Wireless PCI Adapter

PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) – A protocol (set of communication rules) that allows corporations to extend their own corporate network through private “tunnels” over the public Internet. Effectively, a corporation uses a wide-area network as a single large local area network. A company no longer needs to lease its own lines for wide-area communication but can securely use the public networks. This kind of interconnection is known as a virtual private network (VPN).

Print Server – A hardware device that enables a printer to be located anywhere in the network.

RIP (Routing Information Protocol) – A simple routing protocol that is part of the TCP/IP protocol suite. It determines a route based on the smallest hop count between source and destination. RIP is a distance vector protocol that routinely broadcasts routing information to its neighboring routers and is known to waste bandwidth. AppleTalk, DECnet, TCP/IP, NetWare, and VINES all use incompatible versions of RIP.

RJ-11(Registered Jack-11) – A telephone connector that holds up to six wires. The RJ-11 is the common connector used to plug a telephone into

a wall.

RJ-45– A connector similar to a telephone connector that holds up to eight wires, used for connecting Ethernet devices.

Wireless PCI Adapter

Router – Protocol-dependent device that connects sub networks together. Routers are useful in breaking down a very large network into smaller sub networks; they introduce longer delays and typically have much lower throughput rates than bridges.

Server – Any computer whose function in a network is to provide user access to files, printing, communications, and other services.

Signal Strength – Determines the strength of the signal for each wireless

channel.

Software – Instructions for the computer. A series of instructions that performs a particular task is called a “program.” The two major categories of software are “system software” and “application software.” System software is made up of control programs such as the operating system and database management system (DBMS). Application software is any program that processes data for the user.

A common misconception is that software is data. It is not, software tells the hardware how to process the data.

SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) – Market segment of professionals who work at home or in small offices.

Static IP Address – A permanent IP address that is assigned to a node in

a TCP/IP network.