Glossary

10BASE-T

IEEE 802.3 specification for 10 Mbps Ethernet over two pairs of Category 3, 4, or 5 UTP cable. (Now incorporated in IEEE 802.3-2005.)

100BASE-TX

IEEE 802.3u specification for 100 Mbps Ethernet over two pairs of Category 5 UTP cable. (Now incorporated in IEEE 802.3-2005.)

1000BASE-T

IEEE 802.3ab specification for Gigabit Ethernet over 100-ohm Category 5, 5e or 6 twisted-pair cable (using all four wire pairs). (Now incorporated in IEEE 802.3-2005.)

Adapter

A device used to connect end-user nodes to the network; each contains an interface to a specific type of computer or system bus, for example, EISA, ISA, PCIe, PCMCIA, CardBus.

Alien Crosstalk

An electromagnetic noise that can occur in a cable that runs alongside one or more other signal-carrying cables.

Auto-Negotiation

A signaling method that allows each node to define its operational mode (for example, 1000 Mbps and half/full duplex) and to detect the operational mode of the adjacent node to which it is connected.

Backbone

The core infrastructure of a network. It is the portion of the network that transports information from one central location to another central location where it is unloaded onto a local system.

Bandwidth

The difference between the highest and lowest frequencies available for network signals. Also synonymous with wire speed, the actual speed of the data transmission along the cable.

Checksum Offload

The calculation and validation for the checksums found in IP, TCP and UDP. This feature saves a significant amount of valuable CPU cycles.

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