Appendix C Glossary
Address maskA bit mask used to select bits from an Internet address for subnet addressing. The mask is 32 bits long and selects the network portion of the Internet address and one or more bits of the local portion. Sometimes called subnet mask.
AAL5ATM Adaptation Layer - This layer maps higher layer user data into ATM cells, making the data suitable for transport through the ATM network.
ADSL
Asymmetric digital subscriber line
ATMAsynchronous Transfer Mode - A
American Wire Gauge - The measurement of thickness of a wire
BridgeA device connects two or more physical networks and forwards packets between them. Bridges can usually be made to filter packets, that is, to forward only certain traffic. Related devices are: repeaters which simply forward electrical signals from one cable to the other, and
Characteristic of any network multiplexes independent network carriers onto a single cable. Broadband technology allows several networks to coexist on one single cable; traffic from one network does not interfere with traffic from another. Broadcast A packet delivery system where a copy of a given packet is given to all hosts attached to the network. Example: Ethernet.
CO
Central Office. Refers to equipment located at a Telco or service provider's office.
CPECustomer Premises Equipment located in a user's premises
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)DHCP is software that automatically assigns IP addresses to client stations logging onto a TCP/IP network. DHCP eliminates having to manually assign permanent IP addresses to
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