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Hardware
- Hardware is the physical aspect of computers, telecommunications, and other information
technology devices. The term arose as a way to distinguish the “box” and the electronic circuitry and
components of a computer from the program you put in it to make it do things. The program came to be known
as the software.
Hub
- The device that serves as the central location for attaching wires from workstations. Can be passive,
where there is no amplification of the signals; or active, where the hubs are used like repeaters to provide an
extension of the cable that connects to a workstation.
HTTP
(
H
yper
T
ext
T
ransport
P
rotocol) - The communications protocol used to connect to servers on the World
Wide Web. Its primary function is to establish a connection with a Web server and transmit HTML pages to the
client browser.
MAC Address
- The MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique number assigned by the manufacturer to
any Ethernet networking device, such as a network adapter, that allows the network to identify it at the hardware
level.
Mbps
(
M
ega
B
its
P
er
S
econd) - One million bits per second; unit of measurement for data transmission.
IP Address
- In the most widely installed level of the Internet Protocol (IP) today, an IP address is a 32-binary
digit number that identifies each sender or receiver of information that is sent in packets across the Internet.
When you request an HTML page or send e-mail, the Internet Protocol part of TCP/IP includes your IP address
in the message (actually, in each of the packets if more than one is required) and sends it to the IP address that
is obtained by looking up the domain name in the Uniform Resource Locator you requested or in the e-mail
address you're sending a note to. At the other end, the recipient can see the IP address of the Web page
requestor or the e-mail sender and can respond by sending another message using the IP address it received.
IPCONFIG
- A utility that provides for querying, defining and managing IP addresses within a network. A
commonly used utility, under Windows NT and 2000, for configuring networks with static IP addresses.
ISP
- An ISP (Internet service provider) is a company that provides individuals and companies access to the
Internet and other related services such as website building and virtual hosting.
Packet
- A unit of data routed between an origin and a destination in a network.
Network Mask
- Also known as the “Subnet Mask.”
NIC
(
N
etwork
I
nterface
C
ard) - A board installed in a computer system, usually a PC, to provide network
communication capabilities to and from that computer system. Also called an adapter.
RJ-45
- A connector similar to a telephone connector that holds up to eight wires, used for connecting Ethernet
devices.
Server
- Any computer whose function in a network is to provide user access to files, printing, communications,
and other services.
SMTP
(
S
imple
M
ail
T
ransfer
P
rotocol) - The standard e-mail protocol on the Internet. It is a TCP/IP protocol that
defines the message format and the message transfer agent (MTA), which stores and forwards the mail.
Ping
(
P
acket
IN
ternet
G
roper) - An Internet utility used to determine whether a particular IP address is online. It
is used to test and debug a network by sending out a packet and waiting for a response.
Port
- A pathway into and out of the computer or a network device such as a switch or router. For example, the
serial and parallel ports on a personal computer are external sockets for plugging in communications lines,
modems, and printers.
