Glossary

a packet that identifies the intended recipi- ent station.

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Proto- col): Based on BOOTP, it uses a pool of IP addresses, which it assigns to each device connected to it, and retrieves the address when the device becomes dormant for a period of time.

DNS (Domain Name System): System used to map readable machine names into IP addresses

Driver: Software that interfaces a computer with a specific hardware device.

DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum): Method of spreading a wireless signal into wide frequency bandwidth.

DTE (Data Terminal Equipment): Device that controls data flowing to and from a com- puter.

Dynamic IP Address: An IP address that is automatically assigned to a client station

in a TCP/IP network, typically by a DHCP server.

ESS (Extended Service Set): A set of two or more BSSs that form a single sub-network. ESS-ID is user identification used in the ESS LAN configuration.

Ethernet: The most widely used architec- ture for Local Area Networks (LANs). It is a shared-media network architecture. The IEEE 802.3 standard details its functional- ity.

Ethernet cable: A wire similar to telephone cable that carries signals between Ethernet devices.

File and Print Sharing: A Microsoft applica- tion that allows computers on a network to share files and printers.

Firmware: Programming inserted into programmable read-only memory, thus becoming a permanent part of a computing device.