Sometimes referred to as a Wireless Broadband Router or Residential Gateway.
An access point is a device on an 802.11b/g wireless network that receives and
retransmits data. It allows computers with wireless network adapters to be
connected, typically, to an Ethernet network.
Client:
A client is a computer on a network.
Domain Name System (or Service) (DNS):
DNS is an Internet service that translates domain names into IP addresses. A
DNS server keeps a database of host computers, their respective domain names and
IP addresses. When a domain name is requested, the DNS server uses this database
to send the user to the correct IP address.
The DNS system is really its own network. If one DNS server doesn't know how to
translate a particular domain name, it asks another one, and so on, until
the correct IP address is returned.
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP):
DHCP is the process of automatically configuring TCP/IP settings for every
computer on a network.
Encryption:
Encryption is a common way of implementing security and protecting
information. Encryption applies a set of instructions, called an algorithm, to information. The instructions combine the plain or clear text of information
with a sequence of hexadecimal numbers, called an encryption key.
Before transmitting information over the airwaves, the wireless client or access
point encrypts or scrambles the information. The access point or wireless client
receiving the information uses the same key to decrypt or unscramble the
information. The information is only readable to WLAN devices that have the
correct encryption key. The longer the key is, the stronger the encryption.
802.11b-compliant wireless networks incorporate Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
technologies. There are two WEP encryption methods: 64(40)-bit and 128-bit.
40-bit and 64-bit identical. Some vendors use the term 40-bit; others use
64-bit. A wireless device that claims to have 40-bit encryption interoperates
with a device that claims to have 64-bit encryption, and vice versa. A
64(40)-bit key consists of 10 hexadecimal numbers in five two-digit groups,
arrayed as follows:
A 128-bit key has several trillion times as many possible combinations than a
64(40)-bit key. It consists of 26 hexadecimal numbers arranged in thirteen
two-digit groups, arrayed as follows:
All wireless clients and access points in a WLAN must use the same encryption
method and key.
Ethernet:
Ethernet is the most widely used local area networking technology. It is an
industry-wide standard originally developed by Xerox and formalized in 1980 by
DEC, Intel, and Xerox. Ethernet networks transmit data at 10/100 Mbps using a
specified protocol.
Ethernet Address (MAC Address):
An Ethernet address is a unique, pre-programmed address, sometimes referred
to as a media access control (MAC) address. Each computer on an Ethernet network
has its own Ethernet address. This 12-digit hexadecimal address is encoded into
the circuitry of the computer�s network adapter when it is manufactured. Other
devices on the network use this address to identify the computer. This address
is not the same as the IP address that is assigned to computers on TCP/IP
networks. On these networks, the IP address is associated with the MAC address
to enable network communication.
Internet Protocol (IP):
IP is the protocol used to send data from one computer to another over the
Internet. The IP protocol describes how Internet computers keep track of the IP
address of each computer on the network and route packets of data from one IP
address to another.
IP Address:
An IP address provides unique identification for each computer on the
Internet or on a local network. IP addresses are usually expressed as a group of
four numbers separated by periods, for example, 169.254.10.2. None of the
numbers can be greater than 255. Each Ethernet interface has an IP address. For
the Dell� TrueMobile� 1300 Wireless USB Adapter, there is a LAN Ethernet
interface; hence, there is a LAN IP address.
Link Light:
A link light is a light on a network device that indicates a good network
connection. Hubs typically have a link light for each port; although, they may
not be
labeled as such, and the lights may show other information. These lights often
blink for network activity. Some hubs display different colored lights for 10
Mbps and 100 Mbps. For more information, see the documentation accompanying your
product.
Local Area Network (LAN):
A LAN is a network in one location. The network lets users at that location
share files, printers and other services.
Network Adapter:
A network adapter is a device expansion card that provides the physical
connection between a computer and the network. There are many types of adapters.
They include PC cards for laptops, a card that fits into a slot on your
computer, just like you install a sound card or modem card, and embedded cards,
embedded USB adapters, USB adapters, and USB desktop adapters. Some newer
computers have a network adapter already built into the system. PC cards or
cards that fit into a slot in the desktop are sometimes referred to as network
interface cards, or NICs.
Network Name (SSID):
Access points are grouped together by an identifier called an ESSID. The
ESSID is also referred to as a Net ID. This identifier is a combination of any
letters or numbers that are appropriate for the network environment. ESSID is
specifically for access points. When you talk about peer-to-peer networks, you
cannot use the term ESSID.
Service Set Identifier (SSID) is more generic and is a 32-character name that
uniquely identifies all the computers and equipments that make up a wireless
network. A type of SSID is ESSID. Another type of SSID is Basic Service Set
Identifier (BSSID). The BSSID is the MAC address of a wireless adapter or access
point.
Port:
A port is a connector on a networking device, used to attach the network
cable. Hubs and switches have numerous ports that connect to computers on the
network.
Protocol:
Protocol refers to a set of rules for sending and receiving information on a
network. The rules determine the format of the data that is transmitted and
other
aspects of networking, such as how errors are detected and corrected. The
protocol driver in each computer is software that adheres to these rules when
sending and receiving information. These drivers are also often called
protocols.
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP):
TCP/IP refers to the protocol that computers use to communicate over the
Internet. TCP determines how a computer breaks up data into small units, called
"packets," to be sent to another computer and how the receiving computer
reassembles the packets into a single file. IP determines how the packets are
routed across the Internet. See Internet Protocol.
Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN):
A VLAN is a network of computers that behave as if they are connected to the
same wire, even though they may be physically located on different segments of a
LAN. VLANs are configured through software rather than hardware, which makes
them extremely flexible. When a computer on a VLAN is physically moved to
another location, it can stay on the same VLAN without any hardware
reconfigurations.
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy):
WEP data encryption is defined by the 802.11 standard to prevent (i) access
to the network by "intruders" using similar wireless LAN equipment and (ii)
capture of wireless LAN traffic through eavesdropping. WEP allows the
administrator to define a set of respective "Keys" for each wireless network
user
based on a "Key String" passed through the WEP encryption algorithm. Access is
denied by anyone who does not have an assigned key.
Wireless broadband router:
Also known as a "wireless residential gateway" or "SOHO router and access
point," a wireless broadband router is a device which connects to multiple PCs
to a single broadband (cable or DSL) modem, allowing the PCs to share internet
access, exchange files between PCs, and share access to network devices such as
printers.
Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN):
A WLAN is a type of Local Area Network (LAN) that uses high frequency radio
waves rather than wires to communicate and transmit data among the
network clients and devices. It is a flexible data communication system
implemented as an extension to, or as an alternative for, a wired LAN. Just like
a
LAN, the network lets users at that location share files, printers and other
services.
