3COM offers several Wireless/Broadband products including the 3COM® OfficeConnect group of products (such as 3COM Cable/ADSL routers) that support IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g standards, ADSL Wireless 11g Firewall Routers, 3COM OfficeConnect Travel Routers, 3Com Wireless LAN Workgroup Bridges for interconnecting IEEE 802.11a/b/g based networks, Wireless Access Points, and a host of Wireless Adapters.

In order to install/run management applications that are bundled with most 3COM products, you may need a PC (with CD-ROM) running a version of Microsoft Windows XP/2000 ME/SE/98/95b+/NT 4.0+, etc.

Most 3COM wireless products that support multiple (802.11a/b/g) standards have ability to automatically detect the network type, and to dynamically/automatically shift transfer rates (connection speeds) to keep your network client connections operating reliably/optimally.

WEP encryption levels (low or high) are determined by one thing: the strength/length of the WEP key used.

Most wireless devices capable of using 128bit encryption key can be dumbed down to operate in 40/64bit encryption mode.

While most wireless device manufacturers currently allow their customers to use lower (40/64bit) encryption keys, it is inevitable that over time, they will remove support for lower strength (weak) WEP encryption keys from their device drivers.

Unless you are dealing with wireless gear from different manufactures (make/model), you probably do not have to be bothered with what we are describing below.

On the other hand, if you happen to have this exiting task of making different types of wifi gear talk nice to each other, you are going to probably find the following information helpful.