Linksys BEFCMUH4 User Manual page 40

Switch - 1. A data switch connects computing devices to host computers,
allowing a large number of devices to share a limited number of ports. 2. A
device for making, breaking, or changing the connections in an electrical cir-
cuit.
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) - A method (protocol) used along with
the IP (Internet Protocol) to send data in the form of message units (datagram)
between network devices over a LAN or WAN. While IP takes care of handling
the actual delivery of the data (routing), TCP takes care of keeping track of the
individual units of data (called packets) that a message is divided into for effi-
cient delivery over the network. TCP is known as a "connection oriented" pro-
tocol due to requiring the receiver of a packet to return an acknowledgment of
receipt to the sender of the packet resulting in transmission control.
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) - The basic com-
munication language or set of protocols for communications over a network
(developed specifically for the Internet). TCP/IP defines a suite or group of
protocols and not only TCP and IP.
Throughput - The amount of data moved successfully from one place to anoth-
er in a given time period.
TX Rate - Transmission Rate.
Upgrade - To replace existing software or firmware with a newer version.
Upload - To transmit a file over a network. In a communications session,
upload means transmit, download means receive.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator) - The address that defines the route to a file
on the Web or any other Internet facility. URLs are typed into the browser to
access Web pages, and URLs are embedded within the pages themselves to pro-
vide the hypertext links to other pages.
USB (Universal Serial Bus) - A "plug-and-play" interface between a comput-
er and peripherals, such as digital cameras, scanners, game controllers, speak-
ers, keyboards, portable data storage, or printers. With USB, you can add a new
peripheral to your computer without having to add an adapter card or powering
down the computer. USB also supports hot-swapping, the addition or removal
of devices while the computer is running.
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Instant Broadband ® Series
Cable Gateway
USB 1.1-compliant devices support data rates of 1.5Mbps (low-speed) and up
to 12Mbps (full-speed). USB 2.0-compliant devices are backward compatible
with earlier USB devices, and they support data rates of 1.5Mbps (low-speed),
12Mbps (full-speed), and up to 480Mbps (high-speed).
UTP - Unshielded twisted pair is the most common kind of copper telephone
wiring. Twisted pair is the ordinary copper wire that connects home and many
business computers to the telephone company. To reduce crosstalk or electro-
magnetic induction between pairs of wires, two insulated copper wires are
twisted around each other. Each signal on twisted pair requires both wires.
Since some telephone sets or desktop locations require multiple connections,
twisted pair is sometimes installed in two or more pairs, all within a single
cable.
WAN (Wide Area Network)- A communications network that covers a rela-
tively large geographic area, consisting of two or more LANs. Broadband com-
munication over the WAN is often through public networks such as the tele-
phone (DSL) or cable systems, or through leased lines or satellites. In its most
basic definition, the Internet could be considered a WAN.
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) - A data privacy mechanism based on a 64-
bit or 128-bit shared key algorithm, as described in the IEEE 802.11 standard.
WINIPCFG - Configuration utility based on the Win32 API for querying,
defining and managing IP addresses within a network. A commonly used util-
ity for configuring networks with static IP addresses.
WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) - A group of computers and associat-
ed devices that communicate with each other wirelessly.
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