HP 4200n HP Jetdirect Print Servers - Administrator Guide - Page 253

Basic HP Jetdirect Wireless Concepts To assist in your installation of the HP Jetdirect wireless print servers on an IEEE 802.11b wireless LAN, this section provides an overview of some basic concepts that you may find helpful. For more information, refer to the documentation provided with your computer's wireless network interface card or with your Access Point, and to the IEEE 802.11b standards and related sources. WLAN Communication Mode Topologies There are two basic wireless networking topologies: Infrastructure Mode and Ad Hoc (Peer-to-Peer) Mode. Infrastructure Mode In Infrastructure Mode, all wireless communications from a network device go through an Access Point. See Figure B.1. Infrastructure Mode is referred to as a Basic Service Set (BSS). It is sometimes called a "star topology", and even "enterprise mode" because it is the preferred topology for large networks. An Access Point is a network component that acts as a network hub, bridge, or gateway to connect wireless devices to a wired network. In some cases, an Access Point may be used as a simple repeater to extend the range between wireless network devices. Because all wireless traffic in Infrastructure Mode must go through an Access Point, a key function is its ability to route traffic to all devices on a network. ENWW HP Jetdirect 802.11b Wireless Print Servers 253