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NetBIOS computers are identified by a unique 15-character name, and Windows
machines (NetBIOS machines) periodically broadcast their names over the net-
work so that Network Neighborhood can catalog them. For TCP/IP networks,
NetBIOS names are turned into IP addresses via manual configuration in an
LMHOSTS file or a WINS server.
There are two NetBIOS modes. The Datagram mode is the fastest mode, but
does not guarantee delivery. It uses a self-contained packet with send and
receive name, usually limited to 512 bytes. If the recipient device is not listen-
ing for messages, the datagram is lost. The Session mode establishes a connec-
tion until broken. It guarantees delivery of messages up to 64KB long.
Network
- A system that transmits any combination of voice, video, and/or data
between users.
Network Mask
- also known as the “Subnet Mask.”
NIC
(
N
etwork
I
nterface
C
ard) - A board installed in a computer system, usual-
ly a PC, to provide network communication capabilities to and from that com-
puter system. Also called an adapter.
Notebook (PC)
- A notebook computer is a battery-powered personal comput-
er generally smaller than a briefcase that can easily be transported and conve-
niently used in temporary spaces such as on airplanes, in libraries, at temporary
offices, and at meetings. A notebook computer, sometimes called a laptop com-
puter, typically weighs less than five pounds and is three inches or less in thick-
ness.
Packet Filtering
- Discarding unwanted network traffic based on its originating
address or range of addresses or its type (e-mail, file transfer, etc.).
Partitioning
- To divide a resource or application into smaller pieces.
PCI
(
P
eripheral
C
omponent
I
nterconnect) - A peripheral bus commonly used in
PCs, Macintoshes and workstations. It was designed primarily by Intel and first
appeared on PCs in late 1993. PCI provides a high-speed data path between the
CPU and peripheral devices (video, disk, network, etc.). There are typically
three or four PCI slots on the motherboard. In a Pentium PC, there is generally
a mix of PCI and ISA slots or PCI and EISA slots. Early on, the PCI bus was
known as a “local bus.”
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.
LAN
- A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated
devices that share a common communications line and typically share the
resources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area (for
example, within an office building).
Latency
- The time delay between when the first bit of a packet is received and
the last bit is forwarded.
MAC Address
- The MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique number
assigned by the manufacturer to any Ethernet networking device, such as a net-
work 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 measure-
ment for data transmission.
mIRC
- mIRC runs under Windows and provides a graphical interface for log-
ging onto IRC servers and listing, joining, and leaving channels.
Motherboard
- A motherboard is the physical arrangement in a computer that
contains the computer’s basic circuitry and components.
NAT
- NAT (Network Address Translation) is the translation of an Internet
Protocol address (IP address) used within one network to a different IP address
known within another network. One network is designated the inside network
and the other is the outside.
NetBEUI
(
NetB
IOS
E
xtended
U
ser
I
nterface) - The transport layer for
NetBIOS. NetBIOS and NetBEUI were originally part of a single protocol suite
that was later separated. NetBIOS sessions can be transported over NetBEUI,
TCP/IP, and IPX/SPX protocols.
NetBIOS
- The native networking protocol in DOS and Windows networks.
Although originally combined with its transport layer protocol (NetBEUI),
NetBIOS today provides a programming interface for applications at the session
layer (layer 5). NetBIOS can ride over NetBEUI, its native transport, which is
not routable, or over TCP/IP and IPX/SPX, which are routable protocols.
