Asus Wireless Adapter WL-160N User Manual

							
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Chapter 5
Chapter 5 - Glossary
Glossary

Each subchannel in the COFDM implementation is about 300 KHz wide. At the low end of the speed gradient, BPSK (binary phase shift keying) is used to encode 125 Kbps  of  data  per  channel,  resulting  in  a  6,000-Kbps,  or  6  Mbps,  data  rate.  Using quadrature phase shift keying, you can double the amount of data encoded to 250 Kbps  per  channel,  yielding  a  12-Mbps  data  rate. And  by  using  16-level  quadrature amplitude  modulation  encoding  4  bits  per  hertz,  you  can  achieve  a  data  rate  of 24  Mbps.  The  802.11a/g  standard  specifies  that  all  802.11a/g-compliant  products must support these basic data rates. The standard also lets the vendor extend the modulation  scheme  beyond  24  Mbps.  Remember,  the  more  bits  per  cycle  (hertz) that are encoded, the more susceptible the signal will be to interference and fading, and ultimately, the shorter the range, unless power output is increased.
Default Key
This option allows you to select the default WEP key. This option allows you to 
use WEP keys without having to remember or write them down. The WEP keys 
generated  using  the  Pass  Phrase  is  compatible  with  other  WLAN  products. 
The Pass Phrase option is not as secure as manual assignment.
Device Name
Also  known  as  DHCP  client  ID  or  network  name.  Sometimes  provided  by  an 
ISP when using DHCP to assign addresses.
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
This  protocol  allows  a  computer  (or  many  computers  on  your  network)  to  be 
automatically assigned a single IP address from a DHCP server.
DNS Server Address (Domain Name System)
DNS  allows  Internet  host  computers  to  have  a  domain  name  and  one  or  more  IP addresses. A DNS server keeps a database of host computers and their respective domain  names  and  IP  addresses,  so  that  when  a  user  enters  a  domain  name  into the  Internet  browser,  the  user  is  sent  to  the  proper  IP  address.  The  DNS  server address  used  by  the  computers  on  your  home  network  is  the  location  of  the  DNS server your ISP has assigned.
DSL Modem (Digital Subscriber Line)
A DSL modem uses your existing phone lines to transmit data at high speeds.
Direct-Sequence Spread Spectrum (for 802.11b)
Spread spectrum (broadband) uses a narrowband signal to spread the transmission over  a  segment  of  the  radio  frequency  band  or  spectrum.  Direct-sequence  is  a spread spectrum technique where the transmitted signal is spread over a particular frequency range.  
						

							
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Chapter 5 - Glossary
Glossary

Direct-sequence  systems  communicate  by  continuously  transmitting  a  redundant pattern  of  bits  called  a  chipping  sequence.  Each  bit  of  transmitted  data  is  mapped into  chips  and  rearranged  into  a  pseudorandom  spreading  code  to  form  the chipping  sequence.  The  chipping  sequence  is  combined  with  a  transmitted  data stream to produce the output signal.
Wireless mobile clients receiving a direct-sequence transmission use the spreading code  to  map  the  chips  within  the  chipping  sequence  back  into  bits  to  recreate  the original data transmitted by the wireless device. Intercepting and decoding a direct-sequence transmission requires a predefined  algorithm to associate the spreading code  used  by  the  transmitting  wireless  device  to  the  receiving  wireless  mobile client.
This  algorithm  is  established  by  IEEE  802.11b  specifications.  The  bit  redundancy within  the  chipping  sequence  enables  the  receiving  wireless  mobile  client  to recreate  the  original  data  pattern,  even  if  bits  in  the  chipping  sequence  are corrupted  by  interference.  The  ratio  of  chips  per  bit  is  called  the  spreading  ratio. A  high  spreading  ratio  increases  the  resistance  of  the  signal  to  interference.  A low  spreading  ratio  increases  the  bandwidth  available  to  the  user.  The  wireless device uses a constant chip rate of 11Mchips/s for all data rates, but uses different modulation  schemes  to  encode  more  bits  per  chip  at  the  higher  data  rates.  The wireless device is capable of an 11 Mbps data transmission rate, but the coverage area is less than a 1 or 2 Mbps wireless device since coverage area decreases as bandwidth increases.
Encryption
This  provides  wireless  data  transmissions  with  a  level  of  security.  This  option allows  you  to  specify  a  64-bit  or  a  128-bit  WEP  key.  A  64-bit  encryption  contains 10  hexadecimal  digits  or  5  ASCII  characters.  A  128-bit  encryption  contains  26 hexadecimal digits or 13 ASCII characters.
64-bit and 40-bit WEP keys use the same encryption method and can interoperate on  wireless  networks.  This  lower  level  of  WEP  encryption  uses  a  40-bit  (10 hexadecimal  digits  assigned  by  the  user)  secret  key  and  a  24-bit  Initialization Vector  assigned  by  the  device.  104-bit  and  128-bit  WEP  keys  use  the  same encryption method.
All  wireless  clients  in  a  network  must  have  identical  WEP  keys  with  the  access point to establish connection. Keep a record of the WEP encryption keys.
Extended Service Set (ESS)
A  set  of  one  or  more  interconnected  basic  service  set  (BSS)  and  integrated 
local area networks (LANs) can be configured as an Extended Service Set.
ESSID (Extended Service Set Identifier)
You must have the same ESSID entered into the gateway and each of its wireless clients. The ESSID is a unique identifier for your wireless network. 
						

							
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Chapter 5
Chapter 5 - Glossary
Glossary

Ethernet
The  most  widely  used  LAN  access  method,  which  is  defined  by  the  IEEE  802.3 standard.  Ethernet  is  normally  a  shared  media  LAN  meaning  all  devices  on  the network  segment  share  total  bandwidth.  Ethernet  networks  operate  at  10Mbps using CSMA/CD to run over 10-BaseT cables. 
Firewall
A  firewall  determines  which  information  passes  in  and  out  of  a  network.  NAT  can create a natural firewall by hiding a local network’s IP addresses from the Internet. A Firewall prevents anyone outside of your network from accessing your computer and possibly damaging or viewing your files.
Gateway
A  network  point  that  manages  all  the  data  traffic  of  your  network,  as  well  as  to  the Internet and connects one network to another.
IEEE
The  Institute  of  Electrical  and  Electronics  Engineers.  The  IEEE  sets  standards for  networking,  including  Ethernet  LANs.  IEEE  standards  ensure  interoperability between systems of the same type.
IEEE 802.11
IEEE  802.xx  is  a  set  of  specifications  for  LANs  from  the  Institute  of  Electrical and  Electronic  Engineers  (IEEE).  Most  wired  networks  conform  to  802.3,  the specification for CSMA/CD based Ethernet networks or 802.5, the specification for token ring networks. 802.11 defines the standard for wireless LANs encompassing three  incompatible  (non-interoperable)  technologies:  Frequency  Hopping  Spread Spectrum  (FHSS),  Direct  Sequence  Spread  Spectrum  (DSSS),  and  Infrared. 8 0 2 . 11  s p e c i f i e s  a  c a r r i e r  s e n s e  m e d i a  a c c e s s  c o n t r o l  a n d  p h y s i c a l  l a y e r specifications for 1 and 2 Mbps wireless LANs. 
IEEE 802.11a (54Mbits/sec)
Compared  with  802.11b:  The  802.11b  standard  was  designed  to  operate  in the  2.4-GHz  ISM  (Industrial,  Scientific  and  Medical)  band  using  direct-sequence spread-spectrum  technology.  The  802.11a  standard,  on  the  other  hand,  was designed  to  operate  in  the  more  recently  allocated  5-GHz  UNII  (Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure) band. And unlike 802.11b, the 802.11a standard departs from the traditional spread-spectrum technology, instead using a frequency division multiplexing scheme that's intended to be friendlier to office environments. 
The  802.11a  standard,  which  supports  data  rates  of  up  to  54  Mbps,  is  the  Fast Ethernet  analog  to  802.11b,  which  supports  data  rates  of  up  to  11  Mbps.  Like Ethernet  and  Fast  Ethernet,  802.11b  and  802.11a  use  an  identical  MAC  (Media Access  Control).  However,  while  Fast  Ethernet  uses  the  same  physical-layer encoding  scheme  as  Ethernet  (only  faster),  802.11a  uses  an  entirely  different encoding scheme, called OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing). 
						

							
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Chapter 5
Chapter 5 - Glossary
Glossary

The  802.11b  spectrum  is  plagued  by  saturation  from  wireless  phones,  microwave ovens  and  other  emerging  wireless  technologies,  such  as  Bluetooth.  In  contrast, 802.11a spectrum is relatively free of interference.
The  802.11a  standard  gains  some  of  its  performance  from  the  higher  frequencies at  which  it  operates.  The  laws  of  information  theory  tie  frequency,  radiated  power and  distance  together  in  an  inverse  relationship.  Thus,  moving  up  to  the  5-GHz spectrum  from  2.4  GHz  will  lead  to  shorter  distances,  given  the  same  radiated power and encoding scheme.
Compared  with  802.11g:  802.11a  is  a  standard  for  access  points  and  radio  NICs that is ahead of 802.11g in the market by about six months. 802.11a operates in the 5GHz frequency band with twelve separate non-overlapping channels. As a result, you  can  have  up  to  twelve  access  points  set  to  different  channels  in  the  same area  without  them  interfering  with  each  other.  This  makes  access  point  channel assignment  much  easier  and  significantly  increases  the  throughput  the  wireless LAN can deliver within a given area. In addition, RF interference is much less likely because of the less-crowded 5 GHz band.
IEEE 802.11b (11Mbits/sec)
In  1997,  the  Institute  of  Electrical  and  Electronics  Engineers  (IEEE)  adopted  the 802.11 standard for wireless devices operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. This standard  includes  provisions  for  three  radio  technologies:  direct  sequence  spread spectrum,  frequency  hopping  spread  spectrum,  and  infrared.  Devices  that  comply with the 802.11 standard operate at a data rate of either 1 or 2 Mbps.
In  1999,  the  IEEE  created  the  802.11b  standard.  802.11b  is  essentially  identical to  the  802.11  standard  except  802.11b  provides  for  data  rates  of  up  to  11  Mbps for  direct  sequence  spread  spectrum  devices.  Under  802.11b,  direct  sequence devices  can  operate  at  11  Mbps,  5.5  Mbps,  2  Mbps,  or  1  Mbps.  This  provides interoperability  with  existing  802.11  direct  sequence  devices  that  operate  only  at  2 Mbps.
Direct  sequence  spread  spectrum  devices  spread  a  radio  signal  over  a  range  of frequencies. The IEEE 802.11b specification allocates the 2.4 GHz frequency band into  14  overlapping  operating  Channels.  Each  Channel  corresponds  to  a  different set of frequencies.
IEEE 802.11g
802.11g  is  a  new  extension  to  802.11b  (used  in  majority  of  wireless  LANs  today) that  broadens  802.11b's  data  rates  to  54  Mbps  within  the  2.4  GHz  band  using OFDM  (orthogonal  frequency  division  multiplexing)  technology.  802.11g  allows b a c k w a r d  c o m p a t i b i l i t y  w i t h  8 0 2 . 11 b  d e v i c e s  b u t  o n l y  a t  11  M b p s  o r  l o w e r, depending on the range and presence of obstructions.
Infrastructure
A wireless network centered about an access point. In this environment, the access point  not  only  provides  communication  with  the  wired  network  but  also  mediates wireless network traffic in the immediate neighborhood.  
						

							
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Chapter 5
Chapter 5 - Glossary
Glossary

IP (Internet Protocol)
T h e  T C P / I P  s t a n d a r d  p r o t o c o l  t h a t  d e f i n e s  t h e  I P  d a t a g r a m  a s  t h e  u n i t  o f information  passed  across  an  Internet  and  provides  the  basis  for  connectionless packet  delivery  service.  IP  includes  the  ICMP  control  and  error  message  protocol as  an  integral  part.  It  provides  the  functional  equivalent  of  ISO  OSI  Network Services.
IP Address
An  IP  address  is  a  32-bit  number  that  identifies  each  sender  or  receiver  of information  that  is  sent  across  the  Internet.  An  IP  address  has  two  parts:  the identifier  of  a  particular  network  on  the  Internet  and  an  identifier  of  the  particular device (which can be a server or a workstation) within that network. 
ISM Bands (Industrial, Scientific, and Medicine Bands)
Radio  frequency  bands  that  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  (FCC) authorized for wireless LANs. The ISM bands are located at 902 MHz, 2.400 GHz, and 5.7 GHz.
ISP (Internet Service Provider)
An  organization  that  provides  access  to  the  Internet.  Small  ISPs  provide  service via  modem  and  ISDN  while  the  larger  ones  also  offer  private  line  hookups  (T1, fractional T1, etc.).
LAN (Local Area Network)
A  communications  network  that  serves  users  within  a  defined  geographical  area. The  benefits  include  the  sharing  of  Internet  access,  files  and  equipment  like printers and storage devices. Special network cabling (10 Base-T) is often used to connect the PCs together. 
MAC Address (Media Access Control)
A MAC address is the hardware address of a device connected to a network.
NAT (Network Address Translation)
NAT  masks  a  local  network’s  group  of  IP  addresses  from  the  external  network, allowing  a local  network of computers to share a single  ISP account. This process allows all of the computers on your home network to use one IP address. This will enable  access  to  the  Internet  from  any  computer  on  your  home  network  without having to purchase more IP addresses from your ISP.
NIC (Network Interface Card)
A network adapter inserted into a computer so that the computer can be connected to a network. It is responsible for converting data from stored in the computer to the form transmitted or received. 
						

							
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Chapter 5
Chapter 5 - Glossary
Glossary

Packet
A  basic  message  unit  for  communication  across  a  network.  A  packet  usually includes routing information, data, and sometimes error detection inform\
ation. 
Pass Phrase
The  Wireless  Settings  utility  uses  an  algorithm  to  generate  four  WEP  keys 
based on the typed combination.
PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol)
PPP  is  a  protocol  for  communication  between  computers  using  a  serial  interface, typically a personal computer connected by phone line to a server.
PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet)
Point-to-Point  Protocol  is  a  method  of  secure  data  transmission.  PPP  using Ethernet to connect to an ISP.
Preamble
Allows you to set the preamble mode for a network to Long, Short, or Auto. The 
default preamble mode is Long.
Radio Frequency (RF) Terms: GHz, MHz, Hz 
The  international  unit  for  measuring  frequency  is  Hertz  (Hz),  equivalent  to  the older  unit  of  cycles  per  second.  One  megahertz  (MHz)  is  one  million  Hertz.  One gigahertz (GHz) is one billion Hertz. The standard US electrical power frequency is 60 Hz, the AM broadcast radio frequency band is 0.55-1.6 MHz, the FM broadcast radio  frequency  band  is  88-108  MHz,  and  wireless  802.11  LANs  operate  at  2.4 GHz. 
SSID (Service Set Identifier)
SSID  is  a  group  name  shared  by  every  member  of  a  wireless  network.  Only  client PCs  with  the  same  SSID  are  allowed  to  establish  a  connection.  Enabling  the Response  to  Broadcast  SSID  requests option  allows  the  device  to  broadcast its  SSID  in  a  wireless  network.  This  allows  other  wireless  devices  to  scan  and establish communication with the device. Unchecking this option hides the SSID to prevent other wireless devices from recognizing and connecting to the device.
Station
Any device containing IEEE 802.11 wireless medium access conformity.
Subnet Mask
A subnet mask is a set of four numbers configured like an IP address. It is used to create IP address numbers used only within a particular network. 
						

							
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Chapter 5 - Glossary
Glossary

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
The  standard  transport  level  protocol  that  provides  the  full  duplex,  stream  service on  which  many  application  protocols  depend.  TCP  allows  a  process  or  one machine to send a stream of data to a process on another. Software implementing TCP usually resides in the operating system and uses the IP to transmit information across the network.
WAN (Wide Area Network)
A system of LANs, connected together. A network that connects computers located in separate areas, (i.e., different buildings, cities, countries). The Internet is a wide area network.
WECA (Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance)
An  industry  group  that  certifies  cross-vender  interoperability  and  compatibility of  IEEE  802.11b  wireless  networking  products  and  to  promote  that  standard  for enterprise, small business, and home environments.
WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access)
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is an improved security system for 802.11. It is part of  the  802.11i  draft  security  standard.  WPA  encompasses  TKIP  (Temporal  Key Integrity  Protocol)  along  with  MIC  (Message  Integrity  Check)  and  other  fixes  to WEP  such  as  Weak  IV  (Initialization  Vector)  filtering  and  Random  IV  generation. TKIP  uses  802.1x  to  deploy  and  change  temporary  keys  as  opposed  to  static WEP  keys  once  used  in  the  past.  It  is  a  significant  improvement  over  WEP.  WPA is part of a complete security solution. WPA also requires authentication servers in enterprise security solutions.
Requirements
(1)  A  WPA  compatible  access  point  or  Wireless  router,  (2)  Operating  system updates  that  support  WPA.  In  XP,  an  updated  Windows  Zero  Config  service  is needed. Users can download the Windows XP WPA patch here:
http://microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=009D8425-CE2B-47A4-ABEC-274845DC9E91&displaylang=en
Please  note  that  this  patch  requires  the  installation  Windows  XP  Service  Pack  1, which  is  available  here:  http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/pro/downloads/servicepacks/sp1/default.asp
For  earlier  Windows  Operating  systems,  a  WPA  capable  supplicant  is  required such as Funk Software’s Odyssey Client.
WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network)
This  is  a  group  of  computers  and  other  devices  connected  wirelessly  in  a  small area. A wireless network is referred to as LAN or WLAN. 
						

							
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Chapter 6 - Appendix
Chapter 6Appendix

6.  Appendix
FCC Warning Statement
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the 
following two conditions: 
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2)  this  device  must  accept  any  interference  received,  including  interference  that        may  cause 
undesired operation.
This  equipment  has  been  tested  and  found  to  comply  with  the  limits  for  a 
class  B  digital  device,  pursuant  to  part  15  of  the  FCC  Rules.  These  limits 
are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference 
in a residential installation.
This  equipment  generates,  uses  and  can  radiate  radio  frequency  energy 
and,  if  not  installed  and  used  in  accordance  with  the  instructions,  may 
cause  harmful  interference  to  radio  communications.  However,  there  is  no 
guarantee  that  interference  will  not  occur  in  a  particular  installation.  If  this 
equipment  does  cause  harmful  interference  to  radio  or  television  reception, 
which  can  be  determined  by  turning  the  equipment  off  and  on,  the  user  is 
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following 
measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
CAUTION: 
A n y  c h a n g e s  o r  m o d i f i c a t i o n s  n o t  e x p r e s s l y  a p p r o v e d  b y  t h e  p a r t y 
responsible  for  compliance  could  void  the  user’s  authority  to  operate  the 
equipment.
Prohibition of Co-location
This  device  and  its  antenna(s)  must  not  be  co-located  or  operating  in 
conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter
Safety Information
To  maintain  compliance  with  FCC’s  RF  exposure  guidelines,  this  equipment 
should  be  installed  and  operated  with  minimum  distance  20cm  between  the 
radiator and your body. Use on the supplied antenna. 
						

							
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Chapter 6 - Appendix
Chapter 6Appendix

Testing for electric safety according to EN 60950-1 has been conducted. These 
are considered relevant and sufficient.
Protection requirements for electromagnetic compatibility – Article 3.1b
Testing  for  electromagnetic  compatibility  according  to  EN  301  489-1  and  EN 
301 489-17 has been conducted. These are considered relevant and sufficient.
Effective use of the radio spectrum – Article 3.2
Testing  for  radio  test  suites  according  to  EN  300  328-  2  has  been  conducted. 
These are considered relevant and sufficient.
CE Mark Warning
This is a Class B product, in a domestic environment, this product may cause 
radio  interference,  in  which  case  the  user  may  be  required  to  take  adequate 
measures.
Declaration of Conformity for R&TTE directive 1/5/EC
Essential requirements – Article 3
Protection requirements for health and safety – Article 3.1a