AAA
Authentication, Authorization and Accounting: the functions that validate who connects, what they can do and how much they use.
Access Point (AP)
The device that broadcasts the WiFi signal, either a home router or equipment installed in a public space.
Best effort
The network delivers the best possible service without guaranteeing a fixed speed, since it depends on capacity available at each moment.
Captive portal
A web page shown when joining a public WiFi network to sign up, accept terms, use free minutes or buy a plan.
Carrier Grade NAT (CGNAT)
Operator-level address translation that lets many users share a few public IPv4 addresses.
Co-branding
Customizing the captive portal with an ISP’s, municipality’s or business’s brand: logo, colors, videos, surveys and campaigns.
CoA / DM
Change of Authorization and Disconnect Message: RADIUS messages that modify or end a live session without the user reconnecting.
dBm
Unit of WiFi signal power. Between -30 and -60 dBm the signal is excellent or very good; below -80 dBm the portal may not open.
GRE, SoftGRE and EoGRE
Tunneling protocols that encapsulate access point traffic and carry it separately to the central gateway.
Homespot
A home router that, besides the household’s private network, broadcasts a separate public WiFi network.
Hotspot
A public WiFi access point, for example in a park, a shop or a stadium.
Hotspot 2.0 / Passpoint
A standard that lets devices join compatible WiFi networks automatically and securely; many home routers do not support it.
ISP
Internet service provider: the company that connects homes and businesses over fiber, cable or other technologies.
MAC address
A device’s unique network hardware identifier. Modern systems may use a random (private) MAC for security.
MDU
Multi-Dwelling Unit: an apartment building or condominium.
OSPF
A dynamic routing protocol operators use to exchange routes within their network.
RADIUS
Standard protocol to authenticate users and record the start, duration and end of each network session.
Revenue share
A percentage of each sale is split between the parties, for example between the ISP and Streetwifi.
SSID
The name of a WiFi network. One router can broadcast several SSIDs, such as the home network and the public network.
TR-069
Protocol (CWMP) to manage and update routers remotely and centrally.
vCPE
Virtual customer premises equipment: functions that used to live in the customer’s router now run in the operator’s network.
VLAN
A virtual network (IEEE 802.1Q) that logically separates traffic from different networks sharing the same equipment.
WAG
Wireless Access Gateway: the central gateway that aggregates access point traffic, authenticates users and enforces policies.
Walled garden
List of sites reachable without signing up, for example the portal’s payment page.
White label
A model where the operator sells the network exclusively under its own brand.