Continental Wireless - Resources - Wireless Networking Glossary


Wireless Networking Glossary

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S/N	Signal to noise ratio
SAAL	Signaling ATM Adapatation Layer. Equivalent of MTP layer 2 for ATM networks used to carry SS7 traffic. Includes SSCF, SSCOP and MAAL
SAP	The Session Announcement Protocol (SAP) is a protocol for broadcasting multicast session information.A SAP listening application can listen to the well-known SAP multicast address and construct a guide of all advertised multicast sessions. SAP was published by the IETF as RFC 2974
SAPI	Service Access Point Identifiers
SAR	Segmentation and Reassembly
Satellite	Wireless communications receiver/transmitter launched by rocket and placed in orbit. Used for such diverse purposes as weather forecasting, television broadcast amateur radio communications, Internet communications and GPS.
SDH	Synchronous Digital Hierarchy. Standard for synchronous data transfer over optical media.
SDR	Software-Defined Radio. A radio that can operate in different modes (e.g. frequency bands, modulation schemes) based on the software that is currently loaded and active in the device.
SDSL	Synchronous Digital Subscriber Line. Technology for transmitting digital information at high bandwidth on existing phone lines; continuously available, "always on" connection. Equal upstream and downstream speeds of up to 1.5M bits/second. See ADSL, DSL, VDSL.
segmentation	The process of breaking a long protocol message into pieces that are no longer than the maximum allowed by lower protocol layers. Oh, and reassembling them later!
Sensitivity	The ability to receive a radio signal very near to the thermal noise level. The more sensitive the receiver, the lower the required incident radio signal required for acceptable reception.
SF	Superframe
SF	SuperFrame. See ESF.
SHDSL	Single-pair high speed DSL
SID	System Identifier. A 15 bit identifier of an AMPS wireless license or system
SIG	Special Interest Group
Signaling	Messages used to control calls, assign resources, maintain and monitor telecommunications systems
SINAD	Signal + Noise + Distortion
SLA	Service Level Agreement. A carrier agrees to provide a certain level of service (e.g. availability, bit rate, voice quality) and provide significant discounts if the levels are not met
Slow Fading	Fade duration long relative to channel frame length
SMB	Server Message Block. Protocol for client applications in a computer to read and write to files on and to request services from server programs in a computer network.
SMDS	Switched Multimegabit Data Service
SME	Small to Medium Enterprise. Organizations sized between "small office-home office" (SOHO) and an enterprise.
SMTP	Simple Mail Transmission Protocol defined in IETF RFC 2821
SNMP	Simple Network Management Protocol. IETF protocol, defined in RFC 1157, by which networked devices can be periodically polled for information as part of a network management system. Version 3 see http://www.nwfusion.com/details/538.html. Standardized method of managing and monitoring network devices on TCP/IP-based internets.
SNR	Signal to noise ratio
SOHO	Small Office/Home Office
SONET	Synchronous Optical Network. Standard for synchronous data transmission on optical media. International equivalent is SDH. Network technology built around dual fiber-optic rings. Used from 'head-end' to customer premises.
SoR	Statement of Requirements.
Spectrum	Electromagnetic radiation spectrum is the complete range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, beginning with the longest radio waves (including those in the audio range), extending through visible light (a very small part of the spectrum) all the way to the extremely short gamma rays produced by radioactive atoms.
Spectrum Licensing	Implementation of assignment methods by government regulating authorities to manage the spectrum efficiently and fairly. Growing demand for a limited resource requires licensing, due to liberalization of telecommunication sector worldwide, and technical developments that allow wireless operators to target mass consumer markets with new products and services.
Splitter	Device that divides telephone signal into >2 signals, each carrying a selected frequency range. Can also reassemble signals from multiple signal sources into a single signal. Users getting connected to Internet with ADSL service may have a splitter installed at their access point. A.k.a. POTS splitter.
SS7	Signaling System Number 7 (common channel telecommunications packet switching)
SSCF	Service-Specific Coordination Function. Maps between SAAL and higher layer protocols (e.g. SS7 MTP Layer 3). This includes responsibility for link changeover and flow control See ATIS T1.645
SSCOP	Service Specific Connection-Oriented Protocol. Part of SAAL that provides reliable point-to-point communications with sequencing, retransmission on error, flow control, keep-alive, connection control. See ATIS T1.637.
SSL	Secure Sockets Layer. Commonly used protocol for managing security of message transmission on the Internet. Succeeded by TLS.
STM	Synchronous transport mode
Subnet	Short for "subnetwork"; identifiably separate part of an organization's network. May represent all machines at one geographic location, in one building, or on same LAN. On TCP/IP networks, subnets defined as 'all devices whose IP addresses have the same prefix'. e.g., all devices with IP addresses that start with ‘100.100.100.’ would be part of same subnet. Dividing a network into subnets is useful for both security and performance reasons.
Subscriber interface	Port that is normally intended for use by client or subscriber.
Surge suppressor	Device inserted in AC utility line and/or telephone line to prevent damage to electronic equipment from voltage "spikes" called transients. A.k.a. transient suppressor.
surveillance	Lawfully authorized monitoring of communications
SVC	Switched Virtual Circuit. In a frame relay or ATM network, set up for one-time link between two hosts. Once data is transmitted, circuit is torn down. User-defined, allowing end-user to establish on-demand data connections between two end points on an ATM, Frame Relay, or X.25 network. See PVC.
SVP	Switched Virtual Path
SYNC	Synchronization
Synchronous	Data that is transmitted as a regular, precisely clocked, stream of bits. A pattern of bits is used as a filler for times when there is no data to transmit. Compare with Asynchronous
Systemic Interference	RF interference within a channel used in a wireless system that emanates from other elements of the system itself, and thus has predictable characteristics. For example, transmissions on the same channel form other base stations (intended for other mobiles). Contrast with Non-Systemic Interference and Intermodulation Interference

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