Wireless Glossary (common terms)

Access Control List (ACL)

• a list of MAC addresses for either Black or White listing.

Access Point (AP)

• hardware device providing connection for a client device to the network over wireless.

Auto Channel

• intelligent channel selection based on neighboring APs to avoid wireless interference.

Auto Power

• intelligent power management based on neighboring APs to avoid wireless interference.

Band Steering

• prioritize the 5GHz radio over 2.4 GHz for client device connections.

Broadcast

• data that is being sent out to the entire network.

Channel

• specific frequency at which a radio runs.

Channel Width

• frequency range or span that directly affects connectivity speed of a radio. also referred to as channel HT/VHT (high throughput/very high throughput).

Client

• a device with the ability to connect to the network. also referred to as wired/wireless client.

dBi (decibel isotropic)

• unit of measurement to define the antenna’s power gain.

dBm (decibel-milliwatt)

• unit of measurement to define the transmit power of an access point.

Dual-Band

• an access point with two radios, 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

Encryption

• process of encoding wireless data to further secure a network.

Fast Roaming

• allow a client to seamlessly transit from one AP to another without disruptions on applications.

L2 Isolation

• prevents wireless clients from being able to communicate with any other client (including wired clients) on the network.

LOS (line-of-sight)

• a straight line between two devices, free of obstructions.

MAC Address

• unique identifier for every network interface.

Managed Mode

• a device that is operating under a controller or management system.

Multicast

• data that is being sent out to multiple destinations.

RSSI (received signal strength indication)

• measurement of radio power on the receiver.

RSSI threshold

• minimum signal level tolerance setting to allow clients to switch over to other APs or radios with stronger coverage.

SSID (service set identifier)

• name of a Wi-Fi network.

TX power (transmit power)

• power level of an access point or radio which is proportional to its coverage.

Wireless Mesh

• interconnection of access points to form a distributed network through Wi-Fi architecture.