Definitions of common networking terms are:

IEEE 802.11 Standards Terminology

802.11b - Designates an IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data
transfer rate of 11Mbps and an operating frequency of 2.4GHz.

802.11g - Designates 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.

802.11n – Designates an IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data
rate of approximately 100 to 140 Mbps. The inclusion of Multiple-input Multiple-output
(MIMO) that uses multiple antennas to resolve more data than if one antenna were being
used. The 802.11n standard is backward compatible with 802.11b/g devices.

Networking Type—Definitions and Terminology

Ad-hoc Network - Refers to a group of wireless devices communicating directly with each
other (peer-to-peer or point-to-point) without the use of an access point or central server.

Backbone - Describes the infrastructure of a network, which connects most of the systems
and networks together over which data is transmitted.

Bandwidth - The transmission capacity of a device or network.

Broadband - An “always-on,� state for high-speed Internet connections such as DSL or
cable access.

Browser - A software application that provides a way to interact with the information on the
World Wide Web.

Buffer - A block of memory that holds data temporarily when a device is too busy to accept
the data.

CSMA/CA – Defined as Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance, which is a
method of data transfer used to prevent data loss in a network.

CTS - A Clear To Send signal is sent by a device to indicate that its readiness to receive
data.

TFTP - Trivial File Transfer Protocol is a version of the TCP/IP FTP protocol, which uses
UDP (User Datagram Protocol). It has no directory or password capability.

Throughput - The amount of data moved successfully from one node to another in a
specified period.

Topology - Describes the physical layout of a network.

TX Rate – Refers to transmission. The transmission rate is the speed data travels and is
usually represented in megabits per second (Mbps) and kilobits per second (Kbps).

UDP - User Datagram Protocol is a network protocol for transmitting data that does not
require acknowledgement from the recipient.

URL - Uniform Resource Locator is the address of a file located on the Internet. An example
of a URL would be “http://www.google.com.�

WAN - Wide Area Network is usually the result of many connected LANs. The Internet is the
best example of a WAN.

WLAN - Wireless Local Area Network is a group of computers and associated devices that
communicate with each other wirelessly.

Security and Encryption Terminology

AES - Defined as Advanced Encryption Standard. A method that uses up to 256-bit key
encryption to secure data.

Authentication - A form of network security that verifies the identity of a user or device
before gaining access to the network.

Encryption - A mathematical process of encoding data to prevent it from being read by
unauthorized users.

PSK - Pre-shared Key, designed for small home networks where each user must enter a
passphrase to access the network and all users share the same key.

TKIP - (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) - A wireless encryption protocol that periodically
changes the encryption key, making it harder to decode.

WEP - Wired Equivalent Privacy is a security method of encrypting data transmitted on a
wireless network.

WEP key - Wired Equivalent Privacy key. Provides first level of encryption against network
hackers or unauthorized network intruders.

WPA - Wi-Fi Protected Accessâ„¢ is a security method that encrypts the data transmitted on
a wireless network so that only authorized users who know the pass phrase or shared key
can access the network or understand the transmitted data.

WPA Passkey – 1.) The password for Wi-Fi Protected Access™. The Passkey can be from
8 to 63 characters long or 64 hexadecimal characters in length. 2.) A wireless protocol to
provide security for wireless systems. 3.) Verifies the identity of a user or device before
granting access to the wireless network.

WPA-Personal - This is a version of WPA that uses long and dynamic encryption keys,
which are difficult to decode by unauthorized intruders.

WPA2 - More advanced protocol for password security with wireless networks. The WPA2
protocol incorporates the use of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

WPA-Enterprise - A version of WPA that uses the same dynamic keys as WPA-Personal.
In addition, it requires that each wireless device be authorized by an authentication server
when compared to and verified by a master list.

VPN - A Virtual Private Network provides a secure connection between networks accessed
over the Internet. A VPN may be applied where secure communication is needed through
public Internet access. Secure VPNs utilize tunneling protocols against unwanted intrusions.

Hardware Terminology

Access Point - A hardware device that allows wireless-equipped computers and devices to
communicate with a wired network. These devices are also used to expand the range of a
wireless network.

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

Cable Modem - A hardware device that connects a computer to a cable television
(broadband) network and provides Internet access.

Daisy Chain - A connection methodology used to connect devices in series—one after the
other.

Default Gateway - A hardware device that controls Internet traffic to and from your local
area network. In home networks the default gateway may be a user’s broadband cable or
DSL modem.

Hub - A hardware device when used as a simple hub to transmit data packets to all clients
connected within a network indiscriminately, as opposed to a switch or router which sends
data packets to specific clients on a network.

Network Adapter - A device that adds network functionality to a computer. A network
adapter may be a card installed a computer, a USB connected device, or a PCMCIA card
adapter. Wireless network adapters are required to access wireless networks.

DDNS - (Dynamic Domain Name System) - The capability of having a website, FTP, or email
server-with a dynamic IP address-use as a fixed domain name.

DHCP - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. A protocol used by network devices to supply
configuration parameters to devices on the network such as printers, computers, scanners,
and digital frames. DHCP can automate the assignment of IP addresses and other IP
Parameters.

DMZ - (Demilitarized Zone) - Removes the router's firewall protection from one PC, allowing
it to be "seen" from the Internet. It is a method that would only allow unauthorized intruders
to “see� rather than gain access to other computers or devices that are connected to an
organization’s network.

DNS - Domain Name System. Transfers human readable hostnames such as Kodak.com
into IP addresses that the network can interpret and use.

Domain - A specific name for a network of computers.

Download - To receive a file transmitted over a network. Examples of downloadable files
would be device firmware upgrades and application software, and digital images.

DSL - (Digital Subscriber Line) - An “always-on� broadband connection over traditional
phone lines (Plain Old Telephones—POTS).

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.
Utilized in 802.11b networking.

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.

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 security measure that protects or restricts the transmission of computer traffic
between the resources of a local network from unauthorized intruders. A firewall may in the
form of a hardware device or a software utility program.

Firmware - This term refers to the programming that runs the device, which can be 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 - Describes the ability of a networking device to receive and transmit data
simultaneously.

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 communication protocol used to connect to
servers on the World Wide Web.

IEEE - The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is 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 or a wireless router.

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

IP Address - An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical identification that is assigned
to devices in a computer network that utilize the Internet Protocol for communication. An
example would be 192.168.0.254.

IPCONFIG - A WINDOWS 2000, XP, and VISTA command line utility that displays the IP
address for a particular networking device.

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

ISM band – The radio band wave used in wireless networking transmissions, cordless
telephones, and microwave ovens.

ISP - (Internet Service Provider) - A service company that provides access to the Internet
using a broadband modem or combination of broadband modem and wireless router.

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 incorporates a username and password system for access.

MAC - (Media Access Control) Address - The unique address that a manufacturer assigns
to each networking device. Using a MAC Address allows only pre-assigned devices to
connect to network.

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, printing, and/or transmission between users.

NIC - Network Interface Card. A card in a computer that provides an Ethernet connection to
allow computers to communicate within a wired network.

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

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 key from hexadecimal to “humanreadable�
text.

Password – A string of alpha-numeric characters and/or in combination with the use of
upper- and lower-case characters to allow users access to a computer network, a wireless
router, or an Internet service such as shopping, banking, social networking. Along with the
password a user identification (name) may be required. The password is intended to be kept
confidential. Some passwords require a minimum number of characters, to include
numerical characters, and to be case-sensitive.

Ping - (Packet Internet Groper) – 1.) A network operation used to determine whether a
particular IP address is online and to determine the speed at which the receiving device
responds to the ping. 2.) A ping command may be run on a WINDOWS OS and
MACINTOSH OS command window if the sender has the IP Address of the receiving
device.

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 such as printing or access to the Internet.

PPTP - (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) - A Virtual Private Network (VPN) protocol that
allows 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.

RJ-45 connector – The physical connector on the end of an Ethernet cable. An RJ-45
connector will have eight contacts built into the end of the connector.
Roaming - The ability to take a wireless device from one wireless router’s range to another
router without losing the connection.

Router – 1.) A networking device that connects multiple networks together, such as a local
(home) network and the Internet. 2.) Routers are capable of transmitting data packets
discreetly to a device as opposed to a simple hub which distributes packets to each device
connected to that given network.

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 used on the Internet.

Software - Instructions for the computer. A series of instructions that performs a specific
task or tasks is referred to as a "program.�

SSID – (Service Set IDentifier) – 1.) A unique identifier that differentiates one wireless local
area network (WLAN) from another. 2.) The default SSID may be the router manufacturer’s
company name. The password for the router may be “admin,� “password,� or no password
needs to be entered to access the router’s settings.

Static IP Address - A fixed address that is manually entered for a computer or a device that
is connected to a network.

Static Routing - Forwarding data in a network via a fixed path.

Subnet – (or sub-network) A portion of the computers and devices on a network with a
common, designated IP address.

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

Switch - A device that is the central point of connection for computers and other devices in
a network. Data may be shared at full transmission speeds. Data packets are inspected by
the switch and sent to the appropriate receiver on the network.

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.

WAP - Wireless Access Point, device that allows other wireless communication devices to
connect to a wireless network. A WAP may be a wireless router or wireless repeater.