ZyXEL Communications Prestige 645R User Manual page 158

Prestige 645 ADSL Internet Access Router
Internet (Upper case I) The vast collection of inter-connected networks that all use the TCP/IP
protocols and that evolved from the ARPANET of the late 60's and early 70's. The Internet
now (July 1995) connects roughly 60,000 independent networks into a vast global internet
Intranet A private network inside a company or organization that uses the same kinds of software that
you would find on the public Internet, but that is only for internal use.
IP Internet Protocol he IP (currently IP version 4, or IPv4), is the underlying protocol for
routing packets on the Internet and other TCP/IP-based networks.
IPCP (PPP) IP Control Protocol allows changes to IP parameters such as the IP address.
IPX Internetwork Packet eXchange The native NetWare internetworking protocol is IPX
(Internetwork Packet Exchange). Like IP (Internet Protocol), IPX is an internetworking
protocol that provides datagram services.
ISP Internet Service Providers provide connections into the Internet for home users and
businesses. There are local, regional, national, and global ISPs. You can think of local ISPs
as the gatekeepers into the Internet.
LAN Local Area Network is a shared communications system to which many computers are
attached. A LAN, as its name implies, is limited to a local area. This has to do more with the
electrical characteristics of the medium than the fact that many early LANs were designed
for departments, although the latter accurately describes a LAN as well. LANs have different
topologies, the most common being the linear bus and the star configuration.
MAC On a local area network (LAN) or other network, the MAC (Media Access Control) address
is your computer's unique hardware number. (On an Ethernet LAN, it's the same as your
Ethernet address.) The MAC layer frames data for transmission over the network, then
passes the frame to the physical layer interface where it is transmitted as a stream of bits.
Multi- A method that combines information from multiple connections into one connection for
plexing transfer over an ATM circuit.
NAT Network Address Translation is the translation of an Internet Protocol address used within
one network to a different IP address known within another network.
Network Any time you connect 2 or more computers together so that they can share resources, you
have a computer network. Connect 2 or more networks together and you have an internet.
NIC Network Interface Card. A board that provides network communication capabilities to and
from a computer system. Also called an adapter.
Node Any single computer connected to a network
F Glossary