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Term
Hotspots
Infrastructure
Internet Protocol (IP)
Address
Media Access Control
(MAC) Address
Security Set Identifier
(SSID)
Definition
Public or private areas where you can
access Wi-Fi service. These wireless
connections can be located, for example, at
a library, cyber cafe, hotel, airport lounge,
or convention center. This service can be free
or sometimes requires a fee.
This connection mode uses wireless access
points to connect to networks.
A 128-bit number that identifies each sender
or receiver of information that is sent in
packets across the Internet. For example,
when you request an HTML page or send
e-mail, the Internet Protocol part of TCP/IP
includes your IP address in the message. In
this example, this information identifies your
computer as the sender and/or receiver of
information.
A computer's unique hardware number in a
network, which also can provide security for
wireless networks. When a network uses a
MAC table, only the 802.11 radios (wireless
devices) that have had their MAC addresses
added to that network's MAC table can
access the network.
A sequence of 32 characters uniquely
defining (naming) a WLAN. Basically, each
set of wireless devices communicating with
each other is called a basic service set
(BSS). Several BSSs can be joined to form
one logical WLAN, called an extended
service set (ESS). An SSID is the 1-32
alphanumeric, case-sensitive name given to
each ESS.
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