RD Glossary
A
- access point
- A type of base station that wireless LANs use to interface wireless users to a wired network and provide roaming throughout a facility.
- ad hoc mode
- A configuration of a wireless network that allows communications directly from one user device to another, without the need to travel through a base station. Ad hoc mode applies to both wireless PANs and wireless LANs.
- analog signal
- A signal where the amplitude of the signal varies continuously as time progresses. A radio wave is an example of an analog signal.
- antenna
- a physical device that converts electrical signals to radio or light waves (and vice versa) for propagation through the air medium. Antennas may be omni-directional, which distributes radio waves in all directions, or directional, which focus the radio waves more in one direction than others.
- association
- A process whereby an 802.11 station (computer device) becomes a part of the wireless LAN. After association, the user can utilize network services.
- authentication
- The process of proving the identity of a user or base station. The use of user names and passwords is a common authentication method, but many other more sophisticated authentication mechanisms exist. For example, digital certificates can offer a means of authentication without user intervention.
RD Glossary by Run Digital
