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connectors have four.
Server
A computer that provides its resources to other
computers and devices on a network. These
include print servers, Internet servers and data
servers. A server can also be combined with a hub
or router.
Site survey
The process whereby a wireless network installer
inspects a location prior to installing a wireless
network. Site surveys are used to identify the radio-
and client-use properties of a facility so that access
points can be optimally placed.
SSL
Secure Sockets Layer. A commonly used
encryption scheme used by many online retail and
banking sites to protect the financial integrity of
transactions. When an SSL session begins, the
server sends its public key to the browser. The
browser then sends a randomly generated secret
key back to the server in order to have a secret key
exchange for that session
Sub network or Subnet
Found in larger networks, these smaller networks
are used to simplify addressing between numerous
computers. Subnets connect together through a
router.
Switch
A type of hub that efficiently controls the way
multiple devices use the same network so that
each can operate at optimal performance. A switch
acts as a networks traffic cop: rather than
transmitting all the packets it receives to all ports as
a hub does, a switch transmits packets to only the
receiving port.
TCP
Transmission Control Protocol. A protocol used
along with the Internet Protocol (IP) to send data in
the form of individual units (called packets)
between computers over the Internet. While IP
takes care of handling the actual delivery of the
data, TCP takes care of keeping track of the
packets that a message is divided into for efficient
routing through the Internet. For example, when a
web page is downloaded from a web server, the
TCP program layer in that server divides the file
into packets, numbers the packets, and then
forwards them individually to the IP program layer.
Although each packet has the same destination IP
address, it may get routed differently through the
network. At the other end, TCP reassembles the
individual packets and waits until they have all
arrived to forward them as single message.
TCP/IP
The underlying technology behind the Internet and
communications between computers in a network.
The first part, TCP, is the transport part, which
matches the size of the messages on either end
and guarantees that the correct message has been
received. The IP part is the user's computer
address on a network. Every computer in a TCP/IP
network has its own IP address that is either
dynamically assigned at startup or permanently
assigned. All TCP/IP messages contain the
address of the destination network as well as the
address of the destination station. This enables
TCP/IP messages to be transmitted to multiple
networks (subnets) within an organization or
worldwide.
VoIP
Voice Over Internet Protocol. Voice transmission
using Internet Protocol to create digital packets
distributed over the Internet. VoIP can be less
expensive than voice transmission using standard
analog packets over POTS (Plain Old Telephone
Service).
VPN
Virtual Private Network. A type of technology
designed to increase the security of information
transferred over the Internet. VPN can work with
either wired or wireless networks, as well as with
dial-up connections over POTS. VPN creates a
private encrypted tunnel from the end user's
computer, through the local wireless network,
through the Internet, all the way to the corporate
servers and database.
WAN
Wide Area Network. A communication system of
connecting PCs and other computing devices
across a large local, regional, national or
international geographic area. Also used to
distinguish between phone-based data networks
and Wi-Fi. Phone networks are considered WANs
and Wi-Fi networks are considered Wireless Local
Area Networks (WLANs).
WEP
Wired Equivalent Privacy. Basic wireless security
provided by Wi-Fi. In some instances, WEP may be
all a home or small-business user needs to protect
