Dell 2300 Wireless Broadband Router - Manual (Page 24)

Access Point:
An access point is a device on the wireless network that receives and retransmits data. It allows computers with wireless
network adapters to be connected, typically, to an Ethernet network.
Cable Modem:
A cable modem is a device that enables you to hook up your PC to the Internet via a local cable TV line.
Client:
A client is a computer on a network.
Domain Name System (or Service) (DNS):
DNS is an Internet service that translates domain names into IP addresses . A DNS server keeps a database of host
computers, their respective domain names, and IP addresses. When a domain name is requested, the DNS server uses this
table to send the user to the proper IP address.
The DNS system is really its own network. If one DNS server doesn't know how to translate a particular domain name, it asks
another one, and so on, until the correct IP address is returned.
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP):
DHCP is the process of automatically configuring the TCP/IP settings for every computer on a network.
Encryption:
Encryption is a common way of implementing security and protecting information. Encryption applies a set of instructions, called
an algorithm, to information. The instructions combine the plain or clear text of information with a sequence of hexadecimal
numbers, called an encryption key.
Before transmitting information over the airwaves, the wireless client or access point encrypts or scrambles the information.
The access point or wireless client receiving the information uses the same key to decrypt or unscramble the information. The
information is only readable to WLAN devices that have the correct encryption key. The longer the key is, the stronger the
encryption. All wireless clients and access points in a WLAN must use the same encryption method and key. 802.11-compliant
wireless network has Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) technologies for wireless security.
Ethernet:
Ethernet is the most widely used local area networking technology. It is an industry-wide standard originally developed by