The fact that is true regarding controllers and APs in a Split MAC architecture is that an IP tunnel is established between the AP and controller for AP management and control functions. A Split MAC architecture is a WLAN architecture where some of the MAC layer functions are performed by the APs (such as encryption, decryption, and frame acknowledgement) and some are performed by the controllers (such as authentication, association, roaming, and QoS). To communicate with each other, the APs and controllers establish an IP tunnel that carries the management and control frames between them. The IP tunnel can use protocols such as Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP) or Control And Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP). References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-107], page 372; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-106], page 362.

Return loss is a measure of how well the components of an RF system are matched in terms of their impedance. Impedance is the opposition to the flow of alternating current in a circuit, and it depends on the frequency, resistance, capacitance, and inductance of the components. When the impedance of the source, the transmission line, and the load are not equal, some of the power is reflected back to the source, causing a loss of forward power. This loss is expressed in decibels (dB) as return loss. The higher the return loss, the lower the reflection and the better the impedance matching. Conversely, the lower the return loss, the higher the reflection and the worse the impedance matching.

VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) is another way of expressing the same concept. It is the ratio of the maximum voltage to the minimum voltage along a transmission line due to the interference of the incident and reflected waves. A VSWR of 1:1 means that there is no reflection and perfect impedance matching. A VSWR higher than 1:1 means that there is some reflection and impedance mismatch. The higher the VSWR, the higher the reflection and the lower the return loss.

Therefore, a significant impedance mismatch between components in an RF system will cause high reflection, high VSWR, and low return loss.

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a commonly used method to locate the controllers by the APs in a WLAN that is implemented using wireless controllers. DHCP is a protocol that allows a device to obtain an IP address and other network configuration parameters from a server. In a wireless controller scenario, the APs can use DHCP to request an IP address from a DHCP server, which can also provide the IP address or hostname of the wireless controller as an option in the DHCP response. This way, the APs can discover the wireless controller and establish a connection with it. Alternatively, the APs can also use other methods to locate the wireless controller, such as DNS (Domain Name System), broadcast or multicast discovery, or manual configuration. References: 1, Chapter 8, page 309; 2, Section 5.2