Professional Access Point

Administrator Guide

W

WAN

A Wide Area Network (WAN) is a communications network that spans a relatively large geographical area, extending over distances greater than one kilometer. A WAN is often connected through public networks, such as the telephone system. It can also be connected through leased lines or satellites.

The Internet is essentially a very large WAN.

WDS

A Wireless Distribution System (WDS) allows the creation of a completely wireless infrastructure. Typically, an Access Point is connected to a wired LAN. WDS allows access points to 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 allows these systems to 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 inde- pendent 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.

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USRobotics Instant802 APSDK manual Wan, Wds, Wep, Wins, Wlan