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10/100 LAN Cards
70
CPU (Central Processing Unit) - The computing part of the computer. Also
called the "processor," it is made up of the control unit and ALU.
CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection) - The LAN
access method used in Ethernet. When a device wants to gain access to the net-
work, it checks to see if the network is quiet (senses the carrier). If it is not, it
waits a random amount of time before retrying. If the network is quiet and two
devices access the line at exactly the same time, their signals collide. When the
collision is detected, they both back off and each wait a random amount of time
before retrying.
Download - To receive a file transmitted over a network. In a communications
session, download means receive, upload means transmit.
Driver - A workstation or server software module that provides an interface
between a network interface card and the upper-layer protocol software running
in the computer; it is designed for a specific NIC, and is installed during the
initial installation of a network-compatible client or server operating system.
Ethernet - IEEE standard network protocol that specifies how data is placed on
and retrieved from a common transmission medium. Has a transfer rate of 10
Mbps. Forms the underlying transport vehicle used by several upper-level pro-
tocols, including TCP/IP and XNS.
Fast Ethernet - A 100 Mbps technology based on the 10Base-T Ethernet
CSMA/CD network access method.
Full Duplex - The ability of a device or line to transmit data simultaneously in
both directions.
Half Duplex - Data transmission that can occur in two directions over a single
line, but only one direction at a time.
Hardware - Hardware is the physical aspect of computers, telecommunications,
and other information technology devices. The term arose as a way to distin-
guish 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.
Linksys Instant EtherFast
®
Series
69
Glossary
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.
Bit - A binary digit. The value - 0 or 1-used in the binary numbering system.
Also, the smallest form of data.
Boot - To cause the computer to start executing instructions. Personal comput-
ers contain built-in instructions in a ROM chip that are automatically executed
on startup. These instructions search for the operating system, load it and pass
control to it.
Bus Mastering - A bus design that allows the peripheral controllers (plug-in
boards) to access the computer's memory independently of the CPU. It allows
data transfers to take place between the peripheral device and memory while
the CPU is performing other tasks.
CAT 3 - 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 3 cable has a maximum throughput of 16 Mbps and
is usually utilized for 10BaseT networks.
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.