Chapter 1. Before You Start
Air Live IAS-2000 User’s Manual V1.0
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depends on several variables such as the rate of data transmission speed between networked devices, network
overhead, number of users, and the type of device used to connect PCs to a network. It is similar to a pipeline in that
capacity is determined by size: the wider the pipe, the more water can flow through it; the more bandwidth a network
provides, the more data can flow through it. Standard 802.11b provides a bandwidth of 11 Mbps; 802.11a and
802.11g provide a bandwidth of 54 Mbps.
Baud Rate
A measure of the number of times per second a signal in a communications channel changes state. The state is
usually voltage level, frequency, or phase angle.
Beacon Interval
The frequency interval of the beacon, which is a packet broadcast by a router to synchronize a wireless network.
Bit
A binary digit.
Boot
To start a device and cause it to load executing instructions.
Bridge
A product that connects a local area network (LAN) to another local area network that uses the same protocol (for
example, wireless, Ethernet or token ring). Wireless bridges are commonly used to link buildings in campuses.
Broadband
A comparatively fast Internet connection. Services such as ISDN, cable modem, DSL and satellite are all considered
broadband as compared to dial-up Internet access. There is no official speed definition of broadband but services of
100Kbps and above are commonly thought of as broadband.
Browser
A browser is an application program that provides a way to look at and interact with all the information on the World
Wide Web.
Cable Modem
A kind of converter used to connect a computer to a cable TV service that provides Internet access. Most cable
modems have an Ethernet out-cable that attaches to the user's Wi-Fi gateway.
Client devices
Clients are the end users. Wi-Fi client devices include PC Cards that slide into laptop computers, mini-PCI modules
embedded in laptop computers and mobile computing devices, as well as USB radios and PCI/ISA bus Wi-Fi radios.
Client devices usually communicate with hub devices like access points and gateways.