Thread: Computer Networking Terminology

There are thousands of terms, phrases and conditions used in the networking globe. Since most of us are not outlook Cisco employees we resolute to list some of the more ordinary terminology you may approach across or need to know. Here is a listing of important words, phrases and conditions you should recognize about networking.

• Bandwidth - the rated through place ability of a given network media or protocol. The sum of information that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time.

• Backbone - A high-speed link union together some networks.

• Bit – A unit of data having just two probable values, as either of the binary digits 0 or 1.

• Byte - a series of successive binary digits that are function upon as a unit. There are 8 bits in a byte.

• Category 5 (cat 5) cable -A type of twisted pair network cabling in which there is a sure number of twists per foot. It is the most usually used network cabling.

• Coaxial Cable - A type of cable containing two insulating layers and two conductors most normally used in older networks.

• Collision - An attempt by two devices to broadcast over the network at the same time typically resulting in the data being lost.

• DNS (Domain Name System) – an internet service that interprets domain names into IP addresses.

• Dynamic DNS - A method of keeping an area name linked to a changing IP address using a pool of obtainable IP addresses so you can employ applications that need a static IP address.

• Domain - A group of computers and devices on a network that are managed as a unit.

• DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) – A TCP/IP protocol that energetically assigns an IP tackle to a computer. Dynamic addressing simplifies network direction because the software remains track of IP addresses rather than requiring a network manager to do so.

• Ethernet - Ethernet is the most widely mounted local area network technology. It was urbanized during the late 1970s through a partnership of DEC, Intel, and Xerox.

• Fiber Optic –A cable technology that utilized glass (or plastic) threads (fibers) to transmit data. It is a very fast technology.

• Gateway - A device on a network that serves as an entry to another network and routes traffic

• Hardware (MAC) address – A unique address connected with a particular network device

• Hub - A common connection end for computers and devices in a network that obtains an incoming signal and repeats it on all other ports

• Internet - Term utilized to refer to the world's largest internet work, connecting thousands of networks worldwide. Also identified as the world wide web (www)

• IP address - a 32-bit address allocated to hosts by means of the TCP/IP protocol. Every computer/device on the public internet has a unique IP address. An instance of an IP address is 192.168.1.

• LAN (Local Area Network) – computer/data network which is restricted in a limited geographical region.

• MAC Address (Media Access Control) - A unique identifier closed to most forms of networking equipment. It is blazed into the device and cannot be tainted

• Megabit - A measure of data transmission speed – 1 million bits per second or around 125,000 characters per second

• Megabyte - A unit of calculate for memory or hard disk storage capability. 1024 megabytes = 1 gigabyte.

• Network - A group of computers and devices that can converse with each other and share resources.

• Network Interface Card (NIC) – A hardware device within a computer or other network machine that enables statement with a network.

• Packet - The unit of data sent across a network. Data is broken up into packets for sending more than a packet switching network.

• PING (Packet Internet Groper) – An authority used to test connectivity to a device over a TCP/IP network.

• Protocol – Rules formative the format and transmission of information over a network

• RJ-45 - Standard connectors used for unprotected twisted-pair cable. Most usually used with Cat5 network cabling.

• Route – A path through an internetwork.

• Router – A device that routes/forwards data crosswise a networks.

• Server - A computer that handles needs for data, email, files, and other network services from other computers (clients)

• Subnet - A segment of a network that shares a general address component but is on a dissimilar segment than the rest of the network.

• TI Line – A high speed enthusiastic data line that supports a transmission rate of 1.544 Mbps

• TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A suite of etiquettes used as the basis of the nation's internetwork (Internet). It can also be utilized on internal networks.

• UNC (Universal Naming Convention) Path - A UNC present a naming gathering for recognizing network resources. UNC names include three parts, a server name, a share name and an optional file path.

• WAN (wide area network) - A network linking together networks situated in other geographic areas.