Asus WL-300g - Manual (Page 57)

5. Appendix
ASUS 802.11g Access Point 57
Chapter 5 - Appendix
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. 802.11 specifies a carrier sense media access control and physical
layer 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