Wireless LAN PCMCIA Adapter
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C h a p t e r
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Glossary
A
Ad-Hoc Mode -
A client setting that provides independent peer-to-peer connectivity in a
wireless LAN. An alterative setup is where PCs communicate with each other through an
access point. An Ad-hoc integrated wireless LAN is a group of computers, each has a
Wireless LAN adapter, Connected as an independent wireless LAN. Ad hoc wireless LAN is
applicable at a departmental scale for a branch or SOHO operation.
B
Bandwidth
- The transmission capacity of a given facility, in terms of how much data the
facility can transmit in a fixed amount of time; expressed in bits per second (bps).
Bit
- A binary digit. The value (0 or 1) used in the binary numbering system. Also, the
smallest form of data.
BSSID -
A specific Ad hoc LAN is called a Basic Service Set (BSS). Computers in a BSS
must be configured with the same BSS ID.
D
Default Gateway
- The routing device used to forward all traffic that is not addressed to a
station within the local subnet.
DHCP server and client -
DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. This
protocol is designed to automatically load parameters for the TCP/IP network, including the
IP address, host name, domain name, net-mask, default gateway, and name server address.
The machine that provides this service is called the DHCP server, and its client computers
are called DHCP clients. If client computers support DHCP, a TCP/IP configuration is not
needed on each client computer.
Domain
- A sub-network comprised of a group of clients and servers under the control of
one security database. Dividing LANs into domains improves performance and security.
Driver
- A workstation or server software module that provides an interface between a
network interface card and the upper-layer protocol software running in the computer; it is
designed for a specific NIC, and is installed during the initial installation of a network-
compatible client or server operating system.
DSSS (Direct-Sequencing Spread-Spectrum)
- DSSS operate over the radio airwaves in
the unlicensed ISM band (industrial, scientific, medical). DSSS uses a radio transmitter to
spread data packets over a fixed range of frequency band.
