21. Glossary
Access Point (AP), Wireless AP
Also known as a base station, this is an electronic de-
vice that functions as an interface for wireless commu-
nications devices. End devices make a radio connec-
tion to the wireless access point via a wireless adapter.
The access point can also be connected by cable to a
permanently installed communications network.
Operating system
Software via which the user and the other software in-
stalled on the system can communicate with the com-
puter hardware and the hard drive.
BSSID (MAC)
The basic service set identification (BSSID) corre-
sponds to the MAC address of the wireless access
point.
Client Mode
Client mode is an operating mode of a wireless access
point (here: the WLAN HDD Adapter) in which the de-
vice behaves like a wireless adapter towards the high-
er level AP. Via an AP operated in client mode, indi-
vidual computers can be connected to a higher level
network without their own wireless adapter.
DHCP – Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
A protocol to assign an IP address to devices in the
network. Dynamic addresses give the device a differ-
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