What You Need To Know - ZyXEL Communications NWA1120 Series User Manual

Chapter 6 Wireless LAN
• Use the MAC Filter screen to specify which wireless station is allowed or denied access to the
NWA (see

6.3 What You Need To Know

BSS
A Basic Service Set (BSS) exists when all communications between wireless clients or between a
wireless client and a wired network client go through one access point (AP). Intra-BSS traffic is
traffic between wireless clients in the BSS.
ESS
An Extended Service Set (ESS) consists of a series of overlapping BSSs, each containing an access
point, with each access point connected together by a wired network. This wired connection
between APs is called a Distribution System (DS).
Operating Mode
The NWA can run in four operating modes as follows:
• Root AP. The NWA is a wireless access point that allows wireless communication to other
devices in the network.
• Repeater. The NWA acts as a wireless repeater and increase a root AP's wireless coverage
area.
• Client. The NWA acts as a wireless client to access a wireless network.
• MBSSID. The Multiple Basic Service Set Identifier (MBSSID) mode allows you to use one
access point to provide several BSSs simultaneously.
Refer to Chapter 1 on page 11
SSID
The SSID (Service Set IDentifier) is the name that identifies the Service Set with which a wireless
station is associated. Wireless stations associating to the access point (AP) must have the same
SSID. In other words, it is the name of the wireless network that clients use to connect to it.
Normally, the NWA acts like a beacon and regularly broadcasts the SSID in the area. You can hide
the SSID instead, in which case the NWA does not broadcast the SSID. In addition, you should
change the default SSID to something that is difficult to guess.
This type of security is fairly weak, however, because there are ways for unauthorized wireless
devices to get the SSID. In addition, unauthorized wireless devices can still see the information that
is sent in the wireless network.
56
Section 6.9 on page 86).
for illustrations of these wireless applications.
NWA1120 Series User's Guide