Dictionary

Please help in building a dictionary of terms frequently used in this wireless device driver.

802.11
See IEEE802.11
Association
An active relationship between two wireless devices in which one device (a Master Device) exercises certain control functions over other devices (a Client Device).
Available Channel
A Channel on which a Channel Availability Check has not identified the presence of a Radar Waveform.
BSS
Basic Service Set, is an IEEE802.11 definition of a managed wireless network that comprises a single access point and its wireless devices. Compare with BSS and IBSS. See WirelessCapabilities.
Burst
A series of radio wave pulses defined by pulse width, pulse repetition interval, number of pulses, and modulation to simulate radar transmissions.
Channel
Amount of spectrum utilized by a Master Device and any associated Client Device(s).
Channel Availability Check
A DFS function that monitors a Channel to determine if a Radar Waveform above the DFS Detection Threshold is present.
Client Device
A device operating in Client Mode.
Client Mode
Operating mode in which the transmissions of the device are under control of the Master Device. A device operating in Client Mode is not able to initiate a network.
DFS
Dynamic Frequency Selection, defined in the IEEE802.11h standard. Procedure to recognize other radio-based applications such as military radar and evade such frequencies to avoid interferences.
Dynamic Frequency Selection
An interference mitigation technique for devices to avoid co-channel operations with military radar systems.
DFS Detection Threshold
The required detection level defined by a received signal strength (RSS) that is greater than a specified threshold, within the U-NII Detection Bandwidth.
ESS
Extended Service Set is defined by the IEEE802.11 as "A set of one or more interconnected basic service sets (BSSs) and integrated local area networks (LANs) that appears as a single BSS to the logical link control layer at any station associated with one of those BSSs." Compare with BSS and IBSS. See WirelessCapabilities.
HAL
Hardware Access Layer, see About/HAL and HAL usage
IBSS
Independant Basic Service Set, is an IEEE802.11 definition of a standalone network comprised of one or more ad-hoc wireless devices connected together. Compare with BSS and ESS. See WirelessCapabilities.
MadWifi
Multiband Atheros Driver for Wireless Fidelity. The driver codebase name after June 2006 (see below for more). MadWifi is a linux kernel driver that supports wireless chipsets from Atheros.
MadWifi-NG
Multiband Atheros Driver for Wireless Fidelity-NG. The codebase in the interval November 2005-June 2006 is called MadWifi-NG, and after June 2006, the codebase is called simply MadWifi.
MadWifi-Old
Multiband Atheros Driver for Wireless Fidelity-Old. Old refers to the Madwifi driver released prior to November 2005. This driver was deprecated in June 2006. The codebase in the interval November 2005-June 2006 is called MadWifi-NG, and after June 2006, the codebase is called simply MadWifi.
Master Device
A device operating in Master Mode.
Master Mode
Operating mode in which the device has the capability to transmit without receiving an external control signal and can perform Network Initiation.
Network Initiation
The process by which the Master Device sends control signals to Client Device(s) that allow them to begin transmissions.
Non-Occupancy Period
The time during which a Channel will not be utilized after a Radar Waveform is detected on that Channel.
Operating Channel
Once a device starts to operate on an Available Channel then that Channel becomes the Operating Channel.
PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect, a bus technology for a computer.
RSSI
Received Signal Strength Indicator, see UserDocs/RSSI
STA Mode
Client, Station or Managed mode (all the same thing).
TPC
Transmit Power Control, defined in IEEE802.11h standard. Procedure to automatically limit the transmit power to the minimum level needed to keep contact to the communication partner.
U-NII Device
Intentional radiators operating in the frequency bands in the MHz and MHz that use wideband digital modulation techniques and provide a wide array of high data rate mobile and fixed communications for individuals, businesses, and institutions.
VAP
Virtual Access Point, a technique to allow one physical access point to behave like it is multiple access points. In some contexts, it also refers to having multiple modes of operation (e.g. station, monitor, wds) running at the same time.
VPN
Virtual Private Network, allows connecting private over public networks, usually secured by encryption.
WDS
Wireless Distribution System, see About/TheProjectWDS?.
WEP
Wired Equivalent Privacy, encryption standard used by Wireless Networks following the various IEEE802.11 specifications. Unsecure, should be regarded as being deprecated, superceded by WPA.
WMM
Wifi MultiMedia, a subset of 802.11e
WPA
Wifi Protected Access