If you did not receive your Dell Wireless WLAN Card as part of your computer,
consult the Quick Start Guide that came with your Dell Wireless WLAN Card for
instructions on installing the hardware and driver software.
A wireless network is a wireless local area network (LAN) that wirelessly connects computers
with wireless network adapters, also known as wireless clients, to an existing wired
network.
In a wireless network, a radio communications device called an access point (AP)
or wireless router (1-0) is used to bridge the wired (2) and wireless (1) networks.
Wireless clients (1-1, 1-2, 1-3) that are within range of the wireless router/AP (1-0) can then connect
to the wired network (2) and to the Internet (2-4).
The wireless router/AP (1-0), which is small and lightweight, uses an attached antenna
to communicate with the wireless clients and uses cables to communicate with the
modem (2-3) and any wired clients (2-1 and 2-2) on the wired network..
What do I need to setup a wireless network?
To setup a wireless network, you need the following:
High-speed (broadband) Internet service provided either by a cable TV provider
(which requires the use of a cable modem) or a telephone company (which requires the use of a DSL
modem)
A wireless router
A wireless network adapter (your Dell Wireless WLAN Card, for example) for each computer
that you want to use to wirelessly connect to the network
What is the Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility?
The Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility is a software tool on your computer that is used to
manage your wireless connections.
In addition to Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility, your Dell portable computer ships
with Wireless Zero Configuration service, which is the Windows tool
for connecting to a wireless network.
By default, Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility is set as the tool in control of managing your wireless
connections.
This tool is easier to use and takes advantage of the latest Dell Wireless WLAN Card features.
You can use either tool to manage your wireless networks, but keep in mind that after you
create your wireless network connection settings (profiles) using one tool, you must use the
same tool thereafter whenever you connect to the wireless network.
If you later inadvertently switch to a different tool, you will experience
problems connecting to the network.
For instructions about how to set Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility as your management tool,
see "Wireless Networks Tab" in
"Using the Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility."
What is an SSID?
An SSID, which is an acronym for service set identifier, is the name of a specific wireless
network.
The wireless network name (SSID) is set on the wireless router/AP.
The wireless router/AP can be set up either to broadcast the assigned SSID or not.
When the wireless router/AP is set up to broadcast the SSID, the wireless network
is a broadcasting network.
If the wireless router/AP is not set up to broadcast the SSID, the wireless network
is a non-broadcasting network.
Broadcasting Network.
Computers with wireless adapters that are within range of a wireless router/AP
used in a broadcasting network are able to both detect and display the network SSID.
This capability is useful when you are looking for available wireless networks
to which to connect.
Non-broadcasting Network.
Computers with wireless adapters that are within range of a router/AP used in
a non-broadcasting network are able to only detect, but not display, the network SSID.
To be able to connect to a non-broadcasting network, you must know the SSID
for that network.
What is a profile?
A profile is the group of saved settings used to connect to a wireless network.
The settings include the network name (SSID) and any security settings.
To connect to a wireless network, you must create a profile for that network.
The profile that you create is automatically saved when you connect to the wireless network.
Because these wireless settings are saved, your Dell portable
computer automatically connects to the network whenever the computer is
turned on and is within range of a wireless router/AP on the network.
What is the difference between a secure network and an open network and how do I connect to each type?
The owner or administrator of a wireless network can control who can connect to the network
by requiring anyone wanting to connect to use a network key or password.
Such controls provide various levels of wireless network security, and
a wireless network that has such controls is referred to as a secure network.
Therefore, if the wireless network to which you want to connect is a secure network,
you must obtain the network key or password from the network owner or administrator.
A wireless network that does not require the use of a network key or password is referred
to as an open network.
For instructions about how to connect to an either type of network,
see "Using the Wizard"
in "Connecting to a Basic Network or Creating an Ad Hoc Network Using
the Wireless Network Wizard."
How do I turn my Dell Wireless WLAN Card radio on and off?
You may want to turn your Dell Wireless WLAN Card radio off to conserve your computer
battery or to meet the requirement to turn off radios on airplanes or in other locations
where radio transmissions are not allowed.
Later, to be able to connect to a wireless network, you must turn the radio on.
You can turn the radio on or off by using either a software tool, a hardware switch, or a
key combination from the keyboard.
If you turn the radio off, you must turn it back on before you can connect to a
wireless network.
Be sure to check the status of the radio on the Wireless Networks
tab if you later have trouble connecting to a wireless network.
The software tool is in Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility on the Wireless Networks
tab.
To turn on the radio, select the Enable Radio check box.
To turn off the radio, clear the Enable Radio check box.
The hardware switch is available only on certain Dell portable computer models.
For models that have a sliding switch on the side of the case, slide the switch to the front to
turn the radio on and slide it to the back to turn the radio off.
Watch the display each time you slide the switch for a message that indicates
the status of the radio.
For portable computer models that do not have a sliding switch on the side of the case,
press FN + F2 on the keyboard.
Watch the display each time you press FN + F2 for a message that indicates the status of the radio.
With a Dell Wireless WLAN Card in your mobile computer, you can
connect to your network or the Internet through a
wireless router/AP, share your Internet connection,
share files with other computers that are on the same
ad hoc network, or print to a wireless printer.
Because the Dell WLAN
solution is designed for both home and business use, all of these features can be
explored wirelessly in either your home, your office, or when you are traveling.
The instructions in this user guide are for using a Dell Wireless WLAN Card that is
installed in a computer running either Windows 2000 Service Pack 4,
Windows XP Service Pack 1, Windows XP Service Pack 2, or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005.
The two types of wireless networks are infrastructure networks
and ad hoc networks.
An infrastructure network is also referred to as an access point (AP) network,
and an ad hoc network is also referred to as a peer-to-peer network
or a computer-to-computer network.
The infrastructure type of network is the type most commonly
used in both home and corporate environments.
An infrastructure network is a network in which there is at least one
wireless router/AP and
one wireless client.
The wireless client uses the wireless router/AP to access the resources
of a traditional wired network.
The wired network can be an organization intranet or the Internet,
depending on the placement of the wireless AP.
This functionality allows computers on the infrastructure network to access the resources
and tools of the wired LAN, including Internet access, e-mail, file sharing, and printer
sharing.
For the purposes of this user guide, infrastructure networks are
classified as either basic networks or advanced networks.
A basic infrastructure network is a network that has any of the following security settings:
With an ad hoc network, wireless clients
communicate directly with each other without the use of a
wireless router/AP.
This type of network allows you to share files with other employees,
print to a shared printer, and access the Internet through a shared modem.
With ad hoc networking, each computer that is
connected to the network is able to communicate only with other computers that are
connected to the same network and are within range.
A broadcasting AP broadcasts its network name (SSID). A nonbroadcasting AP does not.
Most APs in corporate environments are nonbroadcasting, and wireless routers used
today in home office/small office environments can be configured to be nonbroadcasting.
It is important to know whether the network you want to connect to is broadcasting
or nonbroadcasting.
Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility for managing your wireless networks, running hardware tests,
and getting wireless network-related information
Wireless Network Connection Settings tool for connecting to advanced infrastructure networks
Wireless Network Wizard for connecting to basic infrastructure networks
and ad hoc networks and creating ad hoc networks
New for this release
Dell Wireless 1500 Draft 802.11n WLAN Mini-Card only: Draft IEEE 802.11n operation (2.4-GHz
frequency band and 5-GHz frequency band) with a network data rate of up to 270 Mbit/s for 40
MHz bandwidth channel and 130 Mbit/s for 20 MHz bandwidth channel
NOTE:
Not all Dell Wireless WLAN Card models support IEEE 802.11a (5-GHz) or IEEE 802.11n operation.
The Dell Wireless WLAN Card works with any IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi
CERTIFIED™ wireless router/AP or wireless client network adapter.
The AP that communicates with the WLAN card has a preassigned
network name (SSID).
Obtain the SSID
and any network security settings information from the AP installer
and find out if the AP is broadcasting or nonbroadcasting.
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