User Manual

19
Glossary
For unfamiliar terms used below, look for entries elsewhere in the glossary.
AD-HOC (IBSS)
Ad-hoc mode does not require an AP or a wired network. A network that transmits wireless from
computer to computer without the use of a base station (access point).
Two or more wireless stations communicate directly to each other. An ad-hoc network may
sometimes be referred to as an Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS).
CHANNEL
A radio frequency used by a wireless device is called a channel.
EAP AUTHENTICATION
EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) is an authentication protocol that runs on top of the
IEEE802.1X transport mechanism in order to support multiple types of user authentication. By using
EAP to interact with an EAP-compatible RADIUS server, an access point helps a wireless station and
a RADIUS server perform authentication.
ENCRYPTION
The reversible transformation of data from the original to a difficult-to-interpret format. Encryption is
a mechanism for protecting confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of data. It uses an encryption
algorithm and one or more encryption keys.
FRAGMENTATION THRESHOLD
This is the maximum data fragment size that can be sent before the packet is fragmented into smaller
packets.
IEEE 802.1X
The IEEE 802.1X standard outlines enhanced security methods for both the authentication of wireless
stations and encryption key management. Authentication can be done using an external RADIUS
server.
INFRASTRUCTURE (BSS)
When a number of wireless stations are connected using a single AP, you have a Basic Service Set
(BSS).