User's Manual Part 4

Access / One

Network

Glossary of Terms 195

VPN

(Virtual Private Network) A virtual private network (VPN) is a way to use a

public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote

offices or individual users with secure access to their organization's network. A

VPN works by using the shared public infrastructure while maintaining privacy

through security procedures and tunneling protocols such as the Layer Two

Tunneling Protocol (L2TP). In effect, the protocols, by encrypting data at the

sending end and decrypting it at the receiving end, send the data through a

“tunnel” that cannot be “entered” by data that is not properly encrypted.

WAN

(Wide Area Network) A computer network that is geographically dispersed.

Commonly, a WAN comprises two or more inter-connected LANs. The Internet

is the world's largest WAN. According to the IEEE, WANs interconnect facilities

in different parts of a country or of the world.

WECA

Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance) See also, Wi-Fi Alliance.

WEP

(Wired Equivalent Privacy) An optional IEEE 802.11 function that offers frame

transmission privacy similar to a wired network. The Wired Equivalent Privacy

generates secret shared encryption keys that both source and destination

stations can use to alter frame bits to avoid disclosure to eavesdroppers. See

also, 802.11x and encryption.

Wi-Fi Alliance

A nonprofit international association formed in 1999 to certify interoperability

of wireless Local Area Network products based on IEEE 802.11 specification.

The goal of the Wi-Fi Alliance's members is to enhance the user experience

through product interoperability. See also, 802.11x.

WPA

(W-Fi Protected Access) A Wi-Fi Alliance standard that contains a subset of the

IEEE 802.11i standard, using TKIP as an encryption method and 802.1X for

authentication. See also, 802.11x, 802.1X and TKIP.