Linksys Compact USB 2.0 manual Instant EtherFast Series

Instant EtherFast® Series

than one is required) and sends it to the IP address that is obtained by looking up the domain name in the Uniform Resource Locator you requested or in the e-mail address you're sending a note to. At the other end, the recipient can see the IP address of the Web page requester or the e-mail sender and can respond by sending another message using the IP address it received.

IPCONFIG - A Windows NT or 2000 utility that provides for querying, defin- ing and managing IP addresses within a network.

LAN - A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line and typically share the resources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area (for example, within an office building).

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.

Compact USB 2.0 10/100 Network Adapter

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.

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.

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