User Guide

interchangeable. An RJ-45 connector is wider and thicker and
always has 8 contacts on the end. A phone connector has
between 2 and 6 contacts.
router A router provides a bridge between two or more networks. A
router can link a network to the Internet, link two networks and
connect both to the Internet, and help secure networks through
the use of firewalls and assigning dynamic addresses. A router
can also act as a gateway, while a switch cannot.
switch A switch makes it possible for several users to send information
over a network at the same time without slowing each other
down. Switches allow different nodes (a network connection point,
typically a computer) of a network to communicate directly with
one another.
wireless
access point
In computer networking, a wireless access point (WAP or AP) is a
device that connects wireless communication devices together to
form a wireless network. The WAP usually connects to a wired
network, and can relay data between wireless devices and wired
devices. Wireless access points have IP addresses for
configuration. One IEEE 802.11 WAP can typically communicate
with 30 client systems located within a radius of 100 m. However,
the range of communication can vary a lot, depending on such
variables as indoor or outdoor placement, height above ground,
nearby obstructions, other electronic devices that might actively
interfere with the signal by broadcasting on the same frequency,
type of antenna, the current weather, operating radio frequency,
and the power output of devices.
wireless
network
A wireless network uses radio frequencies for the communication
between computer devices and access points which are basically
two-way radio transceivers that typically work in the 2.4 GHz
(802.11b, 802.11g) or 5 GHz (802.11a) bands. A wireless LAN or
WLAN is a wireless local area network that uses radio waves as
its carrier: the last link with the users is wireless, to give a network
connection to all users in the surrounding area. Areas may range
from a single room to an entire campus. The backbone network
usually uses cables, with one or more wireless access points
connecting the wireless users to the wired network.
WEP Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is a scheme to secure wireless
networks (WiFi). Because a wireless network broadcasts
messages using radio, it is particularly susceptible to
eavesdropping. WEP was intended to provide comparable
confidentiality to a traditional wired network, hence the name.
WEP was superseded by Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) in 2003,
and then by the full IEEE 802.11i standard (also known as WPA2)
in 2004. Despite the weaknesses, WEP provides a level of
security that can deter casual snooping. Once the restrictions
were lifted, all of the major manufacturers eventually implemented
Chapter 2
(continued)
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HP Photosmart 6222 Wireless Dock Base