Reference Manual for the 54 Mbps Wireless Router WGR614 v4
4 Glossary
December 2003
DSL
Short for digital subscriber line, but is commonly used in reference to the asymmetric version of this
technology (ADSL) that allows data to be sent over existing copper telephone lines at data rates of from 1.5
to 9 Mbps when receiving data (known as the downstream rate) and from 16 to 640 Kbps when sending data
(known as the upstream rate).
ADSL requires a special ADSL modem. ADSL is growing in popularity as more areas around the world
gain access.
DSLAM
DSL Access Multiplexor. The piece of equipment at the telephone company central office that provides the
ADSL signal.
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
DHCP. An Ethernet protocol specifying how a centralized DHCP server can assign network configuration
information to multiple DHCP clients. The assigned information includes IP addresses, DNS addresses, and
gateway (router) addresses.
EAP
Extensible Authentication Protocol is a general protocol for authentication that supports multiple
authentication methods.
EAP, an extension to PPP, supports such authentication methods as token cards, Kerberos, one-time
passwords, certificates, public key authentication and smart cards. In wireless communications using EAP, a
user requests connection to a WLAN through an AP, which then requests the identity of the user and
transmits that identity to an authentication server such as RADIUS. The server asks the AP for proof of
identity, which the AP gets from the user and then sends back to the server to complete the authentication.
EAP is defined by RFC 2284.
ESP
Encapsulating Security Payload.
ESSID
The Extended Service Set Identification (ESSID) is a thirty-two character (maximum) alphanumeric key
identifying the wireless local area network.
Gateway
A local device, usually a router, that connects hosts on a local network to other networks.
IETF
Internet Engineering Task Force. Working groups of the IETF propose standard protocols and procedures for
the Internet, which are published as RFCs (Request for Comment) at
www.ietf.org.
An open international community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers concerned with
the evolution of the Internet architecture and the smooth operation of the Internet.