| Term |
Definition |
| 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 |
A 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 |
A device that adds network
functionality to your PC. |
| Ad-hoc |
A group of wireless devices
communicating directly with each other (peer-to-peer)
without the use of an access point. |
| AES (Advanced Encryption
Standard) |
An encryption method that
supports these key sizes: 128-bit, 192-bit,
and 256-bit. |
| 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 |
Data transmitted on your
wireless network that keeps the network
synchronized. |
| Bit (Binary Digit) |
The smallest unit of information
on a machine. |
| 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 |
An application program
that provides a way to look at and interact
with all the information on the World Wide
Web. |
| Buffer |
A shared or assigned memory
area that is used to support and coordinate
different computing and networking activities
so one isn't held up by the other. |
| Byte |
A unit of data that is
usually eight bits long. |
| 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 collisions. |
| 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) |
Allows the hosting of
a website, FTP server, or e-mail server
with a fixed domain name (e.g., www.xyz.com)
and a dynamic IP address. |
| 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 router's firewall
protection from one PC, 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) |
Frequency transmission
with a redundant bit pattern resulting in
a lower probability of information being
lost in transit. |
| DTIM (Delivery Traffic
Indication Message) |
A message included in
data packets that can increase wireless
efficiency. |
| Dynamic IP Address |
A temporary IP address
assigned by a DHCP server. |
| EAP (Extensible Authentication
Protocol) |
A general authentication
protocol used to control network access.
Many specific authentication methods work
within this framework. |
| EAP-PEAP (Extensible Authentication
Protocol-Protected Extensible Authentication
Protocol) |
A mutual authentication
method that uses a combination of digital
certificates and another system, such as
passwords. |
| EAP-TLS (Extensible Authentication
Protocol-Transport Layer Security) |
A mutual authentication
method that uses digital certificates. |
| Encryption |
Encryption is the manipulation
of data to prevent accurate interpretation
by all but those for whom the data is intended. |
| 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 |
A firewall is any of security
schemes that prevent unauthorized users
from gaining access to a computer network
or that monitor transfers of information
to and from the network. |
| Firmware |
The programming code that
runs a networking device. |
| 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 device that interconnects
networks with different, incompatible communications
protocols. |
| 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. |
| Hacker |
A slang term for a computer
enthusiast. Also refers to individuals who
gain unauthorized access to computer systems
for the purpose of stealing and corrupting
data. |
| 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. |
| 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 bandwidth utilized
in wireless 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. |
| LEAP (Lightweight Extensible
Authentication Protocol) |
A mutual authentication
method that uses a username and password
system. |
| MAC (Media Access Control)
Address |
A MAC address is the hardware
address of a device connected to a shared
network medium. |
| Mbps (Megabits Per Second) |
One million bits per second;
a unit of measurement for data transmission. |
| mIRC |
An Internet Relay Chat
program that runs under Windows. |
| Multicasting |
Sending data to a group
of destinations at once. |
| NAT (Network Address Translation) |
NAT technology translates
IP addresses of the local area network to
a different IP address for the Internet. |
| NAT (Network Address Translation)
Traversal |
A method of enabling specialized
applications, such as Internet phone calls,
video, and audio, to travel between your
local network and the Internet. STUN is
a specific type of NAT traversal. |
| 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) |
Frequency transmission
that separates the data stream into a number
of lower-speed data streams, which are then
transmitted in parallel to prevent information
from being lost in transit. |
| Packet |
A unit of data transmitted
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. |
| PEAP (Protected Extensible
Authentication Protocol) |
A protocol for transmitting
authentication data, including passwords,
over 802.11 wireless networks. |
| Ping (Packet INternet
Groper) |
An Internet utility used
to determine whether a particular IP address
is online. |
| PoE (Power over Ethernet) |
A technology enabling
an Ethernet network cable to deliver both
data and power. |
| POP3 (Post Office Protocol
3) |
A standard protocol used
to retrieve e-mail stored on a mail server. |
| Port |
The connection point on
a computer or networking device used for
plugging in a cable or an adapter. |
| 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. |
| RADIUS (Remote Authentication
Dial-In User Service) |
A protocol that uses an
authentication server to control network
access. |
| 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. |
| RTP (Real-time Transport
Protocol) |
A protocol that enables
specialized applications, such as Internet
phone calls, video, and audio, to occur
in real time. |
| RTS (Request To Send) |
A networking method of
coordinating large packets through the RTS
Threshold setting. |
| 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". |
| SOHO (Small Office/Home
Office) |
Market segment of professionals
who work at home or in small offices. |
| SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection)
Firewall |
A technology that inspects
incoming packets of information before allowing
them to enter the network. |
| 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. A 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. |
| TCP (Transmission Control
Protocol) |
A network protocol for
transmitting data that requires acknowledgement
from the recipient of data sent. |
| TCP/IP (Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol) |
A network protocol for
transmitting data that requires acknowledgement
from the recipient of data sent. |
| Telnet |
A user command and TCP/IP
protocol used for accessing remote PCs. |
| Throughput |
The amount of data moved
successfully from one node to another in
a given time period. |
| TFTP (Trivial File Transfer
Protocol) |
A version of the TCP/IP
FTP protocol that uses UDP and has no directory
or password capability. |
| TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity
Protocol) |
A wireless encryption
protocol that periodically changes the encryption
key, making it harder to decode. |
| TLS (Transport Layer Security) |
Is a protocol that guarantees
privacy and data integrity between client/server
applications communicating over the Internet. |
| Topology |
The physical layout of
a network. |
| TX Rate |
Transmission Rate. |
| UDP (User Datagram Protocol) |
A network protocol for
transmitting data that does not require
acknowledgement from the recipient of the
data that is sent. |
| Upgrade |
To replace existing software
or firmware with a newer version. |
| Upload |
To transmit a file over
a network. |
| URL (Uniform Resource
Locator) |
The address of a file
located on the Internet. |
| VPN (Virtual Private Network) |
A security measure to
protect data as it leaves one network and
goes to another over the Internet. |
| WAN (Wide Area Network) |
A group of networked computers
in a large geographical area. The best example
of a WAN is the Internet. |
| WEP (Wired Equivalency
Privacy) |
WEP is a security protocol
for wireless networks. WEP aims to provide
security by encrypting data over radio waves
so that it is protected as it is transmitted
from one end point to another. A shared
key (similar to a password) is used to allow
communication between the computers and
the router. WEP offers a basic, but satisfactory
level of security for wireless data transmission. |
| WINIPCFG |
Windows 98 and Me utility
that displays the IP address for a particular
networking device. |
| WLAN (Wireless Local Area
Network) |
A group of computers and
associated devices that communicate with
each other wirelessly. |
| WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) |
A security protocol for
wireless networks that builds on the basic
foundations of WEP. It secures wireless
data transmission by using a key similar
to WEP, but the added strength of WPA is
that the key changes dynamically. The changing
key makes it much more difficult for a hacker
to learn the key and gain access to the
network. |
| WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected
Access 2) |
WPA2 is the second generation
of WPA security and provides a stronger
encryption mechanism through Advanced Encryption
Standard (AES), which is a requirement for
some government users. |
| WPA-Personal |
A version of WPA that
uses long and constantly changing encryption
keys to make them difficult to decode. |
| WPA-Enterprise |
A version of WPA that
uses the same dynamic keys as WPA-Personal
and also requires each wireless device to
be authorized according to a master list
held in a special authentication server. |
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