User's Manual

05-4446A01, Rev. C Mercury Reference Manual 169
7
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
AND ABBREVIATIONS
7 Chapter Counter Reset Paragraph
If you are new to wireless IP/Ethernet systems, some of the terms used
in this manual might be unfamiliar. The following glossary explains
many of these terms and will prove helpful in understanding the opera-
tion of your radio network. Some of these terms do not appear in the
manual, but are often encountered in the wireless industry, and are there-
fore provided for completeness.
Access Point (AP)The transceiver in the network that provides syn-
chronization information to one or more associated Remote units.
See Network Configuration Menu on Page 43.
AGCAutomatic Gain Control
Antenna System Gain A figure, normally expressed in dB, repre-
senting the power increase resulting from the use of a gain-type antenna.
System losses (from the feedline and coaxial connectors, for example)
are subtracted from this figure to calculate the total antenna system gain.
APSee Access Point
AssociationCondition in which the frequency hopping pattern of the
Remote is synchronized with the Access Point station, and the Remote
is ready to pass traffic.
Authorization KeyAlphanumeric string (code) that is used to enable
additional capabilities in the transceiver.
BitThe smallest unit of digital data, often represented by a one or a
zero. Eight bits usually comprise a byte.
Bits-per-secondSee BPS.
BPDUBridge Protocol Data Units
BPSBits-per-second (bps). A measure of the information transfer rate
of digital data across a communication channel.
ByteA string of digital data made up of eight data bits.
CSMA/CACarrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance
CSMA/CDCarrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection
Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC)A technique used to verify data
integrity. It is based on an algorithm which generates a value derived