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Appendix C: Glossary
Gigabit 8-Port Workgroup Switch
Encryption - Encoding data transmitted in a network.
Ethernet - IEEE standard network protocol that specifies how data is placed on and retrieved from a common
transmission medium.
Firmware - The programming code that runs a networking device.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) - A protocol used to transfer files over a TCP/IP network.
Full Duplex - The ability of a networking device to receive and transmit data simultaneously.
Gateway - A device that interconnects networks with different, incompatible communications protocols.
Half Duplex - Data transmission that can occur in two directions over a single line, but only one direction at a
time.
HTTP (HyperText Transport Protocol) - The communications protocol used to connect to servers on the World
Wide Web.
IP (Internet Protocol) - A protocol used to send data over a network.
IP Address - The address used to identify a computer or device on a network.
IPCONFIG - A Windows 2000 and XP utility that displays the IP address for a particular networking device.
IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) - A VPN protocol used to implement secure exchange of packets at the IP layer.
ISP (Internet Service Provider) - A company that provides access to the Internet.
LAN - The computers and networking products that make up your local network.
MAC (Media Access Control) Address - The unique address that a manufacturer assigns to each networking
device.
Mbps (MegaBits Per Second) - One million bits per second; a unit of measurement for data transmission.
Network - A series of computers or devices connected for the purpose of data sharing, storage, and/or
transmission between users.
Packet - A unit of data sent over a network.
Ping (Packet INternet Groper) - An Internet utility used to determine whether a particular IP address is online.