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4-3 Glossary
Default Gateway (Router):
Every non-router IP device needs to configure a
default gateway’s IP address. When the device sends out an IP packet, if the
destination is not on the same network, the device has to send the packet to its
default gateway, which will then send it out towards the destination.
DHCP:
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. This protocol automatically
gives every computer on your home network an IP address.
DNS Server IP Address:
DNS stands for Domain Name System, which
allows Internet servers to have a domain name (such as
www.Broadbandrouter.com) and one or more IP addresses (such as
192.34.45.8). A DNS server keeps a database of Internet servers and their
respective domain names and IP addresses, so that when a domain name is
requested (as in typing "Broadbandrouter.com" into your Internet browser), the
user is sent to the proper IP address. The DNS server IP address used by the
computers on your home network is the location of the DNS server your ISP
has assigned to you.
DSL Modem:
DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. A DSL modem uses
your existing phone lines to transmit data at high speeds.
Ethernet:
A standard for computer networks. Ethernet networks are
connected by special cables and hubs, and move data around at up to 10/100
million bits per second (Mbps).
Idle Timeout:
Idle Timeout is designed so that after there is no traffic to the
Internet for a pre-configured amount of time, the connection will automatically
be disconnected.
IP Address and Network (Subnet) Mask:
IP stands for Internet Protocol. An
IP address consists of a series of four numbers separated by periods, which
identifies a single, unique Internet computer host in an IP network. Example:
192.168.2.1. It consists of 2 portions: the IP network address, and the host
identifier.
The IP address is a 32-bit binary pattern, which can be represented as four
