MBR L13 – User’s Guide
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3 Glossary
100Base-T Also known as "Fast Ethernet," an Ethernet cable standard with a data transfer rate of up to 100 Mbps.
10Base-T An older Ethernet cable standard with a data transfer rate of up to 10 Mbps.
802.11, 802.11b A family of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)-defined specifications for wireless
networks. Includes the 802.11b standard, which supports high-speed (up to 11 Mbps) wireless data transmission.
802.3 The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - defined specification that describes the
characteristics of Ethernet (wired) connections.
Access point A device that exchanges data between computers on a network. An access point typically does not have
any Firewall or NAT capabilities.
Ad hoc network A solely wireless computer-to-computer network. Unlike an infrastructure network, an ad hoc
network does not include a gateway router.
Adapter Also known as a "network interface card" (NIC). An expansion card or other device used to provide network
access to a computer, printer, or other device.
Administrator A person responsible for planning, configuring, and managing the day-to-day operation of a computer
network. The duties of an administrator include installing new workstations and other devices, adding and removing
individuals from the list of authorized users, archiving files, overseeing password protection and other security
measures, monitoring usage of shared resources, and handling malfunctioning equipment.
Authentication The process of identifying an individual usually based on a username and password. In security
systems, authentication is distinct from authorization, which is the process of giving individuals access to system
objects based on their identity. Authentication merely ensures that the individual is who he or she claims to be, but
says nothing about the access rights of the individual.
Bandwidth The amount of information, or size of file, that can be sent through a network connection at one time. A
connection with more bandwidth can transfer information more quickly.
Bridge A device that forwards packets of information from one segment of a network to another. A bridge forwards
only those packets necessary for communication between the segments.
Broadband connection A high-speed connection, typically 256 Kbps or faster. Broadband services include cable
modems and DSL.
Broadband modem A device that enables a broadband connection to access the Internet. The two most common
types of broadband modems are cable modems, which rely on cable television infrastructure, and DSL modems, which
rely on telephone lines operating at DSL speeds.
Broadcast Broadcasting sends a message to everyone on the network whereas multicasting sends a message to a
select list of recipients.
Bus A set of hardware lines used for data transfer among the components of a computer system. A bus essentially
allows different parts of the system to share data. For example, a bus connects the disk-drive controller, memory, and
input/output ports to the microprocessor.
Cable modem A device that enables a broadband connection to access the Internet. Cable modems rely on cable
television infrastructure, in other words, the data travels on the same lines as your cable television.
CAT 5 cable Abbreviation for "Category 5 cable." A type of Ethernet cable that has a maximum data rate of 100 Mbps.
Channel A path or link through which information passes between two devices.
CHAP Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol, a type of authentication in which the authentication agent
(typically a network server) sends the client program a random value, that is used only once, and an ID value. The
sender and peer must share a predefined secret key.
