WLAN
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Networking
| Stands for | Wireless local area network |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
WLAN stands for Wireless local area network, a networking abbreviation.
A local network whose devices connect by radio rather than cables, almost always using Wi-Fi under the IEEE 802.11 standards. Access points bridge wireless clients to the wired network, and security protocols such as WPA2 and WPA3 encrypt the traffic.
Example: Guests use a separate WLAN that has internet access but cannot reach the office printers.
Usage notes
In much of Europe, "WLAN" is the everyday word for Wi-Fi and appears in phone settings where American devices say "Wi-Fi". Strictly, Wi-Fi is a Wi-Fi Alliance trademark for certified 802.11 products, while WLAN describes any wireless LAN. Enterprise WLANs typically consist of many access points managed by a central controller or cloud dashboard.
Related abbreviations
More networking abbreviations
- AP – Access point (wireless)
- ARP – Address Resolution Protocol
- ARPANET – Advanced Research Projects Agency Network
- ASN – Autonomous system number
- ATM – Asynchronous Transfer Mode
- BGP – Border Gateway Protocol
- CGNAT – Carrier-grade NAT
- CIDR – Classless Inter-Domain Routing
- CIFS – Common Internet File System
- CNAME – Canonical name (record)
- CRC – Cyclic redundancy check
- CSMA/CD – Carrier-sense multiple access with collision detection