Windows XP provides built-in support for IEEE 802.11b.
- An installed wireless adapter scans for available wireless networks and passes that information to Windows XP.
- Next, the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration service configures wireless connectivity, without the need for user configuration or intervention.
- If no wireless APs are found, Windows XP configures the wireless adapter to use ad hoc mode. The Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration service is integrated with support for IEEE 802.1X authentication.
While the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration service provides automatic configuration for most wireless situations, you can manually configure IEEE 802.11b settings on the Wireless Networks tab, which is available in the properties of a connection that corresponds to an installed wireless adapter in the Network Connections folder. The Wireless Networks tab only appears for wireless adapters.
On the Wireless Networks tab, you can view and configure the following:
- Whether you want Windows XP to automatically configure your wireless settings through the Wireless Zero Configuration service. You can disable this service if you have third-party wireless configuration software.
- The list of wireless networks that are within association range of your computer. The ordered list of preferred wireless networks with which the wireless client computer attempts to associate and authenticate.
- Whether the wireless client computer operates in ad hoc mode, infrastructure mode, or both. By default, a Windows XP wireless client operates in both modes, but infrastructure mode and connections to wireless APs is preferred.
- For each wireless network that is found or manually added, you can configure the wireless network name, whether WEP is enabled, the type of authentication, whether the wireless network is in ad hoc or infrastructure mode, and whether the WEP key is automatically determined or manually configured.
