless phones, these products operate in a part of the spectrum that has been specifically allocated for this use. There are no individual licensing requirements.
Is 802.11b the same as Bluetooth?
No. Bluetooth is designed for short-range personal networks, eg for connecting a PDA to a PC. Bluetooth has a range of about 10m, while 802.11b devices offer a range of about 250m in open air and up to 50m inside a building.
Will they interoperate with 802.11b products from other vendors?
Netgear's wireless products are based on the IEEE 802.11b standard, which is designed to ensure interoperability of products from different vendors.
Do these products support 802.11a?
No. We expect that Netgear will release a range of 802.11a (54 Mbps) wireless products during 2002.
What operating systems are supported?
The MA401 PC Card and MA301 PCI Carrier are supported on Windows 95/B, Windows 98, Windows NT4, Windows 2000, Windows/ME and Windows/XP.
The MA101 USB wireless NIC is supported on Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows ME and Windows XP
Currently, none of the Netgear wireless NIC's support Windows/CE. We can, however supply a range of compatible products from other vendors which do support Windows/CE. Both PCCARD (PCMCIA) and CompactFlash cards are available. Call or email for details.
The ME102 Wireless Access Point and MR314 Cable/DSL Wireless Router can support TCP/IP-networked devices running any operating system.
What about Macintosh Computers?
Currently, none of the Netgear wireless NIC's support Macintosh computers. We can, however supply a range of compatible products from other vendors which do provide this support. Call or email for details.
The ME102 Wireless Access Point and MR314 Cable/DSL Wireless Router can support TCP/IP-networked devices running any operating system.
What does the Wireless Access Point do?
The Wireless Access Point operates as the base-station for the wireless network, somewhat like the base-station for a cordless phone.
The Wireless Access Point is also able to connect (bridge) the wireless network to an existing ethernet.
Multiple Wireless Access Points can be used on a wireless network to extend coverage.
Is roaming between Access Points supported?
Yes. Multiple Wireless Access Points can be used on a wireless network to extend coverage. Each MA401 card will automatically connect to the access point with the strongest signal. In order to provide seamless roaming, you will normally configure common SSID and WEP passkeys for all devices on the wireless network.
Currently, all Access Points need to be connected to a fixed ethernet (Cat-5) backbone to support roaming. An upcoming firmware release for the ME102 is expected to support wireless to wireless bridging, though connecting to a fixed ethernet backbone may still be preferred for performance reasons.
Do I need a Wireless Access Point?
Simple wireless networks with only a few stations and no need to connect to another network can operate without an Access Point.
Can I connect my wireless network to the Internet?
Yes. The MR314 Cable/DSL Wireless supports this directly. Alternatively an ME102 Wireless Access Point can be combined with a Cable/DSL router such as the FR318, RO318 or RP114 in order to share an internet connection over the wireless network.
IEEE 802.11b wireless network are resilient, but not immune to external interference. Common interference source include other 802.11b networks, microwave ovens, and some cordless phones that operate in the 2.4 GHz spectrum.
In most cases, changing the channel on the cordless phone or Wireless Access Point will eliminate the problem.
Are the MA401 PC Cards hot-pluggable?
When used in a notebook PC, the MA401 is hot-pluggable in the same way as other PCMCIA cards.
When used in conjunction with the MA301 PCI Carrier in a desktop PC or server, the MA401 is NOT hot-pluggable. Be sure that the PC is powered off before inserting or removing the MA401 PC Card or the MA301 PCI carrier.
Do the Netgear wireless products have detachable antennas?
No. Providing support for detachable antennas would have significantly increased the time and cost necessary to obtain country approvals and certifications.
If this is a requirement, we can provide products from the Cisco Aironet range which do provide this support, albeit at a somewhat higher cost. Call or email for details.
Note that the antenna unit for the MA101 USB Wireless NIC is connected to the PC using a standard USB cable, allowing the antenna to be located some distance away from the PC. In some difficult reception situations, this may allow positioning for improved reception.
The IEEE 802.11b standard was designed with network privacy in mind. The goal was to provide privacy roughly equivalent to a wired network. Three mechanism are combined to provide this privacy:
The use of DSSS technology to make it harder for a an eavesdropper to capture the wireless data.
The SSID which is a local password that is common to all devices on the network.
WEP encryption, according to a passkey which is common to all devices on the network.
In addition, the MR314 support MAC-address filtering, which allows the user to define a list of stations allowed to join the wireless network. In conjunction with WEP encryption, MAC-address filtering should provide adequate privacy for most requirements.
There are some dissenting views on the level of privacy provided. Here's a link to one such view.
The SSID is a common password unique to each wireless network. Only those devices with a common SSID can communicate with one another on the network. An additional level of privacy can be achieved with WEP encryption.
The IEEE 802.11b specification has defined a function referred to as the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). This defines a form of encryption designed to ensure privacy to equivalent to a wired ethernet network. Only those devices with a common WEP passkey can communicate with one another on the network.
If greater security is required, it may be appropriate to configure a VPN connection on the wireless network.
Netgear Wireless Products FAQ
Version 1.1, 20-DEC-2001
Copyright © 2001 Fulton Network Technologies Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or distributed in any form without prior permission.
All information contain herein is provided to the reader on the understanding that the reader is responsible for ensuring the correctness and suitability of the information for his particular needs.
VERSION HISTORY
1.0 14-APR-2001 Initial Release
1.1 20-DEC-2001 MA101, MR314, 802.11a, other OS's, MAC filtering, general cleanup