Glossary
GL-2
Cisco Wireless Router and HWIC Configuration Guide
OL-6415-03
B
backoff time
The random length of time that a station waits before sending a packet on the
LAN. Backoff time is a multiple of slot time, so a decrease in slot time ultimately
decreases the backoff time, which increases throughput.
beacon
A wireless LAN packet that signals the availability and presence of the wireless
device.
BID
Bridge identifier used in spanning-tree calculations. The BID contains the
bridge MAC address and its spanning-tree priority value. If all bridges in the
spanning tree are assigned the same priority, the bridge with the lowest MAC
address becomes the spanning-tree root.
BOOTP
Boot Protocol. A protocol used for the static assignment of IP addresses to
devices on the network.
BPDU
Bridge protocol data unit. When STP is enabled, bridges send and receive
spanning-tree frames, called BPDUs, at regular intervals and use the frames to
maintain a loop-free network.
BPSK
A modulation technique used by IEEE 802.11b-compliant wireless LANs for
transmission at 1 Mbps.
broadcast packet
A single data message (packet) sent to all addresses on the same subnet.
C
CCK
Complementary code keying. A modulation technique used by IEEE
802.11b-compliant wireless LANs for transmission at 5.5 and 11 Mbps.
CCKM
Cisco Centralized Key Management. Using CCKM, authenticated client devices
can roam from one access point to another without any perceptible delay during
reassociation. An access point on your network acts as a subnet context manager
(SCM) and creates a cache of security credentials for CCKM-enabled client
devices on the subnet. The SCM’s cache of credentials dramatically reduces the
time required for reassociation when a CCKM-enabled client device roams to a
new access point.
cell
The area of radio range or coverage in which thewireless devices can
communicate with the base station. The size of the cell depends upon the speed
of the transmission, the type of antenna used, and the physical environment, as
well as other factors.
client
A radio device that uses the services of an Access Point to communicate
wirelessly with other devices on a local area network.
Cipher Suite
A set of one or more cryptographic algorithms designed to protect data traffic.
A cipher suite may provide data privacy, data authenticity or integrity, and/or
replay protection