# WiFi glossary

> Plain-English definitions of the WiFi, router, and home internet terms you'll see on boxes, in apps, and in our reviews.

- URL: https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/
- Publisher: WiFi Weekly (https://wifiweekly.com/)

## Basics

**Router**: The box that creates your home network and shares one internet connection with all your devices. Most also broadcast WiFi. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-router)

**Modem**: The box that connects your home to your internet provider's line (cable, DSL, or fiber). A router plugs into it. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-modem)

**Gateway**: A modem and router in one box, often rented from your internet provider. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-gateway)

**Access point**: A device that adds WiFi coverage to a wired network. Mesh nodes are a type of access point. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-access-point)

**SSID**: Your WiFi network's name. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-ssid)

**Ethernet**: A wired network connection. It is faster and more stable than WiFi for devices that stay put, like TVs, consoles, and desktops. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-ethernet)

## WiFi standards and bands

**WiFi 6 (802.11ax)**: The WiFi standard that improved performance on busy networks with many devices. Works on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-wifi-6-802-11ax)

**WiFi 6E**: WiFi 6 extended to the 6 GHz band, which has more room and less interference. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-wifi-6e)

**WiFi 7 (802.11be)**: The newest standard. It adds wider 320 MHz channels on 6 GHz and Multi-Link Operation (MLO), which lets a device use more than one band at once. You need WiFi 7 devices to get the full benefit. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-wifi-7-802-11be)

**2.4 GHz**: The band with the longest range but the lowest speeds and the most interference. Many smart-home devices only use 2.4 GHz. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-2-4-ghz)

**5 GHz**: Faster than 2.4 GHz with shorter range. The workhorse band for most phones and laptops. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-5-ghz)

**6 GHz**: The newest band, used by WiFi 6E and WiFi 7. It's fast and uncrowded, but it has the shortest range and struggles with walls. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-6-ghz)

**Channel width**: How much of a band a connection uses, measured in MHz. Wider channels are faster but more prone to interference. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-channel-width)

**DFS channels**: Some 5 GHz channels are shared with weather and aircraft radar. Routers must move off them if radar is detected, which can cause brief drops. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-dfs-channels)

**Band steering**: A router feature that moves devices to the best band automatically. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-band-steering)

**MU-MIMO and OFDMA**: Features that let a router talk to several devices at the same time instead of taking turns. They help most in busy homes. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-mu-mimo-and-ofdma)

**Beamforming**: A technique that focuses the WiFi signal toward a device instead of spreading it evenly. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-beamforming)

## Speed and performance

**Mbps and Gbps**: Megabits and gigabits per second, the unit for internet and WiFi speed. 1 Gbps is 1,000 Mbps. Downloads in your browser often show MB/s (megabytes); divide Mbps by 8 to compare. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-mbps-and-gbps)

**Download and upload**: Download is data coming to you (streaming, browsing). Upload is data you send (video calls, cloud backups, posting videos). (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-download-and-upload)

**Latency (ping)**: How long data takes to make a round trip, in milliseconds (ms). Lower is better, especially for gaming and calls. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-latency-ping)

**Jitter**: How much latency varies from moment to moment. High jitter makes calls choppy. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-jitter)

**Bufferbloat**: Lag caused when a busy connection makes data wait in a long queue. See our [bufferbloat guide](https://wifiweekly.com/guides/fix-bufferbloat-gaming-lag/). (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-bufferbloat)

**QoS and SQM**: Quality of Service settings prioritize some traffic. Smart queue management (SQM) keeps latency low for everything when the connection is busy. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-qos-and-sqm)

**Signal strength (dBm, RSSI)**: How strong the WiFi signal is at a device. Numbers closer to zero are stronger: -50 dBm is excellent, -80 dBm is weak. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-signal-strength-dbm-rssi)

**Dead zone**: A spot in your home where WiFi is too weak to use. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-dead-zone)

**Speed test**: A tool that measures your download, upload, and latency. Test with a wired laptop first to separate internet problems from WiFi problems. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-speed-test)

## Internet service

**ISP**: Internet service provider, such as Xfinity, Spectrum, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or Google Fiber. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-isp)

**Fiber**: Internet delivered over fiber-optic lines. Usually the fastest and most consistent, with uploads as fast as downloads. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-fiber)

**Cable**: Internet delivered over the same coax lines as cable TV. Fast downloads, slower uploads, and shared with your neighborhood. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-cable)

**5G home internet (fixed wireless)**: Internet delivered over a cellular network to a gateway in your home. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-5g-home-internet-fixed-wireless)

**ONT**: The optical network terminal: the small box that converts a fiber line into an Ethernet connection for your router. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-ont)

**Data cap**: A monthly limit on how much data you can use before extra charges or slower speeds. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-data-cap)

**Broadband label**: A standardized label, required by the FCC, that shows a plan's monthly price, fees, and typical speeds. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-broadband-label)

**CGNAT**: When your provider shares one public IP address among many customers. It can interfere with hosting game servers or remote access. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-cgnat)

## Mesh and wiring

**Mesh WiFi**: A system of two or more units (nodes) that work together to cover a whole home under one network name. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-mesh-wifi)

**Node or satellite**: A unit in a mesh system that isn't connected directly to the modem. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-node-or-satellite)

**Backhaul**: The connection between mesh nodes. It can be wireless or wired (Ethernet). Wired backhaul is faster and more reliable. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-backhaul)

**Tri-band**: A router or mesh node with three radios, often used to give mesh backhaul its own band. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-tri-band)

**Extender (repeater)**: A device that picks up your WiFi and rebroadcasts it. Simpler and cheaper than mesh, but usually slower. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-extender-repeater)

**MoCA**: A way to run an Ethernet connection over the coax cable already in many US homes. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-moca)

**Multi-gig (2.5GbE, 10GbE)**: Ethernet ports faster than 1 Gbps. Useful if your internet plan is faster than 1 Gbps or you use wired mesh backhaul. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-multi-gig-2-5gbe-10gbe)

**Cat5e, Cat6**: Ethernet cable types. Cat5e handles 1 Gbps and, at typical home lengths, 2.5 Gbps; Cat6 or better is a safer choice for 10 Gbps runs. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-cat5e-cat6)

## Security

**WPA3**: The newest WiFi security standard. Use it if all your devices support it, or WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode if some don't. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-wpa3)

**WPA2-AES**: The older but still acceptable security setting. Avoid WEP, WPA, and TKIP. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-wpa2-aes)

**WPS**: A push-button or PIN setup feature. Convenient, but a known weak spot. Turn it off. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-wps)

**Guest network**: A separate network for visitors and smart-home devices that keeps them away from your computers and phones. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-guest-network)

**Firmware**: The software that runs your router. Keep it updated. See our [router hardening checklist](https://wifiweekly.com/guides/router-hardening-checklist/). (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-firmware)

**UPnP**: A feature that lets devices open ports on your router automatically. Handy for some games and risky if you don't need it. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-upnp)

**Port forwarding**: Manually letting outside traffic reach a device on your network, such as a game server or camera. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-port-forwarding)

**DNS**: The internet's address book: it turns website names into addresses. Some DNS services can block malicious sites. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-dns)

**VPN**: A service that encrypts traffic between your device and the VPN provider. Useful on public WiFi; it doesn't secure your router. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-vpn)

## Smart home

**Matter**: A smart-home standard that lets devices work with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and SmartThings. See our [Matter and Thread guide](https://wifiweekly.com/guides/matter-thread-smart-home-explained/). (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-matter)

**Thread**: A low-power wireless network for smart-home devices like sensors and locks. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-thread)

**Thread border router**: A device, often a smart speaker or streaming box, that connects a Thread network to your home network. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-thread-border-router)

**IoT**: Internet of Things: smart plugs, cameras, thermostats, and other connected gadgets. (https://wifiweekly.com/glossary/#term-iot)