User's Manual Part 2

T ERMINOLOGY
44
Ethernet – A popular local area data communications network,
which accepts transmission from computers and terminals.
Ethernet operates on a 10 Mbps baseband transmission rate,
using a shielded coaxial cable or shielded twisted pair telephone
wire.
Infrastructure – An integrated wireless and wired LAN is called
an Infrastructure configuration.
Fragmentation Threshold – In the 802.11 Standard, the MAC
Layer may fragment and reassemble directed MSDUs or
MMPDUs. The fragmentation and defragmentation mechanisms
allow for fragment re-transmission.
Preamble Type – Some access points and client card drivers
have a radio setting for “Short” RF Preamble. If all the clients and
access points in your wireless network have this feature, then
enabling it can boost your throughput. However, if a radio does
not support this feature, then it will not be able to communicate
with any other radios that have this set to “Short.”
Roaming – A wireless LAN mobile user moves around an ESS
and maintains a continuous connection to the Infrastructure
network.
RTS Threshold – Transmitters contending for the medium may
not be aware of each other. RTS/CTS mechanism can solve this
“Hidden Node Problem.” If the packet size is smaller than the
preset RTS Threshold size, the RTS/CTS mechanism will NOT be
enabled.
WEP – “Wired Equivalent Privacy” is based on the use of 64-bit or
128-bit keys and the popular RC4 encryption algorithm. Wireless
devices without a valid WEP key will be excluded from network
traffic.