G l o s s a r y
G -3
E t h e r n e t
A network communications system developed and standardized by
DEC, Intel, and Xerox, using baseband transmission, CSMA/CD
access, logical bus topology, and coaxial cable. It defines a physical
medium (the cable) and the recommended method of packet
signaling (placing data on that cable type).
Devices are connected by coaxial cable (either thin or thick) or by
twisted-pair wiring. Ethernet is primarily associated with the bus
network topology using coaxial cable, but unshielded twisted-pair
cabling is an increasingly common medium for Ethernet.
Ethernet cable
Informal name for a thin or thick coaxial cable used in an Ethernet
network.
EtherTalk
Apple Computer's data link product, which allows an AppleTalk
network to use Ethernet cable.
Appletalk is a family of protocols developed by Apple Computer and
implemented on the Macintosh and other computers and
peripherals. It may run on shielded or unshielded twisted-pair
(LocalTalk and compatibles), thin and thick Ethernet, and other
media.
fiber optic cable
Thin, transparent fibers of glass or plastic that transmit light.
F I O R L
Fiber optic inter-repeater link, a fiber optic cable implementation of
the IEEE 802.3 standard.
gateway address
The address of a software or hardware product that allows access
from one network to another.
h o s t
The main computer in a system of computers or terminals. This
computer often provides services to other devices on the network.
h u b
A central device from which many transmissions and communications
to the network emanate.
IEEE 802.3
Specification for the physical layer in a local area network that uses
the Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection
(CSMA/CD) access method. This specification has a bus
configuration, and uses baseband and broadband transmission.
in-band signalling
Signalling over a network.
International Standards A worldwide federation of national standards organizations.
Organization (ISO)