ATT/NCR WAVELAN WIRELESS ETHERNET
INTERFACE
Note: This is not an official Wavelan site. This
information has been collectd in the event that AT&T/NCR remove the
Wavelan information from their site. Or more specifically information on
the older Wavelan cards that are being used in this project. Think of it
as an unofficial Archive.
WaveLAN is a wireless system that offers end-users connectivity
to network services anytime, anywhere. WaveLAN can be used to add a wireless
extension to an existing LAN or function independently.
Applications
WaveLAN Network Interface Cards and WavePOINT enable instant
LAN connectivity across facilities such as retail stores, warehouses, and
hospitals where wiring is costly, difficult to install and lacking flexibility.
WaveLAN offers a reliable, cost effective solution for wireless client
access to the network.
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Replicated LANs. Pre-configured, ready to use LANs can be
staged at a central location and quickly rolled out over numerous locations.
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Difficult wiring environments, such as historic buildings,
asbestos installations and open areas. Environments where wiring is difficult
if not impossible, and expensive to install.
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Frequently changing environments. Retailers, manufacturers,
and banks frequently rearrange the workplace or change locations. With
WaveLAN this can be done quickly without additional costs.
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Temporary LANs. LANs for special projects or peak times.
Retailers, airlines and shipping companies need additional workstations
for peak periods. Auditors require workgroups at customer sites. Exhibitions
and trade shows require temporary set-ups for short time periods.
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Emergency LANs. Wireless LANs that allow for a rapid recovery
of network systems that were damaged after a disaster.
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Wireless Campus Bridge. High-speed connections between separate
LANs can be set up quickly using WaveLAN. WaveLAN Point-to-Point links
are very cost-competitive with wired alternatives and will save you the
expenses of a leased line.
WaveLAN Technology
WaveLAN wireless communication is based on radio-transmission
technology.
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WaveLAN 915 MHz products, which have been sold since 1990,
are available for the North-American market. (U.S.A., Canada and Mexico).
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WaveLAN 2.4 GHz products, which have been sold since 1992
are available in North-America and more than 40 countries throughout the
world. Subject to local regulations, 2.4 GHz products support sub-channel
selection of the 2.4 GHz band, to allow for frequency management.
WaveLAN does not require special site licenses. It uses
Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum modulation technique to meet the regulatory
requirements that are set for unlicensed usage in the Industrial, Scientific
and Medical (ISM) frequency bands (915 MHz and 2.4 GHz).
Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) modulation provides:
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Reliable communications
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Protection against eavesdropping
A unique code, built into the WaveLAN product spreads the
information signal multiple times over the waveband.
The spreaded signal is transmitted over a wide frequency
range, using multiple frequencies simultaneously. This DSSS modulation
makes the data transmission virtually immune to interference, avoiding
the need for many (time consuming) retransmissions.
The radio signal will appear as mere noise and will yield
unintelligible results, unless a WaveLAN equipped device is used to decode
the signal. Only WaveLAN receivers know the spreading code that is required
to “unspread” the radio signal and, by “match filtering”, be able to retrieve
the original information signal.