HP Deskjet 6980 Printer series - Wireless networking basics

Both 802.11g and 802.11b operate by radio transmission in the 2.4 Gigahertz (GHz)
frequency band. 802.11g devices communicate at a maximum speed of 54 megabits per
second (Mb/s). 802.11b devices communicate at a maximum speed of 11 Mb/s.
For instructions to switch the printer between 802.11b and 802.11g, click

here

.

802.11a

802.11a is an emerging wireless networking technology that operates in the 5 GHz
frequency band and offers communication speeds similar to those of 802.11g. The printer
cannot communicate with 802.11a devices over a wireless connection.
If you have an 802.11a wireless network, you can use an

Ethernet cable

to connect the

printer to the network's

Wireless Access Point (WAP)

in order to achieve a processing

speed comparable to that of the 802.11a network. If your wireless network supports
802.11g and 802.11b technology, another option is to switch the rest of the network to
the lower frequency to use the printer wirelessly.
To connect the printer to an Ethernet network, follow the

Ethernet network installation

instructions

.

Adapters and access points
Adapters

While some devices, such as the printer, have built-in Wi-Fi capability, other devices
need an adapter to become Wi-Fi-enabled.
Examples of common adapters include:

PCMCIA card that plugs into the PCMCIA slot in a laptop

ISA or PCI card that can be used with a desktop computer

USB adapter that connects to the USB port on a desktop or
laptop computer

Other types of adapters are available. All adapters come with configuration software that
allows you to configure the adapter for a wireless network.

Access points

Infrastructure networks

are a common variety of wireless network. An infrastructure

network requires the use of a

Wireless Access Point (WAP)

.

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A WAP acts as a central hub for a wireless network or as a router connecting the wireless
network to another network (such as the Internet or an Ethernet network). Devices on
the network communicate through the WAP.

Wireless network examples

To see some examples of wireless networks, see the

wireless network examples page

.

Communication modes

There are two types of communication modes for wireless devices:

●

Infrastructure mode

●

ad hoc

Infrastructure mode

For optimal performance and security in a wireless network, HP recommends you use a

Wireless Access Point (WAP)

(802.11b or g) to connect the printer and other network

devices. When network devices are connected through an access point, this is called an

infrastructure

network. A wireless network without an access point is called an

ad

hoc

network.

The advantages of a wireless infrastructure network as compared to an ad hoc network
include:

●

Advanced network security

●

Enhanced reliability

●

Network flexibility

●

Better performance, especially with 802.11g mode

●

Shared Internet access

What you need for a wireless infrastructure network

User's guide

21

To connect the printer to a wireless network, you need the following:

●

A wireless 802.11b or g network that includes a wireless access point.

●

A desktop computer or laptop with either wireless networking support, or a network
interface card (NIC). You can use either an Ethernet (wired) connection or a wireless
connection from the computer to the access point. If you want to use an Ethernet
connection to the access point, follow the directions in the Setup Guide.

●

Broadband Internet access (recommended) such as cable or DSL. If you connect
the printer on a wireless network that has Internet access, HP recommends that you
use a wireless router (access point) that uses Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
(DHCP).

●

Network name (SSID)

●

WEP key (suggested), WPA Passphrase (if needed)

Ad hoc mode

When the printer is set to the ad hoc communication mode, the printer communicates
directly with other wireless devices on the network without the use of a

WAP

. You might

want to use an ad hoc connection if you do not want to invest in an access point, or you
want to set up a simpler, more casual network.

Note

An ad hoc is available if you do not have an access point. However, it

provides little flexibility, a low level of network security, and slower network
performance than with an access point.

For a wireless ad hoc setup, you need to manually turn on the wireless radio.

Switch between 802.11b and 802.11g

The ad hoc communication mode defaults to 802.11b. The infrastructure communication
mode defaults to 802.11g. Use the printer's

embedded Web server (EWS)

to change

these settings.

Note

To switch from ad hoc 802.11b to ad hoc 802.11g, the computer must have

an 802.11g card or adapter installed.

Wireless network settings

Devices (such as computers and printers) on a wireless network must share the following
settings:

Network name (SSID)

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