802.11
802.11 refers to a frequency over which computers and devices communicate
over radio waves. The 802.11 ""family"" of specifications
was accepted by the industry in 1997 and contains a growing list of variations
on the technology. So far (in order) 802.11b, 802.11a, and 802.11g have
been rolled out to the marketplace
10-BaseT
10BaseT Ethernet is the lower-speed version of the standard method for
connecting computers and networkable devices together. The "10"
in the name refers to the maximum transmission speed allowed by the technology,
in this case 10 megabits per second. Routers, switches, hubs, cables and
some networkable devices (such as the PS2) all may have this tried-and-true
standard built in.
100-BaseT
Similar to 10BaseT, this version of the technology operates at up to 100
megabits per second and is often called Fast Ethernet. The cables and
connectors for these two technologies appear identical, so take care to
confirm a device is 100BaseT or Fast Ethernet compatible before hooking
it to your network.
802.11a
One of the variants of the wireless 802.11 standard, this one is capable
of very high bandwidth and is often looked to for use with heavy duty
applications such as wireless DVD-quality video streaming among devices.
This power comes at a cost, however, as its signal range and ability to
pass through walls is not as good as that of 802.11b or 802.11g.
802.11b
The most prevalent variety of 802.11-based wireless home networking, this
one provides acceptable bandwidth between devices (up to 11 megabits per
second) and an effective range that has made it the standard for home
use so far.
Adapter
An adapter is a device that allows a computer to "speak" the
right language to connect to a home network. Examples are adapters that
add wireless (802.11), Ethernet or powerline capabilities to a computer.
Some connect to a free USB port while others can be internal cards. In
most cases each computer you want to connect to a home network will need
some kind of adapter.
Ad-hoc mode
This refers to when a wireless-enabled PC or network device connects directly to another device without using a wireless router or access point. (See Infrastructure Mode).
Bridge
Bridges connect different types of home networks together. For instance,
if you have an Ethernet(wired) home network and want to connect another
room to it with wireless (802.11) you can use a Ethernet-to-wireless bridge
to accomplish this.
Broadband Connection
Broadband is the term for an internet connection that is faster than traditional
telephone dial-up. There are several types of broadband, but the most
popular two kinds are Cable and DSL. Both deliver speeds that can be 20
times faster than dial-up internet. Cable broadband service is provided
by a local Cable company, through normal coaxial lines, while DSL is provided
(in most cases) by the phone company through the phone line.
Cable modem
This is the device that connects a Cable broadband line to a computer
or home network. It is equivilent to the dial-up modems that most internet
users are familiar with, but is capable of handling the far greater bandwidth
that Cable broadband service provides.
Category 5 (Cat5 cable Ethernet)
Communications cable that contains 4 pairs of twisted copper wire. Generally
used in homes or offices to connect computers and other networking devices.
Depending on the protocol used, can transmit data at speeds of 10Mbps
to 100Mbps within the network.
Coaxial cable (Coax)
This is the cable that brings Cable broadband into the home. It is the
same type of cable that is used to provide cable television.
Default Gateway
This is the name used to describe any device that passes data between your home network and the internet. In most cases the device doing this is your router. The router is your home's "Gateway" to the internet.
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
This is the type of broadband internet connection that phone companies
can provide to their customers. The broadband signal travels over existing
home phone lines.
Domain
This is the official, registered identity of a web server (or complex of servers) on the Internet. This may be a simple IP address (xxx.xxx.x.x) or it may be a name such as http://www.AOL.com. The web site names (URLs) you see are simply aliases for the underlying IP address. Email servers operate in these domains as well, which is why they end in "@aol.com" for instance.
DMZ
This label, based on the military's "De-Militarized Zone" term, is what gamers coined for when your router forwards any likely internet game requests to a specific PC or game console on the home network. This enables the easiest game play.
IMPORTANT - DMZ mode also opens your home network to hacker attack so it is not advisable to leave your router in this mode after you finish playing.
Dynamic IP address
Home routers enable several PCs to share a single internet connection by handing out local IP numbers to each computer on the home network, usually in the form 192.168.1.xxx. Basically the router takes any request by a PC connected to it, "wraps" it in the public IP address given it by the broadband ISP, and then passes it along to the internet. To the ISP, traffic coming from any PC on your home network looks identical because it came from the same, single public IP address.
On a larger scale, Internet Service Providers use commercial routers to hand out Dynamic IP addresses to their customers.
Encryption
Think of this as putting your data into secret code. Your raw message is scrambled on your end by the PC or wireless card, then a special software key, known by devices or trusted applications on the other end, is used to decode it at the destination. Wireless networks make use of this technology, called WEP, to ensure that nobody can intercept and read your data over the air.
There are different levels of encryption, typically running from 40 bit to 128 bit. The higher the number, the harder the code is to break. Your network speed will also be slowed a little bit by the encryption.
Firewall
A firewall helps protect your computer or home network against unwanted
access and come in a variety of forms. They may be included with a hardware
device such as a router or gateway be software programs that you load
onto your PC, or be built into your computer's operating system.
Firmware
Not hardware but not standard software either, this is the built-in programmable "brain" of most computerized devices these days, including network products like routers. Many manufacturers offer firmware updates from time to time to improve the performance of their
products. These can generally be downloaded from websites and installed at home.
Gateway
Often another name for a router, this device manages the connections between
a home network and the internet. Many have a DSL or cable modem built-in,
removing the need for a separate broadband modem.
Home network
A home network is simply two or more computers that have been connected
together. This enables resources, such as a broadband internet connection,
to be shared among the computers.
HomePlug Powerline Alliance
(HomePlug)
This industry group is the central certification body for Powerline networking.
Powerline networking enables computers and other devices to use the existing
electrical wiring in the home to connect to each other.
Hub
A hub allows the most basic sharing of resources among multiple PCs. Unlike
the more "intelligent" router, a hub basically splits access
to a resource among the connected computers. Hubs are usually used to
add additional Ethernet or USB ports to a computer or home network.
Infrastructure Mode
This is one of two ways a wireless-enabled PC or network device can connect to another device. Infrastructure Mode simply means that the device is connecting through a wireless router or access point instead of directly to another PC or networkable product. (See Ad-Hoc mode).
Internet Protocol (IP) address
The Internet Protocol is your computer's identity on the internet or on
the home network. An IP number, for instance 138.168.xxx.x, is assigned by the internet service provider to your computer, after which surfing the internet, sending email or chatting becomes possible. Like the address on your house, this is how other people are able to locate your PC. This identity also allows you to send information to other addresses. You must have this "return address" to be able to use the internet.
Latency
Latency measures the time that a packet -- information -- travels between
devices that are communicating with each other. If a network has high
latency, it takes a lot of time for information to be delivered. Internet
applications that require quick responses, such as games, function poorly
if a connection's latency is high.
Local Area Network (LAN)
A Local Area Network is the industry term for a network confined to a
single geographic location. For instance, both a home network and a company's
network are considered LANs.
Modem (DSL, Cable)
A device that is connected to a broadband connection, either a DSL or
Cable connection. Your computer would be connected to the Modem and would
have access to broadband.
Network Address Translation
Internet standard that enables a local-area network
(LAN) to use one set of IP addresses for internal traffic and a second
set of addresses for external traffic. For instance, though an ISP assigns
only one external IP number to a home network, the router connecting the
home network allows the computers attached to it to share that single
IP by assigning them each their own internal identity.
Network Interface Card (NIC)
The card inside your computer that gives it an Ethernet port and the ability
to connect to a network.
Node
This is networking jargon term for a PC or device that is connected to a network. For instance, if you connect your laptop to a wireless network you have just added a node to that network.
Ping
Now used as a slang term for checking in with someone, Ping comes from an application used to check if an internet server, or domain, is reachable. Much like a sonar or radar ping, the application shoots a small package of data at the server (ex. www.server.com) then measures how long it takes for the package to bounce back. If it never comes back the server or the connections to it are inoperable.
PPPoE
Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet. This internet language is primarily used by DSL Internet Service Providers to establish a connection with their customers over regular phone lines. This type of broadband usually requires a username and password to connect to the internet.
RJ-45 Connector/Jack
This term refers to the plug at the end of an Ethernet cable that connects to an Ethernet jack. This pair looks much like a larger version of the connector/jack for your telephone.
Router
A router is like traffic cop for the computers and networked products in your home. The router allows every connected device to use a single Internet connection or share files (if properly configured through the PC's OS). A router also provides strong protection against snooping or attacks by hackers or unauthorized users through their Firewalls. Using a router is the easiest and most common way to build a home network.
Ethernet Routers: Some routers are Ethernet-only, in that they have ports for Ethernet cables and connect to the networked PCs over these wires (called RJ-45 cables).
Wireless Routers: These routers have 802.11 wireless transmitter/receivers built into them. They usually also have Ethernet ports, so they give you the option of connecting your PCs using cable or wireless. Example: Wireless G Linksys Router and Netgear Wireless Router
Static IP address
This is an IP address that never changes. Most businesses and major websites have static IP addresses so they can be easily reached by the customers or employees and so they can be assured of never being without their internet identity. In contrast most consumer Internet Providers give their customers Dynamic IP addresses (see Dynamic IP address) to conserve their limited supply of IP addresses. When you log in to these internet services you are assigned an IP address for your use while you're signed on. The next time you get online you will get a different IP address.
TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. This is the standard
way that data is transmitted to and from your computer over the internet.
Throughput
The speed at which data travels through a network.
WebCam
A camera that when connected to a computer or home network can be used
to transmit images over the internet. Example: Logitech QuickCam Orbit
Wide Area Network (WAN)
A Wide Area Network is a connected set of computers that are not located
in the same geographic location. The internet itself can be considered
the biggest WAN.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is short for "Wireless-Fidelity". This name has been popularized
by Wi-Fi Alliance. Their website describes them as " A nonprofit
international association formed in 1999 to certify interoperability of
wireless Local Area Network products based on IEEE 802.11 specification."
