User's Manual

glossary
This glossary contains common terms for wired and wireless networking. There is
a more complete list of terms in Broadband Network Utility Help.
802.11b
A wireless networking standard that transmits wireless
data at speeds up to 11 megabits per second (Mbps).
802.11g
A wireless networking standard that transmits wireless
data at speeds up to 54 megabits per second (Mbps).
access point
See “wireless access point.”
ad hoc network
A wireless network in which computers connect to each
other directly. Contrast with “infrastructure network.”
adapter
See “network adapter.”
bandwidth
The rate at which data can be transmitted through a
network connection.
base station
A device (also known as a gateway or router) that acts
as a central point for networked devices, receiving and
forwarding data between them. A base station typically
is a point of connection that sends data between several
networks. It often can be programmed with rules about
what data is acceptable to send and receive.
bridge
A networking device that exchanges data from one
segment of a network to another. See “wireless access
point.”
broadband
connection
A high-speed Internet connection, typically 256 kilobits
per second (Kbps) or faster. Broadband services are
usually provided over digital cable lines or digital
telephone lines (DSL).
CardBus
A credit card-sized device that is inserted into a slot on a
computer, usually a notebook computer. 32-bit CardBus
PC Cards look similar to the older 16-bit PC Cards, but
are approximately four to six times faster and include a
new power-saving design.
channel
In reference to a “wireless channel,” a channel is a path
or link through which information passes between two
wireless devices. In radio transmission, these different
channels are of different radio frequencies.
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