Appendix b
(continued) |
|
hub | No longer used much in modern home networks, a hub takes its signal |
| from each computer and sends it to all of the other computers connected |
| to the hub. Hubs, are passive; other devices on the network plug into the |
| hub in order to communicate with one another. A hub does not manage |
| the network. |
IP address | A number that uniquely identifies the device on the network. IP addresses |
| are assigned dynamically through DHCP or AutoIP. You can also set up a |
| static IP address, though this is not recommended. |
infrastructure | An infrastructure network uses a router, switch, or access point to |
| connect network elements. |
MAC address | Media Access Control (MAC) address that uniquely identifies the HP all- |
| |
| networking hardware for identification. No two pieces of hardware have |
| the same MAC address. |
NIC | Network Interface Card. A card on your computer that provides an |
| Ethernet connection so that you can connect your computer to a network. |
The connector on the ends of an Ethernet cable. Although standard | |
| Ethernet cable connectors |
| telephone cable connectors, they are not interchangeable. An |
| connector is wider and thicker and always has 8 contacts on the end. A |
| phone connector has between 2 and 6 contacts. |
SSID | Service Set Identifier. A unique identifier (up to 32 characters) that |
| differentiates one wireless local area network (WLAN) from another. The |
| SSID is also referred to as the network name. This is the name of the |
| network to which the HP |
router | A router provides a bridge between two or more networks. A router can |
| link a network to the Internet, link two networks and connect both to the |
| Internet, and help secure networks through the use of firewalls and |
| assigning dynamic addresses. A router can also act as a gateway, while a |
| switch cannot. |
switch | A switch makes it possible for several users to send information over a |
| network at the same time without slowing each other down. Switches allow |
| different nodes (a network connection point, typically a computer) of a |
| network to communicate directly with one another. |
WEP key | The passkey for Wired Equivalent Privacy encryption, which provides a |
| first level of security against casual eavesdroppers. |
WPA Password or | The password for |
Passkey | characters long, including spaces. WPA provides security by verifying the |
| identity of a user or device before granting access to the network, making |
| it more difficult for unauthorized users to get at network resources. This |
| security method is common on wireless networks. |
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