50 Glossary
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HTTP
— Hypertext Transfer Protocol. An application-level protocol for
accessing the World Wide Web over the Internet.
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IP
— Internet Protocol. The mechanism by which packets are routed
between computers on a network.
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IP Type
— The type of service provided over a network.
•
IP address
— Internet Protocol address. The address of a device
attached to an IP network (TCP/IP network).
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Kbps
— Kilobits per second. The rate of data flow.
•
LAN
— Local Area Network. A type of network that lets a group of
computers, all in close proximity (such as inside an office building),
communicate with one another. It does not use common carrier circuits
though it can have gateways or bridges to other public or private
networks.
•
MAC Address
— Media Access Control. A number that uniquely
identifies each network hardware device. MAC addresses are 12-digit
hexadecimal numbers. This is also known as the physical or hardware
address.
•
Mbps
— Megabits per second.
•
Network Technology
— The technology on which a particular network
provider’s system is built; such as CDMA or EVDO.
•
Port
— A virtual data connection used by programs to exchange data. It
is the endpoint in a logical connection. The port is specified by the port
number.
•
Port Forwarding
— A process that allows remote devices to connect to
a specific computer within a private LAN.
•
Port Number
— A 16-bit number used by the TCP and UDP protocols
to direct traffic on a TCP/IP host. Certain port numbers are standard for
common applications.
•
Protocol
— A standard that enables connection, communication, and
data transfer between computing endpoints.
•
Proxy
— A firewall mechanism that replaces the IP address of a host on
the internal (protected) network with its own IP address for all traffic
passing through it.
