Glossary

 

 

A
ad hoc network
A wireless network composed of stations without access points.
associated
A station is configured properly to allow it to wirelessly communicate with an access point.
AWPP
Adaptive Wireless Path Protocol.

 

B
beacon
A wireless LAN packet that signals the availability and presence of the wireless device. Beacon packets are sent by access points and base stations; however, client radio cards send beacons when operating in computer to computer (Ad Hoc) mode.
BOOTP
Boot Protocol. A protocol used for the static assignment of IP addresses to devices on the network.
BPSK
Binary phase shift keying is a modulation technique used by IEEE 802.11b-compliant wireless LANs for transmission at 1 Mb/s.

 

C
CAPWAP
Control And Provisioning of Wireless Access Points
CCK
Complementary Code Keying. A modulation technique used by IEEE 802.11b-compliant wireless LANs for transmission at 5.5 and 11 Mb/s.
CCKM
Cisco Centralized Key Management. Using CCKM, authenticated client devices can roam from one access point to another without any perceptible delay during reassociation. An access point on your network provides wireless domain services (WDS) and creates a cache of security credentials for CCKM-enabled client devices on the subnet. The WDS access point's cache of credentials dramatically reduces the time required for reassociation when a CCKM-enabled client device roams to a new access point.
CSMA
Carrier sense multiple access. A wireless LAN media access method specified by the IEEE 802.11 specification.

 

D
DFS
Dynamic Frequency Selection. In some regulatory domains, 5-GHz radios are required to use DFS to avoid interfering with radar signals.
DHCP
Dynamic host configuration protocol. A protocol available with many operating systems that automatically issues IP addresses within a specified range to devices on the network. The device retains the assigned address for a specific administrator-defined period.
DNS
Domain Name System server. A server that translates text names into IP addresses. The server maintains a database of host alphanumeric names and their corresponding IP addresses.
DSSS
Direct sequence spread spectrum. A type of spread spectrum radio transmission that spreads its signal continuously over a wide frequency band.

 

E
EAP
Extensible Authentication Protocol. An optional IEEE 802.1x security feature ideal for organizations with a large user base and access to an EAP-enabled Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server.

 

I
infrastructure
The wired Ethernet network.
isotropic
An antenna that radiates its signal in a spherical pattern.

 

M
MAP
Mesh Access Point
MBSSID
Multiple basic SSID. Each multiple basic SSID is assigned a unique MAC address. You use multiple BSSIDs to assign a unique DTIM setting for each SSID and to broadcast SSIDs in beacons (one SSID per beacon).
MIMO
Multiple Input/Multiple Output
multipath
The echoes created as a radio signal bounces off of physical objects.
multicast packet
A single data message (packet) sent to multiple addresses.

 

O
omni-directional
This typically refers to a primarily circular antenna radiation pattern.
OFDM
Orthogonal frequency division multiplex is a modulation technique used by IEEE 802.11a-compliant wireless LANs for transmission at 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 54 Mb/s.

 

P
packet
A basic message unit for communication across a network. A packet usually includes routing information, data, and sometimes error detection information.

 

Q
QPSK

Quadruple phase shift keying is a modulation technique used by IEEE 802.11b-compliant wireless LANs for transmission at 2 Mb/s.

 

R
range
A linear measure of the distance that a transmitter can send a signal.
RAP
Root Access Point
receiver sensitivity
A measurement of the weakest signal a receiver can receive and still correctly translate it into data.
RF
Radio frequency. A generic term for radio-based technology.
RP-TNC
A connector type unique to Cisco Aironet radios and antennas. Part 15.203 of the FCC rules covering spread spectrum devices limits the types of antennas that may be used with transmission equipment. In compliance with this rule, Cisco Aironet, like all other wireless LAN providers, equips its radios and antennas with a unique connector to prevent attachment of non-approved antennas to radios.

 

S
spread spectrum
A radio transmission technology that spreads the user information over a much wider bandwidth than otherwise required in order to gain benefits such as improved interference tolerance and unlicensed operation.
SSID
Service set identifier (also referred to as Radio Network Name). A unique identifier used to identify a radio network and which stations must use to be able to communicate with each other or to an access point. The SSID can be any alphanumeric entry up to a maximum of 32 characters.

 

U
UNII
Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure—regulations for UNII devices operating in the 5.15 to 5.35 GHz and 5.725 to 5.825 GHz frequency bands.
UNII-1
Regulations for UNII devices operating in the 5.15 to 5.25 GHz frequency band.
UNII-2
Regulations for UNII devices operating in the 5.25 to 5.35 GHz frequency band.
UNII-3
Regulations for UNII devices operating in the 5.725 to 5.825 GHz frequency band.
unicast packet
A single data message (packet) sent to a specific IP address.
W
WDS
Wireless Domain Services. An access point providing WDS on your wireless LAN maintains a cache of credentials for CCKM-capable client devices on your wireless LAN. When a CCKM-capable client roams from one access point to another, the WDS access point forwards the client's credentials to the new access point with the multicast key. Only two packets pass between the client and the new access point, greatly shortening the reassociation time.
WEP
Wired Equivalent Privacy. An optional security mechanism defined within the 802.11 standard designed to make the link integrity of wireless devices equal to that of a cable.
WLSE
Wireless LAN Solutions Engine. The WLSE is a specialized appliance for managing Cisco Aironet wireless LAN infrastructures. It centrally identifies and configures access points in customer-defined groups and reports on throughput and client associations. WLSE's centralized management capabilities are further enhanced with an integrated template-based configuration tool for added configuration ease and improved productivity.
WNM
Wireless Network Manager.
WPA
Wi-Fi Protected Access is a standards-based, interoperable security enhancement that strongly increases the level of data protection and access control for existing and future wireless LAN systems. It is derived from and will be forward-compatible with the upcoming IEEE 802.11i standard. WPA leverages TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) for data protection and 802.1X for authenticated key management.