Wireless LAN

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)

A Wi-Fi Alliance standard that uses WEP, but secures the data with the much stronger Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) encryption algorithm

SSID cloaking

APs and some wireless routers allow the SSID beacon frame to be disabled. Wireless clients must manually identify the SSID to connect to the network.

Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity)

An IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard commonly deployed to provide network access to home and corporate users, to include data, voice and video traffic, to distances up to 300m (0.18 mile)

WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)

An IEEE 802.16 WWAN standard that provides wireless broadband access of up to 30 miles (50 km).

MAC addresses filtering

An administrator can manually allow or deny clients wireless access based on their physical MAC hardware address.

Cellular broadband

Consists of various corporate, national, and international organizations using service provider cellular access to provide mobile broadband network connectivity.

IEEE 802.11i/WPA2

IEEE 802.11i is the industry standard for securing wireless networks

Personal

Intended for home or small office networks, users authenticate using a pre-shared key (PSK)

Wireless Personal-Area Networks (WPAN)

Operates in the range of a few feet. Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct-enabled devices are used in WPANs

Wireless LANs (WLANs)

Operates in the range of a few hundred feet such as in a room, home, office, and even campus environment.

Wireless Wide-Area Networks (WWANs)

Operates in the range of miles such as a metropolitan area, cellular hierarchy, or even on intercity links through microwave relays.

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)

Original 802.11 specification designed to provide privacy similar to connecting to a network using a wired connection.

Bluetooth

Originally an IEEE 802.15 WPAN standard that uses a device-pairing process to communicate over distances up to .05 mile (100m).

Satellite broadband

Provides network access to remote sites through the use of a directional satellite dish that is aligned with a specific geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite.

Network mode

Refers to the 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ad WLAN standards

Channel settings

Refers to the frequency bands being used to transmit wireless data.

Security mode

Refers to the security parameter settings, such as WEP, WPA, or WPA2

ITU-R

Regulates the allocation of the RF spectrum and satellite orbits.

802.11

Released in 1997 and now obsolete, this is the original WLAN specification that operated in the 2.4 GHz band and offered speeds of up to 2 Mb/s

IEEE 802.11a

Released in 1999, it operates in the less crowded 5 GHz frequency band and offers speeds of up to 54 Mb/s.

IEEE 802.11g

Released in 2003, it operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band and offers speeds of up to 54 Mb/s.

IEEE 802.11n

Released in 2009, it operates in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands and is referred to as a dual-band device. Typical data rates range from 150 Mb/s to 600 Mb/s with a distance range of up to 70 m (.5 mile).

IEEE 802.11ac

Released in 2013, operates in the 5 GHz frequency band and provides data rates ranging from 450 Mb/s to 1.3 Gb/s (1300 Mb/s).

Password

Required from the wireless client to authenticate to the AP

IEEE 802.11ad

Scheduled for release in 2014 and also known as "WiGig", it uses a tri-band Wi-Fi solution using 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 60 GHz, and offers theoretical speeds of up to 7 Gb/s.

IEEE

Specifies how RF is modulated to carry information.

Shared key authentication

Technique is based on a key that is pre-shared between the client and the AP.

Passive mode

The AP openly advertises its service by periodically sending broadcast beacon frames containing the SSID, supported standards, and security settings.

Yagi antennas

This antennas is typically used to extend the range of outdoor hotspots in a specific direction, or to reach an outbuilding.

Extended Service Set

When a single BSS provides insufficient RF coverage, two or more BSSs can be joined through a common distribution system (DS)

Active mode

Wireless clients must know the name of the SSID.

Wi-Fi Alliance

a global, non-profit, industry trade association devoted to promoting the growth and acceptance of WLANs.

Basic Service Set

a single AP interconnecting all associated wireless clients

SSID

a unique identifier that wireless clients use to distinguish between multiple wireless networks in the same vicinity

Enterprise

authentication requires a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) authentication server.

Open authentication

provides wireless connectivity to any wireless device and should only be used in situations where security is of no concern.

Controller-Based APs

server-dependent devices that require no initial configuration.

Autonomous APs

standalone devices configured using the Cisco CLI or a GUI.

Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP)

the encryption method used by WPA. It provides support for legacy WLAN equipment by addressing the original flaws associated with the 802.11 WEP encryption method.

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)

the encryption method used by WPA2. It is the preferred method because it aligns with the industry standard IEEE 802.11i.

Directional Wi-Fi Antennas

this antenna focus the radio signal in a given direction

Omnidirectional Wi-Fi Antennas

this antenna provide 360-degree coverage and are ideal in open office areas, hallways, conference rooms, and outside areas.

Ad hoc mode

topology used when two devices connect wirelessly without the aid of an infrastructure device, such as a wireless router or AP.

Infrastructure mode

topology used when wireless clients interconnect via a wireless router or AP, such as in WLANs.