User guide

HiPath Wireless Standalone 802.11n AP User Guide D-5
Fit, thin and fat APs A thin AP architecture uses two components: an access point that
is essentially a stripped-down radio and a centralized
management controller that handles the other WLAN system
functions. Wired network switches are also required.
A fit AP, a variation of the thin AP, handles the RF and encryption,
while the central management controller, aware of the wireless
users' identities and locations, handles secure roaming, quality of
service, and user authentication. The central management
controller also handles AP configuration and management.
A fat (or thick) AP architecture concentrates all the WLAN
intelligence in the access point. The AP handles the radio
frequency (RF) communication, as well as authenticating users,
encrypting communications, secure roaming, WLAN
management, and in some cases, network routing.
FQDN Fully Qualified Domain Name. A ‘friendly’ designation of a
computer, of the general form
computer.[subnetwork.].organization.domain. The FQDN names
must be translated into an IP address in order for the resource to
be found on a network, usually performed by a Domain Name
Server.
FTM Forwarding Table Manager
FTP File Transfer Protocol
Gateway In the wireless world, an access point with additional software
capabilities such as providing NAT and DHCP. Gateways may also
provide VPN support, roaming, firewalls, various levels of security,
etc.
Gigabit Ethernet The high data rate of the Ethernet standard, supporting data rates
of 1 gigabit (1,000 megabits) per second.
GUI Graphical User Interface
Heartbeat message A heartbeat message is a UDP data packet used to monitor a data
connection, polling to see if the connection is still alive.
In general terms, a heartbeat is a signal emitted at regular
intervals by software to demonstrate that it is still alive. In
networking, a heartbeat is the signal emitted by a Level 2 Ethernet
transceiver at the end of every packet to show that the collision-
detection circuit is still connected.
Host (1) A computer (usually containing data) that is accessed by a
user working on a remote terminal, connected by modems and
telephone lines.
(2) A computer that is connected to a TCP/IP network, including
the Internet. Each host has a unique IP address.
HTTP Hypertext Transfer Protocol is the set of rules for transferring files
(text, graphic images, sound, video, and other multimedia files) on
the World Wide Web. A Web browser makes use of HTTP. HTTP
is an application protocol that runs on top of the TCP/IP suite of
protocols. (RFC2616: Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1)
Term Definition