Linksys BEFVP41 User Manual page 32

Mbps (MegaBits Per Second) - One million bits per second; unit of measure-
ment for data transmission.
mIRC - mIRC runs under Windows and provides a graphical interface for log-
ging onto IRC servers and listing, joining and leaving channels.
NAT - NAT (Network Address Translation) is the translation of an Internet
Protocol address (IP address) used within one network to a different IP address
known within another network. One network is designated the inside network
and the other is the outside.
Network - A system that transmits any combination of voice, video and/or data
between users.
Network Mask - Also known as the "Subnet Mask".
NIC (Network Interface Card) - A board installed in a computer system, usu-
ally a PC, to provide network communication capabilities to and from that com-
puter system. Also called an adapter.
Packet - A unit of data routed between an origin and a destination in a network.
Ping - (Packet INternet Groper) An Internet utility used to determine whether
a particular IP address is online. It is used to test and debug a network by send-
ing out a packet and waiting for a response.
Port - A pathway into and out of the computer or a network device such as a
switch or router. For example, the serial and parallel ports on a personal com-
puter are external sockets for plugging in communications lines, modems and
printers.
PPPoE (Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet) - A method used mostly by DSL
providers for connecting personal computers to a broadband modem for
Internet access. It is similar to how a dial-up connection works but at higher
speeds and quicker access.
PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) - A protocol (set of communication
rules) that allows corporations to extend their own corporate network through
private "tunnels" over the public Internet. Effectively, a corporation uses a wide-
area network as a single large local area network. A company no longer needs to
lease its own lines for wide-area communication but can securely use the public
networks. This kind of interconnection is known as a virtual private network.
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Instant Broadband™ Series
EtherFast ® Cable/DSL VPN Router with 4-Port 10/100 Switch
RIP (Routing Information Protocol) - A simple routing protocol that is part of
the TCP/IP protocol suite. It determines a route based on the smallest hop count
between source and destination. RIP is a distance vector protocol that routine-
ly broadcasts routing information to its neighboring routers and is known to
waste bandwidth. AppleTalk, DECnet, TCP/IP, NetWare and VINES all use
incompatible versions of RIP.
RJ-45 (Registered Jack-45) - A connector similar to a telephone connector that
holds up to eight wires, used for connecting Ethernet devices.
Router - Protocol-dependent device that connects subnetworks together.
Routers are useful in breaking down a very large network into smaller subnet-
works; they introduce longer delays and typically have much lower throughput
rates.
Server - Any computer whose function in a network is to provide user access
to files, printing, communications, and other services.
Software - Instructions for the computer. A series of instructions that per-
forms a particular task is called a "program." The two major categories of
software are "system software" and "application software." System software
is made up of control programs such as the operating system and database
management system (DBMS). Application software is any program that
processes data for the user.
A common misconception is that software is data. It is not. Software tells the
hardware how to process the data.
Static IP Address - A permanent IP address that is assigned to a node in an IP
or a TCP/IP network.
Static Routing - Forwarding data in a network via a fixed path. Static routing
cannot adjust to changing line conditions as can dynamic routing.
STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) - Telephone wire that is wrapped in a metal sheath
to eliminate external interference.
Subnet Mask - The method used for splitting IP networks into a series of sub-
groups, or subnets. The mask is a binary pattern that is matched up with the IP
address to turn part of the host ID address field into a field for subnets.
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