(See related pages)
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| Bandwidth | Or capacity of the communications medium, refers to the amount of information that a communications medium can transfer in a given amount of time. |
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| Bluetooth | Technology provides entirely wireless connections for all kinds of communication devices. (See page(s) 6) |
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| Broadband | High-capacity telecommunications pipeline capable of providing high-speed Internet service. |
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| Cable modem | A device that uses your TV cable to deliver an Internet connection. |
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| Cat 5 (Category 5) | Cable is a better-constructed version of the phone twisted-pair cable. |
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| Client/server network | A network in which one or more computers are servers and provide services to the other computers which are called clients. |
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| Coaxial cable (coax) | One central wire surrounded by insulation, a metallic shield, and a final case of insulation material. |
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| Communications media | The path, or physical channel, in a network over which information travels. |
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| Communications protocol (protocol) | A set of rules that every computer follows to transfer information. |
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| Communications satellite | Microwave repeater in space. |
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| Communications service provider | Third party who furnishes the conduit for information. |
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| Computer network | (or a network) two or more computers connected so that they can communicate with each other and share information, software, peripheral devices, and/or processing power. |
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| Digital subscriber line (DSL) | A high-speed Internet connection using phone lines, which allows you to use your phone for voice communications at the same time. |
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| Ethernet card | The most common type of network interface card. |
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| Firewall | Hardware and/or software that protects a computer or network from intruders. |
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| Handspring | A type of PDA that runs on the Palm Operating System (Palm OS). |
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| Infrared | Is a wireless communications medium that uses radio waves to transmit signals or information. |
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| International virtual private network (international VPN) | Virtual private networks that depend on services offered by phone companies of various nationalities. |
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| Local area network (LAN) | A network that covers a limited geographic distance, such as an office, building, or a group of buildings in close proximity to each other. |
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| Microwave | A type of radio transmission used to transmit information. |
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| Municipal area network (MAN) | Covers a metropolitan area. |
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| Network hub | A device that connects multiple computers into a network. |
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| Network interface card (NIC) | An expansion card or a PC Card (for a notebook) that connects your computer to a network and provides the doorway for information to flow in and out. |
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| Optical fibre | A telecommunications medium that uses a very thin glass or plastic fibre through which pulses or light travel. |
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| Palm Operating System (Palm OS) | The operating system for Palm and Handspring PDAs. |
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| Palm | A type of PDA that runs on the Palm Operating system (Palm OS). |
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| Peer-to-peer network | A network in which a small number of computers share hardware (such as a printer), software and/or information. |
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| Personal digital assistant (PDA) | A small handheld computer that helps you surf the Web and perform simple tasks such as note taking, calendaring, appointment scheduling, and maintaining an address book. |
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| Pocket PC OS (Windows CE) | The operating system for the PocketPC PDA. |
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| PocketPC | A type of PDA that runs on Pocket PC OS that used to be called Windows CE. |
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| Private network | The communications media that your organization owns or exclusively leases to connect networks or network components. |
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| Public network | A network on which your organization competes for time with others. |
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| Repeater | A device that receives a radio signal, strengthens it, and sends it on. |
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| Router | A device that acts as a smart hub connecting computers into a network, and it also separates your network from any other network it’s connected to. |
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| Satellite modem | A modem that allows you to get Internet access from a satellite dish. |
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| Switch | A device that connects multiple computers into a network in which multiple communications links can be in operation simultaneously. |
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| Telephone modem (modem) | A device that connects your computer to your phone line so that you can access another computer or network. |
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| Virtual private network (VPN) | A public network that promises availability to your organization, but doesn’t provide you with a dedicated line or communications media. |
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| Wide area network (WAN) | A network that covers large geographic distances, such as a province, a country, or even the entire world. |
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| WiFi (wireless fidelity or IEEE 802.11b) | A way of transmitting information in wave form that is reasonably fast and is often used for notebooks. |
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| Wired communications media | Transmit information over a closed, connected path. |
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| Wireless communications media | Transmit information through the air. |
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| Wireless Internet service provider (wireless ISP) | Does the same job as standard Internet service providers except that you don’t need a wired connection for access. |
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| Wireless local area network (WLAN or LAWN) | A local area network that uses radio waves rather than wires to transmit information. |
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| Wireless network access point (wireless access point) | A device that allows computers to access a wired network using radio waves. |