Linksys WVC54G User Manual

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Appendix E: Glossary

802.11a - An IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 54Mbps and an 
operating frequency of 5GHz.

802.11b - An IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 11Mbps and an 
operating frequency of 2.4GHz.

802.11g - An IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 54Mbps, an 
operating frequency of 2.4GHz, and backward compatibility with 802.11b devices.

Access Point - A device that allows wireless-equipped computers and other devices to communicate with a 
wired network. Also used to expand the range of a wireless network.

Adapter - A device that adds network functionality to your PC.

Ad-hoc - A group of wireless devices communicating directly with each other (peer-to-peer) without the use of 
an access point.

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) - A method that uses up to 256-bit key encryption to secure data.

Backbone - The part of a network that connects most of the systems and networks together, and handles the 
most data.

Bandwidth - The transmission capacity of a given device or network.

Beacon Interval - Data transmitted on your wireless network that keeps the network synchronized.

Bit - A binary digit.

Boot - To start a device and cause it to start executing instructions.

Bridge - A device that connects different networks. 

Broadband - An always-on, fast Internet connection.

Browser - An application program that provides a way to look at and interact with all the information on the 
World Wide Web.