User Manual

Wireless LAN USB Adapter

Chapter

Glossary

Ad-Hoc Mode - A client setting that provides independent peer-to-peer connectivity in a

wireless LAN. An alterative setup is where PCs communicate with each other through an

access point. An Ad-hoc integrated wireless LAN is a group of computers, each has a

Wireless LAN adapter, Connected as an independent wireless LAN. Ad hoc wireless LAN is

applicable at a departmental scale for a branch or SOHO operation.

Bandwidth - The transmission capacity of a given facility, in terms of how much data the

facility can transmit in a fixed amount of time; expressed in bits per second (bps).

Bit - A binary digit. The value (0 or 1) used in the binary numbering system. Also, the

smallest form of data.

BSS ID - A specific Ad hoc LAN is called a Basic Service Set (BSS). Computers in a BSS

must be configured with the same BSS ID.

Default Gateway - The routing device used to forward all traffic that is not addressed to a

station within the local subnet.

DHCP server and client - DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. This

protocol is designed to automatically load parameters for the TCP/IP network, including the

IP address, host name, domain name, net-mask, default gateway, and name server address.

The machine that provides this service is called the DHCP server, and its client computers

are called DHCP clients. If client computers support DHCP, a TCP/IP configuration is not

needed on each client computer.

Domain - A sub-network comprised of a group of clients and servers under the control of

one security database. Dividing LANs into domains improves performance and security.

Driver - A workstation or server software module that provides an interface between a

network interface card and the upper-layer protocol software running in the computer; it is

designed for a specific NIC, and is installed during the initial installation of a network-

compatible client or server operating system.

DSSS (Direct-Sequencing Spread-Spectrum) - DSSS operate over the radio airwaves in

the unlicensed ISM band (industrial, scientific, medical). DSSS uses a radio transmitter to

spread data packets over a fixed range of frequency band.