Connect To Wireless Access Points



  1. Connect To Wireless Access Points One
  2. Install Wireless Access Points
  3. Connect Two Wireless Access Points

9 things to check after installing wireless access points Whether you’re upgrading equipment or building out a whole new Wi-Fi network, use this checklist to make sure everything’s shipshape. What is an Access Point? An access point is a device that creates a wireless local area network, or WLAN, usually in an office or large building. An access point connects to a wired router, switch, or hub via an Ethernet cable, and projects a Wi-Fi signal to a designated area. Connect to wireless access point from command line on Windows WifiInfoView is a freeware tool for Windows that allows you to view the list of all wireless access points in your area, and optionally connect to a specific access point from GUI and from command line.

Windows 10: How to Fix Problem with Wireless Adapter or Access Point

Denise Bingham

PCs which are having Windows 10 can cause wireless adapter problems. Problems related to those adapters or access point, which haven’t configured the way it supposed to be configured. One of the major and highly common problems is the error message on the screen showing ‘problem with wireless adapter or access point.’ Here in my article, I am going to show you how you can fix such problems regarding wireless adapter!

Do you have the problem with wireless adapter or access point? Here are few reasons and solutions for this issue. Check it out:

There might be a problem with the driver for the Wi-Fi adapter. Sometimes the profile of Wi-Fi configuration got corrupted, and that can be a reason for such issues. To manage this problem, you can ‘forget the network’ or ‘delete the wireless profile’;

Window key + X > Power User Menu > Command Prompt (Admin)

  • You will see something like this – C:WINDOWSsystem32>netsch wlan delete profile name=’WirelessProfileName”_
  • Then press Enter.
  • Now reconnect and then configure again

Sometimes the old and outdated drivers also can cause this kind of interruptions. If this is the thing, then you should have the updated drives. For that,

  • Visit and find out the latest version of your drivers and download them, or
  • Check out the CD you have got with your wireless adapter.

The connection between your access point and the wireless adapter is also depending on your password, as you may have protected your Wi-Fi network with some fair and lengthy password. So if you have entered the wrong password unintentionally, you may face such issues. To correct this, you should try to connect your network again. During this process, keep your keyboard characters in your mind.

One another reason might be the “Anti-virus Software.” Yes, I understand that antivirus software is for online as well as our PC’s safety, but sometimes that can create a problem with wireless adapter or access point. To solve this problem, you need to disable your antivirus software on a temporary basis.

To investigate router or your access point issues, you need to check the connection as sometimes, without our knowledge, it might be disabled. Even some third-party application installation can be the reason for such disabled wireless adapter.

Access

If you want to re-confirm your connection between the access point, you can go like this;

  • Window Key + X > Device Manager > Locate your wireless adapter
  • Driver > Enable

You must investigate router or access points. If you mistakenly did the wrong configuration of your router, you can face such issues. So just press the ‘reset’ button once. Don’t forget to save your current configuration. And if you are not sure regarding your configuration settings, just use the router’s guide. If all is fine and solved and still you are getting the problem with wireless adapter or access point, then investigate router or access point issues as there might be a problem with the driver for the wifi adapter.

Conclusion

Connect To Wireless Access Points

I hope this article will be helpful to you whenever you find issues regarding the wireless adapter or access point. Try to avoid such issues as it can stop your internet dealings. As per me, the problem might be with the drivers, routers, Wi-Fi adapters, antivirus software, or some access points. Have patience and check all the things one by one. You will surely find the solution on How to Fix Problem with Wireless Adapter or Access Point on Windows 10!

Cisco Aironet wireless access point

In computer networking, a wireless access point (WAP), or more generally just access point (AP), is a networking hardware device that allows other Wi-Fi devices to connect to a wired network. The AP connects to a router (via a wired network) as a standalone device, but it can also be an integral component of the router itself. An AP is differentiated from a hotspot which is a physical location where Wi-Fi access is available.

Connections[edit]

Linksys 'WAP54G' 802.11g wireless router
Embedded RouterBoard 112 with U.FL-RSMA pigtail and R52 mini PCIWi-Fi card widely used by wireless Internet service providers (WISPs) across the world

An AP connects directly to a wired local area network, typically Ethernet, and the AP then provides wireless connections using wireless LAN technology, typically Wi-Fi, for other devices to use that wired connection. APs support the connection of multiple wireless devices through their one wired connection.

Wireless data standards[edit]

Access wireless

There are many wireless data standards that have been introduced for wireless access point and wireless router technology. New standards have been created to accommodate the increasing need for faster wireless connections. Some wireless routers provide backward compatibility with older Wi-Fi technologies as many devices were manufactured for use with older standards.[1]

  • 802.11ax, also known as Wi-Fi 6

Wireless access point vs. ad hoc network[edit]

Some people confuse wireless access points with wireless ad hoc networks. An ad hoc network uses a connection between two or more devices without using a wireless access point; The devices communicate directly when in range. Because setup is easy and does not require an access point, an ad hoc network is used in situations such as a quick data exchange or a multiplayer video game. Due to its peer-to-peer layout, ad hoc Wi-Fi connections are similar to connections available using Bluetooth.

Ad hoc connections are generally not recommended for a permanent installation.[2]Internet access via ad hoc networks, using features like Windows' Internet Connection Sharing, may work well with a small number of devices that are close to each other, but ad hoc networks do not scale well. Internet traffic will converge to the nodes with direct internet connection, potentially congesting these nodes. For internet-enabled nodes, access points have a clear advantage, with the possibility of having a wired LAN.

Limitations[edit]

It is generally recommended that one IEEE 802.11 AP should have, at a maximum, 10-25 clients.[3] However, the actual maximum number of clients that can be supported can vary significantly depending on several factors, such as type of APs in use, density of client environment, desired client throughput, etc. The range of communication can also vary significantly, depending on such variables as indoor or outdoor placement, height above ground, nearby obstructions, other electronic devices that might actively interfere with the signal by broadcasting on the same frequency, type of antenna, the current weather, operating radio frequency, and the power output of devices. Network designers can extend the range of APs through the use of repeaters, which amplify a radio signal, and reflectors, which only bounce it. In experimental conditions, wireless networking has operated over distances of several hundred kilometers.[4]

Connect To Wireless Access Points One

Most jurisdictions have only a limited number of frequencies legally available for use by wireless networks. Usually, adjacent APs will use different frequencies (Channels) to communicate with their clients in order to avoid interference between the two nearby systems. Wireless devices can 'listen' for data traffic on other frequencies, and can rapidly switch from one frequency to another to achieve better reception. However, the limited number of frequencies becomes problematic in crowded downtown areas with tall buildings using multiple APs. In such an environment, signal overlap becomes an issue causing interference, which results in signal droppage and data errors.

Wireless networking lags wired networking in terms of increasing bandwidth and throughput. While (as of 2013) high-density 256-QAM (TurboQAM) modulation, 3-antenna wireless devices for the consumer market can reach sustained real-world speeds of some 240 Mbit/s at 13 m behind two standing walls (NLOS) depending on their nature or 360 Mbit/s at 10 m line of sight or 380 Mbit/s at 2 m line of sight (IEEE802.11ac) or 20 to 25 Mbit/s at 2 m line of sight (IEEE802.11g), wired hardware of similar cost reaches closer to 1000 Mbit/s up to specified distance of 100 m with twisted-pair cabling in optimal conditions (Category 5 (known as Cat-5) or better cabling with Gigabit Ethernet). One impediment to increasing the speed of wireless communications comes from Wi-Fi's use of a shared communications medium: Thus, two stations in infrastructure mode that are communicating with each other even over the same AP must have each and every frame transmitted twice: from the sender to the AP, then from the AP to the receiver. This approximately halves the effective bandwidth, so an AP is only able to use somewhat less than half the actual over-the-air rate for data throughput. Thus a typical 54 Mbit/s wireless connection actually carries TCP/IP data at 20 to 25 Mbit/s. Users of legacy wired networks expect faster speeds, and people using wireless connections keenly want to see the wireless networks catch up.

By 2012, 802.11n based access points and client devices have already taken a fair share of the marketplace and with the finalization of the 802.11n standard in 2009 inherent problems integrating products from different vendors are less prevalent.

Security[edit]

Install Wireless Access Points

Wireless access has special security considerations. Many wired networks base the security on physical access control, trusting all the users on the local network, but if wireless access points are connected to the network, anybody within range of the AP (which typically extends farther than the intended area) can attach to the network.

The most common solution is wireless traffic encryption. Modern access points come with built-in encryption. The first generation encryption scheme, WEP, proved easy to crack; the second and third generation schemes, WPA and WPA2, are considered secure[5] if a strong enough password or passphrase is used.

Some APs support hotspot style authentication using RADIUS and other authentication servers.

Connect Two Wireless Access Points

Opinions about wireless network security vary widely. For example, in a 2008 article for Wired magazine, Bruce Schneier asserted the net benefits of open Wi-Fi without passwords outweigh the risks,[6] a position supported in 2014 by Peter Eckersley of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.[7] The opposite position was taken by Nick Mediati in an article for PC World, in which he advocates that every wireless access point should be protected with a password.[8]

See also[edit]

  • Femtocell – a local-area base station using cellular network standards such as UMTS, rather than Wi-Fi
  • HomePlug – wired LAN technology that has a few elements in common with Wi-Fi
  • Lightweight Access Point Protocol – used to manage a large set of APs
  • Wi-Fi array – system of multiple APs
  • Wi-Fi Direct – a Wi-Fi standard that enables devices to connect with each other without requiring a (hardware) wireless access point and to communicate at typical Wi-Fi speeds
  • WiMAX – wide-area wireless standard that has a few elements in common with Wi-Fi

References[edit]

  1. ^'Wireless Routers Guide: Everything You Need To Know'. Breech.co. Retrieved 2018-10-17.
  2. ^Chris Hoffman (2016-09-22). 'What's the Difference Between Ad-Hoc and Infrastructure Mode Wi-Fi?'. Retrieved 2017-12-16.
  3. ^'Designing and Building a Campus Wireless Network'(PDF). MCNC. 2012. For areas that have high bandwidth and a concentrated area of users (i.e. classrooms in a 1:1 computing school), plan for approximately 15-25 data users per AP. When wireless devices are used for high bandwidth applications or concurrent use such as online testing, an even greater number of APs may be required to achieve a density closer to 10-15 users per AP.
  4. ^Ermanno Pietrosemoli. 'Setting Long Distance WiFi Records: Proofing Solutions for Rural Connectivity'. Fundación Escuela Latinoamericana de Redes University of the Andes (Venezuela). Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  5. ^Zhang, Yan; Zheng, Jun; Ma, Miao (2008-01-01). Handbook of Research on Wireless Security. Idea Group Inc (IGI). ISBN9781599048994.
  6. ^Bruce Schneier (2008-01-10). 'Steal This Wi-Fi'. Wired Magazine.
  7. ^'Why We Need An Open Wireless Movement'. Electronic Frontier Foundation. 27 April 2011.
  8. ^Nick Mediati (June 24, 2011). 'How to Secure Your Home Wi-Fi Network'. PC World.
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