Token ring topology

glossary

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

Basic communication language of the Internet (but can also be used in private networks). TCP keeps track of individual data packets, while IP handles the actual delivery of the data.

TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol)

A simple, easy-to-implement protocol for transferring files on a network that lacks most of the features of a normal File Transfer Protocol (FTP) program (it cannot list directories or authenticate users).

Networking layout in which computers and other devices are connected in a unidirectional loop or ring. A computer captures a “token” being passed around the network and waiting for data transmission.

topology

Arrangement of cables and hardware in a network; see bus topology, default gateway, star (or spanning tree) topology, and token ring topology.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

Unique address on the Internet.

USB (Universal Serial Bus)

USB ports connect high-speed peripherals; supports multiport hubs.

UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair)

The most common kind of copper telephone wiring connecting home and many business computers to a telephone service.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)

See PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol).

WAN (Wide Area Network)

Communications network that extends over a wide geographic area; sometimes used to mean the Internet.

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)

A data privacy mechanism based on a 64-bit shared key algorithm, as described in the IEEE 802.11 standard.