Choose your service
This next screen allows you to choose
your hardware connection type. In order
they are the Infrared port, the USB port
(when
an
optional
Archos
USB/Ethernet cable is connected), and
the built-in Wifi card. Click on
Wireless LAN and then click on Add.
Choose the IP Configuration Type
Typically there are two types of Wifi
connections you will make, one at
home or work, and one at a public Wifi
hot spot. Public Wifi spots will assign
your device an IP number. You simply
click on Configure IP automatically and
when the connection to the hot spot is
made, it will assign your PMA400 an IP
number.
On the other hand, in a home network situation and perhaps in a work environment (check with
your system administrator), you will have to configure the IP address by hand. Click on Configure
IP manually. Ask the person who set up your Wifi network what IP can be assigned to your
PMA400 to connect to the local network.
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Scan for active Access Points
Click now on the Wireless tab. You
will now click on the Scan... button to
scan the area to see if your PMA400
can pick up an active WiFi access point
that is broadcasting. If you have a home
network, make sure that your WiFi
device has the SSID set to On. This
means that your Wifi access point is
broadcasting a message telling any
device in the area that it is available for
a network connection.
You could have many access points available to you for connection, but if the access point is not
broadcasting its availability, the Scan function will not 'see' it.
The network type will be Infrastructure normally. If you want to connect Wifi devices to talk to
each other, such as for networked game playing, then you would choose the Ad Hoc option. In Ad
Hoc, there is not a connection to the Internet, just a connection between local devices. Click on
Any Network if you just want to accept the first very network access point that it can find.
Choose the Access Point
There may be more than one access
point in your vicinity. In this example,
there are two. Let's choose the one
called Logan_Wifi. You will notice that
the connection quality is lower than that
of the access point named WF500. This
is because the WF500 access point is
getting a better signal (probably due to
less obstructions between you and the
access point).
The lower the quality of the connection, the slower the data transfer speed and thus the slower
your web pages or e-mail will load. Highlight the access point you want and click on Select. If the
access point shows Encryption as Yes, than you will have to see the access provider or your
system administrator at to what your encryption (WEP) parameters should be set to. Your
connection is now set. Click on OK to exit.
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