Netgear ME101 ME101 User Manual - Page 4

System Requirements Before installing the ME101 802.11b Wireless Ethernet Bridge, please make sure that these minimum requirements have been met: • You must have a wireless network set up with either a wireless router or access point. If the default settings on the bridge do not work or if you have multiple ME101 bridges in your network, you will need to configure the bridge. To configure the bridge with the configuration utility, you must have a personal computer with: • Windows® 98 or 98SE, Me, 2000, or XP. • A CD-ROM drive. • 2 Megabytes of free hard disk space. If you don't have a Windows-based computer or a CD-ROM drive, you may use Internet browser software to configure the bridge. 1 Preparing to Install the ME101 Placement and Range Guidelines Computers and other Ethernet-enabled devices can connect over 802.11b wireless networks indoors at a maximum range of approximately 500 feet. However, the operating distance or range of your wireless connection can vary significantly based on the physical location of the ME101 802.11b Wireless Ethernet Bridge. For best results, avoid potential sources of interference, such as: • Large metal surfaces • Microwaves • 2.4 GHz cordless phones In general, 802.11b wireless devices can communicate through walls. However, if the walls are constructed with concrete or have metal (or metal mesh), the effective range will decrease if such materials are between the wireless devices. Operating Mode The ME101 Wireless Ethernet Bridge operates only in infrastructure mode. In this mode devices and computers communicate with each other by first going through a wireless router or access point. For example, infrastructure mode is used when you have computers in a house connected to an access point that is attached to a router, which lets multiple computers share a single cable or DSL broadband Internet connection. 2