5. GLOSSARY
Access Point (AP) – Any entity that has station functionality and provides access to the distribution services, via the
wireless medium (WM) for associated stations.
Ad-Hoc – A network composed solely of stations within mutual communication range of each other via the wireless
medium (WM). An ad hoc network is typically created in a spontaneous manner. The principal distinguishing
characteristic of an ad hoc network is its limited temporal and spatial extent. These limitations allow the act of
creating and dissolving the ad hoc network to be sufficiently straightforward and convenient so as to be achievable
by non-technical users of the network facilities; i.e., no specialized technical skills are required and little or no
investment of time or additional resources is required beyond the stations that are to participate in the ad hoc
network. The term ad hoc is often used as slang to refer to an independent basic service set (IBSS).
BSS (Basic Service Set) – An AP associated with several wireless stations.
ESS (Extended Service Set) – More than one BSS can be configured as an Extended Service Set. An ESS is
basically a roaming domain.
Ethernet – A popular local area data communications network, originally developed by Xerox Corp., which accepts
transmission from computers and terminals. Ethernet operates on 10 Mbps baseband transmission over shielded
coaxial cable or over shielded twisted pair telephone wire.
Infrastructure – The infrastructure includes the distribution system medium (DSM), AP, and portal entities. It is also
the logical location of distribution and integration service functions of an extended service set (ESS). An
infrastructure contains one or more APs and zero or more portals in addition to the distribution system (DS).
IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
LAN – Local Area Network.
Roaming – A function that allows one to travel with a mobile end system (wireless LAN mobile station, for example)
through the territory of a domain (an ESS, for example) while continuously connecting to the infrastructure.
RTS (Request To Send) Threshold – Transmitters contending for the medium may not hear each other. RTS/CTS
mechanism can solve this “Hidden Node Problem”.
SOHO – Small Office Home Office
SSID – Service Set Identifier
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) – The optional cryptographic confidentiality algorithm specified by IEEE 802.11
used to provide data confidentiality that is subjectively equivalent to the confidentiality of a wired local area network
medium that does not employ cryptographic techniques to enhance privacy.
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