Architecture

Stations

All components that can connect into a wireless medium in a network are referred to as stations.

All stations are equipped with wireless network interface cards (WNICs).

Wireless stations fall into one of two categories: access points, and clients.

Access points (APs) are base stations for the wireless network. They transmit and receive radio frequencies for wireless enabled devices to communicate with.

Wireless clients can be mobile devices such as laptops, personal digital assistants, IP phones, or fixed devices such as desktops and workstations that are equipped with a wireless network interface.