Microsoft MN-820 manual

network adapter A computer circuit board, card, or other device used to provide network access from a computer to other parts of the network – for example, to another computer, a printer, or a base station (gateway or router). Adapters can be installed inside a computer, inserted into a computer’s expansion slots, or connected to a computer’s ports.

NIC Acronym for “Network Interface Card.” A circuit board, expansion card, or other device used to provide network access to a computer or other network component, such as a printer. Network interface cards do the actual sending and receiving of data.

packet A unit of information transmitted as a whole from one device to another on a network. This is often a piece of a file that has been divided up for efficient transmission over the Internet.

PC Card A credit card-sized device that is inserted into a slot on a computer, usually a notebook computer.

PCI Acronym for “Peripheral Component Interconnect.” A specific local bus type that allows up to 10 PCI-compliant expansion cards to be installed in a computer. This architecture is designed to speed up system performance by allowing some expansion boards to communicate directly with the microprocessor.

PCMCIA Acronym for “Personal Computer Memory Card International Association.” This group defined the standards for the PC Card, a type of expansion card designed for notebook computers.

peer-to-peer network A network of two or more computers that connect directly with one another.

Plug and Play Sometimes abbreviated “PnP.” A set of specifications that allow a computer to automatically detect and configure various peripheral devices, such as monitors, modems, and printers. See “UPnP.”

port This term has several meanings: (1) A physical connection through

which data is transferred between a computer and another computer, a network, and other devices (such as a monitor, modem, or printer). (2) A software channel for network communications. When a client computer communicates through a network with a server, it sends its request over a certain numbered channel, called a “port.”

port forwarding When a base station, gateway, or router passes information between your network and the Internet, it filters the information based on which software (virtual) ports are being used and how those ports are configured. For example, Internet (HTTP) communication, by default, travels over port 80. To help ensure security, all other ports are blocked from transferring data unless you specifically configure those ports to “forward” incoming data to other locations.

PPPAcronym for “Point-to-Point Protocol.” A widely used data link protocol for transmitting data packets over dial-up telephone connections, such as between a computer and the Internet.

80Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Notebook Kit User’s Guide