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Appendix D: Glossary

802.11a

- An IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 54Mbps and an

operating frequency of 5GHz.

802.11b

- An IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 11Mbps and an

operating frequency of 2.4GHz.

802.11g

- An IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 54Mbps, an

operating frequency of 2.4GHz, and backward compatibility with 802.11b devices.

Access Point

- Device that allows wireless-equipped computers and other devices to communicate with a wired

network. Also used to expand the range of a wireless network.

Adapter

- This is a device that adds network functionality to your computer.

Ad-hoc

- A group of wireless devices communicating directly with each other (peer-to-peer) without the use of

an access point.

Backbone

- The part of a network that connects most of the systems and networks together, and handles the

most data.

Bandwidth

- The transmission capacity of a given device or network.

Beacon Interval

- The frequency interval of the beacon, which is a packet broadcast by a Gateway to

synchronize a wireless network.

Bit

- A binary digit.

Boot

- To start a device and cause it to start executing instructions.

Bridge

- A device that connects two different kinds of local networks, such as a wireless network to a wired

Ethernet network.

Broadband

- An always-on, fast Internet connection.

Browser

- A browser is an application program that provides a way to look at and interact with all the

information on the World Wide Web.

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Buffer

- A block of memory that temporarily holds data to be worked on later when a device is currently too busy

to accept the data.

Cable Modem

- A device that connects a computer to the cable television network, which in turn connects to the

Internet.

CSMA/CA

(Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance) - A method of data transfer that is used to prevent

data loss in a network.

CTS

(Clear To Send) - A signal sent by a device to indicate that it is ready to receive data.

Daisy Chain

- A method used to connect devices in a series, one after the other.

Database

- A collection of data that is organized so that its contents can easily be accessed, managed, and

updated.

DDNS

(Dynamic Domain Name System) - The capability of having a website, FTP, or e-mail server-with a

dynamic IP address-use a fixed domain name.

Default Gateway

- A device that forwards Internet traffic from your local area network.

DHCP

(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) - A protocol that lets one device on a local network, known as a

DHCP server, assign temporary IP addresses to the other network devices, typically computers.

DMZ

(Demilitarized Zone) - Removes the Gateway's firewall protection from one computer, allowing it to be

“seen” from the Internet.

DNS

(Domain Name Server) - The IP address of your ISP’s server, which translates the names of websites into IP

addresses.

Domain

- A specific name for a network of computers.

Download

- To receive a file transmitted over a network.

DSL

(Digital Subscriber Line) - An always-on broadband connection over traditional phone lines.

DSSS

(Direct-Sequence Spread-Spectrum) - A type of radio transmission technology that includes a redundant

bit pattern to lessen the probability of data lost during transmission. Used in 802.11b networking.

DTIM

(Delivery Traffic Indication Message) - A message included in data packets that can increase wireless

efficiency.

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Dynamic IP Address

- A temporary IP address assigned by a DHCP server.

Encryption

- Encoding data to prevent it from being read by unauthorized people.

Ethernet

- An IEEE standard network protocol that specifies how data is placed on and retrieved from a common

transmission medium.

Finger

- A program that tells you the name associated with an e-mail address.

Firewall

- Security measures that protect the resources of a local network from intruders.

Firmware

- 1. In network devices, the programming that runs the device. 2. Programming loaded into read-only

memory (ROM) or programmable read-only memory (PROM) that cannot be altered by end-users.

Fragmentation

- Breaking a packet into smaller units when transmitting over a network medium that cannot

support the original size of the packet.

FTP

(File Transfer Protocol) - A standard protocol for sending files between computers over a TCP/IP network and

the Internet.

Full Duplex

- The ability of a networking device to receive and transmit data simultaneously.

Gateway

- A system that interconnects networks.

Half Duplex

- Data transmission that can occur in two directions over a single line, but only one direction at a

time.

Hardware

- The physical aspect of computers, telecommunications, and other information technology devices.

HTTP

(HyperText Transport Protocol) - The communications protocol used to connect to servers on the World

Wide Web.

IEEE

(The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) - An independent institute that develops networking

standards.

Infrastructure

- Currently installed computing and networking equipment.

Infrastructure Mode

- Configuration in which a wireless network is bridged to a wired network via an access

point.

IP

(Internet Protocol) - A protocol used to send data over a network.

IP Address

- The address used to identify a computer or device on a network.

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IPCONFIG

- A Windows 2000 and XP utility that displays the IP address for a particular networking device.

IPSec

(Internet Protocol Security) - A VPN protocol used to implement secure exchange of packets at the IP layer.

ISM band

- Radio band used in wireless networking transmissions.

ISP

(Internet Service Provider) - A company that provides access to the Internet.

LAN

(Local Area Network) - The computers and networking products that make up the network in your home or

office.

MAC

(Media Access Control) Address - The unique address that a manufacturer assigns to each networking

device.

Mbps

(Megabits Per Second) - One million bits per second; a unit of measurement for data transmission.

Multicasting

- Sending data to a group of destinations at once.

NAT

(Network Address Translation) - NAT technology translates IP addresses of a local area network to a

different IP address for the Internet.

Network

- A series of computers or devices connected for the purpose of data sharing, storage, and/or

transmission between users.

NNTP

(Network News Transfer Protocol) - The protocol used to connect to Usenet groups on the Internet.

Node

- A network junction or connection point, typically a computer or work station.

OFDM

(Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) - A type of modulation technology that separates the data

stream into a number of lower-speed data streams, which are then transmitted in parallel. Used in 802.11a,

802.11g, and powerline networking.

Packet

- A unit of data sent over a network.

Passphrase

- Used much like a password, a passphrase simplifies the WEP encryption process by automatically

generating the WEP encryption keys for Linksys products.

Ping

(Packet INternet Groper) - An Internet utility used to determine whether a particular IP address is online.

POP3

(Post Office Protocol 3) - A standard protocol used to retrieve e-mail stored on a mail server.

Port

- 1. The connection point on a computer or networking device used for plugging in a cable or an adapter. 2.

The virtual connection point through which a computer uses a specific application on a server.

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PPPoE

(Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet) - A type of broadband connection that provides authentication

(username and password) in addition to data transport.

PPTP

(Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) - A VPN protocol that allows the Point to Point Protocol (PPP) to be

tunneled through an IP network. This protocol is also used as a type of broadband connection in Europe.

Preamble

- Part of the wireless signal that synchronizes network traffic.

RJ-45

(Registered Jack-45) - An Ethernet connector that holds up to eight wires.

Roaming

- The ability to take a wireless device from one access point's range to another without losing the

connection.

Router

- A networking device that connects multiple networks together, such as a local network and the Internet.

RTS

(Request To Send) - A packet sent when a computer has data to transmit. The computer will wait for a CTS

(Clear To Send) message before sending data.

Server

- Any computer whose function in a network is to provide user access to files, printing, communications,

and other services.

SMTP

(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) - The standard e-mail protocol on the Internet.

SNMP

(Simple Network Management Protocol) - A widely used network monitoring and control protocol.

Software

- Instructions for the computer. A series of instructions that performs a particular task is called a

“program”.

Spread Spectrum

- Wideband radio frequency technique used for more reliable and secure data transmission.

SSID

(Service Set IDentifier) - Your wireless network's name.

Static IP Address

- A fixed address assigned to a computer or device that is connected to a network.

Static Routing

- Forwarding data in a network via a fixed path.

Subnet Mask

- An address code that determines the size of the network.

Switch

- 1. Device that is the central point of connection for computers and other devices in a network, so data

can be shared at full transmission speeds. 2. A device for making, breaking, or changing the connections in an

electrical circuit.