Networking Glossary :: Nextec Networking Services

802.11x – A family of specifications for wireless local area networks (WLAN's) developed by a Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

802.11a -Wireless LAN that operates in the 5GHz frequency range and provides data transmission speeds of up to 54Mbps.
802.11b - Wireless LAN that operates in the 2.4GHz frequency range and provides data transmission speeds of up to 11Mbps using spread spectrum technology.
802.11g - Wireless LAN that operates in the 2.4GHz frequency range and provides data transmission speeds of up to 54Mbps using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technology.

Access Point - A node in a wireless network configuration that is typically a hardware device that include a radio transmitter, receiver, and network adapter.

Bandwidth -Refers to the data rate or capacity supported by the Local Area Network or internet connection. Bandwidth is commonly expressed in bits per second or bps. Dial-up modems typically have bandwidth values up to 56 Kbps (56 thousand bits per second). A T1 line offers 1.5 Mbps (1.544 million bits per second).

Bridge -A networking device that filters data traffic at a network boundary. A wireless bridge filters out data packets that are destined for devices on its local network and sends or broadcasts packets intended for a device on another LAN.

Category 5 cable (Cat5) -Is a category of cable that consists of four twisted pairs of copper wires that can pass digital data at very fast speeds. Cat 5 cable is commonly used for voice and data applications local area networks.

Category 5e cable (Cat5e) - Category 5 enhanced Cable. Similar to Cat 5, except that is made to somewhat more stringent standards. Category 5e cable is capable of higher transmission speeds than cat 5.

Category 6 cable -A category of cable that is similar to cat5 and cat5e, but is rated for higher transmission speeds. Category 6 cable supports Gigabit (1000 Mbps) Ethernet and supports communications at more than twice the speed of CAT5e.

DHCP -Stands for Dynamic Host configuration Protocol. DHCP is a network protocol that assigns unique IP addresses to computers or devices, then releases and renews the addresses as computers or devices leave and rejoin the network.

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) -A type of internet access that delivers high bandwidth over conventional copper wiring (such as telephone lines) at limited distances.

Encryption -is the process of scrambling data so that it can not be intercepted or easily read by unauthorized users. Data from devices on a wireless LAN are usually encrypted.

Ethernet -is the most commonly installed Local Area Network technology. 10Base-T Ethernet systems are capable of providing transmission speeds up to 10 Mbps. 100BASE-T Ethernet networks provide transmission speeds up to 100 Mbps.

Firewall -A firewall is a hardware device, software program, or combination of the two that protects a computer network from unauthorized entry.

Gigabit Ethernet -Is an extension to the Ethernet networking technology standards. The Gigabit Ethernet standard supports a theoretical maximum data rate of 1000 Mbps.

Hub - A simple networking device that is used to join multiple computers together. A hub simply passes on (repeats) all the data it receives, so that all devices connected to its ports receive that data.

IP Address -is a unique address for each computer or device on a network. An IP address, similar to a telephone number, is used by machines to refer to each other when communicating through a local area network or across the internet.

Local Area Network (LAN) - A LAN is a network limited to the immediate area, usually the same building or organization.

Network Address Translation (NAT) -A technique where the source or destination address of data packets are changed as they pass through a router or firewall. NAT is most commonly used to enable multiple computers or devices on a private network to use a single public IP address.

Quality Of Service (QoS) - The term QoS refers to a broad collection of networking technologies and techniques designed to prioritize network traffic. QoS allows you to provide better service, more bandwidth, or other priority access for certain types of data flowing across your network.

Switch -Is a piece of networking hardware that functions very similarly to a hub, but with more intelligence. Unlike hubs, network switches are capable of inspecting data packets as they are received, determining the source and destination device of that packet, and forwarding the packet appropriately.

T1 - A dedicated point to point network connection capable of transmitting data at speeds up to 1.544 Mbps (1.544 million bits per second).

Voice Over IP - A technology that allows voice traffic to be sent in very much the same way as a data through a LAN. VoIP works by sending voice information in digital form in packets, rather than in the traditional dedicated circuit protocols of the public switched telephone network.

Virtual Private Network (VPN) -Is a private data network that makes use of the public telecommunications infrastructure (internet), while maintaining privacy and security through the use of security measures including encryption.

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