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ADSL
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A modem
technology that transforms ordinary phone
lines (also known as "twisted copper
pairs") into high-speed digital lines
for ultra-fast Internet access. ADSL Service
transmits at speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps downstream
(to the subscriber) and 256 Kbps upstream,
depending on the distance. |
Alias
An alternative name used for identification,
such as naming a field or site. |
Anonymous
FTP
Using the FTP function of the Internet without
a secret login ID and password. This is
permitted on large systems that share some
of their files with outside users who otherwise
would not be able to login. |
Asymmetric
Indicates there is an appreciable difference
in the data rate between the two directions
of a transmission. |
ATM
Asynchronous Transfer Mode. This high-speed
network protocol is composed of 53 byte
"cells" having 5 byte headers
and 48 byte payloads. Because of its short
packet length, it is especially good for
real time voice and video. |
Backup
Copying files that are stored on a hard
drive to another medium such as floppy disks
or a backup tape. |
Bandwidth
This is the reflection of the capacity of
a given transmission channel. The greater
the bandwidth the more information that
can be transferred over that network at
one time. |
BERT
Bit Error Rate Test. A test that reflects
the ratio of erred bits to the total number
transmitted. Usually shown in exponential
form (10^-6) to indicate that one out of
a certain number of bits are in error. |
Bridge
A LAN (Local Area Network) Internet networking
device that filters and transfers data packets
between LAN’s, enabling them to operate
as a single network. |
Broadband
High speed network for transmission of data,
audio, and video. |
Cache
Local storage on your computer that holds
in memory recently viewed web pages. This
allows you to review these pages quickly
without waiting for them to download from
the Internet again. |
CLEC
Competitive Local Exchange Carrier. Multiple
local service providers competing in a single
geographic location. |
CO
Central Office. A circuit switch that terminates
all local access lines in a particular geographic
serving area. A physical building where
the local switching equipment is found. |
Connectivity
The ability to communicate between computers
and terminals. |
CPE
Customer Premises (or Provided) Equipment.
A wide range of customer-premises terminated
equipment, which is connected to the local
telecommunications network. This includes
telephone, modems, terminals, routers, settop
boxes, etc. |
Dedicated
A telephone or other communications line
used for one purpose. |
Dial-up
A means of connecting to the Internet or
any other computer via a modem. |
Domain
Name
A registered name that is given to an Internet
address so that the address is easy to remember. |
Download
To receive a file transmitted over a network. |
Downstream
Identifies that data rate from the exchange
to the end-user. |
DSLAM
Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexor.
The equipment in your Central Office that
provides your connection from your telephone
line to Internet service. |
Dynamic
IP
A Dynamic IP address is an IP address that
changes periodically. A different IP address
may be assigned every time you connect to
the Internet. This makes it more difficult
for others to locate your computer or other
device from elsewhere on the Internet.
IP
Addresses are numbers used to identify
a specific device connected to the Internet,
much like a phone number is used to identify
a specific telephone. An IP address is
organized into four groups of numbers
separated by periods, or dots, such as
204.32.345.61. Every device connected
to the Internet has a unique IP Address.
For instance, a web site such as www.johnsmith.com
would be assigned a unique numeric IP
Address (192.168.70.10). When a user types
www.johnsmith.com into their browser,
the software goes to an Internet directory,
finds that the web site "lives"
at IP Address (192.168.70.10), and connects
to that address over the World Wide Web.
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Ethernet
A LAN (Local Area Network) technology that
operates over twisted-pair wiring or coaxial
cable speeds up to 100 Mbps or higher. |
Ethernet
Card
A printed circuit board that plugs into
a computer to permit the computer to connect
to a network. |
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Ethernet
Modem
An external modem that connects to your
computer through an Ethernet port or a Network
Interface Card (NIC). This type of modem
enables home networking and is compatible
with IBM and Mac. |
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Firewall
A security device (hardware or software)
that controls access from the Internet to
a local network by using identification
information. |
FTP
File Transfer Protocol. The basic Internet
function that enables files to be transferred
between computers. You can use it to download
files from a remote host computer, as well
as to upload files from your computer.
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IP
Internet Protocol. An IP address enables
a computer to be identified on the Internet
while the user is on-line. |
IP
Address
An Internet address that is a unique number
consisting of four parts separated by dots
sometimes called a "dotted squad".
Each of the four parts is a number from
0 to 255. Every Internet computer has an
IP address. |
ISP
Internet Service Provider. An organization
that provides access to the Internet. |
Java
A programming language that permits Internet
sites on the World Wide Web to include computer
applications that run on the computers of
people who visit their sites. |
LAN
Local Area Network. A communications network
that serves users within a confined geographical
area. |
MAC
Address
Media Access Control. A unique address associated
with an Ethernet Card. |
Modem
A device that adapts a computer to a telephone
line. It converts the computers digital
pulses into audio frequencies (analog) for
the telephone system and converts the frequencies
back into pulses at the receiving side.
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NIC
Network Interface Card. An internal PCI
card used to provide connectivity to networked
devices. DSL uses an Ethernet NIC to connect
the personal computer to the ADSL modem
(or to the jack itself in some locations).
Below is a picture of a common Ethernet
NIC used for DSL. |
NID
Network Interface Device. A device that
terminates copper pairs from the serving
central office at the user’s destination
and which is typically located outside that
location. It also provides an interface
and demarcation point between the network
and customer premises equipment. |
PCI
Modem
An internal DSL modem that connects to your
computer through an open PCI slot and enables
high-speed Internet access. |
PCI
Slot
Peripheral Component Interface. The PCI
can be found by opening your computer. The
slot is an internal opening within your
desktop computer into which additional computer
components can be inserted. A PCI slot can
be identified by its white color, size (about
3 inches) and location (usually next to
the internal modem card or other internal
game cards). To the right is a picture of
a PCI slot within a common desktop computer.
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POP3
Post Office Protocol. An Internet protocol
that enables a single user to read email
from a mail server. |
POTS
Plain Old Telephone Service. POTS refers
to a single line, measured or flat rate,
telephone service that could be used as
either a business line or residence line. |
PPPoA
Point to Point over Asynchronous Transfer
Mode |
Static
IP
A Static IP Address is a "fixed"
IP address assigned to a specific computer
or other device on a network. The IP address
remains the same and is associated with
that computer or device. IP
Addresses are numbers used to identify
a specific device connected to the Internet,
much like a phone number is used to identify
a specific telephone. An IP address is
organized into four groups of numbers
separated by periods, or dots, such as
204.32.345.61. Every device connected
to the Internet has a unique IP Address.
For instance, a web site such as www.johnsmith.com
would be assigned a unique numeric IP
Address (192.168.70.10). When a user types
www.johnsmith.com their browser, the software
goes to an Internet directory, finds that
the web site "lives" at IP Address
(192.168.70.10), and connects to that
address over the World Wide Web. |
Streaming
Audio
Audio transmission over a data network.
The term implies a one-way transmission
to the listener, in which both the client
and the server cooperate for uninterrupted
sound. (See Streaming Video) |
Streaming
Video
Video transmission over a data network.
The term implies a one-way transmission
to the viewer, in which both the client
and the server cooperate for uninterrupted
sound. (See Streaming Audio) |
URL
Uniform Resource Locator. This is the equivalent
of having the phone number of a place you
want to call. It identifies the protocol,
host name and file name of the Internet
resources you want, such as web pages and
FTP sites. |
USB
Universal Serial Bus. A "plug and play"
interface between a computer and add-on
devices (such as audio players, joysticks,
keyboards, telephones, scanners, and printers).
With USB, a new device can be added to your
computer without having to add an adapter
card or even having to turn the computer
off. The USB peripheral bus standard was
developed by Compaq, IBM, DEC, Intel, Microsoft,
NEC, and Northern Telecom and the technology
is available without charge for all computer
and device vendors. |
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USB
Modem
An external DSL modem that connects to your
computer through an open USB port and enables
high-speed Internet access. This type of
modem enables a plug and play environment.
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