Concept Guide

Term Definition
W-CDMA Officially known as IMT-2000 direct spread; ITU standard derived from
Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Wideband code-division multiple
access (W-CDMA) is a third-generation (3G) mobile wireless technology
that promises much higher data speeds to mobile and portable wireless
devices than commonly offered in today's market.
Wi-Fi A term for certain types of WLANs. Wi-Fi can apply to products that use
any 802.11 standard. Wi-Fi has gained acceptance in many businesses,
agencies, schools, and homes as an alternative to a wired LAN. Many
airports, hotels, and fast-food facilities offer public access to Wi-Fi
networks.
WEP Wired equivalent privacy (WEP) is a security protocol specified in
802.11b, designed to provide a WLAN with a level of security and privacy
comparable to what is usually expected of a wired LAN. Data encryption
protects the vulnerable wireless link between clients and access points;
once this measure has been taken, other typical LAN security
mechanisms such as password protection, end-to-end encryption,
virtual private networks (VPNs), and authentication can be put in place to
ensure privacy.
wireless Describes telecommunications in which electromagnetic waves (rather
than some form of wire) carry the signal over part or all of the
communication path.
wireless network In a Wireless LAN (WLAN), laptops, desktops, PDAs, and other computer
peripherals are connected to each other without any network cables.
These network elements or clients use radio signals to communicate
with each other. Wireless networks are set up based on the IEEE 802.11
standards.
WISP Wireless ISP (WISP) refers to an internet service provider (ISP) that
allows subscribers to connect to a server at designated hot spots
(access points) using a wireless connection such as Wi-Fi. This type of
ISP offers broadband service and allows subscriber computers, called
stations, to access the Internet and the web from anywhere within the
zone of coverage provided by the server antenna, usually a region with
a radius of several kilometers.
wireless service provider A company that offers transmission services to users of wireless
devices through radio frequency (RF) signals rather than through end-to-
end wire communication.
WLAN Wireless local area network (WLAN) is a local area network (LAN) that
the users access through a wireless connection.
Table 88: List of Terms
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