Appendix B - About Wireless Lans; Overview; Wireless Lan Terminology - Linksys LAPAC2600 User Manual

Appendix B - About Wireless LANs

Overview

Wireless networks have their own terms and jargon. You must understand many of these terms in
order to configure and operate a wireless LAN.

Wireless LAN Terminology

Modes
Wireless LANs can work in either of two (2) modes:
Ad-hoc
•
• Infrastructure
Ad-hoc Mode
Ad-hoc Mode does not require an access point or a wired (Ethernet) LAN. Wireless stations, e.g.,
notebook PCs with wireless cards, communicate directly with each other.
Infrastructure Mode
In Infrastructure Mode, one or more access points are used to connect wireless stations, e.g.,
notebook PCs with wireless cards, to a wired (Ethernet) LAN. The wireless stations can then
access all LAN resources.
Note—Access points can only function in Infrastructure Mode, and can communicate only with
wireless stations that are set to Infrastructure Mode.
SSID/ESSID
BSS/SSID
A group of wireless stations and a single access point, all using the same ID (SSID), form a Basic
Service Set (BSS).
Using the same SSID is essential. Devices with different SSIDs are unable to communicate with
each other.
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