802.11 is a group of specifications for wireless networks developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). 802.11 uses the Ethernet protocol and CSMA/CA (carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance) for path sharing.

Electromagnetic wave or alternating current of a single frequency, suitable for modulation by another, data-bearing signal.

Carrier Detect. Signal that indicates whether an interface is active. Also, a signal generated by a modem indicating that a call has been connected.

Demarcation point between carrier equipment and CPE.

Amplitude Modulation. Modulation technique whereby information is conveyed through the amplitude of the carrier signal. Compare with FM and PAM.

Frequency-Hopping Spread-Spectrum (FHSS) is a spread spectrum modulation scheme that uses a narrowband carrier that changes frequency in a pattern known to both transmitter and receiver. Properly synchronized, they maintain a single logical channel. To an unintended receiver, FHSS appears as short-duration impulse noise. More simply, the data is broken down into packets and transmitted to the receiver of other devices over numerous "hop frequencies" (79 total) in a pseudo random pattern. Only transmitters and receivers that are synchronized on the same hop frequency pattern will have access to the transmitted data. The transmitter switches hop frequencies 1,600 times per second to assure a high degree of data security