Terms

2.4 GHz range -- the frequency spectrum assigned to WLAN systems by the IC Organization.

Access point -- a device which connects wireless network terminals to a network, relaying signals between wireless devices or serving as a bridge between wired and wireless networks.

Ad Hoc mode -- a mode that allows wireless network terminals to communicate directly with each other without using a wireless network access point.

AES -- Advanced Encryption Standard, an encryption standard for WPA that is replacing WEP. AES provides stronger encryption than TKIP.

Configuration -- a prepared set of conditions for proper operation of a device. Configuring the network interface prepares it to work with protocols available on a network.

DHCP -- Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. It is a protocol that assigns dynamic IP addresses to devices on a network.

EAP -- Extensible Authentication Protocol, an authentication protocol used in the IEEE 802.1x standard.

EtherTalk --the communication protocol of AppleTalk governing Ethernet transmissions.

ftp -- a TCP/IP application protocol for file transfer.

IEEE 802.1x-- an IEEE standard that provides authentication for wired/wireless networks. IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g are standards for the 2.4 GHz range of WLANs.

Infrastructure mode -- a Wi-Fi network mode. It allows both wireless and wired computers to send print jobs to the device through an access point.

lpd -- a TCP/IP remote printing protocol application.

IPv4 -- Internet Protocol Version 4. This is currently the most widely used Internet protocol (IP) format. Addresses are expressed as 32 bit strings of four numbers separated by decimal points. The numbers range from 0 to 255.

IPv6 -- Internet Protocol Version 6. This was developed to cope with the depletion in the available addresses in IPv4. This protocol increases the number of computers that can be handled, as well as heightening security functions and so on. Addresses are expressed as 128 bit strings, allowing for a near infinite number of IP addresses.

Open system authentication -- a wireless access point authentication protocol in which the wireless node submits an authentication request to the wireless access point that accepts the connection, essentially without authenticating it.

Passphrase -- the basic key used to generate the encryption keys for WPA-PSK (TKIP/AES). A passphrase key is also called a Pre-Shared key.

Pre-Shared key -- the basic key used to generate the encryption keys for WPA-PSK (TKIP/AES). A Pre-Shared key is also called a Passphrase.

Print queue -- a location where a print job is stored as a file, until the network interface sends the job to the assigned device.

Protocol -- a set of rules that controls how data or information is exchanged through a network. Computers and software cannot communicate with each other using different protocols.

Roaming -- the ability to move the wireless station from one access point to another without losing the connection or interrupting the service.

Security type -- allows selection of a security level in Infrastructure mode appropriate to the user environment.

SSID (or ESSID) -- Service Set Identifier (or Extended Service Set Identifier), a unique identifier to specify a WLAN. All devices and access points connected to a specific WLAN must use the same SSID. An ESSID is used for a network that extends throughout multiple access points.

TCP/IP -- Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, a layer of protocols that provides communication between nodes on a network.

TKIP -- Temporal Key Integrity Protocol, an encryption standard for WPA that is replacing WEP. A distinctive feature is that the shared key is changed at specified intervals.

WEP -- Wired Equivalent Privacy, a security protocol for WLANs defined in the IEEE 802.11b/g standard. WEP provides security by encrypting data over radio waves.

WEP key -- a shared key algorithm for encrypting data. Transmitted packets are encrypted with a shared key called the WEP key. Decryption of encrypted packets by the recipient requires the same WEP key that was used for transmission.

WLAN -- Wireless Local Area Network.

WPA-PSK (TKIP/AES) -- a Wi-Fi encryption protocol with a stronger encryption algorithm than WEP. The devices and access points have to share the Pre-Shared key. The protocol that uses AES is called WPA2-PSK and has stronger encryption than TKIP.