computer that runs iTunes.
iTunes™ Scan Interval -
Periodic scans of the shared music libraries for updates. For example, a LaCie
network device automatically performs an iTunes once every 24 hours.
LAN (Local Area Network) -
A network within a small or limited geography, such as an office, a school, or a
home.
MAC Address (Media Access Control) -
A unique identifier assigned by the manufacturer of a computer's
network interface card. Though it has a different naming structure, a MAC address works with the IP address for
network communication. There are many layers of network communication but, as an oversimplification, the
MAC address supports the hardware aspect while the IP deals with the software implementation. An IP address
can change while a MAC address is almost always fixed. A MAC address can generally be found in the operating
system network settings, also referred to as an ethernet address, hardware address, adapter address, or
physical address. The naming structure can be listed in two ways:
MM:MM:MM:SS:SS:SS or MM-MM-MM-SS-SS-SS
The “M” half of the address represents code used to identify the manufacturer of the network interface while
the “S” half is a serial number. For example, a common manufacturer “M” prefix is, 00A0C9 since it represents
Intel®. A full MAC address example is 00:23:df:99:5e:2a, with 00:23:df pointing to Apple as the manufacturer.
MAC Address Cloning -
Internet service providers (ISP) may limit the amount of network connections by
counting MAC addresses. Upon seeing more than an arbitrary number of MAC addresses on your home network,
access will be denied to additional devices. MAC address cloning enables a router or network device to create a
single MAC address for the ISP to see while it manages the computers that are attached via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
NAT (Network Address Translation) -
A router will take addresses that come from public servers and
translate them to addresses that are acceptable to the private network. This is helpful for reducing the number
of IP addresses on a network or directing welcome traffic into a private network while dismissing unwanted
visitors.
NAT-PMP (Network Address Translation-Port Mapping Protocol) -
Taking port forwarding a step further,
this allows users in a private network to automate network address translation by port number. Addresses
outside the private network include a port number that mark them as acceptable. NAT-PMP converts “good”
traffic into acceptable IP address within the system.
Netmask -
Also known as the subnetwork. A subnet address is part of the IP address information, generally
placing a network geography onto one or more computers. That is, everyone with a certain subnet address is
hosted or attached to a specific server. A subnet mask has an address listing similar in form to IPv4. A common
subnet mask (as it is called in the operating system preferences) is: 255.255.255.0.
Network Gateway -
Capable of operating in software, hardware, or a combination of the two, a network
gateway assists in enabling communication between networks with different protocols. Often, the network
gateway is the Internet access device (such as a broadband router) provided by the ISP. An example would be
one network that is using TCP/IP, while a second runs AppleTalk and a third, UDP. The network gateway assures
that the translation process between them is transparent to the user.
NTP Server (Network Time Protocol) -
A protocol used to synchronize the time for computers that reside on
the same network. Public NTP servers are also available on the Internet.
Port Forwarding -
Since a port number is part of a network address, it is possible to target specific IP
addresses by their port numbers. This way, remote computers or devices with IP addresses can shake hands
with a particular address on a LAN. A real world example is a Playstation®3 being used for an online game. That
particular game may demand a specific IP address and port number for its network communication.
Port Number -
Another layer of network addressing that works with protocols such as TCP/IP or UDP/IP. A port
number is represented by a number ranging from 0 to 65535. Under normal conditions, a user does not have to
worry about port numbers for network communication since they remain layers in the addressing protocol.
However, for advanced use, some port numbers may have to be managed or specifically opened due to the
demands of hardware, software, or firewalls. For example, it may be necessary to open Port 80 in order to play a
video game online.
Print Server -
A network device that is connected to one or more printers and to client computers over a local
network. It can accept print jobs from the computers and send them to the appropriate printer(s).
Proxy Server -
A special server that aids in client-client, client-server, and/or server-server communications. A
LaPlug User Manual
LaCie
59
