The distance covered by a wireless network or radio device. Depending on the environment and the type of antenna used, Wi-Fi signals can have a range of up to a mile.
Glossary
Range
RC4
An encryption cipher designed RSA Data Security. It allows key lengths up to 1024 bits and is a component in many encryption schemes, including SSL, WEP, and TKIP. (See SSL, WEP, TKIP).
Repeater
A wireless repeater is a device that extends the coverage of an existing access point by relaying its signal. A wireless repeater does not do intelligent routing performed by wireless bridges and routers.
Residential gateway
A wireless device that allows multiple devices accessing a home network, including PCs and peripherals to access the Internet and communicate with one another. (See gateway).
RFID
Radio Frequency Identification. An electronic identification technology that uses radio frequency signals to read identifying data contained in tags on equipment and merchandise. An alternative to bar codes.
RJ-45
Standard connectors used in Ethernet networks. They appear similar to standard RJ-11 telephone connectors. However, RJ-45 connectors can have up to eight wires, whereas telephone connectors have only four.
Roaming
The ability to move seamlessly from one area of Wi-Fi or cellular phone coverage to another with no loss in connectivity. Roaming also refers to the ability of road warriors to wirelessly connect to the Internet from different hotspots without confronting the array of schemes used by different providers to authorize use and track billing. Roaming agreements among providers allow mobile professionals to a single authentication and authorization scheme to have all charges resolved to a single bill. (See hotspot, mobile professional).
Rogue
An unauthorized access point installed on a company's WLAN, typically by a user. Rogue access points present security risks. They rarely conform to the organization's security policies and, typically, no security at all is enabled on them. Rogues present open, insecure interfaces to the company's network. (See intrusion detection).
Router
A wireless router is device that accepts connections from wireless devices to a network and includes a network firewall for security, and provides local network addresses. (See hub).