HP J4580 Wireless Getting Started Guide - Page 13

English About wireless communication 802.11 wireless technology allows you to wirelessly connect to your HP Officejet/Officejet Pro device and a computer without requiring a direct line of sight between the devices. Communication mode There are two communication mode options: Infrastructure: On an infrastructure network, computers and printers communicate with each other through an access point, such as a Linksys wireless router or Apple AirPort Base Station. The computer sends information to the HP device and other devices on the network through this router. Once the HP device is successfully connected to the network, all the computers on the network that have the HP software installed can send information to the HP device through the wireless router. Ad hoc: On an ad hoc network, the computer sends information directly to the HP device without the use of a wireless router. Ad hoc networks are typically small and simple (for example, two wireless computers or a wireless computer and a wireless printer). Though ad hoc networks may be secured with a WEP passphrase, they cannot be secured with a WAP key. Also, the performance of the network might not be as good as an infrastructure network. The HP device is pre-configured by the factory to connect to an ad-hoc network with the SSID "hpsetup". Network name (SSID) The network name provides a basic connection to a wireless network. All devices trying to communicate with each other must have the same SSID and security settings. CAUTION: To prevent other users from accessing your wireless network, HP strongly recommends using a password or passphrase (WPA or WEP security) and a unique network name (Service set identifier (SSID)) for your wireless router. Your wireless router might have been shipped with a default network name, which is typically the manufacturer name. If you use the default network name, your network can be easily accessed by other users using the same default network name (SSID). It also means that the HP device might accidentally connect to a different wireless network in your area which uses the same network name. If this happens you will not be able to access the HP device. For more information on how to change the network name, see the documentation that came with your wireless router. Security The HP Officejet/Officejet Pro supports WEP, WPA, and WPA2 security methods. For more information, see the "Understand 802.11 wireless network settings" section in the electronic User Guide available on your computer after you install the software. NOTE: If you reset the network settings from the control panel at any point, the SSID will be reset to "hpsetup". About wireless communication 12