LIF200 User Manual
24
A p p e n d i x B : G l o s s a r y
10BaseT
– An Ethernet standard that uses twisted wire pairs.
100BaseTX
– IEEE physical layer specification for 100 Mbps over two pairs of Category 5 UTP or STP
wire.
Adapter
– Printed circuit board that plugs into a PC to add to capabilities or connectivity to a PC. In a
networked environment, a network interface card (NIC) is the typical adapter that allows the PC or server
to connect to the intranet and/or Internet.
Auto-MDI/MDIX
– On a network hub or switch, an auto-MDI/MDIX port automatically senses if it needs
to act as a MDI or MDIX port. The auto-MDI/MDIX capability eliminates the need for crossover cables.
Auto-negotiate
– To automatically determine the correct settings. The term is often used with
communications and networking. For example, Ethernet 10/100 cards, hubs, and switches can determine
the highest speed of the node they are connected to and adjust their transmission rate accordingly.
Browser
– A browser is an application program that provides a way to look at and interact with all the
information on the World Wide Web or PC. The word “browser” seems to have originated prior to the
Web as a generic term for user interfaces that let you browse text files online.
Cable Modem
– A device that connects a computer to the cable television network, which in turn connects
to the Internet. Once connected, cable modem users have a continuous connection to the Internet. Cable
modems feature asymmetric transfer rates: around 36 Mbps downstream (from the Internet to the
computer), and from 200 Kbps to 2 Mbps upstream (from the computer to the Internet).
CAT 5
– ANSI/EIA (American National Standards Institute/Electronic Industries Association) Standard
568 is one of several standards that specify “categories” (the singular is commonly referred to as “CAT”)
of twisted pair cabling systems (wires, junctions, and connectors) in terms of the data rates that they can
sustain. CAT 5 cable has a maximum throughput of 100 Mbps and is usually utilized for 100BaseTX
networks.
CTS (Clear To Send)
– An RS-232 signal sent from the receiving station to the transmitting station that
indicates it is ready to accept data.
Data Packet
– One frame in a packet-switched message. Most data communications is based on dividing
the transmitted message into packets. For example, an Ethernet packet can be from 64 to 1518 bytes in
length.
Default Gateway
– The routing device used to forward all traffic that is not addressed to a station within
the local subnet.
