Page 139 / 141
DTUS065 rev A.7 – June 27, 2014
XI
APPENDIX – GLOSSARY AND ACRONYMS
802.11s
The part of the IEEE 802.11 standard that describes wireless mesh networks.
AP
Access point.
A-MPDU
Aggregated MAC protocol data unit. Several MAC frames concatenated in
one big frame and handed to the Physical Layer for transmission in one
chunk.
BSS
Basic Service Set, the network formed by one AP and its clients.
Bridge
In the context of wireless applications, a bridge is a network component that
transfers LAN (Ethernet) frames to the WLAN (Wi-Fi) media and vice-
versa. When the WLAN is in infrastructure mode, the term “bridge” is used
for the client of the AP, though, technically, the AP is also a bridge.
In the broader context of networking, a bridge transfers layer 2 frames from
one physical interface to another, without resorting to level 3 routing. For
example, a Ethernet switch is a hardware bridge, and the WLn products
include a software bridge between their various interfaces such as Ethernet,
multiple WLAN clients or APs, mesh, and so on.
BSSID
BSS identifier, usually the MAC address of the AP or a derivation thereof.
LAN
Local Area Network, a part of a network where devices can directly use
MAC (OSI layer 2) addresses to communicate with each other.
MCS
Modulation and Coding Scheme, the way the bits are encoded in radio
waves in 802.11n.
OSI
Open Systems Interconnection, an ISO standard to organize networking
systems into specialized layers.
Repeater
In the WLn products, a combined AP on the same radio, linked
together in a software bridge. Data received either by the AP or by the
Ethernet LAN can be forwarded through the client to a remote AP, allowing
setting up a chain.
RTS/CTS
An optional MAC protocol, that requires sending a small RTS frame that
reserves the air medium for a long enough duration to send the next data
frame. The receiver replies by sending a CTS frame that makes the same
reservation. Therefore all wireless stations in radio range of both the
transmitter and the receiver, are informed of the data transmission that will
take place.
SSID
Service Set Identifier, a string identifying the wireless network formed by a
group of APs and their clients.
VLAN
Virtual LAN, a LAN tunneled in another LAN by adding a VLAN tag to
each frame in the VLAN.
WLAN
Wireless LAN, a group of Wi-Fi stations sharing a common network name
(SSID or Mesh ID), and a common authentication method, in order to
exchange information with each other.
