Typically, an Access Point is connected to a wired LAN. WDS lets access points be connected wirelessly. The access points can function as wireless repeaters or bridges.

WEP

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is a data encryption protocol for 802.11 wireless networks. All wireless stations and access points on the network are configured with a static 64-bit (40-bit secret key + 24-bit initialization vector (IV)) or 128-bit (104-bit secret key + 24-bit IV) Shared Key for data encryption. It uses a RC4 stream cipher to encrypt the frame body and CRC of each 802.11 frame before transmission.

Wi-Fi

A test and certification of interoperability for WLAN products based on the IEEE 802.11 standard promoted by the Wi-Fi Alliance, a non-profit trade organization.

WINS

The Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS) is a server process for resolving Windows-based computer names to IP addresses. It provides information that lets these systems browse remote networks using the Network Neighborhood.

Wireless Networking Framework

There are two ways of organizing a wireless network:

■Stations communicate directly with one another in an Ad-hoc Mode network, also known as an independent basic service set (IBSS).

■Stations communicate through an Access Point in an Infrastructure Mode network. A single access point creates an infrastructure basic service set (BSS) whereas multiple access points are organized in an extended service set (ESS).

WLAN

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is a LAN that uses high-frequency radio waves rather than wires to communicate between its nodes.

WME

Wireless Multimedia Enhancements (WME) is a subset of the 802.11e draft specification. It uses four priority queues between an Access Point and its clients. WME provides an interim, standards-based QoS solution.

WPA

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a Wi-FiAlliance version of the draft IEEE 802.11i standard. It provides more sophisticated data encryption than WEP and also provides user authentication. WPA includes TKIP and 802.1x mechanisms.

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