Appendix F: Glossary
802.11b - An IEEE wireless networking standard that specifies a maximum data transfer rate of 11Mbps and an operating frequency of 2.4GHz.
Access Point - A device that allows
Adapter - A device that adds network functionality to your PC.
Backbone - The part of a network that connects most of the systems and networks together, and handles the most data.
Bandwidth - The transmission capacity of a given device or network.
Bit - A binary digit.
Boot - To start a device and cause it to start executing instructions.
Bridge - A device that connects different networks.
Broadband - An
Browser - An application program that provides a way to look at and interact with all the information on the World Wide Web.
Buffer - A shared or assigned memory area that is used to support and coordinate different computing and networking activities so one isn't held up by the other.
Byte - A unit of data that is usually eight bits long
Cable Modem - A device that connects a computer to the cable television network, which in turn connects to the Internet.
CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance) - A method of data transfer that is used to prevent data collisions.
Appendix F: Glossary | 52 |