SSL
Secure Sockets Layer. Commonly used encryption protocol used by many enterprises to protect the security and integrity of transactions. When an SSL session begins, the server sends its public key to the browser. The browser then sends a randomly generated secret key back to the server to complete a secret key exchange for that session.
When you plan to secure the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller HTTP: Web User Interface using the https: (HTTP + SSL) protocol, note that the Operating System automatically generates its own local Web Administration SSL certificate and automatically applies it to the Web User Interface.
Static Key
An encryption key that has been entered into both access point and client, used for encrypting data communications. Static WEP keys can be cracked, but AES keys are currently safe for wireless transmissions.
Subnetwork or Subnet
Found in larger networks, these smaller networks are used to simplify addressing between numerous computers. Subnets connect to the central network through a router, hub or gateway. Each individual wireless LAN will probably use the same subnet for all the local computers it talks to.
Subscriber
A subscriber is the user who accesses network services through an 802.11 client.
Switch
A type of hub that efficiently controls the way multiple devices use the same network so that each can operate at optimal performance. A switch acts as a network traffic policeman: rather than transmitting all the packets it receives to all ports as a hub does, a switch transmits packets to only the receiving port.
TCP
A protocol used along with the Internet Protocol (IP) to send data in the form of individual units (called packets) between computers over the Internet. While IP takes care of handling the actual delivery of the data, TCP takes care of keeping track of the packets that a message is divided into for efficient routing through the Internet. For example, when a web page is downloaded from a web server, the TCP program layer in that server divides the file into packets, numbers the packets, and then forwards them individually to the IP program layer. Although each packet has the same destination IP Address, it may get routed differently through the network. At the other end, TCP reassembles the individual packets and waits until they have all arrived to forward them as a single file.
TCP/IP
The underlying technology behind the Internet and communications between computers in a network. The first part, TCP, is the transport part, which matches the size of the messages on either end and guarantees that the correct message has been received. The IP part is the client's computer address on a network. Every computer in a TCP/IP network has its own IP Address that is either dynamically assigned at startup or permanently assigned. All TCP/IP messages contain the address of the destina- tion network as well as the address of the destination station. This enables TCP/IP messages to be transmitted to multiple networks (subnets) within an organization or worldwide.
TFTP
Trivial File Transfer Protocol.
