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Wi-Fi terms used by the ticker

The signal card: the network’s name, the strength word and the reading, the band and channel The same card when the reading is poor Where the words show up on the settings page: MAC, Private IP and Gateway IP in the footer9:41192.168.1.107

SSID

The name of a Wi-Fi network — what you see in a phone’s Wi-Fi list. The setup page’s manual box is labeled Network name (SSID). A hidden network has an SSID that is not broadcast.

2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

The two radio bands home Wi-Fi uses. The ticker works on 2.4 GHz only. Many routers offer both under one name; some give each its own name.

WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA3

The generations of Wi-Fi password protection. The ticker joins WEP, WPA and WPA2 networks; it cannot join a network set to WPA3 only.

DHCP and IP address

An IP address is a device’s number on your network, such as 192.168.1.42. DHCP is the router handing those numbers out automatically — the normal arrangement, and what the ticker uses unless you give it a fixed address. The settings page’s footer shows the ticker’s as Private IP.

Static IP, gateway, subnet, DNS

A static (fixed) IP is an address you choose for the ticker instead of letting the router pick. It needs two companions: the gateway (the router’s own address) and the subnet mask (which addresses count as your network, usually 255.255.255.0). DNS is the service that turns names into addresses; left blank, the ticker uses the router’s.

dBm

The strength of the signal the ticker hears from your router, as a negative number: -50 is strong, -70 fair, -85 weak. See Signal bars and dBm.

Captive portal

A network that shows a web page — terms to accept, a room number to enter — before letting a device online. Hotel, cafe and airport Wi-Fi. The ticker cannot use one; see Hotel, cafe and public Wi-Fi.

Guest network

A second network a router offers to visitors, walled off from the main one. A ticker on it shows prices but cannot be reached from your phone on the main network; see Guest networks.

MAC address

The ticker’s permanent hardware address, shown in the settings page footer as MAC and in the setup page header. Routers use it to identify devices — for a reservation or an approval list.

Hostname and the CT name

The ticker announces itself to your router as CT and three digits; the same name is its setup network. See The setup network.

Public IP and API server IP

The address your whole home has on the internet, and the address the ticker’s price server answers at, both in the settings page footer. Useful only when support asks.