Instant EtherFast Series | Linksys PCMLM56 instruction

Instant EtherFast® Series

Mbps (MegaBits Per Second) - One million bits per second; unit of measure- ment for data transmission.

Motherboard - A motherboard is the physical arrangement in a computer that contains the computer's basic circuitry and components.

NetBEUI (NetBIOS Extended User Interface) - The transport layer for NetBIOS. NetBIOS and NetBEUI were originally part of a single protocol suite that was later separated. NetBIOS sessions can be transported over NetBEUI, TCP/IP and SPX/IPX protocols.

NetBIOS - The native networking protocol in DOS and Windows networks. Although originally combined with its transport layer protocol (NetBEUI), NetBIOS today provides a programming interface for applications at the ses- sion layer (layer 5). NetBIOS can ride over NetBEUI, its native transport, which is not routable, or over TCP/IP and IPX/SPX, which are routable proto- cols.

NetBIOS computers are identified by a unique 15-character name, and Windows machines (NetBIOS machines) periodically broadcast their names over the network so that Network Neighborhood can catalog them. For TCP/IP networks, NetBIOS names are turned into IP addresses via manual configura- tion in an LMHOSTS file or a WINS server.

There are two NetBIOS modes. The Datagram mode is the fastest mode, but does not guarantee delivery. It uses a self-contained packet with send and receive name, usually limited to 512 bytes. If the recipient device is not listen- ing for messages, the datagram is lost. The Session mode establishes a connec- tion until broken. It guarantees delivery of messages up to 64KB long.

Network - A system that transmits any combination of voice, video and/or data between users.

Notebook (PC) - A notebook computer is a battery-powered personal comput- er generally smaller than a briefcase that can easily be transported and conve- niently used in temporary spaces such as on airplanes, in libraries, temporary offices, and at meetings. A notebook computer, sometimes called a laptop com- puter, typically weighs less than five pounds and is three inches or less in thick- ness.

Packet - A unit of data routed between an origin and a destination in a network.

Plug-and-Play- The ability of a computer system to configure expansion boards and other devices automatically without requiring the user to turn off the system during installation.

EtherFast® 10/100 Compact USB Network Adapter

Port - A pathway into and out of the computer or a network device such as a switch or router. For example, the serial and parallel ports on a personal com- puter are external sockets for plugging in communications lines, modems and printers.

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

Router - Protocol-dependent device that connects subnetworks together. Routers are useful in breaking down a very large network into smaller subnet- works; 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.

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 sys- tem (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.

STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) - Telephone wire that is wrapped in a metal sheath to eliminate external interference.

Switch - 1. A data switch connects computing devices to host computers, allowing a large number of devices to share a limited number of ports. 2. A device for making, breaking, or changing the connections in an electrical cir- cuit.

TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is the basic communication language or protocol of the Internet. It can also be used as a communications protocol in a private network (either an intranet or an extranet). When you are set up with direct access to the Internet, your comput- er is provided with a copy of the TCP/IP program just as every other computer that you may send messages to or get information from also has a copy of TCP/IP.

Throughput - The amount of data moved successfully from one place to anoth- er in a given time period.