Week Fourteen — Protocol Definitions - matthewlaujh/itpnyu-understandingnetworks GitHub Wiki

Pick at least three terms that you learn in the course of the class and research them. Provide a paragraph or two definition, in the tone of the networks site glossary. Several terms there remain to be defined. Explain for a non-technical audience; in particular, explain how it might be part of their everyday life whether they know it or not. Provide sources for your information, with links where possible. Email your instructor when you have a term that you think is ready to go on the site.

Alternately, you can take one concept that’s not already covered on the networks site explainer page and write a detailed report on it.

Optional: This assignment has generated all of the glossary terms and explainer articles on the networks site. If you would like to include your work on that site, let me know, and I will provide further editorial feedback, and transfer it to the site when you are done with edits.

This assignment is best done over the course of the semester, as you encounter terms which get you most interested or most confused.

Wireless Access Point:

Also known as Routers or could include Routers.

A Wireless Access Point is a networking device that allows other WiFi devices to connect to a wired network. Depending on the model, they could act as router. The difference is that a Wireless Access Point transmits and receives data over a private wireless local area network (WLAN) supporting multiple networks. It can handle multiple connections and be managed centrally. They broadcast radio waves that carry signals providing different IP addresses for the WiFi devices (clients) that are connected to them. They are then connected to an ethernet cable and is connected to other wired networked devices upstream. For the models that could act as a router, they also provide connectivity to the public network.

Handling functions between layers 1 and 3 on the OSI model:

  • Physical Layer (Layer One)
    • It provides a bridge between the wired and wireless connection, converting signals between wireless radio frequency and wired electrical formats.
  • Data Link Layer (Layer Two)
    • It handles the MAC address management and manages the format of the data between the wireless and wired interfaces.
  • Network Layer (Layer Three)
    • It handles the IP assignment and routing between different networks.

A diagram highlighting a "Wireless Access Point" connected to the "Internet Service Provider Hardware" via a wired upstream connection. Three clients (devices) connect wirelessly to the access point, represented as dotted lines. The WiFi coverage area is visualized as a single circular zone around the access point.

WiFI Range Extender:

Also known as Booster, Repeaters.

A WiFi Range extender is a networking device that rebroadcasts existing WiFi signals to extend coverage to areas that are out of range or have weak connectivity. It functions as a relay taking the signal from a main router and then creating a second network that expands the range by creating a separate network name (SSID) [usually with a _EXT at the end] which is a separate subnet that receives and transmits data with a different IP address. Depending on the model of the extender, some might have “seamless switching”, but others might require users to manually switch networks if they are moving about the space. They are best used in a location that is halfway between the main router and the dead spots. They vary in coverage, ranging from a few hundred to a couple of thousand square feet depending on hardware, space, and WiFi signal strength, and they typically work better in open spaces.

Handling functions between layers 1 and 3 on the OSI model:

  • Physical Layer (Layer One)
    • It receives Radio Frequency signals from the main router and retransmits them.
  • Data Link Layer (Layer Two)
    • It creates a new SSID/Network and reassigns MAC addresses.
  • Network Layer (Layer Three)
    • It assigns new IP addresses to the clients on its subnet.

A diagram showcasing a "Wireless Access Point/Router" connected to the "Internet Service Provider Hardware" through a wired upstream connection. A "WiFi Extender" is shown receiving a wireless signal from the router and relaying it to extend coverage. Clients (devices) are connected to both the router and extender, depicted with dotted lines. WiFi coverage areas overlap, showing how the extender enhances the network range.

Mesh WiFi:

Also known as Mesh Router.

Mesh WiFi is a set of networking devices that act as multiple interconnected access points to create a single seamless network that provides coverage over a larger area while minimizing the dead spots in between. These access points are also called nodes, and each node is like a router, ensuring multiple points of connectivity. They consist of a main router that exists as part of the mesh as well as other nodes. The difference between the main router and other nodes is that there has to be one main router that is connected to a wired ethernet connection, while the other nodes do not necessarily have to. User’s devices automatically connect to the strongest node as they move around. These nodes communicate with each other to optimise connections by routing data through the shortest possible node routes, although it might have to do several hops to reach the router with each hop reducing the speed slightly, they still provide a stable overall speed throughout the space. They eliminate dead zones, reduce congestion, and maintain faster speed and bandwidth through the network. They are also easier to scale by adding more nodes to the existing network to expand the coverage.

Handling functions between layers 1 and 3 on the OSI model:

  • Physical Layer (Layer One)
    • It receives and transmits Radio Frequency signals, providing a connection between each node.
  • Data Link Layer (Layer Two)
    • The main router creates a new SSID/Network and assigns MAC addresses
  • Network Layer (Layer Three)
    • It maintains the same IP addresses to the clients even when they are connected to different nodes sharing the same network across the mesh.

A diagram depicting a WiFi mesh network setup. It features multiple "WiFi Mesh Nodes" connected wirelessly, with overlapping WiFi coverage areas visualized as circular zones. A "WiFi Mesh Main Router" connects to the "Internet Service Provider Hardware" via a wired connection. Clients (devices) are connected wirelessly to different mesh nodes, with connections represented as dotted lines. The layout illustrates seamless WiFi coverage across a large area.

Bunch of references that I read up on for the definitions:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/small-business/resource-center/networking/what-is-access-point.html https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/access-point https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-a-wireless-access-point/ https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/wireless_access_point https://kb.netgear.com/235/What-is-a-wireless-access-point https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_access_point https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/glossary/wireless-access-point/?orgRef=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F&srsltid=AfmBOopY8468LaTLxqEbaTLYmsjLzOCI3wy37eV-x0lp1218E6xKG2vf https://www.itjones.com/blogs/wireless-access-points-everything-you-need-to-know https://www.controleng.com/articles/wi-fi-and-the-osi-model/ https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/wi-fi-range-extender-vs-mesh-network-whats-the-difference https://www.netgear.com/hub/technology/wifi-extender-vs-mesh-wifi-which-is-better/ https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/mesh-router-vs-wi-fi-range-extender/ https://www.bestbuy.com/discover-learn/mesh-router-or-wifi-extender-which-is-best/pcmcat1648818361896 https://www.signalboosters.com/blog/wifi-extender-vs-mesh-network-whats-the-difference/?srsltid=AfmBOopI1Ky4bjphdVnQYNO0xK1qfBjhpNqYMKxvThCR-fY1IUOLXiKP https://www.techopedia.com/definition/14827/wireless-mesh-network-wmn https://www.techopedia.com/definition/24355/wi-fi-range-extender https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/access-point-vs-range-extender/ https://hackernoon.com/9-things-you-need-to-know-about-mesh-networks-f61a77e5751a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_mesh_network https://www.netgear.com/hub/technology/what-is-mesh-wifi/