WLAN Design
Power consumption

Since battery power is limited, power consumption using a PCMCIA card while roaming is always going to be an issue. Three modes for power are available and can be selected for the client laptops . Configuration of these various power save modes is accomplished by using Profile Manager > Edit for the desired profile .

The first mode is Constantly Awake Mode (CAM). The best use is when power is not an issue for devices, such as when AC power is available to the device. CAM provides the best connectivity option and, therefore, the most available wireless infrastructure from the client perspective.

The second mode is Max Power Savings (Max PSP). It should be selected when power conservation is of the utmost importance. In this situation, the wireless NIC will go to sleep after a period of inactivity and periodically wake to retrieve buffered data from the AP.

The last mode is Fast Power Save Mode (Fast PSP). It is a combination of CAM and PSP. This is good for clients who switch between AC and DC power.