| Wireless Internet Terminology, like many things in | | | | else you can think of. If you don't have a laptop |
| life, especially those that have anything to do with | | | | or want to open up your computer you can get a |
| computers is filled with terminology. But like most | | | | USB wireless device. |
| things, once you learn a few of the basic terms, | | | | WEP - Wired Equivalent Privacy |
| understanding will come quickly. So don't be | | | | No longer used because in 2001 it was found to |
| confused get informed and to help clarify, I've put | | | | have security issues. As a result, it is now the old |
| together a basic wireless "internet-to-english" guide | | | | standard for encrypting wireless networks. |
| to help you along. | | | | WPA - WiFi Protected Access |
| IEEE - The Institute of Electrical and Electronics | | | | The new standard for encrypting wireless |
| Engineers | | | | networks. An upgrade of WEP to fix security |
| The IEEE is in charge of the wireless networking | | | | issues. To avoid becoming vulnerable, a WPA |
| standard, as well as many other computer-related | | | | encrypted network changes encryption methods |
| standards - including the Ethernet standard. They | | | | often. In addition, if an attack is detected, it has |
| ensure that computer equipment made by | | | | the ability to shut itself down for thirty seconds. |
| different manufacturers can work together. | | | | PAN - Personal Area Network |
| PCMCIA - Personal Computer Memory Card | | | | A network of devices connected together in one |
| International Association | | | | small area. A simple example of a PAN would be |
| Simply another standard for how to plug credit | | | | your computer, USB keyboard and mouse. Using |
| card size devices into a laptop computer to boost | | | | a technology called Bluetooth, a PAN can be |
| it's capabilities. It's been suggested by some that it | | | | wireless. |
| should stand for "People Can't Memorize | | | | LAN - Local Area Network |
| Computer Industry Acronyms". PCMCIA is a | | | | Briefly mentioned above, LAN is a computer |
| great way of adding wireless networking to your | | | | network that... generally speaking is confined to |
| laptop as easily as inserting a disk. | | | | one building, such as a home or office. A wireless |
| PCI - Peripheral Component Interconnect | | | | LAN is also known as a WLAN. |
| Used to install devices like graphics cards and | | | | MAN - Metropolitan Area Network |
| network devices inside your computer. You would | | | | A network that covers a larger area, like a city |
| be using a PCI, if you wanted to install a wireless | | | | or town. They are expensive but a wireless MAN |
| card inside your computer. | | | | has the capacity to spread Internet access |
| 802.11 | | | | across a wide area. Many college universities |
| Set by the IEEE, it's the current wireless | | | | set-up a MAN to connect the entire campus. |
| networking standard. It helps ensure that wireless | | | | WAN - Wide Area Network |
| devices can communicate with one another or in | | | | A network that covers or connects to more than |
| other words - they are interoperable. | | | | one physical site. A simple example would be a |
| Interoperable | | | | business that has locations in different cities, |
| Simply means that two different pieces of | | | | states or countries and they need them each |
| equipment have the ability to speak to each other | | | | location connected on the same network. The |
| or another way to put it - they are compatible. | | | | Internet itself is a WAN... the biggest WAN in the |
| They can use them together because they were | | | | world. |
| designed using the same standards. Because of | | | | Mbps - Megabits Per Second |
| the IEEE and the principle of interoperability, all | | | | Not to be confused with MBps, megabytes per |
| wireless equipment you purchase should be | | | | second. Mbps is measurement of connection |
| compatible. | | | | speed. There are eight megabits in a megabyte. |
| Driver | | | | GHz - Gigahertz |
| Not a piece of golf equipment but computer | | | | One gigahertz is one billion cycles per second... it's |
| software that informs a computer how to talk to | | | | a measurement of frequency. If the term sounds |
| devices that plug into it. Most wireless networking | | | | familiar it's probably because it's also used to |
| drivers come on a CD-ROM. You then download | | | | measure the processing speed of the CPU on |
| the drivers from the CD onto your computer. | | | | your computer, which is also measured in |
| Ethernet | | | | gigahertz. |
| Currently, the most common way of connecting | | | | Linux |
| to a LAN or Local Area Network. Most wires | | | | A popular and growing alternative operating |
| connected to your computer today are ethernet | | | | system to Windows. Linux is a less bulky, more |
| and if you have a cable internet connection an | | | | efficient operating system in many ways than |
| ethernet wire is in all likely-hood, what is being | | | | Windows and not to mention - it's free. Many |
| used to connect to your modem. | | | | servers run Linux for this reason. Computers |
| USB - Universal Serial Bus | | | | running Linux can run many programs and |
| A port used for connecting all sorts of devices to | | | | connect to the Internet without needing Windows. |
| a computer, including keyboards, a mouse, | | | | Many wireless devices run Linux or are compatible |
| printers, external hard-drives and basically anything | | | | with it. |