3Com AccessBuilder 500 User Manual page 104

C-2 A C: G
PPENDIX LOSSARY
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a
standard that defines the values that are used for letters, numbers, and
symbols.
Attenuation The progressive degradation of a signal as it travels
through a cable.
AUI Attachment user interface, the interface between the unit and the
data terminal equipment, usually in the form of a connecting cable.
B Channel A digital data communications channel running at 64 Kbps.
The basic rate ISDN 2 service carries two B channels plus one control D
channel. Refer to ISDN and D Channel.
Backbone A network cabling segment that interconnects a group of
network segments or systems.
Bandwidth The capacity of data communications system or channel.
Baseband A communication technique in which network cable is
used to carry a single stream of data at a time.
Baud A unit of signalling speed equal to the number of signalling
events in one second.
Bit Either of the digits 0 or 1 when used in the binary numeration
system. Eight bits equals a single byte.
Bridge A device that links two or more local or remote area networks
together. A bridge may be used to extend the network or to connect
two different network transport technologies together.
Broadband A communications technique in which network cabling is
used to carry multiple streams of data simultaneously.
Broadcast Storm A rare event in which broadcast frames are
propagated endlessly through the network because poorly configured
bridge and router connections.