Wireless Glossary – W

Wideband Code Division Multiple Access is an air interface standard found in 3G mobile telecommunications networks. It is the basis of Japan’s NTT DoCoMo’s FOMA service and the most-commonly used member of the UMTS family and sometimes used as a synonym for UMTS. It uses the DS-CDMA channel access method and the FDD duplexing method to achieve higher speeds and support more users compared to most TDMA and TDD schemes used before.

Wide Area Network is a network that covers a broad area (i.e., any telecommunications network that links across metropolitan, regional, or national boundaries) using private or public network transports.

An internetwork that spans more than one geographical area, connecting LANS and other kinds of networks together.

A representation of how alternating current (AC) varies with time.

A hollow, tube shaped device constructed of metal with a vinyl or polypropylene coating, used for conducting RF energy from an emission source, such as a microwave transmitter, to an antenna.

Length of the full cycles (period) of a wave. The three wavelength ranges normally used in optical communications are 850 mm, 1300 mm and 1550 mm.

WebVPN, or SSL VPN, enables users to estblish connection to a VPN without requiring a client installation. This is accomplished through a secure web page.

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is an optional IEEE 802.11 feature used to provide data confidentiality that is equivalent to the confidentiality of a wired LAN that does not employ crypto techniques to enhance privacy.

Wi-Fi is the industry name for wireless LAN (WLAN) communication technology related to the IEEE 802.11 family of wireless networking standards

WiFi is a popular technology that allows an electronic device to exchange data wirelessly over a computer network, including high-speed Internet connections. The Wi-Fi Alliance defines Wi-Fi as any “wireless local area network (WLAN) products that are based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) 802.11 standards”.

An absolute reversal of the subnet mask. This is principally used when configuring OSPF and access list.

WiMAX is Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a certification mark for products that pass conformity and interoperability tests for the IEEE 802.16 standards. IEEE 802.16 is working group number 16 of IEEE 802, specialising in point-to-multipoint broadband wireless access.

Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access is a wireless communications standard designed to provide 30 to 40 megabit-per-second data rates, with the 2011 update providing up to 1 Gbit/s for fixed stations. The name “WiMAX” was created by the WiMAX Forum, which was formed in June 2001 to promote conformity and interoperability of the standard.

WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a telecommunications protocol that offers both fixed and mobile internet access over long distances. Today’s WiMAX revision provides up to 40 Mbps. The update of IEEE 802.16m is expected to offer up to 1 Gbps fixed speeds. WiMAX is based on the Broadband Wireless Access standard IEEE 802.16.

Optional security mechanism defined within the 802.11 standard designed to make the link integrity of the wireless medium equal to that of a cable.

A wireless cell represents the region of coverage by a wireless access point.

Defines specific ranges of radio frequencies that are utilized in 802.11 transmission. Using different channels from adjacent access points eliminates interferance between the two.

A Wireless Distribution System is a system that enables the interconnection of access points wirelessly.

It is described in IEEE 802.11. An access point can be either a main, relay or remote base station. A main base station is typically connected to the wired Ethernet. A relay base station relays data between remote base stations, wireless clients or other relay stations to either a main or another relay main station. A remote base station accepts connections from wireless clients and passes them to relay or main stations.

All base stations in a Wireless Distribution System must be configured to use the same radio channel, and share WEP keys if that is used. They can be configured to different service set identifiers.

WDS may also be referred to as repeater mode because it appears to bridge and accept wireless clients at the same time (unlike traditional bridging).

WDS may be incompatible between different products (even occasionally from the same vendor) as it is not certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Notice that this WDS is different from the WDS implementation by Cisco, which stands for Wireless Domain Services.

Wireless local loop (WLL), also called radio in the loop (RITL) or fixed-radio access (FRA) or fixed-wireless access (FWA), is the use of a wireless communications link as the “last mile” connection for delivering plain old telephone service (POTS) to telecommunications customers.

The Wireless Outdoor Router Protocol (WORP) was designed to optimize long distance links and multipoint networks with Hidden Node effect to eliminate collisions and loss of bandwidth.

The process of a wireless client moving from one access point to another without losing connectivity.

A WISP offers public wireless network services. WISPs typically install Wi-Fi wireless hotspots in airports, hotels and other public businessplaces.

A WLAN provides wireless network communication over short distances using radio or infrared signals instead of traditional network cabling.

Wireless Multi-Media

WPA, or Wi-Fi Protected Access, is a security technology for wireless networks. WPA improves on the authentication and encryption features of WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy).

WPA provides stronger encryption than the original WEP standard without the need to change wireless hardware. WPA utilizes Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) and the Message Integrity Code (MIC).

WPA2, or 802.11i, utilizes the AES encryption cipher and provides a stronger security system for wireless networks.