802.11
- A group of specifications relating to Wireless LAN technology developed by a
working group of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
802.11 also refers to a specific wireless standard that supports the 2.4 GHz radio
frequency band through both frequency hopping (FHSS) or direct sequence (DSSS)
with 1 or 2 Mbps transmission.
802.11a
- Also known as Wi-Fi5. Uses OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing),
instead of frequency hopping or direct sequence. OFDM does not transmit as effectively
through walls or buildings. 802.11a standard provides for speeds up to 54 Mbps
which make it a more likely product for carrying higher network bandwidth, however,
distances between access points has been somewhat of a disappointment to consumers.
802.11b
- Also known as "High Rate" or "Wi-Fi." Supports 11 Mbps transmission
speed as well as lower speeds. Throughput is typically around 5.5 Mbps when wireless
LAN is configured for optimum throughput.
802.11g
- Product not yet available for this standard. When product is available it is
to be backwards compatible with 802.11b radio cards. Speeds are supposed to be
upwards of 33 Mbps to 54 Mbps.
802.11i
- A standard developed for enhancements to WEP by the IEEE, still in draft form.
802.1x
- See EAP
Access
Point (AP) - A hardware bridge or interface between the wireless network
and a wired network. Access points combined with a distribution system (e.g. Ethernet)
support the creation of multiple radio cells that enable roaming throughout a
facility.
Ad
Hoc Network - A wireless network composed of only mobile stations using
radio cards and no access point.
Address
Resolution Protocol (ARP) - A protocol that binds logical addresses to
physical addresses. ARP is not limited to Ethernet but also applies to FIDDI,
ATM and other network types.
Authentication
- Authentication is the process of determining whether someone or something is,
in fact, who or what it is declared to be. In public and private computer networks,
authentication is commonly done through the use of logon passwords.The process
a station uses to announce its identity to another station.
Basic
Service Set (BSS) - A set of 802.11-compliant stations that operate as
a fully connected wireless network.
Bluetooth
- shares the 2.4 GHz Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) band as 802.11b. Referred
to most commonly as a device, which can create a Personal Area Network (PAN),
however, Bluetooth also offers wireless LAN connectivity but products are not
as prevalent as the 802.11b products.
CDMA
- Code Division Multiple Access is a cellular wireless technology pioneered by
Qualcomm. CDMA allows numerous signals to operate on a single channel thus providing
the opportunity for higher bandwidth. The technology uses frequencies in 800 MHz
and 1.9 GHz frequency range. SprintPCS and Verizon utilize CDMA within their wireless
networks. CDMA2000 and wideband CDMA promise newer feature sets and better performance.
CDPD
- Cellular Digital Packet Data is a wireless cellular transmission method that
uses the analog cellular networks (AMPS). CDPD allows information to be transmitted
on idle voice channels and is sent in packets. The data rate on CDPD is 19.2 kbps.
Disassociation
Service - An IEEE 802.11 term that defines the process a station or access
point uses to notify that it is terminating an existing association.
Distribution
Service - An IEEE 802.11 station uses the distribution service to send
MAC frames across a distribution system.
Distribution
System - An element of a wireless system that interconnects Basic Service
Sets via access points to form an Extended Service Set.
Dynamic
Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) - Issues IP addresses automatically
within a specified range to devices such as PCs when they are first powered on.
The device retains the use of the IP address for a specific license period that
the system administrator can define. DHCP service applications are available as
part of the many operating systems including Microsoft Windows NT Server and UNIX.
EAP
- Extensible Authentication Protocol - Defined by RFC 2284. A general protocol,
originally designed for port-based authentication. Supports multiple authentication
methods such as key distribution through an external RADIUS or Keberos server,
smart cards, and public certificates.
Encryption
- Conversion of data into a form, called a cipher-text. This data has to be decrypted
into its original format. Encryption is especially important in wireless links
since because they are easier to ""tap"" than their hard-wired
counterparts.
FIPS
140 - (Federal Information Processing Standard / 140) - FIPS 140 is a United
States government standard (also recognized by the Canadian government) that describes
the security requirements for cryptographic hardware and software modules. The
revised and updated standard, FIPS 140-2, superceded 140-1 on May 25, 2002. The
FIPS 140-2 standard defines four levels of security, numbered 1 through 4: Level
1 is the lowest; Level 4 is the highest, and the levels build upon one another.
Gateway
- A gateway is a network point that acts as an entrance to another network.
GPRS
- General Packet Radio Services is a packet-based wireless communication service
that promises data rates from 56 to 114 kbps and continuous or ""always
on"" connection to the Internet for mobile phones and devices. GPRS
is an overlay on the GSM service. AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile plan to rollout
GPRS service in the U.S.
GSM
- Global System for Mobile communication is a digital telephone system that is
widely used in Europe and other parts of the world. GSM uses a variation of Time
Division Multiplexing (TDMA). GSM operates at either the 900 MHz or 1800 MHz frequency
band and is the de facto standard in Europe.
Institute
of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) - A United States-based standards
organization participating in the development of standards for data transmission
systems. IEEE has made significant progress in the establishment of standards
for LANs, namely the IEEE 802 series of standards.
IP
- The Internet Protocol is the protocol by which data is sent from one computer
to another on the Internet. Each computer that communicates on the Internet has
at least one IP address.
LEAP
- Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol - Cisco's implementation of 802.1x,
supports authentication between client and RADIUS server.
Load
Balancing - Dividing amount of work that a computer has to do between two
or more computers so that more work gets done in the same amount of time and,
in general, users get served faster. Load balancing can be implemented in hardware,
software or both.
Logical
Link Control Layer (LLC) - The highest layer of the IEEE 802 Reference
Model and provides similar functions of a traditional data link control protocol.
Node
- Any network-addressable device on the network, such as a router or network interface
card.
Open
Shortest Path First (OSPF) - Routing protocol that bases routing decisions
on link states and allows network administrators to apply cost metrics to determine
the best path to destination.
Open
System Authentication - The IEEE 802.11 default authentication method,
which is a very simple, two-step process. First the station wanting to authenticate
with another station sends an authentication management frame containing the sending
station's identify. The receiving station then sends back a frame alerting whether
it recognizes the identity of the authenticating station.
Personal
Communications Services (PCS) - A spectrum allocation located at 1850 -
1990 MHz bands, a new wireless communications technology offering wireless access
to the World Wide Web, wireless e-mail, wireless voice mail, and wireless phone
service similar to cellular technology. Also referred to as digital cellular.
RF
- Radio frequency refers to alternating current (AC) having characteristics such
that, if the current is input to an antenna, an electromagnetic (EM) field is
generated suitable for wireless communications.
SSL
- Secure Sockets Layer is the industry standard method for protecting web communications.
This protocol provides data encryption, server authentication, message integrity
and optional client authentication. SSL is built into most major web browsers
and comes in two strengths, 40-bit and 128-bit session key lengths.
Service
Set Identifier (SSID) - an identifier attached to packets sent over the
wireless LAN that functions as an identifier for joining a particular radio network
(BSS). All radios and access points within the same BSS must use the same SSID,
or their packets will be ignored.
Station
- In IEEE 802.11 networks, any device that contains an IEEE 802.11-compliant medium
access control and physical layers.
TDMA
- Time Division Multiple Access is a technology used in digital cellular telephone
communication that divides each cellular channel into three time slots in order
to increase the amount of data that can be carried. TDMA is used in GSM and D-AMPS
systems.
Temporal
Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) - Provides important data encryption enhancements
including a per-packet key mixing function, a message integrity check (MIC) named
Michael, an extended initialization vector (IV) with sequencing rules, and a re-keying
mechanism.Through these enhancements, TKIP addresses all WEP's known vulnerabilities.
Transmission
Control Protocol (TCP) - A commonly used protocol for establishing and
maintaining communications between applications on different computers. TCP provides
full-duplex, acknowledged, and flow-controlled service to upper-layer protocols
and applications.
VPN
- Virtual Private Networking - A method used to extend private network resources
across an untrusted medium, such as a Wireless LAN or the Internet. Deployment
should be carefully planned as different methods of deployment can expose a private
network to additional risks or impact performance.
WAP
- Wireless Application Protocol is a specification for a set of communication
protocols to standardize the way that wireless devices, such as cellular telephones
and PDA's, can be used for Internet access. WAP devices communicate with a WAP
Gateway and works over standard wireless data link protocols such as GSM, CDMA
and TDMA.
Wired
Equivalent Privacy (WEP) - An IEEE 802.11 function that offers frame transmission
privacy similar to a wired network. WEP has been clearly identified as deficient
in its original intended form; however, wireless LAN hardware manufacturers continue
to provide enhancements to WEP. Third party vendors also provide enhanced products
that overcome the known weaknesses of WEP.
TOP
WPA
(Wi-Fi Protected Access) - WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is an enhancement
to WEP and will be mandatory before the end of 2003 for products to be considered
Wi-Fi compatible. WPA enhances wireless security through TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity
Protocol), new packet construction, and MIC (Message Integrity Check). WPA will
support dynamic rekeying and will provide for a new encryption key every 10k packets.
WTLS
- Wireless Transport Layer Security is the security level for WAP applications.
Based on Transport Layer Security (TLS) v1.0 (a security layer used in the Internet,
equivalent to Secure Socket Layer 3.1), WTLS was developed to address the problematic
issues surrounding mobile network. WTLS is still seen by some to have some significant
security risks.
