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Appendix D: Glossary
Wireless-G Cable Gateway
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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Appendix D: Glossary
Wireless-G Cable Gateway
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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Appendix D: Glossary
Wireless-G Cable Gateway
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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Appendix D: Glossary
Wireless-G Cable Gateway
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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Appendix D: Glossary
Wireless-G Cable Gateway
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.

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