Definitions Index

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Protocols

Protocols  Standards or rules that allow computers to communicate. Novell IPX/SPX, UNIX TCP/IP, DECnet, Microsoft NetBEUI, and Macintosh AppleTalk are all examples of protocols

AppleTalk A protocol for networking Macintosh computers.

TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol - The protocol that the internet observes.  All internet browsers operate under TCP/IP rules.

IP Address A 4-byte address, with each byte separated by a ".".  Example: 146.69.140.1.

Telnet A remote terminal session--a communication channel between two devices.

Ethernet Address A 6-byte address, which refers to the network hardware device, for example, a NIC. This is also known as a MAC (Media Access Control) address. Each byte is separated by a '-' when used in a PC command.  Example: 00-C0-E2-00-21-43.   Each byte is separated by a ':' when used in a UNIX command.  Example: 00:c0:e2:00:21:43.

DHCP Server - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - A server that automatically provides IP addresses for appropriately configured nodes at boot up.

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Media 

Media  The physical carrier of information in networks. Media may be wiring, fiber, or air.

Daisy-chain  Connecting one unit to the next, in series.  If any unit is taken off the chain, communication to all other units is disrupted.

Coaxial Cable An inner conductor surrounded by shield which acts as the return conductor. The shield is typically grounded at the BNC connector.

Thinnet Thin coaxial wire used on 10Base2 networks

RJ-58 A/U Cable  Coaxial cable used in 10Base2 (Thinnet)  networks.

Thicknet Thickwire coaxial wire used on 10Base5 networks.

Unshielded Twist Pair (UTP)   Cable used on 10Base-T, 100Base-TX, and EtherTalk networks

Category 5 Cable Consists of 4 twisted-pair wires which can handle 10- and 100Mbps transmission rates

BNC Connector   A barrel-like connector used on thin coaxial cable

RJ-45 Connector An 8-wire connector used on UTP cable

RJ-11 Connector A 4-wire connector used on phone cable

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Ethernet

Ethernet  Standard defining how to physically connect devices on the network and transfer data at 10Mbps. It can run on thick coax, thin coax, or twisted pair wiring.

Fast Ethernet  IEEE standard that defines the data transfer rate at 100Mbps

10Base-T 10Mbps transmission running on unshielded twisted pair wires

100Base-TX 100Mbps transmission through unshielded twisted pair wires

UTP   Unshielded Twisted Pair another name for 10Base-T

10Base2 10Mbps transmission through thin coax cable

10Base5 10Mbps transmission though thickwire

EtherTalk AppleTalk running over Ethernet

LocalTalk Older Apple networking standard that transfers data at 230kbps. CalComp supports LocalTalk on some older products.

SQE Signal Quality Test for Ethernet.  Frequently called "heartbeat"

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General Networking Terms

IEEE Institue of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.    An organization that maintains the standards for 10Base-T (Ethernet) and other communications standards.

Network A collection of computers, printers, scanners, and other devices which communicate over a shared medium

Node An active device on a network

Topology The arrangement of nodes that comprise the network. Types include star, ring, bus, and tree.

Bus A network topology in which all nodes are connected to a single wire. All nodes receive all transmissions

Computer Bus A collection of address, data, and control signals in the computer. The NIC is attach to the bus

Mbps - Megabits per second - 1 million bits per second

kbps - Kilobits per second - 1000 bits per second

Physical Address An address identifying a single node.  This is also known as a MAC (Media Access Control) Address.

Packet  A series of bits containing data and control information, such as source and destination address, format, checksum value, etc.

Spool File  - Simultaneous Print Operation OffLine - A temporary file written to a disk, then transferred to the printer at a later time.

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Network Devices

AUI - Attachment Unit Interface -  A device which connects the 10Base5 NIC connector to the network

AAUI - Apple Attachment Unit Interface -  An EtherTalk connection. Physically smaller than an AUI connector.

Transceiver A device that connects a node to various types of media

NIC - Network Interface Card -  A card that is installed on the computer’s bus system for communicating with the network

Hub - A device that provides for multiple 10Base-T or 100Base-TX connections.

NVRAM - Non-Volatile RAM - Memory for storing configuration parameters. The settings are not lost when the unit is power cycled.

L-COM Adapter A device that is used with a standard Ethernet cable to provide a cross-over connection. 

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