WRAP (Wireless Robust Authenticated Protocol) is an encryption protocol in the 802.11i standard. WRAP is based upon the Offset Codebook (OCB) mode of AES. WRAP is being Replaced with CCMP Intellectual property rights issues have plagued WRAP. Three different parties have filed for patents on WRAP. These intellectual property issues caused the IEEE to introduce CCMP into the 802.11i standard and make WRAP an optional component of RSN (Robust Secure Network).

802.1p is an IEEE standard that describes mechanisms to prioritize traffic and perform dynamic multicast filtering. Because of its support for priority specification, 802.1p is important for providing Quality of Service (QoS) for better reliability and quality. Quality of Service QoS is a mechanism that allows for better handling of data that passes over a network. There are two major types of Quality of Service (QoS) techniques, hard QoS and soft QoS. Hard QoS has a hard-set capacity reserved for certain types of service, while soft QoS just deals with Read More

A MAC address is an address that exists on Layer 2 of the OSI Model. Layer 2 of the OSI model is the Data Link Layer. The Data Link Layer consists of two sublayers, the Media Access Control (MAC) layer and the Logical Link Control (LLC) layer. The MAC sublayer controls how a network node gains access to the data and permission to transmit it. MAC addresses are globally unique and are written into hardware when manufactured. For this reason, MAC addresses are sometimes called Burned In Addresses (BIA). After Read More

Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) is a technology found in fiber optic communications. WDM uses a single fiber to transmit multiple optical signals. It does this by breaking up the signal into different frequencies or wavelengths of color. The various wavelengths indicate that different amounts of data are being transmitted simultaneously. This results in an increase in capacity and allows bidirectional communication over any single fiber. That is to say, the fiber can have a signal going in one direction and another going in the opposite direction. How WDM Works For Read More

The label network hardware is generally given to any piece of equipment with the task of moving data. Common categories of network hardware include: Routers Switches Network Interface Cards         Routers             A router is a network device with interfaces in multiple networks whose task is to copy packets from one network to another. Routers operate at Layer 3 of the OSI Model, the Network Layer. A router will utilize one or more routing protocols to create a routing table. The router will then use the information Read More

A dial-up connection is any connection that is connected through a regular phone line. When that phone line is connected to a modem and then configured to dial a specific number, a user can access the Internet. It is the slowest form of Internet connection, but that is a result of also being the most inexpensive–if not free–form of Internet access available to users. According to a Pew Internet and American Life Project conducted in 2008, only about 10% of Americans were still using dial-up either because of remoteness or Read More

A bandwidth monitor is a computer application that is able to monitor the bandwidth of a particular network. Bandwidth monitors are able to keep track of the current network speed for both uploads and downloads, the amount of data transferred, the computer’s IP address, and the network card address. By observing the results of a bandwidth monitor, users are able to define what time their connection is the strongest and plan their Internet activity accordingly. This article will list a number of bandwidth monitors that are able to perform all Read More

SMS, or Short Messaging Service, is a text-based messaging service that is used by over 2.4 billion mobile phone users worldwide. SMS allows users to send and receive text-based messages, pictures, videos, and audio clips from other mobile phone users and desktop computer users who have applications that can interact with mobile phones. SMS differs from emails and other text-based communication methods because it is compliant with 3G and 4G networks and has a maximum limit of 240 characters per page, making it ideal for short messages.   How SMS Read More

LMDS (Local Multipoint Distribution Service) is a broadband wireless point-to-multipoint specification utilizing microwave communications. LMDS operates on FCC licensed frequencies. The FCC divided the United States into 493 BTA's (Basic Trading Areas) and auctioned the rights to transmit on the LMDS bands in each of those areas to LMDS service providers. Each BTA is licensed to two LMDS service providers. The LMDS bandplan is available from the FCC at http://wireless.fcc.gov/auctions/data/bandplans/lmds.pdf. LMDS Specifications Fixed/Mobile Fixed Circuit/Packet: n/a Max Bandwidth 1.5Gb downstream, 200Mb upstream Range 4 miles Frequency 27.5GHz-28.35Ghz, 29.1Ghz-29.25Ghz, 31.075Ghz-31.225Ghz, 31.Ghz-31.075Ghz, Read More

IKE (Internet Key Exchange) is a key exchange mode for ISAKMP. IKE is used to securely exchange encryption keys as part of building a VPN tunnel. IKE supports the following encryption algorithms: DES-CBC IDEA-CBC Blowfish-CBC RC5-R16-B64-CBC 3DES-CBC CAST-CBC IKE supports the following hash algorithms: MD5 SHA Tiger IKE supports the following authentication methods: Pre-shared key DSS signatures RSA signatures Encryption with RSA Revised encryption with RSA IKE utilizes the Diffie-Hellman asymmetric cipher for key exchange. IKE is fully documented in RFC 2409: The Internet Key Exchange (IKE).